Chapter 364: Arc Twelve. Chapter Three-Hundred Fifty-Five. Scorched Earth

As the three teams prepared themselves, Peter led the forces on the Kree’s main battle cruiser. Elektra headed to Wakanda with Nakia and Bucky.

She had marvelled at the city but composed herself as she saw the assembling army. Bucky had shown Shuri his assault rifle and as she shook his head, she instructed Nakia to take him to the armoury. A weapon like that was effective, but not effective enough, as the sensors showed the Kree dropping gun emplacements.

“Uh, Why are they here?” Elektra asked as warriors wrapped in thick white pelts began to muster on the grounds outside the city. Elektra had heard about Peter's fight with M’Baku and then Shuri's.

Shuri looked up, as she walked past another Dora Milaje, “they are here to bring honour back to their tribe. They will advance first and will die first.

“Still, seems kinda, I dunno, stupid. What if they betray us?”

Shuri laughed, “then they would still be first to die. We have gun emplacements to bombard those turrets, and fighters to provide air support.” Shuri paused, “but, you do not understand. You must know that to some, honour is everything, and M’Baku did not speak for the whole tribe. They are proud warriors, and he did them an injustice. To shed blood to reclaim that honour means everything.”

Elektra shrugged, as Stick had tried to teach her the same lesson. Honour was nothing, and it meant nothing if you were dead.

“Bucky seems happy,” she said in passing, as he lifted a plasma rifle, with an underslung fusion grenade launcher. It looked like something from a sci-fi movie that Felicia loved. Sleek, long with a pulsing blue light on top, hooked into the shoulder of his right arm, and then into an arcstar reactor set into a shoulder harness.

“We also have some weapons for you, if you would like?” Shuri motioned at the weapons rack, but Elektra shook her head,

As Hades covered her, in the thick armour, and the harness that Liv had designed spread out, covering her in the mark two, a long sword slid out of her arm,

“I'm good thanks” and Shuri laughed, letting Jahlia cover her in the same.

As the pair made their way to the command tent, set in front of the great plains surrounding the city, they could hear the fighters are they flew overhead,

“Are you sure they will attack here?” Elektra asked, and Shuri nodded,

“While I am not happy to admit this. Wakanda is old abandoned Kree technology. This is the one palace on Earth we are guaranteed they will attack. They will want the city, and the resources it holds.”

Elektra nodded, knowing that wasn't the whole truth, but it was as much as she was going to get. The capital needed to be defended, and at all costs.

As Shuri called up a map of the area outside the capital's energy shield, Elektra got her first good look at the devastation the initial bombardment had made. 

While there were blackened scorch marks everywhere, she could see the sun glinting off shards of glass, monuments to the impact of the initial blast, fussing the sand into beautiful spires of destruction. 

It was a shock as she read the report flashing across the screen.

Of the 1.2 billion people that lived in Africa, there were no more than 3 or 4 million survivors, and without aid, they wouldn't last.

Shuri swept away the casualty reports, “unless we defend Wakanda, there is nothing we can do for them.” but Elektra could see the hatred and pain on her face,

“They might not know about our defences, but they do know that we are sleeping a watchful eye on them, our satellites have been scanned but so far, our defences have not been breached.” Shuri pointed to the positions the Kree soldiers were taking

Elektra frowned, “You have satellites capable of defending themselves?”

Shuri laughed, “we have had satellites in the sky since the beginning of the last century, and right now, they are keeping communications around the globe open.” Shuri touched a holographic display, “here, here and here, but, as you can see, they have triangulated that we are monitoring them and that we are much more formidable than the rest of the planet. We have shared access with Stark, and allowed him to piggyback our signals onto his own network.”

Elektra watched as two cruisers split off from the group and stationed themselves over Africa “that was an hour ago, and they began to mass ground troops. They know our shields are as good as theirs, and they also know that a sustained attack, on one shield sector will eventually collapse them.”

“Uh, yeah,” Elektra said, staring at the display, “but what does that actually mean.”

Bucky arrived, “that we should actively overload that grid, safely so we can set it back on once we let about, maybe half their forces through, then, we crush them and let whoever is taking out those cruisers go to work.” and he hoisted the pulse rifle on his shoulder, “Do I know you?” he said, to the pair of men approaching

“Nah, but you will. Kilmonger.” and Erik held out his hand for Bucky to shake,

“Yeah. Erik Stevens, Serial number 445682123. Confirmed kills 124, alleged kills 245. Priority, lethal, approach with caution. Optimal method of execution using subterfuge and lethal traps.”

Elektra stared at him, “well, that wasn't creepy at all.”

Bucky rubbed the back of his head, “yeah sorry, the programming kicks in sometimes when I meet a known hostile, so uh, sorry.”

Erik just laughed, “Nah, I'm good, nice to know Hydra kept tabs on me. Oh, and it's 257 kills. You know,”

Shuri rolled her eyes, “Brother, are the tribes and the Dora Milaje Ready?” and T’Challa nodded.

“You however are Queen and unsuited to be here. I want you to return to the palace, and coordinate form there.”

Shuri huffed, “and you are to lead our forces to victory?”

T’Challa shrugged, “You cannot argue Sister. Only you can control the cities defences unless you wish Elektra to do it,”

Shuri looked over at Elektra, and frowned, “No offence Miss Nachios, but my brother is right. While you possess the means, I cannot allow an outsider to access our systems, even if Peter gifted her a Symbiote.” but Elektra wasn't offended,

“I am here to fight, not sit around. Show me to your close-quarter fighters, and the people I am to fight next to. You can stay here/”

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Shuri nodded, “Brother, do not die, or I will kill you myself.”

T’Challa laughed and crossed his arms over his chest, “Wakanda forever.”

Shuri nodded, and under escort made her way back to the Royal chambers where Jhalia spread from her and allowed her to connect to the city.

Once Shuri had left, the white gorilla elder approached, “M’Baku is willing to lead the charge, but he wishes his banishment revered.”

T’Challa looked over at Nakia, who was talking with Bucky and Elektra, pointing out the difference between Kree troops, and their ground assault vehicles. As T’Challa caught his eye, Erik sneered and shrugged almost imperceptively.

“If M’Baku can hold his line, and if he proves himself worthy of bearing the white gorilla mantle, then we shall see about receding Shuri’s order” and T’Challa pulled the elder closer, “but remind him that he has no claim on Shuri or her throne, and the next time, I will make sure the break is clean and that his head is on a pike outside the palace.”

The Elder barely hid his disdain but nodded, and crossed his arms, Wakanda forever” before heading to the gathering of Tribes.

“All citizens, this is a final warning. Wakanda is under attack. Report immediately to the nearest shelter and remain there until the all clear is given. We will prevail. We will stand against all invaders, Wakanda has weathered the storms of the past, and these foes shall break against our iron spirit. Wakanda Forever!” Shuri announced over the PA and kept watch as the remaining few citizens hurried to the underground bunkers. 

Once they were seeled, there were only Soldiers left in the city, and the standing order was to defend it at all cost. Kill on sight, and give no quarter to the invader.

The battle plan was set, and the armies of the Kree and the Wakandan approached each other.

At this distance, they could see the energy pulses impacting one section of the shield, but they would wait, the main army would hold back, giving the impression they were still preparing, while the white gorilla tribe would move forwards in apparent disarray. It was faked. The massive warriors of the tribe prized themselves on their huge frames, and while M’Baku was the largest, he was not an exception.

With massive spears they found far apart, giving them space to swing widely, and all they needed was the signal. Each warrior waited in anticipation. This was the most dangerous part of any battle, and many would not survive, but those that did would earn glory forth the White Gorilla, and its return to POwer.

M’Baku stood at the front, and his massive spear was the size of a normal man. He raised it above his head, “WAKANDA, WAKANDA,” he yelled and his troops began to chant with him.

Over his earpiece, he heard the signal being given, and on cue, a section of generator sparked and failed, right where the bulk of the Kree army was trying to break through.

“FOR THE WHITE GORILLA!” He yelled and with a ‘WHOOO-AHHH’ he and his men charged forwards before the Kree could capitalise on the supposed breach in the shield.

It was brute against brute. The Kree were heavily armoured, larger and stronger than a human, but against the White Gorilla tribe, with their heavy training and thick vibranuim spears, they were evenly matched.

Overhead, fighters engaged with each other, and smaller single fighter craft whizzed by as neither side could dominate the skies.

Bucky wasn't about to get into close combat with someone almost twice his size. Instead, he set up a Wakanda energy barrier and took shots at individuals, targetted gun emplacements with grenades and kept the battle lines intact by suppressing seak attacks from energy forces. Shuri had a display slaved to his bunker, and he could see in real-time where the forces were heading, and evade any fighter fire trying to take out his position.

Elektra was in the thick of it. Even with their superior strength, they were nothing to the Enhanced and host. A thick double-handed adamantium blade made short work of armour, and the Extremis heated edge took care of the flesh underneath.

She danced and spun, allowing the White Gorilla tribe to deliver killing blows to incapacitated foes before moving on. With the two Enhanced facing them, the Kree forces were being pushed back.

Bucky saw the tide of battle turning, “Nope, gonna have to pull back. You are almost back to the shield.”

M’Baku roared, “A coward flees when they are winning. We shall slaughter them to the last”

Bucky shook his head, “Yeah, good luck once you get in range of those turrets. That's a fortified defensive line.” and as he raised his rifle and took a shot, sending a Kree soldier spinning, Elektra finished him with a decapitation.

“Ain’t no arguing with a desperate man, Barnes,” Erik said as she slid down behind the shield. “He’s got too much to prove.”

Bucky nodded, “Elektra, pull back. You are ten meters away from being within range,” and he paused “maybe, from the size they might,” and he was rewarded with an explosion.

The cannons were now firing on the White Gorilla warriors, huge blasts of energy that dissolved flesh into ash with a single shot.

“All units fall back, you won’t last against those cannons,” he ordered over the comms channel but still they charged on.

Elektra bounded back over and ducked behind the barrier with the others, “They won’t listen. It’s an ancient warrior honour code.” but they were doing better than expected.

The cannons were anti-aircraft emplacements, and while they could fire down, it was designed to lock on and track aircraft. The initial surprise wore off, and now the seasoned fighters were running in random patterns, throwing their spears when they were close enough, and targeting not the guns themselves but the generators behind them.

Close enough, over twenty White Gorila warriors made it to the emplacements, and emboldened, the Wakandan fighters began to overpower the Kree. With no ground support, they were now the more manoeuvrable fighters in the sky.

“Yup, We’re winning. Most of the. One Second.” Bucky paused and looked up. He lifted binoculars and his face paled. “Take cover, take cover now!”

On a direct path to the gap in the shield was a large ship. It wasn't one of the cruisers from orbit, and looked smaller but boxier, like a supply ship.”Shuri, it's a bomber. Get that section of shield up.”

Shuri looked over her screen. “We can’t. The failure was not a pretence. We had to destroy one of the grids to make it believable.” 

She covered her eyes as there was a flash and the shield outside the city was obscured by smoke and flames. As her sensors came back online, she saw the devastation.

Jean, this is Shuri, please. I need help.

They hadn’t bombed the city. They had sent a suicide ship to impact against it, and everything outside the capital was gone.

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