Arc Nine. Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Two. Set In Stone

Peter was expecting an alien spacecraft. Selene had described it as a devils metal cave, but he guessed that alien metal must oxidise as it was all rocks and dust.

He motioned to Ben to follow him, still wearing the harness, its four arms hovered behind him, ready to defend, or hopefully not, attack.

"So, uh. I might not be as smart as the other three, but this just looks like a burial chamber," and to Peter, he was right.

Sat in the middle of the rooms as a stone slab, with the same hieroglyphics written on it. Apocalypse must have been interred there, and while there were no visible exits, other than the main one, the room was empty. No signs that anyone had been here since its creation, let alone a few hundred years ago.

"No, this isn't right. I have eyewitness reports. This was a spacecraft, not a cave, and it was full of," and he raised a hand. As his other senses stretched out slowly Peter became aware that the walls that looked like rock were hiding something, and as he moved and placed a hand on one corner of the table, the surface changed into what looked like symbskin.

"An organic interface." To the Mind Stone it was inert, and he was thankful it wasn't a symbiote hiding in stasis. He allowed it to connect to his armour, and from there, gained access to the whole ship.

"Ben, go and get the rest. This will only work for me until I figure it out, but as we're supposed to be working together, they should at least see this." Peter knew what the symbiote had been for. A bio interface, allowing whatever pilot the ship had to control all its systems. With the death of its host, the symbiote must have been desperate as it sought out a new one.

"I thought this was supposed to be alien," Reed sounded almost disappointed but Sue came over and lay a hand on the table in excitement,

"It's warm," she said and her brow furrowed as nothing happened, "are you?" and Peter nodded,

"It's an organic interface. I can connect to it with my powers. I'm accessing the ship's systems right now, but so far it's mainly error messages. Engines, weapons, life support, faster than light drive, all offline and critically damaged. Access to all other areas of the ship is restricted to commander level beings only." and Sue placed her hand on the back of Peters

"Through that skin stuff?" and as she gently pinched the tough symbskin he laughed,

"Yeah, symbiotic skin, and it's not as frail as it looks. You said you were cataloguing? Can you make copies of all the hieroglyphics in here?" and she nodded and got out her sketchbook. Peter raised an eyebrow,

"Some plants and organisms are photosensitive, so you learn to sketch and not use flash photography on something that could be damaged." and Peter nodded,

"I'm trying to access the control systems. To find out exactly what the ship was doing before Apocalypse found it." So far the ships logs had been all standard. Daily briefing logs that the interface translated into thoughts and feelings rather than words, and surprisingly it was boredom that he got. This wasn't some massive science or warship, it was a small scout, and it patrolled the solar system and then came back, each day for years. Whoever had left the ship here was guarding something else. If Peter's guess was correct it was probably Wakanda, and as the thought of the huge city entered his mind he was bombarded with proper mission logs and statements.

"Write this down, as once I disconnect I'll lose it." it was a mental image, not a memory and while Peter could remember it, it was better to have it catalogued.

"Solar Cycle 0023. 200 primitives captured and taken to the city. Vibranium deposit beginning."

On and on, each solar cycle gave more and more information, as Peter read and emotionlessly regurgitated the ship's logs.

It seemed an alien species visited earth, millions of years ago, deposited the vibranium asteroid on the surface and began to genetically alter the local population, culling the weak and raising any species they found useful. Their experiments were to complete the Great Work and bring about the resurrection of the Star Gods. As each mutation brought them closer to their goal the aliens became lax.

"Final Entry. The Hominids have rebelled. Their powers are greater than we can imagine. We have taken heavy damage and are-" and the log cut out.

Peter took a step back, and let out a sigh, "so, the nuts were right, space aliens did screw monkeys and make humans." and while Johnny laughed, Viktor and Reed scowled and shook their heads. "It was a joke, lighten up you two."

"No, you should be more serious. You know what'll happen if that leaks out. Space aliens interfered in the development of humans, a magic space city with-" and Sue paused, "Wakanda, they mean Wakanda right. Shit, not just a log but proof. I bet the Wakandans knew," and Peter had a sudden thought. Maybe Shuri wanted a symbiote, not for study or research but because there were similar devices in Wakanda.

If Wakanda was the site of an ancient research facility it would explain why they were only a hundred years or so above the rest of the world, they weren't using the vibranium to create new tech, they were trying to decipher old tech.

He would be having words with her once he got home. While they were still getting used to their relationship, a lie of omission that big was a serious issue. It explained a lot as well. Why a flower of all things, unique to one area on the planet, gave humans super abilities. It had either been brought here, and the aliens used it, or it was grown as part of their great experiment.

One thing Peter did know was Gwen was going to go nuts when she found out she missed this. He could feel the excitement rolling from Sue like waves and while Johnny and Ben were unfazed by the announcement, even Reed seemed to be curious as to what else was in there.

"I want to take a break. Using this is taxing, and I don't want to break it," Peter said, as he lifted his hand but Sue put hers on his and tried to press it back down,

"No. This is the discovery of a lifetime, I want to know more," and as she tried to push his hand back down Peter raised an eyebrow at her,

"While I appreciate the soft hands, you're not going to make me do anything. So stop, before I make you stop," and as Peter lifted his hand away Sue scowled.

As she stood and crossed her arms, "We need to make sure this is all catalogued before the authorities get here. We know you didn't tell them, and we know those men outside will report back what we found here."

Peter laughed though and touched the edge of the table again, and it appeared to change back into the stone they found it as. "Oh look, an empty room with some sand and rocks." and Peter smiled at Sue, "but don't ever do that again. Ever."

The smile faded and Peter stared at her with a disappointed look.

"This does need to be catalogued, and if I had activated the interface accidentally or pushing down on the table triggered something. The only person here who can activate it is me, so we do this my way, and at my speed. This is a joint enterprise, not a Storm Foundation expedition. You're not in charge, you don't get to give me orders." and as Sue pulled a face, Peter shrugged

"I'm paying for this. Reed or Viktor, I don't care how, go out and tell the men to move the rubble outside, let them see it's just a room, and then get them to go home. Nothing here, pay them and then get rid of them. We set up a camp and I'll get Wakanda to send someone who can maybe help," and as the five stared at him Peter finally lost patience "Now!" and he unleashed a blast of anger at them, Sue paled and shook, while Reed took a step back, Johnny flinched and Ben clenched his fist, even Viktor raised an eyebrow and glared at him.

"Once this is over, we'll be having words," Reed said as he stormed past and out into the corridor. Peter could hear him shouting at the men, and soon enough the rabble came in and began to move not just the rocks, but started to dig away at the sand on the floor.

Heading back outside, Peter took out his phone, and let his symbskin slide over it, creating a secure connection only another symbiote could decipher, he called Shuri.

"Hey, did you know?" He had no patience for any of this right now,

"Hello Peter, I am happy to hear from you as well," she answered curtly,

"Sorry, sorry, just," and he took a breath, "I am happy to speak to you, but please, I need to know if you knew." and it was her turn to sigh.

"You are being vague, so no, I have no idea what you are talking about,"

"The ship, the burial chamber in Egypt was a ship, and so is Wakanda." and he heard the tension vanish from her voice,

"I did, but any member of the Golden Tribe is under oath, an oath of death Peter, not to tell anyone unless they are of the Golden Tribe as well. You would never have been told, and if they failed the test, neither would any children."

Peter thought back to the genetic scanner in the scroll. "The testing. It wasn't to see if I was compatible, it was to see if I had an X-Gene."

"And now you know, I am free to talk about it. Yes, I knew. Wakanda is a research outpost and the people of Wakanda are the descendants of the original experiments. We rose up and killed our captors. There. Are you happy?" but Peter took a deep breath,

"No, one last thing. Did you know about the symbiotes?" and Shuri huffed,

"What, the devourer? We knew they were dangerous, and they needed to be hunted, but no. We did not even know it came from the ship you found. Peter, what is wrong with you? I do not like to be interrogated in this way. I proved my trust to you, and you still doubt me?"

"Sorry, Reed and Sue are-" and he sighed, their attitudes had put him in a bad mood and it was wrong of him to take it out on Shuri, "I'm sorry, things aren't working, it doesn't matter but this needs to be secret," and cutting the call he sent Shuri a text.

The ship has logs, and they explain a lot of things, I wasn't sure, I mean, now I know.

Know what? you are making no sense.

A symbiote is required to access the ship's systems. The ship has an organic interface, disguised as a stone table. Only a host using a symbiote can access it. That's what the one in your history books was for. They were using it as a key. It must have been in stasis until the Wakandan King disturbed it, maybe for thousands of years.

Wait, no, no, that's not, give me a moment.

Peter stared at his phone as he watched the men bring out not just wheelbarrows of rocks and sand and dump them but mutter to themselves. He figured they were mad the room was empty, and even as some moved rocks, others broke up their camp and their number dwindled.

I love you, I love you so much. Tell me, what do you want? A threesome with Ororo? A hundred Dora to service you, anything. Tell me and I will give you anything.

What the hell, Shuri?

There are stone tables all over Wakanda, there is even one in the throne room. I placed Jhalia against it and I saw, I saw it all Peter. I have control of the whole city.