Chapter 17
The lights get turned down and a huge holoscreen pops up. Mantis, Rocket, and I stand and move quietly through the tables while the others stay back, Groot in my bag. We go around a corner and Rocket hands me a thin blade. I pop off the cover to the vent and put Groot in it before putting the cover back on. "Alright, Groot. You're up. Get moving." He nods and goes through the vent to the next opening while we head to the place the artifact is being stored.
"Halt. This area is restricted to partygoers," A Corpsman says and I look around in confusion.
"Isn't this the way to the bathrooms?"
"No."
"Could you point us in the direction of the bathrooms, then?" I go over to him and he nods, starting to point down a hall.
"You take that hall and turn right at the end. The restrooms will be there."
"Thanks, huge help." I smile and he nods while I look at him. "Were you in the Battle against Ronan?"
"Yes."
"I heard it was rough. The huge ship broke through your defenses and the nutcase almost destroyed this glorious planet. Right?" He nods and was only focusing on me while Rocket and Mantis sneak past him. "Oh, that's terrible. Lost a lot of your comrades, huh?"
"Yes, they were all good soldiers."
"I bet they were. Friends?"
"And family."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. That sounds terrible."
"It was quite terrible."
"I heard that the Guardians were the ones that carried the whole operation and fight, though."
"In a way, yes. They went against Ronan and took the stone, saving Xandar at the end of the battle by killing Ronan. Who told you this?"
"My Dad."
"And who is your father?" I run through anyone who looks remotely like me and I lie through my teeth, in a way.
"Kraglin Obfonteri."
"I see. You must have gotten your beauty from your mother, then."
"So I'm told. I don't remember her very well. And there aren't many pictures of her... I lost the one that I had a while ago."
"Oh. I am deeply sorry."
"Oh, it's not your fault. My own stupidity, honestly. Got fooled by a group of people and they destroyed the picture." In reality, the picture slipped out of my pocket and the wind took it.
"Wha' the Hell are ya doin', Kid?" Kraglin asks softly in confusion and the Nova Corpsman looks at me.
"Well, I am still deeply sorry for you losing the picture you had of your mother."
"Yeah... It sucks..." I clear my throat slightly and swallow a bit.
"Your father is Kraglin Obfonteri, correct?"
"Yup."
"You are aware that he is wanted by the Nova Corps for numerous crimes, correct? Well, he was. Before he and his Captain had their crew help save Xandar."
"Yeah. Honestly, it's awesome being his kid. It's glorious."
"How so?"
"Yeah, 'ow?" Kraglin scoffs and I hear something from his side. "Got it!" He laughs and I smile a bit.
"Well, he's one of the best shots, pilots, blade wielders, fighters, and he has some moves. It's nice to learn what he knows, you know?" He nods and I smile, noticing Rocket and Mantis sneaking past us again. "Anyway... It was nice talking to you. Thank you for helping protect Xandar." I give him a bit of a curtsy and he bows in response before I leave, feeling even more drained. "I'm gonna need to sleep for an entire solar cycle after this... Or be around people or do things that give me energy instead of draining it... Gods..." I let out a short huff of breath and sit at the table with the others, Rocket still missing.
"Where's Rocket?"
"Finding Groot," Mantis supplies for Dad and I nod slightly, rubbing my face with both hands with more force than necessary. "You should not rub your face with such force, Rogue."
"Oh, tha's wha' Ah fergot 'bout! 'Ere, Kid," Kraglin chuckles and music comes over our communications, making me chuckle softly. "Tha' oughta 'elp ya, yeah?"
"Yeah... It'll help... Thanks..."
"Yeah, wha'eva."
"Can't have you breaking down in public on a job," Rocket points out when he sits down with Groot and Groot comes over to me, jumping into my lap. He extends his arms to hug me and I'm shocked, hugging him back after a moment as I feel myself get a bit of energy from the hug.
"Thanks, Twig... Didn't know how much I needed a hug," I whisper, voice hidden from the others by the crappy music playing around us, and he hugs me tighter, smiling.
"I am Groot!"
"Yeah, the idiot's right about that. You do give good hugs." I pat his back awkwardly as I let him go and he lets me go, sitting in my lap. "Gods, I can not wait to get out of this stupid dress and get back in my leathers."
"Tell me 'bout it, Girl," Yondu scoffs and tugs at the tie around his neck. "A damned colla'," He mutters under his breath and I glance at him, knowing what he means.
"Well, I vote we change into our leathers then just burn these outfits. They're uncomfortable, annoying, and you can't hide anything in them. You have pockets and I have to carry a damned bag around. It's bullshit."
"Where would you burn them?" Dad scoffs and I look at him.
"Find a firepit or make one. Or, better yet, just light 'em up in the middle of town. And then run like Hell to not get caught. That's my idea of a good time."
"Setting things on fire?" He rolls his eyes and I shrug with a slight smile and chuckle.
"I mean, maybe. I meant the running part, though. Running from authorities is amazing! The rush and thrill of it... It's amazing. The knowledge that you could get caught if you aren't careful gives you extra incentive. And you have to use your brains and any brawn you have. Same with during a fight. The need to survive outweighs everything else. That's why anxiety's annoying because you think you're always gonna die. But, because of that, you're always thinking of ways things will go wrong. So it makes making plans easier and will make the plan more effective. Anyway, not the point. Running from authorities is fun. And you can't change my mind on that."
"You're insane," Rocket says simply and I let out a short laugh.
"Oh, yeah. Absolutely. One hundred percent." I feel recharged around them with the music and smile, putting Groot on the table. "The invite said there'd be food. What's happening with that?"
"It was a lie to get people to come."
"Oh, those bastards." Gamora digs around in her bag on her chair and hands me a piece of chocolate. "Dope. Thanks." I eat half of it and give the other half to Groot. He smiles brightly and eats it, kicking his legs slightly. How is someone who could kill me with a thought so damned cute? "When can we leave?"
"When it's over."
"Will I have to deal with random people anymore?"
"Probably."
"The correct answer was no. Because if I do, I'm going to get arrested for beating the crap out of them. Because that will allow me to leave."
"In cuffs."
"If they catch me. For longer than pulling me off of the person."
"You're seriously violent. You know that?" Dad looks at me and I look at him blankly.
"Yes. I am well aware."
"Why are you so eager to leave?" Drax looks at me and I motion at all of the people.
"There are too many people. Even with some chocolate, music, and you idiots to help me recharge a bit, I'm still drained. And I just want to leave, get some food from Cookie, get some other type of work done, and sleep. Preferably in that order, with getting changed somewhere in there."
"Recharge you? What? Are you an android now?" Dad scoffs and I look at him.
"No, I'm Obi-Wan." His eyes widen like a kid at Christmas and I realize I've made a mistake.
"You know about Star Wars?"
"Jesus Christ... Yes, I know about those stupid movies. The ones you somehow managed to get, Kraglin showed me when we had downtime. They're stupid and make no sense."
"Did you watch them in order?"
"Yes, we watched them in order. How stupid do you think we are?"
"What order?"
"The order they came out. Duh."
"No, you gotta watch it in a certain order."
"That's stupid. If they're supposed to be watched in that order, why weren't they released in that order?"
"I don't know. And those movies are cinematic masterpieces!"
"They're a bunch of idiots running around with hot light-up sticks trying to do some different stupid bullshit!"
"Fine, we don't agree on that. What about Footloose? Is it still the best movie ever?"
"I don't think it ever was." He looks offended and I shrug slightly. "It's a weird movie, dude."
"Yeah, well... Shut up, you're a weird kid." He sulks and I look at him then at the others.
"Is... Is he serious right now?" They nod and I pinch the bridge of my nose, not in the mood for this.
The lights brighten and I squint my eyes slightly. "Thank you all for coming and I wish you safe travels to your homes and ships." People applaud while we stand and head for the exits.
The Guardians are let out easily while Yondu and I get frisked again, a female Corpsman frisking me. "Is this seriously necessary?"
"We have numerous artifacts and objects here that are valuable. That people wish to steal."
"And we're those people?"
"Yes." I clench my jaw slightly to keep from saying anything and walk with Yondu when she finally decides I didn't steal anything.
"Fuck the Nova Corps. Bunch of fucking assholes." Yondu pats my back and we board the ship, music still playing. Kraglin had his earpieces in and was vibing to something, his feet in my seat with his eyes closed, his seat leaned back. I kick his feet out of my seat and he sits up, looking at me as he takes his earpieces out.
"Took long 'nough."
"Tell us about it." I collapse into my seat and he looks at me while I strap in, he and Yondu doing the same. "Oh, we watched Star Wars in the wrong order."
"Uh, tha' ain't right." He pilots off of the planet.
"We didn't watch it in the understandable order."
"Huh?"
"Exactly." He looks more confused at that and I shrug, leaning back in the chair with my eyes closed. "I don't know, dude. Your brother's a fucking idiot."
"Yer Daddy, yeah."
"Same person."
"Ya wish Ah was yer Daddy?" Yondu chokes on something and I open my eyes to see him wiping his mouth of booze.
"Wha'?"
"I distracted a Nova Corpsman by talking about Krags and my Mom. Krags in the position of being my father," I explain and he nods a bit, making sure communications were off as I put my earpiece up. "And you two are more or less my parents because Dad just yells and tries to control what I do when he's around. So, I don't have to wish because you might as well be. I ain't calling you Dad, either. Don't want to hurt Quill's feelings or ego by calling someone else 'Dad'," I scoff and close my eyes again, missing the way both of them look at me.
"Rat's right. Yer insane."
"Yup. I blame trauma and abuse for that." I feel the ship dock in the hangar and unstrap, standing. "I'm going to go get changed, get food, then get some work done."
"Yer with Segs."
"Aye, Cap." I disembark the ship and go to get changed, changing quickly before going to Mess.
"Here's your food. Leave me alone and I hope you choke."
"So do I at this point." Cookie looks shocked and I go to sit with Segs.
"Oh! Hello, my dear." He smiles brightly at me and I smile back a bit, starting to eat. "Captain tells me that you will be with me for a while, yes?" I nod and he nods back, eating as well. "May I ask why you are not sitting with Captain?" I shrug and he looks at me. "Would you prefer if we eat in silence for a little while?" I nod and he smiles gently at me, doing just that.
"Hey, I thought you were with me," Nudran calls when he comes in and I shrug.
"Captain said I was with Segs now."
"Damn. I was gonna make you sort out some more missions," He smirks and I roll my eyes. "Good luck, Segs. Heard she's better at wrecking clothes than she is at fixing them." I roll my eyes and finish eating with Segs. "Keep your blood in your fingers, yeah?"
"Yeah, yeah," I mutter and we deal with our trays before we head out of Mess.
"Hey, ya know I'm just fucking with you, yeah?"
"I'm aware, Nudran. Just not in the mood." I go with Segs to the designer's area and he waves his arms around slightly.
"Welcome to my kingdom." He smiles and I chuckle softly.
"It is a lovely kingdom."
"Thank you, my dear." He smiles brightly at me and I smile back. "Let us get some work done, yes?" I nod and he shows me what to do. I work with him on it.
"I believe that you should go get some sleep, my dear."
"Yeah, alright. See you later, Segs."
"Good night, my dear." I nod slightly and head to my Quarters to sleep. I shut my door behind me and lock it. I shrug out of my duster and pull on a hoodie Segs made before collapsing into my bunk on my back, slipping my headphones on. I drift off to sleep.
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I sit bolt upright at 0002, according to my wrist com, an hour after I fell asleep and push my headphones around my neck, panting softly while my heart goes a hundred miles a second. I wrack my brain to try to remember my dream and just have a sense of wrongness. Surrounding Yondu. I slip out of bed easily and go to Yondu's Quarters, the ship quiet and only a few crewmembers spattered around it. None in Controls right now.
I crouch in front of Yondu's console to get into his Quarters and pry off the front of it with my knife. I undo some wires and press two of them together to get the door open before putting them back in place, pressing the panel back in place as I stand. My back was kind of to the door.
Someone grabs my collar and throws me into his Quarters, door slamming shut. "Fuck!" I activate my boots and kind of lessen the impact, rolling to a stop by the stairs. I hear the whistle and quickly roll out of the way into a crouch, heart beating like crazy again. "Why am I having a sparring match with someone in the Captain's Quarters at 0000 hours?" I ask myself under my breath and the lights come on suddenly, making me grimace at the sudden assault on my eyeballs as I shield them slightly, my face covered fully now.
Heavy boots come over and I can hear a blaster charging up, quickly getting to my feet as more blasters charge up. "Hey, this situation does not require fucking blasters! So could we not have them?" Someone yanks my hood off and pulls my hair as they do. "OW! Think you could not pull my hair? Sensitive scalp..." I run a hand through my hair as I look at Yondu, Stakar, Aleta, Kraglin, Martinex, and Charlie-27 and they look at me, blasters still leveled at me while Yondu's arrow flits around violently and Kraglin has one of his knives in his hand, to my left behind me. "I was serious when I said this situation doesn't require blasters, by the way. Because all of my weapons are holstered."
"You broke in here. We get to decide what's required in this situation, not you," Aleta barks and I shrug slightly.
"Yeah, that's fair. You want my weapons?"
"Yeah. That'd be a good start. Followed by your flames," Stakar growls and I look at him.
"In the most polite way possible... Fuck you." I take off my weapons holsters and carefully toss them at Yondu's feet, glancing around the Quarters slightly to see drinks abandoned on the bar and tables. "Who the Hell drinks at 0000?"
"Who the Hell thinks it's a good idea to break into Udonta's Quarters?" Martinex responds.
"Yeah... Yeah, that's fair."
"Why are you awake? Ain't it a little past your bedtime?"
"Ain't you a little past your prime, Sparkles?" Yondu snorts and I glance at him. "OK, look... I have no clue why I'm in here or why I thought it'd be a good idea to break in instead of just knocking. Other than I'm an idiot." I rub my face and let out a huff of breath as I do. "So... Yeah. I didn't come in to kill anybody. I figured Yondu'd be asleep and I'd just sneak back out once I was sure he wasn't dead."
"Whacha worryin' if 'm dead fer?" He raises an eyebrow at me and I run a hand through my hair, not sure how to respond to that.
"Well?"
"Because Kraglin's too annoying to deal with as a Captain and Dad would fuck the ship up if you were dead," I lie through my teeth and they seem to buy it while Kraglin comes to my front.
"Yer full 'a shit, Kid," Kraglin says in my ear, knife pressing into my stomach slightly, and I react without thinking.
I grab his wrist and flip him over my shoulder, disarming him before I toss his knife at Yondu's feet too. "Ow," Kraglin groans softly as he gets up and looks at me. "'Ow are ya so damned strong?" I shrug and he looks at me. "Whacha worryin' 'bout Cap fer? An' mebbe don' lie, yeah?"