21 Technomancer in MCU #17
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Chapter 17
Technomancer in MCU
The Royal Laboratory, Wakanda
The scenes in the lab were as usual.
People moving around, reading reports on their beads, taking calls, and filing reports.
Suddenly, all the lights in the lab turned red as the emergency evacuation notices started blaring.
"Emergency Evacuation! RED Alert! This is not a drill"
The emergency speakers started blaring that message repeatedly.
At first, the people who heard it froze completely, not used to the sudden evacuation notices apart from the few emergency drills that happened once a year.
The older ones were reminded of the bombs that were smuggled into Birnin Zana and the subsequent death and destruction that occurred after the attack of Ulysses Klaue.
The older ones managed to snap out of it and herded the younger ones out of the labs into the emergency shelters built into all of the government facilities.
_______________________________________________________________
Shield Control Room
–M'Tasha Dzezo–
Today was a good day.
I had gotten news from my supervisor regarding a possible promotion in the works for me.
I just had to work a 6-month border shift and after a quick evaluation of my Barrier engineering skills, I was poised to become the youngest Captain of the Shield Corps.
As I was dreaming of the girls I would be able to impress after getting my promotion, my computer pinged.
Opening the barrier sensory data, I was able to see a humanoid object in close proximity to the barrier.
Eyes widening, I double and triple-checked the data.
Upon confirming it, I activated the long-range cameras aimed at the Shield boundaries with road entries.
What I saw made me hyperventilate and almost sent me into a panic attack.
It was the 'Ed' person from the New York Alien Invasion.
I swiftly pushed the red alarm intended for emergency situations like this.
For some reason, we had gotten an alert from the King to increase the watch around the shields surrounding Wakanda.
To be alert for any intruders.
Especially to be mindful of any of the Avengers being here.
I was confused by this bizarre order as the Avengers had no reason to know of Wakanda's barriers even existing, let alone them coming anywhere near us.
I thought that they would be hounded by the World at large for their contribution to stopping the invasion and the advanced technology and firepower they possessed that made them capable of taking down even the most advanced outsider nations.
Begrudgingly, I could admit that they would have a decent shot at taking Wakanda down as well.
We would destroy them but the damage sustained by Wakanda would make it easy prey for the outsiders to do what they do best - Pillage and destroy anything good.
Shaking me from my thoughts, my Captain pulled me from my seat and pushed me towards the emergency exits.
Only then did I realize that evacuation notices for all citizens had been issued.
This had only happened once.
I could still remember it as if it happened yesterday.
I was still in college back then, doing an internship with the Barrier Corps.
One moment, I was doing a routine patrol near one of the auxiliary shield generators, and the next, I was thrown back by a thunderous explosion that rocked the entirety of the facility.
I thanked the ancestors that advanced vibranium-laced shields are standard issue for Barrier Corp members, even for interns.
All I could remember after that was the entire portion leading to the shield generator station being on fire
Wakanda soldiers' corpses lined the roads and a truck I could dimly see filled with vibranium fleeing on the roads leading to the outside village we maintained as a sham for the entire world to see.
_______________________________________________________________
Royal Council Meeting Hall
–King T'Chaka–
Sighing wearily, I was just about done with the day's meetings.
All that was left was a discussion regarding the enhanced watch over all of the border areas.
"The next issue on the list is the renewal of the orders for the increased watch over the border areas of Wakanda.", the receptionist declared.
The elders had just begun to argue when red alerts began to ring throughout the meeting hall.
"Okoye!", I commanded her.
"My King", she bowed and ran towards the command terminal to investigate the issue.
Whatever she heard must have been quite shocking to her because her face paled as she staggered her way back to me.
That was mildly disturbing as Okoye swore to her professionalism very strictly. For her to forego decorum, she must have been pretty shaken.
As these thoughts coursed through my mind, she came near me and whispered in a shaky voice, "My King, it's Ed."
Of course, it was.
I sighed, then smiled despite the situation.
"It would seem I am needed elsewhere. Our mystery guest, Ed, has arrived."
"What!" came the collective surprise from the elders.
I shrugged, "In his defense, he did say that he would arrive soon."
"I just didn't expect that he would arrive in less than a day after the invasion was over."
"How did he even get near the barrier without the Barrier Corps alerting us? Were they asleep?" the Barrier Tribe Leader asked, quite shaken by the arrival of a very powerful entity with intimate knowledge of our nation right at our very doorsteps.
He was right to be afraid.
After all, the outcome of this meeting would most likely decide the very future of Wakanda.
Never before had I faced such a daunting task that risked the very nature of my country.
Ed was someone who could wage and likely win a war with Wakanda single-handedly.
Even if by some stroke of luck we won, the resulting damage would bring us to our weakest level in centuries.
We would be easy pickings for the Westerners, especially if all our crimes against their development were revealed. They would leave no one alive then.
"Should we send guards to bring him in?" questioned the Border tribe elder.
"No," I ordered them.
The elders send a quizzical look toward me, and so does Okoye.
"I will go there alone. No guards."
The room was silent for a beat and then it erupted into a cacophony of voices.
"With all due respect, that is wildly unsafe."
"We have no idea what weapons they have with them."
"Who's to say that they are alone out there? If they could get this close to our city without anyone noticing, they might be able to hide any number of people waiting to ambush us."
On and on it went.
"Silence" I raise my hand and shout.
"You all make valid points yet I am King and my word is final," I say to the room at large.
"I will go there and I will go alone. That is my order."
"For the safety of Wakanda, I will do anything."
I turn to Okoye, "Make sure that the kids and Ramonda are safe and sound inside the bunker."
"Have the military on stand-by," I order the Border Tribe Leader
"If I fall in battle, evacuate everyone. Make sure that T'Challa leaves. He won't leave on his own. He is stubborn like me." I told Okoye.
I cross my hands, perhaps for the final time, and yell out with all my heart,
"Wakanda Forever"
"Wakanda Forever"
"Wakanda Forever"
"Wakanda Forever"
Came the resounding shouts from the rest of the room.
"Move out. Now." I order everyone.
I set out to don my Black Panther suit, Okoye right on my heel.
Opening the hatches, I take a moment to admire my armour.
It had served my and Wakanda's interests faithfully for decades now.
Maybe Shuri is right and it does need a Revamp but I always told her that I am old-fashioned and it suits me.
I might just change it after this.
Sighing, I put it on.
Just as I was about to head out, I heard the faint voices of T'Challa shouting, "Baba! Baba!"
I gave Okoye a look that she avoided.
It would seem that she suddenly found the flooring very interesting.
"Baba! I heard that we have an intruder on our hands and that you are going alone to deal with them?" T'Challa asked me.
"Yes, son. But if he is an intruder or not is yet to be decided." I answer him.
"They could be a tremendously useful ally for us. I have decided to forego the guards for the simple reason that if they were to turn hostile, Wakandan lives would be needlessly lost in fighting them."
His face looked surprised at my admission of weakness.
"Make no mistake, son. This is not a sign of weakness. We bow to No one."
"We are the children of Bast. Always remember that."
He nodded gravely, "Yes Baba."
Even though he looked sufficiently mollified, I knew that once he was here, he would just follow me in any way he could and with Okoye helping him, he could reach anywhere in Wakanda.
Sighing, "You can come with me but you will come only as my guard. You will not initiate anything no matter what he says."
"Take this as your first international diplomatic mission as a King to be."
He nodded seriously.
I spied on Okoye with the corner of my eye.
She was looking awfully triumphant.
Shaking my head, I gave the orders, "Prepare the jet."
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Word Count - 1581
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