"???" After Ego's revelation, the Guardians of the Galaxy exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what to say. Star-Lord, however, darkened his expression and looked at Ego's image, saying firmly, "Look, old man, just because you saved us doesn't mean you can joke around like this."
"Son, I'm not joking. I really am your father. Why else would I risk angering the Sovereign to save you?" Ego replied with a sigh, looking at Star-Lord with sincerity.
"With power like yours, fighting the Sovereign isn't much of a risk," Star-Lord shot back, still wary despite the rescue.
"Cautious, just like my son," Ego said with a touch of pride, then continued, "But I really am your father. Your mother's name was Meredith Quill, wasn't it?"
Star-Lord's eyes widened in shock. He stared at Ego, disbelief mingling with uncertainty. "How do you know that?" he asked, stunned, before muttering, "Could it be… that you really are my…"
"I did it! The energy's connected! We don't have to worry about power anymore!" Rocket Raccoon's triumphant shout interrupted Star-Lord, who had been on the verge of calling Ego "father."
Considering how little time had passed since the Sovereigns had begun their pursuit, Rocket's success in adapting the Sovereign batteries to power their ship was impressive and served as a testament to his genius. Now, Star-Lord's ship had enough power to avoid worrying about fuel for a long time.
"Yes, I am your father," Ego affirmed, maintaining his emotional tone despite Rocket's interruption. "After all these years, we've finally met."
"If you're really my father, then why didn't you come for me all these years? Why did you leave my mother? And why only now?" Star-Lord's initial discomfort shifted to a series of questions he'd long wanted to ask.
"This isn't the place for explanations. Since your ship now has power, why don't you follow me? I'll take you home," Ego replied warmly before the image of him faded from the screen.
"Should we follow him?" Gamora asked, glancing at Star-Lord.
"Yeah… let's go," Star-Lord said, looking at Ego's ship outside. "I really want to know why he abandoned my mother, why he never came to find me until now…" Star-Lord took a deep breath, his voice filled with determination. "And most of all, if he's the reason I was taken from Earth and thrown into space."
"Then let's go. Congratulations on finding your family," Gamora said, nodding. Rocket and the others nodded as well, offering no objections.
Back on the Sovereign planet, the scene was one of frustration and shock. After Ego had obliterated all their ships, the Sovereigns exchanged stunned glances. What had started as a simple pursuit of Star-Lord's group had turned into a major disaster. The destruction of a few ships in the beginning was tolerable, but losing all of the drones they had sent was an enormous blow.
In addition to the batteries Rocket had stolen, the Sovereigns were facing a loss of historic proportions, unprecedented since the founding of their people. What had initially been a game-like pursuit had now angered the Sovereigns beyond measure.
"We will not let this go unanswered. The proud Sovereign people have never suffered such an insult!" High Priestess Ayesha, her usual golden aura marred by anger, addressed the gathered Sovereigns with fury in her eyes.
"There is a tracking signal embedded in our energy batteries. No matter where the Guardians go, we can find them. And that mysterious attacker who destroyed our fleet must be one of their allies. We will not let him go either!"
"Never!" the Sovereigns echoed, their voices filled with fanatic determination.
"High Priestess, I heard that the Guardians had something to do with the fall of the Kree Empire. Could that powerful attacker be the same individual who brought down the Kree?" a more cautious Sovereign suggested, hoping to avoid further losses.
"The Kree Empire? They're a lower race, known only for their expansionist behavior and bullying of weaker species. How could they ever compare to us, the Sovereigns?" Ayesha replied dismissively. "They couldn't create a golden paradise like Sovereign or manufacture energy batteries as we do!"
"We are the Sovereign—the most noble race in the universe. No other race is our equal, and any so-called 'strong enemy' will meet their end under our fleet's firepower!" Her words sent the assembled Sovereigns into a frenzy of enthusiasm.
At that moment, Ayesha transformed from merely their nominal leader into a supreme dictator, fully backed by the zeal of her people. Any dissenters would now face being labeled as enemies of the Sovereign people.
"Don't just stand there! Track the coordinates of those batteries, prepare our drone fleet, and upgrade the firepower. I want the Guardians and their mysterious ally to understand that the Sovereign are not to be trifled with!" Ayesha commanded, glaring at her more level-headed subordinates.
Even though the scientists among them understood that defeating a being capable of such destruction might not be in their favor, their survival instincts compelled them to comply. They knew that opposing Ayesha now would likely mean their deaths under her authoritarian rule, possibly on charges of treason.
While the Sovereigns prepared for battle, Star-Lord's ship followed Ego's, arriving at a remote planet. It was much smaller than Earth, more akin to the size of a large moon.
"As you can see, this is my planet," Ego said with a warm smile as he led the Guardians out of the ship. "I haven't told you my name yet. I am Ego, and this beautiful planet you see is called Planet Ego—my world."
"Your planet?" Rocket scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "Does the planet actually let you call it that? Did any other life here agree to the name?"
"Yes, this planet agrees with the name, and aside from myself, there is no other life here," Ego replied with a gentle smile, unfazed by Rocket's sarcasm.
"No other life? Then who's she?" Drax asked, pointing at a woman with antennae who had just stepped out of the ship.
"That's Mantis, your sister… in a way," Ego said, introducing her. "As you can see, she's not fully human. You could call her by her nickname, Mantis. She may look gentle, but she has strong hypnotic and empathic abilities, and she helps me sleep—something that gets harder with age."
"Sister?" Star-Lord's face froze. He had assumed that Ego's only partner was his mother, but now he realized Ego had others.
Though he felt an urge to speak out, he hesitated as he glanced at Mantis's soft, delicate expression, fearing his words might hurt her. Then it dawned on him—his habit of getting involved with women from various species might not be due to his upbringing in space but could actually be in his genes. Yes! He hadn't been a player by choice; it was just a genetic inheritance.
"I know you have many questions," Ego said, oblivious to Star-Lord's internal musings. "Let's walk and talk. I'll give you a tour of this world. It's my planet, and it's also yours."
"Alright," Star-Lord replied, following Ego. Gamora and the others glanced around, taking in the lush, vibrant surroundings, and after a moment's hesitation, they joined the walk.
As the group entered a large building, another spaceship approached from outside the planet. It was Yondu's, who had rushed to catch up, only to arrive just as Star-Lord's ship disappeared onto Planet Ego.
Unwilling to let Star-Lord meet the same fate as previous children, Yondu didn't hesitate. He directed his ship toward Planet Ego, heading in fast.
A powerful energy barrier, similar to the one encountered by the Sovereign fleet, suddenly emerged around Planet Ego. A gigantic face appeared on the planet's surface—it was Ego's own features!
Ego's face gazed out and spoke, his voice resonating into Yondu's ship. "Didn't expect you'd actually come, but don't worry, Yondu. You've done me many favors, so I won't kill you. I still need you to bring me more children."
"As for Peter, you needn't worry. I can tell he's different. He might not meet my requirements yet, but he'll be the second one with the potential. He won't end up like the others. He'll become my divine child and help me fulfill my plan…"
"I don't care about your plans. Release Quill, or I'll open fire!" Yondu threatened, knowing that while he probably couldn't breach the barrier, an attack might at least catch Star-Lord's attention.
"Go ahead, Yondu. Let's see what you've got." Ego's face smirked before vanishing. Yondu fired, but his energy beams bounced off the barrier without leaving a mark.
Yondu kept up his assault, unsure if Star-Lord could even notice it, or how he would manage to escape from Planet Ego. The power difference was too great, and without Ego even intending harm, Yondu was hard-pressed to find a way to save him.
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