Hammer Tech sucks

Chapter summary: Everyone has a common foe and it turns out they've all come to terms with how evil pebbles are. May, might be the next super villain. Tony's world is spinning and Hazel wished she was a wizard!

Beta: Thank you Lavendor Queen.

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Me: Will this story have a regular update, like other stories on this site? (Looks at my shoes.) Maybe, I don't know, I can't read your future.

May has a plan. If James Rhodes was picking sides and ignoring Tony because of it, well he was going to find something nasty in the next cake she bakes for him. This was plan B. Plan A was still a work in progress, but as they sit in a court case, May staring at Rhodey wishing she had heat vision.

Rhodey was trying very hard not to look at the glaring woman on the other side of the room.

"I'm here because you kidnapped me against my free will," Hazel points out.

"I second that," Tony said, spinning in his chair.

"Just because you find this meeting boring Ms. Stark, does not mean you were kidnapped."

"You're right," Hazel said. "I'm here because the US military can't find anything better to do with their free time but be jealous that daddy is not sharing his toys. This is a waste of time and resources. This is a waste of my time and resources. The military still have other companies making them weapons, SI isn't, and never was the only company that sold weapons to the military."

Tony kept spinning on his chair and May hadn't even blink.

"This is very important Ms. Stark. Your father is holding back a powerful weapon. Mr. Stark, do you or do you not possess a specialized weapon," Senator Stern said.

"Iron Man is not a weapon," Tony points out as he stops spinning.

"It's true. It's a comic, going to be a movie, with dad's picture on the front. I've got the draft right here," Hazel said, holding up a small paper book in her hand.

"Hey, can I see that kiddo?"

"Sure, but I want it back as it's the only draft I've got."

She passed the book over to him.

"Starks," Senator Stern said, Tony flips to the first page.

"Do you or do you not possess a specialized weapon," The man asked again.

"I do not," he said firmly, and the man looked at Tony with disbelief, "Well it depends how you define weapon."

"The Iron Man weapon," he said.

"My device does not fit that description," he said, he paused looking over the words on the page. As cameras from behind click away. Flash walked in sitting himself next to May. "I would begin by defining what it is. A high-tech prosthesis."

The room laughed around him, sure that Tony was just messing with them. Hazel's head was on the table, Flash leaned over to May and looked at Rhodey. Rhodey looked at them both, uncertain as to what would happen.

"That's actually the most apt description," he said. "You know this comic is pretty good. Can't wait to see the movie, bet I'll be awesome. Kid wake up."

Tony patted the paper on her hair, Hazel didn't stir.

"Why are we staring at Mr. Rhodes?" Flash asked quietly.

"He's avoiding Tony."

"I see." they both continue to stare.

"It's a weapon, Mr. Stark," Senator Stern said again.

"If your priority was actually the American people-" he said before he cut her off.

"My priority is to get the weapon turned over to the people of the United States of America," Hazel said suddenly, snatching her comic back.

"Perhaps you cannot begin to imagine just what you have created, Stark. You invented a weapon which is capable of mass destruction, and it is in the hands of a civilian. A man like you surely does not understand the consequences that this could have long term. Why don't you leave saving the world to people who are actually qualified?"

"Captain America sleeping in ice," Hazel pointed out, causing couple of people to laugh. "You cannot save people by killing others. Peaceful protests have proven that you can get what you want, by doing it peacefully. Who's to say you can't save the world just because you aren't apart of the army?"

"I've said it before, and I will say it again. This is a waste of everyone's time, the military won't admit it, but they don't like the idea. That someone else has something that can cause a bigger boom than with their own weapons. Especially when that person isn't under their control. My father isn't going around blowing things up because he wants to. He isn't playing hero, but if comics taught me anything it is that people tend to name those wearing mask and saving others. Calling them heroes."

"The point is, I'm Iron Man." Tony continued after Hazel. "The Suit and I are one. To turn over the Iron Man suit would be to turn over myself. Which is tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution, depending on what state you're in. You can't have it."

"Look I'm no expert-" Stern started, and he cut him off.

"In prostitution?" He said flashing him a smile, knowing fully well that the Senator had just had a prostitution scandal the year before which nearly ruined his career. "Of course not, you're a senator."

"I'm no expert in weapons," the senator said, unimpressed, "We have somebody here who is an expert on weapons. I'd now like to call Justin Hammer, our current primary weapons contractor."

Flash stopped staring and cleared his throat.

"Hammer tech sucks."

May turned on him and he sighed, knowing he'd have to put some money in the swear jar once he got to the tower. Justin Hammer glanced his way.

"Thank you Mr. Thompson for that remark," Justin said looking at the next well known friend of the Stark family. Flash looked on innocently, whistling away as May clapped her hands in delight.

"You've just helped me with plan A," May said.

Hazel still had some leftover pebbles that Peter had a while ago and was about to throw some, but her father interfered. She passed them over with regret and Justin looks over to Rhodey.

"They're normally like this," the godfather of Hazel answered the unspoken question quietly.

"I see. Now, I'm no expert. I defer to you Tony." He said. "You made being a nerd cool, you even made being a parent cool."

"Senator, if I may. I may well not be an expert, but you know who was the expert? Your dad. Howard Stark."

"Really a father to us all, and to the military-industrial age. Let's just be clear, he was no flower child. He was a lion. We all know why we're here. In the last three years, Tony Stark has created a sword with untold possibilities. And yet, he insists it's a shield. Not only this, but he takes away Hazel's time to shine. Removing weapons, the poor young girl will never be able to step out of her father shadow like this."

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine with that," Hazel said. She frowned at the floor. "Now where did my eraser go?"

Justin Hammer ignored her.

"He asks us to trust him as we cower behind it. I wish I were comforted, Tony, I really do. I'd love to leave my door unlocked when I leave the house, but this ain't Canada. You know, we live in a world of grave threats, threats that Mr. Stark will not always be able to foresee. May I remind you of Ms. Stark nearly leaving us behind. Just because she was with her father."

"And now he has a power that is too much in the hands of a single person. It is a weapon, one that can-do great things if in the hands of the US Government and not some father that almost lost his daughter and his own life. Playing superhero. The days of the tales of Captain America saving us from the Nazis have long since passed. Superheroes were not here when we went to war time and time again against our enemies."

"Besides. How can we really trust him? We've seen this man break down before. What happens if Hazel does die?"

"I don't like people thinking about what if I die questions. It makes me uncomfortable," Hazel whispered to her father.

Tony didn't say anything he was tensed, the memory of almost losing his child was too close to home.

"What happens if he goes into a depression and Iron Man doesn't come out to save the day? What happens if he takes out his anger on the person who had done it and changes sides because of it? The Military are people you can trust. The Military has always been there. And the Military should be the one holding that power. Not a singular man. Thank you. God bless Iron Man, God bless America."

People started to clap, before their eyes turned to worry. Justin Hammer had just had a rock tossed at his face which had caused him to fall backwards onto his bottom, a light bruise forming on his head. He sits there dazed as he rubs as the mark and almost everyone turns to Tony. The father points at, May who was holding a bag of pebbles in her hand.

"I'm deeply sorry dear, but you shouldn't wish for someone's death. It's not very nice." May points out helpfully.

Somebody helped pick up Justin and walked him back to his seat, still dazed from the pebble hitting him.

"That was well said Mr Hammer." Stern said. "Do you need to be moved out of here, Mrs. Parker?"

"Of course not."

She tried her best to hide the fact that she placed a couple of stones on the ground where Hammer would need to step on. He tripped and landed on the ground again.

"See," Tony pointed out. "Pebbles are evil."

"The committee would now like to invite Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes to the chamber," Stern said. "And can someone please take away those rocks from Mrs. Parker."

Somebody did but May didn't let them go easily. She put up a fight, slapping at the man trying to take the bag of rocks away. The bag rips in responds, May was quick enough to notice and let go of the bag, covering her eyes as they tossed around. Mainly hitting the man, that has only been trying to take an order.

"Evil." Tony hissed, pointing at the pebbles again.

Hazel taped her father shoulder in a sympathy way, Pepper brought some coffee over.

"Yes dad. It's alright, the evil pebbles are attacking someone else now."

Stern looked at Rhodey with concern in his eyes.

"He's got issues." he paused. "With pebble, I think Peter started it."

"Now, I have before me a complete report on the Iron Man weapon, complied by Colonel Rhodes. Colonel, for the record can you please read page 57, paragraph four?"

"You're requesting that I read specific selections from my report, Senator?" Rhodey asked in disbelief.

Hazel made herself comfortable, after giving up on finding her erases. She was going to take a nice nap.

"Yes sir," Stern smirked.

"It was to my understanding that I was going to be testifying in a much more comprehensive and detailed manner," Rhodey tries and Stark was sure they were going to twist his wording.

"I understand. A lot of things have changed today. So if you could just read-" Stern tried to pressure him.

Rhodey argued with him, but the man seemed dead set on Rhodey reading whatever was on page 57, paragraph four.

"Very well. 'As he does not operate within any definable branch of government, Iron Man presents a potential threat to the security of both the nation and to his interests.'," Rhodey read, "I did however, go on to summarise that the benefits of Iron Man far outweigh three liabilities and that it would be in our interest to fold Mr. Stark into the existing chain of command, Senator."

"I'd like to go on and show, if I may, the imagery that's connected to your report," Stern said, and Rhodey stopped him.

"I believe it is somewhat premature to reveal these images to the general public at this time," Rhodey argued, and when Stern pushed, he cued up the images on the screen. "Intelligence suggests that the devices seen in these photos are, in fact, attempts at making manned copies of Mr Stark's suit. This has been corroborated by our allies and local intelligence on the ground indicating that these suits are quite possibly, at this moment, operational."

"You're a wizard Harry," people looked at Hazel as she mumbled. "Wish I was a wizard. Wouldn't need to listen to a bunch of old men whine."

May had gone out of her way and placed a blanket over her. Gently lifting up her head and tucking a pillow underneath.

"She gets cold easily."

Nobody was willing to tell May that Hazel wasn't meant to be sleeping.