[TWO DAYS LATER – UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK]
[12:00 PM – GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL]
The world was watching. Again.
Every major news network was broadcasting live. Inside the U.N. General Assembly, the hall was filled to capacity. Heads of state, military generals, scientists, ambassadors, and reporters filled the space. Hundreds of cameras were focused on the stage in the center of the massive room. Behind the stage was a backdrop made of gleaming white metal, featuring the Ultimates emblem.
People murmured, and phones buzzed. The tension was thick. Everyone had one question on their minds.
Would Stark speak again?
At exactly noon, the lights dimmed. The crowd quieted.
A soft hum rolled through the air as seven figures stepped onto the stage from behind. They stood side by side in perfect formation.
Tony Stark led the group, wearing what appeared to be a black tailored suit. But every inch of it was nanite armor in disguise.
Susan wore an elegant pantsuit, her blonde hair tied back, and she was wearing her glasses. Johnny wore a casual blazer over a white tee. Ben wore a dark long coat over a custom tactical vest that hugged his massive frame. Natasha stood still as stone in a charcoal-gray suit. Yelena wore all white, with a loose scarf that moved with every subtle breeze. And finally, Ghost, aka Owen Lane, wore a white suit.
Tony walked up to the podium with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He looked out over the sea of faces, saw diplomats, presidents, journalists, generals and other important figures. Then he glanced directly at the camera lens broadcasting to billions.
"Good afternoon."
Silence.
Tony placed both hands on the podium. "Let's not waste time. The world changed. You saw it. You lived through it. No one needs a recap of the last few weeks, and I won't insult your intelligence by sugarcoating what happened."
He paused.
"I won't apologize for that choice. I gave them a way out. They didn't take it. I defended this planet the only way I could. I acted when compromise failed. It's as simple as that."
He didn't blink.
"But this isn't about the Skrulls. That chapter is closed. This is about what comes next."
Tony stepped back from the mic. The projection screen behind them activated, displaying real-time satellite footage of the Earth surrounded by dozens of glowing blue satellites in perfect orbit.
He turned back to the audience.
"This is the Stark WorldNet defense array. It scans for orbital threats, analyzes energy fluctuations, tracks unidentified space-bound activity, and deploys countermeasures in seconds. It is operational. It is global. And as we talk, my people are working on upgrading the space defences and building space stations. I want humanity to be ready next time."
Another pause.
Tony continued, "It's just the beginning."
The screen shifted, now displaying visuals of massive asteroid paths, atmospheric breach logs, and charts of increasing superhuman activity over the past five years.
"Here's the reality. The invasion wasn't the first. It won't be the last. This world is no longer isolated. We are no longer unknown. And right now, humanity is on the path of evolution. You all saw it: mutants, enhanced individuals, humans who are not mutants, but have powers. It's happening already. And if we don't get ahead of it, it will bury us."
Tony let that sit for a second.
"That's why I formed this team. The Ultimates."
The screen flashed with 'The Ultimates' emblem again.
"We're not just here to fight aliens. We're here to protect Earth from all threats. From outside. From inside. And from within ourselves."
Some murmurs began. He raised his voice slightly.
"We've already witnessed the dangers of unchecked power. It's not just about aliens; we also face threats from humans. There are rogue states reverse-engineering alien technology, black market enhancement drugs, private militaries constructing mech armies, gene hacking, illegal cloning, and underground labs creating weapons out of children. You think these are just rumors? They're not."
The room fell back into silence.
Tony continued.
"The Ultimates exist to protect this planet from threats. We do not serve any one country, nor are we involved in politics. While we respect the law, we operate beyond national borders. Our mission is about survival, maintaining order, and restoring balance. We aren't here to exert control."
Tony took a moment, letting the weight of that final sentence settle across the room. He stepped back slightly and nodded to Sue, who stepped forward to the podium with calm precision.
"People are afraid," she said. "They've seen things they don't understand. Powers that seem impossible. Battles that crack the sky open. And for a lot of you sitting here today, the fear isn't about what happened. It's about what happens next. Who controls it. Who decides."
She looked directly at the ambassadors seated closest to the stage.
"The answer isn't governments or weapons or bureaucracy. The answer is transparency, Responsibility, and trust. That's why we're standing here in front of you and not hiding behind a satellite feed. You've seen our faces. You've seen how we operate. We're not ghosts. We're accountable."
Sue stepped back, and Ben took her place.
He adjusted the microphone a bit lower, then looked out over the crowd. His tone was steady, not polished, but honest.
"I'm not a politician. I never wanted to be in front of cameras. But I believe in what we're doing. I was changed. Not by choice. But I've seen what happens when people like me have no guidance. When they get scared. When the world turns its back on them."
He looked toward the rows of reporters and lawmakers.
"We don't need more prisons for people who are different. We need people who understand what they're going through. We need protection for them, and from them, when it matters. That's why I'm here. And for the record, I know what it means to be different and what people call a freak."
Ben transformed into his rock form just to let the others know he experienced it firsthand. Then, he stepped back and gave the mic to Johnny, who adjusted his jacket and grinned at the crowd.
"Hi. I'm the guy who caught fire on live television."
A few chuckles rolled through the room, breaking the tension slightly.
"I know I look like the fun one, and yeah, I am. But when we pulled that plane out of the sky two days ago, that wasn't a special event. That's the kind of stuff we're going to keep doing. Every single day."
He pointed at the screen above them.
"That plane went down because someone wanted to test us. And I don't care who it was. They failed. We're not here to burn things down. We're here to keep people alive. Period. Oh, by the way, we'll find you, whoever you are."
Johnny stepped back and nodded to Natasha. She approached the mic without adjusting it, hands behind her back.
She didn't smile.
"Most of you know who I am."
Silence again.
"I've been on both sides of this line. I know what it means to be an operative, and I know what happens when people like us go unsupervised. But let me make one thing very clear. We do not work in the shadows anymore. We are not another SHIELD. There will be no Hydra, no hidden agendas. We operate in the open. And when we act, it will be because there is no other option."
She paused and looked directly into the cameras.
"And when someone threatens this world, we don't negotiate with them. We stop them."
Yelena moved up beside her. She wore the same calm expression as always, but her eyes were sharp.
"We're not weapons. We're guardians. And while I may not have grown up with the same kind of freedom you did, I understand now what it's worth. I will protect that freedom. We all will."
She gestured to the rest of the team behind her.
"We aren't here to rule. We're here to make sure no one else does either."
Finally, Owen Ghost stepped forward. He said nothing at first. The silence hung long enough for the audience to shift slightly. When he spoke, it was low, even.
"I am what happens when no one's watching. When people with power are left to rot in cages and laboratories, then unleashed."
He stared down at the ground for a moment, then looked up.
"I did many bad things to survive after a freak accident gave me my powers. This made me lose my sanity over time. I wanted to see my family, hug them, and tell them I was alive, but my powers stopped me from doing that. Mr. Stark helped me; he healed me and taught me a better way to use my gift. Now, I have a second chance, and I will never waste it."
Then he stepped back, saying nothing more.
Tony returned to the podium, hands now relaxed at his sides.
"This world is bigger than any of us," he said. "Bigger than any one team, or country, or system. We've entered a new era, and pretending it's not happening won't make it go away. There are more of us out there. People with powers. People waking up one day different, stronger, confused, and afraid. Some of them want to help. Some want to hide. Some don't know what they want yet."
He paused and let that land. Every word was being broadcast to billions.
"I'm speaking to them now. All of them. If you can fly, if you can lift a car, if you hear things others can't, or move faster than light, if you've ever wondered what you are... join us. You're not alone. You're not a freak. You're not broken. You are part of the future, and this is your chance to choose what kind of future that's going to be."
He paced a little, slowly.
"You want to help people? Good. We'll train you. We'll give you the tools to make a difference. And yes, you'll get paid. You'll have a stable income, plus housing, food, and medical. All the benefits that any damn job should give. We're offering careers in heroism. And for those of you who didn't ask for your powers, who feel like they've lost their life because of what they've become, come to me. I'm not promising miracles. I'm not claiming to fix everything. But I'll try. If you want to be a normal human again, I will do everything I can to make that happen."
Tony looked back at his team and then at the crowd. "And for those who view us as threats, obstacles, or something to be controlled or destroyed?" He locked eyes with several world leaders. "Go ahead, try it."
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