Three days.
That's how long it takes for hope to die. That's how long it takes for hearts to break. For heroes to fall. For a world to mourn. That's how long it takes to accept that those who gave their all are lost forever.
Three days before, Rainbow Dash had flown into space, pushed herself to her limits and beyond, and obliterated the Skrull armada, leaving only the greatly depleted force on Earth to fight to survive. She had vanished after, no trace found from the Earth based scanners that remained. It had been a matter of hours before the last of the Skrull were either killed or captured. Ultron had then immediately made his way into space, where he burned through his power supply with solar enhancement trying to track down any trace of Rainbow Dash...but he crashed into the ocean, where he was retrieved by a fishing scow that wasn't even aware of what had happened except for confusion over the equatorial aurora borealis, without even finding a clear trace of her magic. The boat was still on its way back to shore with the inactive android stored in the hold
Three days before, Rainbow Dash had been declared legally dead. The Avengers mourned the loss of one of their own.
Thor had made a pyre for her, setting it afloat upon the ocean waves, sitting at the edge of the shore as he watched it float away, burning slowly. He had remained there in vigil since, wondering where her spirit may have gone.
Captain America went through the motions of his training, keeping himself in shape. But the spark was gone. Those who had known him then saw the same empty gaze he had given everyone when he'd first learned just how much time he'd slept through after waking from being frozen in time.
Hulk had withdrawn completely, vanishing into Bruce Banner, blaming himself for Rainbow's flight into space and her subsequent apparent demise. Bruce didn't talk much, as it took him the full three days to get used to controlling his body again after being a trapped observer for over a decade. He barely knew how to talk with people anymore...not to mention he wasn't exactly pleased with Hulk's dressing habits the past decade and a half.
Zuki had climbed up the Empire State Building, wrapping his body around it as he climbed. Reaching the peak, he had raised his head to the sky. By day, he remained staring up in silent vigil. At night, however, he roared at the moon, his voice consumed with pain, a sorrowful howl to the uncaring void of the empty new moon. No one had slept as he howled his grief.
Pepper struggled to keep the company going through her own and Tony's grief, taking care of the day to day tasks, trying to bury herself in that to hold back the sorrow. However, it did little to help, and she could frequently be found weeping into the paperwork.
Tony was the worst off. He sat in his lab, staring around at the defunct machinery, drinking whatever he could get his hands on without having to go outside. JARVIS had attempted to convince him to take better care of himself, but Tony had either ignored the AI or shouted angrily at him in a drunken rage until JARVIS had disengaged his higher thought functions until the alcohol had run its course through Tony's systems. The only thing Tony still paid attention to was the alerts to recharge his arclight, and even that he only did when he was near passed out and unmoving.
When left to his own devices, he sank over whatever bottle he was currently drinking from, muttering Rainbow's name over and over under his breath. He was plainly a broken man.
Three days. That's how long it takes for a world to end. That's how long it takes...to build a lifeline.
On the morning of the third day after Rainbow's funeral, Tony opened his eyes blearily to a sun filled morning. He couldn't stop an angry frown. Where did the sun get off shining so brightly with Rainbow dead?
Feeling a pang from that thought, he scrambled around in the empty bottles scattered around his lab, trying to find one that was full. He didn't want to face the pain. He couldn't face it. However, he also couldn't find a bottle that wasn't empty.
As he staggered around, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. He was a mess. Dirty, beer soaked, unshaven...he looked like something a cat would refuse to drag in. He could easily imagine Rainbow's expression if she saw him like this...
Holding his head in the sink, he let cold water run over it, numbing his whole head. He didn't want to think about Rainbow. He'd lost her, and there was nothing he could do about that now. But as he looked around the lab, he was haunted by her spirit.
The blue blur zipping around, knocking things over. "Sowwy," she had said, her first word to him before she'd called him Daddy.
Hulk hurling her through the window as they discovered the Sonic Rainboom. "Again! Again!"
Her apology for arranging to have Thor crash his proposal to Pepper in an attempt to make him enough of a man that Pepper would accept him. Tony couldn't stop the laugh that came there.
Sitting down against a table, he let his memory range back, trying to hold back the grief by remembering the good times. Her excited grin, her struggles when she'd first made her own powered armor, how proud she was of her success in training.
Daddy...hey Daddy, look at me!...Did you see that Daddy?...Daddy...Daddy...
He couldn't hold the tears back as they flowed. It was almost as though he could still hear her voice.
"Dad...Dad...Dad, can you hear me..."
It took Tony several moments to realize that voice wasn't coming from his own mind, but from JARVIS' communications array, interrupted by static.
"Dad...please respond...I can't boost it anymore..."
Tony brought his hand down on the comms, opening the signal, desperate hope racing into him. "Rainbow? Rainbow is that you? JARVIS, boost the signal!"
"...attempting," JARVIS intoned, the activity rebooting his higher thought processes.
"Dad!" Rainbow's voice from the other end as communication established was filled with desperate relief. "Thank god I made it through! I thought...I thought I'd be stuck here forever..."
"Rainbow, where are you?" Tony demanded. "Wherever it is, I'll come get you!"
"I...I'm on the moon," Rainbow gasped out, her breath heavy. "The shockwave blasted me back here. I...I kinda owe an apology to Neil Armstrong...and the American government. I crashed into his footprints and the flag...and I had to cannibalize the module they left behind to boost the signal."
"JARVIS, prep the Mark S!" Tony ordered.
"Affirmative," JARVIS agreed, calling up the armor model built for space flight.
To pass the time till the armor was ready, Tony kept talking to Rainbow. "It's been three days Rainbow," he managed to say jovially. "What took you so long?" he teased.
"Sunlight to magic to oxygen...isn't as efficient as it could be," Rainbow gasped out, her breathing labored. "Every eight hours I slept under the sun, I only generated enough spare oxygen and power to get back to the module, work for about an hour, and get back into the sunlight to recharge again." Rainbow got quiet for a time. "Daddy, can you come pick me up? I...I don't think I'll be able to make more than a couple more hours of oxygen..."
Tony made a split second decision. "Rainbow, pull the booster to the edge of the sun side of the moon and get yourself in direct sunlight. I'll be up there to get you soon, and I'll need you to be able to hear directions, and there might not be much time to work with."
"Okay Daddy..." Rainbow replied weakly. "...see you soon..." The communication broke into static.
"JARVIS?" Tony called out.
"The Mark S is prepared," JARVIS replied. "Due to the absent satellite network, I will be unable to communicate with you once you're in space, so I've uploaded ARMIS directly into the suit."
"Get me Nick Fury!" Tony ordered, plugging himself in to get as much arclight charge as he could before he had to fly.
"Tony?" Nick's voice came from the comms. "Are you finally talking to-"
"Rainbow's alive!" Tony interrupted. "I just got a communication from her! She's on the moon! I promised her I'd pick her up! Tell me you've got a space craft of some sort to get me there." Tony waited expectantly.
The silence dashed his hopes. "Tony...I'm sorry. The Skrull were very efficient in their infiltration. Every space worthy vessel on the entire planet was scuttled in the first wave of the assault."
"What about their ships?" Tony pleaded. "Surely one of them could get me up there?"
"Every space worthy Skrull ship was obliterated by that Rainbow Blast," Nick replied. "Even their aircraft are defunct. They set them to self destruct rather than let us profit from their failure."
"Nick, there must be something!" Tony begged. "She's up there waiting for me...I promised her..."
Nick sighed. "I'm sorry, Tony. But nothing we've got will get you to space and back. Short of launching yourself up and hoping you survive reentry, there's no way to get to her."
Tony was silent for a time. "Then that's just what I'll do. Talk to you when I get back, Nick."
"Tony, what-" Tony cut off the communications.
"Tony, I can't recommend this course of action," JARVIS cautioned. "Your arclight is only at 45% capacity, and the Mark S is designed for controlled space flight, not speed or surviving reentry. There is a 75% chance this venture will prove fatal to you, a 15% chance you'll even make it to Rainbow in time, and 8% of that chance indicates Rainbow would not survive the return trip."
"That's not going to stop me from trying," Tony growled. "Where's Hulk?"
"Dr. Banner is right outside," JARVIS replied as the Mark S was placed on Tony's form.
The space model of Iron Man armor was far bulkier than any other Iron Man suit, save the one he had designed years ago as an exosuit to the normal armors for fighting Hulk-type foes. It had a large air tank strapped to the back, and interlocked far more firmly than any other suit. It did not look fast, agile, or mobile, but it did look functional.
With the suit fully donned, Tony threw the door open. "Hulk!" he shouted.
Bruce glowered at him. "He's not talking," he grumbled. "And I'm finally used to walking again-"
"I don't have time for this!" Tony snarled. Grabbing the man by the arms, he shook him. "Hulk! Rainbow's alive! She needs us!"
Dr. Banner started to object, only for his face to go slack as his mind was shouldered aside, his body expanding into big, green, and sorrowful. "Pony...alive?" Hulk moaned, his voice on the brink of despair.
"She is!" Tony said firmly. "We need to get to the roof! And get Zuki there-whoa!"
As soon as Tony had given Hulk a direction, the green giant had seized hold of him and leapt for the window. He summoned Zuki with a bellow before scaling right up the side of the building to the roof.
Pepper was waiting for them there as Zuki began to ascend. "JARVIS said you heard from Rainbow?" she asked desperately.
"I'm on my way to pick her up," Tony replied.
Pepper bit her lip in worry. "You do have a plan, don't you?"
"Don't I always?" he asked, managing a rakish grin.
She stared up at him. "Come back in one piece," she said at last.
"I will," he promised. "And I'll bring Rainbow with me." He rested an armored hand on her belly. "Rainbow deserves to know her baby brother."
Pepper rested her hand over his. The pregnancy had been confirmed just before the invasion, and everyone had gathered when Rainbow'd called to let them know she'd be stopping by so they could tell her about it in person. "And our son deserves to know his father," she replied, squeezing his hand.
Tony pulled his wife into a deep, passionate kiss. They clung to each other, as though all her love and support could pass into him through that kiss, to sustain him in the darkness of space. After a time, Tony finally pulled back, then sealed his suit. "Hulk, Zuki, get me to the moon."
Nodding, Hulk picked him up and hopped into Zuki's spread claw. Gripping them gently, Zuki pulled his arm back and hurled them into the sky. As soon as they left that clawed grip, Hulk was spinning his wind up for the fateful throw. When he reached the peak of his momentum, he hurled Tony into the sky. Tony fired his thrusters to maximize his thrust, doing his best to maintain velocity.
As Tony exited the thermosphere, his thrusters cut themselves off. "What the?"
"Velocity is now at maximum," ARMIS informed him. "We cannot accelerate further until we enter the moon's gravity well. I am now managing thrusters to maximize the available remaining power. The arclight is down to a 30% charge."
"Right," Tony said as he felt the suit rattle from the speed. "How's suit integrity?"
"76% and holding," ARMIS replied.
"...it's not going to do well with G forces, is it?" Tony asked.
"With power diverted to maintain suit integrity, I estimate the ideal method of retrieving Rainbow will be to pick her up while slingshotting around the moon so as to maintain velocity for the return to Earth," ARMIS calculated. "You should survive the Gs we'll have to pull - mostly - if I redirect additional power to synthesize the anti-G field Rainbow generates when flying at high velocities."
"You can do that with this suit?" Tony demanded, shocked.
"...possibly. Estimated remaining power upon reaching the thermosphere, 5%."
"And how much power would I need to survive reentry?"
"...15%."
Tony groaned. "Well, hopefully Rainbow will be able to provide the difference." His gaze turned towards the moon, and he smiled. "She's already anticipating."
At the western pole of the moon, relative to Tony's perspective, a glimmering light that shone like a star signaled Rainbow's location.
"Correcting course," ARMIS informed, slightly altering their path with a brief thruster burst. "Disabling higher AS functions to conserve power."
Tony coasted in silence towards the moon, keeping his breathing slow to conserve oxygen.
Four hours later, the communications sparked with static. "Rainbow?" Tony said quickly.
"D-Dad?" Rainbow responded weakly. "Is that really you this time?"
"It's me, Rainbow," Tony promised. "Who else would it be?"
"I...I thought I heard you..." she stammered out. "You said...to light your way...but then you didn't respond..."
"I'm almost there, Rainbow," Tony promised. "But I can't stop. I'm going to slingshot myself around the moon to immediately head back to Earth. You're going to need to meet me mid flight as I pass over you-"
"Already run...the vectors," Rainbow replied. "I've got...just enough power to...gun my thrusters...to do so."
Tony winced. If Rainbow couldn't make up the difference for reentry...he'd think of something else when he got there. "I've got a lock on you now," he said, now picking up her armor's exact location. "I'm sending you my velocity and distance now."
"Got it!" Rainbow gasped. "I'm ready."
They couldn't afford a mistake. Luckily, they didn't make one. As Tony shot over, Rainbow launched herself from the moon's surface, angling herself to meet him when she'd gotten closer to his speed so catching her wouldn't slow him down. He snatched her into his arms as he started to curve around the moon, holding her tight to his chest.
"I gotcha, Skittles," he told her softly.
"Daa~aad," Rainbow whined weakly. "I haven't been Skittles...since I was six..."
"She is suffering from severe oxygen debt, amongst other things," ARMIS informed him.
"Transfer some of my oxygen into her suit," Tony commanded immediately. "There's an interface for that, right?"
"...her suit has provided one," ARMIS replied. "How much is to be transferred?"
"Half what's remaining," Tony replied without hesitation.
As the oxygen pumped into Rainbow's suit, she started to breathe easier. "Real air...is much better...than magic air," she gasped out.
"Well save it," Tony instructed. "It needs to last you all the way back to Earth."
Rainbow nodded, taking slow, shallow breaths as they flew on in silence.
As they approached the Earth, Tony spoke to ARMIS, keeping comms closed. "ARMIS, calculate a safe reentry path for us."
"...there isn't one," ARMIS replied after a time.
"What do you mean?" Tony demanded.
"Power reserves at 2%," ARMIS replied. "If power is redirected from suit integrity to correct course, the suit will fall apart from G Force stress. If course is not corrected, both suits will melt from the heat of reentry. Survival chances are zero."
Tony felt cold inside. "There's no way?"
"There is no way to correct course," ARMIS replied. "Rainbow's power reserves are less than 1%, and is completely claimed maintaining suit integrity and life support at less than minimum for survival. Neither of you has the power to course correct. Without some way to shield from the heat of reentry, you will both die."
Tony was silent for a time. "Will my oxygen tank provide enough shielding for me if I reenter back first?"
"...negative," ARMIS replied. "Well before you breach the atmospheric envelope, power reserves will be fully depleted, the suit and tank will have melted into your back, and you will be dead."
"Will I provide enough shielding for Rainbow if I do so?" Tony asked, his voice emotionless.
ARMIS was silent for a time. "...possibly."
Instantly, Tony spun himself around so he was approaching the Earth's atmosphere back first, Rainbow held protectively in his lap, shielded from all sides by his body, arms, legs, and head. "Rainbow."
"D-Dad?" Rainbow asked, shocked. "W-what are you doing?"
"Rainbow, after we clear reentry, I need you to kick off me and spread your wings," Tony instructed. "Once we're in the atmosphere, you need to slow your fall however you can."
"B-but what about you?" Rainbow demanded.
"I'll be fine," Tony lied. "Hulk'll catch me, and SHIELD'll patch me up. It won't be the first time."
"No you won't!" Rainbow argued. "I know the specs on that armor. It can't take the heat of reentry! You'll...you'll be dead before you reach the ground...I'll be kicking off your corpse...you're going to die..."
Tony sighed. "I will," he said calmly. "So you can live."
"Why?" Rainbow demanded in despair, her eyes locking on his through their masks. "Why do that?"
Tony smiled, and stroked her cheek comfortingly through her mask as the heat of reentry began to melt his air tank. "What father wouldn't?" he whispered lovingly.
To be continued...
Yus
Kek
Moar soon.
WWWAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGG AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!
WHY YOU DO DIS
TONY NOOOOO!!!!
...no words exist.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FUCKIN CLIFFHANGER
Whoa...
extra quotation mark
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!one
Rainbow nodded, taking slow, shallow breaths as they flew on in silence."
1. Extra closing quotation mark.
You're going to make us do the feels trip around the world aren't you?
Huh...I never thought I'd be riding an emotional roller coaster
correct me if I am wrong but doesn't pepper have her own suit that she can use to pick tony up ?
You just HAD to leave it there didn't you.
Please... Celestia... Save them...
*wants a desu ex machina to happen*
5779364
Not while pregnant she can't. Didn't you catch that part?
...You little asshole. While I'm sure you have some way to let both of them live, you're playing with mah feels. Also, I'm surprised Rainbow isn't an alicorn.
Congrats on earning a desu ex machina.
5779375 The answer is Reed Richards. He's got space travel.
5779448
All space worthy craft - including Richards' - were destroyed during the Skrull invasion. Three days isn't enough time to rebuild one from scratch.
5779371 The Feels! Oh Lord the FEELS!!!
Superhero power levels do tend to fluctuate with the needs of the story - but is this really all that awkward? A readily-detectable radio signal actually requires very little power, Rainbow should have a substantial magical signature if Ultron was looking for her that way, and they're both wearing metal. Sure, Ultron may may be out of action for the moment - although that may be readily fixable - but the story has established the presence of Magneto (Capable of moving entire asteroids around in space), Doctor Strange (capable of virtually anything depending on the writer), Thor (who has operated in deep space quite a few times), and quite a few other heroes who ought to be able to intercept the pair of them during re-entry.
I'm kind of hoping for a casual two-line "rescue" at the beginning of the next section and some time spent on the reaction to a kid having displayed the power to blow up an attacking interstellar fleet and wrap the entire earth in a shield. No matter HOW cute she is, that really ought to worry quite a few people.
its so no far
"And that's how Tony Stark earned his cutie mark and became an the Alicorn Prince of Technology all at the same time!"
"Pinkie... Ascendance doesn't work like that!"
"Totally does! Look at Cadance and yourself!"
"Okay, I'll give you that most of what you said was reasonably accurate, but only ponies can ascend to become alicorns. What would you call a human with wings and a horn anyway?"
"That's easy! Tony Stark!"
Perhaps they should have asked thor to retrieve her.
5779647
In regard to what you said about relative superhero power levels and the abilities of those mentioned...
The only one who isn't so exhausted after the war that they don't need at least another four days of recuperation before being able to function at a level to bring Rainbow back is Magneto...you know, the wanted mutant terrorist? He's not exactly going to be on Tony's speed dial.
Also, Ultron's scanners are not designed to detect magical energy. At best, he can detect where it's been used, but Rainbow's personal magical signature was blotted out by the massive backwash from said rainbow shield/destruction wave.
And cannibalizing the module was because her suit didn't have enough power to generate the signal and maintain a contained atmosphere and control the process that converted her magical energy to oxygen so she could breathe. By the time she reached the moon, she was down to about 5% after all.
International Space station vandalized Russian reentry vehicle missing
So... your Hulk had stayed in control for 10 years, not letting Banner out at all? I don't know my Hulk very well, but that seems torturous.
Tony can't die. But, you are right. Any father would do that for his kids.
5779672 I'm ArchAngelGundam and I approve this plan.
5779764 Yeah Space junk works every time
Damnit Rainbow, you should of grabbed the heat shield from at least ONE of the highly numerous crash landings the russians made during the space race, or grabbed one from any other countries attempt.
P.S. The only reason i don't make mention of american attempts is that i am unsure if the american lunar lander module is equipped with a heatshield., as i'm pretty sure each thing has it's own special module, the trip there and landing, and then the return trip.
Wouldn't making a Sonic Rainbow using the G forces work to give them extra power?
5779903 Pretty sure they would already be going faster than a sonic rainboom, so it can't really be created.
5779976
Magic?
5779668
This story has been good fun, and quite entertaining (and good for you), but I'm not quite sure of what you're getting from my original post.
This will be unfortunately long, since I don't know what bit was not apparent in the original post, and so will have to cover quite a few details.
Unless I missed something, the current situation is that Tony and Rainbow are headed for an atmospheric re-entry and cannot slow themselves sufficiently. Hasn't the "going after" part already been done?
The fact that help is needed can be readily deduced from Tony's original equipment and from the fact that Tony is NOT calling home; if he did not have a problem he could do so readily. Ergo, at this point, the requirements are 1) being able to locate Tony and Rainbow, and 2) being able to reduce their velocity to a survivable level, whether by direct or remote action or simply by getting them some extra power - perhaps a spare arc-battery?
On the location side, the nature of Ultron's scanners really doesn't matter; if Ultron was looking for Rainbow's magical signature, then she must have a magical signature to look for (and there have been three days to dissipate the stray signals). This offers one possible method of location as she and Tony approach the Earth. While it is probably best exploited by a mage it does seem that magic can be detected technologically as well.
On the radio side, Tony and Rainbow no longer need a modulated communications-grade signal capable of reaching 240,000 miles. At 10,000 miles out the power requirements are reduced by a factor of nearly 600 due to the inverse-square law, are reduced much further by the fact that they now need only a locatable beacon rather than modulated communications, and are reduced still further by the fact that Tony let his friends know where he was going - so they can now use a dish antenna pointed at the moon to locate him. The power demand for being located in this fashion has been reduced to far below one ten-thousandth of what Rainbow needed to call for help.
Location by other means - telescopes, "scanners", telepathy or some such - may be possible as well, but this depends on what characters are available.
Contacting assistance can be handled by the people on earth - who have at least a little time to get ready ("Slingshotting" around an object to reverse course requires traveling at less than it's escape velocity; this drastically limits his and Rainbow's possible speed since lunar escape velocity is only 1.5 miles per second).
The note on relative power levels is due to the fact that the power levels of many of the mentioned characters have not been firmly established in this particular setting. However, to get specific based on their presentation in the comics:
Thor's usual method of flight depends on Mjolnir, which generally does not seem to have usage limitations. He has been shown lifting hundreds of tons; applying one ton of pressure (less than 1% of his normal strength level) will, in this case, provide more than enough deceleration (likely about two gravities based on the likely mass of Rainbow, Tony, and their suits) for a controlled reentry.
Doctor Strange has been shown scrying across the universe and to be more powerful than Urthona (he has more relevant demonstrated powers than most of Dr Strange's villians), who was capable of yanking resisting interstellar ships out of space to a planetary surface unharmed because he was impatient. Sending Tony and Rainbow an extra battery and a letter shouldn't be much of a strain on that scale.
Magneto has been shown tracking multiple missiles in flight from over the horizon and of being capable of manipulating thousands of tons of material at long range. Thus the note about both Rainbow and Tony wearing metal.
And presumably there are characters who haven't been mentioned directly.
That's probably far too technical to interest anyone, and you're quite entitled to go by what's dramatic rather than by this kind of thing - but that's what I was thinking.
5780071
While you're correct on all those points, there are three matters you have missed.
1) Earth's satellite network - and most normal communications systems - are no longer in existence, destroyed by the Skrull. As such, the only ones even aware of the situation are those currently in New York and Nick Fury.
2) Thor requires a certain level of physical and mental focus to properly wield Mjolnir. Total physical and emotional exhaustion after fighting the Skrull - and losing Rainbow - has left him unable to wield it effectively.
3) Tony told them he had a plan, meaning the others are waiting on instructions from him. By the time they realize he can't send, it'll be too late for them to intervene.
And as a bonus...
4) Tony and Rainbow's suits are literally running on dregs. They have enough to stay more or less in one piece and maintain a contained atmosphere...and that's it. They don't have so much as a watt to spare for a radio signal.
I know that both of them will survive, right?
Right?!
Right?....
Sonic Rainboom will save both of them is my guess...
I hope it will work
I get to work, see this update, read it, eyes are wet.
Damn you.
But this was an amazing chapter. Heavy, but amazing.
5780114
Oh, as noted, this is obviously running on superheroic drama rather than the engineering approach and it's not like even the more serious comics usually make a lot of sense - but those items weren't missed as such.
After all, Nick Fury has a magical communications network to use, Rainbow's been gone for three days and the battle was cleared up a few hours after she disappeared (giving everyone at least two days of recovery time before Tony left for the moon even if he spent his time drinking), Thor is a viking war god and quite used to people dying (and is only one of many possibilities for assistance in any case), the return trip time is a minimum of another two days (240,000 miles at a maximum of something under 1.5 miles per second) and so long enough to note a problem, and Tony's suit has 2% power reserves to retain structural integrity against G-force stress - but it and he will be in a microgravity environment with no G-Force stress up until entering atmosphere.
That's many years of RPG's speaking really. when playing, look for every possible trick and for solutions for all possible problems. When running, look for every possible flaw in the player's plans.
Now on the literary side of things... the velocities and travel times are whatever they need to be to suit the story, as are communications, the availibility of other characters, and the chances of survival. Thus my original hope for a "casual two-line "rescue"". I would find it quite plausible and an amusing twist - but it WOULD be an unusual twist, rather than where the story was likely to go.
And I hereby award you my "Suffered through my tendency to over-analyze with good grace award". It's a rare one!
WARNING! WARNING! Feels failing! Structural integrity at 82% and decreasing rapidly!
Well, Tony. From one father-of-pony to another, I can say only this. May the gods, Princesses, and the Bifrost itself watch over and protect you. Godspeed, my technologically gifted friend.
Just wait for the Deus ex Machina.
5779454
They obviously didn't ask Dr. Doom. :) (When he's done well, he's seriously bad I love the episode in Earth's Mightiest Heroes where he pretty much hands the Avengers their flanks when they invade his castle.)
I would love it if some sort of Reed Richards/Bruce Banner/Erik Selvig brainstorm saved the day, if only to show that Tony (and Rainbow) aren't the only proactive geniuses. Also, I would like the Hulk to feel he owes "puny Banner" for saving Rainbow's life. Seriously, leaving poor Bruce stranded in his subconscious for over a decade is a dk move.
5780114
5780206
I will admit that the author's points are very valid. And a few of Thoth's counterpoints don't actually work out. For example, Thor may be very used to the idea that some of his comrades may die in battle, and by his culture that is GLORIOUS and worthy of heaven. HOWEVER, Rainbow is different for several reasons. She is in many ways MUCH closer to him than anyone of the other Avengers. Thus her loss is going to hurt more. AND she is still a child in many ways. Even Viking Battle Gods mourn the loss of children, especially those they knew personally. A warrior dies in battle, a child should not. As for more realistic/physics based reasoning... This is a Marvel setting. Physics is currently crying in the corner trying to pretend pretty much every single mutant isn't raping it horribly, and that's just one of its many problems.
HOWEVER Tasurou... He did bring up a VERY valid point. Nick Fury DOES have a magical communications network. You brought it up in the previous chapter after all, though I don't recall if you went into detail exactly how that works. Baring something like "the entire thing was being managed by a single individual/group and they are exhausted now", there is no reason why Nick Fury wouldn't almost immediately commandeer such a network upon hearing that Rainbow is alive and in need of rescue. While in theory many people outrank/give orders to SHIELD in general and Nick Fury in particular, the man has pretty much Full Authority to do whatever he feels is needed. And even when he technically doesn't have the authority to do so, he does it anyway. Given that this little girl just saved the freaking world, mostly solo to boot as the rest were dealing with mop up after she laid the smack down upon the Skrull fleet, there is no reason ANYONE would question/prevent Nick Fury from doing anything and everything possible to save Rainbow Dash. Remember that in most settings the Avengers are PUBLIC FIGURES. Everyone knows who they are. Rainbow Dash is a child of one Avenger, and the rest of the team helped raise her. She is a probationary member herself as well. This leads to the fact that everyone should know her as well. Damn near anyone would rush to do anything Nick Fury told them to do to save RD.
As for my personal thoughts on who Nick Fury could turn to... The Illuminate. Dr. Strange is a founding member, and he all but certainly helped to setup the magical communication network that Nick Fury was using previously. Another founding member is Charles Xavier, a telepath with more than enough power to communicate with anyone in the world that isn't deliberately shielded. Who also may or may not, depending on the time of your setting, currently be in possession of the MIND GEM. The most powerful psionic amplifier there is. Period. While Charles might not be able to reach Erik Lehnsherr due to the man's pisonics blocking helmet, Professor X does know a LOT of mutants who would have the ability to help save Tony and RD. "Mutants Save Avenger Father/Daughter Duo!" would make for some amazing PR for their cause. And if Charles could communicate with Erik, Mr. Lensherr would almost certainly help as well. While Magneto may be a "mutant terrorist", Erik isn't the heartless monster most think he is. And he DOES know the power of good press. "Renegade Mutant saves Ironman & Ironmare!" is also a great headline as well. Many of those mutants that would dismiss "The Brotherhood" because of its reputation would suddenly think "Maybe they're not evil after all, they just want to be free of oppression...".
Finally Tatsurou, while #3 would be something valid for many people, its NOT valid for Nick Fury. Nick Fury doesn't care if ANYONE else has a plan. He isn't satisfied until there are X amount of plans by Y number of people, with Z amount of backup plans, where X, Y, & Z are set by Nick Fury's current level of paranoia/how important he feels the situation is. The only time that doesn't apply, is when he isn't telling anyone else about the plan. In those, rather common, cases, replace Y with Nick Fury himself.
dramah!!1!
I'm guessing the Inhumans don't live on the moon in this universe?
Hm.... oh hi Feels. Nice to see.... wait why are.... oh.... The Feels on the bus go round and round.
YOU...Genius. Man, there are literally thousands of ways this could go. It could range from one of them dying to a villain saving them for personal gain, to a sudden stroke of genius...Gods, why leave it there?! Baka.
5779903 since both if them are near death and almost out of oxygen and power, how should Dash manage to pull one of?
Feel the darkness in your heart Tony Stark!
A cookie to ANYONE who catches the reference and why I am able to use it
5780356 yup still holding out for one