As Erik approached Gamora, her eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked, disoriented and still groggy from being unconscious.
Her immediate instinct was to fight, but she found herself restrained by Erik's telekinesis, the man who she believed had killed Ebony Maw and stolen his resources.
"Where am I?" she demanded, her voice cold and sharp as her eyes locked onto Erik.
"You're aboard my Mothership," Erik replied calmly, watching her with a measured gaze.
"It's my Uncle's ship!" Gamora yelled back.
'Did she forget what I told her before knocking her out, or is she just in disbelief?' Erik wondered, then with a sigh, he opened his mouth again, "I understand you're confused, but I need you to listen carefully."
"Listen?" Gamora spat, her eyes narrowing with anger. "You murdered my uncle and stole everything from him, not even sparing his clothes! Why would I listen to a dirty scavenger bastard like you?"
Erik sighed again, knowing this wouldn't be easy. "By Uncle... you mean Ebony Maw, don't you? Gamora, I told you this before and I am going to tell you this again, I didn't kill Ebony Maw... I am Ebony Maw, the adopted son of the Great Mad Titan, the strategist of the Black Order."
Gamora's expression turned from anger to confusion. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" she tilted her head, her voice laced with disbelief and annoyance.
He understood that words wouldn't make her believe his words, he needed to switch tactics.
Remembering the days when he used to act as Ebony Maw, and used that tiring English. He looked at her again, his eyes cold and emotionless.
"It's not nonsense," Erik scoffed
His lips curled up into a condescending smile as he spoke his words, "What you behold before you is merely a new vessel for my soul, within this form resides the very essence of Ebony Maw, the person you had acknowledged as your... Uncle during his dying moments."
Then he squinted his eyes a bit, suspicion and curiosity filling his eyes, "What, I wonder, compelled you to succumb to such strange sentimentality and address me as 'Uncle', I don't know but I have been curious for a long time... I also seem to recall, in the haze of my fading consciousness, the ghostly imprint of something tender upon my cheek in that final moment..."
Gamora's eyes widened as she heard his words but the last sentence caused a deep shade of red to cover her green face.
She was blushing in embarrassment remembering that she kissed Ebony Maw's cheeks.
It wasn't that Gamora was overly pure or had romantic feelings for Maw. Their relationship wasn't close either. But during the few days she spent with him planning her escape from Thanos, those meaningful conversations, their last mission on High Evolutionary's planet, and then the final escape... All of these made her realize that Ebony Maw wasn't exactly an evil person, just an efficiency and outcome obsessed old man.
She even came to respect him a bit.
And when he sacrificed himself for her, she couldn't help but get overwhelmed by feelings.
She knew that Ebony Maw was a cold-hearted and practical person.
She knew that their relationship was ultimately just a deal.
She knew that he might not care for her at all.
But despite all that... He was the only person who showed her kindness after Thanos adopted her, even if it was just another quirk of his to get a feasible result.
She couldn't help but feel an indescribable affection toward him at that time, that's why she called him Uncle and even kissed his cheek before leaving him.
But... now that same Uncle is standing before her, not particularly emotional at all while she has been acting all emotional, heartbroken, and vengeful for the person who might not even care for any of that.
It was just... embarrassing!!
'Wait...' Gamora gathered her composure... and her brows once again twisted into a scowl.
"What proof you have that you're Ebony Maw?" Gamora asked.
"You demand proof?" Erik walked towards, "You're mistaken, Gamora dear, you can't demand anything, look at your bound limbs, you're merely a captive. And the only reason I'm keeping you alive is because I need something from you."
"If you're really Ebony Maw then you should know what kind of woman I am. You can't force me to do anything." Gamora smirked.
Without breaking eye contact, Erik lifted her chin with his fingers, "I hold no particular concern regarding the type of individual you are, nor does it matter to me whether you choose to place trust in my words or not."
"But know this, that you have created great trouble for me. Because of your foolish actions Sire...Thanos, knows about my whereabouts and unlike you, the Great Titan wouldn't waste time pondering over useless things, he knows that I betrayed him and he must be preparing to kill me as we speak..."
Gamora listened silently as the blond man who claimed to be Ebony Maw spoke with seriousness.
"Sigh... Right now, I am planning on launching an all-out attack on his base. I should've been able to handle it with the help of my companions but Supergiant has returned, so, it's not gonna be as easy."
"Supergiant, huh... I've never seen her but her archives said that she was the most powerful among all of us. So, you need my help in defeating her?"
Despite her limbs being restrained, Gamora's mind worked on strategies to kill Thanos as she processed the info Erik gave to her.
"No, you can't beat her even in your dreams, Gamora... I have planned another task for you and your "flora" and "fauna" companions."
As their conversation flowed, Erik relaxed the restraints on her hands. Engrossed in the conversation Gamora didn't even notice that.
"And after that comes the final phase, it will be handled by me, and my companions."
Gamora closed her eyes for a bit, somewhere along the conversation it felt like she was back on the day when she and Maw were planning their attack on High Evolutionary.
Gamora didn't know Maw at a deeper level, she barely had conversations with other members of the Black Order, she was only close to Nebula. Her conversation with Maw increased only after Erik formerly known as Jerry had transmigrated into his body. That's why talking with him made her realize that Erik really was Maw.
Nostalgia made her chuckled a bit, causing Erik to raise his brow, a bit in confusion.
"Is there something you find amusing in the stratagem I proposed?" He asked.
She shook her head, "It's just that... no it's nothing..."
"Then that'll be all, we'll be arriving at 'his' Sanctuary in 1.5 hours. Gather everything you need from the armory and brief your companions on the mission. You and your teammates have a minor but crucial role."
Gamora nodded and walked towards the exit of the chamber "Where are they anyway?"
"They're in the torture chamber at the corner of the hall," Erik replied.
"You didn't torture them, did you?" Gamora asked with a bit of concern.
"No, I just threw them in there for the aesthetics and to instill a bit of fear in them." He grinned.
Gamora rolled her eyes in exasperation, "That won't work on those."
Erik nodded, obviously knowing about the fact but didn't tell her.
As Gamora finally walked out of the chamber, she mumbled something in a really low voice with a small smile.
"Thanks for saving me twice... Uncle Maw."
One on that day and now today from the armies of Kree and Xandar.
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Thanks for reading.
I couldn't post much last night. So, enjoy a double release today. Next chapter will be uploaded in an hour.
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