It was worth noting that the Guardians of the Galaxy had only stolen some energy batteries from the Sovereign. The two sides weren't mortal enemies, and exacting revenge didn't seem to warrant such an extreme price. By their usual approach, the Sovereign would have issued a bounty and let mercenaries handle it. Taking action themselves was out of character.
"We were too furious, and our former High Priestess, Ayesha, manipulated us. That's why we made such irrational choices," one of the Sovereign admitted when the Avengers remained silent. They were aware their actions had crossed a line and sought to salvage the situation.
"Oh? And where is your High Priestess? Why hasn't she come to apologize?" Star-Lord asked, glancing around for Ayesha. However, he didn't see anyone fitting her description, as he had never met her in person.
"She's no longer our High Priestess. We've imprisoned her. She's the one who issued the orders against you," the Sovereign representative replied, addressing Tony Stark rather than Star-Lord.
Their message was clear: against the Guardians, they felt justified in their actions, viewing them as mere thieves. But their attack on Earth, and their refusal to communicate beforehand, was indefensible. Now, they hoped to shift the blame to Ayesha and deflect the Avengers' anger from the entire Sovereign race.
"How do I know if it really was your so-called High Priestess who gave those orders?" Tony Stark asked, shaking his head. His tone suggested skepticism.
"We have records of everything that happened. You can review them yourself," the Sovereign representative said, taking a deep breath. "We're willing to pay any price to earn your forgiveness. If there's anything of value left on Sovereign that you want, take it…"
The Sovereign knew survival required significant concessions. Even if they were unsure what might interest the Avengers, they had to try.
"You're practically bankrupt now. If that's the case, hand over all your knowledge and technology," Tony Stark said, nodding. Eliminating the Sovereign wasn't their goal. Gaining access to their advanced technology was why Tony had come in the first place.
"Knowledge and technology? That's no problem!" The Sovereign representative exhaled in relief. The Avengers were far more lenient than they had feared, giving them a glimmer of hope.
"Where is Ayesha? I need to verify that she gave those orders," Mobius interjected, his voice cutting through the momentary calm. The Sovereign representatives flinched under his steely gaze.
While the Avengers weren't planning to annihilate the Sovereign, Mobius wasn't about to let those responsible for attacking Earth go unpunished. He was still brimming with anger, and someone had to pay.
"Understood. We'll take you to her," one of the Sovereign representatives said reluctantly. They split into two groups: one led Tony Stark to their central archives while the other escorted Mobius toward the prison.
Most of the Avengers chose to stay behind, exploring the remains of the once-glorious Sovereign. Despite the current devastation, remnants of its former splendor were evident.
As for Stark and Mobius, the Avengers weren't overly concerned about their safety. The Sovereign, desperate to survive, were unlikely to risk another mistake after their earlier rashness. Or so they hoped.
"They're letting them off too easily," Nebula muttered discontentedly. The Avengers' measured approach clashed with her desire for vengeance.
"Didn't you notice? The Sovereign still look down on us. They only bowed their heads because of the Avengers," Star-Lord said with a shrug. "Without the Avengers, this would have played out very differently."
"If the Sovereign had been faster and caught up to us before Ego kicked us off his planet, would they have wiped us out?" Nebula asked, her tone sharp as she surveyed the ruined Sovereign landscape.
"Probably not. Even if they'd attacked Ego's planet, he'd have destroyed their fleet and left it at that. He wouldn't have followed them here like the Avengers did. For Ego, his priority was always using me to unlock my powers," Star-Lord said after a moment's thought.
"That doesn't mean we let them off the hook! We suffered too much at their hands," Rocket Raccoon growled. "Come on, let's check out this High Priestess. She refused to meet us last time; I want to see how 'high and mighty' she really is."
Rocket's words spurred the group into action. He and Groot headed off after Mobius. Star-Lord and Gamora exchanged glances and reluctantly followed.
"Do you really have such a grudge against the Sovereign?" Mantis asked Drax as she trailed behind.
"Not really. All I know is they chased us, so hitting back isn't a problem. But I don't think they deserve extinction—after all, even Thanos didn't wipe out entire species," Drax replied. Though he had been with the team through the Sovereign ordeal, he didn't fully grasp Nebula's anger. Still, he stood firmly with his comrades.
"Should we intervene?" Peggy Carter asked Steve Rogers as they watched the Guardians leave.
"They're not part of the Avengers, and their ways are different from ours," Steve replied thoughtfully. "Their values differ from ours as Earthlings, but as long as they don't cross any lines, it's not our place to impose our standards on them."
With the matter settled, Peggy sighed, "The planet's in ruins, but the environment isn't bad. Let's explore—it's been ages since we had a proper walk, especially since I became young again. You hardly ever take me out anymore."
Steve chuckled softly. "Not much I can do about that. But they're close to finishing the new serum. Maybe it'll help me regain some youth…"
"Captain, maybe I can help with that," Frank said hesitantly, overhearing their conversation.
"You?" Peggy asked, intrigued but skeptical as she eyed Frank, who was currently in his adult form thanks to Shazam's power.
"My staff allows me to share the power of the gods with others. Well, not exactly my power—it grants others the ability to wield divine strength," Frank explained, catching himself before accidentally revealing Shazam's name. "I think someone like you, Captain, could qualify. It might even restore your youth."
Steve raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "How many people can you share this with?"
"There's a limit, and not everyone qualifies. I don't fully understand it yet. The wizard's voice fades in and out, but we can test it when we're back," Frank offered.
"We'll give it a shot when we return," Peggy said with a smile.
---
Meanwhile, Mobius and his group arrived at the Sovereign's hastily constructed prison, trailed by the Guardians. The facility was shockingly crude. Even a strong ordinary human could potentially escape.
"This is your prison?" Mobius asked, his tone incredulous.
"We didn't have one before. This was built recently. Ayesha doesn't have combat capabilities and won't be able to escape, especially since we've no ships left on the planet," a Sovereign representative explained nervously.
"So, this is Ayesha?" Mobius asked, stepping through the door and looking at the disheveled woman inside.
"Yes…" Before the representative could elaborate, a faint red glow emanated from Mobius.
With a sickening sound, blood began pouring from Ayesha's mouth, drawn toward Mobius. Her expression turned to sheer terror as her strength drained rapidly. She felt death closing in.
The Sovereign representatives recoiled in horror at Mobius' terrifying display. Even the Guardians exchanged uneasy glances, Mobius' vampiric powers making him seem more like a villain than a hero.
"Indeed, you are Ayesha, the Sovereign's High Priestess," Mobius muttered after seemingly gleaning information from the blood. He released it back into her, and Ayesha's weakness began to subside.
"Ah—!" Just as she thought she had been spared, her body started to swell grotesquely. The Sovereign and Guardians could only watch in horror as Ayesha exploded in a bloody burst, her remains showering the surrounding Sovereign.
Though none of it touched Mobius or the Guardians, the blood-soaked Sovereign were left trembling in fear.
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