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It started innocently. Peter was working with Tony Stark on Wednesday nights and most weekends in Tony’s lab. They worked on all kinds of Stark technology, anything from Avengers gear to the programming on the updated Stark phone. Tony was impressed with Peter’s ability to not only comprehend the advanced principles involved, that should have been beyond his years, but Peter actually had good ideas for improvement. He reminded Tony of himself, with Peter already showing the engineering flare that Tony showed at the same age, although he was in MIT at the time.
It was not uncommon for Bruce Banner to work them in them lab, when he had an issue that he needed Tony’s help on. That evolved into Peter working with Bruce occasionally when Tony was unavailable.
The first time someone outside their small group noticed Peter’s competency was when one of the department heads came to Tony with a question. Tony started to answer, and stopped halfway through, and asked Peter what he would do. That led to a fifteen-minute, three-way discussion that gave two solutions and three improvements to the design. Shortly after that, a bio-sciences department head noted the same interaction between Bruce and Peter.
Then the day happened that neither Tony or Bruce were there. Peter was quietly working in the lab by himself when the same department head asked to come into the lab. (Only Tony, Pepper, Bruce, and Peter had access.) Peter of course buzzed him in. Over the next twenty minutes, Peter listened and came back with a solution that had stymied the research group for weeks.
That opened the flood-gate. Soon everyone was searching out Peter for help. It was less problematic than going to Tony Stark and telling him you couldn’t figure something out. Most people don’t like going to their boss and admitting they’re stuck. Plus, Tony was often difficult to get in touch with, he might be with the President, or fighting as Iron Man.
Peter usually had several inquiries about his availability, every time he logged into the system, or Friday would have several requests for him. His weekends were now packed with running between departments, working with Tony or Bruce, sparring with Natasha or Steve, or working on his own projects, including trying to finish his homework.
Tony not only noticed, but actively encouraged Peter to collaborate. The young genius actually was here on an internship, he might as well get the actual training. Even Tony didn’t realize how much others had started to depend upon Peter’s help and guidance. Tony was pulled in so many directions at once, between the company, and the Avengers, and governmental regulations, he didn’t even notice that his own staff had replaced his expertise with Peter’s.
Pepper was the first one to bring it to his attention, when she casually asked Tony how many hours Peter was working a week. Between them, and Friday, they started to see how much Peter had started doing around the company. He was answering emails late into the night, attending meetings that Tony hadn’t been invited to, and worked with other engineers to fix problems.
That started a moral dilemma between the two, because which was worse, Peter web-slinging into danger or working late in the labs? Tony also had a mini-rebellion from his department heads when he asked them to scale their use of Peter back. “You’re not available,” he was told over and over. “The kid’s great,” was the next most common response. Several of the department heads actually lobbied for Peter to be permanently assigned to their division.
In the end, Peter was allowed to carry on, with the strict guideline that he needed to get his sleep. The researchers where given strict orders that Peter was not to be disturbed after midnight for any reason. Failure to comply with that rule was not acceptable. Actually, the threat came from Pepper Potts, in full Mama Bear mode. The point was made very clear to all.
It was very common for the new Stark Industries to revolutionize some portion of the tech world on a regular basis. They were becoming world leaders in renewable energy, medical science, and safer food production. SI was rolling out a new technology, that would help not only many of the poorer parts of the world, but even areas in some of the richer, more polluted areas of the world.
To great fanfare, SI introduced a system of water purification and retrieval that provided the highest purity and lowest cost ever. It provided enough volume to feed hungry crops, and enough purity that you could have drank the water brought up from under Chernobyl.
The technology was simple enough that the small or large unit were both economically feasible for even the poorest nations. The only difference being water output. A series of six large units could provide enough water for New York City, where a small one could be used to operate a large farm, or a small town.
Probably more than any other invention, this brought immediate positive headlines. Stark immediately took orders for hundreds of the units, and in a very smart move, licensed the technology to three other companies to improve the rollout of the units to needy places around the world.
The researchers were suddenly famous, and sought after on the talk show circuit. A Nobel prize was discussed for the senior researcher, two PhD’s were granted by MIT for interns that had worked on the project, as well as three Master’s degrees for other interns. Several others were granted graduate school admission to places like MIT, Caltech, and Princeton.
Almost everyone on the project had something professionally riding on it, with the exception of one intern by the name of Peter Parker. He was also listed as a major contributor to the project, and every single person that was asked, noted how important he was to the research’s success.
This led directly to the day that the entire student body of Midtown School of Science and Technology was assembled in their gym for a special announcement.
Peter Parker was called to the dais by Principal Morita. The others on the platform were introduced, but most were already well known, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Bruce Banner, and May Parker. Peter and the students were introduced to President Fisher, from MIT. (Tony had a huge smile on his face, that might have actually hurt, it was so wide.)
With Peter standing next to him, President Fisher, after a brief introduction, read off a proclamation:
“Very seldom is academia turned on its collective ear, as we have with the latest Stark innovation. This new project has the ability to dramatically change the lives of billions of people. Good water is rare in some areas and the lack of good water kills millions of people every year. Genius can present itself in many fashions. One remembers innovations from the likes of Albert Einstein, Madame Curie, Enrico Fermi, or Nicholas Tesla. Their contributions were not as immediate and genuinely needed as this is. With the latest project developed by Stark Industries, many of our current MIT students have moved forward or successfully concluded their academic careers. Today we are here to move forward the career of one of your contemporaries, Peter Parker. MIT has reviewed his work on the Stark Water Reclamation Project and with Tony Stark and Pepper Potts approval, his work on many other projects at SI. We have reviewed his theoretical and experimental work as well as his contributions to the final written papers. It is our great honor to present him with the following considerations, credit for classwork in Physics, Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry, as well as credit for English and Technical Writing, to the equivalency of an Associate’s Degree in Science. Additionally, he has been given a full scholarship to MIT to complete his studies. He is our first high school student in a pilot program to study at both the high school and college level. We have also reviewed the curriculum here at Midtown School of Science and Technology. We are quite impressed and will therefore open that same program up to the juniors and seniors who have good academic standing. With some small tweaks to the syllabus offered, you will be able to take concurrent classes for credit in both institutions. MIT is also opening a recruiting office in Midtown just to assist any students in the application process to attend MIT.
I personally congratulate Mr. Parker for his hard work and congratulate Stark Industries for their active internship program. Developing young minds is the reason for any education, and MIT has a special interest in excellent students such as yourselves. I hope to see many of you around our campus in the years to come, good luck to all of you.”
Turning to a dumb-struck Peter, President Fisher shook the boy’s hand and then turned to shake the hand of everyone else on the dais. It was hard to tell who was happier, Tony, for his alma mater, or Principal Morita, for Midtown. The two women on the stage hugged each other and shared a tear.
All of the people on the platform had a quick moment with Peter, with either a handshake or a hug. He was given the longest hugs by both Pepper and May. Eventually he was told by Principal Morita that he should return to class.
The students, also somewhat dumbfounded and clearly had not quite processed everything yet, were excused back to their classrooms. When the assembly hall finally cleared out May turned to Tony. In the past, the great hero had been rightfully afraid of Peter’s aunt. Today was different. Her eyes were much softer and her demeanor much, much less threatening. She walked over to Tony and gave him a hug, whispering, “Thank you,” in his ear.
Perhaps the final cap of the day was Ned Leeds turning to Flash before the start of the next class.
“Hey Flash, I bet we never hear anything about Peter’s internship from you again, do we?”