Once Ronan entered the Dark Aster, Prax came running towards him. "Master!" he called. Prax noticed that Ronan looked a deadly mix of grief stricken and enraged. Ronan's strides were heavy and his steps were fast.
"Prax, I need you to ready one of the mobile pods and make it quick." Ronan called back, voice strained.
Accepting his orders, Prax went to work. Quickly making his way to the south end of the ship. There various vehicles and large machinery were stored. He selected the best maintained mobile pod and made sure it was running sufficiently and then had it refueled. Just as he was finishing up, Ronan entered the large storage area and moved forth to the pod. "Is it ready?"
"Yes." Prax answered. "However, I must ask – this was not originally part of the plan. What happened?"
Ronan's face paled and he cast his gaze to the floor. "I was unprepared for Nebula to betray us. Gamora warned me to be careful but I cast it aside. I was too preoccupied." He admitted shamefully.
"You fell in love." Prax noted. "Nothing to be ashamed of." He lifted the hatch on the side of the pod and the door opened wide. "Love is something that heals and protects us."
"And yet my wife's life hangs by a thread." Emotion swelled up in Ronan. "I dare not hope my child survived the energy from the Infinity Stone." He turned to Prax. "Is this what love is to bring? If so, I do not want it." He decreed bitterly.
Eyeing him angrily, Prax slammed the door shut. "Listen here, boy. You may be the commander but don't forget I've changed your soiled diapers as an infant. You claim she may die and it seems she did it for you." His index finger pointed at Ronan. "That is love and I'll be damned if I let you renounce it."
Ronan's fists clenched at his side, angry that Prax was speaking to him in such a way. "My love for Merry issued her a death sentence!"
"Why don't have you have some faith?" Prax asked. "You mentioned the Stone…"
"Merry touched it and her body absorbed its power. Almost ripped her apart."
"Yet she survived." Prax needed Ronan to understand that Merry could very well live. While uncommon, some have survived the Stone's power.
Ronan sneered. "Barely."
Prax closed his eyes in frustration. "The Nova Corp will see to her injuries." He saw a tick in Ronan's jaw. "Do you not trust them?"
"No." Ronan eyed him. "Why should I? Merry's parents, Xandarians that they are…"
"Two out of so many." Prax interrupted. "You know damn well that good Xandarian people are going to save her. Your father would be ashamed."
Ronan let out a slow breath as realization hit him. His father would be ashamed of his behavior. He knew not why Merry decided to take the leap to capture the Stone but she did and paid the price; her life hung in the balance all while he was denouncing love like a fool.
"You think I did not wish harm upon Xandar when they attacked us?" Prax carried on. "I moved on because then I would be just like them– condemning a group without any basis except centuries old ignorance." Once more, Prax lifted the handle and opened the door. "Save your wife and child. Save Xandar."
Nova Corp Healing Center
"Help!" Peter yelled at he and the rest of the Guardians burst through the automatic doors of the healing center. His wail caught the attention of every doctor, nurse, and patient. Right behind him, Drax still carried Merry in his arms. Her pulse was so faint that he worried she succumbed to her injuries but her shallow breathes indicated she was fighting for life.
"What happened?" A doctor dressed in Nova blue and orange stepped up to the unconscious woman. He took in her ragged appearance. The woman's skin was peeling in places, while blood congealed in others, bruises pained her body all over. Her body was limp and if it wasn't for barely detectable rise and fall of her chest, he would think her dead.
"She came in contact with an Infinity Stone." Drax reported. He looked down at her pale face. "She is fading fast."
"Which stone?" It was common lore to speak of the Celestials and their Infinity Stones and what havoc they have wrought onto the universe. The Stones had been dormant for so long, they were all but forgotten.
"Power." Gamora answered quietly.
The doctor's eyes widened and turned to a small group of nurses. "I need you to set up a room immediately! Round up every doctor that is available." He held out his arms and lifted Merry from Drax's. "We will try to save her but you know what happens to those who wield the Power Stone."
Disintegration.
"Yes." Peter said from behind.
Nodding to the Guardians, the doctor began walking towards the emergency unit.
"Doc! Hold up!" Rocket rang out. As the doctor faced the creature, Rocket spoke up. "She's pregnant…"
"I cannot guarantee..." He begun.
"We know." Peter returned sadly.
Taking Merry back to the emergency unit, the Guardians all stood in a daze. Nebula and Merry's parents were loose on Xandar and could easily report to Thanos. Their friend's life was hanging on by almost nothing and the babe in her womb may already be lost to them. Ronan would be devastated to lose both.
"I am Groot." Groot stated.
"How can we be positive, Groot?" For once, Rocket's voice was not harsh and angry but melancholy. Nearly unrecognizable to even his own ears.
Spreading his large arms wide, he gathered up all of them and held them close. Nurses and patients let them be as they went about their duties, knowing all too well the outcome may be dire. Gamora snuggled closer to Groot and caught her hand in Peter's. Out of all of them, Peter was the closest to Merry. He looked at her with a blank expression.
"If the worst is to come," Gamora looked at him, "perhaps her sacrifice will grant her entrance into Valhalla. I am sure Odin would allow it."
"She doesn't belong in Valhalla…" Drax spoke up.
"She belongs with Ronan, with us." Peter finished.
Gamora's gave Peter's hand a gentle squeeze before letting his hand drop. Over the months Merry and Ronan had been married, the Guardians all took to her and considered her a dear friend. Gamora tried to think of happier times that they shared; like planting flowers in her garden or Merry gazing in awe at the little orbs of light Groot was able to conjure up.
She hoped Groot wouldn't have to light Merry's way into the afterlife.
Nebula scowled as Jael raced down the dusty plains of Xandar. "You idiots, how did you not know the stone was in his weapon?"
Turning her fierce gaze onto the cyborg, Kehya sneered right back. "Don't blame us for this failure! You are the daughter of Thanos, perhaps you should have been more perceptive!"
Fighting the urge to bash the old woman's head in, Nebula looked down at her tracking devices that were installed within her body. A warning went off in her head – a small vehicle was fast approaching them.
"It is that Kree beast!" Jael cried out.
"Just drive." Nebual ordered.
Jael pushed the vehicle to its limits. The small craft shook and rattled at the force it was accelerating. A loud boom was heard and then the vehicle was penetrated by missiles. They broke through the steel shell as Ronan fired continuously. The push from the blast had all three thrust forward. The assault did not last long for the small machine could not handle the blasts and it soon broke down. Sparks erupted from broken wires and smoke was emitting from the debris.
Nebula's right arm was broken from the impact and she grotesquely set it all back in place. Shooting a short glance to the front, she eyed Jael and Kehya who were unconscious; their bodies slumped over. Not caring if they were breathing or not, Nebula grabbed the nearest weapon and kicked the siding until it came lose. Stepping out from the crash site, she spotted Ronan. His pace was even and slow and his hateful gaze was upon her.
She raised her weapon as she waltzed towards him. Nebula never once feared Ronan but his current demeanor was send a chill down her spine. Placing her finger on the trigger, Nebula stood her ground; she didn't want to kill Ronan but hurting him enough to get the point was fine by her. "Stand down, Ronan."
"Why have you done this, Nebula?" Ronan asked. He came closer to his once trusted companion. "You were the closest thing to a friend I had before…"
His voice trailed off and Nebula's anger sparked. "You mean before that Xandarian." She spat out the word as if it were poison in her mouth. "And those stupid, oh what do they call themselves, Guardians of the Galaxy." Her tone turned mocking.
"Merry has none nothing to you, why?" He demanded.
Nebula's fist clenched at her side as her anger washed over her. "Because she ruined everything!"
"How?" His tone was harsh.
"You were dead set on destroying Xandar and I was willing to wait out your petty quest for vengeance so we could go after Thanos. I followed you for years, hoping and waiting for you to see that Xandar is merely a speck in the universe." She took a shaky breath. "We could have taken down Thanos and controlled the galaxy, even Odin would bow down." Her eyes narrowed. "But you had to marry that…stupid bitch! A waste of space and flesh. She changed you."
Vowing to keep his feelings in check, Ronan offered a cool smile. Moving even closer to Nebula, she raised her weapon, aiming it at his face. Scowling slightly, "No need to threaten me, Nebula."
"No need to get any closer." She retorted.
"I need to…get close to you." He had to choke out the words. "If I would have known your intentions then, I would have never have wed the Xandarian whore." His words burned his tongue and in his gut, it felt as if acid was eating his insides. He saw her falter and her arm lowered. Standing in front of her, Ronan's large hands cupped Nebuala's face. Her black, pupil-less eyes widened and her body went slightly slack.
"Ronan…" Nebula whispered. Her voice was breathy and smug. Finally, she thought, Ronan saw that he had made grave mistakes.
"You were right that Merry came and changed me and how I see the world." His grip on Nebula's head tightened. Her eyes went round and she gave a small gasp of pain, shocked she looked at him. "I thought you liked pain, Nebula. You certainly love to inflict it on others." Before she could respond, his hands contracted and Nebula's head began to drum with pain.
"You seek revenge on Thanos for what he did you, yet you can't see you are just like him. This plan of yours has possibly cost me my wife and my child and for that, I must obey the ancient laws of my people." Just as he finished, his hands squeezed Nebula's head so hard that her flesh tore and wires and brain matter fell into his hands. The dead weight of her body slumped to the group in a crumpled heap. "A life for a life."