Chapter 14

There is a loud clang that echoes throughout the ship as the drunken gang throws open the metal door and stumble inside, laughter bellowing through the hull of their beloved Milano.

"Maaaaan that was a nic-sh nigh' eh fellas?" Rocket slurs and grins stupidly up at his companions. Drax nearly rocks the room off-kilter with his deep, booming laugh, "I believe you have had more than your share of spirits my formidable opponent!"

Peter claps Drax on the shoulder as Gamora brushes past them, heading further into the ship, trying to hold back a smile at her friends' antics, "Drax is right, you nearly had him beat in that round, Rocket man! Where does it all go!"

The boys laugh as they soon stumble after each other, heading towards their sleeping quarters.

"Hold up you guys."

She stands with her hands planted firmly on her hips, waiting for the men to slowly process the request. Eventually they were all facing her direction.

"We can't afford another day's docking fair here, so we have to leave before morning patrol." She informs them firmly, scanning which one of the three boys will be able to assist her (or at least keep her company) without passing out in the next twenty-or-so minutes.

Rocket was out, as he had just landed on his fluffy tail… giggling as he laid down with a sigh – she swears if he falls asleep on them right there in the middle of the floor, that she would not be responsible if he was… accidently stepped on.

Right. So that left the other two. At seeing the twinkle of mischief in Peter's blue eyes and knowing what that stupid, drunken grin splitting his face in half meant for her – she made her decision.

"Drax. You'll help me, since you seem to be… slightly less intoxicated," she looks down at Rocket who's giggling along with Peter, "and can at least stand without falling over."

"That sounds reasonable, female. I will accompany you to the steering room."

Gamora tries not to smile at Drax's phrasing, but the other two beat her to it by bursting out in uncontrollable cackles.

Shaking her head she nods towards them, "Get your asses to bed. If I find you out here later I'll step on you – Rocket."

"Whaaaaaat…. So mean Gammy."

Scoffing, she rolls her eyes and stomps out of the room, Drax looking frightful behind her as Peter joins Rocket on the floor, gasping for air.

"He… he…. You…. HAHAHA!" he forces out, wheezing he finishes, "You called her Gammy!" Peter wheezes again as he tries to catch a breath.

"Dude! You are so dead!"

Rocket was finally able to rise to his hands and knees beside Peter before dropping on the floor again.

Eventually they calmed down, by this time they were more aware of their surroundings, and looking out the few window panes, they could see the starlit expanse of space.

With a sigh, Peter climbs to his feet, swaying only a little before addressing Rocket, "Hey man, we gotta get to bed. Gamora's gunna kill us if we don't help her steer tomorrow."

Groaning, Rocket follows Peter – slowly, "Man… I'm going to have to fill Groot in later." The raccoon tries to pull a smile but it doesn't quite work.

"Hey man, he's already getting pretty big. He'll get those trunks you call his legs working here soon, then he'll not miss out on anything…. And maybe even save your sorry arse from those butt-whoopings you've been accumulating."

Rocket barks out a laugh but then groans and holds his head, "Dude, shut up and don't make me laugh – fuckin' hurts like hell."

Peter chuckles, groans then waves Rocket off as he heads to his own room, leaving Rocket at his and Groot's.

Rocket goes to lean against the door only to fall inside. Groaning he crawls across the room and up to his small bed beside Groot in his pot, "Hey buddy, 'm tired. Talk 'morrow, 'kay?"

"Groot!"

"Heh… night."

With that, Rocket passes out and falls into a dreamless slumber with a smile resting on his face.

"Oh geez… how much did those sorry bastards consume?" rolling her eyes, she attempts to ignore the conversations and laughter that made its' way to the back of the ship, up in the high storage space she had herself crammed in.

Instead, she tries to entertain herself by picturing what kind of beings were on the vessel with her – she already knew of one thing for sure…

They had a shit-load of guns and ammo. Perhaps a little too much for her cup of tea.

"Some of the explosives were quite impressive… I'll have to nick one on my way out. Maybe I can use it to concentrate the blast radius with my explosive ammo and arrows…"

Staring up at metal ceiling, which was too close to her face if you asked her, she began to think back on the past nights – primarily her action-packed adventure; she made a note to herself to avoid thinking about leaving Tan behind.

She had to admit that the group Berk had chosen to intervene was a rather… peculiar bunch. Definitely not suspicious-looking, but definitely identifiable.

There was a Terrain, she had seen one before… but it was dead. A 'cadaver' Dr. Rensington had called it. She scrunches up her nose at the memory – recalling the stench.

Wrenching her thoughts away from that dark place, she chose to narrow in on the others – there was a quite large, muscular man who had a grey-green complexion (similar to Berk's grey-blue) that had crimson tattoos all over his face, arms hands and torso. He was definitely of a race she had never encountered before, that's for certain.

Speaking of races, she was surprised to see a Zehoberi female – she had thought the genocide caused by the mysterious Thanos had wiped them off the galactic map. She did not think they were a culture to colonize elsewhere, outside of their home world.

"But then look at me." She smirks to herself.

Her face softens as she recalls one particular individual who had caught her interest. A being similar to herself, who talked like herself –

"A furry freak like me, who kicked ass in an orange jumpsuit." She smiled to herself, pulling up the memory of him sliding across the floor with a weapon the size of himself, handling it like it was nothing.

Seeing him going against those odds, seeing that man as small as he was, despite his looks, limitations and differences; he had a group of other aliens, unlike himself, who treated him well, and who watched his back in a fight.

"Friends."

With that thought leading to further musing about her first friend in a long while, Tan… this hitchhiker finally dozes off into a light sleep, as she attempts to relax in the unfamiliar place.

"Alright, we are set for auto-pilot. Let's get some sleep Drax." Yawning, Gamora stretches out of her seat and trudges down the hallway.

"That would be most wise." Drax, yawning as well, straightens out the knifes he was sharpening, putting them away safely before following suit.

Eventually, all members of the Guardians of the Galaxy were in a deep, peaceful slumber.

Unbeknownst to the guardians, however… they had acquired themselves a furry, little hitchhiker onboard their lovely Milano.

One who was definitely not expecting to meet them.

But we know our lovely, comical and trustworthy guardians –

Nothing ever really goes according to plan.

Author's Note:

Yea, I know... another chapter before they meet. I tried to 'cut to the chase,' but it just didn't work out that way.

But don't worry! I'm quick to post - and this is going to be a long story: but a damn good one when we get to the good bits.

3

Kallen

P.S.

She's a Red Panda.

Look them up on google images. They are so cute, and look like raccoons (not pandas).

There, now you have a good picture in your head of what she looks like.

Also, pay close attention to her flashbacks and memories. They will start to become more intertwined with the story, and I do a lot of foreshadowing. So don't forget the details! ;]