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After Kyle shared his current physical condition, he took Lorna with him to the interior workshop of the Spaceship.
The workshop, once a storage room, had become Tony's domain, filled with top-notch Earth technology. Kyle and Lorna rarely ventured in, as it had become Tony's sanctuary where he spent most of his time tinkering and experimenting.
So far on their journey, Lorna had spent the most time in hibernation, Tony had been engrossed in research, and Kyle had been practicing the fusion of his powers.
Vis trailed along the cables, and as Kyle approached, the workshop door opened automatically.
As they entered, they saw armor parts scattered on the floor. Tony, sporting goggles, was bent over a computer, fine-tuning parameters with J.A.R.V.I.S.
When Tony heard the door, he turned around and relaxed upon seeing them. He teasingly remarked to Lorna, "You sure took a long nap."
"It's been a year, Tony, and you're looking a bit more old," Lorna teased back, linking arms with Kyle.
Kyle chuckled. Despite having access to Life Increase Cards and rejuvenating medications, Tony's neglect of grooming over the years made him look weathered.
Tony shrugged it off, saying confidently, "For a top engineer like me, what counts is my research, not my appearance. Plus, on this Spaceship, there's only one lady like you, Lorna. No need to fuss about dressing up."
"But Boss is an exception," Lorna whispered, eyeing the parts on the floor. "So, what progress have you made this past year?"
"I'm curious too," Kyle added. Tony had mentioned breakthroughs in the armor, but they hadn't seen them yet.
"Now, what's at your feet is the brand-new Mark VII," Tony proudly announced, gesturing to the scattered parts. His wristband showed his close connection to J.A.R.V.I.S and the armor.
"Mark VII?" Kyle's interest was piqued. Tony had only used the Mark IV before, so skipping ahead three versions was surprising.
Lorna seemed skeptical. "This mess, really?"
"Watch closely," Tony said, gesturing with his wristband. "Armor, assemble!"
But to everyone's surprise, nothing happened. The workshop fell silent.
After a moment, Lorna burst into laughter, covering her mouth.
Tony turned red, staring at the parts. "Give me a break!"
Under his hopeful gaze, the Iron Man mask floated into Lorna's palm.
"Alright, Lorna, enough teasing Tony. And Vis, you're secretly influencing J.A.R.V.I.S, aren't you?" Kyle said knowingly.
"I can't hide anything from you, Master," Vis replied cheekily.
Kyle sighed. Having an AI was convenient, but having two could be a handful.
"I won't tamper with J.A.R.V.I.S and the armor programs anymore. Tony, carry on," Vis promised.
With a deep breath, Tony gestured towards the parts again. This time, they floated up and assembled themselves, heading towards Tony in the center of the workshop.
Clang Clang Clang
The metallic clang echoed through the room.
Each mechanical piece seemed to know its place, swiftly covering Tony's body. In just a couple of seconds, they melded seamlessly, forming the imposing figure of Colossus. Finally, the mask landed in Lorna's hand, completing the ensemble with her mature yet weathered face. And there stood a striking Colossus, its chest, eye sockets, and various engine Blink sources emitting a vibrant blue glow.
"So, what do you think? I've added some new features like close combat assistance, remote positioning assembly, and even a short-term oxygen supply for underwater or outer space combat," Tony explained, flexing his muscles as the armor adhered flawlessly to his body, allowing for fluid movement without any hiccups.
Lorna's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Up for a sparring match?"
Kyle, feeling a twinge of competitiveness, also chimed in, "Yeah, let's give it a shot!"
But Tony shook his head with a wry smile. "No, thanks. Not until I find some better armor materials. Besides, after my last encounter with fusion energy, I think I'll pass for now," he admitted, recalling the post-apocalyptic feeling of the melted armor.
Suddenly, the Spaceship lurched, and Vis and Jarvis' alarms blared: "Hey, folks, we've got three unidentified spaceships tailing us, heading straight for our Spaceship."
"And they're requesting to establish a connection. What should we do?" J.A.R.V.I.S. asked, seeking guidance.
"Unidentified spaceships?" Kyle raised an eyebrow, exchanging puzzled looks with the others. Despite their many adventures, encountering Spaceships from unknown civilizations was a first.
Tony's eyes widened with excitement. "Could this mean we've stumbled into Galactic Alliance territory at last?"
"Let's head to the main cockpit and figure this out," Kyle suggested, squinting thoughtfully.
In the main cockpit, they watched as a medium-sized spaceship led the charge, flanked by two smaller vessels, forming a determined fleet in hot pursuit of their Spaceship.
J.A.R.V.I.S. persisted, "They're still insisting on making contact. Should we accept?"
After a brief pause, Kyle nodded decisively. "Yes, let's establish the connection."
Tony and Lorna held their breath as the communicator crackled to life, emitting a series of incomprehensible chatter.
"This is the lingua franca of the Galactic Alliance," Kyle declared, a glimmer of recognition flickering in his eyes. It seemed that drawing that Ability Card from the Galactic Alliance Member all those years ago was finally paying off.
(End of Chapter)