Chapter Forty-Two: Ronan the Accuser

The two of them dashed outside, and along the way they encountered five more armored, gun-wielding aliens and an alien spacecraft. Quill hurled a triangular magnetic device, and in an instant, the overwhelming magnetic force pulled all five enemies together. Arthur seized the opportunity, firing an energy blast from his trident and eliminating them in a flash.

Seeing the alien ship nearby, Arthur raised his right hand. Immediately, two streams of water burst from the rocks, surging toward the vessel. Arthur clenched his fist, and the water instantly solidified into twin cone-shaped pillars that pierced straight through the ship.

The enemy craft was impaled in an instant.

Boom! It exploded into fragments.

“Let’s go!” Arthur called to Quill. Quill hadn’t expected Arthur to be this powerful, not only able to fire energy blasts but also to control water.

The two of them boarded a ship and soared into the sky, unaware that the leader of the aliens they’d just fought was watching them from below.

“Ravagers!” The alien leader was none other than the interstellar hunter, Krass! He served under Ronan and had recognized both Quill’s outfit and his ship.

Glaring at the bodies of his fallen men and the shattered remains of the ship, Krass growled, “Ronan will find you!”

…

Aboard the Ravagers’ ship

Arthur pointed at a red-skinned woman who had appeared and asked, “What’s with her?”

Quill replied, “She’s... uh, what’s your name again?”

“Bereet!” the woman answered.

“Right, Bereet. I almost forgot she was still on the ship. I met her back on Xandar,” Quill explained.

“You really don’t have a type, do you?” Arthur mocked.

“What, don’t you have a woman?” Quill shot back. Arthur said nothing.

“Haha, don’t tell me you’re still a virgin!” Quill laughed, pointing at Arthur.

“I just turned eighteen this year! Plus, I focus on training. I’m not interested in women—women only slow down my draw!” Arthur replied indifferently.

“No woman likes you, admit it!” Quill exposed Arthur’s lie, making Arthur flush with embarrassment.

At that moment, the comm began to ring.

“Peter, someone’s calling you!” Bereet said, pressing the answer button.

“No, wait, don’t—”

“Quill!” The video feed came on—it was Yondu.

“Hey, Yondu,” Quill greeted.

“I’m on Morag! I don’t see the Orb, and I don’t see you!” Yondu said.

“I’m nearby, and I even helped you out of a big mess!” Quill replied.

“So where are you now?” Yondu asked.

“I’m not planning to tell you!” Quill retorted.

…

“I went through hell tracking down the Orb, hell!” Yondu complained.

“I found it first!” Quill insisted.

“We Ravagers have our code!” Yondu argued.

“Your code is: steal whatever you can!” Quill shot back.

“When I picked you up from Earth, my men wanted to eat you—they’d never tasted Terran before. I stopped them; I saved your life. I’ll find you, and I’ll—” Before Yondu could finish his threat, Quill hung up.

“He looks furious! We’ve tricked him. Will he come after us?” Arthur asked.

“He won’t find us,” Quill assured him.

“Actually, Yondu’s been good to you. He really did save your life,” Arthur said.

“He saved me? He kidnapped me!” Quill shouted.

“You’ll understand in time.” Arthur knew Quill wouldn’t listen, so he said no more.

…

On Morag

Yondu was fuming. He hadn’t expected Quill to snatch the Orb before he could.

“Put a bounty on him! Forty thousand, but I want him alive!” Yondu ordered.

“When you picked him up, I told you to deliver him to the client, just as agreed! He’s only cargo to us! You’re too soft on him!” a Ravager scolded beside him.

“It’s you I’ve been soft on. Mind your own business about Quill.” Yondu swept back his cloak, revealing his arrow.

“As soon as we get him back, I’ll deal with him myself! What we should worry about is who else is after the Orb,” Yondu declared.

…

Aboard the Kree warship, the Dark Aster

Ronan the Accuser sat on his throne, with Gamora and Nebula by his side.

Krass stood below, reporting, “Master, those two are the thieves! One is the Ravager called Star-Lord, but we’ve discovered he made a deal with a broker to obtain the Orb!”

Ronan said, “I promised Thanos I’d retrieve the Orb for him! Only then will he help me destroy Xandar!”

“Nebula, go to Xandar and bring back the Orb for me!” Ronan commanded.

“It will be my honor!” Nebula replied.

“It will be your doom!” Gamora interrupted.

“If you fail again, Father will not reward you!” Gamora warned Ronan. “I know Xandar better than you.”

“You cannot fail!” Ronan ordered.

“Have I ever failed?” Gamora retorted, then turned and set off for Xandar.

…

Aboard the Ravagers’ ship

“We’re heading to Xandar?” Arthur asked.

“How did you know? I know a buyer called the Broker, he’s got a department store on Xandar. He’s the middleman who’ll help us sell the Orb,” Quill answered.

“Do you know what’s inside the Orb?” Arthur asked.

“No. Do you?” Quill replied.

“As a matter of fact, I do. And I also know your broker won’t dare purchase it,” Arthur said mysteriously.

“Then tell me—what is it?” Quill pressed.

“It’s the Power Stone! One of the six Infinity Stones. The ones who attacked us earlier were probably Kree, and their leader Ronan is also after it,” Arthur explained.

“What! So we’re already being targeted by the Kree?” Quill asked.

“Yes. Now both Ronan and the Ravagers are after us. What’s your plan?” Arthur looked at Quill.

“I still think we should try the Broker. This could be our chance to strike it rich!” Quill insisted.

“Alright, I agree. If we can’t sell it, can you give it to me? I’ll deal with the Kree,” Arthur offered.

“You want the Orb too?” Quill asked.

“Yes. The Power Stone has the might to destroy worlds. With it, I could become invincible!” Arthur replied.

“Fine. If we can’t sell it, it’s yours.”

“It’s a deal!”

“It’s a deal!”

Their ship descended onto the beautiful planet of Xandar—a world with a highly advanced technological civilization. From space, it looked much like Earth, though far larger. Walking on Xandar, Arthur marveled at its technological wonders. The Xandarians looked much like humans, with fair skin and blond hair, though many other skin tones from various worlds mingled among them. The Xandarians prized peace and cherished life.

On a bridge in Xandar Square

“I’m leaving now, Quill,” Bereet said.

“I’ll come find you again someday. Goodbye!” Quill replied.

“Goodbye!” Bereet left.

“Let’s go meet the Broker,” Quill said, patting Arthur on the shoulder.

Quill led Arthur to a humble little shop in Xandar’s commercial plaza.

“We’re here! This is the place.”

…