Ch.55: The Wakandan connection

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Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, Bharat, June 2, 1943

Aryan sat in his expansive office, the grandeur of Rashtrapati Bhavan surrounding him. The room was filled with the scent of sandalwood and the soft hum of activity from the corridors outside. His desk was cluttered with reports and maps detailing the latest developments in the war and the progress of his metahuman team on various fronts across the globe.

He glanced at the latest dispatches from the North African front. The Allies had secured a significant victory over the Axis forces, leading to the surrender of Axis forces in Tunisia—a crucial step towards their planned invasion of Italy to topple Mussolini's regime. Aryan's influence and the involvement of Bharat's metahumans had accelerated these events, altering the timeline in favor of the Allies.

The news from the Eastern Front was equally encouraging. The USSR had reclaimed all the territory lost to the Nazis with the battles of Stalingrad, won in February, and Kursk, recently won ahead of the original timeline by a few months. With these two battles in their favor, the Red Army was now pushing for control over Kyiv. They then planned to increase military involvement in Belarus and eastern Poland, pushing for its reclamation. The resurgence of the Soviets was a massive boost in the morale of the Allies and pushed the Axis, especially Germany, into a defensive position. They could only lament their mistakes of underestimating the Russian winter.

Meanwhile, the Japanese, reeling from defeats at the hands of Bharat and the American island-hopping strategy, were on the defensive, resorting to desperate Kamikaze tactics to hold onto their recent conquests. There were signs of the Japanese increasing defensive measures in the Southeast Asian waters, which could lead to large-scale involvement of the Bharatiya navy, recently armed with the latest naval vessels and battleships on par with the most powerful naval powers at the time. The more advanced naval vessels that Aryan had designed were nearing completion, and by the second or third quarter of next year, the first aircraft carrier of the new design was slated for completion. With these developments, Bharat's navy was ready for any threats arising from the Japanese and was gearing up to drive them out of Southeast Asia in the coming months.

Aryan's thoughts then drifted to his team. Karna and Rudra were now training in Astra Lok, the dimension he had created for honing their abilities. The enhancements they had undergone made them formidable, but they needed to master their new powers fully. Shakti and Nalini were also making remarkable progress, their powers and teamwork growing stronger with each challenge they faced in Astra Lok.

He envisioned a future where Astra Lok would be used to train all KAVACH agents, but for now, they were stretched thin, their resources focused on the war effort, gathering intelligence from across the globe, defensive measures for Bharat, and monitoring supernatural threats. The dimension, for now, was a secret known only to him and his closest allies—Shakti, Nalini, Karna, and Rudra.

As he was deeply engrossed in his thoughts, Athena flickered to life in her holographic form, her serene presence filling the room. "Master Aryan," she began, her voice calm yet urgent, "we have received new information from our agents in Africa. They have made contact with a group of people possessing advanced technology. They refer to themselves as Wakandans."

Aryan's interest piqued at the mention of the highly isolationist kingdom of Wakanda. "Wakandans?"

Athena continued, "Yes, they claimed to our agents to be from a hidden nation with advanced technology in Africa, and from what our agents have seen, their technology is far beyond anything they have encountered, only rivaled by our own magi-tech. They have surprisingly made contact with outsiders like us and requested a meeting between their king and the leader of Bharat. Their god, Bast, seemed to have advised them to forge an alliance with us."

Aryan leaned back in his chair, contemplating the implications. An alliance with such a technologically advanced nation and Bharat, which Aryan intends to make a magi-tech powerhouse, could be very beneficial for his plans. "Okay, arrange the meeting," he instructed. "This could be the beginning of a powerful partnership between us."

Athena nodded, her holographic form shimmering. "I will make the necessary arrangements, Master."

North African Front, June 1, 1943

The sun blazed down on the arid landscape as the KAVACH agents, disguised as Bharatiya army personnel, moved through the bustling Allied camp. Their mission was to gather intelligence and support the war effort, but today, something unusual was about to unfold.

Agent Arjun, with his enhanced senses, was the first to notice the subtle shimmer in the air—a sign of advanced cloaking technology. He signaled to his team, and they discreetly prepared for any potential threat. Moments later, the cloaking field dropped, revealing a group of Wakandan soldiers, their presence both imposing and enigmatic.

The leader of the Wakandan group, a tall figure with a regal bearing, stepped forward. His voice was deep and resonant, carrying the distinct accent of his homeland. "Greetings, warriors of Bharat. I am S'Yan, brother of T'Chaka, King of Wakanda. We come in peace."

Arjun, maintaining his composure, responded while still cautious and ready to use his superior strength at any moment, "I am Arjun, leader of this unit. Your presence here as well as the technology you use is unexpected. How did you find us?"

The team of agents of KAVACH with Arjun were experts in disguise with some of them possessing powers trained for exactly that. So it goes without saying that anyone contacting especially them among other soldiers were very good in detection and identification capabilities.

S'Yan's eyes gleamed with a mix of pride at the capabilities of his homeland and caution for the metahumans that they detected them as. "Wakanda has eyes and ears in many places. Our technology allows us to see beyond what is visible. We have been observing your efforts and believe our goals align."

Agent Meera, whose abilities included telepathy, sensed no deceit in S'Yan's words. She stepped forward, her voice calm and diplomatic. "What is it that you seek from us, S'Yan?"

S'Yan glanced at his companions before speaking. "Our god, Bast, has guided us to you. We seek an alliance with Bharat. Bast has advised of great benefits for both of our nations if we go through the alliance."

In fact, Bast, apart from the benefits, had also told them about the danger posed to them by the forces coming from inside the ocean, which was actually Namor and his kingdom of Atlantis. But S'Yan chose not to tell them about this at this time.

Arjun nodded thoughtfully. "An alliance suggested by you and your god sounds intriguing, but we cannot decide on our own. We first have to contact our higher-ups before anything."

S'Yan extended his hand, a gesture of goodwill. "Then let us propose a meeting between our leaders. King T'Chaka wishes to speak with your leader, whom Bast has spoken so highly of as being immensely powerful."

Arjun shook S'Yan's hand, sealing the tentative agreement. "Very well. We will arrange for a meeting. But know this, S'Yan—Bharat values honor and integrity. We expect the same from our allies."

S'Yan inclined his head in respect. "You have our word."

As the Wakandan soldiers reactivated their cloaking devices and vanished from sight, the KAVACH agents exchanged glances. This unexpected alliance could change the course of the war and the future of their nations.

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