Disclaimer: I do not own any movies set up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Star Wars movies, cartoons, games, books, or comics. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not created with a commercial aim. It is not for sale or rent.
Phase 18:War Fever
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Part 1
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The beginning of the end for Wakanda in the First Unification War was a quiet thing. There wasn't a massive allied offensive to mark a clearly noticeable shift in balance. Wakanda's depleted Air Force didn't launch a second campaign against the rest of the world that saw it wiped out overnight.
Instead, a death of a thousand cuts saw Wakanda's military stretched thin, then bled in the sky and the countries surrounding the isolated nation…
The First Unification War: The End of Tranquility
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Dodoma
Tanzania
N'Jeru Basa wasn't enjoying his visit to yet another country. This time, the warrior's job was to help control one of the main road junctions. By doing so, N'Jeru and his comrades were ensuring that Wakanda's local allies would be able to deal with all resistance to the North properly, then muster their strength to move against the traitors who sides with the Colonizers to the South and along the coast. From what the young man could gather, air strikes, or at least as many as the Air Force could deploy in this part of Africa, were not enough to deal with the Tanzanian army units that didn't fall caught off guard or backed Wakanda like it was proper.
That was what his seniors told him anyway.
In the last few weeks of fighting through towns and villages that were extremely poor and primitive, the sheer contrast between how the locals lived and Wakanda's marvelous cities left an impression in N'Jeru's mind. These people weren't dedicated Border Tribe Warriors, who spent much of their lives pretending to be poor farmers, herdsmen, and whatever else was necessary to fool the outsiders.
The regular people out here were really poor. Basa found it harder and harder to make the mental gymnastics necessary to justify what he and the other warriors were doing. Was this the price of Wakandan supremacy? He saw precious few 'Colonizers' after arriving in this country. From what N'Jeru gathered, those were either stranded tourists or people working at one of the large national preserves or hospitals around.
None of them looked like colonizers doing any colonizing the warrior could recognize. The Wakandan warriors, on the other hand? They were camping in a patch of forest near a circular intersection, with the local airport just beyond it. Their position allowed them to both ensure obvious hostile traffic didn't pass by them, and they could also effectively fire upon a part of the airfield. Along with other units spread out in the area, this deployment allowed Wakanda's warriors to prevent any enemies from gaining easy access to a foothold in the area and could also use the airfield's facilities as their own.
Frankly, the airfield used to be an asset when N'Jeru arrived. At that time, the Air Force could afford to have a few Dragon Fighters in the area acting as scouts and providing air support. Sadly, for the past week, the only sight of friendly aircraft they saw were brief nightly visits when a tired crew pushed pallets with supplies out of the back of a visibly damaged Royal Talon that hadn't been fixed yet.
The sun was about to set, bathing the horizon in the bloody glow that made the Wakandan warriors uneasy. Some of them were not beyond superstitions. Such sight in the distant past was supposed to herald a bloody night or bloodier dawn to come.
Soon enough, the word came down to N'Jeru's position that a convoy of the hated Toyotas with weapons in the trunk was on their way to the airfield. There was no air support because Wakanda was again under heavy bombardment by long-range missiles. There were particularly many of those this night, which probably explained the excitement heading their way.
Personally, Basa could go on without any more of that; thank you very much.
He wisely didn't say so to the senior warrior in charge of his unit.
"By the Spirits!" A familiar and unwelcome voice exclaimed.
N'Jeku was very young for a warrior deployed in a dangerous area. He was also a firm believer in Wakanda's greatness and how just their cause was. Needless to say, that didn't make the youth one of N'Jeru's favorite people, even if he was a distant cousin. Or perhaps because he was a distant cousin…
Nevertheless, Basa looked around. His eyes darted in every possible direction to see what the boy had noticed. Sure enough, N'Jeru saw them within moments and heard them almost simultaneously.
Missiles roared overhead. Many were rather slow, so slow that the warriors could clearly see their odd, crude shapes. Yet, there were disturbingly many of them…
While most missiles roared harmlessly overhead, presumably heading towards Wakanda, too many plunged downwards while soaring above the airfield. A series of bright yet somehow dull explosions shook the ground. Within moments, all the airport buildings containing supplies and equipment for the warriors deployed in the town were on fire.
The hated Toyotas accelerated, and N'Jeru heard the painfully familiar shriek of mortar rounds in the air.
"Hold for Wakanda!" The Senior Warrior bellowed.
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Air Station 6
Wakanda
It took months of planning, setting up the pieces, and finally receiving permission to actually use the Royal Talon the Wakandian Prince and Princess defected with. However, it was worth it in the end, or at least they were about to make it worth it.
The captured Talon glided silently and invisibly through the last stretch of Rwandan airspace before entering Wakanda. Their target was a facility near the region's border responsible for air missions. Before the war, it contained three Royal Talons and six Dragon Fighters – a hefty amount of air power considering what Rwanda had at the best of times. The setup was honestly impressive. Everything needed to maintain those aircraft, their crews, and a security detail could fit into a high-tech tower protected by a cloaking field and shield. It was also connected with the rest of Wakanda by underground rail, something they wouldn't have the time or tight ammunition to neutralize for sure. At any rate, that shouldn't be an issue – if it became one, the mission would have already failed by then, and they would be likely dead or running for their lives toward the border.
"Final check. We are five minutes away," Barton spoke aloud. "Mask on and make sure your buddies have put theirs properly. I don't want anyone crying their eyes out when we deploy!" He nodded at Natasha. "I have the bird."
Romanoff let go of the controls, leaving her co-pilot to fly. She pulled out her gas mask and went through the well-practiced motion of putting it on properly, then ensured it was secured like it was supposed to be.
Below and above them, cruise missiles of all kinds streaked through the air. Many were crude and cheap mass-produced weapons, which were little more than basic suicide drones writ large. Others were state-of-the-art weapons, carrying the latest iteration of Stark's repulsor warheads.
After a relative week of respite, while everyone replenished stocks and brought weapons to best launch positions, Wakanda was now experiencing a hammering it hadn't since the first weeks of the war with the bonus of drones making an appearance in increasing numbers, testing for any counter-measures the enemy might have.
By the time Natasha landed just out of sight of the tower's location, the bombardment had been in progress for hours. She hid the Soon it would end, and the local aircraft garrison would return. They would need to lower the shield at that point and signal the incoming fighters that it was safe to come to the barn – something Natasha was attentively listening for.
Sure enough, the comm unit in the cockpit came to life, catching the awaited encrypted message. As expected, for the returning aircraft to receive it, they had to decloak. That was Romanoff's cue cloak and lift, then head for the tower. She wasn't surprised to see only three fighters returning – a Talon and two Dragons. The small contingent of assets operating from this place was one of the significant reasons for choosing it as the target once it was located.
"It's show time, boys," Natasha purred and flew behind the last Dragon. Their prey landed while the raiding party patiently waited above the tower for the crews to leave their craft and move away before pouncing.
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Part 2
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Dodoma
Tanzania
Mortar rounds screeched through the air, impacting all around the warriors' positions. When N'Jeru dared raise his head above the edge of the small trench he was lying in, he saw a particularly loathsome abomination of a vehicle. It was yet another hated Toyota; of course it was! This time, the thing had a sinister contraption wielded in its back – just like the ones he had seen under the wings of outsider attack helicopters.
"Rockets!" Basa barked and ducked back into the trench.
Sure enough, the damn thing opened fire, and a howling barrage of death and misery struck all over the area with deafening fury.
"Cowards! Why aren't they coming to face us like men!" N'Jeku screamed from his hole in the ground.
N'Jeru was glad they didn't share a trench – the prospect of going to the spirits alongside that fool wasn't promising.
The explosions were still ongoing when heavy machine guns opened up, ensuring everyone in the area kept their heads down.
"Ready to engage infantry!" The Senior Warrior in charge of them bellowed. The continuing bombardment made his roar almost inaudible.
"Let them come! I'll kill them all!" N'Jaku screamed.
The bombardment was still ongoing when warcries came from the other side of the road and to the right side of the dug-in Wakandan warriors.
Basa dared peek again and cursed. There were a lot of bastards converging on their position. They were moving and now firing single shots as they advanced. Others used their fellows as a distraction to set up machine guns or get closer to aim better with their RPGs.
They were all black, without a single colonizer in sight, yet their expressions weren't those of resigned, coerced men who didn't want to be here, fighting their brothers. On the contrary, the few N'Jeru could see clearly as they came at him were fixed masks of determination and anger.
"Contact! Right flank!" Basa shouted, and despite the explosions shaking his trench, he dragged his weapon out, took aim, and opened fire. More and more of the nearby warriors who were still alive and whole followed his example, with the young fool aiding loud taunts to his shots.
Blue energy blast tore into the advancing infantry, who ignored the casualties and kept coming.
N'Jeru shot a skinny young man who was just shy of being a kid and frowned. Now that the enemy was closer, he could see their uniforms. They were distinctly not what the Tanzanian "traitors" who fought against Wakanda and its allies wore.
Bursts of machinegun fire forced Basa to duck again by tearing the ravaged soill before his trench.
"Where is our Air Force!" N'Jaku screamed as the enemy got closer and closer. An RPG round blew up into a nearby trench, showering everyone in the area with blood and gore.
At least the mortars ceased shrieking through the air. However, some distant Toyotas continued delivering punishing suppressive fire into the Wakandan lines. Machinegun fire and light cannon slammed into the defenders, making their job even harder.
"Our Air Force is above Wakanda, fighting!" The Senior Warrior snapped. "It's only us here! Keep fighting!"
The enemy got close enough to accurately throw grenades into the outer trenches despite their heavy casualties. Basa could see at least twice his unit numbers in corpses and wounded lying around. Yet, the attack didn't appear to be ending anytime soon.
Grenades detonated, Wakandan warriors died or lay wounded and screaming in pain, and the enemy kept coming as if the Spirits themselves possessed them!
At that point, Basa knew he was dead. His position was near the front of the trenches, and very soon, one of those bastards would throw a grenade into it.
He was almost right too. A pair of grenades bounced N'Jeru's way, and he ducked, then snapped his shield over his body as well as he could in the hole. The world ended in a loud shriek.
For some odd reason, Basa was still around to feel as if a herd of buffaloes gleefully trampled him over. Repeatedly at that. He blinked a bloodshot eye open just in time to see a large man peering down at him. The next thing N'Jeru saw was a huge boot flying straight at his face, and then there were stars and darkness.
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Air Station 6
Wakanda
The pilots left their craft and entered the tower while support personnel raced out to check on the machines. At that point, the Royal Talon's rear ramp opened, and the soldiers at the back threw out smoke and tear gas grenades. The Wakandan's shocked cries lasted as long as the first team jumped off the craft and landed hard on the tower's platforms. They shouldered their blasters and opened fire, cutting down a couple of shocked warriors and the engineers who were still trying to process that someone dared to invade the place.
The rest of the unit jumped out, carrying packs of explosives, with the last pair dragging out a container with already programmed and set up to launch repulsor warheads.
Two commandos threw more gas and smoke grenades at the tower entrance and took a position at it. At the same time, the rest either began setting up explosives or ran into the ready and open Fighters.
"Talon secure! Preparing for lift-off!"
"Dragon secure!"
"Ours' is secure too! Preparing to leave!"
Only then did someone in the tower activate the alarm, and a piercing wail carried over the area. The only entrance to the landing platforms closed shut with a hiss, which was more than all right with the soldiers covering it.
"Placing mines!" One of them informed aloud and removed a pair of claymores with laser triggers from his pack, while the second one moved back, still covering the door with his weapon.
Behind them, the Talon and Dragons came alive and quietly rose above their platforms. Their ramps closed, and they slowly rose above the landing pads before turning away from the tower and leaving. Within seconds, their pilots activated the stealth systems, and the stolen fighters cloaked, heading for three different air force bases in Europe and the Middle East.
"Warheads are live. Move out!" Romanoff barked.
Barton had conveniently moved their Royal Talon so the remaining operatives could rapidly jump inside and haul ass away from the tower.
When enough warriors gathered to try and retake the landing platforms, the commandos were already flying away under a cloak. The Air Tower's small security detail ran straight into the mines seconds before the Jericho warheads activated. Dozens of repulsors shot into the air before sharply descending to the desired positions and detonated, engulfing the whole tower in carefully calculated explosions. The shock waves collided so that each one enhanced the effect of the others, putting their target into a deadly vortex of destruction.
A combination of excellent engineering and Wakanda's propensity to use Vibranium in building anything that mattered meant that the tower made it somewhat intact instead of simply shattering under the onslaught. Reinforced windows shattered, showering many rooms in a deadly rain of jagged, heavy shards. Walls cracked and buckled, compromising the structural integrity of the Air Tower. People and equipment suffered as if punched by the fist of an angry god.
Despite their Vibranium armor, the security detail attempting to take back the landing pads became little more than red smears under the onslaught of the self-enhancing explosions.
Unsurprisingly, less than a day later, every site where the Wakandan Air Force operated received a significant increase in their security details, further depleting the numbers of Wakanda's already stretched thin Warriors.
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Part 3
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Silent Hunter, M-Class Ravager ship
flying above the Arabian Peninsula
Passive sensors ripped out of a wrecked Kree escort ship and mapped the human town and cities below. Bright programs analyzed the raw data for anything resembling military presence or, even better, unexpected discoveries like the small mountain of vibranium back in Wakanda.
D'ver used the flight to calm himself down and take a break from impersonating that fool M'Baku. The flight computer could handle everything as ordered, leaving the Skrull to relax and plot.
The sheer arrogance of these Wakandan humans used to be extremely helpful. It was only due to it and its consequences that he and the renegade Skrulls got as far as they did. Without all the stupid issues that led to the coup and ongoing unwinnable war, taking much of the vibranium would have been impossible for the Ravagers. A strike force from one of the larger powers might have been able to pull it off. A whole clan might have been able to secure the mine for long enough to get out with a large enough haul that made the potential risks worth it.
D'ver's gambit offered an unprecedented opportunity his colleagues jumped at after a brief discussion. However, he had only a handful of Skrulls to impersonate people. Even with the disruptions and chaos caused by the war, there was only so much they could do, and so fast they could push the locals to mine vibranium. A big reason for this flight was so D'ver could decide what to report to their group's leader in a few days. After the latest mishap, he doubted the Wakandan military could last long enough for the Ravagers to achieve their more ambitious goals. The Skrull was seriously considering pulling out soon with everything they could get their hands on. It should be enough, he thought.
Nevertheless, there was still the possibility of slowing down the other humans and thus buying time. That was one of the reasons for taking this flight in the first place.
Logistics mattered and governed how fast the locals could invade with useful numbers. A few days ago, D'ver believed the crippled Wakandan air force could still buy him enough time. The successful raid made him reconsider. A primary defensive approach meant to simply buy time was no longer viable. With the vehicles the other humans stole, they could risk hunting more Wakandan air assets or even commit to a large-scale raid. Even if everyone sent on such a mission died, they could still die after causing too much damage Wakanda wouldn't recover from in time to matter.
A direct side-effect of the raid was political upheaval and many people asking questions of the Wakandans D'ver's allies replaced. Their position was less secure now, and that required action. He needed victories to buy time and solidify support for the replaced local leaders.
D'ver wasn't arrogant enough to believe his local subordinates would succeed for sure, no matter how much advantage he could give them through planning and intelligence. No matter what happened in the following local week, his people had to be ready to pull out with as much vibranium as possible.
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Sanctuary II, Thanos' flagship
Thanos hummed contently while his adult children entered their usual meeting chamber and took their seats. Ebony Maw was last to arrive, floating in a way most would find highly unnatural and disturbing.
"Settle down and pay attention," the Titan's voice boomed, interrupting Proxima and Corvus' flirting.
Those two were still acting like lovestruck youths when there was no prospect of immediate combat. It was amusing and often vexing, for work was to be done!
"We listen and obey, father!" Proxima bowed before skipping to her favorite seat.
"We will soon be able to leave the galactic fringe," Thanos reminded them, using a light chiding tone. "So far, we were able to replenish and slightly expand our forces after each culling, but that won't be enough for the battles and wars to come. We will need vaster numbers in space and on the ground."
Seeing the children perk up, pay attention, and think about their position was heartening. "Ebony?" Thanos addressed his oldest son.
"I bring useful news, father. We have located the system of the Genetic Smiths who created the Outriders living weapons. As we speak, I have agents gathering more information about them and their capabilities," Maw raised a hand and used his telekinesis to switch on a holographic projector.
Different versions of a six-limbed dark-skinned creature formed above the table where Thanos' children sat. One of them was nearly naked, wearing torn-apart rags. That image was a good baseline to compare with the other models of the living weapons. In contrast to the feral-looking thing, those beside it were something else indeed. One was clad in golden armor. A closer look revealed it was cybernetically grafted to its body, giving it protection and further close-quarter weapons beyond its fanged maw and four arms with razor-sharp claws.
The final Outrider could be mistaken for a Chitauri in full armor if it wasn't for the additional limbs. It stood on two legs, clad in advanced armor resembling high-end Chitauri equipment. Each set of arms cradled weapons – a large gun in the upper ones, while the lower held two pistols.
"The Genetic Smiths can solve any manpower issues we might face if we can bind them to our cause. Expendable war beasts, guards, soldiers, crews, workers…." Ebony trailed off with a satisfied smile. "They can solve many of the dilemmas facing us when we encroach upon the galactic powers."
"Mass cloning of tailored war organisms might be viable after all…" Thanos mussed aloud. His other option was going for not particularly smart war, autonomous war machines, though that would be a perilous prospect. If they went rogue, such machines could threaten everything he wanted to achieve. That wasn't a risk Thanos would take lightly, no matter what precautions could be used.
"Do we have enough time to go that way?" Corvus inquired. "The war between the Skrulls and Kree will end sooner or later. If the winner has enough time to rebuild and consolidate, our work will become much harder."
"That is why we will take a different approach on the next worlds we cull," Thanos explained. "Our Chitauri allies have been developing cybernetics that can not only replenish their numbers but transform parts of the local population into tough, obedient workers who will die more useful deaths than most. We will use them and what the Genetic Smiths can offer in the long run to build up industrial centers and forward bases for our future campaigns. Remember, our goal doesn't require facing and defeating the likes of the Kree or Skrulls in an open battle for the control of the galaxy. We must be sufficiently powerful to stall their forces and achieve our overreaching objectives. When we have the Infinity Stones, it won't matter how much material the industries of those Empires could build in the long run or how vast armies they could raise to use it."
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Part 4
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The final participants of what would become the First Unification War entered the fray on the heels of a major victory against Wakanda. Under the aegis of SHIELD and the oversight of the freshly established SWORD agencies, a special forces raid managed to neutralize a Wakandan airfield and, more importantly, capture multiple light and heavy fighters. This would directly lead to Wakanda's final significant offensive actions in the conflict as a response.
Those events, combined with the ongoing civil war in Iran and the still escalating War on Terror, were both key in understanding what followed and directly responsible for the last conflict that would characterize the First Unification War...
The First Unification War: The third conflict
Breaking News! North Korea's leader just suffered a heart attack on live T.V.! He was delivering a blistering speech of defiance against South Korea, the United States, and China when suddenly clutching his heart and collapsing…
CNN
The North Korean military is mobilizing minutes after the official announcement of the death of the country's Dictator. We have unconfirmed information about explosions and troop movements near the capital, Pyongyang.
BBC World News
Civil War in North Korea? Signal and satellite intelligence confirms there is fighting in parts of the country, focused on the capital and nearby military bases. The North Korean military is now fully mobilized, with units either racing toward Pyongyang or the borders with South Korea and China. In response, the U.S., South Korean, and Chinese Forces in the region are now on a war footing, ready to face any possible developments.
Associated Press
Beijing is moving an armored corps towards the border with North Korea to further reinforce the forces stationed there. Do the Chinese have inside information about the ongoing events in Pyongyang?
Euronews
Seoul is in chaos hours after the South Korean government ordered the city's citizens and its suburbs to either evacuate or go to shelters.CNNThe U.S. president pledged continued support to America's South Korean allies.
USA Today
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SHIELD facility X
a former Canadian military research site
Northern Canada
The world was going to hell in a handbasket, and for once, it wasn't my fault. Despite, or more like, because of the war with Wakdanda, terrorists all over the Middle East and Afghanistan were going on a rampage, using their modern weapons as if they were going out of fashion. Air strikes, sometimes nearly indiscriminate ones, as well as artillery, answered, raising the overall death toll and ensuring any notions about winning hearts and minds died fiery deaths.
North Korea was on fire, too, just not in a way anyone anticipated it. The Kim dynasty as a whole proved not to be insane enough to start a war they couldn't win. Instead, the candidates for new leaders and their supporters were apparently busy trying to kill each other in a free-for-all with a dubious throne as the prize; that and not ending up in a shallow grave.
Right now, it was anyone's guess if the situation over there would blow up or fizzle out.
It was frustrating there was nothing I could do to put down any of the raging fires. This right here painfully illustrated the limits of my power as Tony Stark. My money, economic power, political connections, and even my position as part of SWORD meant little.
At least the raid on Wakanda worked because my position would be much weaker if it failed spectacularly.
"You are feeling particularly morose today, Stark," Doom announced after darkening my doorstep. He entered my laboratory carrying big cups of steaming coffee. "I really don't like this empathy thing we have going," he added.
"It has its uses. With more time and training, you will be able to ignore it or even subconsciously not use it unless you want to. That makes being around most people much easier," I told him.
Not hiding my abilities did wonders for my mental state, and it was very slowly helping accustom my body to channeling more of the Force over time. Sadly, that was mostly a moot point with the state of the Force in this universe.
"I can't hide anything from Susan! She is reading me like an open book!" Victor grumbled.
"That usually helps avoid misunderstandings," I offered and sniffed the coffee he brought me. "Or ensures you will dig your own grave, then jump into it as far as your girlfriend is concerned."
Doom's emotions were all over the place. He was frustrated and not a little bit angry. Below all that, he was damn smug and proud of himself.
"On the bright side, there's no guessing about how your lover feels about you," I pointed out. "You two are sweet enough to rot teeth by sheer proximity." It was bloody annoying.
"There's that," Doom perked up and stared at a nearby wall with a far-away look. A wistful smile formed on his face before he caught himself and shook his head. "I'm not supposed to be like this!" He waved a hand at himself.
"Young love," I sipped my coffee and enjoyed its bittersweet taste. There was enough sugar and caffeine in it to wake the dead, just like I needed it as of late.
"We've been stuck either in here or in seclusion for too long, Stark. Hell, you've been in here for too long already," Doom reined in his emotions, channeling them into lighting arcs that jumped between the fingers of his free hand. He looked at the energy with fascination before raising his eyes to stare down at me. "There's a lot of work to be done, including our new joint initiatives."
Victor sighed and let go of the Force. The lighting died out, and he pointed at the monitors around me. "We have good enough theories and enough material for our people to work on. Much of what has to happen now is banal work best done by an army of technicians and lab assistants. Our talents are wasted here."
"One of the big reasons we are here is security. Another is to be on the ground floor when deciding who gets what spoils from those the military recovers and brings in for study."
Doom scowled at my words. He glanced at the wall, certainly in Storm's general direction, before looking back at me. Victor's emotions further settled down until he had them under reasonable control.
"Why are you really here? You didn't come to just vent at me, much less bring me a coffee for having to listen to you bitch at me," I gave him an unimpressed look.
"I've been thinking about what you teach us, what you told us, and what is happening," Doom said, tapping his temple with a finger. "Going forward like it is business like usual would be insane. What is happening is an ample demonstration that Earth isn't ready for the kind of war we might find ourselves fighting," 'And losing,' he didn't say aloud, yet his emotions and bearing made crystal clear what Victor was thinking. "I am many things, Stark. Insane, I am not.
Well, wasn't this interesting? I took another sip of my beverage to buy myself more time to think. Through the Force, I could sense his determination and frustration at admitting he wasn't up to the task by himself. In that regard, his emotions mirrored my own.
"We are at a disadvantage. It would take tremendous work and a lot of luck to get where we need to be to protect Earth," or more importantly, those on Earth we cared about.
"Letting it to politics and the 'free market' can get us all killed or worse, as you very well know. That is why you joined this SWORD initiative, wasn't it?" Doom inquired.
I nodded slowly, ensuring the only emotions he might sense were those I wanted him to. It was safe to let him think his idea on the matter was all there was to it. After all, what he suggested was perfectly accurate, just not all of the truth, far from it.
"When the opportunity arises, I might introduce you to a few acquaintances," I offered. It would be an excellent way to see if Doom knew precisely who they were and if he was already working with them. Either way, he could prove to be a valuable asset.