C130 I’m Star-Lord (Patreon)

The control room was a flurry of activity as the Red Room’s defenses lit up the sky. Rocket, at the helm, directed the plasma cannons and turrets with a deft hand, while Tony, Peggy, Natasha, and the others worked feverishly at their stations.

The initial surprise attack had almost cut the Kree fleet in half, but now the enemy was regrouping and counterattacking with a vengeance.

“Hold steady!” Rocket barked, his eyes darting across the control panel. "Our shield can take it."

Just then, the Kree surrounded the Red Room and began their counterattack, releasing countless energy blasts. The crew braced themselves, expecting the worst, but a transparent blue barrier shimmered into existence around the base, absorbing the impacts.

“What the—” Natasha started, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Deflector shield,” Rocket grinned proudly. "Built it myself. Should hold for a while, but don't get too comfortable. Keep firing!"

The Red Room’s weapons systems responded in kind, unleashing a relentless barrage on the Kree ships. Explosions dotted the sky as ship after ship was hit, their hulls disintegrating under the assault. Yet, the Kree soldiers were tenacious, their artillery battering the deflector shield with increasing intensity.

…

Meanwhile…

On the ground, the forest had become a deadly battlefield. Groot and Logan moved with lethal efficiency, using their unique abilities to devastating effect.

Groot raised his arms, causing the roots and branches around him to come alive. They twisted and coiled, ensnaring Kree soldiers and crushing them with brutal force. “I am Groot!” he roared, his voice echoing through the forest.

Logan, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of fury. He slashed through a group of soldiers, his claws cutting through their armor like paper. "Come on, you bastards!" he snarled, even as a blaster bolt struck him in the shoulder. He barely flinched, his healing factor already at work. “Is that all you got?”

But, despite their efforts, the sheer number of Kree soldiers began to overwhelm them. More and more soldiers poured out of the downed ships, their blaster fire intensifying. Logan and Groot found themselves constantly on the move, setting up new defensive positions and launching surprise attacks from the shadows.

…

Back in the control room, the tension was palpable. The deflector shield began to flicker, its energy waning under the relentless assault.

“The shield’s degrading!” Rocket shouted. “It won’t last much longer.”

As if on cue, two helicopters appeared on the horizon. One carried Xavier, Carol, Colossus, Beast, and Storm, and the other Magneto, Toad, Juggernaut, Sabertooth, and Mystique.

Spotting their arrival, Rocket made contact, his voice crackled over their radios. “About time you got here! The shield’s about to fail, and we need all the help we can get! Targeting their ships!”

The helicopters swooped in, and as they approached, Magneto flew out, propelled by his magnetic powers. With a strained wave of his hand, he tore apart Kree warships, sending them crashing to the ground.

Storm wasn’t far behind, soaring into the sky with lightning crackling around her. She raised her hands, and storm clouds gathered as bolts of lightning shot down, striking the Kree ships and causing their systems to go haywire.

“Ha!” Storm shouted, her voice filled with righteous fury. Her lightning strikes hit engines and control systems, sending ships spiraling out of control.

With Magneto and Storm’s combined might, the tide of the battle began to turn. The Kree fleet, which had come so close to breaking through the Red Room’s shield, was now forced to turn their attention elsewhere.

Suddenly, Logan’s voice crackled over the comms. “We’re getting overrun here! We need backup!”

Rocket quickly assessed the situation. “Alright, the rest of you mutants, get down there and help Groot and Logan. Magneto and Storm will stay and assist us...”

Following his instruction, the two helicopters landed, and the remaining mutants rushed out to join the fray. Xavier hovered in his wheelchair as the forest wasn’t exactly handicap accessible. Carol followed alongside him, a frightened and confused look on her face, while Juggernaut, Colossus, Beast, Toad, Sabertooth, and Mystique charged into the forest.

Juggernaut barreled through the trees, his unstoppable momentum plowing through the Kree soldiers like a living bulldozer. "Outta my way!" he roared, smashing through anything in his path.

Colossus, his metal form gleaming, fought with disciplined ferocity. He used his immense strength to crush soldiers and their equipment, his steel skin deflecting their attacks. "Stay close and keep fighting!" he shouted to the others, shielding them from harm.

Beast leaped from tree to tree, his agility and strength making him a blur of blue fur and fury. He used his claws and acrobatics to disorient and defeat the Kree soldiers. "Focus on their weak points!" he advised, his voice calm amidst the chaos.

Toad and Sabertooth moved with lethal efficiency. Toad used his long, prehensile tongue and acidic spit to disable and defeat his foes, while Sabertooth’s primal rage made him a terrifying force on the battlefield, his claws slashing through the enemy ranks with brutal precision.

Mystique, using her shapeshifting abilities, infiltrated the Kree lines, causing confusion and chaos. She grabbed a fallen blaster and took on the appearance of Kree officers, blatantly shooting her ‘comrades’ in the back.

Together, the mutants turned the tide on the ground, plowing through the surging Kree soldiers and relieving the pressure on Groot and Logan.

…

As the battle raged, out of nowhere, the sound of roaring jet engines filled the skies as a squadron of F-15 Eagles and F-22 Raptors screamed through the air. The United States military had scrambled their best fighter jets, sending them to investigate the alien ships that had been spotted passing over New York City.

Following their path, Colonel David Harris, leader of the squadron, narrowed his eyes as the forested landscape of Upstate New York came into view. "Eagle One to Command, we have visual on the target area," he radioed back to the Pentagon, his voice steady but laced with tension.

"Copy, Eagle One," came the reply from General Thaddeus Ross. "Proceed with caution. Report any hostilities immediately."

As the jets approached the designated coordinates, the pilots' eyes widened in shock. Before them, a massive floating base—the Red Room—hovered in the air, its cannons blazing as they fired upon the Kree fleet. Explosions dotted the sky, and the remains of downed ships littered the ground.

"This is... unbelievable," one of the pilots muttered over the radio, his voice tinged with awe. "Command, we're seeing some kind of advanced flying base engaging the alien ships. They're huge, sir. Bigger than anything I've ever seen."

General Ross’s voice crackled over the comms, demanding more information. "Eagle Squadron, what’s the status of the aliens?"

"The alien fleet is focused on the floating base. It's a full-blown battle out here. The base seems to be holding its own, but it's taking heavy fire." Colonel Harris replied.

Another pilot, Lieutenant Johnson, interjected, "Sir, there are... people here as well. I see mutants fighting the alien soldiers in the sky and on the ground. It’s… Oh my god!" He exclaims, witnessing Magneto tear a ship in half with a simple gesture of his hand.

"Confirm that, Eagle Two," General Ross ordered, his voice strained with disbelief.

"Confirmed, sir," Johnson replied. “This is... this is something out of a science fiction movie."

In the Pentagon's command center, generals and advisors huddled around screens displaying the live feed from the jets. Though it wasn’t the best quality, which is why they kept asking for information.

General Ross exchanged a look with his colleagues, their faces mirroring his own shock. "Get me a direct line to the President," he barked. "We need to decide our next move."

————

Minutes earlier, Peter stood with Cosmo by his side, facing Darth Maul who glared at them from behind the reinforced glass window of his warship, tension thick in the air.

"Hello there," Peter greeted, a hint of a smirk on his face. "Do you need a little help getting out?"

Before Maul could respond, Peter held out his hand, focusing his power. “Allow me…” he muttered and with a sharp gesture, he shattered the reinforced glass, sending sharp shards shooting towards Maul.

“…” Maul didn’t even flinch, his eyes locked on Peter with a murderous intensity, as his skin was cut by razor-sharp glass.

He didn't care about the pain. In fact, it fueled him! 'How lucky must I be to find a Jedi here?' he smirked.

To Maul, this was an opportunity to prove himself to his master. Killing a Jedi, especially one as famous as Peter, would be a significant accomplishment.

Maul’s double-bladed red lightsaber ignited with a snap-hiss, casting a menacing glow.

Peter followed suit, his black-bladed lightsaber humming to life. "That's quite the long lightsaber you have there. Are you compensating for something?" he taunted.

“?” Maul seemed confused, not understanding his Earthly humor.

“Eh, forget it…” Peter grumbled, unhappy his joke didn’t land. ‘Unfunny sith b*stard…’ Despite his soured mood, he stood poised, ready for battle, the atmosphere crackling with energy.

But, before they could clash, the ship's hatch opened, and Kree soldiers began pouring out, their weapons aimed at Peter and Cosmo.

Cosmo growled, ready to fight. "I’ll handle them," she barked, her collar translating as she rushed off, sending dozens of soldiers flying with a single thought.

Peter nodded, appreciating Cosmo’s support. He turned his full attention back to Maul, who wasted no time lunging at him with a ferocious assault. Their lightsabers clashed, the sound of crackling energy filling the air.

Maul attacked with a downward strike, his blade arcing with deadly precision. Peter parried the blow, their sabers sizzling as they connected. Using the force of Peter’s parry to his advantage, Maul spun, his staff saber a blur of red light, aiming to slice through Peter’s midsection.

“!” Peter leaped back, avoiding the deadly arc, and retaliated with a swift diagonal slash.

Maul blocked the strike with ease, pushing Peter back with brute strength. He followed up with a series of rapid, aggressive strikes, each one intended to overwhelm Peter’s defenses.

Peter met each strike with skillful parries, his black blade moving fluidly to counter Maul’s onslaught.

Their sabers clashed again and again, the force of their blows sending sparks flying. Peter aimed a thrust at Maul’s chest, but Maul twisted aside, bringing his staff saber around in a sweeping motion. Peter ducked under the strike and retaliated with an upward slash, aiming for Maul’s head.

Maul leaned back, avoiding the strike by a hair’s breadth, and used the momentum to spin into a low kick aimed at Peter’s legs. “!”

Peter jumped, avoiding the kick, and brought his saber down in a powerful overhead strike. Maul raised his saber horizontally, blocking the blow and pushing Peter back with a burst of strength.

"You fight well, Jedi," Maul snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. "But you will not defeat me."

Peter smirked, his eyes glinting with determination. "We’ll see about that."

Seeing as Maul was starting to get full of himself, Peter held out his hand, sending his opponent flying with a powerful Force shove. Impacting the hull of his ship, Maul groaned as he quickly recovered, his rage and pain fueling his every move as he charged back into the fray.

Their blades met again, a furious exchange of strikes and counters. Peter could sense Maul’s growing frustration, his movements becoming more aggressive and less controlled.

Maul’s attacks grew more desperate, fueled by his hatred and rage. Peter, who was a bit of a Sith himself, recognized Maul’s lack of control. "Your anger makes you strong, but also sloppy," he chided, sidestepping a wild swing. "A true Sith Lord controls their emotions, not the other way around."

Maul’s response was a roar of rage, his attacks becoming even more desperate. The sounds of destruction and war surrounded them—the Red Room’s plasma cannons firing on the Kree ships above, Cosmo battling Kree soldiers beside him, and the distant roars and clashes from the forest where Groot and Logan fought.

Soon enough, Peter noticed the sky darkening as storm clouds gathered, thunder booming ominously. He knew the mutants had arrived, and the sight of Magneto and Storm taking down Kree warships with their combined powers bolstered his resolve.

Following Peter’s gaze, Maul watched his ships being decimated above, his anger reaching a boiling point. “Argh!” He exclaimed as he lunged at Peter.

“What did I say about controlling your anger?” Peter dodged easily, a taunting smirk on his face.

Maul roared in fury, his attacks becoming wild and erratic. Peter avoided a reckless strike and countered with a powerful slash, aiming for Maul’s arm.

Maul blocked, but the force of the blow sent him stumbling back. Peter pressed the advantage, launching a flurry of strikes that forced Maul on the defensive.

Peter’s black blade moved with lethal precision, each strike aimed to exploit Maul’s openings. He used the Force to amplify his attacks, sending shockwaves through their blades with each clash.

“!” Maul struggled to keep up, his rage clouding his judgment and making his movements sloppy.

Peter could feel the tide turning in his favor as an open appeared. With a swift motion, he sidestepped yet another slash before turning and slicing through Maul’s outstretched arm, severing it at the elbow.

“Aahhhh!!” Maul screamed in pain, his saber staff falling from his grip. Realizing his mistake, he tried to call it back with his remaining hand, but Peter was faster.

With another quick strike, he severed Maul’s other arm, catching the falling staff saber in his off-hand. He twirled it, admiring the craftsmanship. "This is pretty nice… I think I’ll keep it as a souvenir."

Enraged and armless, Maul rushed at Peter, his movements wild and uncontrolled. But, Peter easily dodged, slicing off Maul’s legs next, leaving him immobilized on the ground.

Peter stood over him, his lightsaber held at Maul’s throat. “…”

"Kill me," Maul demanded, his voice a mix of pain and fury.

Peter shook his head, his expression calm and resolute. "No. You have far too much valuable information to die just yet.”

Maul glared up at him, his hatred burning brighter than ever. "Kill me, coward!" he spat, his voice laced with desperation. After all, he had nothing left, not even his limbs.

"Ugh, stop yelling. You're so loud," Peter muttered, deactivating his lightsaber. He lifted his boot and stomped Maul in the face. "Get some rest, you'll need it."

“Zzz…” Maul was knocked out cold almost immediately.

‘Sigh, now that that’s over—” Turning around, Peter was startled to see a crowd of familiar faces watching him from the nearby tree line. "Uh, hey?"

…

Seconds earlier, the ground group, led by Groot and Logan, had emerged into a clearing just in time to witness the brutal conclusion of Peter's duel with Darth Maul.

The mutants froze, awestruck by the sight before them. Peter’s black-bladed lightsaber clashed with Maul's red double-bladed staff in a series of rapid, fluid movements, the two combatants moving with almost supernatural speed and precision.

The sounds of the surrounding battle faded into the background as the mutants focused on the duel, their eyes widening as Peter, with a swift and precise motion, sliced through Maul's arm. “!?” To their shock and horror, he then severed Maul's other arm, and finally, his legs, leaving him limbless on the ground.

The dark intensity of the fight, the sheer skill displayed, and the brutal efficiency with which Peter dispatched Maul left the mutants speechless.

Juggernaut, usually brash and outspoken, found himself muttering, "Holy sh*t..."

Colossus nodded, his eyes wide with admiration and a touch of fear. "Indeed, how brutal..."

Xavier watched in horror, a disapproving and disappointed look on his face. “…”

Carol appeared just as affected by Peter’s performance. “?!” Without her memories, she seemed to have become quite innocent, shaking in fear as she stared at the limbless body at Peter’s feet.

Beast, ever the observer, noted, "His use of his powers is quite impressive." He said, doing his best to ignore the dismemberment.

Groot, his eyes glowing with approval, rumbled, "I am Groot." He was already accustomed to Peter's brutality towards his enemies, so this was nothing new to him.

Unlike Groot, however, the sight of Maul reduced to a limbless, writhing figure on the ground filled most of them with a sense of revulsion.

“Impressive…” Except for Sabertooth, who looked towards Peter as if he found a kindred spirit.

As Peter knocked the fallen Sith unconscious, suddenly, he turned to face them, his eyes widening ever so slightly. He gave them a brief nod, trying to offer a greeting. "Uhh… hey—"

But before he could say much, the onlookers before him shifted as they all looked up at the sky, expressions of concern flashing across their faces.

“?” Peter curiously followed their gaze and saw a new fleet of familiar-looking warships appearing in the distance, headed their way.

“We got incoming!” Rocket called out, “Tony, Peggy, Natasha, I want you on—“

“Rocket, hold your fire,” Peter quickly commanded over the comms.

“Huh? Why?!” Rocket sounded both disappointed and confused.

Peter replied, “Just watch and you’ll see…”

As if on cue, the new ships immediately began their assault on the remainder of the Kree fleet, swiftly finishing them off with precision strikes. The Kree, already on the verge of defeat, stood no chance against yet another enemy's arrival.

As the last of the Kree warships fell, the new ships descended to the ground, one landing before Peter. The ship’s ramp lowered and out stepped Yoda, Mace Windu, and several armed Jedi Knights.

Peter, surprising everyone, bowed his head in respect. "Welcome to Earth, Masters.”

A/N: 3000 words :)