Chapter 100: Ignition
[Command room]
Tony stood at the edge of the room, arms folded, watching diagnostics scroll by. His jacket was half unzipped, collar loose, hair still damp from a shower he took a few minutes ago. He hadn't left the command deck since the final systems check.
Behind him, Howard paced slowly, holding a glass of water in one hand and a tablet in the other. "You're still reviewing that same data set," He said without looking up. "You've already combed through it six times."
Tony didn't turn around.
"Then I'll make it a lucky seven."
"You're not going to find a glitch that isn't there," Howard said. "Not unless you plan to invent one before morning."
"I'd rather do that than miss one that kills us."
Howard stepped closer, voice low and even.
"You've already built something the world wasn't ready for. You think I don't know the weight that comes with that? Hell, I wore it for half my life."
Tony finally looked over. His eyes were sharp, but tired.
"Yeah, but you built it and left it behind. I'm flying into a star with three people who trust me not to turn them into cosmic dust. Bit of a difference. Haaa... Sorry. Just a bit.. You know..."
Howard didn't flinch.
"You're doing what I never had the guts to do. I hid behind the excuse of national security and cold war paranoia. You? You just said screw it and handed the world a better future."
Tony looked away again, toward the ship.
There was a soft beep. The comm terminal on the wall lit up.
"Incoming call," Hermes announced. "Encrypted. Location: Stark Mansion."
Howard blinked. "Maria?"
Tony moved to the panel and tapped it.
Maria's face appeared on the screen. Her hair was pinned up, and she wore a gray sweater, the background behind her a familiar blend of bookshelves, fireplace, and the old Stark grand piano.
"You're both still awake," she said.
Tony smiled faintly. "Sleep's a luxury I'll catch after not being incinerated."
Howard stepped closer, folding his arms. "You're calling pretty late."
Maria's eyes softened a little.
"It's not every day my son flies into the heart of the sun. I figured I could get five minutes from his busy schedule."
Tony leaned back against the wall, arms crossed.
"You've got all the minutes you want."
There was a pause. Then Maria asked, gently, "Are you scared?"
Tony didn't answer right away. He exhaled slowly.
"Honestly? Yeah. I've done dangerous. I've done reckless. But this... this is new. There's no roadmap. No safe distance. Just trust in the math and faith in the team."
Howard looked down at the floor.
Maria gave a quiet nod. "Good. That means you understand what's at stake. I'd be more worried if you weren't scared."
Tony gave a dry smile. "Comforting."
Maria tilted her head, looking at him through the screen like she was trying to memorize every detail.
"I want you to promise something," she said.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "That depends."
"Promise me," she said softly, "if things go sideways... you come back. Whatever it takes. You bring them back too."
"I'm not going to..."
"Tony," she cut in, gently but firmly.
He stopped.
Then nodded once.
"I promise."
Howard reached out and put a hand on Tony's shoulder.
"You know," he said, "you don't have to prove anything to anyone anymore."
"I'm not doing this to prove something," Tony replied. "I'm doing it because I can. Because if we don't go now... someone else might. Someone who won't come back. Besides, I get to test myself... My very own limits."
There was a pause. Then Maria smiled.
"You've always carried the world like it was your job."
Tony looked at her, voice softer.
"Someone had to."
Her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, then she nodded.
"You're going to be fine. Just don't forget who you are up there."
"I won't."
"I'll be waiting," she said. "And I'll make sure there's chilled lemonade when you land."
Tony chuckled. "Add some extra ice. I'll probably be solar-fried. So, I'll need some ice."
Howard stepped forward, straightening his jacket.
"Be careful up there, son."
Tony glanced between both of them. "I will."
Maria gave one last smile.
"I love you, Tony."
His voice caught for half a second before he answered.
"I love you too, Mom."
The screen blinked out.
Silence hung for a moment.
Howard didn't say anything. He just stood beside his son, both of them watching the ship outside.
Finally, Tony spoke.
"Forty-eight hours."
Howard nodded.
"Just enough time to change the course of human history. Again."
...
[Location: Egypt – Small Town Bar, 11:43 PM]
[One Night Before Launch]
A local bar full of mismatched furniture and locals nursing drinks with the kind of silence that came from years of heat and history. A single ceiling fan spun lazily overhead, not doing much against the warmth. A jukebox in the corner played something bluesy and old, the vocals fuzzy but soulful.
At the far end of the room, Susan, Johnny, and Ben sat around a beat-up wooden table, half-lit by a low-hanging lamp. A few empty glasses were already gathered in the center. A bottle of arak sat between them now, half-drained.
Johnny leaned back in his chair, boots up on the table, a lazy grin on his face.
"Okay, but seriously," he said, swirling the last inch of his drink. "If tomorrow goes sideways, I at least want it on record that I suggested we go to Hawaii instead. Y'know... sand, sun, no chance of spontaneous combustion."
Susan gave him a side-eye and sipped from her glass. "You'd burn either way. At least this time you're built for it."
Ben chuckled, voice low and gravelly. "Ain't much difference between lava and solar plasma anyway. Just gotta make sure you don't fly off the ship mid-jump."
Johnny raised his glass. "To not flying off the ship mid-jump."
They all clinked glasses.
The arak hit sharp, sweet, and dry. Susan winced a little, then shook her head.
"I still can't believe we're doing this," she said. "Like... actually going. Into the sun."
"Technically, we're orbiting near the corona," Johnny said, pointing a finger. "Not jumping in. We're not retarded. Yet."
Ben exhaled, elbows on the table. "You scared?"
Susan hesitated, then answered honestly.
"Yeah. Kind of. Not of dying, exactly. Just of not finishing what I started. Of not making it count."
Johnny nodded slowly. "Yeah. I get that."
Ben poured himself another shot and hadn't drunk it yet. He stared at the glass, then said quietly, "I'm not scared of what's up there. I'm scared of not coming back to what's down here."
They all went quiet for a moment.
Outside the bar, a wind rolled through the alley, lifting a fine veil of desert dust under the moonlight.
Susan leaned back, folding her arms, her voice low. "You know what gets me? We're standing on the edge of something no one's ever done. And there's no cheering crowd. No medals. Just... us. Drinking in a half-empty bar."
Johnny gave a small shrug. "Kinda poetic, though. If we die, at least it wasn't over cheap beer and fake applause."
Ben raised his glass again. "Then here's to dying smart. Or not dying at all."
They clinked again, quieter this time.
The bar's owner passed by, barely giving them a glance. Locals had already figured out these three weren't from around here, but no one asked questions. Some people just had a look about them. Like they were already halfway gone.
Johnny smiled to himself, eyes distant. "Y'know, I always thought I'd go out doing something reckless and cool. I guess this qualifies."
Susan looked at him. "Just don't do anything extra reckless. We've got enough unknown variables without you pulling a stunt mid-flight."
"I make no promises."
Ben finally downed his drink and let the burn settle.
He set his glass down with a little thud, then leaned back in his chair.
"You know," he began, voice slower now, lower, "I've seen a lot in my life. Been through a lot. Wars. Labs. Loss. Survival. And I always figured the real geniuses were the ones who could break something down to its smallest piece."
Susan and Johnny looked over, listening.
"But Stark?" Ben said, looking at them now. "He's different. He doesn't just break things down. He builds things that shouldn't even exist. Things that defy logic. A ship that flies without fuel. Armor that thinks for you. Medical tech that saved people no one else bothered with. And that FTL drive?" He shook his head. "That's not just invention. That's... vision."
Johnny let out a low whistle. "Coming from you, that's heavy praise."
Ben didn't smile. He meant every word.
"I've worked with smart people. Been around scientists who were called brilliant. But Tony Stark… he looks at the impossible and sees a blueprint. I've watched him rewrite what we thought was physics. Hell, I watched him put nanites in a walking AI that argues with him like it's his sister."
Susan smiled faintly, but stayed quiet.
"So yeah," Ben said, resting his arms on the table. "Let's forget about the bad thoughts of dying and whatnots. Be positive. I believe in this mission. One hundred percent. I believe in Tony and the hard work we've all put into this mission. Let's come back alive, right here after this mission, and we'll sit right here and drink... With Tony and everyone."
Susan looked at Ben for a long moment, then nodded, slow and sure.
"Deal," she said. "Right here. Same table. Same bottle."
Johnny tapped his glass against the table twice, a little ritual. "And no funerals. That's the new rule. If anyone dies, they get yelled at in absentia and then brought back with enough tech to make it awkward."
Ben cracked a small smile. "Agreed."
...
[Meanwhile...] [Tony's room]
Natasha sat on Tony's face, rocking her hips, her breath hitching as he teased her with his tongue. She tasted so sweet, and her smell was intoxicating. Her fingers were entwined in his hair, guiding him, but Tony needed no direction. He knew her body as well as he knew his own tech, and he was applying all his expertise to her pleasure.
Yelena, facing away from him, was riding his cock at her own pace, her hips rising and falling in a smooth, steady rhythm, in the reverse cowgirl position.
The room echoed with the symphony of their pleasure. The wet sound of Tony's tongue against Natasha's slick folds mingled with the rhythmic slapping of flesh against flesh as Yelena rode him. The bed creaked under their movements, a steady, unyielding beat that matched the tempo of their bodies. Natasha's moans filled the room, punctuated by the occasional gasp as Tony hit just the right spot. Yelena, lost in her own rhythm, let out a series of soft, breathy sighs, her fingers gripping Tony's thighs tightly.
Natasha was close, her breath coming in short gasps. She abruptly stood up, her fingers finding her clit, rubbing furiously. Tony looked up, watching her, his tongue still glistening with her arousal. She threw her head back, her body tensing as she cried out, her orgasm washing over her. And then, she squirted, a torrent of her juices flowing out, coating Tony's face. He opened his mouth, catching as much as he could, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction at the taste of her. Yelena, caught off guard, paused for a moment before resuming her rhythm, a small smile playing on her lips at the sight of Tony's face.
"Fuck!" Natasha's thighs trembled as she slumped on his stomach, her body still convulsing with the aftershocks of her orgasm. She leaned down, kissing him deeply, her tongue exploring his mouth, tasting herself on his lips. The kiss was sloppy, passionate, a primal dance of their desire. Tony's hands gripped her ass, pulling her closer, his cock still hard and buried inside Yelena.
Yelena, watching their passion, picked up her pace, her hips moving faster, her breath coming in shorter gasps. She reached back, her fingers finding Tony's, entwining them as she rode him harder.
Tony broke the kiss, his breath ragged. "Harder, Yelena," he said, his voice a low growl.
Natasha slid beside him on the bed as he shifted his focus to Yelena.
Tony grabbed Yelena's butt cheeks, spreading them open, his eyes locked onto the sight of her riding him.
Her pace quickened, her breath hitching as she took him deeper, her body tensing with each thrust. He guided her hips, helping her set a punishing rhythm, his fingers digging into her soft flesh. He watched, his breath ragged, as his cock disappeared into Yelena's pussy with each thrust. The sight of her taking him, her body yielding to his, was almost enough to make him lose control. Her pace was relentless, her hips slamming down onto him, her breath coming in sharp gasps. He could feel her tightening around him, her body responding to the punishing rhythm he set.
Yelena's moans grew louder. Her body tensed, her fingers digging into Tony's thighs. "Tony... I'm... I'm so close," she gasped.
Tony's grip on her hips tightened, his fingers digging into her soft flesh.
"Come for me," he growled, his voice laced with desire. She cried out, her body convulsing as she came, her pussy contracting around Tony's cock. And then, she squirted, coating Tony's cock with her juices, her body shuddering with the force of her orgasm. Tony groaned, feeling her release, his own body tense with the effort of holding back. "Fuck, Yelena," he said, his voice a low rumble. "You feel so fucking good."
Yelena stood up, her pussy was dripping. Her juices was coating his cock.
"Wow! Shit! Hehe..." She chuckled.
Natasha, still breathless from her own orgasm, pushed Yelena back onto the bed, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "My turn," she declared, straddling Tony in a cowgirl position, her pussy sliding onto his still-hard cock.
Tony groaned, his hands gripping her hips as she began to move, setting a slow, teasing pace. Yelena, watching them, bit her lip, her fingers already finding their way to her clit, ready to join in the symphony of pleasure once more.
Natasha rode hard, her boobs jiggling with the rhythm. Tony, his hands greedy, reached up and cupped them, his thumbs brushing against her nipples, making her gasp. He squeezed them gently, feeling their hardness, their sensitivity.
"Fuck! Squeeze them hard," Natashe moaned.
Yelena, not wanting to be left out, moved to the side, her body leaned over Tony's face, her tits inches away from his mouth. He opened his mouth, catching Yelena's nipple between his lips, sucking gently.
"Mumm~" She moaned, her fingers still working her clit, her body moving in sync with Natasha's.
After sucking her nipples for a minute or so...
As soon as Tony moved his mouth away from her, Natasha leaned in, her lips crashing onto his. The kiss was hungry, aggressive. Her hips continued to move, slamming down onto him with each thrust, her pussy swallowing his cock whole. Tony's hands gripped her hips and began to rock his hips, meeting her rhythm. Natasha's tongue explored his mouth. She moaned into his mouth, her body tensing as she felt another orgasm building.
Tony's body tensed as Natasha's pussy clenched around him, his own orgasm building. "Fuck, Natasha," he groaned into her mouth, his hips bucking to meet her thrusts. "I'm close too."
Natasha, hearing this, kissed harder, her pace quickening. She could feel his cock throbbing inside her, the sensation pushing her closer to the edge. Yelena, watching them, her fingers going in and out of her pussy, whimpered at the sight. "Cum inside her," she gasped, her own body responding to the scene unfolding before her.
Tony's hands gripped Natasha's hips tighter, as he slammed into her hard and fast, his cock swelling inside her. "Cum with me, Nat," he growled, his voice strained with effort. "Cum with me now."
Natasha cried out, her body convulsing as she obeyed, her orgasm ripping through her. She continued to move, her hips slamming down onto Tony's cock, drawing out his own release. Tony groaned, his body tensing as he came, his cock pulsing inside her, filling her with his hot seed.
Yelena, watching them, her own body shuddering with pleasure. Her fingers moved faster, her own orgasm crashing over her as she watched Tony and Natasha cum together.
"Shit! Gonna cumm~ FUCKING GOD!" She screamed while spraying her squirt all over the bed sheet.
After the orgasm...
Tony lay in the middle of the bed, Natasha and Yelena collapsed on either side of him, their bodies glistening with sweat and satisfaction. The room was filled with the sound of their ragged breaths and the soft rustle of the bedsheet beneath them. Tony's arms were wrapped around the two women, his fingers tracing idle patterns on their bare skin.
Yelena was the first to stir. "Well, that was... intense," she said, her voice still breathless.
Natasha chuckled, her hand resting on Tony's abdomen. "Intense is an understatement," she agreed. "I think I saw stars."
Tony smiled, his eyes closed, enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed against his. "I think we all did," he said, his voice a low rumble. He opened his eyes and looked at the two women, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Next time, let's do it in the hot spring."
....
[Space mission day]
After saying goodbyes, hugs, kisses, and one final system check, the team boarded the ship. They were wearing their space suits.
Everything was in place.
For a moment, everyone closed their eyes and took a deep breath...
"Ready?" Tony asked.
"Ready!" Everyone said in unison.
"Ready for launch..." Tony entered the launch code. "In... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..." He pressed the launch button.
---
[Leave some reviews & Power stones as usual]
If you like my work, you can support me on>: www.patr eon.com/XcaliburXc
[Read 15 advance chapters]
---
NEXT CHS NAMES Click to read.1