Story: Klaw
Part One
"Sweetheart," Ororo whispered.
It was enough to jerk T'Challa from the memory of his father's assassination. He was no longer a thirteen year old staring down at his father's dead body. Instead he was the thirty five-year-old leader of his country. And he was standing in Section B13 of the Peak orbital space station. On his right was Ororo and Abigail Brand was on his left.
The leaders of the G12 were on the wall monitors. They were speaking from their respective situation rooms. The person that they spoke to was the hologram projection of Ulysses Klaw- the man who assassinated T'Challa's father because he was denied access to Wakanda's vibranium.
Klaw was in a lab coat. His voice had a slight Dutch accent. He resembled more a battle hardened soldier than a scientist. Most striking was that Klaw had no memory of the assassination much less any recollection of T'Challa. He viewed the Black Panther as a perfect stranger.
T'Challa was even more puzzled at Klaw's present condition. "How did he get back a human body?" pondered T'Challa as he watched the forty-four year old looking Klaw and the leaders.
T'Challa, Ororo and Brand had broken into the private meeting and got only the bare essentials of what was being discussed. Namely that a large quantity of vibranium was discovered on a planet that was also the place where the Acanti (space whales) went to die. Additionally an armada of space pirates was headed for the planet. And that Klaw was the lone survivor of a recent attack made by the pirates, and he wanted reinforcements.
"I thought we had eliminated all the pirates when we took the planet," stated Brand.
She was a woman with natural green hair. She looked human, but her father was an alien. She was the commanding officer of the Sentient Worlds Observation and Response Department.
"Agent Brand you were not suppose to be apart of this meeting. Therefore kindly keep your comments to yourself," rebuffed one of the world leaders.
"Okay I'll keep quiet-for now," said Brand with brashness to one of S.W.O.R.D's donor nations.
Meanwhile, Ororo came to the conclusion that Wakanda's caretaker role over vibranium was finished. The reason was that vibranium was the most rare and strongest metal in the universe. Only Wakanda had the purest of the metal on Earth, and the country had guardedly sold some quantities to other nations. The fear Wakanda had was that the metal would be used to create weapons and thereby fuel an arms race.
"I wonder how they found this planet," thought Ororo.
She still didn't hear anything from T'Challa. He was dangerously silent. It had been that way since they had arrived and realized that Klaw genuinely didn't know him. Ororo was also temporarily stunned when the revelation was made that there was a planet filled with dead Acanti, since she was once linked to an Acanti pack leader.
"Time is of the essence," said Klaw. "Those pirates and mercenaries will be here soon."
But even as the physics scientist spoke, he noticed the strange man called T'Challa was staring at him with venom in his eyes.
"All right then. A squad of S.W.O.R.D troopers will be sent to provide protection," stated the head of the G12.
"No that can't work. I need a stronger fighting force. From the information I've gleaned from my prisoner there are Super Skrulls with the pirates."
The mention of the Skrulls raised the eyebrows of the world leaders. Memories of a failed bid by the Skrull nation to invade Earth came back. T'Challa slowly leaned down to Ororo's ear.
"I'm willing to go. How about you?" he whispered.
"I'm going also," whispered Ororo.
Then the Black Panther addressed the G12.
"We'll go with the troopers," said T'Challa.
The G12 leader fiddled with a few words on his tongue before he spoke. "That would be a conflict of interest," he finally to manage to say.
T'Challa looked at him in the eyes. The Black Panther could see the embarrassment the man had for hiding the meeting from Wakanda only for it to be discovered.
"This is a level one priority and I'm willing to put on hold the differences I have with Klaw to ensure that the vibranium reaches Earth," said T'Challa.
"Well," said the G12 leader and he looked over to Klaw.
T'Challa stared at the hologram.
"It's your choice," stated the Black Panther firmly.
Klaw glared at him.
"I don't know this man, but so be it. They can come," said Ulysses.
"But there is a condition T'Challa," stated the G12 leader. "I don't want any Wakandan military forces accompanying you."
"We don't need a military force," said Ororo. "Just two people."
"And they are?" asked the G12 leader as he looked at the Nubian white haired woman.
"Deadeye and Shuri," replied Ororo.
"Okay," said the G12 leader even though he was vaguely familiar with the names. All he wanted was the vibranium secured, so he waived asking for a background check on the individuals.
The G12 leader then inquired from Brand the time needed for her forces to be prepared.
"In an hour," she replied.
"Okay then. Inform us when the forces are leaving," said the G12 leader. " We will send a larger force in the coming hours." Afterwards he concluded the meeting.
Klaw promptly disappeared and the monitors went dead.
Part Two
"Four months ago, one of our agents embedded himself in the notorious Black Hole Gang. They were a band of space pirates. It was rumored that their base was an Acanti burial planet. Anyway he gets there and finds vibranium. The pirates didn't even know that they were sitting on the biggest pay day of their rotten lives. The agent managed to leave with a piece of the metal. The pirates thought he had deserted and thus went after him. He was dead by the time he got here, but he had left a message. I passed on the vibranium and the message to my superiors. Afterwards I was taken out of the loop. I squeezed some intel out a higher up and found out that every vibranium expert outside of Wakandans was dug up for a mission. Klaw was resurrected and given a human body along with his powers upgraded," explained Brand. "And I have strong suspicion why I was left out."
"Let me guess. They thought it was a conflict of interest seeing that we worked together in the X Men," said Ororo as she stood on the platform to the Wakandan space ship.
"Exactly. And the only reason I let that buffoon in there muzzle me was that I rather be at the helm of this job than to quit and watch the world go to hell," said Brand. "But I'm surprised that you two weren't aware of the vibranium find. I suspected that Wakanda's secret surveillance was in S.W.O.R.D."
"We didn't not place spy bots in the organization as a professional courtesy between you and me," said Ororo.
"Oh. Well I appreciate it," said Brand. "But quite honestly I want you to do it since if I get booted out I would like an outside party I trust monitoring things."
"Then we'll arrange it," said Ororo. "But aren't you coming on the mission."
"I can't. I have five other level one priorities that I'm overseeing," stated Brand. "I'll introduce you to the field commanding officer shortly."
"Very well then, we'll see you later," said Ororo.
Brand gave the co ordinates of the planet called Cabinda and then she departed. The couple entered the ship.
"You're overly silent," said Ororo to T'Challa.
"I've been having flashbacks of the assassination," explained T'Challa. "I don't know if it is because of my hyper senses, but I'm experiencing new details from that day-the scents, the atmosphere, everything is heightened."
Ororo related to T'Challa's ordeal since she also had recurring memories of the day her parents were killed.
"Are you going to be all right?" she inquired.
"I'll be fine," he said and kissed her sweetly. "I'm also interested in how Klaw is able to handle the vibranium since it's harmful to him."
"And I want to see this Acanti graveyard for myself."
Then they embraced for a few moments. Thereafter Ororo contacted Shuri and Umba while T'Challa prepared the ship for the journey.
Shuri was a beautiful young woman who had a medium haircut and chestnut brown eyes. She was wrapping up a state mission when Storm contacted her.
"We need you for a deep space run," stated Ororo. "Are you finished with the Berbatov mission?"
Shuri stared at her sister in law.
"Should I tell her?" pondered Shuri. "No. I can't let anyone know right now."
The reason for Shuri's hesitation was that although the mission was officially over it was however still ongoing personally for her.
"Yes. Everything is completed," said Shuri.
"I'll organize a shuttle to pick you up. Also Umba is coming along," said Storm.
"Do you think he is ready for this kind of assignment?"
"Yes. I'll see you in the next thirty minutes."
Later, Ororo called Umba. As expected the fifteen-year-old was elated that he was going into outer space.
"Bring along something to pass the time with since it's going to be a ten hour flight to the destination," said Ororo.
Forty-five minutes later Brand brought the leader of the squad to T'Challa and Ororo. They worked out the degree of command for the mission and the specific tasks. It was agreed that the squad would safeguard the vibranium while T'Challa and Ororo dealt specifically with the Super Skrulls. Afterwards the Black Panther and Storm would leave Cabinda.
At the end of the hour, the squad boarded their hyper space ship. Shuri and Umba arrived on time for the Wakanda's ship departure.
Even though Umba was blind he was still able to experience his environment through a computerized visor. Thus he listened carefully to the machine as it described to him the Peak space station and the Wakandan space ship.
Meanwhile Shuri headed to her assigned sleeping quarters to rest her commando equipment. Storm accompanied her.
"Is everything all right? You hesitated a bit when I asked about the Berbatov mission," said Ororo.
"Everything is fine," admitted Shuri as she rested her white vibranium body amour suit and a sonic wave cannon. "So tell me what's this all about."
Ororo told her about the meeting with Klaw and the G12.
"You know by doing this we are giving up our major advantage over the rest of the super nations," stated Shuri.
"We'll worry about the ramifications later. Keeping the vibranium outside of hostile alien hands is more important right now," said Ororo.
"By the way, I'm going after Klaw any chance I get," said Shuri bluntly.
"T'Challa already made a decision on that."
"That was his decision to spare this murderer. I on the other hand will avenge my father."
"Honestly I expected this reaction from you," said Ororo calmly.
Both women sensed that T'Challa was approaching. The six-foot man entered the room and he greeted his sister.
"What's this I'm hearing about us letting Klaw go free? That is a ploy right?" inquired Shuri hotly.
"No," responded T'Challa.
"You can't be serious," stated Shuri.
"Giving him immunity was the only way we could guarantee getting on this mission. But we will deal with Klaw another time," insisted T'Challa. "So at this moment we will honor the agreement."
Shuri kept a disgruntled expression.
"And who is to say that he will be honorable and not turn on us the minute the opportunity presents itself?" asked Shuri. "I don't buy this nonsense that he has no memory of what he did."
"Then we will have to defend ourselves," answered T'Challa slyly.
Ororo and Shuri got the message.
"So you're expecting him to betray us and thus give us a reason to take him down," stated Shuri.
"Precisely," said T'Challa.
"I can go with that," said Shuri with a toned down attitude. "I'll get some rest in the meantime."
T'Challa and Ororo exited the room. The Black Panther headed for Umba's quarters and Ororo went to the pilot section.
T'Challa went to the boy's room and his hyper hearing caught a sport commentary that was filtering out of the room.
"Didier Drogba weaves his way into the penalty area. He goes pass two defenders. He shoots! He scores! What a goal! It's Ivory Coast 1 Italy Nil. And it is all happening here at the World Cup," shouted the ecstatic commentator.
T'Challa opened the door and he found the stocky teenager sitting in a chair. There were several CDs on the nearby bed and a record player.
"What are you listening to?" inquired T'Challa.
"A friend from school loaned me some of his soccer tapes," replied Umba.
"I didn't know you liked the sport?"
"I didn't before, but now I have a lot of free time since-"
T'Challa understood the reason Umba broke off his sentence. He meant to say that since he was not with his girlfriend Enzi.
"You two are still not talking?" probed T'Challa.
"No. She doesn't even acknowledge me in school."
T'Challa folded his arms and he leaned against the wall. He had some serious questions to ask Enzi concerning a prohibited scientific experiment.
"We'll sort out everything when we get back, okay," said T'Challa.
"I guess so," said Umba depressingly. "But why was I brought on this mission?"
T'Challa unfolded his arms and he stood properly.
"So that you can use your powers," said T'Challa frankly. "Normally Ororo and I wouldn't have you do it but in this instance Earth is depending on it. We need to eliminate as much of the enemy as possible from early on to force them to surrender," said T'Challa to the veteran child soldier.
"Okay. At least my eyes will be good for something then," said Umba.
"I'm going to the pilot section now. Later I'll take you to a zero gravity section," informed T'Challa.
"Great," said Umba enthusiastically.
Then the Black Panther left. A few minutes later, the space ship launched into hyperspace.
Part Three
T'Challa and Ororo woke two hours before the scheduled stop at Cabinda. The couple dressed in their combat uniforms and then called Shuri and Umba to the pilot section. There they went over the mission, had a meal and bonded like a family. Then the ship's computer indicated that they had arrived at the destination. Everyone took their seats and awaited the end of the hyperspace leap.
The ship emerged from light speed and it came upon a small grey planet. Only one landmass was visible from the view of the pilot window.
"Are there any ships in the vicinity?" asked Ororo the computer.
"None present," answered the computer.
"What about satellites around the planet?" inquired T'Challa.
"One detected," responded the computer.
"Where's the S.W.O.R.D ship?" asked Shuri.
At that point, the proximity alarm went off. Then the S.W.O.R.D ship exited light speed on the starboard side.
"There they are," indicated T'Challa. "Looks like the pirates have not arrived as yet."
The proximity alarm blared again.
"Maybe I spoke too soon," said T'Challa.
Suddenly an Acanti appeared out of light speed. The space whale was a kilometer long. It resembled a shark whale from Earth. The grey beast had magnificent dorsal fins on its underside, on the back and at the end of its tail. Its massive size dwarfed the ships as a Blue Whale did humans.
Horrifically the Acanti collided with the S.W.O.R.D ship. The collision was both spectacular and disheartening at the same time. In a fleeting moment the Acanti pushed the S.W.O.R.D ship into an uncontrolled descent into Cabinda's atmosphere. The rate of descent burnt up the vessel, and it vanished in a hot white flash. Meanwhile the great Acanti entered the atmosphere unaware of the damage it had caused, and it headed for the landmass. Shifting the great tail from one side the other like a rudder.
T'Challa shook himself out of the shock.
"Computer send out hails to the planet," he said. "And gets us to a lower orbit."
"Affirmative," said the computer.
"What happened?" Umba asked since he was not entirely sure of what had transpired. Shuri told him.
"We're lucky then," said Umba.
"Yes we are and it's just us to hold off the attack and get the vibranium to Earth," said Shuri.
"They must come here instinctively to die," suggested Ororo.
"I wonder if it has anything to do with the vibranium," commented Shuri cleverly.
Storm leaned back in her seat and pondered. "It's true," said Ororo. Somewhere in her mind she rekindled the remnants of her bond to the Acanti pack leader. "It's true," she said again. "They use the vibranium to lock onto the planet."
"That is remarkable," said T'Challa.
"How do you know?" inquired Umba.
Then Ororo told him the story that occurred on a previous space adventure with the X men. Meanwhile the ship went to the land co ordinates that Brand had provided. On the ground were the towering dried bones of the Acanti. Then the passengers spotted smoke from five burning space ships that were grounded. On the ridge behind the space ships was the vibranium refinery. It was washed in the orange tinge of the setting sun. There were steps that ran from the bottom of the battered refinery to the summit.
"If they start taking away the vibranium, then these creatures will not be able to find this place again," stated Shuri. A part of her was glad that they had found a good enough reason to keep the vibranium away from Earth.
"Do you think Klaw knows this?" asked Umba.
"I doubt it," replied T'Challa, and he started thinking about a means of settling the issue of whether to put the Acanti before the welfare of Earth.
"So what are we going to do about it?" quizzed Umba.
"We'll work something out," said Ororo and she also began formulating a solution.
The Black Panther landed the space ship. The computer verified that the air was breathable. Thus the warriors alighted. The ground around the refinery was sandy, grey and littered with the deceased. Some of the deceased were human and the rest were alien.
Suddenly T'Challa and Shuri sensed a strange presence moving quickly underground. Then in an upheaval of sand a body was snatched from underneath and taken into the ground.
"What was that?" exclaimed Shuri.
Klaw emerged on the middle tier of the refinery. The original Klaw had perished years ago, but his brain waves were transferred into a sentient computer. That computer generated and manipulated sine sound waves, which could be shaped and made almost solid. A military company was assigned to create a new human body for Klaw. He was made out of plasma and given sonic wave organs. These organs were made at his hands and would appear by thought. They were capable of replicating the computer's production and control of sound waves. Moreover some of his previous memories were erased.
"You should get inside," he shouted to the group.
T'Challa estimated the distance between them and Klaw then he told the computers on the sword. Immediately the group was teleported to the middle tier. Klaw was slightly surprised at this. He looked at T'Challa and his companions disparagingly.
"Where are the S.W.O.R.D officers?" inquired Klaw sharply.
T'Challa stared into the man's eyes. He saw the signs of a cruel man- a kind of red flame behind the eyes. There was no trace of what T'Challa wanted- recognition that the killer knew his greatest crime. Therefore T'Challa moved on.
"They were killed in a collision with an Acanti," said T'Challa. "So seeing that we are short handed let's start making preparations for the attack. Shuri will secure the perimeter. Ororo, Umba and I will speak with the prisoner."
Klaw took a moment to decide. Then he turned to Shuri. "Watch out for the Decompers. That was the thing that took the body."
"What are they?" asked Shuri. It made her sick just to speak to him.
"They feed on the creatures that come here and die. We had a perimeter fence to keep them out but the battle destroyed that so they started coming here. I stopped a lot of them so they have taken a new strategy-going under ground," said Klaw and pointed out a dead creature with pointed canines and four clawed appendages. "They look like that."
"Be careful," warned Umba as he heard Shuri step off.
"I will," she said.
Afterwards Klaw led T'Challa, Ororo and Umba inside and he carried them to the where the prisoner was bounded. Skinny pipes lined the interior walls of the refinery. The air was damp and the ground was wet. There were empty laser cannon cartridges on the floor.
"There were two prisoners. I first one didn't survive the interrogation," Klaw gloated. "I kept the other one alive in case she is needed."
T'Challa didn't like Klaw's tone. "How do you know that they are pirates?" asked the Black Panther.
"I know a pirate when I see one," replied Klaw just as he opened a door to a room that was gutted by a fire. In the corner was a green female alien dressed in dusty garments and she was chained to the wall. "Here she is," said Klaw. "She understands our language perfectly. And she is a pretty good liar. I was thinking of using her as a hostage."
"Same old Klaw," thought T'Challa.
Ororo stared at Klaw distastefully. She turned to the prisoner.
"What's your name?" inquired Storm softly.
The alien stared at her blankly with big brownish eyes.
"Who is coming to get you?" Asked Ororo calmly.
The alien remained silent. Then Ororo's and T'Challa's kimoyo rang. Shuri was calling them. T'Challa answered his first.
"Ten ships just landed on the outskirts. They are not human," said Shuri.
"All right," said T'Challa and hanged up. "Ororo, they are here."
Suddenly the alien took a different light to Ororo.
"Ororo is your name?" the creature asked in a tender voice.
Storm looked at her. "Yes."
"The Ororo that bonded with the Acanti prophet?"
"Yes," replied Storm and she leaned closer into the alien.
"I will talk with only you. Nobody else," said the creature.
"We'll leave," said T'Challa as he stared sternly at Klaw.
Afterwards Ororo was left alone with the alien.
"My name is Dilma. I knew the prophet that you had bonded with."
"How?"
"Because my people are followers of the Acanti. This world is sacred to us. The Acanti only come to this place to die. We told your friends this, but they didn't listen."
"You told Klaw?"
"Yes. Repeatedly, but he ignored. The pirates drove us away and took over. Still we kept watch. Then your people came and killed all the pirates. We came back to reclaim this place. Your friend refused and attacked us."
"Klaw fired first," muttered Ororo.
"Yes. So word was sent to bring more ships to avenge our dead."
Ororo didn't quite hear the response since she was trying to find a means of avoiding a second battle.
"Can you speak to your people? Tell them to stop. That we can work something out," said Ororo.
"I can't. I'm not in the council."
Ororo's kimoyo beeped. She answered it.
"Sweetheart, six Super Skrulls just emerged from a ship and they are coming," informed T'Challa.
"I'll be out shortly," said Ororo. Then she continued the conversation with Dilma.
"Where did the Super Skrulls come from?"
"They joined us a few years ago," answered Dilma. "They had no home, no people, so we took them in."
Ororo pondered for a few seconds. Then without warning she generated a trickle of lightening from her first finger and it burnt through the chains.
"Go to your people. Tell them that I sent you and that I want to talk," commanded Ororo.
Dilma rubbed her wrists and then stood. "What about your friend?"
"He's not my friend. But I'll deal with him," replied Ororo angrily. "Follow me."
The wind rider opened the door. Klaw was standing outside, and he spotted Dilma.
"Where is she going?" he asked hotly and attempted to restrain her.
Ororo pushed him back with a gust of air.
"All this killing could have been prevented," she said in wrath. Then she glanced at Dilma. "Run."
At that point Klaw demonstrated his abilities. His lower arms and hands transformed into an ugly shape and each had a single opening at the ends. He generated sound waves and then he commanded the invisible forces to strike at Ororo. Suddenly the wind rider was struck by what she could only describe as claws. They knocked her to the left wall piping.
"I knew you would fall for her lies," muttered Klaw.
He quickly tried to catch Dilma in his sight. Eventually he saw the alien scampering away. He tried to catch her in his claws.
Ororo regained her footing, and she struck out with a lightening bolt, which slammed into Klaw's chest. But it didn't weaken him. He merely staggered for two steps as he stared at her.
"Something else that the company did for me. Instant tissue regeneration," he said triumphantly.
Then he lashed Ororo again with the invisible claws and she fell.
"Regenerate this," she said mockingly.
Then she created a large lightening bolt from her hands and fired it at Klaw. He blocked it partially with his weapons, but the force knocked him into the room where Dilma was kept. Hot vapor floated up from his body that was disfigured by third degree burns.
Ororo's kimoyo rang; she answered it.
"Hello," said Ororo.
"Where are you? T'Challa and Shuri are fighting the Skrulls," said Umba.
"I'm on my way. What are you doing now?"
"The pirates are coming out of the ship. So I'm going after them now."
"Don't!"
"What!"
"They are Acanti followers. Don't kill them. Just wait on me," stated Ororo.
"Okay," responded Umba.
A groan came from the room and Ororo saw that Klaw was gradually moving.
"I'm hanging up now," Ororo said to Umba.
Storm went after Dilma and caught up to her. Then they heard the spine tingling roar of a Super Skrull as it entered the refinery.
Part Four
The six Super Skrulls broke up and each attacked a section of the refinery. By the time T'Challa had spoken with Ororo, the giant alien warriors had entered refinery's compound and were storming the entrances.
T'Challa and Shuri defeated the ones that were outside. Then T'Challa searched for his family.
"Where's Umba?" T'Challa asked himself.
T'Challa gazed at the refinery and he spied the teenager on the highest tier. Umba was staring in the direction of the ships.
"Now where is my love?" T'Challa whispered.
He got the answer when a Super Skrull crashed through the west wall. It was followed closely by Ororo who was holding Dilma. Storm glided on the wind currents along with the unconscious Super Skrull. Then an unseen hand flung the beast into the path of the oncoming aliens. Afterwards Ororo landed Dilma on the ground and she ran to her compatriots to deliver the message.
Ororo touched down next to T'Challa.
"A new development," he remarked.
"A lot of new developments," said Ororo. "I kept that Skrull alive as a show of good will."
By the time Shuri had arrived T'Challa had been told about the incident inside the refinery. As T'Challa explained everything to his sister, Ororo contacted Umba and told him to leap off the refinery and she would catch him. This he did without hesitation and he was caught in thermal currents. Afterwards he was gently brought down to the ground.
"The planet is integral to the Acanti. We will be dealing them a heavy blow by taking away the vibranium," said Ororo to T'Challa and Shuri.
"Then we shouldn't tamper with the planet," said T'Challa.
"And even if we get a truce from these aliens. How are we dealing with the fact that Earth knows the location of the planet and more troops will be here in ten hours time?" asked Shuri.
"I was thinking of getting Eternity to intervene," stated Ororo.
"I was looking at convincing Galactus into moving the planet like he did the Silver Surfer's," said T'Challa.
"And how were you going to get the Devourer of planets to budge?" inquired Ororo.
"Threaten him with Umba's power," responded T'Challa. "But I like your plan better since you and Eternity had that bond. She is most likely to agree to the scheme."
He looked at Umba and the boy's expression showed that he didn't know who the hell were Eternity and Galactus.
"Finding Eternity in time is going to be the problem," said Ororo.
Meanwhile the aliens had stopped their charge. Dilma was apparently speaking with the leadership. Occasionally she pointed to Ororo. Eventually four of the aliens along with Dilma approached the humans. They wished to talk.
Part Five
"We know a place dedicated to Eternity," stated Dilma in relief. "We can take you there."
"How long will it take?" asked Ororo.
"Not too long," answered Dilma.
"Then I'll go," said Ororo.
T'Challa remembered Klaw and that nothing was finalized on how to treat with him.
"We have to leave now," demanded one of the leaders.
Therefore Ororo kissed her husband and she hugged her sister in law and ward. Thereafter she left hastily in a space with the aliens. All ten ships ascended into the night sky.
"I'll check on Klaw," said T'Challa.
Soon he was up in the room, but his quarry had long gone. T'Challa tracked Klaw's scent to the back of the refinery. There the stench went out into the wilderness. Klaw had escaped and T'Challa had to find him. T'Challa spoke with Shuri about the situation.
"If the troopers arrive before I return, you and Umba subdue them," said T'Challa.
Within moments he was running through the Acanti bone yard. Soon he ran out of the reach of the refinery's electrical lights. Thus his night vision came into play. He felt the temperature dropping by the minute. He also kept an eye out for the Decompers. He placed the ramifications of letting vibranium slip away from Earth to the back of his mind.
"The G12 will just put Wakanda back in the bad books again," he speculated and left it at that.
The stomping of a herd of beasts made T'Challa stop. The creatures were still out of sight but they were coming in all directions.
"But are they after Klaw or me?" he pondered.
To answer the question, he activated the claws in his gloves, and he climbed to the summit of an Acanti rib bone. From that perch he saw the reason for the creatures' sudden activity.
They were attacking Klaw. Then to T'Challa's amazement an unseen force knocked over several of the beasts. Klaw became still, he closed his eyes and he concentrated. Another unseen force tossed away the pack of creatures like a powerful gust. Even the surrounding skeletons were lifted away as though they were in the grasps of a hurricane wind. Such was the magnitude of the force that it even swept to where T'Challa was positioned.
The rib rocked and gradually it loosened from the earth and it began to fall like an ancient oak tree. T'Challa held on for as long as he could. He leapt off before the rib crashed onto other bones.
"I can take him now while he rejuvenates," thought T'Challa.
He sprinted silently to Klaw's location. Unknowingly he passed through a wall of sound created by Klaw. Hence, the man knew that someone was approaching, and he prepared himself.
"I have one chance to get this right," thought T'Challa.
He judged the distance to the target. He whispered it to the sword and in nanoseconds he was behind Klaw. But there were unseen objects between them, and the invisible items that were like a porcupine's spikes pierced through T'Challa's body amour.
Klaw turned and he fired both sonic organs point blank at T'Challa. The Black Panther was sent spiraling a few yards away. The upper part of his amour was ripped to shreds. Klaw ran towards him.
T'Challa didn't hear it because he was momentarily deaf. "Get up," he told himself.
Klaw arrived and he kicked T'Challa over, so he could see his defeated face. He jammed his boot on T'Challa's throat and pointed a sonic organ at the head. T'Challa felt for his sword and found the handle. He seized it and then he quickly stabbed it through Klaw's right leg. The man cried out in pain. T'Challa withdrew the sword, and reaching up he dissected the sonic organ from Klaw's arm. He struck his heel against Klaw's knee causing the opponent to collapse to the side. In a fleeting motion, T'Challa sliced off the second sonic organ while he got up on one knee. Then he made an arc with the sword.
T'Challa paused; he was breathing heavily. Strangely he felt satisfied that he had defeated Klaw even though it was not the same person who had murdered his father.
"Take us back to the refinery," he muttered to the sword and the weapon complied.
Part Six
Nine hours later, Galactus the Devourer of Worlds came upon the planet. The alien ships and the unseen Eternity escorted him.
One ship returned to the refinery and Ororo emerged from it. She informed her family of the success.
"I combined both our plans," she told T'Challa. "I asked Eternity to hide the planet from future settlers and she has instructed Galactus to move it. She agreed because just as Galactus is important to the balance of the universe so too is the Acanti and their burial ground. The one condition was that only Eternity and Galactus would know the new location of the planet."
"Great," said T'Challa. "After it's done we should wait for the troopers to tell them that the planet is gone and then return Klaw to the Peak."
"Agreed," said Ororo.
Shuri didn't like the returning of Klaw part of the plan, but she kept quiet about it.
Thereafter the group boarded the Wakanda space ship and left the planet. Incidentally they flew into the path of Galactus. He was five times larger than an Acanti. He had a humanoid body that was filled with cosmic energy. He sat on a spherical throne that was also the means in which he travelled the universe. In a way he was another magnificent creature although he was feared by lesser organisms. And the source of his power came from draining the cores of planets.
As Galactus surveyed the planet he realized that it would never appeal to him as something to consume. The reason was that the crust was largely made up of vibranium. The diggers that he used from the throne would not penetrate the crust in time before his great hunger killed him.
Eternity whispered the new location for the planet into his ear and he obeyed her. The Devourer extended his arms over the planet, and he removed the celestial body from its gravitational axis around the solar system's sun. Then he opened a portal and sent the planet through it. Afterwards Galactus departed at light speed to continue his foraging.
Back on the Wakanda ship, Ororo told an attentive Umba about the time that she had housed Eternity in her body. Meanwhile Shuri watched over the pieces of Klaw. They were kept in separate metal boxes in the cargo area. She didn't see why Klaw couldn't be flushed out into space.
T'Challa came in and he saw her staring at the boxes. He understood what was going on in her mind.
"Do you want to talk about it," he asked.
"Talk about what? That we're going to give him another chance at life. It's unwise T'Challa," responded Shuri. "Even if he doesn't remember, we do. Every time I see his face I think of father."
"I felt the same way," confessed T'Challa.
"Then get rid of him," Shuri said sternly. "Right now."
"We can't. Look at the situation. In the eyes of the G12 we sabotaged Earth obtaining a strategic advantage in the universe. It was only us who saw the first trooper ship destroyed by the Acanti. If we do away with Klaw then it looks like we deliberately came here to do something to him."
"So what," said Shuri hotly.
T'Challa stared at her. "I think you should leave."
"We will regret this," said Shuri as she walked out. "Somewhere down the road we will look back at this moment and see that I was correct."
T'Challa didn't like arguing with his sister and there was no point in stretching out the argument further. He looked at the boxes.
"Even in defeat you still manage to cause me emotional injury," he thought.
Then he left the cargo area. He wandered through the ship towards the cockpit. He was clearing his head for the barrage of accusations that he expected in the next few weeks.
At the hour mark he arrived at the cockpit. Ororo, Umba and Shuri were there. Then the S.W.O.R.D trooper ships arrived. There were twelve of them. The Black Panther and Storm informed the troop commander that their comrades died in an accident, that the planet was removed to an unknown location and that they were leaving for the Peak. The troop commander demanded a better explanation.
"Take it up with Agent Brand," said Ororo.
Afterwards she ordered the ship computer to start the hyperspace leap. As a result the Wakandan star ship disappeared in a flash from the scene.