6722/Milano Tales: The Power Stone (II)

Milano Tales: The Power Stone (II)
Date of Scene:	28 June 2021
Location:	Xandar
Synopsis:	Ronan the Accuser has the Power Stone. Thanos be damned, he's going to win the war that was stalled by peace treaty. He sets course for Xandar. The Nova Corps and Guardians of the Galaxy fight a desperate pitched battle against the Dark Astar and Ronan with the power stone. Only the impossibly properties of Peter Quill manage to stop the power stone in its tracks. Why? no one is sure yet... but it's a mystery to be solved.
Cast of Characters:	Phyla-Vell, Nebula, Daisy Johnson, Gamora, Groot, Rocket, Peter Quill

---

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    Some small selfish part of Phyla-Vell wishes Nebula and Ronan to make it back to Thanos. Then she'll know where his fleet is. A secret that has eluded galactic defenders since forever. But the care and love on this ship for their strange blue friend, sister to Gamora, daughters to her greatest enemy, remind her that this isn't about her. It's about them.

    As the Milano whips through hyperspace Phyla turns to the crew to explain herself. "The infinity stones. Okay. Where to begin. What we know about them is mostly legend so take all of this with a grain of salt, but there are six stones comprising of the fundamental forces that made our universe. Power, Space, Time, Reality, Soul, Mind. The possessor of these stones, with a master in the driver of each, can wield them to literally alter the very application of those forces."

    "The space stone? travel anywhere instantly. Reality stone? change matter. Time stone? rewind, fast forward, halt time.. etc. The power stone, the one that I just encountered with Nebula on Knowhere? infinity energy. From time to time these stones pop up in history and are always at a nexus event of historical significance. Civilisation collapsing significance. We cannot let Thanos get his hands on the power stone."

Nebula has posed:
    Nebula had no reason to be on the bridge of The Dark Astar. She had no reason to entertain Ronan's presence. The job was done and father will be satisfied beyond all measure. She is the best daughter, the one who stayed loyal... wait, that's not right is it? didn't she break all the rules for her sister. She frowns at the subtle reflection of herself in the glass.

    Her eyes focus on the swirling lights outside as the Dark Astar travels through hyperspace. There is an unexpected and sudden twist. Of course. Why can things never be that straight forward and simple. She opens up the flight computer and notes their new destination: Xandar.

    With a huff she heads to the bridge, "Ronan. Why have we changed course?" On the Milano, the ships tracking console (currently locked on to Nebula) notes a sudden and unexpected change of direction.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
The Dark Aster's bridge is a place of cold eficiency, the sakarians moving to and fro as they take care of the systems, monitors displaying their position and most importantly their destination. Ronan's eyes are on the monitor, intense, sitting at a slightly elevated 'throne', his hammer resting against the arm of his seat. The orb containing the power stone is in front of him but he pays it no attention for now. That is not his focus, it is simply a means to an end.

And what an end it will be.

His thoughts of revenge are broken as the blue Nebula comes in, an expression of distaste coming to his features. "Unfinished business." he says with finality, the distaste on his features shifting to one of amusement, "Thanos will have to wait until I am done."

For once he had the upper-hand on this business 'relationship' with Thanos. Seems like he fully intends to take advantage of it.

Gamora has posed:
    Gamora looks away while Phyla gives the short snappy rundown of the Infinity Stones, her body language tense, maybe a little... guilty? "... Father has sought those stones for as long as I've known him. He will do... *anything* to have them. If they hadn't taken it, he likely would have sent endless waves to Knowhere until it was his."

    Gamora shakes her head. "We likely won't be able to take it back to Knowhere." Granted, she's counting her chickens before they're hatched a little bit. Taking the stone back is an enormous 'if'.

Gamora's brow furrows as the Dark Aster changes course, and she stands up to lean over the display to look closer. "... What are they doing?"

Groot has posed:
Groot follows the others at this point, quite concerned about what is going to happen here. He listens to the others and watches for now. "I am Groot" and looks at Rocket. He is a bit distracted but not entirely without thought on the situation.

Rocket has posed:
"Power stones, huh? Sounds stupid," Rocket says, most of his focus kept on piloting the Milano to maintain a safe pace behind the Dark Aster as they seek to find the opening they need to board it. "But yeah, I get it. Don't let Thanos get his big hands on any of 'em. Reality-destroying stuff and all that."

They knew they'd have a shot to get aboard the ship they were pursuing, and having the tracker made it much easier to know where (not Knowhere) it was. Just as he's saying, "Let's make sure we /get/ the damn thing before we start talking about where to keep it," he points at their radar. "So, anyone wanna take a guess at why they're going to Xandar? Ain't that the last place they should be headed to?"

Peter Quill has posed:
"Nifty, so six stones, very powerful, and Thanos wants to make like that Poke-a-man game back on Earth and catch them all, got it," Peter says before he nods to Gamora. "Sooo, what do we do with it? Toss it in black hole or something?" Though he nods to Rocket, he has a point, they need to get the thing first.

The change of the Dark Aster's course is noted. "Dunno," he answers Gamora. "I am gonna hope that Ronan just got a hankering for Xandarian snail and is going for take out," he says, but he knows they're not that lucky.

He changes course to follow the Dark Aster.

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    Phyla stares at the guilty looking Gamora for a good few moments. That is valuable intelligence that the defence forces of the universe needed to know forever ago. But she is from his inner circle, this is a rare opportunity to find out what Thanos is really up to, what he's really like.

    "I see. We can't just toss it in a black hole, it's part of the fundamental nature of the universe. I know a place it can go. We must succeed here today. The fate of billions depends on us," Phyla says trying not to oversell just how deadly this thing would be in the hands of Thanos.

    She turns sharply as she realises what it is Gamora is talking about and peers at the tracker. "They've changed course." Damn. She sits down and maps out the new jump trajectory and feels her heart sink. "Were any of you part of the war between Hala and Xandar 7 years ago? A religious slight by Xandardians enraged a portion of the Kree empire and they were on the brink of war.. until a peace was found and the whole thing was called off."

    "Ronan the Accuser, made no attempts to hide his distaste for the outcome stating he would find a way to cleanse their world." She frowns darkly, "Well it looks like he's found it." She stands back up.

    "We need to get there first. I can jump us there faster with my q-bands. It's not going to comfortable jump but we have to warn them he's coming. They have a chance if they can mobilise the Nova Corps..."

    She's not waiting for permission, but she does step back to make room as her body begins to glow with cosmic energy. With a strike of the two bands on each wrist, the Milano lurches forward at an impossible speed, faster than it's ever gone before. The physical affects of such a large jump are sickening to the occupants of the Milano, even Phyla.

Nebula has posed:
    Nebula couldn't possible eyeroll hard enough to convey just how unamused she is with Ronan's change of plans. She pushes a Sakaaran out of the way and looks at the flight plan. "Xandar? Really?" She considers it for a moment. Ronan has such a long list of people he wants to destroy and Xandardians are way up there on the list. What would father do?

    She shrugs her shoulders and says, "It's your funeral. Even if you could get past the Nova Corps, my father will not be happy that you took this detour. He'd call it.. a lack of vision. But..." She smirks a moment and folds her arms, "It's your ship. So long as that.." she points to the orb, "..gets to Thanos I don't care how many stops you make along the way."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Ronan finally shifts his attention to the orb when Nebula speaks of it. "Yes. This..." a creepy smile comes to his expression. "... do you know what this is, Nebula?" she reaches to finally place one hand atop the orb, bringing it close.

"The power it contains. Vision?" the large kree gets up to his feet, his eyes turning just a touch wider, all the fanaticism visible there. One that had lingered for too long in the dark, having to make deals with ..., lesser people like Thanos. "Allow me to show you what vision is..." he crushes the orb in his hand, a slow process but as it cracks and falls the stone is caught in his hand, a faint shudder at the palpable power emanating from it.

The man reaches for his hammer, bringing it close and snaps the stone right atop it, a blinding glow flaring from it. Veins are visible on the man's skin now at the effort, contrasting with the blue of his skin.

"Prepare the assault ships for full engagement. Begin the attack as soon as we step out of hyperspace." he orders on comms.

No, not going for Xandarian snails apparently!

Gamora has posed:
    Gamora avoids Phyla's gaze. She shouldn't feel guilty. Thanos' plan... it's neccessary, no matter how ugly it is. But there's a reason she couldn't be a part of it any more. She knows the crew can likely imagine what Thanos would do with infinite power.

    But they're all wrong. There's no way they could imagine it.

    The scale of it.

    The Dark Aster's actions are almost a welcome distraction. At least THAT problem can conceivably be dealt with by force. "... Ronan's out of his mind if he thinks he can use the stone without consequence. Doubly so if he thinks he'll be able to keep it.

    She can't be SURE of that. She can only guess just how dangerous Ronan would be with the stone. But Thanos...

    Thanos doesn't lose.

    Gamora straps herself in just in time for Phyla's manuever, gritting her teeth and growling with discomfort as every atom in her body feels like they're being shaken lose, clinging to her sheathed sword's hilt with both hands.

Groot has posed:
Groot looks concerns and takes the controls looking for ways to boost the speed of the ship and its shields. He's not as good at it as Rocket but he can still cover his basics if he needs to. "I am Groot" he keeps looking at the two blips on the screen with more and more concern.

Rocket has posed:
Rocket gripes, as he often does, "Hey, look. We can do jumps just fine ourselves, but too many of them at once and I--"

Phyla-Vell engages ludicrous speed before he can finish the sentence, and wherever they end up, whether or not it's in time to arrive before the Dark Aster, he reaches for his stomach as his cheeks bulge out briefly.

"Ugh.." Then he throws up in Quill's general direction, rather than all over the displays in front of him.

Peter Quill has posed:
"Oookay, so no take out just genocide," Quill says as he starts hitting buttons to try and pick up their speed. Turns out he doesn't need to, Quasar's got it covered. "Oh shit not this agaaaaain..." he says as the ship lurches forward faster than she was ever meant to. Peter grips onto the controls for dear life, but there's no steering not really it's more just so he doesn't fly out of his seat as the inertial dampeners struggle to keep up.

"Oh god," he says, his own cheeks bulging, puking on his console, just in time for Rocket's puke to get him from the side. "Damn it Rocket, barf forward not to the side!"

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    The cobalt coloured planet named Xandar snaps in to view as the Milano careens out of ludicrous speed. Phyla feels her stomach want to come up but she holds it down. But not without a few noises of concentration and concern. Shivers, clenching and unclenching her fists. Making a jump within a jump was reckless but necessary - well, by her reckoning anyway.

    <Ravager ship, you are entering Xanadarian Space, controlled by Nova Corps. We have detected an anomalous jump signature, are you in distress?>

    Shaking her head, Phyla snaps out of it. She doesn't have time for niceties with Nova cops. A hand goes to her Q-band and she broadcasts directly to Nova Prime <Madame Prime, this is Quasar. You are imminently under attack by The Dark Astar. Ronan the Accuser had obtained a new weapon and must not be allowed to land on the planet>

    It does not take convincing. Phyla-Vell is a hero in the eyes of the Nova Corps. <Affirmative Quasar. Scrambling star fleet> On the planet below the twinkle of a thousand little ships begin to take to the skies in response.

    Placing a hand on her stomach Phyla says, "I'm not in charge here.. but I say the moment the Astar appears we board it.. find Ronan, stop him, get the stone, get Nebula, get out.. jobs done, everyone who matters is happy. How's that for a plan? Rocket do you think you can land us on the Astar in atmo?"

Nebula has posed:
    Nebula can't lie to herself. That's awesome. Such raw power and determination on display. A smile stretches across her lips. While father sits on his throne with his fleet doing nothing, sending out feelers and probes and his generals to cause mayhem.. here is Ronan _doing_ something.

    Her black eyes glint with the reflection of the purple energy from the stone as it is free'd from its container. She tilts her head, half expecting Ronan to burn up instantly upon touching it.. but he instead manages to infuse it in to his hammer.

    There's a small smirk of 'well then' and a nod of her head. Orders are given. What's a little bit of death and destruction before completing her mission. Why does stalling feel so familiar to her?

    As the Dark Astar jumps out in to the Xandardian system and flames begin to lick its exterior, breaching the atmosphere, it becomes apparent that somehow Xandar knew they were coming. Sakaraan fighters are launching, but star fighters are flying up to intercept. Nebula looks out the windows as ground cannons begin to fire up at the Astar. The energy hits the Astar's energy shielding and disperses.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Weaklings." Is what Ronan says about the feeble attempt at defense from the Xandarians. He steps down from his throne, each step deliberate, powerful, hammer in hand while approaching the commands, "Years hiding behind peace have made them careless, too trusting. Now they will know why there can only be war between our people." he taps on a few buttons on a console then gestures. "Take out the cannon defenses. I want to be landing on the planet within the hour."

Clearly he does not feel too keen on Xandar's defense chances.

"You should join with me, Nebula. Once I am done here I will be taking care of your Father." yes, he knows his deal with Thanos is done, one way or another.

The sakaarian fights start engaging with the Xandarian ships, laser shots flaring up in the skies, ships exploding. A full on planetary attack.

Gamora has posed:
    Gamora cringes at Quill and Rocket's collective... upheaval, and mutters "Foul..." as she unfastens her safety harness, and stands up.

    Then she has to sit back down again, holding her stomach. "Muunnh..."

    Phyla's 'suggestion' is met with a stony expression, and a soft rumble of agreement: "That suits me. The Aster is blind in the center of its sides; or so Ronan's pet says. Either way we'll need to tear our way through his men.

    This also suits Gamora.

Groot has posed:
Groot cracks his knuckles for something to do. He is well aware that this is a lot more dire than any situation that they have faced and he is more than willing to be a lot less...nice than he has been. He never REALLY liked the Kree as a culture and this guy seems like the worst of them. He intends to do what he can to make him regret it...if he can and is quietly nervous.

Rocket has posed:
Rocket wipes his mouth with the back of a hand. "Oh, is that the rule? Well, whose console is clean right now? You got an answer for that, Quill?" he remarks before following up on Quasar's communications with the planet below. "Yeah, and you tell your people the Guardians of the Galaxy are here to help save your asses, so when this is over with we're gonna have a little talk about wiping some records clean!"

The war brought up? It merely gets a shrug as the Nova Corps defenses spring into action just as the Dark Aster begins to make its move.

Rocket shouts, "We're getting on board that thing so we can sabotage them from within! Check out this little upgrade I've been working on!" He takes aim, following Gamora's advice, at one of the sides of the Aster once they're closer. The energy blasts do not in fact get stopped by the shielding. A few wider bursts are caught, but in doing so they paint a clearer picture: that of an opening that's roughly Milano-sized. "Short-range shield disruptor, projected around us like a bubble. Get ready, 'cause we're goin' in!"

Heavier fire rips open a section of the Aster, causing a few satisfying explosions as Sakarian ships and crew meet a sudden end along with the immediate area suffering depressurization. "Mask up if you're goin' out. Ain't no air in that hole we just made."

In they go, and he strafes the area with more fire to put down any retaliation before the soldiers know what's hitting them. Should give them a chance to land.

Peter Quill has posed:
"Gross now I've got to save a whole planet with Racoon barf all over me," Quill complains wiping at his jacket before looking at his hand "Gross! What have you been //eating//. Actually never mind I've already thrown up once!" He whipes vomit off his screen as they approach Xandar. "Sounds like a great plan Phy but we just have to pull it off without being blasted first..." but it looks like Rocket's got that handled, okay focus time, he activates his mask and takes the control stick with barf covered hands. As Rocket opens them a door he flies the Milano through, metal scraping on metal as they just make it through the hole an slide uncontrolled through the ships interior sending Sakaraan troops scattering out of the way and crushing a few that don't against the inner hull as the Milano finally slides up against it.

"Annnd landed," Peter declares standing up from his console. "Time to go be heroes. Let's stick together out the door here then we can go after what needs going after."

He drops the hatch and then leads the way down into Ronan's ship.

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    Phyla grimaces at the puke and near puke. She places a hand on Gamora's shoulder as she nearly loses it too. Warrior women gotta stay strong for each other. There's a moment of admiring silence from Phyla as Rocket's new weapon blitzes throguh the Astar's shields. "...Wow" and then they're in.

    "For Hala! For Xandar! Let's clear a path!..." Phyla-Vell beats a hand to her chest. She is and always will be a soldier at heart. Her body is once again enveloped with cosmic energy. She lifts off the ground and flies to the hanger door. Stepping out right behind Peter, the Sakaaran's begin shooting immediately, taking cover behind crates and machinery. More of them are running toward the breach point. A klaxon is sounding.

    Phyla wastes no time as Quasar, quantum energy springs up in front of her and forms a shield and in her other hand a sword. She flies forward and crashes in to a group of Sakaaran, her sword swishing about and cutting cleaning through their feebly printed bodies. Her shield protects her flank from weapons fire.

    Outside a section of Nova Corps star fighters break off from fighting Sakaaran needle ships and form an energy lattice. They press up against the Dark Astar, slowing its descent considerably - energy lattice against shield burning brightly in the day sky. The energy powering the Astar's shields is dropping rapidly, they cannot sustain contact with this forever.

Nebula has posed:
    Nebula chuckles softly as Ronan calls them weaklings. She hasn't seen this side of Ronan in a while. Then again he's been tied at her fathers hip since the peace treaty between the Xandar and Hala. How those two ever managed to make peace is beyond her.

    The sudden and unexpected burn notice of her father makes her face drop. Cold dark eyes watch him stroll across his own bridge. Something inside her, may be a 'heart' place?, pangs intensely at the suggestion that she turn against father. She wants him dead.. that's a familiar thought. Why did it feel so distant?

    Everything that is being sad right now is recorded. He knows if he fails here today then Thanos will learn of his betrayal swiftly by Nebula. Nebula cannot say yes because it would mean further retribution from her father. She cannot say no because her heart wants what he offers more than anything in the universe.

    As Klaxons sound through-out the ship Nebula steps up to the security console, "Intruders. East wing. They'll be going for the shields." Despite Ronan's confidence, if the shields drop the Astar will be ripped to shreds by the Nova Corps defences, so for now she makes no commitment to Ronan; but this ship and that stone, that is the mission right now. She draws out her plasma pistol and storms off the bridge heading down below.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Is this the part where Ronan goes and says either you are with me or against me? Neutrality has no place on his life. The hand around the heft of his hammer squeezes, prepared ... Until comms announce they are being boarded. The audacity of those Xandarians!

"Bring me their heads, Nebula." And later they will finish this 'talk'. He doesn't stay idle either, bringing up images of the fight going on. Who are these people? Some faces though....

He starts laughing. A thunderous laugh that fills the bridge room. "Well, well. Seems you have kept your own secrets, Nebula." as he gets a picture of Gamora on screen, then the rest of the crew that SHOULD be dead, but then seeing Quasar there makes him cease laughing, hatred brewing on his expression, "Half-breed.."

"Honor Guard, with me. We are going to the shields." so as to intercept the group moving in. He walks out of the bridge.

Gamora has posed:
    A grim sort of smile tugs at Gamora's lips, finding an unexpected satisfaction in seeing any part of this ship crumble and tear. Such a flaw in that dangerous icon of Ronan's power is... heartening. "Good. Very good." And that's about as close as Gamora has managed to get to directly complimenting someone's efforts, possibly ever. Though the moment is marred slightly by the brutal entry of the Milano onto the Dark Aster, the Zen-Whoberian clinging to her control panel until the ship is finished shaking.

    With a sort of sharp coldness in her golden-yellow eyes, Gamora nods once sharply at Rocket's mention of air masks, and stands up, silently marching out of the bridge with her sword in hand.

    She retrieves an air-mask and seals it over her face, as she reaches the hatch, waiting there with one hand on her scabbard, and the other on the hilt of her sword.

    Without looking at Peter as he arrives, she coldly says, "Nebula may resist us. Attack her, if she does."

    Gamora closes her eyes and softly adds, "You can't hurt her any worse than they have."

    After Peter and Phyla, Gamora leaps out, drawing her sword from her scabbard and slicing through one of Ronan's minions in one swift movement as she lands. Holding the blade in one hand, and the scabbard in the other, Gamora marches forward like a woman possed, cutting through men as she moves. A few who fire at her find their shots diverted in dangerously randomm fashion by a quick deflective move of her scabbard.

    When one attempts to lock her arms back from behind, Gamora snaps her leg straight upward to drive the toe of her boot into his eye over her own shoulder, before flipping him forward over her back. She stomps on his exposed belly and uses him as a launching point to leap forward, turning her body horizontal while spinning sideways with her blade cutting through one man, and her leg snapping out to kick another across the face before she lands in a three point stance.

    The hand on the ground raises just in time to deflect a laser back to its source, killing the gunman, before she swings the scabbard into the face of a nearby enemy, knocking him to the ground. She stabs the man behind him, and then slams her scabbard down onto the previous man's face, ending his life in swift but brutal fashion.

    Gamora has not blinked for a good long while.

Groot has posed:
Groot actually grabs a beam weapon even though he doesnt always use them but in this case they are attacking people much in need of receiving a smack down from the group. "I am Groot!" And if he sees a kree he is going to shoot them. He sees one and shoots him with the giant gun in his hands. He has a look of grim determination on his face.

Rocket has posed:
Rocket explains, "Just had to key in on the right energy signature, and it's like making a blind spot." Snickering at Quill, he adds, "Maybe I'll tell you what I had later, unless you feel like throwing up inside your mask."

Without waiting for an answer, he peels away from the consoles and runs off to fetch one of his BFGs, one guess what the F stands for, then he taps a button and an air pocket forms over the lower half of his face, like a clear rebreather tied to a pack he puts on that includes personal boosters for flight.

"Ohhh yeeaaahh!" he shouts, burst laser fire ripping across the room from the blaster he's got in both hands, tearing through a number of Sakaarians. "How's that taste?" the..he calls back, "How many times do I gotta tell you I ain't a damn raccoon?!" Star-Lord almost got away with it.

Whether Gamora needs it or not, he lays down some suppressing fire to help clear a path for her.

Peter Quill has posed:
Once out of the ship Quill takes to the air in the cavernous interior of the Dark Aster blasting the Sakaarans from above while the others cut into them on ground level, dodging and dipping as they fire back. "You are totally a RACOON get over it!" he shouts back at Rocket. While Gamora and Groot are deadly serious, leave it to Quill to argue even in the midst of their big damn hero moment.

"Gamora, Phy, where do we go from here to find Ronan and Nebula?" he asks as he blasts down a couple more Sakaarans.

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    As the last Sakaaran body drops in this section of the ship, Phyla turns around and surveys the damage. "Good question. We should shut off the shields. Let's split up. One group head to the bridge, the other to the shields. I'm headed to shields."

    She takes off down the corridor on foot. As another group of three Sakaraan's round the corner, she does a spin and slices through them with her glowing sword. It is then that she sees Ronan rounding the corner with his entourage.

    "Ronan!" She thrusts out a hand and a blast of cosmic energy shoots out toward him in one continuous beam. She's not taking chances against this guy.

Nebula has posed:
    As Ronan declares his intentions to defend the shields, she pauses and considers her options. Flank the invaders? ... she looks at the screen and her eyes widen. Gamora. The Guardians are here? WHY?! Well father can't hardly blame her for what the previous version of her did. Not if she corrects her mistake.

    As the Guardians advance, she slips out from behind a doorway to catch Gamora's eye, then runs off down a side corridor in to the Sakaaran printing room.

    Big machines are bio-printing soldiers by the dozens at a time, arming them and leading them by conveyer belt toward printed needle ships to continue the advance of the invasion. Nebula takes out her battle staves and they crackle with eletricity. She smirks, waiting for her sister to take the bait.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
As Ronan moves into view, eyes flaring with energy there is a definite smirk that comes to his expression. Eagerness. To test his new weapon. The Kree is flanked with rather well-armored figures, holding blaster weapons and some with swords. His honor guard. They begin to move towards the Guardians, shooting and slicing, prepared to do their Master's bidding.

"You were supposed to be dead." He grates just before a blast takes him in the chest. It's something that normally *would* daze him. But now? It makes him slow but never fully stop. He *is* getting angry though and as those cosmic beams continue to push against him he swings with his hammer, letting it absorb the energy before giving a secong swing in Phylla's direction so as to send her flying, the absorbed energy in the hammer now being released in a wave of energy towards the kree. "ENOUGH, HALF-BREED!" he shouts in defiance.

And then finally a look at the rest of the Guardians, "Amazing how you are always on the losing side." he starts to approach them.

Gamora has posed:
    Gamora lets out a sharp cry as she cleaves another enemy in half, stopping the swing of her blade suddenly enough that most of the gathered blood flies off of her blade. Still attacking as she responds to Peter, she says "The Bridge, to start." That said, she looks up as Phyla flies past her, and frowns. "But if he knows about *her*..." and why wouldn't he? "... then he may move to guard the shields personally. Ronan relishes confrontation, and with the Power Stone..." Gamora trails off. With the Power Stone, he's likely feeling preeeetty secure in his combat abilities right now. But would he unleash that kind of power near the shields? She follows Phyla as Phyla suggests their split courses of action.

    As they advance, the question answers itself, and Gamora raises her blade, grimacing. Suddenly, her eyes widen as they lock onto Nebula's. So quickly she comes and goes, Gamora could almost convince herself that she didn't see her. But she can't.

    "Nebula!" Gamora calls out, just as her Sister vanishes around the corner. Possibly for the first time in her life, Gamora hesitates during a battle, eyes flitting between Ronan and the corridor.

    Gamora pivots quickly to avoid being bowled over by Phyla's flying body, and readies her blade again, looking to Ronan. "I haven't lost a battle against your men yet, you blubbering dog. Wheras *you* were just fooled by the least subtle woman in the Galaxy."

    Her voice is shakier than she wants it to be - which is to say, at all. He has the *Power Stone*. The bedtime story of a universe reshaped is plugged into this lunatic's *hammer.* That is... intimidating.

    Once again, Gamora glances away, distracted. "I saw Nebula." She asides softly to the others. "I don't... I want..."

    She wants to go after her Sister. She does NOT want to leave THIS to the others. She is... rather conflicted.

Groot has posed:
Groot shoots with his hand on the trigger just moving down the troops and eventually runs out of ammo. No, thats not true, he grabs large metal barrels and begins throwing those instead putting his strength to full advantage and clearing as much he can of distractions so that Rocket and Quill can focus on Ronan.

Rocket has posed:
Rocket shoots anything that looks like it ought to be, causing further damage inside the bowels of the Dark Aster. They'll have some time to devote to repairs if they manage to escape this. Meanwhile, he insults and taunts everyone and everything he attacks.

Then, Ronan and his Guard are there, he with his special hammer, the Guardians blasting away until a momentary break in the action springs up.

"Losers? We're on /your/ ship. We're wrecking /your/ bugs. The only loser I see here is you, and in case anyone never told you before, you look like an idiot. Now hold still. I got a little surprise for ya," Rocket says, tossing his BFG down to call up a holoform of something from a display that appears from his wrist. It looks a lot like what he'd see from his position in the Milano's cockpit, and the reason why is soon apparent.

Though the Milano has been left behind by its crew, it thrums back to life as it hovers and turns in the direction of the Accuser.

Rocket's smile, behind the air mask, is vicious. "Say hello to my little friend." The forward blasters begin to glow and he adds, "Good guys might wanna move right about now."

The Milano opens fire on Ronan the Accuser and his Honor Guard. "Suck on that!" Rocket shouts.

Peter Quill has posed:
Quill stares for a moment at Ronan. "Well that's intense," he says as the man powers through one of Quasar's blasts. That power stone thing? Totally not a joke. He lifts both blasters and opens fire index fingers pulling the lethal triggers on his gun, like as not they don't do more than tickle the guy, so that's why Peter aims for the face, if he can't hurt him, he can at least distract him!

"Go get your sister!" he calls to Gamora. "We've got this!" though there's an unspoken, I hope at the end of that last remark.

That sentiment lasts until Rocket turns the Milano loose on Ronan and his guards. "Never mind!" he shouts. "We've really got this now!" Quill says as he ducks out of the way, grinning behind the mask as their ship opens fire.

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    Phyla's beam of cosmic energy ripples the very air around it. The power stone, however, is the very concept of power. You cannot beat power with power. Only a mastery of the mind, of will, can command the stone. It's only weakness is seeking someone better at will than its current possessor: Ronan.

    She goes flying back as he redirects the energy back at her. Hitting the wall hard, she flops to the ground with a groan. Slowly pulling herself back up to her feet with a slight wobble, the glow surrounds her again.

    "It's the damn power stone. We have to get it off of him.. somehow," she says as Ronan taunts. Peter is opening fire, Groot is opening fire. Rocket is opening fire with the whole damn Milano. The ship starts to shake as Phyla draws in cosmic energy from around her.

    Bits of the ship break and explode at the edges as the shields start to give way and she unleashes an even greater blast at him. "We need to get closer!," she shouts over the noise and uses this chance to close some ground.

Nebula has posed:
    Nebula paces back and forth. Where is Gamora? why hasn't she come? She twirls the energy batons in her hands. The ship rocks and shakes and she starts to think that may be Ronan's not going to make it to surface. His promise of taking out Thanos will be hollow after all.

    She looks down another corridor to an escape ship... and is about to turn to it when she sees Gamora. Her most sinister smile spreads from cheek to cheek and she says, "Sister." She charges at Gamora and begins to swing the electrified batons and attempts to knee her in the gut.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
The fires shot at him feel like pinpricks on his skin, Ronan continue his advance, his hammer swinging and blocking against the more powerful shots while he steps forth, ever closer to the group itself. "Already one of yours leaves you." he notes about Gamora when she leaves after Nebula, clicking his tongue, "No matter how much you try you will never take away the sway their Father has on them." an attempt at breaking morale? Well, he is quite the strategist. And that doesn't stop just because he feels fully confident that he will win this. Because he has POWER now, power to face even Thanos and win.

Or so he thinks.

Some of his honor guard fall under the fire of the Guardians attacks on them, though not that they seem to care, willing to give their life for their master.

It gives the Kree time to lift his hammer, prepared to strike at the group when he catches sight of the damn Milano turning it's cannons on him. Well, shit.

"Honor Guard, to me!" they move as one, stopping the attack on the Guardians and shielding Ronan. Of course that they also get shredded to pieces under the Milano's firepower. But that's just acceptable casualties for Ronan.

"I think I will start with the twig." and he moves fast, trying to catch onto Groot with one hand.

Gamora has posed:
    Given the go-ahead by Peter, Gamora hesitates a moment longer. "... Forgive me." She replies quickly before she darts forward, running several short steps before dropping and sliding on her knees under the weapon of one of the Honor Guard. She uses one leg to kick out, putting her body into a spin as she slides forward, which she uses to lash out at the back of one of the Honor Guards' legs as she passes, before the single rotation is complete, and she rises up again, sprinting down the hallway she say Nebula flee through.

    Moments later, she feels the Dark Aster shake violently as the Milano begins to fire, causing Gamora to pause briefly.

    "... Lunatics." She murmurs, with a hint of fondness in her voice, before she resumes her chase.

    Gamora stops as she encounters Nebula. "... Sister." she says at the exact moment that Nebula does, her body tensing when she sees that familiar manic grin.

    Gamora has certain... instincts when fighting Nebula. She's done it more times than she can remember. She's always had to adapt them as Nebula learns and grows... but Nebula's attack, her body language is familiar to Gamora. She's raw. She's eager.

    She's predictable.

    Side stepping and Leaning back under the baton swings are essentially muscle memory at this point. Nebula's knee is stopped, and shoved back down by Gamora's free hand, which then rises up to drive her open palm up into Nebula's chin, staggering her back.

    Gamora looks angry... but not at Nebula. More than just angry, her voice almost sounds... heartbroken when she speaks. "... He did it again." She says softly. It's a statement, not a question. She can tell just by the way Nebula moves. "He reset you. Again." Gamora shakes her head. "I am..."

    Hisotrically, Nebula could make a few guesses as to how that statement's going to end. 'Disgusted.' - 'Disappointed.' - 'Amused' even.

    "... so sorry... Nebula."

Groot has posed:
Groot is strong but not like...person who can handle a power stone with no problem strong. He is trying to grow large, and is, all kinds of vines whapping and thwapping in Ronan's face as a shrubbery should but Groot is a bit non plussed since he is used to being stronger than most, "I am Groot!" He pounds with his fists, each one getting stronger but to little effect.

Rocket has posed:
Rocket's beady little eyes narrow as not even the Milano's guns seem to stop Ronan. Maybe slow him down? A little? But stop? Apparently not.

Thinking of what to do about that gives way to sudden rage the moment Ronan makes a move on Groot. Whether or not the Accuser can actually do anything to Groot, Rocket doesn't know. All that's going on in his head right now is...a need to save his f..fr....his friend.

"Hey, big ugly! Leave him alone!" Rocket yells as he fetches his BFG once more and flicks it to the most lethal setting it's got, leading to him zooming into the air as he swings around for a clearer shot. It's one he doesn't hesitate to take, aiming directly for Ronan's stupid face. "Boom!" he begins, certain he's going to follow up momentarily with what he just did to his target.

It leaves Gamora to face off with Nebula. It leaves the rest of the crew, plus Quasar, to attack as they will. He's just trying to get his pal out of this.

Nebula has posed:
    The hand blocks the knee, Nebula tries to pivot around but Gamora is ahead of her and strikes her under the chin. She stumbles back and shakes her head, eyes fixed upon Gamora once more. Annoyance, anger, disgust, these are the emotions on her face. They are familiar, she is comfortable in them.

    The batons swing again and she attempts to hook kick her sister expecting the batons to be deflected or dodged. But then as Gamora expresses her anger.. she thinks at first toward her but soon realises it's toward father.. she doesn't falter, she keeps pushing.

    Until.. that is, the word 'sorry' comes out of her mouth. Her nostrils flare and her face twitches in utter rage. "SORRY?! SORRY!!!? You're SORRY. You're Sorry you left me to be tortured by father again and again and AGAIN. You're sorry you always HAD to win, always HAD to be the best, knowing full well what would happen to me. You're sorry you were too much of a coward to take my place. You're sorry you _LEFT_ me!"

    The attacks are wild, white hot blind rage from Nebula, battling her sister in a way Gamora has never seen before. She hit on the ultimate nerve and it all came flooding out. She cries out enraged, "I _HATE_ You!" She is being reckless with her strikes, driven purely by emotion that only Gamora and Thanos have ever been able to bring out.

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    Phyla stops trying to blast Ronan. It's not working. Even with the Milano on his side.. he uses his honor guard to defend himself. "You're a monster. Even our own people have rejected you and your beliefs. You're a wanted criminal and cowardly hid behind the coat tails of Thanos."

    Seeing and hearing Ronan go for Groot she yells out, "No!."

    Groot's vines wrap about his face and then Rocket's BFG hits him square in the head. THere is a blinding flash of light and what remains is Ronan, eyes glowing purple and hammer in his hand. He laughs and snaps off the vines around his head, then lifts his hammer to strike Groot.

    Phyla charges in, grabbing at the hammer trying to pull that power stone away from striking Groot. The q-bands on her arms begin to glow intensely, white hot, complex quantum and cosmic radiation begin to pour out of them.

    Phyla cries out in pain as the energy of the infinity stone starts to eat at them and they start to burn her arms. She is half Titan and even she can't handle this kind of power. And poor Groot, he's feeling the burn too, as the will of the stone battles against both of them at once.

    Without a doubt, the two of them are about to die.

Peter Quill has posed:
Peter joins the chorus of shouts as Ronan makes a grab for Groot and tries to bring down his hammer. Phylla gets there first trying to contain the power of the stone, but it's clearly not enough. Quill lifts his blasters firing at Ronan but nothing changes, then he drops them calling, "Rocket, get Groot out of there!" and he makes a grab for Phylla to pull her away from the Power Stone. The moment his hands make contact the purple energy surges through him as well his eyes glowing bright purple as veins of power cut through him glowing the same shade. Though unlike it doesn't overwhelm him as quickly dark spots only just appearing by the veins of power. "C'mon!" he shouts to the others. "We've got to get that thing away from him!"

Groot has posed:
Groot looks at his feel guardians and doesnt let up. He can feel the stone burning him all the way but Groot is a creature of noble sacrifice when he needs it and howls, "I AM GROOT" pumping all his reserves and while his strength is not a match for Ronan he hammers at him attempting to aid Quasar for all his leafy might.

Gamora has posed:
    Alarm mounts in Gamora as Nebula unleashes a flood of attacks and words seeking to wound her in equal measure. Perhaps, for all her sympathy, it was arrogant of her to think she could express such a thing in the middle of a fight with Nebula. How can you underestimate someone who's never defeated you in battle?

    But Gamora only ever fought Nebula in front of their Father. With anxiety heavy in the air, the threat of what follows failure hanging over them. A certain amount of... composure was called for.

    Nebula appears to have lost this, and for the first time in her life, Gamora can't react fast enough to Nebula. Attacks are dodged, deflected, but too many impact against her body. She at least has the wit to move in a way that would minimize the damage done... but between Nebula's speed, and Gamora's pain and shock at her Sister's ferocity, she begins to lose ground, finally taking a blow square in the face that knocks Gamora onto her back.

    Gamora rolls back into the fall, flipping over so that she's on one knee, facing Nebula. Blood trickles out of her nose, obstructing Gamora's breathing. Her voice is slow and labored as she speaks, "... I'll never apologise... for surviving, Nebula. You'd have let the same happen to me... We had no choice!" Gamora grimaces with pain as she stands, putting her hands out to catch both of Nebula's by the wrists as she swings downward at Gamora, locking both pairs of arms above their heads, and putting them face to face.

    Growling with the effort of countering Nebula's enhanced strength, the two of them rotate around each other as Gamora struggeles to muscle Nebula away without opening herself up to attack. "... But I *was* a coward." Gamora admits, in stark contrast to the knee she lifts up into Nebula's gut, before that same leg snaps out to push her back and create distance between them. "I was a coward not to be there for you after the punishment was done. I was a coward... not to take you with me." Gamora holds her blade out - ready to slash, but primarily giving Nebula reason not to advance too quickly towards her. "... I didn't understand you. I still don't, exactly, but... but..." Gamora's expression twists with rage, "... but Father keeps taking parts of you *away* before *either* of us can!"

Rocket has posed:
"Murd--...what? You're not dead! How are you not dead?!" Rocket's confusion is evident, and as both Quasar and then Star-Lord join in the efforts to dislodge Groot from Ronan, the strange little creature made by means none of them are exactly privy to resorts to something he knows best.

No, it isn't blasting things to bits with heavy weaponry. That's been working on the ship, but not Ronan.

He hisses and /attacks/ with fang and claw, tearing at Ronan's face, trying to maul him that way. In the process, he cries out as the power of the stone begins to surge through him as well, causing a glow to emanate from the same places it's started to with the others. A trembling hand stretches out toward Groot, to make contact with him. "Hurts.." he gasps, but if they're going to go out for good, at least it's with others that have come to matter to him.

Peter Quill has posed:
The power running through Peter's body hurts like hell, but he'd been hurt before and just like Yondu told him growing up, 'someone hurts you boy, you hurt 'em right back'. Gritting his teeth Peter pours all his defiance into resisting the spreading lines of purple coursing through his body. "You're. Not. Going. To, Win." he bites out at Ronan, his mouth glowing purple now with each word. Then to the others. "Guys-" he groans with pain. "We can do this," and it sounds like the crazy Terran actually believes it.

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    Ronan's face gets all kinds of scratched up as the energy builds up and up and up more and more. Peter joins the touch-fest. Peter, Phyla, Groot, and Rocket, all putting their will against Ronan's. The power stone must choose who is superior. It tests Ronan, his face crackles and he drops to one knee. It tests Quill, ... and finds him capable.

    The strength and power contest between them all is resolved as Ronan's eyes widen and his body begins to crack and crumble all over, as a glow inside him rips him apart and the hammer falls to the ground. So too are all the guardians suddenly falling as their adversary is.. gone.

    A large chunk of the Dark Astar is blown away as the shields collapse, ground cannon and star fighters shooting at it wildly as they have no idea what the status is on board.

Nebula has posed:
    Nebula is too angry for tears, but she feels her arms go up and out of the way as Gamora grabs them. She scowls at her sister and says, "You're a monste~" oof, knee to the gut and then kicked. She stumbles back. She stares at Gamora as she apologises and it is clear Nebula is not ready to hear the words.

    An explosion blows away the Sakaraan printer behind her and exposes the ship to the air. Shaking her head, her words are poison. Thanos is inevitable and glorious. This is what the reset means to her, to Gamora. Nebula is back to despising the universe and even the after glow of the reset has now faded. The joy sapped from her eyes.

    She takes a step back, then jumps off of the Dark Astar. Away from her sister. She lands on a star fighter and pulls the pilot from his cockpit, then hijacks the fighter to get away.

Groot has posed:
Groot moans in pain as he feels his whole body and the very framework thereof shaken by the powerstone but he is glad he did what he did. Ronan was clearly a monster and this was clearly more than he could bear.

Rocket has posed:
It still hurts, so much. As much as anything Rocket ever felt on Halfworld, he realizes. The memories suddenly rush back, as if he's seeing everything about his life flash by before it all ends. The power threatens to make him burst, Groot and whoever else he's managed to get a hold of feeling the tense grip of his little hands, rigid and unrelenting as he quivers.

But, something happens. Something to save them all. His air mask cracks, causing him to gasp for breath, then the strain becomes too great just as Ronan is deemed unworthy. He comes to pieces and the hold is released on the others, leaving them to stagger back, fall, kneel, or whatever is the case for each of them.

In Rocket's, he falls to the wayside, unconscious from the effects, from the effort to win. They're going to have to get off this ship immediately, but it won't be him flying the Milano this time.

Gamora has posed:
    Gamora's eyes are terribly angry... and terribly sad. She doesn't harbor any romantic delusions that her words will trigger some kind of dramatic change in Nebula. Hope isn't for people like them. So rather than hope, her eyes convey a sense of...

    ... inevitability.

    Gamora recoils with surprise, throwing one arm in front of her face, and gripping a piece of equipment with the other to brace herself against the sudden explosive depressurization. She watches as Nebula stands, seemingly unphased by the terrible gust pulling at both of them... only for Nebula to step back herself just as it ends.

"NO!" Gamora shrieks as she throws herself forward, landing on her front with most of her upper half leaning over the hole in the ship, reaching downward for Nebula's hand as expanse of Xandar spins beneath them.

    And she's too late.

    Gamora watches the receding ship, eye wide and mouth agape, fingers still outstretched for a catch she can't tolerate failing, for a few long seconds before her arm goes limp.

    "... God." Gamora croaks weakly. She breathes in increasingly rapid, short hisses through gritted teeth as tears well up in her eyes. She had no expectations of happiness. She had no concept of it outside of the pride of Father's praise. But her time on the Milano... without realising it, without fanfare, spectacle, or announcement, showed her a steady, subtle drip-feed of how it feels. It showed both of them. Father had reset Nebula before, but she had nothing to lose except pain and resentment. But now? Now Father had not only taken it away from Nebula, but had taken the very memory of it. Nebula no longer has any concept of how things could be.

    And now, with something to contrast it with... Gamora finally starts to see the misery, the outright horror of her Father. Sees pain beyond the 'neccessary' growing pains of a universe that needs guiding. And for the first time in her life, she feels resentment... *hatred* for her Father. Knowledge of the massacre of her own people - her own family - couldn't do it. Those were just ideas on a data log. But Nebula...

    "... Nebula..."

    A few seconds that feel like an age finally pass, and Gamora pushes herself up to her feet, survival instinctss taking over as she sprints back to the scene of the Guardians' battle with Ronan, blade in hand.

    "Everyone!" She calls out as she skids to a halt, taking in the scene quickly. "You're alive." She sounds pleasantly surprised. She can't see Ronan anywhere, but she knows this ship isn't going to last. "Up. Get up. Everyone get up! Can everyone stand?" she urges them, tugging on clothes and shoulders as she passes them. She looks down at Rocket with concern, before scooping the diminuative pilot into her arms. "Peter? Phyla? Groot?!" She calls back, just hoping they can move.

Groot has posed:
Groot looks up and barely manages to say, "I am Groot" smoke comes off of his form. He is there, but barely.

Peter Quill has posed:
In the final seconds Peter feels another power course through him something different than the stone and then, they're falling, he hits the deck hard and reaches blindly for something to hold onto as the ship rips apart beside them. Then Gamora is there, "Hey," he says as the ship finally autoseals to stop air from rushing out. He sits up. "C'mon we gotta get to the ship, can you pull Groot? I'll get Rocket and Phylla." He lurches to his feet running to his downed friends.

Gamora has posed:
    When Peter greets her, Gamora is... struck, by the pleasant absurdity of the situation. "... Hey." She replies, with a huff of a laugh. "Yes. Yeah. I can." she answers, passing Rocket carefully but quickly to Peter, before she moves to try to bodily drag Groot back to the ship. It's not *easy*, but... they grow Zen-Whoberians pretty strong, and Nebula wasn't the only one Father enhanced.

Phyla-Vell has posed:
    Phyla twitches and groans. Her skin is burned up and down her arms. She shudders as she takes Peter's help to get up. She lifts up the hammer with the stone in it and slings it up on to her shoulder. It is not being used, it is not testing her will. For now, it is safe.

    With Peter and Gamora's help, the team makes it back to the Milano. The launch from the Dark Aster is just in time as it hits an empty plaza below in a large explosion. The Nova Corps have questions for Phyla-Vell and the Guardians, but given what happened here today - they're big damn heroes. The people may not know it yet, but they will soon.

    Nova Prime agrees to wipe the slate clean for the crew. At least in the Nova Corps records. It's the least they could do.

Nebula has posed:
    Nebula docks the stolen ship on to the Q-Ring. Thanos' capital ship, the fleet sits hidden away in Hyperspace where no one can find them.

    Thanos stands with his arms behind his back as Nebula steps down the gang way. "Father," she says with a darkness in her he has come to expect.

    "The stone?" is his only words.

    "Quasar has it."

    The line of his lips twists down in to a frown. "Then it's time to remind her who's in charge. Bring me Moondragon."

    ---

    On the Milano, it was a victory. It was also a defeat. They got the stone, they stopped Ronan, but they did not save Nebula. A small ding from her Q-bands and she realises the tracker she placed on Nebula has stopped moving. It's location? a position in Hyperspace, "What the..."