Title is from "Moth" by Audioslave.
Kind of an ironic song for the actual happenings, but I thought it suited Peter's feelings about his father well enough.
GotG belongs to Marvel.
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Chapter 8: Moth
Things rolled into action with surprising speed once Peter gave his answer. So much so, that they must have been prepared at least somewhat in advance. Peter felt like a stone in the middle of a hurricane as crew members swept around him.
There was a tap on his shoulder and Peter pulled his eyes up to find Dey standing behind him.
"Let's gather your friends."
Peter and Dey were joined by Drax and Groot, and a handful of other crew members in the hallway.
The group swept into the Containment unit, and straight towards the cell at the end of the hallway. Gamora and Nebula both sprung back and out of reach as the Nova Corps entered their room, seeming to sense the sudden shift in attitude and urgency hanging in the air.
"Peter?" Nebula asked, taking up a defensive stance and eyeing the nearest soldier with open suspicion.
"It's fine. They're taking us to Ego's planet," Peter explained. He couldn't keep the misery from his voice, but hoped they'd trust him enough to go with it anyways.
A heavy hand settled on Peter's shoulder. As he twisted his head to shoot Drax a curious look he heard the sound of the other cell door opening and weapons being readied.
"Hey!" he shouted, but the hand held him firmly in place.
"Let them do what they must," Drax's voice rumbled. "The rodent can clearly not be trusted, and now is not the time to let your foolish eccentricities delay us further."
The Guardians were lead swiftly down to the docks. Gamora and Nebula had been bound again for the transport. Nebula had a new set of cuffs which ran from her wrists nearly to her elbows. Peter doubted she could remove these with the same method she did the last pair, at least not without shattering an arm, or ripping it off entirely, but it was obvious from how twitchy their escort was that they knew they had underestimated her before.
Peter hovered close to Rocket, who was being surprisingly compliant. He had a look about him, like he was thinking very long and hard about something and Peter wanted to be ready to stop whatever plan he was cooking up before the already very edgy Nova Corps shot him. Rocket never did make a move, and other than some threatening looks and an obscene gesture or two, they made it to the docks with no incidents.
Saal was waiting for them at the base of a shuttle that could comfortably fit a crew of decent size. Marlowe was at his side, back in her regular uniform and watching over the quiet docks as though expecting trouble.
As they drew near, Dey waved his hand in some sort of signal. Saal gave a brief nod in return and he and Marlowe turned to walk up the loading ramp ahead of the approaching group. Almost as soon as they were all on board, the ramp was raised and Peter could hear the engines rumbling to life.
"What's the big rush?" Peter asked, trying not to let Rocket out of sight as he made his way towards Dey. He wasn't in any particular hurry to see his father again, and all this running around was rattling his already very frayed nerves.
"You're going behind their backs, aren't you?" Gamora's voice rang out from behind him. "That council of yours has no idea what you're doing here."
Dey didn't answer, but the guilt dancing across his face was enough to tell Peter she had hit the nail on the head.
"The Nova Prime's word is law," Saal said, pausing in his own conversation with some officers to address Peter's group. "The Upper Council was formed to provide guidance. They have no power to contest my decision once it's been made. They will just have to accept what has been done." With that he turned and strode purposefully up a set of stairs that Peter could only assume lead to the flight deck. The officers he'd been conversing with followed after.
"Well isn't he a piece of work." Rocket's ragged voice was dripping with sarcasm. "If his word is so all powerful, how come you're all sneakin' around? I hope none a'you idiots are banking on a happy welcome back."
"I agree with the mad beast," Drax added, crossing his arms and staring disapprovingly after the Nova Prime. "Leaders should not deceive their people. On my planet, he would be seen as a traitor, and likely executed."
"Saal isn't concerned about being the most beloved Prime." Marlowe turned a rebuking look on the Guardians. "But he's determined not to be the last."
Sometimes leaders, like parents, must step in and make decisions that are necessary, but unpleasant. Cosmo's voice rang through Peter's mind moments before the psychic dog stepped into view from a small side room. Crew members, like children, may not always like them at the time, but if the decision was truly made for the good of the people, and not the gain of the individuals, then we can only trust they will see the sense of it in time. I assure you, Nova Prime does not make these actions lightly.
"Children are easily deceived," Drax pointed out. "There is no honor in it. Children should be told immediately that they are wrong, or else they should be allowed to learn from their mistakes."
Perhaps Drax has point, Cosmo conceded with a panting smile. Perhaps crew members are not so much like children, as children are more willing to learn, and less afraid of being wrong. Perhaps, stakes are simply too high this time, though. Crew is too upset. Too volatile. Crowds only magnify that. Cannot learn from consequences that cannot be lived through.
"Cosmo?" Peter interrupted before their conversation could spiral too far off-topic. "What are you doing here? I didn't think you were planning to come with us?"
Behind him, Peter could hear a low growl from Rocket. A quick glance back revealed he was growling at Cosmo this time.
Cosmo is not joing brother on planet. Cosmo paid no mind to Rocket's rude greeting. Cosmo is needed on Knowhere and cannot stay away that long. Is just here to help with... negotiations.
"Oh, well, we're always glad to have you." Peter smiled as best he could through the nerves and the emptiness in his chest.
Do not worry so, Cosmo soothed, tilting his head and wagging his tail softly. Cosmo will be watching over brother Peter and his Guardians from afar while you are interned.
Speaking, -or thinking?- of which reminded Peter of another matter that hadn't been discussed yet.
"How long are you guys planning on leaving us there?" Peter asked, turning towards Marlowe. "I can't stay there forever. I have promises to keep."
"You'll have to remain at least until things have calmed down after your friend's little incident. There's no way to tell how long that will be."
Peter felt his heart sink further. He risked a glance back at Gamora who was standing quietly beside Rocket, watching their exchange with calm indifference. Marlowe followed his eyes, her hard expression softening slightly.
"I'll continue to look into the matter you raised while you're away, but I'm not going to be making any promises of my own."
That was enough for Peter who thanked her and offered her his best smile.
The ride after that was mostly quiet and all too short. Before Peter knew it, Saal was returning, jogging down the steps with a grave look on his face.
"Step back," the Nova Prime ordered as he swept past, and the Guardians were ushered further away from the bay doors. Dey and several officers slipped forward to take up a defensive position between Peter and his friends, and the small loading bay which was giving off the unmistakable sound of accepting a new passenger from a ship to ship exchange. No one drew their weapons, but the gesture was clear enough.
The acid in Peter's stomach sloshed about as the decompression chamber gave a low angry hiss and the doors slid open to reveal a very smug looking Ego. Behind him, Mantis slipped through the doors as well. The empath was doing a very good job at making herself invisible as she took in the room with wide curious eyes, and Peter couldn't tell if the nervous twirling of her fingers was from anything Ego may have done, or just her usual level of uncertainty in social situations.
"Hello Peter," Ego greeted, again ignoring everyone else in the vicinity as he locked eyes with his son. "I'm glad you've come to some sense."
Ego took a step forward, his arm outstretched as though he intended to greet Peter with a hug.
"Not so fast," Saal interrupted him, stepping forward to cut off his approach. "We have some terms to discuss first."
"Of course," Ego said easily enough, but his face fell just a fraction, his annoyance plain. "Go ahead and state them."
"First and foremost, I would like to make it clear that while the Nova Corps is willing to give your offer a chance, we are by no means naive enough to simply take you at your word. Precautions can, and have been put in place should you attempt anything we find suspect. We are not so enfeebled to not be able to deal with a volatile planet or two, and we will not hesitate to eliminate you and your core."
"Even at the expense of your trump card here?" Ego's brows rose with a small disbelieving smile.
"Even so."
"Very well then. I have been warned. I have no interest in this universe right now."
"Second," Saal continued on, ignoring Ego's dismissive comments. "We will expect to remain in contact with those we are sending to you. At least once a cycle we will send you a hail. If it is not answered we will have reason to suspect you have broken one of our other terms."
"Fine, fine," Ego huffed, crossing his arms and obviously beginning to lose patience. "I have designed a communicator of sorts into my ship, and it can be rerouted to anywhere in the planet. Peter may use it as he pleases. It would be good practice for him, anyways."
"Which brings me to my next order." As Saal spoke, Cosmo stepped forward.
Cosmo knows brother Peter's Light very well, and will be keeping very close eye in it. Will be able to sense distress or misdeeds, even from great distance such as this. Ego will have very hard time doing anything that Cosmo is not immediately aware of.
"Learning to use the Light within may be a stressful process," Ego said. "Do you intend to sound the alarm every time he is faced with growth? That will quickly become exhausting for everyone."
Then Cosmo would suggest Ego avoid, how you say, pushing it. Cosmo's lip lifted into a sneer which Ego visibly struggled not to return.
"Hold on. I agreed to come to your planet to protect my friends," Peter spoke up. "But I never agreed to let you hook me back up to the Light or teach me anything."
"Do you really think you're in any position to be passing up such an opportunity?" Ego turned his piercing eyes on Peter. "Do you intend to live off of the pity of these mortals indefinitely? They can't protect you forever. They'll die trying." Ego's eyes swept over the Guardians. "It looks like they're half-way there already."
Guilt churned Peter's guts as Ego once again struck a raw nerve. It was true. He'd nearly led them all to their deaths on Traxxon III, and hadn't stopped beating himself up over it since. The image of Gamora's eyes, wide with shock and just the barest flicker of fear just before she'd been swept out into the red sky was seared into his mind and haunted him whenever he closed his eyes. They had all suffered terrible injuries, even Rocket who still moved with a faint but definite stiffness.
If Peter was more powerful, could he have prevented any of it? It wasn't the first time he had asked himself this question. Since even before Ego's appearance in the court he had tentatively entertained the idea of learning to use his Light. Cosmo had been able to hold his own against Ronan, at least for a while, and even done some damage to the Kree warlord, something none of the other Guardians could boast, separately or together. More than that, Cosmo's powers had saved their butts on many occasions in their brief time together. If Peter could use powers like that, he might have been able to save Rocket earlier. He might have been able to save Gamora, or at least stopped her, before she contacted Korath. He might have been able to do something other than twiddle his thumbs and wait for rescue on the Oasis.
The thought of being able to take control again was tempting. He was so sick of becoming everyone's prisoner here, and it hadn't been lost on him how much his allies had suffered to save him at every turn. But how could he trust Ego not to use that for his own gain? There was no way the Celestial was doing this out of the goodness of his self-made heart. He had to have an angle, Peter just, for the life of him, couldn't figure out what it was.
Peter cast a look at his friends. The Guardians, the original ones, back together again, but hardly any better off for it. They all stood apart from each other, injured and tired. Drax's chest wound stood stark and ugly across his bare chest, the staples glinting in the light.
Nebula caught his attention, meeting his desperate eyes with a calmness that he clung to like an island in a raging sea. He took a slow breath through his nose like Gamora had once taught him, focused on Nebula's steady gaze, and tried to shed some of the panic bubbling within him and clouding his mind. 'There's a difference between trusting someone and using them,' Nebula had said and the words echoed back at him now. The thought of trusting his father was madness, but using him... Peter thought he could find a way to live with that. He sucked in another deep breath like he was preparing to dive into an actual ocean, and turned back to Ego.
"Alright," he breathed out. "I'll learn to use the Light. But I'll have my own terms. And when it's time for us to leave, I want Mantis to come with us."
"You can have her," Ego said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Behind him, Mantis startled and snapped her head up to look at the Celestial with huge eyes. Her mouth opened as though to protest, then she seemed to catch herself and shut it again, ducking her head back down and fiddling with her fingers with a renewed energy.
"Just like that?" Peter asked. He had expected his father to argue the terms more, to extract some worse payment in exchange for Mantis's freedom. Instead, it felt like Ego was telling him he was welcome to the chips in the cupboard that no one else wanted.
"Of course," Ego huffed. "I think we both know where her true loyalties lie."
Behind him, Mantis was looking increasingly confused and worried, and Peter wished he could offer her some sort of comfort. But she was glancing between her hands and Ego, and Peter could not even catch her eye to offer her a reassuring smile.
"If that's how you feel, then why keep her around?" After worrying so long about whether Mantis was even alive at all, and after everything the other Guardians had been though in this horrible reality, finding her so relatively well off felt more than a little suspect.
"You are cursed with the sentimentality of those mortals you love so much." The disapproval in Ego's voice was clear. "I figured you'd be back to try to save her from whatever you thought she needed saving from, if nothing else, so of course I kept her around."
"As a hostage?" Gamora cut in, her own voice hard with distaste.
"As a peace offering."
"Regardless of your motives," Saal cut back in. "We are in agreement that she will be free to go when we retrieve Peter and the rest of the Guardians. The Nova Corps will not tolerate any deviation from these terms. The repercussions will be immediate and final. Have you any objections?"
"No," Ego huffed out. "So are we done here?"
Peter could see the muscles in Saal's neck move as he clenched his jaw. Obviously, Saal was buying about as much of Ego's act as Peter himself, but he'd come too far. The Nova Prime couldn't return with the Guardians without handing over a large portion of his credibility, and probably his power, to the Council.
"Yes. I believe we are done."
A wet nose pressed against the side of Peter's hand, causing him to jump.
Be very careful, brother Peter. Cosmo was staring up at him, his warm copper eyes shimmering with just the faintest traces of unnatural light. Not just of Ego. Peter will be safe enough in Blinding Place, there is nothing left there to find, and Peter is strong, but remember, do not cross into the Blind Place. There are too many things that would steal your fire, and many more who would snuff it out. They cannot help themselves. mindless things so fear the unknown and desperate creatures covet what they do not have.
"The 'Blind place?'" Came a derisive snort from where Ego stood watching their interaction through narrowed eyes. "How quaint. It is none of your business what I do with my son, dog, but I will not be leading him into the Nothing." Ego spat out the last word like it was something filthy. "That is no place for creatures of the Light."
No one plans for every step of their journey, Cosmo told Peter. Be careful.
With that he stepped away and joined the ring of Nova Crewmen who were busy removing the restraints from the assassins.
As Rocket's cuffs were removed he feinted a snap at the hands of the nearest Denerian who flinched back, one hand reaching for his weapon. Before things could escalate, Cosmo gave the raccoon a vicious snarl, his eyes glowing dangerously. Rocket seemed to take the threat and turned away from his victim to join the rest of the Guardians at the door to the air locked loading bay which would lead to Ego's ship, spitting at Cosmo's feet as he passed.
"Wait!" Peter said when Saal looked back like he was expecting Peter to go next. "I want his collar off."
Peter glanced over at Dey who he was pretty sure still had the remote.
"This again?" Saal growled.
"There's no reason for him to wear it on Ego's planet," Peter argued, drawing himself up to his full height and trying to match Saal's hard stare with one of his own. "There's nothing he can do, and you won't even be there to use it."
"And if Experiment 89P13 attacks one of you?"
"He won't." Peter's declaration was met with a derisive snort from the raccoon, so he quickly amended. "If he does, we'll handle it. Ourselves. No collars involved."
Saal held his gaze for several beats, and Peter did his best to convey how serious he was being. He was rarely serious, so it wasn't his best expression, but it must have worked at least a little, because Saal was the first to cave, relaxing his stiff shoulders with a sigh.
"Very well. You may remove it for his internment on the planet. We will see what he does with this freedom."
Dey stepped forward, but licked his lips and held the remote up for Peter to see.
"I don't know how to do that," Dey confessed with a guilty shrug of his shoulders.
Peter looked back at Nebula for help, but she just twisted her lips into a frown and rolled one shoulder into a small shrug of her own.
"Gamora?" Peter turned his eyes on the older sister. "You know the codes for that thing, right?"
"Yes..." Gamora answered hesitantly. She had been studying Rocket with her brows drawn tightly together, and suddenly Peter was worried Gamora was going to refuse, or pretend she didn't know how to remove it. "It's complicated," she finally said, stepping back towards Dey with her palm outstretched. "Thanos didn't want him to be able to remove it on his own. Please allow me."
Rocket was standing very still now, watching everything through narrowed eyes. Other than his twitching tail, he strongly resembled a stone statue.
Dey turned to Saal, who nodded his approval, before handing it over to Gamora, watching carefully as she began inputting some sort of complicated code. Peter nearly forgot to breath as he watched as well, only remembering when his lungs began to burn in protest. After some time, which probably wasn't quite as much time as it felt, the little screen at the bottom lit up with a little chirrup and Gamora pressed her thumb against it.
Peter glanced back at Rocket. His ears were pricked forward and his eyes had grown huge. After a moment, Peter realized there was a tremble coursing through Rocket's entire body, in anticipation or disbelief, Peter couldn't be sure.
"Nebula," Gamora's voice was soft, and almost tentative if one knew Gamora very, very well, but from the corner of his eye Peter could still see the younger sister stiffen and narrow her eyes at the address. "The panel on the back of the collar. It will only release to one of Thanos's children."
Rocket made no move to acknowledge Nebula when she first reached down and wrapped her hand around the back of his collar. The red light underneath his chin blinked rapidly and gave out a little beep, which Rocket visibly flinched at, then the collar popped open and was tugged off his neck. Rocket returned to his frozen state as Nebula gave the collar a cursory inspection then handed it to the nearest Nova Crew member. Even the trembling had stopped.
"Rocket?" Peter asked, worried that the raccoon had simply stopped breathing altogether.
Rocket didn't answer. His jaw was hanging slightly slack, and a small trembling hand raised up towards his neck. The fur where the collar had sat was rumpled and stuck out in odd directions.
"Rocket are you Okay?"
Rocket suddenly shook himself from his stupor. His eyes darted between Dey and the man holding his collar, then he turned and vanished into the airlock without a word.
"Well," Ego said with a smile. "I believe that would be our signal to leave."
-x-
The ride down to Ego's planet was short and surprisingly uneventful. Ego, for all his eagerness to be on their way, seemed content to ignore Peter in favor of piloting his ship. Mantis had fretted for a moment over where to go, but had ultimately chosen to follow Ego to the approximate of the flight deck in his oddly shaped craft. Peter wasn't certain, but he thought he had seen a flicker of fear in her eyes when they had landed on him. Maybe demanding she be handed over without so much as a hello wasn't the best way to start off their relationship. If she honestly had no idea who he was or that this was the wrong timeline, his attempts to rescue her might more closely resemble a kidnapping from her point of view.
Rocket had vanished again to some far corner, perhaps afraid someone might change their mind about his collar, or perhaps just enjoying not being stuck in a cell for the time being. Nebula was leaning against a wall at a distance, arms crossed and quietly studying the ship with offhanded fascination. Everyone else had taken a seat on the same couch Peter recalled from his last time.
Peter stared up at the ceiling, slumped back on the couch as well, one leg thrown over the other and his hands linked together over his stomach. As he fiddled absently with his Walkman, one thought rolled around the back of his head.
"Yondu's gonna kill me."
End
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Chapter 9 Preview: "...At the mention of her name, Mantis seemed to brighten, lifting her head up to smile at Drax with her hands clasped together.
"I would be very happy to share them with you!" She said eagerly. "I can even show you my favorite ways to prepare them, and what tastes best together!"
Here, she made the rather unfortunate mistake of turning towards Nebula next..."
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This chapter was actually done on time, but I was so tired and grumpy after work last night I didn't have the energy to do final edits and post it. I was also hemming and hawing over the title, since I decided the song I had planned on didn't quite work here after all and had to find a new one.
Sorry.
So many people were worried over what was going to happen to Mantis in the Astronautical-verse I almost feel like I may have disappointed you guys with what I had planned all along. lol I guess because we don't really get to see much of her development with the Guardians in the movies I didn't feel the need to change it too drastically to avoid just rehashing the canon. How she settles in and interacts will still change a bit, as this is a very different crew, and she is meeting them under different circumstances, but she will be a part of the main Guardians again, and will be getting plenty of her own character growth and development along with them. Her and Peter get an awkward start this time since he's basically swooping in to kidnap her. xD Poor Peter. Thankfully, unlike most of the other Guardians, she's forgiving.
And it took an entire book, but Peter finally got Rocket free of that Collar!
It's a very dialogue heavy chapter, and nearly all one long scene, but it's full of hints and nudges and some vague foreshadowing for future events/arcs.
Thank you for reading! And a special thanks to those who leave reviews (who I still need to send replies to because I start typing then get super nervous and don't want to be intrusive by messaging you! But they make my day!). And I love hearing your theories. Even if they're not always quite what I have planned for this project(I try not to say anything either way to avoid spoilers.), they make me wonder and think about things I might not have. Love em! I really wish they'd allow replies here, too, so I could reply to guest reviews directly.
Next chapter will have more Guardians/Ego interactions and should be the more comfortable mix of serious and lighthearted that I prefer writing.
~OMaM