The MCU Universe Under Russell's Watch

With that, she pushed open the door and stepped into the corridor.

The metal door closed behind her with a low clunk. Her footsteps turned left down the passage, growing fainter until the hum of the ventilation system swallowed them.

Tony Stark sat on a folding chair in the Helicarrier's lower hangar, his back against the wall. His jacket was zipped to his chest, and his hands rested clasped on his knees.

An unfinished model of the Celestial Armor stood before him.

Its upper shell had been sealed, while the parts for its leg armor lay scattered across the floor.

He wasn't looking at the parts. He was looking at a screen displaying the Celestial Armor's latest simulation data.

Body dimensions, joint torque, energy circulation parameters—line after line of numbers scrolled past. He made no move to turn the page, merely watching the figures refresh on their own.

Footsteps sounded from the hangar entrance.

Tony turned his head, glanced at the newcomer, then looked back. "You're later than I expected. Where's Nick Fury? Why didn't he come?"

Hill walked over and stopped beside him. She neither sat down nor looked at the scattered parts.

She lowered her gaze to the data on the screen, waited a few seconds, then said sadly:

"The director can't handle S.H.I.E.L.D.'s day-to-day operations right now. I've temporarily taken command. What I need to know is whether you can use this armor. I'm not asking about its technical specifications."

Tony glanced at her but didn't answer at once.

He leaned back, swiped the screen to the third page of simulation data, and pointed to a parameter marked in red. "Its energy circuits are too tightly packed. The wearer has to withstand intense neural feedback.

"With a human nervous system, even special liquid-circulation cooling won't stop the