A/N: Hi everyone! I know it's been some time since I updated this story! My hard drive failed on me two years ago, and I lost all my progress on this chapter. Afterwards, I just gave up. However, I love this story so much that I decided to begin writing this chapter again. There's so much I want to explore in this story that I couldn't just let it die. So, for your enjoyment ladies and gent, Chapter Four!
04
"You're going where?!"
Gamora sighed heavily as she stared into her transreceiver. Her shipmates sat huddled before her, their faces twisted in confusion. They had been discussing the nature of her mission for the past hour. Under Taneleer's orders, she was not to give too many details away. To defy him would not only result in the loss of the credits he had promised her, but also the loss of her part in the mission.
"Mo'krak. It is a primitive planet. The species residing there should pose no serious threat."
Rocket audibly groaned.
"Mo'krak? More like Mo'crap if you ask me."
Drax nodded in the background.
"I must agree Gamora. Going to a foreign planet under the supervision of the white-haired man is inadvisable. We cannot trust him."
"I am Groot," the baby seedling rejoined, flailing in its flowerpot in the background.
The only member of her crew who had yet to participate in the conversation was Quill. He sat behind the others, arms crossed tightly against his chest as he peered into the distance. Gamora watched him anxiously, hoping he would say something, if anything.
"Com'on Gamora," Rocket began again, "You need to tell us more than that!"
"I cannot Rocket!" She snapped, annoyance getting the better of her. "This mission is classified!"
Her crewmates grew silent.
Immediately, she wished she had used a kinder tone.
"Ah, so that's how it is, eh?" Rocket smirked and threw up his arms dismissively. "Fine!"
With a loud huff, Rocket scooped up Groot's flowerpot and sauntered away. Gamora watched the cybernetic racoon remorsefully as he exited the screen of her transreceiver. For several seconds after his departure the trio remained quiet. An awkward silence descended upon them until Drax opened his mouth to speak.
"I am sorry Gamora," Drax began, turning his face from the screen. "But you forget, we are a team."
With those parting words, Drax took his leave. Gamora protested his exit, but eventually his large frame vanished from her vision.
Only Quill remained.
Gamora closed her eyes, drawing her palm anxiously down her cheek. Much like the others, she knew Peter was upset with her. Though his qualms were more deep rooted than theirs. She watched the Terran aimlessly through the screen of her transreceiver. Not once did he spare her a glance. He remained stoic, staring past her into the depths of the ship.
"Peter!" Gamora cried abruptly, breaking the drawn out silence.
Quill finally tilted his head towards her, his aspect sullen.
"What?"
She cringed at the coolness in his tone.
"Peter, I am not doing this to harm you. I am not trying to isolate any of you, despite what Rocket may think. Please, Peter, try to understand that this mission is important!"
"We're supposed to be a team Gamora!" Peter broke out, his voice thunderous. "We're supposed to be," he averted his eyes from her, a grimace swathing his features, "We're supposed to be family."
Gamora's heart sunk into her stomach.
"Peter," she began more gently, "We are a team. The five of us are family."
Quill shook his head and stole another glance at the Zehoberei.
"And what about us?"
Gamora inhaled, a quiet longing coalescing in her chest.
"I don't know what you mean Peter."
Quill smirked sadly, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Us, Gamora. You and I." She turned from the screen, suddenly unable to face him, but he continued on. "This unspoken thing between us. You don't need to admit that it's there Gamora, but don't ignore it." Peter's voice melded quickly from rage to sorrow. "Don't just let it die."
Those last words left Peter's lips almost pleadingly. As they did, Gamora felt the longing in her chest push through her throat and settle in her eyes. A tear threatened to cascade down her emerald cheek, but before it could she rose from her seat and turned away.
The whole reason she had agreed to this mission in the first place was to reel back her independence. The comfort and safety her friends afforded her left her weak. When she was on her own, with only herself to rely on, she had been strong, independent, and fearless. That part of herself was slipping away. Her intentions were never to hurt her friends or Peter. While their sadness ate at her, it was too late to pull out of this mission. She was too invested and the stakes were too high.
"I see," Peter muttered. "Then you have nothing to say."
Gamora turned back towards the screen, enough to meet the Terran's hazel eyes.
"I'm sorry, Peter."
Defeated, Quill rose from his seat and with a silent click the transmission went dead.
For several moments, Gamora stood staring at the empty black screen.
She had succeeded in gaining back her independence at the expense of isolating the only sentients in the universe who truly cared about her. She was surprised at how much it hurt. It was as if a piece of her had broken off and crumbled into nothing.
This was not my intention.
Her heart wretched.
"Lady Gamora," Tivan's familiar voice echoed from the far side of the room.
Stirred from her thoughts, Gamora turned towards the entrance of the foyer to find Taneleer standing solemnly in the entryway. She tried to read him, but found his aspect inscrutable as ever.
"Good morning, Tivan. I... Assume the ship has been prepared?"
He paused for a moment, opening his mouth, then closing it abruptly.
"Everything is in order." He took several steps forward, his long cloak swaying behind his imposing figure. "However… Before we depart, I must apologize for my conduct the previous night."
Gamora's cheeks instantly grew hot. She, too, had acted out of place that evening. The alcohol had got the better of her emotions. She recalled with embarrassment how she let her fears of Thanos consume her. It was not like Gamora to speak so openly, especially not to an acquaintance like Tivan. Even Quill and Drax had difficulty at times coaxing the green-skinned beauty to divulge her emotions.
"I hope you can forgive my drunkenness," he began again, his voice more grave. "It is a vice I've picked up as of late."
Gamora regarded him tentatively before releasing a quiet sigh.
"I accept your apology. We were both out of place. You, more so, admittedly," Gamora stabbed, shooting him a sharp look, "but we both should know better than to mix business with pleasure."
Tivan's tattooed lip curved into grin.
"Even with my inebriation, my offer still stands, my lady."
Gamora raised her brow, showering him with a cool stare.
"Kidding," Taneleer uttered, his grin growing wider. "Now, if you would please follow me to the landing chamber."
The Collector's ship, the Magnetar, was larger and far more grand than Gamora expected. She trotted curiously around the interior, inspecting the various gadgets and the large arsenal of weaponry aboard as they sailed through the galaxy.
"See anything you like?"
Gamora turned, facing the voice that echoed behind her.
It belonged to a burly Centenarian named Keio. He and three other sentients compiled the small crew Tivan had assembled for the mission. Said crew consisted of a Krylorian named Velo, a Terran, and one other Centaurian. Velo sat stationed in the helm of the ship. The Terran joined him on the flight deck, aiding in the operations of the vessel. Keio and the second Centaurian, Jaryn, were tasked with security. According to Tivan, the pair had been contracted with the task of protecting her if things went awry on Mo'krak. Expendables, he had called them.
"An impressive arsenal, to be sure."
Keio winked, placing his hands on his hips.
"Feel free to sample anything you'd like, gorgeous."
Gamora almost rolled her eyes, but refrained at the last second.
"It's not like she needs them," a gruff voice rang from the the interior of the ship. The sound of heavy footsteps revealed Jaryn's brawny physique sauntering towards the pair. "You forget who she is Keio."
Jaryn slapped Keio on the back and gave the Zehoberei a suggestive once over.
"I havnen't forgotten," answered Keio, "It's just hard to believe such a beautiful woman is actually a deadly assassin."
"The deadly assassin," Jaryn corrected. "And you know what they say about women like that in the sheets, right?"
The two Centaurians broke out in apprupt laughter, Keio punching Jaryn amicably in the chest.
"Boys," Gamora interrupted through clenched teeth, clearly exasperated by their chatter, "While I appreciate your flattery, I have more important things to attend to. Our destination is not far."
The two men exchanged puzzled glances as she sauntered away, taking refuge in her chamber on the far side of the ship. Given the character of her shipmates, Gamora was pleased their journey was nearly over. At their current location, Mo'krak was only two jump points away. The trip had been lengthy, the obscure planet being well hidden in the depths of the universe.
"It's no wonder the Xiphos has not been discovered," the veridian beauty whispered aloud.
The Xiphos.
The thought of a such a dangerous weapon looming in the universe all this time made Gamora's stomach twist anxiously. She was glad its presence had yet to be discovered. While regarded as fable by many, the long lost relic of the Eternals was said to hold legendary power. The idea of delivering the sword to Taneleer did not soothe her, but she was cognizant there existed worse beings into whose hands the Xiphos could fall. Beings with more nefarious intentions.
Klack, klack, klack.
The light rapping startled her, provoking a flinch when the door ascended.
Taneleer stood in the entryway, his expression sullen aside from a vague smile gracing his tattooed lip. She had not seen the Elder since the ship left the port of Knowhere. He had disappeared to a presumably private chamber for the duration of their travels.
"Tivan," Gamora began, "I was starting to think we left you on Knowhere."
Taneleer let himself further into her room, seating himself on a nearby chair.
"Velo has informed me we are but a jump point away. I wished to confirm you understood your objective upon landing."
Tivan's demeanor was muted, his aspect somehow more grave than usual. Gamora was quick to take notice. She wondered if he had been drinking again, though she smelled no alcohol. Instead of probing further, she recited the plans for the mission.
"The Xiphos is in a temple on the southeastern end of the planet. Once we arrive, Velo will engage the cloaking device. That will allow me to gain access to the temple without traveling on foot. The species residing there, however primitive, are physically large and consequently strong." Taneleer nodded, encouraging her to go on. "If I run into conflict I'll contact Jaryn and Keio for backup. Once I've located the Xiphos, I'll contact you at the ship. Then we will begin retrieval. Did I miss anything?"
Tivan shook his head, measuring Gamora with his otherworldly gaze.
"Very good. Gear yourself, then meet me on the deck."
Before Gamora could say another word, Tivan exited her chamber. She watched his towering figure disappear through the entryway as the door descended silently behind him.
Gamora wondered at the strange air that clung about him. While Tivan was almost always inarguably peculiar, the severeness in his aspect made her curious. Given the dire nature of the mission, she attributed his offbeat persona to the seriousness of the situation. Retrieving such a powerful weapon was a delicate situation, one that she imagined her contractee did not take lightly.
Pushing her thoughts of Tivan aside, she grabbed her transreceiver from her bedside and called Quill. The desire to see his face and hear to his voice struck her suddenly, and she acted on the impulse. It did not surprise her when Quill failed to pick up. In fact, she expected as much. She doubted any of her fellow Guardians had any interest in speaking to her. Still, she felt it necessary to leave a parting message.
"Peter," she began, gazing into the transreceiver. "I know you're angry. I know all of you are angry: Rocket, Drax… I can't imagine Groot would be too happy either if he was old enough to understand what was going on. I know this all seems selfish to you, but please try to understand why I'm doing this. I've lost myself Peter. I'm trying to find myself again. Plus, I've done so many...wrong things in my life because of Thanos and Ronan. This, right here right now, this is an opportunity to right some of these wrongs again. Right them on my own." Gamora lowered her eyes from the screen, her voice falling to a lower tone. "If anything happens to me Peter, just know… I will always consider all of you my family."
Gamora cut the transmission abruptly, letting the transreceiver fall from her hand.
"Cloaking device has been activated."
Velo carefully maneuvered the Magnetar to the ground. Through the flight deck's window, Gamora could survey the layout of the planet. It was largely barren with pillars of sand and dust scattered throughout the landscape. On the horizon, she witnessed a small, makeshift town come into view. The dwellings were simple, made with stone, branches, and other components of the environment. Behind the town was a larger structure that towered far above the town.
"Is that the temple?" Asked Gamora, leaning forward to where Velo and his Terran co-pilot, Quinn, were seated at the flight deck.
"Yes," replied Velo, his purple eyes swathing hers for a moment. "Tivan believes this is the temple we're looking for. We should be able to get close enough to drop you off near the entrance. Do you have your plasma-torch and the atmosphere replicant?"
Gamora nodded, motioning to her utility belt around her waist.
"Will it be enough to break through whatever that thing is made out of?"
"I would think so. Given the composition of the planet, and the advancement of the species here, it's likely to be made of some combination of soil, sand, or stone. The plasma-torch should make quick work of any of those."
"Thanks, Velo."
Gamora turned from the flight deck, and continued on to the airlock hatch. Placing the atmosphere-replicator around her neck, she took a deep breath to steady her nerves. It had been a year since she had undertaken any dangerous task without one or more of her shipmates. For a moment, she doubted her capabilities. Was she still strong enough to complete missions on her own? Would her prowess alone be enough to successfully retrieve the Xiphos? If she failed, would she ever see her fellow Guardians again?
"Lady Gamora," Tivan's solemn voice echoed from the deck. "Are you ready?"
Gamora stole a fleeting glance at the the Collector. His archaic eyes smoldered beneath his platinum brow.
"Yes," she replied, turning her attention back to the airlock. "I'm ready."
The quiet hiss of the hatch made her heart race. Below, the retracting door revealed the sandy expanse of Mo'krak. Dusk had fallen on the remote world, casting the landscape in a deep shade of purple and blue. The temple grew closer as the ship descended nearer to the ground below. She readied herself to jump from the open hatch and drop into the unfamiliar world.
"On my mark, Gamora!" Velo called from the flight deck. "Three, two, one… Jump!"
Gamora vaulted from the ship.
She landed steadily on the ground below, bracing herself with her hands and feet. The soil beneath her fingers felt warm, the heat of the waning sunbeams of the day still lingering amid the grainy earth. Immediately after steadying herself, she surveyed the surroundings of the foreign land. The evening dusk revealed little aside from several fires in the distance. The flames belonged to the small village adjacent to the temple. It was situated meters away, too far for Gamora to make out any details of the habitation.
Turning her attention back to the temple, she scanned the horizon for movement and sound. Detecting none, Gamora kept low to the ground and crept around the circumference of the temple. It was a massive structure, towering miles above the village that lay in the distance. While its construction was impressive, she saw no signs of advanced technology or metal work. Just as Velo speculated, the monolith was constructed of simple material, sand and stone.
Quietly, Gamora glided around the temple walls, stopping when an enormous archway came into view. Bordering the entrance were crude carvings of creatures, each one kneeling before an object that vaguely resembled a blade.
This must be the Xiphos, Gamora thought, sliding through the vast archway and into the temple. Tivan was right, they are worshiping it.
The interior of the temple was faintly lit with torches. Smoke billowed from the embers, tickling Gamora's nose as she inched further inside. Scanning the inner walls, the Zehoberei discerned more of the simple carvings apparent at the entrance of the temple. The engravings painted a similar scene, depicting a crowd of beings worshiping a mighty blade. Moving forward, her gaze fell from the decorated walls to a narrow passageway in the central chamber.
Inching toward the pathway, Gamora noticed the slim corridor led to a massive door. The structure had several indiscernible markings above the entrance, but no knob, handle, or other visible mechanisms to facilitate entry. With no better way to get inside, the Zehoberei sought the plasma-torch from her utility belt. It made quick work of the door, melting the sand and stone away with ease. Once a sizeable hole was placed in the blockade, she retracted her plasma-torch and climbed through.
If the Xiphos is anywhere, Gamora thought, pulling herself through freshly made hollow, it has to be here.
A/N: It's been some time since I've been writing, so I hope I'm still up to par! As always, I appreciate the support you all provide. Next chapter will be here very soon. Ciao!