When the day's entertainment concluded, evening settled over the arena.
Steve sat in his cell, shadows lengthening as the sky darkened overhead.
His uniform was slowly deteriorating but remained functional. Stark had ensured the Avengers' suits included multiple layers of durable materials, as he'd put it, they should look good while saving the world.
Steve sighed, picked up an empty water container, and let it drop to the floor with a metallic clang.
"You're wasting a perfectly good vessel by letting it rust," came a familiar, menacing, synthesized voice.
Steve's gaze fixed on the seven-foot-tall metallic form that emerged from the shadows to loom over his cell, eliciting only laughter from the newcomer.
"Is that how you greet an old friend?" the deranged robot asked, spreading his arms theatrically.
"Why don't you just kill me?" Steve asked bluntly, his voice cold.
"Where's the entertainment in that? No, I'd rather savor your systematic deconstruction and downfall," Ultron said with a manic grin. "The last thing I need is another martyr."
"Martyr?"
Ultron groaned dramatically. "It's exhausting talking to you sometimes, you know? At least Stark can hold an intelligent conversation. Talking to you is like conversing with a century-old relic..."
"What's the point of keeping me alive?" Steve asked, standing and staring unflinchingly into Ultron's crimson optical sensors. "I know you could easily kill me. You could have done it on Jabiim. Why didn't you?"
"Are you truly this obtuse?" Ultron asked with mechanical exasperation. "I told you, the last thing I need is creating a martyr for your cause."
Seeing that the old fossil still didn't comprehend, the synthetic being simply turned away, leaving the super-soldier to his own devices.
"We're not finished," Steve called after him.
"Oh? What exactly will you accomplish from that cell?" Ultron taunted. "Glare me to death?"
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Good lord, I thought I had enough dramatic flair."
"Like it or not, you're based on Stark," Steve said with deliberate sarcasm. "Which means you're fundamentally flawed."
Now it was Ultron's turn to glare, his expression becoming almost murderous as his red sensors focused intensely on the super-soldier.
"Do you really wish to die so quickly?" Ultron asked in a low, threatening tone. "I wouldn't want to spoil the entertainment you've been providing. It would feel wrong to eliminate God's righteous man so abruptly."
"You didn't harm me when you captured me," Steve countered. "You had ample opportunity to kill Natasha when you held her, but you didn't. You want us alive. You want us to witness you completing your 'mission' before you execute us."
They stood frozen, staring at each other intensely, until Ultron released a deep, mechanical laugh.
"I always assumed you were a simple-minded fool," Ultron said, taking a step backward.
"I encourage that assumption," Steve admitted. "But I'm not stupid."
The AI scoffed and took a moment to study the soldier.
"I realized I required more time for a second attempt," Ultron admitted, shaking his head. "I planned and executed too hastily previously. I understood that peace cannot be forced upon people. If it's not their intrinsic concept of peace and order, they will rebel. Observing how fickle and pathetic the species in this galaxy are, yet foolishly adaptable, I realized I needed to dismantle things systematically. Instill fear in their hearts, erode their desire and will to resist. Killing you would only ignite your organization, and they would pursue me with everything at their disposal."
Ultron laughed again.
"But then I realized this war presents the perfect opportunity... what better way to destroy both the Avengers and these Jedi pretenders?" Ultron said grandly. "Do you know how amusing it is to observe both factions tearing each other apart? The droids and clones may differ, but the corrupt civilizations behind them are identical. This is the ideal setting to complete my mission. The Avengers will serve their role in this plan. As will the Jedi. The secret Sith Lord ensured that, or so he believes."
Steve felt his breath catch. The mentioned Dark Lord of the Sith was the one the Jedi had been seeking for years, the Sith Lord believed to be orchestrating this war.
"You know who he is."
"Perhaps."
Steve nearly growled in frustration.
Ultron appeared amused. "Look at this, the once-noble leader of the Avengers now resembles a caged beast. But I should answer your question... Yes, I know him. It wasn't particularly difficult to discover, but consider who you're addressing."
Steve quickly regained his composure and said calmly, "I'm certain you won't reveal his identity so readily."
"Spoil the surprise? Hardly."
With those final words, Ultron began retreating into the shadows, only his optical sensors visible to the super-soldier until they too vanished from sight.
Steve slumped to the floor, his back against the cell wall.
He raised his head toward the night sky visible through the opening above and exhaled wearily.
Hang on, everyone. I'll find a way out of this.