Guardians of the Galaxy [1]

8

Everyone split up to get ready for the incoming battle. Astra changed into a full-body red Ravager suit, which she had to admit, looked good on her. She strapped a gun to its holster, which was attached to her waist belt, and strapped two swords to her back. She hoped she would be able to actually control her powers during the battle; otherwise, she would either blow up a ship that wasn't Ronan's or be completely useless.

Once the Ravagers arrived, Quill and Gamora began discussing their plan.

"The Stone reacts to anything organic. The bigger the target, the bigger the power surge," Gamora explained.

"All Ronan's gotta do is touch the stone to the planet's surface and zap!" Quill told them. "All plants, animals, Nova Corps."

"Everything will die," Gamora added.

"So Ronan does not make the surface," Quill finished. "Rocket will lead a team to blow a hole through the Dark Aster's starboard hull." Holograms of three ships aiming for the starboard hull of Ronan's ship appeared on the screens behind him. "Then our craft and Yondu's will enter." The hologram showed two ships aiming for the hole.

"Won't there be hundreds of Sakaarian soldiers inside?" A Ravager, whose name Astra learned was Kraglin, asked.

"I think of Sakaarians as paper people," said Drax. Kraglin punched him playfully on the shoulder. The former gave a death glare in return.

"It means he likes your comment, Drax. He was just being playful," Astra told Drax before he got really serious.

"Once they know we're on board, Ronan will isolate himself behind impenetrable security doors on deck, which Astra and I can disable by dismantling the power source," said Gamora.

"We'll make it to the flight deck, and I'll use the Hadron Enforcer to kill Ronan," Quill said.

"You sure that's wise?" Astra asked curiously. "I mean, Ronan's probably enhanced by the Stone too, just like me."

Quill shrugged. "I don't know. If it doesn't work, we'll think of something else."

"Which will be what?" Astra challenged.

"Once Ronan is dead, we will retrieve the Stone," said Gamora. "Use these devices to contain it." A Ravager passed out spheres identical to the Orb to everyone.

"If you touch it, it will kill you," Astra warned everyone. "Try not to be like me. I didn't even touch it and I was lucky to get out alive."

"I'll contact one of the Nova officers who arrested us," Quill told them. "Hopefully they'll know we're there to help."

"There's one more thing we need to complete the plan," Rocket declared. "That guy's eye!" He pointed to a Ravager with a prosthetic eye and the latter looked up in shock.

Seriously, what is with his obsession with prosthetics?

"No! No, we don't. No, we don't need that guy's eye," Quill said quickly, probably remembering the Kyln.

"No, seriously, I need it! It's important to me," Rocket objected.

Astra grinned. "Sorry, Rocket, I guess you'll find one next time."

"Ronan's fleet has been spotted, and will arrive in T-minus fifteen minutes," the Ravager ship's navigation system told them.

Astra, Gamora, Rocket, Drax, and Groot walked to where everyone else was waiting, with the rest of the ships they would use in the battle. They all got in the Milano, aside from Rocket, who was in his own ship. Once the Ravager ship was in Xandar's atmosphere, all the ships exited it and flew off.

"This is a terrible plan," said Gamora.

"Hey, you're the one who said you wanted to die among friends," Quill told her.

A/N: Super short chapter, I know. Sorry! Didn't want to make the previous one too long.