Meanwhile, on the other side of the gathering...
"So here we are again, T'Challa," Peter said warmly. "I was really hoping Matt and I would find you sooner..."
T'Challa smiled graciously. "I've heard this sentiment many times now. It's not your fault you couldn't locate me earlier."
Peter grinned, and Matt couldn't help but smile as well.
"So where did you end up?" the former asked.
"A planet called Kashyyyk, home to the Wookiees," T'Challa revealed. "An entirely jungle world. I spent considerable time learning about their customs and culture—found myself genuinely enjoying the experience."
"Glad to hear you're okay," Peter said. "Really."
"It was... exactly what one might expect when finding yourself on an alien world," T'Challa said with a slight laugh.
"Confusing and overwhelming?" Matt asked knowingly. "Getting dragged into a conflict you know nothing about?"
"Precisely," T'Challa confirmed. "Though in this case, I would have preferred having the Black Panther fighting alongside Spider-Cop and Devil-Cop."
Peter gasped audibly, grinning widely as he began pointing excitedly at himself, then Matt, then T'Challa, repeating the gesture.
"Matt, did you—did you—"
"Yes, Peter," Matt said with obvious amusement. "I heard it perfectly."
"Oh man, if only Shuri could hear this!"
"That will never happen," T'Challa said firmly. "The last thing I need is her having material to tease me with for the rest of my days."
"What are you all talking about?"
The three turned to see Ahsoka and Barriss approaching them.
"Oh, T'Challa," Peter said immediately, "these are two friends I've made since arriving here. Ahsoka and Barriss. Girls, this is Prince T'Challa."
"You're really a prince of your nation on Earth?" Barriss asked with curious interest.
"I am indeed." T'Challa offered a respectful bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"The pleasure's ours," Ahsoka replied graciously. "You arrived with the Wookiees just when we needed the reinforcements most."
"Thank you, Prince T'Challa," Barriss said, returning his bow.
"Please, there's no need for formality," T'Challa said kindly. "Just T'Challa. I'm grateful to the friends who helped me reach this world."
"Wookiees in battle are supposedly terrifying," Ahsoka commented. "What we witnessed certainly confirmed that reputation."
While the two Padawans got acquainted with T'Challa, the rest of the group was discussing more serious matters.
"Ultron is an unpredictable entity, and his actions may deceive us all to some degree, but..." Natasha crossed her arms thoughtfully. "I don't know what to make of what he said to Rex."
"Now that Rex brought it up, I can't stop thinking about it either," Anakin admitted.
"You mentioned something about deception, didn't you, Rex?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes—that everyone has been deceived by something in the shadows."
The Jedi Master frowned and stroked his beard contemplatively.
"Obi-Wan?" Anakin prompted.
"Hmm?"
"I know that look—that's your 'trying to remember something important' expression," Anakin pointed out.
Kenobi didn't deny it, his frown deepening.
"I'm recalling something Count Dooku said to me when I was imprisoned on Geonosis at the war's beginning."
"About a Sith Lord controlling the Senate?" Padmé asked, and Obi-Wan nodded slowly in confirmation.
She remembered hearing this from both Obi-Wan and her husband after the war had begun.
"He definitely knows something," Hope van Dyne interjected. "Guys like him make it their business to know secrets. It's what they're good at."
Obi-Wan exhaled heavily, looking particularly at the three Avengers nearby.
"If I recall correctly, didn't you three experience something similar on Earth? HYDRA infiltrating that military organization—what was it called, S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
The mention made Steve, Sam, and Natasha grimace visibly.
"But Dooku saying something like that..."
"It started as what seemed like manipulation to get me to join him," Obi-Wan continued slowly. "But what if it was actually a genuine warning?"
"He may have been telling the truth," Obi-Wan admitted reluctantly. "He made that revelation hoping I would join him. There was... history between us through my master, Qui-Gon Jinn."
Anakin's shoulders sagged slightly at the mention of the Jedi Master who had discovered and freed him from slavery all those years ago.
"Hearing this corroborated by another source—one not from our galaxy—is disturbing, to say the least," Aayla couldn't help but observe.
"So what do we do?" Anakin asked. "It feels like every time we solve one problem, three more appear."
When Natasha's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, everyone in the group fell silent, recognizing that expression meant she had something important to share.
"Did anyone else notice something off about the Chancellor?"
Several people looked at her with confusion.
"What do you mean?" Anakin asked.
"When Rex relayed Ultron's words from the Jedi Temple, Palpatine's reaction seemed... wrong," Natasha pointed out.
"He was probably as shocked as the rest of us," Anakin said with a dismissive shrug.
"Not in the normal way," Natasha pressed.
"How can you be so certain?" Anakin asked with a slightly defensive tone.
"I was trained as an assassin and spy from childhood," Natasha stated bluntly, making some of the Jedi and even fellow Avengers wince. Only the clone officers seemed unfazed by the revelation.
"I was taught to read micro-expressions and subtle behavioral tells," Natasha explained. "From what I observed, Palpatine was genuinely disturbed by Rex's specific revelation."
"We were all disturbed by it, Natasha," Padmé pointed out.
"We need more than speculation, Natasha," Obi-Wan told her diplomatically.
"Didn't you notice?" Natasha asked pointedly. "I wasn't the only one who picked up on the Chancellor's reaction."
"What exactly are you getting at?" Anakin asked bluntly.
Natasha gestured toward Skywalker's former captain. "When Rex recounted Ultron's words from the Temple, several others reacted to something as well."
"Who else?" Aayla inquired.
Natasha simply pointed to Peter, Matt, T'Challa, Ahsoka, and Barriss in the distance.
"Peter suddenly developed a severe headache," Natasha observed. "You saw it yourself, Obi-Wan. You even asked him about it."
The Jedi Master remained silent, knowing he had been helping the young hero understand his peculiar sixth sense.
From their training sessions, Obi-Wan had determined that Peter's spider-sense was similar to the subtle Force precognition Jedi used when dodging attacks or deflecting blaster bolts.
Peter's ability was just... different from what Obi-Wan and other Force users understood. More instinctual, more raw.
"As for Matt, we could ask him what he sensed from the Chancellor."
"You mean those enhanced senses?" Sam asked, and Natasha nodded. "What do you think he picked up?"
Before Natasha could respond, multiple alarms blared throughout the building and everyone's comlinks erupted with urgent beeping.
"What's happening?" Scott asked with obvious concern.
Almost immediately, the holotransmitter on Obi-Wan's belt activated.
He quickly raised the device, and the small projector displayed Mace Windu and Master Yoda standing together, their expressions grim.
"What is it, Masters?"
"Ultron," Windu replied immediately, his voice tense. "He's been located and is launching another attack as we speak."
"Another assault so soon?" Padmé asked in disbelief.
"We're mobilizing six fleet groups to respond," Windu reported.
"Six?" Anakin said with amazement. "Isn't that a bit excessive?"
"Skywalker, Kenobi, and Secura—the three of you will spearhead this operation," Windu commanded. "I'll provide support along with Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, and Adi Gallia."
"Do what we must. Stop Ultron, we will," Yoda said gravely.
"Let's just hope he doesn't infiltrate and corrupt our Republic cruisers," Anakin muttered, remembering what the Avengers had just explained about the AI's capabilities.
"I have an idea about that," Rhodes said, tapping his chest armor. "FRIDAY?"
"Yes, Colonel?" the Avengers' AI responded from within Rhodes' suit.
"I know Tony programmed you and Karen in Peter's suit specifically to counter threats like this," Rhodes said. "Time to show us what you can do."
"Understood, Colonel," FRIDAY announced. "Deploying Iron Curtain protocols against Ultron."
With that declaration, the large group rushed toward the hangar, and Scott called out one final question.
"Where is this attack taking place?"
Anakin checked his wrist communicator, reading the sequence of coordinates that had been transmitted to them.
"Jabiim."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writing takes time, coffee, and a lot of love.If you'd like to support my work, join me at [email protected]/GoldenGarudaYou'll get early access to over 50 chapters, selection on new series, and the satisfaction of knowing your support directly fuels more stories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~