Star-Lord didn't know exactly how many energy batteries the Sovereigns possessed, but from the number Rocket Raccoon had stashed away, it was clear he had taken as many as his bag could hold. If not for limited space, Rocket might have emptied the Sovereigns' entire energy reserves. From the sheer number of Sovereign ships now pursuing them, Star-Lord could tell that they were genuinely angry this time. This haul of energy batteries likely represented a far greater loss than whatever that creature had stolen from them previously.
But there was no time to dwell on these issues, as Star-Lord was preoccupied with flying the ship out of there. Whether Rocket could reconfigure the batteries to power their ship was still uncertain. After all, Rocket had mostly talked big without any real demonstration of his expertise, so Star-Lord was prepared for potential failure.
Up above Sovereign, countless energy beams began raining down on Star-Lord's ship. Despite Star-Lord's exceptional piloting skills, the sheer number of Sovereign ships meant that a significant number of beams still struck his vessel. Had this been his previous, older ship, it would likely have been blown to bits by now. However, his current craft was a top-of-the-line model, equipped with an energy shield strong enough to fend off the Sovereign's bombardment, at least temporarily.
Still, the stronger the shield, the greater the energy consumption. Star-Lord knew he couldn't afford to remain stationary or attempt a counterattack, so he pushed the engines to escape into a space wormhole. Yet the Sovereigns proved more tenacious than anticipated; they continued the chase, undeterred and seemingly intent on shooting them down.
"This is too much! Quill, can you really take this? Just blast them already!" Nebula shouted, infuriated by the relentless pursuit.
"We're really low on energy reserves…" Star-Lord replied, dodging shots as he explained, "If we start firing, we might not make it out of their range."
"Why not activate hyperspeed? Wasn't that a major selling point of this ship?" Gamora asked, frowning.
"Hyperspeed also eats up energy fast," Star-Lord explained, "We could try, but there's no guarantee that a short burst would get us out of their range…"
"Then just blast them! Why should we keep holding back? Rocket said he could power up the ship, and I trust him! No need to save energy," Gamora argued firmly.
Her patience, like Nebula's, was wearing thin. Both of them, trained under Thanos, had fierce tempers that weren't much more controlled than Rocket's. The Sovereigns' disdain for them, combined with being chased and unable to fight back, was pushing them all to their limits.
"Alright, let's blast them!" Star-Lord agreed, steeling himself for the risk. "Get ready to fire. I'll keep piloting, but make each shot count, or we'll run out of energy before Rocket has a chance to finish…"
"Got it!" Nebula, her eyes ablaze with determination, sat down at the controls and began targeting the Sovereign ships. Gamora, her face set, followed suit.
As their energy beams shot forth, two Sovereign ships exploded, taking a few more nearby ships down with them. The sudden retaliation took the Sovereigns by surprise. The lack of direct combat experience and the safety of remote control left them vulnerable.
In their virtual reality pods, the Sovereign pilots stood up and bickered, annoyed more by their spoiled fun than the actual loss of ships.
"Alright, if your ship's destroyed, sit out and let others continue the pursuit. Don't let them get away, or we'll be humiliated!" High Priestess Ayesha reminded the group sternly.
The Sovereigns, sensitive to any potential damage to their reputation, became visibly more focused. Their flying became more precise, dodging Gamora and Nebula's attacks while landing more shots on Star-Lord's ship.
Star-Lord noticed the shift and thought to suggest holding back, but the intense look on his crewmates' faces stopped him. The chase-and-strike battle unfolded, with Star-Lord's resilient ship taking hit after hit but holding its ground. However, their energy was running dangerously low, and Nebula and Gamora's strikes weren't as effective as before.
Drax, now with time on his hands, adjusted the ship's scanners, only to discover that the Sovereign ships were unmanned.
Nebula's initial fervor faded upon realizing this. Destroying an empty ship didn't satisfy her desire for revenge—there was no real victory in it.
"We can't keep firing. We're almost out of energy," Star-Lord called over. "Rocket, how much longer do you need?"
"Almost done! Just found a trap the Sovereigns set in these batteries, but they can't stop me. Just need a little more time!" Rocket shouted back.
"We've got just enough energy for one shot at hyperspeed. If it doesn't get us far enough, they'll catch up when we slow down…" Star-Lord's voice was heavy as he laid out the situation.
"You're the captain, Quill. It's your call. Whatever you choose, it won't be your fault," Gamora said, meeting his gaze seriously.
"Gamora…" Star-Lord looked at her, touched, his eyes filled with emotion.
"Quill…" Gamora returned his gaze, her voice soft.
"You better start hyperspeed now or we'll run out!" Nebula interrupted sharply, ending their moment.
"Damn it!" Star-Lord cursed, snapping back to focus as he engaged hyperspeed, sending the ship flashing away in an instant.
"They've got hyperspeed? Hmph! Let's see how long they can keep it up," Ayesha sneered back on Sovereign, commanding, "Keep following! See where they end up…"
"Yes!" the Sovereigns responded, their excitement rekindling.
The high-speed jump didn't last long. Soon enough, the ship dropped out of hyperspeed, floating at a reduced pace through the vast expanse of space, dangerously low on energy.
"Rocket! Are you done yet?" Star-Lord shouted, rushing out of the cockpit.
"Almost! This time I mean it!" Rocket replied, not looking up from his work.
Star-Lord and the others could do nothing but wait, their skills useless in this situation. Gamora was a warrior, not a mechanic; Nebula, despite being modified, could only manage basic repairs. Drax and Groot… were best left unmentioned.
A tense silence settled over the ship as they awaited Rocket's work. Unfortunately, the Sovereigns soon caught up, edging into firing range.
One by one, energy beams slammed into Star-Lord's ship, pushing it back without the protection of its energy shield. The crew stayed quiet, knowing that the last thing Rocket needed was distractions.
Sitting back in the pilot's seat, Star-Lord waited for Rocket's signal to engage hyperspeed again.
More blasts pounded the ship as it drifted through space, nearing its limit, while Rocket's frustration grew as he struggled to finish the energy hookup.
Suddenly, a small ship appeared between them and the Sovereigns. A massive energy shield sprang up, blocking the incoming attacks.
"Reinforcements? But we don't know anyone out here…" Star-Lord muttered, blinking in surprise.
"Doesn't look like Thanos' ship. Maybe it's not an enemy?" Gamora and Nebula let out relieved breaths.
As they watched, massive beams of energy fired from the mystery ship, obliterating all the Sovereign vessels in an instant.
The Guardians exchanged looks, astonished. The firepower of this ship seemed beyond even Kree warships.
Just then, the communication console crackled to life. Star-Lord accepted the call, and the image of a calm, dignified older man appeared on the screen.
"Son," the man said gently, "I'm your father."
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