The soles of her boots slammed against the floor, squeaking when she took the corners at speed, as she made her way through the palace and to the lab. If Shuri was going to be anywhere it would be there.

A smile of relief came to her face as she caught sight of the group approaching from the other direction "You're here!" she exclaimed, barely able to slow down as she crashed into Shuri.

The princess didn't skip a beat or bother with pleasantries "What are you wearing?!" she complained, holding Harper at an arm's length and taking in the suit "You are not supposed to be wearing that yet?!"

"You talk like I had a choice," Harper answered, the two of them hurrying down the ramp to keep up with Nakia and Ross "Killmonger had me as his right hand assassin."

A frown came to Shuri's face as she glanced across to her, she looked as though she wanted to say something but she knew she didn't have time. Motioning toward the sand table she reached over and grabbed the communication devices "Okay, we'll get control of the Royal Talon with this," she explained before turning back to Harper "You still have your Kimoyo beads right?"

"Of course," Harper answered with a shrug, raising her left hand where her beads were sitting beneath her gauntlets. She sent Shuri a smile as she passed over her own comms, slotting them into her right ear.

"So what do I do?" Ross asked as Shuri slid a spare Kimoyo bead bracelet over his hand.

The corners of her mouth turned upwards. "You will have to fly it."

"What?" both Harper and Ross said together.

Shuri glared across to Harper to shut her up before she continued, turning to Ross with a supportive look on her face "You were a great pilot. Don't worry, I'll guide you through it," she said "It's just like riding a hoverbike."

The severity of the situation clearly didn't register with him as his eyebrows furrowed "You guys have hoverbikes?" he asked, his eyes flickering over to Harper as though waiting for confirmation.

It seemed that, despite the time they had spent away together, he still didn't know how to read the younger Wakandan princess.

Without answering him Shuri continued to set up the sand table before she turned to grab her own gauntlets from her desk "Nakia,' she said, tugging Nakia's attention away from the weapons she was collection "Take that," she continued, nodding toward some Dora armor.

Nakia's eyebrows furrowed "I am not a Dora."

Shuri's eyes rolled "Just put it on! It's armor!" she exclaimed, as Nakia let out a sigh and begrudgingly grabbed hold of the Dora Milaje uniform, before turning to Harper "Okay, the reason I didn't want you to have the suit yet was because I needed you to get used to the simulator beforehand," she said before gesturing to the gauntlets matching her own on Harper's forearms "Bet you haven't had a clue how to use them."

"That is a bet you would win," Harper answered, lifting her arm up to her face to inspect the heavier aspect of her suit.

"Here," Shuri said, stepping closer to her and showing her a small switch at the top of the gauntlets "I knew you couldn't be trusted to have them on continually," she said teasingly, glancing to Harper out of the corner of her eye "Move your arm like this," she said, demonstrating with her own.

Harper frowned across to her for a second, remembering her showing T'Challa his new suits not too long ago, before she turned to one of the bare walls and jerked her arm in the same way as Shuri had. Her eyes widened and eyebrows darted up as a sonic blast left her gauntlet, both her and Shuri ducking down as it hit the wall.

"Wow!"

"Right?" Shuri answered before nudging her with her elbow "Come on, Nakia should be changed by now," she said, the two of them turning toward the ramp "Good luck Agent Ross!" she called over her shoulder.

Ross watched after them, his frown of confusion still on his face "Yeah, I still don't know what I'm doing?"

Harper waved him off as she followed Shuri up the ramp "We're counting on you!"

"Are you really trusting him with that?" Harper asked once they had caught up with Nakia and were making their way outside.

"Yes," Shuri answered as they made their way out onto the deck, the three of them keeping as low as possible as they made their way over to the RTF parked not too far away "You know, you really need to lose the attitude. He was only doing his job."

"I know," Harper answered with a roll of her eyes, a smile coming to her face as they watched Nakia plant the kimoyo bead puck on the RTF "But it's fun to mess with him while I can."

Shuri let out a laugh "Okay, you got me there," she said with a shake of her head "So, are we ready?"

The three women all exchanged glances before Nakia nodded. Raising her hand she pressed her comms further into her ear "Okay Ross, we're ready for lift off."

They waited for a couple of seconds before one of the beads on Shuri's kimoyo bracelet lit up "I made it American style for you!" she said to Ross "Get in!" she continued as they all watched the RTF in front of them remain still "Come on Ross," she said beneath her breath as the three of them waited on tenterhooks.

It was only a couple of seconds before the RTF started up, clumsily taking off.

"Yes!" Harper, Shuri and Nakia all celebrated as they watched the thrusters blow back a couple of the Kingsgaurds.

"Go!" Shuri exclaimed "We can't let those weapons get beyond Wakanda."

"Alright, I'm on it," Ross' voice echoed into their ear as, in the distance, the RTF turned to follow after the other ships.

They watched it go for a second before they turned to where the fighting was happening. Erik was surrounded by Okoye and two of the Dora, the three warriors all getting him with synchronised hits, their spears creating a triple trap around his neck.

"Lock! Get the necklace!" Okoye exclaimed in Xhosa "Get the necklace!"

As soon as Harper allowed herself to feel any kind of hope Erik dropped down to his knees, expelling the suit's kinetic energy and throwing Okoye and the other members of the Dora down the hill.

"Let's go," she said, pushing herself up onto her feet as Nakia rushed ahead of them exclaiming;

"Wakanda Forever!"

There was rage filling his eyes as he turned to where Nakia was flanked by Harper and Shuri "I know you're tempted by me," he said, aiming his words toward Harper as she plucked her knives up into her hands "We could do amazing things together if you'd just see the potential."

But Harper rolled her eyes "Yeah, I'm not convinced," she said, twirling the knives through her fingers before she stepped closer "There's only one side I'm going to be on," she continued before glancing across and locking eyes with Nakia for a second.

She ducked just in time for Nakia to attack with her ringblades, stretching her leg out to swipe Erik's from beneath him. Instead of dropping he danced over them, dodging and fighting back as Harper and Nakia attacked from either side. Behind them Shuri strafed from side to side, shooting her gauntlets in his direction from a distance.

"You're choosing the wrong side Black Mamba," Erik warned, grasping hold of her wrist and tugging her closer.

"That isn't my name any more," she replied through gritted teeth, yanking her arm from his grasp in time for Nakia to hit him.

They continued to hold him off, trying to keep him far away from Shuri's lab, as Ross came over the comms.

"Okay Shuri, I got 'em what do I do?"

"Shoot them down genius!" Shuri exclaimed, aiming her gauntlet to where Harper had caught Erik's hand just before his claws hit her face.

"Alright, here goes nothing…"

"I hope you've put your faith in the right person here S," Harper said, catching her balance as Erik's hand was shot away from her.

"Not helping," Ross grumbled before letting out a whistle "Alright, I got 'em."

"Will you leave him alone," Shuri said with a tut as Nakia took her turn and Harper dropped back to make sure she was alright.

"He needs to be pushed," Harper answered with a smirk, her stomach dropping as she looked up just in time to see Erik swiping at Nakia. She was hit in the arm and the leg, cries of pain leaving her as Erik threw her down the hill "Shit," she said before pushing herself into action.

The air was knocked out of her as he caught her with a punch to the stomach "Stay down," he warned as she fell to the floor, curling around herself as she desperately tried to catch her breath.

She watched on, helpless and unable to move, as he stalked over to Shuri. His suit absorbing any blasts she was able to send his way before he grabbed at the gauntlets, gripping them hard until they shattered.

Harper winced as she tried to push herself up to go and help, her left arm wrapping around her waist. Down the hill T'Challa was being swarmed by Border Tribesmen, pinned down and attacked with spears and kicks. They were down, Nakia out of sight and T'Challa overpowered as Erik encroached on Shuri. Harper's boots slid on the ground beneath her as she winced and tried to make her way over to help.

"Shuri!" T'Challa's exclamation cut through the air as he expelled the kinetic energy in his suit, throwing the members of the Border Tribe away from him. He hurried up to where Harper was laying, stopping for a couple of seconds until she waved him on. She wasn't the one in immediate danger.

"What's up, Princess?" Erik was asking as T'Challa approached, the broken spear he clutched in his hands raising.

"You'll never be a true King," Shuri answered, waiting until the last minute before ducking and allowing T'Challa to tackle Erik. Shuri jumped to her feet as the two plunged down into the mine shaft "Brother!" she exclaimed as she peered inside. She scrambled up onto her feet, rushing over to where Harper had managed to push herself up into a sitting position "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she replied with a nod of her head, taking in a deep breath before stumbling up onto her feet "I'm good," she continued, sounding as convincing as she felt "You need to keep an eye on your brother, I'll help Okoye."

She paused for a second, reaching out and squeezing Shuri's hand before she turned on her heel to hurry down to join the Dora. She got there just in time to stop one of the Border's from stabbing Ayo, kicking the spear out of the way before landing a punch and knocking him to the ground.

"Hey, thanks!" Ayo called before she moved on, her spear clashing with someone else's.

"How are you doing?" Okoye asked as Harper reached her, tugging her gun from one of her holsters to send warning shots out into the mob approaching them.

"I'm not killing anyone," she answered quickly, smiling slightly as Okoye sent her a concerned glance "I'm good."

Okoye nodded once "Okay," she said, twirling her spear in the air and blocking an attack coming her way "But you do what you need to to survive. Promise."

Harper rolled her eyes but allowed an actual smile to come to her face "Promise," she said, catching a fist aimed in her direction. Flipping the owner of the hand over she placed her foot on his chest.

As she placed her gun back into her holster she exchanged it for one of her knives, twirling it through her fingers as she stepped over him toward more approaching tribesmen. He reached up as she did, grabbing onto her ankle and causing her to stumble mid step.

"I mean it!" Okoye called after her, once she had sliced her spear into the arm holding onto Harper "Anything to survive."

"Anything to survive," Harper answered beneath her breath and with a nod. Reaching up, as she dodged a spear being thrown in her direction, she pressed her comms into her ear "Shuri? How's it going with T'Challa?"

"I can't tell," she replied as Harper ducked beneath another punch, using her leg to swipe the tribesman's from beneath him "I've found Nakia though, she's okay."

"Good!" Harper said before bending down and plucking her knife from where she had thrown it beside the tribesman's head "I'm not killing anyone," she said quietly "So stay down."

"How about Ross, Shuri?" she asked as she continued on, blocking and dodging "He's getting those Dragon Flyers right?"

"I can hear you," Ross answered her "The lab is under attack but I'm close."

"Ross?!" Shuri's voice followed "You have to get out of there now!" she said, continuing "Ross? Ross?!" when all she had been answered with was seconds of silence.

"Good of you to join us," Harper said with a smirk as both Shuri and Nakia arrived on the grass, fighting side by side with Harper, Okoye and the rest of the Dora Milaje.

"Well it looked like you needed some help," Shuri answered, shooting sonic blasts from the spear she had picked up.

Just as Harper glanced away from her a frown came to her face as the members of the Border Tribe all lined up around them, putting up their shields to lock them in. She stepped closer to Shuri as they all moved around the circle they were encased in, their weapons ready as they tried to find an escape.

"Surrender now!" W'Kabi's voice echoed through the air. He was sitting atop M20, the Rhino he used in battle, calling to them over the top of the forcefields holding them in "You have three seconds to lay down your weapons. One...two…"

Confusion crossed all of their faces as W'Kabi was cut off by loud chanting coming their way. It seemed to be approaching from every angle, the members of the border tribe exchanging concerned looks as they glanced around.

It was only when one of the interior shields were compromised, its carrier lifted up off the ground suddenly by his collar, that they were able to see who had been approaching.

M'Baku, leader of the Jabari, stood tall above everyone as he exclaimed "Witness the might of the Jabari first hand!" before throwing the man he was holding into the seemingly impenetrable shield.

"This is a good thing right?" Harper asked from beneath her breath as she closed up even closer to Shuri's side.

"Definitely a good thing," Shuri answered with a grin as the Jabari began moving forward, creating breaks in the shield as they fought the members of the Border Tribe.

"Then let's go," Harper said with a smirk as M'Baku jumped down from the rock he had been standing on.

As he exclaimed "Abya!" Okoye called "Phambili!" to bring her own troops forward.

Harper fell into step with the others as the rest of the Dora Milaje joined them, fighting alongside them and the Jabari. She had lost sight of Shuri soon after their conversation about the newcomers but wasn't worried, she had seen the way the princess had fought Erik earlier on and knew she could handle herself.

A frown came to her face as Ross' voice entered her ear "Shuri, the last cargo ship is almost at the border but they've got me trapped with some kind of cables."

"Make an X with your arms!" Shuri's voice called back "Now break it!"

Harper listened as she caught a spear coming her way and threw it to the ground, grabbing hold of the wrist which had been wielding it and elbowing the tribesman in the face "What's happening Ross?!" she asked as she began shooting sonic blasters out of the gauntlets on her arms, cursing herself for not using them earlier.

"Yes!" Ross answered, barely a moment later "We did it!"

"Great!" Shuri's voice followed "Now get out of there!"

The thundering sound of rhino hooves crossing the battlefield caught Harper's attention and she glanced up just in time to see Okoye step in front of M'Baku, making M20 skid to a halt in front of her. She frowned, raising her sonic blasters to create any kind of distraction so Okoye could escape before the rhino leaned over and licked her face lovingly.

She was back on guard as she watched W'Kabi dismount, blasting her gauntlets towards the tribesmen coming her way as she kept an eye on what was going on with the General.

"Drop your weapon," Okoye said, spear in hand.

"Would you kill me, my love?"

"For Wakanda?" Okoye answered, drawing her spear and holding it up to his face "Without question."

Harper raised her gauntlets as she watched W'Kabi draw his own weapon, ready to defend her newly found friend as all around her the remaining Border Tribesmen were surrendering to the Dora and the Jabari. She watched as W'Kabi dropped his weapon to the floor, slowly lowering down onto his knees in front of Okoye.

There was a moment of silence before T'Challa's voice came over all of their comms.

"Killmonger is down."

"Ouch?!" Harper exclaimed, reaching out and trying to bat Shuri away.

"If you don't let me clean it it could get infected," the princess tutted, reaching up and wiping at the small cut across Harper's forehead.

"Can't you just-" Harper paused to wriggle her fingers in front of her "Vibranium it away?"

Shuri let out a laugh "First off, Nakia is on the table getting her leg sorted," she said, rolling her eyes as Harper winced "Secondly, you heal faster," she continued, pressing the cotton bud she was holding harder against the cut "And thirdly, it's so small it would be a waste of my time."

"Your concern is astounding," Harper answered, narrowing her eyes. A silence fell between the two of them for a couple of seconds before Harper spoke again "Do you think he'll accept help?" she asked.

T'Challa had taken Erik to the roof of the palace to show him Wakanda and to convince him to let them fix the stab wound in his abdomen.

"Probably not," Shuri said in a quiet tone "But if anyone can convince him otherwise it will be my brother," she continued before tapping Harper on the arm and telling her she'd be right back with an ice pack for her bruised eye.

Another figure making their way over to where she was perched on one of the only unbroken desks left in the lab caught her attention. Her eyebrows raised when she noticed it was Ross "Hi," she said, raising her hand slightly "Amazing flying out there."

"Thanks," he answered as he perched beside her "Listen I-"

Harper raised her hand once more to stop him from carrying on "I'm not into getting all deep with you Ross, don't worry about it," she said with a shrug of her shoulders "I'd just appreciate it if you'd not tell anyone about seeing me here."

He paused for a second before he nodded in agreement "You got it," he said, holding his hand out toward her.

"Thanks," she said as she took it, shaking it once before she caught sight of Shuri making her way back over to her "I'll see ya," she said as she pushed off the desk, limping slightly as she met her friend half way.

"Made a friend?" Shuri asked, looking across to her in amusement as she passed the ice pack she was carrying over.

"Shut up," Harper answered with a roll of her eyes "Nakia?"

"She'll be fine."

"You?"

Shuri glanced over to her as Harper raised the ice pack to her face "I'm okay," she said with a shrug of her shoulders "My lab is in a mess but we're alive," she continued as she glanced around the broken equipment surrounding them "And it means we get to work together inventing more things right? Right?" she asked, nudging Harper in the side with her elbow.

She let out a laugh as she leaned away from her "Right," she confirmed "As long as you don't test things out on me again."

"Now that I can't promise."

Before Harper could answer everyone in the room was distracted by T'Challa arriving. His arm was wrapped around his middle and he walked stiffly as he made his way further into the room.

Shuri stepped forward to greet him "Brother?" she asked, hope slightly lining her tone.

He let out a sigh as he shook his head.

Hi!
Sorry for the radio silence, I've had a pretty busy couple of months and lost my little dog to cancer not so long ago so haven't been feeling the most productive when it came to posting fic. I'm starting to feel a bit better now though, although I miss him more than anything, but trying to get back to normal :)

Ollie would also 'join' me in writing (he'd sit with his head on my laptop keyboard so I couldn't do it, I'd have to stroke his head instead!) so it's been hard without him but I can look back on those memories and smile.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed!

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