Test

Below the deck of their ship, Peter and Yana were listening to "Moonage Daydream" by David Bowie as Peter was checking out his blasters to make sure they were in peek condition as Yana was doing the same to her yaka arrow. Suddenly the ship was making a slow halt.

"Heads up! We're inbound," Rocket said. Peter and Yana ran up the steps to see what appeared to be a head-like figure.

"Woah." said Yana.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

"It's called Knowhere. The severed head of an ancient celestial being. Be wary headed in, rodent. There are no regulations whatsoever here," Gamora said. The ship was landed on the outskirts of the planet as the group made their way into the planet.

"Hundreds of years ago, the Tivan Group sent workers in to mine the organic matter within the skull," Gamora said. She wasn't lying, there were many places filled with yellow liquids. "The bone, brain tissue, spinal fluid. All rare resources, highly valued in black markets across the galaxy. It's dangerous and illegal work, suitable only for outlaws."

"Well, Yana and I come from a planet of outlaws," Peter said. "Billy the Kid, Bonnie and Clyde and John Stamos." Yana added in as she walked besides Peter.

"It sounds like a place which I would like to visit." Drax said.

"Yeah, you should." Peter said. He saw other children rushing waiting for money from them. "Watch your wallets." Peter added which only caused Yana to give him a hard glare.

"Peter be nice, their just kids looking for some money so they don't starve." Yana said sternly to Peter as she pulled some extra units out and gave them to a small boy and his little sister.

"Thank you Miss." The little boy said happily as he and his sister ran off to some food stands.

A girl approached Groot. Yana looked back and smiled as Groot gave a little girl a flower he grew. Yana had to admit, even though Groot was gigantic, he still was a gentle giant. The two of them made their way to a bar.

"Your buyer's in there?" Peter asked.

"We are to wait here for his representative," Gamora said.

"This is no respectable establishment." Drax said. "What do you expect us to do while we wait?"

The answer was, of course, gambling. Drax, Rocket, Yana, and Groot were all surrounding a table with alcoholic drinks in their hands. Drax began laughing as the Orloni were being eaten by a larger creature. However, Groot was horrified by it all. He let out a horrified gasp as the poor creatures were being eaten by the gigantic monster that ran around on the table.

"Yes! Yes! My Orloni has won, as I win at all things! Now, let's put more of this liquid into our bodies," Drax said happily.

"That's the first thing you said that wasn't bat-shit crazy!" Rocket shouted.

"I'll drink to that!" Yana said happily as she sipped some more alcohol.

However, they were not joined by Peter and Gamora, who were still outside.

"Man, you wouldn't believe what they charge for fuel out here," Peter said. He went to join Gamora's side on the balcony. "I might actually lose money on this job.

"My connection is making us wait," said Gamora.

"It's just a negotiation tactic. Trust me, this is my specialty. Where yours is more, 'Stab, stab. Those are my terms.' "

"My father didn't stress diplomacy." Gamora said.

"Thanos?" Peter asked confused.

"He's not my father. When Thanos took my home world, he killed my parents in front of me." Gamora said. "He tortured me, turned me into a weapon. When he said he was going to destroy an entire planet for Ronan, I... I couldn't stand by and..." She stopped and looked down at the Walkman that Peter had.

"Why would you risk your life for this?" Gamora asked. Peter looked down as a melancholoy look appeared on his face.

"It was my mom's," Peter said. "It's the only thing I have left of her. My mom would often tell me stories of how my dad was from the stars. No one ever believed her. She, uh, she had brain cancer so people thought she was a bit delusional. I've never met my biological father."

"I thought Yondu was your father," Gamora said.

"Biologically, no," Peter answered. "But, He is Yana's biological father. He just took me in to raise alongside her when she was barely a month old. Besides, no matter how many times we'll hate and fight each other, Yondu will always be my father."

"So, what is the mechanisms of your listening device?"

"Well," Peter said, having "Fooled Around and Fell in Love." "See, my mom liked to share with me all the pop songs that she loved growing up. I happened to have it on me when I was...the day that she... You know, when I left Earth."

"What do you do with it?"

"Do? Nothing. You listen to it. Or you can dance."

"I'm a warrior and an assassin. I do not dance."

"Really? Well, on my planet, there's a legend about people like you. It's called 'Footloose.' And in it, a great hero named Kevin Bacon, teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that dancing, well...it's the greatest thing there is."

"Who put the sticks up their butts?"

"What? No, that's just a... It's just a phrase people use."

"Sounds very uncomfortable." Gamora said until Peter placed the Walkman on the shoter woman's head. Gamora actually thought this song was good.

"The melody is pleasant!" Gamora shouted.

Gamora and Peter both began to enjoy the music when they heard Rocket and Drax fighting one another. This was not the best time to start a bar fight! They both looked at each other as they rushed into the bar. They came in to see Drax was on Groot and Rocket had his gun pointed at the gigantic man and the walking, talking tree while Yana was fighting to get Drax off of Groot. Quickly, Peter got between the two boys as Gamora helped Yana pried Drax off of Groot. Peter had his hand reached out as Rocket had his gun still pointing at Drax, ignoring Peter altogether.

"What are you guys doing?!" shouted Peter. He looked at both of his companions.

"This vermin speaks of affairs he knows nothing about!" Drax shouted, with Gamora and Yana's hands on his shoulder.

"That is true!" Rocket snapped.

"He has no respect!"

"That is also true!"

"Hold on! Hold on!"

"Keep calling me vermin, tough guy! You just wanna laugh at me like everyone else!"

"Rocket, you're drunk. Alright?" Peter said softly, looking at his raccoon companion. "No one's laughing at you, Rocket." Yana said, joining in on helping her brother calm down the trigger happy raccoon.

"He thinks I'm some stupid thing! He does! Well, I didn't ask to get made! I didn't ask to be torn apart, and put back together, over and over and turned into some...some little monster!" Rocket sad sadly, his voice nearly cracking as if a sob was coming.

Yana knew what that felt like. She had been kidnapped by Kree slave owners when she was 15 years old, they had brutely sliced off her original fin and would have done more damage had her father, Peter, and the rest of the Ravengers not come to her rescue. But it still left a nasty scar. One that would haunt her forever.

"Rocket, no one's calling you a monster." Peter said, trying to keep his voice down.

"He called me vermin!" Rocket pointed at Drax and then at Gamora. "She called me rodent! Let's see if you can laugh after five or six good shots to your frickin' face!" He was going to shoot at Drax again.

"No, no, no, no! Four billion units! Rocket! Come on, man. Hey! Suck it up for one more lousy night and you're rich." Yana said huridly, wanting to avoid another fight.

She waited for him to respond for a long time. Rocket withdrew his weapon.

"Fine. But I can't promise when all this is over I'm not gonna kill every last one of you jerks." Rocket sneered.

"See? That's exactly why none of you have any friends!" Peter shouted. Even he and Yana had friends from the Ravagers. "Five seconds after you meet somebody, you're already trying to kill them!"

"We have traveled halfway across the quadrant, and Ronan is no closer to being dead," Drax sneered. He walked out the door.

"Drax!" Peter shouted after their companion. He was going to follow him, but Gamora grabbed onto his arm gently.

"Let him go," Gamora said softly. She sneered the rest of the time. "We don't need him."

Suddenly, the door opened up to reveal a pink-skinned woman walk through the door. She called out to Gamora.

"Milady Gamora, I'm here to fetch you for my master," she said unusually pleasant.

**-0-**

Okay, this isn't creepy at all," Rocket said once they entered the room Carina led them too.

"We house the galaxy's largest collection of fauna, relics, and species of all manner," Carina said. Rocket growled with a dog that was in a spacesuit, but was distracted from thoughts when Carina led them to a richly dressed man with furs. Peter's green eyes followed the strange man and had his hand on his gun if he tried something funny with them. Gamora, and Yana seemed to have the same idea as Gamora held onto the grip of her swords while Yana held onto the holster her yaka arrow was strapped into.

"Oh, my dear Gamora. How wonderful to meet in the flesh," Tivan said, kissing her hand.

"Let's bypass the formalities, Tivan. We have what we discussed," Gamora said.

"What is that thing there?" the Collector asked, looking at Groot.

"I am Groot," the creature said.

"I never thought I'd meet a Groot. Sir, you must allow me to pay you now so that I may own your carcass. At the moment of your death, of course.

"I am Groot." was all Groot said again."

"Why, so he could turn you into a frickin' chair?" Rocket asked sarcastically.

"That's your pet?" he asked pointing at Rocket.

"His what?!" Rocket said.

Oh shit, thought Yana. She didn't want there to be any more trouble with anyone, ever since that incident with Drax.

Yana knelt down to his height.

"Rocket, calm down, please." Yana said softly. She put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from attacking the Collector, who chuckled. Rocket looked at her but removed his hand from the blaster after a soft nod.

"Tivan, we have been halfway around the galaxy, retrieving this orb," Gamora said.

"Very well, then. Let us see what you brought," the Collector said.

"Quill, the orb," Gamora said. Yana removed her hand from Rocket and went to stand where Peter was. Peter put his hand on the Orb. He was going to give it to Tivan, but suddenly, the orb fell onto the ground. Quickly Peter got up and handed Tivan the orb.

Meanwhile, Drax was walking out of the bar and noticed a message dispatch center. He took both of his knives and put them up against the messenger's throat.

"You shall send a message for me," Drax said.

"What should I send?" the Messenger said, scared for his life.

"Oh, my new friends," the Collector said. He had the orb open up what appeared to be a purple stone within the orb. Now, they were going to know the true nature of this thing in the orb. He began to control his mechanisms. "Before creation itself, there were six singularities. Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots. Infinity Stones. These stones, it seems, can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength. Observe. These carriers can use the stone to mow down entire civilizations like wheat in a field. Once, for a moment, a group was able to share the energy amongst themselves, but even they were quickly destroyed by it. Beautiful. Beyond compare."

They looked at the stone.

" Blah, blah, blah. We're all very fascinated, whitey," Rocket said sarcastically. "But we'd like to get paid."

"How would you like to get paid?

"What do you think, fancy man?" shouted Rocket. "Units!"

"Very well, then," Tivan said, reaching to where the money was. He noticed Carina was watching the entire time. She made her way to the stone.

"Carina. Stand back," he told his servant.

"I will no longer be your slave!" Carina shouted.

"NO!" Tivan shouted. Suddenly, Carina began glowing purple and began screaming as the stone itself began to explode. Groot didn't have any more time to save Gamora and Peter. He had quickly grabbed onto Rocket and began running with him in his arms. Quickly, Gamora and Yana grabbed onto Peter's arm and the three of them hid underneath a table-like structure with a ditch. As the place exploded, the trio came out from their hiding space.

"What the f..?" Yana began.

Gamora quickly took the orb and had the stone contained within it again. They all left the now destroyed building.

"How could I think Tivan could contain whatever was within the orb?" Gamora said with the stone. Rocket came up to them in a panic to see they were holding the orb, it still in their possessions.

"What do you still have it for?" Rocket shouted.

"Well what are we gonna do, leave it in there?" Peter shouted.

"I can't believe you had that in your purse!" Rocket yelled.

"And I can't believe you left a bomb on our ship!" Yana shouted at Rocket. Although she wasn't completely guilt free either as she herself couldn't believe that Peter was still holding it.

"It's a knapsack! Not a purse!" Peter yelled angrily at Rocket and was about to say more but Gamora interuppted them.

"We have to bring this to the Nova Corps," Gamora said. "There's a chance they can contain it."

"Are you kidding me?" Rocket yelled. "We're wanted by the Nova Corps! Just give it to Ronan!"

"So he can destroy the galaxy?" Peter shouted. "Rocket how could you say such a thing?" Yana yelled, disgusted by Rocket's choice.

"What are you two, some Saints all of a sudden?" Rocket asked the 34 and 26-year-olds "What has the galaxy ever done for you? Why would you wanna save it?"

"Because we're one of the idiots who lives in it!" yelled Peter.

"Peter, You have to listen to me," Gamora said as she grabbed onto Peter's red leather jacket gently. "We cannot allow the stone to fall into Ronan's hands. We have to go back to your ship and deliver it to Nova."

"Right, right, okay. I think you're right," the 34-year-old replied.

"Or we could give it to somebody who's not going to arrest us, who's really nice for a whole lot of money. I think it's a really good balance between both of our points of view," Rocket suggested.

"No!" Yana said, both she, Peter, and Gamora glaring at Rocket. "We are not doing that, we're doing what Gamora suggests: going to get this to the Nova Corps."

"Oh, no," Gamora said.

"Gamora? What's wrong?" Peter asked. He looked up to see what she was talking about. Ronan's fleet was right in front of them. "Oh crap." Yana said.