Chapter 10
"You're not what?"
"Neurotypical. I'm neurodivergent."
"Huh?"
"I have late-diagnosed dopamine attention variability executive dysfunction, which in acronym form is DAVED. It's also known as attention deficit hyperactive disorder or ADHD. It's not an attention deficit, though, it's just a difficulty regulating it. So it should be called DAVED."
"Uh-huh..."
"No. OK. Hear me out. People who have it have some type of hyper fixation, hyperfocus, and lack dopamine. DAVED makes more sense than ADHD."
"Did you not have the blend yesterday either?"
"I had my morning blend. I have one for the morning, 1200, and 1500. Like I said, hyper focus and hyper fixation. That's also why I focused more on studying than eating as a kid. I studied while I ate too and it drove everyone crazy and pissed them off to no end. It was funny. Doc was chill about it and liked hearing about all the stuff I learned. They're awesome. I'm rambling, aren't I?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah. OK. I'm gonna go talk to Rocket about my ideas and see about fixing my arrow."
"And maybe drink your morning blend," Steve scoffs and I shrug.
"Nah. I can focus on this stuff and other stuff I need to do because I like it. It's when I hate it that it becomes problematic. Deuces." I head to the Hangar where Rocket was and look around.
"Up here!" I look up and see him on the third level. "You got some new ideas for the bow?" I quickly climb the stairs and sit at his workbench with him. "What you thinking?"
"We gotta make it so arrows can be turned to into a disk with the bow. Or make arrows that go flat against your back and become normal when you nock them onto the bowstring. And I need some help fixing my arrow."
"Alright. Arrow's already fixed." He hands it to me and I whistle it into my holster, smiling when it goes smoothly as the connection flares.
"Thanks, Rocket." He nods and hands me a holoscreen. "Sketch the ideas?" He nods and I pick up the pen, doing that while he watches.
"OK, so. Here are my ideas. This one is where we attach a spot for the arrows to go onto the bow but there's the chance the arrows don't like being turned into disks and they break."
"Alright. What about this one?"
"It's my other idea. We design arrows that have mechanics to go flat and inflate, sorta, to be fired like a normal arrow when it gets nocked onto the bowstring with a little button thing. Would that be possible?"
"Maybe. We can try it and if it doesn't work we try designing something else. Keep designing, building, and testing until we get it right."
"How do you manage being the Lead Gunner and being the Co-Lead Engineer?"
"Carefully. When that idiot isn't in here, I am."
"Makes sense."
"Plus, I rotate every solar cycle for which team I focus on during it and use my free time to help the Engineering Team. And Pan comes to help out with the Gunners Team since Pac is the Lead Designer."
"Yeah. That's fair." He nods and gets to work on designing the ideas. "Later, Rocket. Keep me updated, yeah?"
"You got it." I leave and head to do other Captain things, managing to stay on task whenever I get started.
"Hello, Rogue," Mantis smiles as I'm working on something with Nebula and I smile back, getting sidetracked.
"Hey, Mantis. What are you up to?"
"Getting supplies for the Med Bay for Tex and Strange."
"Oh, yeah. We're probably gonna have to make a stop on Xandar for supplies soon."
"That's on the list of things to do this solar cycle, Captain. Have you had your blend yet?"
"Ah, no. Sorry, Neb. What were we talking about?"
"It's alright. All of the ships need to have their maintenance check for this lunar cycle, but we do not have all the equipment that we need because we haven't been able to repair it." I think and cross my arms slightly, probably looking pissed, to anyone who didn't know me.
"What pissed her off now?" Steve grumbles to Bucky and I look at him.
"Oh. I'm not mad. Just thinking. What equipment do we need?"
"All of it."
"Oh. That's nice. Hm... Do we have the equipment to run diagnostics on the ships?"
"In visors for one ship at a time, yes. But the machine that runs diagnostics for all of the ships at once is down as well."
"Alright. Let's make sure all of the Mechanics Team has that system installed on their visors and get them started on running diagnostics on the ships, two people for each one."
"And if they need help?"
"Anyone who isn't doing something important or helping Rocket on the Engineer and Tech Teams. If we do it like that, we should be able to get diagnostics for the ships done by third shift." She nods and sends a message to the teams to let them know what they need to do. "What next?"
"We need to go through our inventory of supplies." I groan softly and rub my face.
"I hate that job so much..."
"Yes. It can be quite boring. Who would you like to do it?" I think and rub the back of my neck slightly, seeing Steve and Bucky still by us.
"Hey!" They turn to look at us and come over when I motion them over. "You guys have nice handwriting, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Cool. Recruit two or three more people who have nice handwriting and get started on an inventory of our supplies. The people you choose can't be from any of the three teams that are working on the ships, though."
"Alright. Where are the supplies kept?"
"Um, Rogue, we have a slight problem..." I look at Mantis and she was very concerned.
"What's up?"
"We have very few medical supplies left."
"Oh. Yeah. That's a problem. Um... Time to go to Controls." I go that way and they follow. "Avu. Set a course for Xandar."
"That might not be the best idea, Captain..."
"Why?"
"Well... You might want to see for yourself..." She swipes a holoscreen over to me and I read it quickly before I reread it slower.
"I'm sorry, but... What kind of fuckery is this?"
"What is it?"
"I've got a bounty on my head for brainwashing Irani and she's been shipped off to Kyln Two for allowing a fugitive to escape numerous times as well as allowing them to kidnap numerous children."
"What does that mean?" I rub my temples and turn to look at Steve.
"Means we can't go to Xandar. They've got a bounty on every crew member. Even the kids. Which is bullshit, if you ask me." Odin, Frigga, and Thor had come in at some point and I look at them, mind running quickly. "Thor!" He jumps slightly and looks at me. "Can you teach me how you change your form?"
"Perhaps. Why?"
"They have bounties on our faces. But, if we aren't wearing our faces, we can get the supplies we need. They have descriptions of our ships..." I look at the holoscreen again and see something else they were charging me for. "You have got to be shitting me."
"What?"
"They're charging me for the deaths of Dad and Gamora. Assholes," I growl and rub my hands down my face harshly. "Alright. How to get around this. They have descriptions of all of our ships. And they've got all of the Ravagers in all of the Clans registered. Except for a few because they rarely left the ship..." I look at Nebula and she was waiting patiently. "Doc still on board?"
"Yes, Captain. They're in your Quarters right now along with the other Captains and First Mates. I was going to tell you after we got our list of things to do done."
"Good to know. Don't blame you. Get them, please." She nods and gets them.
"You brainwash people now?" Charlie smirks and I glare at him slightly before looking at Doc.
"Doc. Are your Lead Doc and Lead Designer Xandarians?"
"Yes."
"Are they registered as Ravagers?"
"No. They've never left the ship."
"Can I borrow an inconspicuous M-ship?"
"Why?"
"I need supplies and Knowhere is a terrible place to get medical supplies."
"Dear Gods. Never speak of doing such a thing ever again."
"Exactly."
"Of course. And the other information was for what?"
"I'll get to that in a second. You got pictures of them?"
"Yes..." They show me pictures of them and I look at them before showing Thor.
"They dating or married?"
"Married. To each other." I sigh but move on and look at Thor.
"Choose one." He swipes to the Lead Med and looks at his picture before there's a slight flash. He stands there looking like Doc's Lead Med and I nod. "Nice. Now... How the fuck do I do that?"
"Carefully," He says shortly with a smirk and I stare at him. "All you need to do is focus on who you wish to become and your body changing to become them." I swipe to the Lead Designer's picture and look at her, focusing for a moment as I give Yondu my arrow. I blink as there's a flash of light along with the feeling of bugs crawling on me and the others look at me, shocked.
"It work?"
"Yes. It even hid your implant."
"Will I still be able to use my arrow like this?" Thor shrugs and I roll my eyes before trying. Nothing happens and I run a hand through the hair I had now. "That's a weird feeling after so long... Where's the ship I can borrow, Doc?" Thor and I shift out of the forms for now and I shake my head slightly.
"Your Hangar right now. I'd move quickly, Rogue."
"Tell me about it. Come on." We head to the Hangar together and Thor smirks slightly.
"Should we act as though we are married?"
"You even try to do anything like I'm your wife and I'll rip you in half like you're a piece of paper," I say simply and he nods quickly.
"Understood."
"Good. This should be fun. Let's get this done." We go to the Hangar and board the ship. I pilot us out of the Hangar and toward Xandar.
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We get just outside the atmosphere when we're caught in a tractor beam and I look at a Nova Corps prison transport ship. "Rogue Laufeyson, prepare for boarding with the three people on your ship. Do not try to escape or fight," Someone says through my speakers and I look around quickly.
"Who else is on here?" I bark and Indri and Jason come up from the Gunners area.
"We thought you might need help," Jason says sheepishly and I feel my heart seize up, contacting Strange.
"Portal to me! NOW!" I look at the boarding area when it makes a swoosh and back at Thor quickly. "Get them through when it opens!"
"Ro-"
"That's an order as your fucking Captain!" I bark and punch one of the Corpsmen in the face as he comes through the area. A portal opens and I glance over my shoulder to see Thor hesitating. "GO!" I get punched in the face then get an electric stick slammed across my back and arch it as it sends shocks through my entire body, growling loudly. He does as he was told and Jason was trying to get free. They move the stick away and I whistle sharply, sending my arrow through the portal quickly. Yondu catches it and we make eye contact.
"Girl..."
I grin a copy of his knife one and wink at him, wiping the back of my hand across my mouth quickly. "You fucking cunt! You made me bleed my own blood!" I spin to punch them in the face and notice the portal close after another moment.
"They got away! But we should be able to get this one," Someone yells from behind me and another electric stick slams across my back, sending stronger shocks through me. I scream and feel myself falling as I slip into unconsciousness.
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I come too in a cell and stand up quickly, duster and gloves missing. "Glad to see you're finally awake." I turn toward the voice and see Nova Corpsman Nahisa in Nova Prime's outfit. "I never thought I'd get this kind of promotion but the people decided and I agree with their choice. We truly do have to deal with the scum of the Galaxy." I try to charge him but get stopped by the cuffs I had on and grunt, glaring at him.
"What the Hell do you want?"
"For you to answer for your crimes. Kidnapping, theft. Murder."
"I wasn't responsible for their deaths!"
"Of course you were! They died because you were too cowardly to do anything! That makes it your fault!" He presses a button and a video from that early morning plays. I clench my jaw and look away when they fall to the ground. "You will be shipped to the Kyln Two immediately."
"No trial?"
"You do not deserve one." I glare at him and he watches as more Nova Corpsmen come in. "Take her away."
"Yes, Sir." I start to fight and shocks go through my entire body, making me scream as I fall to my knees, panting. They drag me out of there and throw me into another cell on the ship, among more prisoners being shipped off. I roll slightly and pass out.
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I wake when we dock at the Kyln Two and someone opens my cell door. "Get up, Laufeyson." I struggle to get to my feet and they attach more chains to the cuffs on my ankles and wrists.
"They caught her? I thought she was known for being so hard to catch?" They shove me slightly and I growl but follow the line of other prisoners.
"Search her thoroughly and make sure she has the right size uniform. Or the closest we can get for this freak."
"Yes, Ma'am." I get taken into a room with other female species and shoved against a wall, grunting. "Spread your legs."
"Kinda hard to do when they're cuffed to each other, don't ya think?" They make my knees buckle in response and I grunt as I fall against the wall.
"That backtalk, doll?"
"I can show you backtalk if you want. That's nothing." They shove me further into the wall and kick my legs apart before they search me roughly. "Damn. Got a temper this solar cycle, have we?"
"Always do when I have a filthy Ravager in my midst."
"Oh, you wound me deeply. We're better than the Destroyers. At least we have rules to live by."
"Never stopped you, now did it?" I chuckle darkly and they spin me around to search my front.
"Hey, do me a favor?"
"What's that?"
"Tell me if this hurts." I lean down and headbutt them hard, causing them to fall to the floor, unconscious. "Guess it did." I yank on the chains to lift my arms and they jerk them to a stop. "Alright." I lower my arms before yanking them upward harshly and send the chains flying in pieces. "That's better." I look at my sleeves to see that they had ripped and just tear them off of my arms. "Huh. That's a first." I get tackled to the floor and they finish searching me, taking the three rings I had along with my Walkman.
"I'll hold onto these. You probably stole them anyway."
"You give those back or I swear to all of the Gods, I'll come down on this place with a wrath equal to all of them," I snarl and they laugh.
"How? Your powers do nothing here. You're powerless." They drag me to my feet and throw me into an area where I get cleaned by a high-pressure hose before being shoved through another doorway to get the stupid jumpsuit, uniform, whatever they want to call it. I pull it on along with the shoes they gave and the uniform was too short. The shirt was like a crop top and the pants were like capris.
"Great," I mutter and go past a few people, getting something shoved against my stomach.
"Welcome to the Kyln Two." I ignore them and take the roll with me, pissed. I put it on my shoulder and wrap my arm around it, looking around slightly. I count the cameras and work on figuring out their blind spots so that I can find a good place to change my form into a guard.
"Yeah! Kill the bitch!" I look toward a crowd and see a bunch of people ganging up on someone.
"Well... That just won't do." I go over and punch one of them in the face, sending them flying.
Everything freezes and I look at the person they were ganging up on, pulling them to their feet. "Rogue..."
"Irani."
"What happened?"
"Got caught."
"Right..." I push her down and kick another prisoner in the stomach, sending them flying into a group of prisoners.
"Guards don't break up fights?"
"They're here to make sure no one escapes," Someone yells and I slam my elbow into their face.
"If you're going to try to get the drop on me, don't give yourself away by yelling. Idiot." I look around and a few of the prisoners step back. "Listen up! This person right here is under my protection! Any of you lay a finger on her, you're gonna come back with no arm! Or no feeling in it! Depends on how generous I feel like being!"
"You ain't got your knife! You don't scare me!" An idiot yells as he comes up and swings at Irani. I catch his fist and look at him with glowing eyes.
"Big mistake, dumbass." I slam my fist against his arm and feel the bone shatter beneath it while the others hear it. He screams and falls to the floor. The guards glance our way but don't care and I grab Irani's arm, pulling her closer. "Once again! My fucking protection! Hurt her, I hurt you! Any damned questions? No? GOOD! C'mon," I mutter to her and lead her away quickly, sitting at a table with my back against a corner with her to my right. "You know the blind spots of the cameras, right?"
"Yes, why?"
"We're busting out of here. Soon as I can incapacitate a guard and take their form. What ones can get the stuff in impound?"
"Any guard can. But you would need a higher-up guard to get any ships out of impound."
"Like who? Don't point or nod. Describe them."
"The female Xandarian with purple, blue, and green hair is someone who would work. However, she is smart and strong. She would have made an excellent Corpswoman if she had managed to get a handle on her temper and didn't deal with Ego all those years ago."
"How can we lead her into a blind spot?"
"She seems to go into them willingly. Where will you put her once she is incapacitated?"
"Vents in a blind spot."
"Alright. When are we doing this, Rogue?"
"After the other prisoners are asleep." She nods and I hold her arm slightly. "Do not leave my side and I'm gonna have to cuff you so it seems less suspicious."
"That's fair." I nod and lead her to hide as the other prisoners are herded somewhere to sleep. "Here is a blindspot. This entire passageway is." I crouch slightly and get her on my back before I climb into the rafters, crouching there to wait for that Xandarian woman. "Her name is Zelth."
"Good to know. Now shut up." She nods and carefully crouches next to me.
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We end up waiting there for three hours and I have to carefully stretch my legs in a lunge, holding onto the beam as I do. Irani points below us and I see Zelth come into the passageway, looking around. She takes out a cigarette and lights it, smoking it slowly. "Ugh... Fucking finally..." I hook my legs around the beam and lower myself down slowly as she finishes the cigarette, putting it out.
I grab her and cover her mouth, holding her hands tightly as I lift her into the rafters. "Don't you know those things will kill you?" Irani was hiding in the shadows and Zelth looks at me, terrified. "Now... I'm going to knock you out then I'm out of here. Have a good sleep." I knock her out quickly and quietly before I cuff her to an upright beam, gagging her then taking anything she could use to contact anyone. I make sure she won't fall out of the rafters and climb back down, quickly transforming into her form.
Irani drops down and I grab her, cuffing her quickly. I head toward impound and Irani sticks to the blind spots, hiding in the shadows once we get to impound. "Captain Zelth," The one who took my rings and Walkman says as they stand and I look at them, noticing a camera then the blind spot.
"I need to talk to you about that Ravager's shit." They come over and I make sure there was only one camera before I knock them out. "Fucking cunt," I mutter and stuff them in a closet before I get my stuff, finding Doc's ship quickly. "There." I take my stuff out of impound and grab Irani, moving quickly to Doc's ship. I board it with her and she puts in an override code before I pilot it out.
"Well... That went better than expected."
"Not out of the woods yet, Irani." I quickly go through a set of jumps and wind up outside of my ship, seeing more Nova Corps ships waiting. "Fuck, dude... FUCK!" I think about what to do and dock in the hangar, cloaked. No one was in there and I disembark quickly, still in Zelth's form. I go through the ship and see my crew and family being detained in Mess.
"Nova Prime sent you?" A Corpsman scoffs and everyone looks at me as I descend a flight of stairs.
"Yeah. Got a problem with it?"
"We don't need a rotten Kyln Guard to help us collect these fugitives. They made it easy for us."
"Mhmm." I look around and smirk slightly before schooling my face, looking at the one who was talking. "Guess what, genius?"
"What?"
"You're missing one. The fast guy."
"The other Maximoff?"
"I don't fucking know, dumbass."
"He wasn't on here. Just like that bitch Laufeyson."
"Oh. Interesting. Because... Both of us are on board."
"Both of who? Did you get in the middle of too many fights at the Kyln, Zelth?"
"Oh... That's right... Let me make it easier for you..." I go over to him and grab him by the front of his uniform, shifting back to my form easily as Pietro slides to a stop next to me. "Zelth is otherwise unavailable at the moment. Please leave a message with the bitch Laufeyson at the punch."
"The punch?"
"The punch." I deck him in the face and send him flying into the opposite wall. "Got a message?" The other Corpsmen look at me and I shift into a fighting stance easily, not in the fucking mood to play around. "Try me," I snarl and they look past me.
"You got out too?" I turn to see Irani standing there and she comes over, standing in front of me. "Nova Prime, Ma'am... You have no clue how happy we are that you are out of that prison..."
"He's gotten too tyrannical," A woman says softly and I look at her, recognizing her as Nova Corpswoman Nahisa. "He's sending people to the prison for no reason and crimes that they were already cleared of committing. He... He needs to be stopped..." I can see it pains her to say that and I look at her, thinking.
"Why should we believe you?" They all look at me and she was shocked. "You're his wife. This could all be some plan of yours to set a trap. Why should we believe that anything you've said is true?"
"I can tell you whether it is truth or lie," Mantis says as she slowly stands and I look at Nahisa.
"Well?"
"Do it..." Mantis goes over and touches her hand gently, antennae glowing.
"She is telling the truth, Rogue... And it pains her deeply to admit this about her husband..."
"I can see that much. Thanks, Mantis." She nods and moves away from her a few steps. "You got a plan to deal with him?"
"Reveal that he helped... Helped put those children on the street... Helped Ego... Helped the people who killed your family... Helped them find you... Helped himself get put into such a high position... And helped create those outrageous allegations against Nova Prime..."
"How?"
"I have copies of everything of his... I am his wife..."
"True, true. Where are the copies?" She hands me the holopad and I make it a holoscreen, seeing the proof as clear as glass. "What will all of this do to you?"
"I will be outcasted and sent to Kyln Two for my safety... I am his wife..."
"OK, yeah. Or... You could ditch that and join us?"
"No thank you."
"Worth a shot." I shrug and look at the proof some more. "Offer will be open if you ever change your mind, though."
"Thank you, but I highly doubt that I will."
"We aren't that bad, y'know? Worst we do is steal shit." She nods slightly and I think a bit. "Rocket. Tie that cunt over there up in case he wakes up." He does that with Groot's help and props him against the wall.
"Rogue, while that is... Amazing, are you going to get changed?" Mantis asks and I remember I'm wearing the stupid Kyln jumpsuit.
"Right... Right... Yeah. That's a good idea. The colors are too damned bright. Give me a minute." I grab my bag of stuff from the stairs and go to get changed.