The two men sitting opposite, one older, one younger, along with a squad of heavily armed women standing behind them, all broke into laughter.
Arthur offered a faint smile, took a sip from a glass filled with some unidentifiable drink, and said calmly, "I came here to rescue someone."
"If it's within our means, we're open to it. But you still haven't answered my question, how do you know about Wakanda?"
"Others have asked me the same thing... and I still don't have a clear answer." Arthur let out a slow sigh. "All I can say is, I have a very particular skill. That's actually the main reason I came here this time. I have a way of seeing things, things beyond ordinary comprehension. And I've already lived through some of what I've seen... That may not be a satisfying explanation, but it's the most honest one I can give."
The old king, across from him, considered his words for a moment, then asked, "So you're telling me you saw Wakanda through this ability? Then tell me, what is it that you truly want?"
"There are two things..."
Arthur hesitated, then said, "But no matter which I start with, you probably won't like either."
"If you already know we won't like it, why bring it up at all?" the elder asked, his brow furrowing as a creeping sense of unease settled over him.
Arthur exhaled and reached into his coat, pulling out a compact projection node, a sleek piece of tech with Wakandan-like finesse, but clearly alien in origin.
He set it gently on the table and tapped it. A glowing holographic image sprang to life.
A towering, bald figure with purple skin appeared before them.
The device, as Arthur later explained, had been salvaged from one of Gamora's old caches, containing partial footage and encrypted intel from Thanos's planetary assaults.
"This... is why I have to say what I'm about to say."
Arthur turned toward the elderly King of Wakanda, his voice steady but laced with urgency. "So before I explain my two reasons, allow me to share something with all of you, a bedtime story, if you will."
The elder narrowed his eyes at the projection of Thanos. "Isn't this the villain from that new action flick?"
Arthur chuckled. "If only. I wouldn't be reckless enough to show my face here if that were the case. His name is Thanos. He's not from Earth. And whether you believe it or not, the universe is teeming with civilizations... and its shadows run deep."
This time, Arthur didn't hold back.
He spoke at length, about Thanos himself, the looming future he'd glimpsed, and the truth behind the chaos that struck New York a year ago. He laid it out piece by piece, like a strategist presenting the board before the game begins.
By the time he was done, everyone in the room, except Tony and Arthur, sat in stunned silence.
The elder pressed a hand to his chest, taking in a deep breath. "This... is staggering."
"Just like a bedtime story," the young Black Panther said quietly, fixing his eyes on Arthur. "But why should we believe it's anything more than fiction?"
"T'Challa!"
The elder king raised his hand immediately. "Enough. That's no way to speak. It's deeply disrespectful to our guest."
"Doubt is natural," Arthur responded calmly. "People trust only what they've seen or heard themselves, especially when the truth is something they don't want to accept. But what concerns me is that by the time we actually see Thanos with our own eyes... it'll already be too late to prepare."
"So," the elder said with a furrowed brow, "what are these two things you wanted to discuss?"
Arthur straightened. "The first is this: I hope we can form an alliance."
"An alliance?" the elder asked. "In what form?"
"Technological integration," Arthur said. "We're in control of the most powerful defense contractor on the planet, and home to some of the sharpest minds humanity has to offer."
Tony grinned. "Wow. First time you've complimented me in public. Should I record that? Maybe play it back at dinner?"
Arthur gave him a sidelong glance. "Let's just say... the brains are on our side."
"Hold on, what's that supposed to mean?" Tony's smile faded into a confused frown.
Arthur continued unfazed. "In addition to that, we also run the most advanced biotech and genetics firm in the world."
The elder gave a faint smile. "Impressive. But not enough to sway me."
Tony immediately shot him a glare.
Arthur added, "Fair. But what we also have, stored, studied, and partly integrated, are knowledge systems from not just one, but several advanced extraterrestrial civilizations."
"Is that so?" T'Challa cut in, speaking before his father could respond. "And how exactly did you come by that?"
"We may have... had a few conflicts with alien forces before," Arthur said carefully, giving Tony a look.
Tony groaned. "Seriously? We deleted all the records from the Xandar incident, and you still kept a copy? Classic you. I swear, J.A.R.V.I.S., sometimes you're just as sneaky as he is."
"Understood, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied crisply, clearly following Tony's lead.
Tony held out his hand, and a shimmering hologram projected from his palm. Even Arthur blinked in surprise.
"What in the world is that? Why would you build something like that into your armor?"
Tony shrugged. "You never know, maybe mid-battle, I get the urge to rewatch a movie. Gotta stay inspired somehow."
Arthur stared at him. "Okay... why has your entire vibe gotten so strange lately?"
"Probably been spending too much time around senior citizens," Tony deadpanned. Then, with a raised brow, added, "Though I gotta ask, when did you start taking things so seriously?"
Arthur sighed. "Maybe when I finally recovered something I'd been missing for a long time... a shred of decency."
Of course, neither of them was being particularly helpful, casually throwing jabs back and forth in front of the King and Prince of Wakanda, right in the middle of an intergovernmental negotiation.
But the people across from them had no time to react to the banter.
Because in the footage Tony had projected, they were witnessing him in combat, against the Kree.
Swarms of Kree warships filled the skies. Tony, soaring behind them atop Šumer, moved like a master tactician fused with a swordsman, directing firepower with precision and fury. The display was both awe-inspiring and terrifying, enough to make hearts pound.
The sheer scale of the battle left the Wakandan council shaken.
Starships lit up the void, Kree soldiers rained down with blasters blazing, while the sounds of death, screams, chaos, explosions, echoed through the projection.
For five full minutes, the brutal sequence unfolded before them.
If Arthur's earlier projection had felt like a high-concept science fiction epic, this one, starring Tony Stark in the thick of battle, felt grounded, tangible. Like history playing itself out in real time.
"These two pieces of data are for your review," Arthur said, calmly. "You're welcome to verify their authenticity. All I ask is that they're returned afterward."
"Of course," the elder replied, nodding. He gave a subtle gesture, and the woman who had stood silently at the back stepped forward to retrieve the two data modules.
As she opened the door, a young girl was caught crouching just outside, clearly trying to listen in.
"...Princess Shuri, you know you're not supposed to be here," the woman said, gently but firmly ushering the girl away. Her voice trailed off as the door shut behind them.
The elder returned his attention to Arthur, composed and focused once more. "Now, what's the second matter?"
Arthur turned toward Prince T'Challa, a slight smile on his face. "I hope he'll agree to join our alliance."
"The Avengers Initiative?" T'Challa asked, slightly surprised.
Arthur shook his head. "Not quite. We're calling it the Superhero Union."
"...So we're just deciding this team's name on the spot now?" Tony cut in. "Launched by two guys who talk too much?"
(End of chapter)
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