Man in a Can: Tony Stark (PTSD Recovery)

Chapter Four: Spacebound

*Title art credit: Petite Allemande*
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   Tony set down his bag inside the busted up ship. It wasn't in the greatest condition after all these battles, and all that chaos kept him from fixing it. But at the moment, he didn't care. He needed to get up there, out in the vast and empty horizon. He needed to know. To be sure.

   He knew the others didn't understand as much as he did. That they didn't feel there was anything worthwhile up in the stars.

   He sighed, took one last look around the tower room, and shut the landing.

   Tony sat down in the pilot seat, flipping switches.

   The engine purred to life, conks and groans added to the mixture. I'll fix it later.

   The ship hovered about the landing pad. Tony took off.
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   Tony set the controls to autopilot. There he was again, nothing but a small man in a can, lost in a galaxy of stars.

   Too many times he had been lost up here. Too many days he thought would be his last.

I hate space.

   "It's beautiful, isn't it?" A feminine voice came from behind him.

   "It's atrocious," Tony replied, turning around.

   "Without question. But is it not indeed beautiful as well?"

   Tony sighed. "It is. But how did you get on the ship? Why are you here?"

   Nebula shrugged. "You left to kill aliens. Revenge for Thanos I presume. I want in. I'm not asking, either."

   "What about your sister?"

   She shook her head. "No. She doesn't know."

   "Hm."

   "I'm already here. You're not getting rid of me, try as you might."

Tony set a hand threateningly over the "open outside door" button, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't even think about it." She narrowed her eyes.

He smirked, fiddling with the armor on his hand. "Fine. But make yourself useful."

   "I'd like to say the same to you," Nebula replied sassily.

Tony rolled his eyes, yet the hint of a smile could still be detected on his lips. "Note taken."
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*Time skip: about a month and a half. Still in space.*
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REE. REE. REE.

   Tony snapped awake, sirens going off all around him, red lights flashing. "What the hell?" He whipped his head around, toppling out of his chair and locating Nebula.

   She strapped on a pair of boots. "Come on, Clumsy. We don't have all day. Aliens have infiltrated the ship."

   "Damn!" Tony cursed, pulling himself up, looking up at the console. "FRIDAY, how many are there?"

   "There's an entire army infiltrating the ship, sir."

   Tony gawked. "Say that again, I think Clint's hearing's been rubbing off on me." He scratched behind his ear, running his hand through his hair. "I can't believe this."