Malignant pitch clouds lingered over the crumbling city. They hovered above watching the carnage below with no compassion, teasing the idea of rain when none had fallen and even as the streets bathed below in tears and blood, still the lingering coverage did nothing to lend a hand. The scene was chaos as faceless and alien hordes of soldiers ran about carrying out their morally depraved orders as a well oiled machine. They were dragging the locals from their homes by whatever they could grab, arms, legs, hair; it mattered little to the depraved. They would drag them into the streets, ignoring desperate pleas for mercy or help, and enthusiastically carry out what they were sent there to do. The fact of who they were (sentient living beings) mattered little in the eyes of the blinded mercenaries. Instead they viewed them as they were told to, as no more than sick dogs needing to be euthanized for the sake of a prosperous future. They were nameless masses of growth, who were similar to what a surgeon would view a cancerous lesion in the body as they were a detriment to the growth of the whole and by purging them they would be making the system stronger and give the organism (the rest of the race) the chance to survive. They were sheep to a slaughter and any other truth mattered little.
She couldn't understand that yet. She was too young. All she could do was look around desperately in the mass confusion for the only two people who mattered in her little world. They were two faces that she would never see again, but Gamora continued in a desperate and vain attempt to locate what was missing, to patch that one hole. If she could just find them, then everything else would fall into place, anything bad happening around her wouldn't matter anymore. As long as she could find them, Gamora thought, she would be safe. "Mother?" she cried out her little voice going unheard over the boisterous sounds of the chaos around her. "Mother?" she tried again, drawing the attention of the large imposing silhouette lingering amongst the tides of people flowing around with no real order. He was smiling, in all of the destruction, fear, disorganization, and ruin he seemed somewhat joyful. A perplexed look crossed her face as the friendly smile was enough to make the unsettled child feel somewhat grounded. It drew her towards him, he was a calm and friendly (although somewhat menacing in his size) figure amidst all the calamity.
As he approached, Gamora could feel her worries being pushed back, everything going on around them didn't matter anymore as maybe she would find the answers to all of her questions. The man knelt down to her height slowly as not to spook the already terrified child. A genuine and warm smile crossed his features as he began to speak. "Hello, there. And who might you be?"
Gamora's eyes met his, with a slight defiance twinkling in them and a strength she didn't realize she had came over her. "Gamora. Where are my parents? What is going on?" She demanded the answers, no longer beguiled by the man's kindness. She wanted her world returned to her. She wanted her life to return to normal and if the stranger was her means to an answer, she was going to get one.
Thanos just smirked, admiring the tenacity in a being so much smaller than himself. He felt a connection to her that he couldn't quite explain. Maybe her bravado reminded him of himself, maybe it was the fact that she was not afraid of him, or perhaps it was the little humanity he had left in his heart, whatever the reason he knew what his next course of action would be. A giant gloved hand was offered out to the tiny child staring back at him waiting for her answer. "Come, child. I want to show you something."
Gamora cocked her head confused. She still wanted her answers, but a wave of curiosity overcame her and she took the strangers massive hand in her tiny one as he lead her over to one of the only remaining structures. He smiled down at her, explaining something to her about balance. She was distracted by the sight of the delicate knife balancing on the man's finger more than she was listening to the words he was telling her. For a brief moment as she attempted to do the same on her own finger she went to look back at the life she had known up to that point. The sounds of gunfire and death permeated through the air but Thanos was quick to pull her back to the conversation they were having.
"No!" she sat up with a start. Panting and covered in sweat she found herself clutching the same blade handed to her so many years ago when her life was forever changed. Her eyes darted around the grey steel room searching for answers. She was lost in the void of space searching for what was real. Her fingers went down to the soft sheets of the bed she was perched on. Her ears listening to the fine tune of the engines humming as they drifted aimlessly. She could see the silhouettes of her vast collection of knives and swords about the walls of the tidy box she called home. The chill of the air and the smell of the milano reminded her of where she was as she slowly reoriented herself. Home. Gamora was in the only place since her childhood she could truly call home. Catching her breath and no longer able to return to rest, Gamora stalked out of her room noiselessly. Dancing her way around the many wrappers from Quill's sweettooth bingeing she managed to make her way up to the cockpit of the spacecraft expecting to find it vacant. Instead, the Milano's brave immature and slightly irritating captain sat wide awake at her helm, humming to himself in the starlight some alien tune. He seemed lost in his own reverie. Perhaps it was some memory of his late mother, Gamora wondered to herself. Whatever the young captain was thinking of, Gamora's stomach churned at the thought of a conversation about her private life so quickly but silently she turned to make her escape. A boyish grin crossed the mans face as he spoke into the cockpit, his voice slightly echoing in the silence. "Leaving so soon? You just got here." The tone was friendly and inviting if not somewhat playful. The typical balance for Quill, especially when wanting conversation.
"Peter, I wasn't expecting you to be up this early." Gamora rubbed the back of her neck as she contemplated walking away.
"To be honest, we're not exactly on a usual sleep pattern, Gams. Besides, I couldn't really sleep either." He turned around to face her and Gamora knew any chance for retreat had disappeared in that moment. "But, a better question is, what's got you so rattled? C'mon Gams, you and I both know you haven't been sleeping. It's ok to open up-"
Gamora's eyes looked him over, she knew deep down that she could trust him but years of training and expectations told her that discussing such things is weakness, and she was not weak. "You're right, I haven't really been sleeping lately. I'm not really sure why." She wasn't lying but she wasn't going to tell him everything. Quill had enough on his plate as it was.
Quill sat in silence for a long moment seeming to chew on her statement when finally he spoke. "You and I both know that's a bold faced lie, Gammy. You're not afraid to tell me, are you?" He knew that would put her on the defensive.
Gamora just as expected straightened out as if she were preparing for a fight. "Afraid? You and I both know I'm not afraid to speak my mind, Quill." Her words carried a sharpness to them.
Peter sat back unmoved and undeterred. "Oh, I know you aren't afraid to speak your mind Gams, but your heart is a different story all together."
Gamora looked at the smile crossing Peter's face. She knew what he was doing. This delicate and well orchestrated dance that would turn into some kind of argument but would ultimately end up giving Peter the information he was seeking and leaving Gamora more vulnerable with him than she would ever allow with anyone else. He would do this dance whenever he wanted to fix something that was bothering her, but this is something she knew he can't fix. "Quill, please...not this time." She sounded defeated and that caught him off guard.
The smirk now disappeared from his face, Quill sighed a deep and heavy sigh. "Alright, but you know I'm here if you need to talk. It stays between us, Gams. It always has."
Gamora smiled softly, in her heart she knew what he was saying was true, but for now she would hold onto her memories herself. Maybe one day she'd share them with him just as he shared his grief of his mother's passing with her. "I know, thank you." She walked over and sat in the co-pilot's seat no longer wishing to be alone. "What are you listening to?" In that moment, her dream no longer mattered. Zen Whoberis was her home in the past, but as far as she was concerned this is her home now, next to the man with whom she shared something unspoken, and they both knew it.