C254 Spider-Man (Patreon)
Content
While Peter was striking a deal with Irani Rael, Quill, Gamora, Groot, and Rocket were immediately taken to The Kyln, High-Security Space Prison.
The Kyln is a huge prison ship, built to make escape almost impossible, as leaving the prison would land anybody in the cold airless embrace of outer space.
In the Xandarian criminal system, if there is overwhelming proof against you, the Nova Corps doesn’t bother with a trial as it’s a waste of time and money.
Especially when their empire covers most of the Galaxy, making it hard to effectively manage a large-scale court system.
“I guess most of the Nova Corps wanna uphold the laws, but these ones here, they're corrupt and cruel.” Rocket explains as they march through the halls of the prison and watch how the guards mistreat the prisoners.
One scrawny orange alien stepped out of line, and a couple of guards rushed up and started beating him with electrified batons.
”But, hey, that's not my problem. I ain't gonna be here long. I've escaped 22 prisons, this one's no different. You're lucky that broad showed up, because otherwise, me and Groot would be collecting that bounty right now, and you'd be getting drawn and quartered by Yondu and those Ravagers.” Rocket reveals who placed the bounty on Quill’s head.
“I've had a lot of folks try to kill me over the years. I ain't about to be brought down by a tree and a talking raccoon.” Quill replies with a small laugh.
“What's a raccoon?” Rocket asks in confusion.
“It's what you are, stupid.” Quill answers pointedly.
“Ain't no thing like me, except me.” Rocket says as they’re being led to their cell block.
“So, this orb has a real Ark of the Covenant sort of vibe. What is it?” Quill ignored Rocket and turns to ask Gamora, who opts to remain silent.
“I am Groot.” Groot explains in depth.
“So what? What's the Orb?” Quill shrugs off Groot's wise words and continues to pester Gamora.
“I have no words for an honorless thief.” Gamora answers harshly.
“Pretty high and mighty coming from the daughter of a planet harvesting maniac.” Rocket cuts in and receives nothing but a glare from Gamora in return. “Yeah, I know who you are. Anyone who's anyone knows who you are.”
“Yeah, we know who you are.” Quill says confidently as he turns to Groot and asks. “Who is she?”
“I am Groot.” Groot explains everything.
“Yeah, you said that.” Quill responds in annoyance.
“I wasn't retrieving the orb for my Father, I was betraying him. I had an agreement to sell it to a third party.” Gamora explains her plans.
“I am Groot.” Groot didn’t believe a word out of her mouth.
“Well, that’s just as fascinating as the first 89 times you told us that. What’s wrong with the Whomping Willow, here?” Quill asks Rocket.
(A/N: Yes, I know Quill wouldn’t have been around for Harry Potter but I liked the reference. I wanted to use the apple trees from the wizard of oz but I didn’t know how to word it in a good way.)
“Well, he don’t know talking good like me and you. So his vocabulistics is limited to ‘I’ and ‘am’ and ‘Groot’. Exclusively in that order.” Rocket explains as Groot sagely nods his head.
“That’s gonna get old, real quick...”
...
As soon as the four future Guardians were escorted into their cell block, every inmate went ravenous and bloodthirsty as they all eyed Gamora.
“Murderer!”
“I’m coming for you first, Gamora!”
“You're dead!”
“You're scum! You're scum!”
Many of them called for blood as they all blamed her for the deaths of their families and loved ones.
After all, Thanos has brought ‘balance’ to many planets over the years.
“I hate you!”
“No cell's gonna protect you for long!”
“You're dead! Dead!”
—————————————
After settling into their cell block, it wasn't long before they were told it was time to sleep.
...
“Take her down to the showers. It'll be easier to clean up the blood down there.” Quill woke from his sleep just in time to see a group of inmates taking Gamora away at knifepoint.
Jumping into action, Quill rushes after them without a second thought.
“Quill, where you going? Quill. Quill!” Rocket woke up and hurriedly followed after him.
...
“Gamora, consider this a death sentence for your crimes against the galaxy.” A tannish brown skinned alien man with horns declares as he and his fellow prisoners surround Gamora in the dimly lit shower room.
“You dare?!” Suddenly, an angry voice fills the room, as every inmate turns around and freezes in fear. “You know who I am, yes?”
“Y-You're Drax, The Destroyer.” One of the inmates stuttered.
A bald musclebound man with grey skin covered in red markings came walking into the room with a furious rage-filled look on his face.
[Insert picture of Drax here]
“And you know why they call me this?” Drax asks as he prowls forward.
“You slayed dozens of Ronan’s minions.” An inmate elaborates.
“Ronan murdered my wife, Ovette, and my daughter, Camaria. He slaughtered them where they stood. And he laughed!” Drax said in both anguish and rage. “Her life is not yours to take. I may have missed my chance to kill Ronan, but I will end the life of all who were related to him.”
“O-Of course, Drax. Here...” One of the inmate's hands over their knife.
With a pointy weapon in hand, Drax stomps toward his target, though things didn’t go as planned.
Just as he was within arms reach, Gamora acted quickly and twisted his wrist, which caused Drax to drop the blade.
Using her foot, Gamora kicked the falling knife upward, snatched it out of the air, and held it to Drax’s neck.
“I have no relation to Ronan.” Gamora argues.
“He was your father's lackey!” Drax counters, unafraid of the blade on his neck.
“Thanos is not my father.” Gamora clarifies with an angry growl.
“That’s not what I heard.” One of the inmates says as the others all nod in agreement.
“...” Gamora gritted her teeth and took a deep breath before tossing her weapon aside. “When I was a child, Thanos brought his soldiers to my planet and separated everyone into two groups. While his army was doing the dirty work, he gave a grand speech about balance and how he was there to help us survive.”
Silence filled the room as everyone, including Quill and Rocket, who were listening from the door, felt the emotion in Gamora’s voice as she spoke.
“Once the speech was over, he picked a group, and all of those people were slaughtered like animals. The only reason I’m still alive today is because that madman took a liking to me!” Gamora says with a bit of heat in her voice. “My real parents died that day, so no I’m not related to Ronan or Thanos... Now, get out of my face!”
“...” Two sides glared are one another in silence.
Meanwhile, Quill was shocked by what he heard.
‘Who’s Thanos?’ He wondered as he felt nothing but sympathy toward the woman he was smitten with.
Before anyone could say a word, a commanding voice spoke over a prisons loudspeaker.
“Inmates 356745, 356791, 356792, 356793, and 356794 report to the entrance of your cell block, NOW!”
“Huh?” Drax grunted in confusion as he heard his number being called.
Eyeing Gamora one last time, Drax was caught up in indecision.
On one hand, he really wanted to chop her head off and hang it in his cell for all to see, and on the other hand, her story was very convincing and similar to his own.
Even the initial group of inmates didn’t have the heart to kill Gamora anymore.
“This is not over!” Drax declared as he stormed out of the room, passing Quill and Rocket on the way.
“Let’s go, idiot.” Rocket calls as he turns to follow after Drax.
“Huh? Why?” Quill asks in confusion.
“Because our numbers were called, you moron.” Rocket explains as he starts walking.
“What about Gamora?” Quill asks in worry.
“Her number was called too!”
...
Minutes later, Drax, Quill, Gamora, Groot, and Rocket were all stood impatiently at the entrance of their cell block, waiting for whatever they were called for.
“Why the hell would they call us in the middle of the night?” Quill asks as he paced back and forth.
“Who knows, but it could be a good chance to get the hell out of here.” Rocket says as he nods to Groot, who nodded back, ready to initiate their escape at any moment.
Meanwhile, Drax and Gamora remained silent and stoic about the whole situation.
“Here they are, sir!” The Warden of this prison spoke with extreme respect as he guided a very important person up to the cell block's gate.
“Good, open it up.” A familiar voice filled Quill's ears as he stopped pacing and looked toward the gate expectantly.
“Open cell block 12-C!” The warden yelled and the gate started opening only a moment later.
As the Gate slowly rose upwards, Quill caught sight of the recognizable colors, red and blue.
“Hey, Star-Boy.” Peter says with a wave. “I’m here to bail you and your friends out. Did you learn your lesson, Young Man?”
A/N: 1562 words :)