Chapter 11
I come back in as I'm pulling my duster on and straighten out the lapels of it with a slight tug and shrug of my shoulders. "You still got my arrow?" Yondu tosses it toward me and I catch it easily, putting it in its holster. "Alright. He's upped the security on Xandar. By how much?"
"Traitors," The tied-up guy yells and I look at him. "You're all cowardice traitors! Especially you! You're doing this to your husband! Have you no sense of honor?"
"Hey," I bark and he looks at me to get a Kyln Two distributed shoe to his face, effectively knocking him out again. "Shut the fuck up. Jesus fuck. He always like that?"
"Yes."
"Gods. I feel sorry for you guys. Having to listen to that screechy fucking voice all the damned time. Fuck, dude." I adjust my glasses slightly and look at the holoscreen that had gotten set up on the Captain's table, crossing my arms. "Alright. How much did he up the security?"
"An outrageous amount. There are Nova Corps ships at the edge of the atmosphere with species screening technology to compare to the list of fugitives, which has grown since he's taken over. Even small infractions end with the person being shipped to the Kyln Two."
"Damn. Tyranny. Never ends well, does it?"
"Yeah. Look at Hitler and Stalin," Peter scoffs and I nod.
"Dead and deader."
"You're going to kill him?"
"Not what I said, Corpswoman Nahisa. Just referencing Terran history. The two tyrants he said died of suicide and a stroke leading to a brain hemorrhage because everyone was too scared of him to make sure he was still alive and taken care of. The plan isn't to kill him."
"What is the plan, then?"
"Overthrow him and ship him off to the Kyln Two."
"And if that doesn't work?"
"Then there's the possibility that he might end up dead."
"Well... He will do whatever it takes to stay in power."
"How many people will we have on our side?"
"Most of the Nova Corps."
"And there hasn't been an uprising yet?"
"He has the parents of the children he put on the street on his side, as well."
"Because they don't know he's the one behind putting them on the street."
"Yes."
"Awesome, awesome... Are the Corpsmen he has on his side reasonable?" I lean against the Captain's table and look at Corpswoman Nahisa, palms resting on the table on either side of me.
"Yes, very."
"So they'll leave him in the mud once they've been shown this evidence?"
"Yes." I nod and cross my arms, thinking.
"Then... Let's make sure everyone knows about it quickly, yeah?"
"How?"
"We do what we did with this holopad on a larger scale."
"He'll try to stop us."
"How's he going to do that when he has fugitives all over Xandar?"
"What's your plan?"
"Well, first of all, we have to see what comes up when me or Thor are wearing someone else's forms." I look at Thor and he looks around, shifting into the Corpsman who's unconscious. I pull up my species indicator and smirk slightly. "Xandarian. Not bad, Thor." He shifts back and crosses his arms as he leans against a wall.
"It read Xandarian when you were impersonating Zelth, as well," Another Corpsman says and I nod. "Is that your plan?"
"The plan is to take every single damned ship in my Hangar, head to Xandar, dock the ships, and scatter in the wind. I'll be coming with you, Corpswoman Nahisa, Thor will go with Nova Prime and another one of you. You and I are going to make sure everyone knows the truth."
"And him?"
"Throw him in a loading bay on one of the ships. I don't care." I look around and notice the kids were gone. "Where are the kids?"
"He is the lead Corpsman here."
"That didn't answer my question... Where. Are. The. Kids?"
"He ordered for them to be shipped to an orphanage... They ran and we don't know where they went..." I sigh softly in relief and think for a moment.
"All of your Corpsmen still on the ship?"
"Yes."
"Then they didn't find them. Good." I press a button on my wrist com and lift it to my mouth slightly before talking into it. "Alright, jackasses. Let's see what you remember. What a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore. I chime in with a." I press the button and wait for a moment.
"Haven't you people ever heard of, closing a God-damned door? No, it's much better to face these kinds of things, with a sense of poise and rationality," They call from different levels of Mess and I grin up at them.
"Panic at the Disco. Classics and best way to bring anyone with culture out of hiding. Get your asses down here." They come down the steps quickly and the ones on low enough levels just jump the railings. "I ever see you do that again, I'll break your damned leg if the fall doesn't first."
"You do it all the time."
"Because I'm the Captain and older than all of you twerps." Indri rolls his eyes slightly and I shove him away from me with a hand on his forehead, keeping him at arm's reach.
"You found the children. Lovely. Now, ship them off to the orphanage on Knowhere!" I look at the tied-up guy and go over to him, grabbing him by the front of his shirt.
"You were going to ship my kids, brother, and basically my little sister off to an orphanage where they sell the kids' bodies to the highest bidders? Are you fucking shitting me, asshole?" My eyes were glowing and he looked terrified. "I'll make sure you're right alongside your buddy at the Kyln Two because what you were planning makes you a child trafficker. And... Ravagers don't put up with people who deal in kids. Be glad I don't throw you into the deep now and save everyone some time and effort, jackass."
"Fuck. You." He spits in my face and I wipe it off, standing. I lift him off the ground and hold him eye-level with me.
"Kids. Move out of the way a little bit." They part and make a large gap to the stairs. "Perfect. Want to see what it's like to fly without a ship?" I throw him into the stairs and bend them as he hits them. "Damn. I'd make a killer pitcher in baseball." I roll my shoulder slightly and look at the, once again, unconscious Corpsman.
"Put him in the loading bay of the Milano and each of you take a kid or two on whatever ship you take. Avu, the ships will be undocking a decent distance from Xandar's atmosphere. Once they do, dock our ship and join in the madness."
"Really?"
"Really. We need all the help we can get to confuse the shit out of some asshats."
"Hells yeah! I'll go plot a course!" She goes to do that and I look at the kids.
"Make sure you have smoke bombs and stun orbs. Non-lethal combat today." They nod and run to do that. "Get teams on ships and leave room for one or two kids. Let's go. Thor, get with a Corpsman and Nova Prime. Corpswoman Nahisa. Lead the way, please." She does and I follow while Thor and Irani pair up with a Corpsman who was silent the whole time. We go through the jumps and I can see Xandar in the distance.
"Hey, kid!" I pause and look at Rocket, catching a set of keys that had something similar to Tony's arc reactor. "When you've got that setup, contact Strange and he'll open a portal the loading bay of my ship, Chaos. Something is waiting for you to join in on the fun. That circle thing is to start it up."
"This a good or bad something?"
"Entirely up to you," He smirks and climbs up Groot to sit on his shoulder. "Confuse the shit out of them, kid."
"You too, Rat." I toss the keys in the air and catch them as another Corpswoman. I follow Nahisa onto her ship and she pilots us toward Xandar.
All of the Nova Corps ships get through the atmosphere no problem and I watch as most of the other ships do too, the rest cloaking themselves to get past too. It also helps that I hacked the ships around the atmosphere so they couldn't capture any of ours and Corpswoman Nahisa docks her ship next to the other Corpsmen's ships. We all disembark and I see Thor disguised as the Corpsman I kept knocking out. They go in different directions while Corpswoman Nahisa and I go toward the building across from the largest building in the square and she lets us into it so we can get to the roof.
"We need someone who has a higher rank than I do to get to the roof. If we don't, the alarm will go off and there will be numerous Nova Corpsmen here in a matter of minutes." I look around and see one camera, ducking under it.
"Zelth's a Captain, right?"
"Correct." I shift into Zelth's form and have her outfit on as well, along with her badge. "I see."
"Let's go." We climb the stairs quickly to get to the roof and greet other Corpsmen we see on our way.
"We're here." I swipe her badge and it lets us up with a beep. I shut the door behind us and barricade it with plants after shifting back to my own form.
"Alright. Let's set it up to project on that building." She nods and we get started on that.
"There. We just need to start showing the evidence and give the information on what they're viewing." I show her how to tell everyone what they're seeing and she nods.
"You've got this and they won't be able to stop you with that door. We'll keep any ships from taking off to stop you that way."
"Thank you..."
"No problem." I press a few buttons and contact Strange. "Alright, Strange. Let's see what this is." A portal opens in front of me and I go through it, looking around the loading bay. "No. Way." I smirk and get it ready.
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"Where the Hell is she?" Rocket yells into his coms as he runs around the corner of a building and hides there with Strange, both panting.
"I opened the portal for her, so she's on her way," He responds calmly and he glares at him. "I believe that I hear her coming now."
"What?"
"Listen." An engine was roaring closer and a black BMX bike with the Ravager Flames on it stops at the edge of the alley. The rider was wearing a black helmet with two different Flames on each side and flips open the visor to smirk at them.
"Finally! Fucking took you long enough!"
"Dude. You have no clue how long I've wanted one of these after the one I had as a kid from when Keiko was little!"
"Well, good. Wanna use it to fucking help now?"
"Right! On it!" I flip the visor down and easily spin it around, gunning it toward the square. I take my helmet off and look around, smirking. "Hey! Corpsman Nahisa! Come get me, ya bitch! Wanda hit the switch for the ships."
"On it, Captain." I see a lot of smoke from where the Nova Corps ships were before they start to try to run to capture me while Nahisa watches from the sidelines with the citizens. I put the helmet back on and rev the engine slightly, smirking. They surround me and I look around slightly, noticing the rest of the Ravagers had gathered around to see how it was going.
"Let's see who blinks first, yeah?" I gun for the Corpsmen and they quickly roll to the side to get out of my way. I gun towards the crowd and turn to ride around them until I stop in front of the largest building, taking off my helmet. "HIT IT!"
"What you're all seeing above Captain Laufeyson is evidence that the current Nova Prime has done unspeakable acts. He had been the one behind the children having to live on the streets, helped the murderous Celestial Ego in trafficking his children, helped the Kree and Skrull find and murder countless people, helped himself get into this position, and created all of the outrageous, heinous allegations against the Former Nova Prime, Irani Rael," Corpswoman Nahisa says clearly as the damning evidence happens above me and I watch the other Nahisa as the other Xandarians register what this proof means.
"Under direction from him, we were to send numerous children to an orphanage on Knowhere that would commit unspeakable acts to them. Please do not buy into any more of his lies as I have. Do not look at this evidence and turn away from it because you believe that you know him, as I have. Do the right thing, as I now am."
The parents were pissed and I see him about to run. "Rogue. If you would," Irani says as he bolts and I smirk, putting my helmet back on.
"My pleasure." I follow him quickly and turn in front of him to cut him off. "Don't embarrass yourself anymore than you already have." He tries to run again and I sigh, capturing him with vines. "What'd I just say?" I grab him and throw him over my shoulder before walking back over to the square with my bike. I drop him on the ground in front of Irani and the Corpsman I kept knocking out was next to him, awake. I prop my bike against the wall and hold my helmet under my arm. "There we are." I make a slight circular motion with my fingers at Nahisa and the vines around him wither, falling to the ground. He starts to stand and freezes when his blaster is pressed against his head.
"Who said you could get up? Sit your stupid ass down. Right now." He lowers himself back down to one knee and I hold his blaster at my side, looking at Irani. "How does this shit work exactly?"
"You never learned? Typical of a thief," Nahisa scoffs and I look at him.
"I did learn, it just didn't stick."
"The citizens choose who Nova Prime is, Captain Laufeyson," She explains and I nod. "Who do you choose? The man who has done nothing but lie to all of you and send you to the Kyln Two for the smallest of infractions? Or myself?"
"That's all you're going to say about yourself?"
"Yes. Because that's all that needs to be said." I shrug one shoulder and lean against the building, watching. A man comes forward and looks at Irani.
"We choose you, Nova Prime, Ma'am."
"You can't do this! Th-"
"Shut up," I growl and he shuts up quickly.
"Will... Will the ones who were shipped to the Kyln Two be brought back?"
"Yes, they will be. As soon as possible. They will be replaced by the two men here."
"Seems fair to me," I smirk and the guys glare at me.
"You're nothing but a liar, thief, killer, and kidnapper," Nahisa snarls and I crouch in front of him, smiling sweetly.
"But, which one of us is going to the Kyln Two? Because... It seems like it's going to be you. Not me. Have fun, darling," I smirk coldly and stand, dusting my hands off slightly. "Anything else I can be of assistance with, Nova Prime, Ma'am?"
"No, Captain. You're all free to go. And your records will be expunged, as they should be." I rest my fist over my heart and bow my head.
"Thank you, Ma'am. Good day."
"Good day, Captain." I nod and grab my bike as Morgan comes over, limping a bit.
"Dad said I could ride it back with you cuz I hurt my ankle."
"Yeah, that's fair. Got a helmet?" She shakes her head and I look at her, thinking.
"Catch." Rocket tosses me a helmet for her and I catch it, putting it on her head. "All the kids have one made for when we go to Terra again."
"Good." I swing my leg over my bike and sit before picking her up, setting her on the back after kicking out the footpegs. "Helmet on tight?" She nods and I nod slightly, putting my helmet on. She wraps her arms around me and I let her, starting the bike up. "Meet you guys back at the ship." I kick us off and speed toward the docks, making sure Morgan stays where she is with a small but strong vine as she holds onto me tightly.
"Are we there yet?" She asks in a yell as I slow to a crawl to get back into the loading bay of the Shadowblade and put the kickstand down.
"We're back." I take the key out and put it in my pocket, taking my helmet off after. I get off and set it on the handlebar then do the same with Morgan's helmet. "How's your ankle doing?"
"Hurts a lot..."
"Alright. It hurt when you put pressure and weight on it?"
"Yeah..."
"Alright." I pick her up and carry her to Med, setting her on a cot before raising it as I sit to be able to look at her ankle better. "Let's see..." I carefully take her boot off and she cries out. "It's alright. Just gotta be able to see what's wrong with it, alright?" She nods and I smile gently at her, activating a system in my glasses to see if she broke anything.
"You seriously think of me as your little sister?" She asks softly as I scan her ankle and I find out what's wrong.
"You fractured your ankle, kid. Let's put it in a brace and it'll be good as new in... A week, I think." I slide the stool I was in over to the storage cabinet.
"That didn't answer my question." I grab a brace for her foot to her knee and slide back over, thinking. "Do you think of me as your little sister?" I put her boot back on her foot carefully and put the brace on over it, activating the laser beams.
"I think... That you're all set." She looks at me and I smile, hands on my knees as I think about her question a bit. "I think... You're a sweet kid and smart, you've got both of your parents in you, you're a good kid, you're good at hiding when you need to and fighting, and you're insanely in love with my little brother."
"What? No, I'm not!" I just smirk and she doesn't respond.
"Well, whatever. You're a good kid, smart, strong, nice, sweet, you've got sugar, spice, and everything nice." She laughs at that and I smile, gently wiping her tears away like Keiko would do for me. "So... Yeah. You're like my little sister because you remind me a lot of Keiko and my Mom, mainly Keiko though. So... Keep it up, yeah?"
"I will."
"Good job today, by the way."
"Thanks!"
"Would've been better if you didn't get hurt, though..." She kinda glares at me and I smile charmingly at her, winking slightly as I stand. "Alright. Let's see how well you can walk with that. And if I even gave you the right one."
"You did, Cap," Tex says as he comes over and lowers the cot.
"Nice." I help her off of the cot and she walks a bit, kind of limping because of the difference in height between her boots. "Hmm... Let's find a way to fix that slight limp of yours." I have her sit on the cot again and look at her feet. "About two inches of difference between the bottom of the brace and the bottom of your boot. Tex, you got anything that could mold to the sole of her boot?"
"We can give her a thicker soled boot instead, Cap."
"Yeah. But this way is more fun." He shakes his head slightly and goes over to the closet, pulling out a pair of thick-soled boots.
"Here, Morgan. These should be your size and will make it more even to walk on." She swaps boots and smiles at us.
"Thanks, Tex. Thanks, Captain." She gets off of the cot and leaves. I toss her the other boot as she does and she goes to put the singles in her Quarters.
"Alright. Later, Tex."
"Cap. You alright?"
"Yeah. Why?" He grabs my bag of Leathers from before I got taken to the Kyln and pulls out my clothes to show that they all had a hole burned through them.
"The last shock you got was strong enough to burn through your clothes. Are you sure you're alright?"
"A little sore. I'll be fine, Tex. Nothing I haven't had before." He looks at me before nodding and I leave to do things that I need to do.