Arc Twelve. Chapter Three-Hundred Thirty-Nine. Selfish

Wanda had created a portal to Wakanda so that the conversation could be held in person. This was important enough they wanted everyone to be here, and so, a group of ten was gathered, and Peter sat at the head of the table as everyone made themselves comfortable.

"So," Peter asked, "what are we going to do?"

It was a loaded question. They really only had two choices. Go against the Asgardians, take Doom up on his offer and fight, or side with the rest of the world and accept that Earth was now part of a much larger Empire.

Shuri leant forwards, "Wakanda must not fall. If the Asgardians learn of our vibranium, they will take it. We already have scans of their ships, and we know they use it for most of their construction. I say no. We fight."

Liv sighed, "but is that selfish of us? This isn't just one country, what of the rest, are we going to start a war over what could be nothing. We have no proof, just feelings and some alien blood."

"What did you find?" Peter asked but Liv shrugged,

"It's alien, but with nothing to compare it to we have no idea if it's Asgardian or not. Even the sample Carol supplied is markedly different. She is a normal human plus a strange DNA fragment, which we now know is Kree, and this is two separate strands of what I would consider DNA by the slimmest definition."

"Two?" Gwen asked

"Yes, a primary stable sample, which I suspect is stable for reproduction, and a second more malleable set, which I have no idea what it is for, but it does display several strange properties, none of which I can identify without an actual Asgardian. For all I know it could be how they pass on certain traits or produce the massive amount of energy they use to become tougher and stronger than a human." Liv explained,

"What about the formula we smelt though?" Peter asked

Liv shrugged again, "Again, there is evidence of a chemical within the sample, but without an Asgardian to ask or compare I have no idea. Thor might simply have not been in fighting mode or our senses weren't developed enough last time we met. It's all conjecture Peter, and once again, nothing concrete to prove anything."

Peter rubbed his face, "so back to our main problem. Do we trust them?"

"When it comes to my people and Wakanda I cannot take that risk, Peter. They have already made threats if we do not comply. That is not the resolve of a peaceful defender, but a hostile invader. Especially one after a large vibranium deposit."

"Can we hide the vibranium?" Peter asked, but Shuri shook her head

"Even with Jean's new mining and processing techniques, the deposit is several kilometres in length and width. Even if we could, where would we put it? It's the size of a city." Shuri explained. Normally information about the location and the amount of vibranium was highly classified, even to nonruling members of the Golden Tribe, but now was not the time for secrets.

"So, this is a needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one situation, right?" Felicia snorted,

"We trust you Pete, but yeah I guess."

"Is it selfish to say yes? I mean, I know Wakanda will lose its vibranuim, and they might even want the Kree tech, but is that so bad?" Carol asked, "not for you, I mean, sure but we dont know what they'll do. The Asgardians were always fair, hard but fair."

"And if it was your home, would you?" Shuri asked, and Carol shook her head,

"I just don't see the alternative being that great, and if Thor is right and the Kree come back, I can't fight them again, not like this," Carol explained,

"Again?" Liv asked her

"In the '90s they came to Earth for the Space Stone, they were chasing a race called the Skrulls to exterminate them. I had just escaped their mind control and was kinda angry." Carol shrugged, "so I blew up a few of their star cruisers, and uh, they ran away."

Peter sighed "that changes a few things. While Asgard and the Xandarians are friendly we have to think that there are other races that aren't. So, fight one galactic empire to have another turn up and try to take over, or ally ourselves with one to stop the other?" Peter looked over at Carol. "What is the galactic situation like?"

Carol leaned back in her chair, "I can't say for certain. The three big empires are the Xandarians, the Asgardians, and the Kree, but there are more. A huge alien asshole called Thanos attacks planets and wipes out half their population. A group of scavenger pirates called the Ravagers will attack unprotected worlds and steal whatever isn't nailed down, and then. Then we have the Sovereign and their quest for racial purity."

"So basically," Peter said as he took a drink, "the galaxy is full of assholes, and the nicest of them all are offering us protection."

"But they are still assholes right?" Gwen asked and Carol nodded,

"Oh yeah. Odin goes on a campaign every hundred or so years to remind people why Asgard is top dog, so yeah. Still assholes."

MJ rubbed her forehead, "this is too much for a big city gal. I'm going to vote with you Pete. I trust you, and you've never steered us wrong before."

Gwen laughed, "fine, fine. Not too much, but this" and she motioned around "I want to keep this, is that selfish? Probably, but we're allowed. How many times have we saved the city, how many people are alive because of you?"

Peter scratched his head, "Fine, Jean, what are the genoshans doing?" and Jean looked up from her cup,

"War. Erik is mad after the Sentinels and Charles is unhappy about losing Avalon. So, yeah, they're expecting war."

Shuri looked over at her, "we may have a problem there too. The Augments, they are fake."

Jean scrunched up her face, "fake?"

Shuri frowned, "sorry. Fake is the wrong word. With the historical data we received from Optimus, we were able to decipher more of the records we found in the Golden City. And Augments are not real. The gene was manufactured."

Peter rubbed his head, "You know that can never be released right? The Kree might be assholes but there are plenty of people on Earth who'll use the same excuse to strip away more rights." he leaned forwards and tapped his fingers on the table, "Are you sure? I mean, Even with the Mind Stone Kree wasn't the easiest thing to read."

Shuri nodded, "we discovered medical data. The Kree created the gene sequence. It is not a joke to say aliens made us. Not just Augments but every human as well. Our origins are not natural."

"Great," Jean said throwing up her hands, "so now we risk the ones who did this coming back and claiming we're what? Slaves? Fakes, that they made us so they own us?"

"Okay, Jean, calm down, and Shuri, are you sure?" Liv asked, and Jean huffed while Shuri nodded,

"Their notes are very detailed, as are the reports to something they called the Supreme Intelligence. But we also have the final entries. My people rose up and rebelled, and they abandoned the planet. They can claim what they like, but we are not their creations, not anymore. We have evolved, and while the X-Gene still remains, there is now more to Homo Sapiens than their creations."

"Probably why Apocalypse was so messed up, using original tech to alter himself further changed him into whatever the Kree were hoping to actually make." Peter pondered.

"But, right now, it doesn't matter. The issue is still the same. Asgard or not?" Liv said, "and sorry Shuri, but I am siding with Asgard. We had Harry do unspeakable things to a few of us, and that was one person with one single Kyntar with hostile intentions, A whole species. Carol, you took out several cruisers, so what are our chances right now, without the Asgardian's help?"

Carol took a breath and sighed, "not good. On the ground, we have Hulks and Enhanced. In space, we lose that advantage. We'd lose. Even with the tech we have. Attacking a planet from orbit is much easier than defending one."

Shuri looked over at her, "how long?"

Carol took in a long breath and stared thoughtfully into space for a moment. "We could hold out for a week, maybe. Some species use planet crackers, or high burn explosives to choke the air. If all you want is the tech, there are plenty of ways to kill the planet to get it."

As she looked at the now worried faces of everyone around her, she quickly corrected herself. "I doubt the Asgardians or Xandarians would go that far though, but they also have a lot more ground troops than us, and if you think those Pulse weapons are bad, pretty much every species has its own version already."

Shuri slumped backwards, "Well. Fuck"

Peter snorted, "My, such language from a queen,"

Shuri laughed, "I have said much much worse in the bedroom Peter, and now you complain I am unladylike, such hypocrisy from my heart, I am wounded."

The group laughed, but it hid the worry they were all feeling.

Peter stood, "It's selfish, but I vote Asgard. Thor might be acting weird but it's been years since we saw him, but, it's not my home, it's not my people. Shuri, I'll side with you. No matter what."

"So once more, it is my duty. My people or my planet?"

Peter nodded. "It has to be, we all lose so much, but no one more than you."

Shuri sighed, "Then. So that there is no misunderstanding, and that you all know what I will tell the council. If we accept the deal with the Asgardians it will be done on the assurance that all rights to the vibranium within our borders remain with Wakanda. That they may buy it from us, on reasonable terms, and that they may introduce us to other species that may also wish to purchase vibranium. In exchange, we become part of the Nova Empire and are afforded all rights within that. And if they say no, that we forcefully repel them from the Earth with all the might we can muster."

Peter looked around the table, and he and the rest nodded, "I think that is more than fair. Wakanda was slowly opening its borders, and the Asgardians simply got there first."

Shuri nodded, "Then I need time then. I have five days. Peter, can you make contact with Coulson and Fury. I want to know everyone's stance. If Wakanda stands, does it stand alone or do I have allies? If we are alone, then I will not blame anyone for their choice, even if we do all suffer for it."

Peter nodded, "Does everyone agree?" and the group nodded, "Good, let's have some food. Shuri, I know you need to head back to Wakanda, but please, stay, at least for a meal."

Shuri laughed, "Peter, I am staying, to remind myself why I chose this life. You may make food, but I am going to enjoy myself in the bathhouse until it is ready, with my wives, in full view of my husband to be." and she looked over at Wanda, "as long as you agree. The portal devices Charles installed have ceased to function, I believe he refuses to share now?"

Peter laughed, "yeah, he's a bit mad about Avalon."

Wanda nodded, "But I will make sure the Peter suitably compensates me. I am still not a taxi service."

Shuri laughed. "I will make sure of it my wife to be. I shall have him prepare a feast for us all, and make sure we are all pampered for the long task ahead."

Shuri stands and Jhalia shifts and changes into a form-fitting bathing suit, "Just dont burn my food," she said with a wink, "I intend to be very very distracting."