"How much farther to Asgard?" Star-Lord finally broke the heavy silence hanging in the spaceship.
Rocket Raccoon, sitting in the pilot's seat and focused on steering the ship, didn't even turn his head as he replied, "Not far now—probably just two more jumps. Sit tight. Here comes the next one!"
The spaceship jolted violently as it shot through the jump point, its systems straining under the transition.
"Whoa! Rocket, are you drunk or something?!" Star-Lord exclaimed, gripping the armrest for stability.
Rocket shot back, "No, Quill, it's your junky spaceship's clutch acting up again! I've told you it needs a complete overhaul, but you keep procrastinating!"
BOOM!
The sudden turbulence caused Groot to jolt, sending the game console in his hands flying across the cabin. It slammed into the windshield with a loud thud, leaving a spiderweb of cracks on the glass.
"FU**!" Star-Lord bellowed, storming toward Groot. "How many times have I told you, don't throw stuff! If you break one more thing, no one's replacing it for you!"
"I am Groot!"
"Don't you talk back to me, mister!"
"Quill…" Rocket's voice cut through the chaos.
"Not now! This walking stick is finally going to learn some discipline!"
"No, you idiot, look at that!" Rocket pointed past the windshield, his tone grim.
Star-Lord froze. Following Rocket's gaze, his eyes went wide with shock.
"What the hell is that…?"
Outside the ship, dominating the expanse of space, was an enormous structure—an overwhelming presence that blotted out the stars. It was no planet, but it wasn't just a spaceship either.
"It's a… Star Fortress," he muttered in disbelief.
The massive vessel dwarfed even Thor's legendary Millennium Falcon, which he had thought was the peak of engineering excess. This fortress made the Falcon look like a speck of dust.
Gamora's voice trembled as she broke the stunned silence. "No… this is Sanctuary II. It's Thanos' flagship. His entire army is likely onboard."
"What?!" Star-Lord whipped around, his face pale.
Rocket's fur bristled. "Great. Just what we needed."
"Perfect timing!" Drax growled, his fists clenched with rage. "Today, I'll finally avenge my wife and daughter!"
"Drax, no!" Gamora snapped, grabbing his arm.
"Get off me, woman!"
"Listen, you idiot! Sanctuary II's firepower can annihilate a planet in one strike. If we engage, we'll all be dead before you can lift that knife of yours!"
Star-Lord, swallowing hard, raised his hands. "Everyone calm down! Look, if they wanted us dead, they'd have fired by now. Maybe their goal isn't to kill us—yet."
The rest of the crew turned to him with expressions ranging from skepticism to outright disdain.
"Quill," Rocket said flatly, "are you seriously suggesting that getting captured by Thanos is a good idea? He doesn't just kill people; he makes you wish for death first."
"I know how it sounds!" Star-Lord said hastily. "But think about it—they want something from us. If we play along, we might get a chance to turn the tables."
Rocket snorted. "And what exactly does Thanos want with us?"
Gamora's face darkened, and she tugged on Star-Lord's arm. "Quill, we need to talk. Now."
"Rocket, keep us steady!" Star-Lord ordered as Gamora pulled him toward the next room.
Once inside, Gamora shut the door and leaned against it, her expression tense.
"Alright, what's so urgent?" Star-Lord asked.
Gamora hesitated, her fingers twitching nervously. Finally, she looked him in the eye and said, "Quill, promise me something."
"Sure, anything."
"If… if your plan fails, I need you to promise that you'll kill me."
"What?!" Star-Lord recoiled. "No way! I'm not doing that!"
"Promise me, Quill!" Gamora stepped closer, her voice firm but desperate. "You don't understand—there's a secret I know, something Thanos can never learn. If he finds out, it could doom the entire universe!"
Star-Lord stared at her, dumbfounded. "What secret? Can't you just tell me?"
Gamora shook her head. "No. The fewer people who know, the better. If you know, you'll be in danger too."
"Gamora, if it's that serious, shouldn't I know so I can help you?"
"Help me?" she scoffed bitterly. "Knowing this secret doesn't help anyone—it only guarantees death. Promise me, Quill, on your mother's name!"
Her emerald-green eyes bore into his, filled with fear and pleading.
Star-Lord hesitated, his heart pounding. Finally, he placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered, "Okay. I promise."
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