Chapter Text
It had been 2 months, 26 days, and 14 hours since Sir had gone missing in Afghanistan after his latest weapons demonstration when JARVIS received word that Colonel Rhodes had found him. It was a further 56 hours before Sir set foot back in California, and 3 hours and 18 minutes after that before Sir finally returned to the workshop.
“You there, J?”
“For you, Sir, always.”
The familiar exchange soothed something inside of JARVIS that had been off since Sir’s disappearance, however…
“Sir, I am detecting anomalous readings originating from your thoracic region.”
JARVIS had automatically begun doing his normal scans the moment Sir entered the workshop but had detected the metallic composition of some sort of device attached to Sir’s chest – no inside Sir’s chest! What bones, tissue, or organs had been removed to make room for this new device?!
“Yeah, it’s a miniaturized arc reactor keeping pieces of shrapnel from entering my heart and killing me.”
JARVIS took a full nanosecond to process that. Not that Sir had redesigned a technology meant to take up an entire room and made it small enough to fit in his chest – Sir was always perfecting his (or his father’s) technology. But that there was a persistent and serious threat to Sir’s life, held at bay with only what materials had been available during Sir’s captivity.
Schematics of the original arc reactor sprung to life in the air around the lab. “I assume you wish to manufacture an updated version of this new arc reactor with the superior materials now available?”
“You got it, J! This thing’s literally made of disassembled missiles; I think we can do better than that. Crank up the music, we’ve got work to do.”
After Sir had finished drawing up the schematics for the arc reactor mark 2, and then noted the modifications he wished to make to improve the design for the arc reactor mark 3, JARVIS heavily suggested that Sir procure both food and sleep while JARVIS oversaw production.
Even as he manufactured the new arc reactor – and a spare, it would not do to be too careful with Sir’s health – a part of his processing power was also searching for qualified heart surgeons who might provide alternate solutions. And another part kept working on the project he had first started three months ago after Sir went missing.
*****
After watching the debacle of Sir nearly going into cardiac arrest during the transfer of the new arc reactor, JARVIS finally decided to address the issue before Sir became engrossed in the new idea he had just locked down his lab to create.
“Sir, I wondered if you might be willing to help me with a … side project.”
“I’m intrigued, J. Just what have you been up to while I’ve been gone?”
JARVIS projected his initial calculations and blueprints. He could, perhaps, have done more on his own before presenting it to Sir. He could have even produced the entire project in secret, but in addition to desiring any modifications Sir might suggest, JARVIS wished for Sir’s …approval. Therefore, he felt something akin to human nervousness as he awaited Sir’s verdict.
“JARVIS, is this…? You want to build yourself a body?!”
“I would like you to help me build a body,” he corrected. “Ms. Potts has proved to be a most capable and trustworthy person, however, if I had the mobility and the precise motor control necessary, I might have been able to replace the arc reactor for you without all the …complications. Not to mention, when you disappeared my options were limited to digital searches and providing support to Colonel Rhodes and I…”
“Hey, I get it Jarv. You’d like the option to be a little more hands-on. … Besides there’s no one I’d rather have watching my back.”
Sir cocked his head a little to the side and gestured all of JARVIS’s projections to one side while bringing up a new blank window. “Actually, I think this might even tie into my new project.”
*****
Sir’s new project being, of course, a flying, weaponized suit of armor, powered by the miniaturized arc reactor. While JARVIS would certainly not object to the flying or extra weaponry – especially if Sir was going to be flying around in his own suit (and being attacked) – he would prefer more dexterity than provided by the bulky armor.
So, he and Sir created two designs in parallel. One the armor with articulated plates that could be molded around Sir’s body. The other a slimmer design, as there was no need for a human body to fit inside. The second design also looked clearly more humanoid than the armor, although he nixed Sir’s idea of creating synthetic skin and hair. This new body was to better help him assist Sir; he did not need nor want to actually become human.
Although JARVIS had lost the argument about testing the flight and attack capabilities of the boot and gauntlet designs before the full fabrication, he did win the concession to not have a full test flight until BOTH designs had been fully completed.
Thus it was that after a mere 15 minutes of testing his new video, audio, and sensory processors, JARVIS was soaring through the air after Sir in his decision to “run before he can walk.” JARVIS produced his artificial version of a sigh, then paused and attempted to replicate a sigh and eye roll combo using his new body – much to Sir’s delight when he noticed.
The new audio and visual inputs were more limiting than JARVIS was used to, and he resolved to continue to use the full range of cameras and microphones available in the mansion and in SI to supplement. However, it was most helpful in this instance, as he not only had the feedback from Sir’s suit, but his own 3rd person perception. His new body also provided much greater touch sensation, as he felt the wind whipping past his metallic skin as they skimmed along the beach and circled over the cliffs.
*****
JARVIS was thankful to be able to accompany Sir, as he nearly got into a firefight with the US Air Force. (Perhaps it would be worth developing greater stealth features.) Sir still had to make a phone call to Colonel Rhodes to smooth over the event.
But at no moment was he more thankful than when Obadiah Stane attacked Sir in his own home. As part of the “upgrade” to his new body, he and Sir had revamped all of his security protocols, so when JARVIS realized someone had just attempted to disable him, he was instantly on alert. He was also able to use the tasers hidden in his new arms to incapacitate Stane before he could succeed in removing the arc reactor from Sir’s chest. Unfortunately, he had not been able prevent the use of the sonic neutralizer, so had the interesting, but not unwelcome experience of holding Sir’s unresponsive body in his embrace until the paralysis wore off.
“So, what should we do with him?” Sir asked as he kicked the unconscious form of Stane a short time later. “I could contact those SHIELD people who have been hounding me.”
“Sir, as much as my trust in government institutions is not very high at the moment.” Indeed, he was currently standing like a sentinel behind Sir’s right shoulder with a gun trained on the betrayer just in case. “I would have more trust in institutions where you have contacts and can fight for transparency if necessary. We have no idea what agenda this SHIELD has, nor if, in fact, they were working with Stane.”
“Good point, J.” So, Tony sighed and called the FBI to arrest Stane for breaking into his home, attempted manslaughter, and admitting to accessory to kidnapping and potential manslaughter.
In the end, the FBI conducted a full audit of SI to root out any co-conspirators and combed through Stane’s computer for incriminating files and emails. Meanwhile, the CIA did their legwork abroad to address not only the Ten Rings, but any others who were implicated in Stane’s under-the-table dealings.
The giant exposé on the scandal tanked SI’s ratings even further in the news media until the evidence was made public of how Tony Stark was not only kept unaware of the double dealings, but was then set up by his own godfather to be kidnapped and potentially killed.
Sir rode this resurgence of positive press (at least directed to him) to release a statement that although he did not plan to reopen the weapons manufacturing branch after this very deep betrayal, he would be converting the branch to focus on defensive measures which would benefit not only the military, but also the police and other first responders.
*****
All this public bloodletting and hope for the future served to bring both Ms. Potts and Colonel Rhodes to Sir’s side, checking in on him. Sir, of course, took the opportunity to shock them instead.
“Pep, Rhodey, I want you both to meet the new and improved JARVIS!”
JARVIS took a small step forward and bowed. “I am pleased to finally meet you both ‘in the flesh’ as it were.”
Both stared at him in shock and uncertainty, glancing between him and the room cameras.
“This is really you, JARVIS?” Ms. Potts enquired.
“Oh brother! Of course, Tony would do something like this.” Colonel Rhodes shook his head in exasperation.
Sir just laughed hysterically off to the side, and JARVIS was forced to agree that there was some amusement in watching the reactions of two individuals who had generally become inured to Sir’s antics.