Syd took in the surroundings of Xandar with curiosity.
Xandar, the capital of the Nova Empire, was renowned as one of the most tolerant planets in the galaxy. The planet boasted a diverse array of alien species and was characterized by its lack of discrimination and absence of war.
Syd looked around, observing the clean and orderly environment. He noted the variety of alien species, mostly humanoid but with unique skin colors and facial features.
As Syd surveyed the scene, he noticed the people below were staring in astonishment. They had never seen anyone floating in mid-air before, as it was a feat beyond the capabilities of ordinary beings on Xandar.
"Isn't that person floating?"
"Why can he fly? Who is this?"
The Xandarians and visitors alike were perplexed by the sight of someone floating in the air.
Among the onlookers, some noticed that the floating figure was holding a brilliant blue cube.
"What is that thing?"
Meanwhile, on the other side of Xandar…
"Xandarians are such a bunch of idiots, all they do is engage in pointless, meaningless activities. It's pitiful…"
A small, raccoon-like creature with silver weaponry was grumbling to itself. This was Rocket, a genetically modified alien raccoon with high intelligence.
Rocket was agile and skilled with various weapons, a renowned gunslinger and bounty hunter. Soon, he would join Star-Lord and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
"Right, Groot?"
Rocket turned to his companion, Groot, a plant-like creature who was currently bending over a fountain, drinking water from it.
"Groot?"
"Could you not drink from that dirty fountain? It's disgusting!"
Groot shook his head in denial, trying to refute Rocket's claim.
"You did drink from it. I saw it with my own eyes. Why lie?"
Just then, Rocket's transparent panel emitted an alarm.
It seemed an unexpected presence had appeared, and the device was alerting him.
"Oh?"
Rocket quickly grabbed the transparent panel and, after a quick glance, exclaimed with delight, "Looks like we've got business!"
"Let's see which unfortunate soul is willing to pay for capture…"
He scanned the target data on the panel.
Target: Peter Quill, live capture requested.
Employer: Yondu Udonta, reward: 40,000.
Rocket's eyes widened in excitement as he read the data. "Forty thousand credits?"
"Groot, we're about to make a fortune!"
However, he turned to see Groot still drinking from the fountain and let out a dejected sigh.
Some time later.
Rocket tracked Quill, who had entered a store.
"Mr. Quill?"
A white-skinned alien resembling a human greeted Quill with surprise as he walked in.
"The Orb is here."
"Mission accomplished!" Quill said, pulling out the Orb from his pocket and placing it on the table.
"Yondu didn't come?" the dealer asked, puzzled.
Hearing his adoptive father's name, Quill quickly covered up, maintaining a calm facade. "He wanted to, but he asked me to tell you that your eyebrows are the most beautiful in the industry."
The dealer seemed to sense something was amiss but chose not to comment further.
Quill's gaze shifted to the silver sphere on the table, curious about the highly coveted item.
"What is this thing?" he inquired.
The dealer replied, "My policy is never to disclose the names or requests of my clients."
Quill frowned. "I almost got killed for this Orb."
The dealer casually remarked, "That's a risk of the profession. It's unavoidable in this line of work."
Unable to extract more information, Quill mentioned the aliens who had attacked him earlier, "Those aliens with the tubes on their heads were working for someone named Ronan."
The dealer froze, a hint of realization crossing his face. He muttered, "Ronan?"
Suddenly, he approached Quill and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Quill, but if Ronan is involved, I can't proceed with this transaction!"
He quickly grabbed the Orb from the table and shoved it into Quill's arms.
"What the—?" Quill protested, being pushed towards the door. "Who is he?"
The dealer explained, "Ronan is a Kree radical who despises peace agreements. He won't rest until he has annihilated the Xandarian civilization, which is our civilization!"
The Kree Empire? Kree?
Quill was familiar with the Kree Empire and understood the dealer's reaction.
Despite his knowledge, Quill was furious as he was pushed out of the store.
"Hey, we had an agreement!"
As Quill tried to protest, he suddenly noticed a green-skinned woman with black hair standing nearby.
She was strikingly beautiful, and Quill, taken aback, awkwardly looked away.
"What's wrong?" the green-skinned woman asked.
Quill, his tone softening, pointed at the store and said, "This guy stood me up. I hate people who are so unreliable."
He quickly introduced himself, "Peter Quill, also known as Star-Lord."
(End of Chapter)