Chapter Text
The distress call had come when most of them had been sleeping. It had been Gamora who had noticed and sounded the alarm. A small ship, with a damaged wing, passed right over them. On it were red and black markings that she did not recognize.
“Up, everyone!”
A few annoyed looks and minutes of careful manoeuvring later, they had taken it onboard.
“That’s a Three Systems Ship,” Rocket let out.
Gamora tied up her hair and caressed her new blade. “Reconnaissance?”
“Dunno, but it’s weird. They usually just mind their own territory and we’re still a bit away.”
All of them aimed their weapons at the door, as Star-Lord turned the hatch. A loud SSSSSHHH made them all tense up, but it was just the machine reacting to the difference in pressure.
Pulling the door open further, they peeked in.
Two bags had fallen to the side, spilling envelopes everywhere. Though the equipment on board was new, the furniture was not luxurious or opulent. A young man lay on the floor, holding his head. Though his hair was light and skin was pale, he blended in with the background anyway.
“What is it?” Drax asked.
“Not sure.”
“Human,” Gamora concluded. “They always smell like that.”
“Hey!”
She gave Star-Lord a cocky smile and leaned over. “He’s just a mail deliverer.”
The young man squinted his eyes as he looked at them. “What? How?”
“Yeah, definitely human, aren’t you?”
“I am, yes.” He rubbed his head. “Not a ghost.”
“Why would you… never mind. Are you all right?” Star-Lord asked.
“A bit of a headache. I got knocked out as I… there was a meteorite that...” He coughed as he sat up. “It threw me off course… and I lost control.”
“Could have been worse,” Rocket added.
“Yes…you rescued me?”
“We did,” Star-Lord said, not without pride.
“I thank you. My name is Kuroko Tetsuya.” He bowed his head and winced in pain immediately.
Star-Lord offered his hand. “Let’s get you fixed up. None of us are medics, but we got band aid and pain killers aplenty.”
As he helped him to a bench, Gamora leaned closer to Rocket. “What do you know about the Three Systems?”
“They are isolationist, but technologically advanced. Have specifically good defence mechanisms. Their Emperor is an absolute ruler.”
“Never like those much,” she whispered.
“Me neither, but at least he hasn’t gone ape-shit crazy.”
“Yet.” Gamora added, before walking over to stand behind Kuroko and observe him.
The young man swallowed a pain killer and flushed it with water. He kept drinking from the glass until it was empty.
“You’re far away from home,” she commented.
“I am,” Kuroko replied. “Usually I only deliver in our core system, but this time I flew to the edge of the sparsely habitated one. I almost crashed into the meteorite and lost control. I must have been unconscious for a while”
“So, you’re just a mail man?” Rocket questioned.
“Yes.”
He crossed his arms. “Then why are all the Imperial radio stations buzzing about your disappearance?”
“Our Emperor values all…”
“Don’t give me that crap!” Rocket cut in. “You’re carrying something, aren’t ya?”
“The mail, yes.”
“Then you won’t mind me going through it, do you?” Rocket asked, heading towards the little ship.
Kuroko pushed himself up with effort. “I do. Mail is private.”
“Wait a moment,” Gamora began. “If he has something important, we might be able to trade it with his Emperor. If we leave it unopened, we might have a better bargaining position.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Star-Lord said. “We can always open it if we don’t get what we want from him.”
“Yeah, if this is not some plan to expand his territory. He might be carrying a weapon.”
Kuroko shook his head. “I promise you that I carry none of the sort.”
“I am Groot.”
Kuroko stared. Groot stared back.
To their surprise, Kuroko began to smile. “You are…”
“He’s Groot,” Drax said.
Delighted, Kuroko reached out for his branches. “You are amazing.”
“Okay, whatever.” Star-Lord turned away as tree and pale human touched the tips of each other’s fingers in wonder. “Rocket, make contact with the Empire. See what we can get out of this.”
They all waited behind him, as he struggled with the radio.
Suddenly, a clear, female voice sounded. “Have you intercepted one of our ships?”
“Hello to you too.” Rocket shook his head for what he considered impoliteness. “We did. What of it?”
“You are ordered to immediately deliver the contents to our outpost, where one of our ships will take over your load. I will send you the coordinates.”
“Hey lady. We’re not in your system, not even the outer one. And even if we were, we don’t do well with commands,” Rocket said.
Star-Lord leaned into the radio. “If you want the mail, better offer us something good and we might wait here for you to pick it up.”
“Negative.” The line went dead.
“Negative? What does that mean?”
“Just someone with a stripe on her shoulder, trying to intimidate. Got loads of them wherever you go,” Gamora concluded. “So, we’re not going into their territory. Let’s contact them again in a week or so and see if they want to bargain then.”
“I do not recommend that you try to play games with my Emperor,” Kuroko said.
“I do not recommend that you talk anymore, unless you want to be kicked off the ship,” Rocket retorted.
Groot’s branches grew, forming a protective circle around Kuroko.
“Oh, now you want a pet? But when I took on that bird from the Andromeda System, you wanted it out?”
“I am Groot!”
“Yes, I know it tried to make a nest in you, but it was still better than…”
“Guys…” Star-Lord started.
“… some ghostly mail man that they don’t even bother to…”
“GUYS!”
“What?” Rocket snapped.
Star-Lord glanced back at them. “The Emperor is here.”
“The Emperor?” they repeated, distracted.
“Yeah, that’s an Imperial mother ship if ever I saw one.” Star-Lord pointed at the radar, which had suddenly gone alight all around them. “And he brought his entire fleet.”