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Simultaneously, the sleek droid army, momentarily stalled by an unseen command, pivoted with deadly precision toward Rocket and his wary group of friends.
Peter, his brow drenched in sweat from the battle, caught the shift in the droids' focus. "Cosmo!" he shouted, his voice a blend of command and concern.
"On it!" The dog, her fur matted with the remnants of battle, turned sharply toward Peter.
They didn't hesitate. Jumping into action, Peter and Cosmo dashed across the debris-littered streets, their figures blurs against the concrete backdrop. The droids, their sensors locked onto the new targets, unleashed a volley of blaster fire toward Rocket and his group.
"That way!" Rocket yelled, his voice tinged with panic as he and his friends ducked into an alleyway, the air sizzling behind them with the heat of the blaster bolts.
As the odd group of animals rushed into the alley, just barely dodging a barrage if death, Peter stretched out his hand, palm outward, and a burst of force lightning leaped from his fingertips. The air crackled with energy as the nearest droids seized up, their circuits frying with pops and sparks before they crashed to the ground.
Cosmo was not idle either. She leaped into the fray, blocking off the alleyway with her body, her mind pushing out with force, slamming into a line of droids, sending them crashing into each other with a loud clang. They crumpled to the ground, a tangle of limbs and broken parts.
But the droids were relentless. More of them zoomed in, adjusting their tactics with disturbingly quick efficiency. They spread out, attempting to flank Peter and Cosmo.
"How many droids does this planet have," Peter muttered in annoyance, his eyes flicking from one droid to the next. He clenched his fists, sending a sweeping arc of force lightning that zigzagged through the approaching droids, frying them into giant paperweights.
Beside him, Cosmo growled lowly, her telekinetic abilities flaring up as she snatched a droid out of the air, crushing it with invisible force until it imploded with a muffled boom.
In the alleyway behind them, Rocket and his friends found themselves stuck at a dead end, huddled together, wide-eyed, and panting in fear. Lylla clung to Rocket's arm, her gaze flickering between the battle and the seemingly endless wave of enemies.
"Can they hold them off?" Floor whispered, her voice trembling.
"They have to," Lylla replied, her voice shaking.
"W-Who are they?" Rocket asked, his eyes wide with wonder as he witnessed their incredible abilities.
Back on the street, Peter and Cosmo fought back-to-back, their movements a dance of destruction. Peter dipped and weaved through the droids, his hands a blur as he alternated between force lightning and telekinetic shoves. Each connection with the droids sent shivers up his arms, the feedback from the force both exhilarating and exhausting.
Cosmo, meanwhile, was a vortex of energy. She spun, her body a conduit for the force, slamming droids into buildings and tearing through their ranks. Glass shattered, sending shards flying like deadly rain.
Yet, for every droid they took down, more seemed to take their place. Peter's breathing grew heavier, sweat beading on his forehead. He glanced back towards the alley, catching sight of Rocket's anxious face.
With a renewed burst of energy, Peter raised his hands, channeling his deepest reserves of power. A massive telekinetic wave exploded from him, sweeping through the droids like a tidal wave through sandcastles. They were hurled back, crashing into one another, their forms denting and sparking as they exploded in a symphony of destruction.
Cosmo took advantage of the chaos, her form blurring as she darted through the disabled machines, her mind forcing their remains apart, ensuring they wouldn't rise again.
Peter, his chest heaving with exertion, felt a surge of frustration well up within him as yet another wave of silver droids appeared before him. Despite his massive attack, which had to have destroyed hundreds of droids at once, the enemy still seemed limitless.
"Enough of this," Peter growled, his voice rough with irritation and fatigue. Beside him, Cosmo's stance was alert, her fur matted and speckled with debris.
With a deep breath, Peter centered himself, feeling the force build inside him. 'Please work…' he hoped, raising his hands. With a strained grunt, he channeled all his anger and frustration into a massive, city-wide burst of Ionized force energy. The air hummed with power, the atmosphere thickening with static as he unleashed the EMP.
A silent shockwave rippled through the city. Lights flickered and died, screens blanked out, and every piece of technology within range—including the advancing droids—ceased functioning. The machines twitched erratically, their systems overloaded, before bursting into flames and explosions, sending shrapnel scattering.
As the last of the droids collapsed in a heap of smoking wreckage, Peter stumbled forward, nearly falling. His breathing was heavy, his body unaccustomed to the sheer magnitude of power he had just exerted. Cosmo rushed to his side, her body language concerned as she nudged him gently.
"Are you okay, Peter?" She asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm good. I wasn't sure that would even work though," Peter gasped, managing a weak grin as he patted Cosmo's head. "But I'm glad it did…"
Cosmo, who let out a soft woof, her tail wagging slightly in relief. "That was awesome!" She exclaimed excitedly.
As they turned to check on Rocket and his friends in the alley, the sound of heavy footsteps drew their attention. Turning to the side, Peter raised a brow as Revan, Groot, and Howard appeared at the end of the street.
"Hey, we came to help," Revan said as he looked around at the droid graveyard. "But I see you've already taken care of it," he muttered, his eyes widening as he realized that Peter and Cosmo had fought a lot more droids than they had.
"Didn't I tell you guys to watch the ship?" Peter called out, his tone half amused and half exasperated.
Howard, puffing on a cigar, replied gruffly, "Is that how you greet the people who came to save your a*s?" His beak twitched in irritation, clearly annoyed.
Peter gestured around at the piles of destroyed droids, "Does it look like I needed saving?"
As they spoke, Rocket, still slightly shaken, found himself staring eye to eye with a giant tree-looking being, Groot. The large creature stared back, a gentle rumbling sound emanating from him. "I am Groot," he intoned deeply, the sound somehow warm and welcoming.
Rocket blinked, taken aback by the unexpected feeling of familiarity. "Uh, hi?" he managed, feeling a strange sense of connection to the tree before him. "Do I know you?"
"I am Groot?" Groot responded, just as confused as Rocket seemed to be.
'That's odd…' Peter's brow furrowed as he felt a force bond forming between both Rocket and Groot. 'How are they doing that?'
"So… this isn't Earth, right?" Howard asked, breaking Groot, Rocket, and Peter from their confusion.
"No, it's not," Peter shook his head.
"Then what is this planet?" Revan asked curiously.
"I don't know," Peter lied, turning to Rocket and his friends, who immediately flinched backward. "But I think they might have some answers for us. What is this place? What were you guys doing here, and what's with those killer droids suddenly attacking us?"
Rocket exchanged a wary glance with Floor, Teefs, and Lylla, their furry faces etched with hesitation. The group seemed on edge, not fully prepared to divulge their secrets to people they didn't know or trust.
"Look," Peter continued, his tone softening as he crouched to meet Rocket's eye level. "We're not here to hurt you. You've seen what we can do. We can help, but you gotta start explaining."
Of course, Peter knew all about this place, though he had to play dumb as usual. After all, it's impossible to explain the origin of his future knowledge.
After a tense moment, Lylla, her voice a gentle murmur, broke the silence. "This is Counter-Earth, a planet created by the High Evolutionary. We're running from him because he wants to kill us."
Teefs continued. "Those droids—they're his. We need to get off this planet," he admitted, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
"We could really use a ride out of here if you have a ship," Rocket asked hesitantly, mistrust flashing across his face.
Peter was about to nod in agreement, a gesture of goodwill brewing on his lips, when the sky above them suddenly flickered and changed. Instantly, a massive hologram, imposing and surreal, materialized above the city. It depicted the stern face of the High Evolutionary, his eyes scanning Peter and his group.
"That might be hard," the High Evolutionary's voice boomed, echoing ominously around them. "Seeing as I've confiscated your ship…" The hologram shifted, revealing a distant desert landscape where their ship was clearly being towed away by more droids.
Peter's expression hardened as he turned to Revan, Howard, and Groot, his voice a mix of frustration and accusation. "I told you to stay with the ship…"
Seconds later, the holographic face of the High Evolutionary returned, his gaze now fixed on Rocket. "P13, did you truly think you could escape?" he taunted. Rocket flinched under the scrutinizing stare, his friends huddling closer.
Ignoring their discomfort, the High Evolutionary's gaze shifted towards Peter. "I don't know who you are or why you're here," he said, his tone calculating. "But if you bring P13 and the rest of my wayward test subjects back, I'll happily return your ship and allow you to leave this planet unharmed."
As he spoke, a glowing holographic line sprang into existence on the ground, snaking through the ruined streets like a beckoning path. "Just follow the line, and bring them to me. I'll be waiting."
With that, the hologram flickered and vanished, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.
As Peter turned towards Rocket and his group, they instinctively recoiled, a clear look of fear etched across their faces.
Teefs and Rocket quickly positioned themselves in front of Floor and Lylla, their stances defiant yet undeniably tinged with fear. "You… Stay back or else…" Teefs warned.
"…" Rocket bared his fangs alongside him.
Sadly, despite their attempts at bravery, to Peter, they looked more endearing than intimidating, a fact that wasn't lost on the rest of his crew either.
With a wag of her tail, Cosmo bounded forward, her tongue lapping at Rocket and Teefs' faces. "Oh, you guys are just too cute!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with warmth. The sudden affection broke the tension, drawing a reluctant chuckle from Peter and softening the group's defensive posture.
Peter, smiling, raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Look, we're not going to hand you over," he assured them, his tone sincere. "But I do need to get our ship back..."
His declaration seemed to calm Rocket and his friends slightly, but their anxiety remained palpable. With a nod towards the glowing line snaking through the ruins, Peter motioned for his group to follow. "Let's move. We've got a ship to reclaim, and a thief to kill."
As they walked off, the line from the High Evolutionary pulsed with a cold light, an eerie guide through the devastated city.
Groot, towering over the group, let out a low rumble, "I am Groot," his voice determined.
Howard, puffing on his cigar, grumbled as he followed, "Let's just be quick about it..." Revan followed closely behind, silent as ever.
Rocket and his friends watched as they walked off. The fear that had initially gripped them morphed into a realization of the potential danger that lay ahead. Rocket called out, his voice tinged with genuine concern, "Hey, just so you know, it's probably a trap!"
Peter paused and looked back, a smirk playing on his lips. "We figured as much. But don't worry about us—we can handle ourselves."
As Peter's group moved further away, a sudden sense of vulnerability washed over Rocket and his friends. The desolation of their surroundings and the looming threat of the High Evolutionary's droids made them feel exposed and unsafe.
Rocket hesitated, then shouted again, desperation creeping into his voice. "Wait! What about us? You're just gonna leave us here?"
Peter stopped and turned around, his expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. "You can do whatever you want. You're free to come with us if you want. After all, you wanted a ride on our ship, right? Well, we're going to get it back now." He said as he walked off.
Exchanging quick, uncertain glances, Rocket, and his companions realized they had little choice. With a collective nod, they hurried after Peter and his crew.
"Hey, wait for us!"
A/N: 2155 words :)
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