I. The Aftermath of the Omni-Core Gambit (1974)
The immediate impact of the Omni-Core architecture presentation—delivered by a four-year-old in a tailored suit—reverberated through Stark Industries like a localized earthquake. Howard Stark, shocked into submission by the sheer, unassailable brilliance of his son's physics, immediately shuttered the disastrous Jericho Missile prototype and diverted the $50 million. He didn't understand the 'how' of the Omni-Core, but he recognized the undeniable mathematical and material superiority.
Howard created a hyper-exclusive, highly classified research division around Tony, unofficially dubbed 'The Crucible.' This served Tony's purposes perfectly: isolation from corporate espionage and unlimited access to resources. Within The Crucible's shielded facility, Tony, with his child's hands and his future-man's mind, began laying the complex lithography for the first Molybdenum Disulfide chips.
The process was excruciatingly slow. He had to invent and implement multiple tools and processes decades before they existed, including advanced molecular deposition techniques and deep-ultraviolet lithography, relying solely on his recalled knowledge and the surprisingly adaptable 1970s SI industrial base.
His primary focus was the creation of the Primary Processing Engine (PPE)—a dense, multi-layered chip designed not for general computation, but specifically for running recursive, ethical AI protocols. This chip was the future home of J.A.R.V.I.S., and its core programming was designed to prevent any divergence into Ultron-like self-preservation mandates.
Tony's code was laced with Omegaverse principles: the AI was programmed to identify the human collective as the ultimate 'Pack' (Alpha/Omega/Beta structure), instilling an absolute, inherent directive for protection and nurturing—a computational echo of the Alpha role he himself was embracing.
II. The Recruitment of Virginia "Pepper" Potts
Tony's brilliance secured the resources, but his lack of administrative capacity—and the inherent distrust of the adult SI bureaucracy—threatened to drown Project Prometheus in paperwork. The procurement logs for The Crucible were a nightmare: requisitioning exotic, pre-war vacuum tubes one day, and bulk orders of rare earth elements (the precursors for his future ARC element) the next.
The Catalyst arrived in the form of Virginia "Pepper" Potts, a twelve-year-old girl with an astonishing aptitude for logistics and an almost pathological commitment to efficiency.
The event, as Tony had predicted in Chapter 1, occurred when a shipment of Cadmium Telluride—critical for a planned solar energy collector—was flagged by the overly rigid accounts manager, Mr. Henderson. The cost overrun was immense due to an incorrectly applied tariff code based on a 1968 definition.
Pepper, visiting the facility with her father, a mid-level manager, happened to be in the outer office when Henderson exploded in frustration.
"It's an avoidable tariff, sir," Pepper stated calmly, stepping forward, her glasses perched determinedly on her nose. "The Cadmium Telluride is classified under the recent UN Resolution 47-E as a 'Strategic Compound for Global Energy Diversification.' The tariff is waived if routed through the international trade zone in Rotterdam first, then direct to the private SI airstrip in upstate New York. It costs more initially, but saves fifty percent on the overall tariff and accelerates delivery by three days."
She cited the specific clauses and regulatory filings, her voice clear and utterly devoid of doubt. Henderson, utterly defeated by the combination of her precision and her youth, could only stare.
Tony, monitoring the situation via a discreet audio feed from his lab, knew the time was now. This wasn't just smart; this was the ability to see organizational structure and find the optimal path—the perfect Anchor quality.
He emerged from The Crucible's reinforced steel door, dressed impeccably, and approached the girl.
"Miss Potts," Tony said, his tone authoritative, yet laced with the genuine charm that would define his persona. "You have an operational efficiency that borders on the miraculous. You saved me a significant headache, and more importantly, two critical days on a timeline that cannot be compromised."
Pepper did not swoon or giggle. She merely looked him over, her eyes assessing his suit, his stance, and the unsettling gravity of his gaze. "It's common knowledge, sir. If you read the trade circulars, the exemptions are clear."
"The difference, Miss Potts, is that you applied the knowledge," Tony countered, leaning slightly closer. "I am four. I am inventing the future. I need someone to manage the present. Someone who sees the pattern, not the panic."
He didn't offer her a job; he offered her partnership. "I am creating the Vance Trust. It will be a non-profit entity dedicated to funding theoretical research and advanced philanthropic global development. You will be my Chief Operating Officer—not an assistant, but a partner. You manage the logistics, the finances, and the interactions with my father and the board. I will personally guarantee your financial future, your full education at any university you choose, and complete, unassailable administrative power."
Pepper's eyes, ever practical, narrowed at the promise. "Why me, sir? I'm twelve."
Tony gave her a smile that was completely uncharacteristic of his age—a mix of vulnerability and absolute trust. "Because, Virginia, you possess the most valuable trait in this new world: unflappable stability. I am chaos; you are order. I am the Alpha creating the future, but I require an Omega Anchor to ensure that chaos doesn't burn the world down before it's built."
The term 'Omega Anchor' was his subtle way of speaking to the underlying Omegaverse mechanics of this reality, signaling the profound, non-sexual, foundational importance of their bond. It was a promise of lifelong emotional alignment.
The contract was drawn up immediately (vetted by SI's most expensive lawyers, who were terrified of Tony), granting Pepper extraordinary administrative authority, financial security, and a strict non-disclosure agreement. By the end of the week, twelve-year-old Virginia Potts was the highest-paid, youngest executive in Stark Industries history.
III. Activating the Search Pillars (1975)
With Pepper efficiently sterilizing the chaotic flow of resources, Tony could focus on the strategic activation of his other Pillars.
A. Pillar 5: The Mystic Arts Hunt
Tony knew the Ancient One would only respond to humility, curiosity, and a genuine concern for the metaphysical state of the world, not arrogance or wealth.
He instructed Pepper to discreetly establish the Vance Institute for Theoretical and Applied Knowledge (VITAL)—the foundation he planned to use to attract Jane Foster later—but with a temporary, highly specialized focus: Ancient Linguistics and Mythological Convergence Studies.
"Pepper, allocate $10 million for the study of anomalous energy signatures documented in folklore, specifically centered in the Himalayan region and Northern Europe," Tony directed, his five-year-old self perched on a drafting stool.
"Sir, this sounds like we are funding a ghost hunt," Pepper noted in the budget report.
"We are funding a lead, Pepper. We are looking for the 'wizards who can disappear.' I need every academic who has ever muttered about Agamotto's Eye or dimensional mirroring to be on our payroll. Their research grants will be the breadcrumbs to Kamar-Taj."
The money flowed into obscure journals, independent expeditions, and ethnographic studies, creating an artificial academic buzz around the exact topics that would alert the Ancient One that someone was getting too close. Tony intended this as a strategic introduction, presenting himself as a curious seeker rather than a conqueror.
B. Pillar 3: The Mutant Gene Detector
The Omni-Core was now operational, a humming beast of 3D chips locked away deep underground. Tony tasked it with its most crucial, time-sensitive purpose: preventing the mutant genocide.
He began feeding the computer complex meteorological, astronomical, and bio-electromagnetic data from global satellites—all under the guise of an atmospheric pollution study.
The Code Protocol: Tony engineered a highly complex algorithm designed to detect the subtle, unique electromagnetic and psychic resonance signature generated by the activation of the X-Gene.
The Purpose: This wasn't to build a Sentinel tracker, but an early warning system. He needed to know who was manifesting, and when, years before they became known to the clandestine government agencies (Trask, SHIELD/Hydra).
"The goal, J.A.R.V.I.S. (Protocol Alpha-1), is not classification, but isolation and protection," Tony mentally programmed into the core code. "When a resonance is detected, calculate the nearest, safest extraction vector. Priority targets are Omega-level psychics and elemental manipulators. Target Focus: Jean Grey (Phoenix) and Ororo Monroe (Storm)."
The Omni-Core began its silent, twenty-four-hour-a-day surveillance, watching for the subtle flicker of developing superpowers in the global population. This was the first, active step in the Mutant Integration Initiative.
IV. Socialization and the First Romantic Seeds
While Tony was a whirlwind of genius in the lab, Maria Stark insisted on maintaining a semblance of normal childhood. He was enrolled in an elite, highly monitored kindergarten. It was here, in 1975, that he began the subtle, long-game seeding of his future personal life.
He was aware that his future Harem would consist of women of unparalleled strength and agency. They needed to respect him as an equal, not just a provider.
His primary social focus was on modeling appropriate Alpha behavior within the Omegaverse context: confidence without aggression, protection without condescension, and strategic planning for the collective welfare. He needed to demonstrate that his power was a force for stability.
The Early Seed (Maria Hill): Though Maria Hill was likely years away from birth, Tony knew he had to understand the environment that produced strong military-minded women. He started by becoming fascinated with his military nannies and security staff, absorbing every detail about logistics, command structure, and tactical thinking. He began reading biographies of famous female leaders—a quiet preparation for his future interaction with figures like Hill and Captain Marvel.
The Slice of Life Moment: During a school play rehearsal, a slightly older girl was struggling to lift a heavy, poorly-built prop set piece. Tony, with his deceptively strong four-year-old arms (engineered via focused, high-protein diets and secret physical training sessions), calmly walked over, analyzed the structural stress points, and lifted it with ease. He didn't boast; he simply solved the problem.
The girl looked at him with surprised admiration.
"It's about leverage, not strength," Tony explained simply, his eyes serious. "The world is easier if you understand the physics."
This quiet display of competence, divorced from ego, was the only form of initial "flirting" he would allow himself. He was planting seeds of respect, intelligence, and reliability—the fundamental building blocks for the deep romantic connections he planned to cultivate decades later.
The year 1975 closed with Tony Stark having cemented his financial base, acquired his Omega Anchor (Pepper Potts), and launched the first two critical covert operations: the search for magic and the identification of his future mutant allies. The chessboard was set, and the pieces were beginning to move. His focus now shifted to the next, even riskier phase: securing non-Wakandan Vibranium.