[The arrival of the new inmates immediately drew the attention of every prisoner in the cavernous common area. A low murmur rippled through the crowd.]
[Star-Lord and the others paid it no mind, looking around at their new home, until someone from the second-floor railing threw a shoe that bounced off Star-Lord's head.]
[A chorus of hateful shouts erupted from all around.]
["Killer! Get out of here!"]
["You've got a death sentence, lady!"]
["Murderer!"]
[Star-Lord looked up toward the source of the shouts and saw dozens of prisoners snarling and pointing, their faces contorted with rage. He quickly turned his head and realized their venom wasn't directed at him, but at the silent green woman walking beside him.]
[The fury of nearly every inmate in the Kyln was focused entirely on Gamora. She met their hateful stares without flinching, her expression an unreadable mask.]
[Rocket Raccoon just shrugged.]
["See? Told you she was famous," he muttered. "How many of these scumbags do you think lost family to Ronan and his goons? She'll be lucky to last a day in here."]
[The prisoners screamed, their voices echoing in the huge chamber: "MURDERER!!!"]
[Watching this, Star-Lord felt an unexpected pang of worry for her.]
["The guards will protect her, right?" he asked, hopefully.]
[Rocket shattered his naive fantasy without a second thought.]
["The guards only care if we try to escape," he scoffed. "They couldn't care less if we kill each other in here. It saves them paperwork."]
[Gamora spoke, her voice steady and calm despite the mob. "I'm sure for you, this is a nightmare. For me, compared to my past, this is a sweet dream."]
[As Star-Lord turned to look at her, he found his path blocked by a hulking, ugly alien with mottled blue skin.]
[The creature reached out, stroking Star-Lord's cheek with the back of his massive, grimy hand.]
["Well, well… look at the new meat," the blue giant rasped, a sickening smile spreading across his face. "So soft… so fresh. I'm going to enjoy carving you up… hehehe… a real feast…"]
[He never got to finish his threat. A thin, woody branch suddenly shot out from behind Star-Lord, extending from Groot's hand and plunging directly into the blue alien's nostril.]
[The giant's boast turned into a high-pitched scream of agony as Groot lifted him clean off the floor by his nose.]
[Seizing the opportunity to establish their crew's authority, Rocket puffed out his chest and stepped forward.]
["Let me make this plain!" he shouted to the now-silent crowd. "This one… he's with us! So if you want to get to him, you go through us first!"]
[He pointed a claw at the whimpering giant dangling from Groot's finger.]
["Or, if you're feeling brave, you can try tangling with our big friend here!"]
[As if on cue, Groot flicked his wrist, sending the blue giant crashing to the floor. The alien curled into a ball, clutching his nose and sobbing pathetically. The display was brutally effective; the message was received loud and clear.]
[A wave of fear and respect washed over the other prisoners. No one would be making a move on them any time soon.]
[Star-Lord glanced down at the blubbering giant, then at the wary prisoners. Great, he thought, now I'm their property.]
[He stepped over the big alien, who was still wailing, "I hate you so much!"]
[As they reached their corridor, a crowd of inmates swarmed around Gamora's cell, pounding on the transparent door and roaring with menace.]
["That cell won't protect you forever, killer!"]
[Gamora remained unmoved. She walked straight into her cell, sat down on the cot, and stared ahead, ignoring the raging mob outside.]
[On the surface, she was a statue of composure, but inside, her heart hammered against her ribs. She could already imagine the horrors that awaited her in this place. A shiver she couldn't suppress ran down her spine when a prisoner slammed his fist against the glass right beside her head. She was afraid, but she knew she couldn't show it. Any sign of weakness and they would tear her apart.]
["You're dead! We're gonna kill you! Just you wait!!!"]
[Gamora forced herself not to look, to project an aura of complete indifference.]
[Through the glass of her cell, the camera panned across the common area, settling on a massive, muscular man covered in red tattoos. He sat alone, his intense gaze fixed directly on Gamora's cell.]
[This was Drax the Destroyer.]
"Oh, Drax," Gamora said, glancing over at him in the viewing room. "I never knew your stare could be quite that terrifying."
"Hahaha!" Drax laughed, though it sounded slightly awkward. "It is because I hated Ronan! He murdered my wife and my daughter, and I wanted to kill him. At that time, you were his subordinate, so my rage was directed at you as well!"
In this timeline, the events on Knowhere had played out differently. Drax never got the chance to drunkenly summon Ronan, a blunder that had nearly gotten them all killed. As a result, his reputation with the others was still that of a mighty, if somewhat simple, warrior, not a reckless fool.
"Ronan is dead, Drax," Star-Lord said gently. "Your wife and child can rest."
Gamora tilted her head, watching the scene on the screen. "It seems my reputation was the only thing truly endangering me. Their anger wasn't enough for them to act immediately." She recalled that in another reality, she had been attacked the moment she entered the Kyln, only saved by Rocket and Groot.
[Later that night, Star-Lord lay on his bunk in a crowded cell, unable to sleep.]
[The scene cut abruptly. A group of prisoners had Gamora pinned, a shiv held to her throat.]
[A passing guard spoke without even turning his head. "Take her to the showers. It's easier to clean up in there. The blood will wash right down the drain."]
[Gamora struggled furiously. She couldn't believe it—the guards were in on it. They hadn't even waited for morning. Her cell door had been opened while she slept, and the mob had rushed in before she even had time to react.]
[Star-Lord heard her muffled cries of rage from the hallway. He slowly sat up and saw a group of prisoners dragging her past his cell.]
[His gut twisted. He knew she was in mortal danger. Despite everything, he couldn't just sit by and let it happen.]
[He slipped off his bunk and followed them.]
[Rocket, who also hadn't been sleeping, saw him leave.]
["Quill! Where are you going?" he hissed. "Quill! Hey!"]
[Star-Lord ignored him, silently trailing the prisoners down the dark corridor.]
[In the shower room, several inmates slammed Gamora against the tiled wall. The leader pressed a sharp, jagged knife against her throat.]
["Gamora," he snarled. "You have plagued this galaxy with your evil for too long. Your crimes are unforgivable. By the inmates of the Kyln, you are hereby sentenced to death!"]
[He raised the knife to deliver the killing blow.]
[Suddenly, a deep, powerful voice echoed from the shadows behind him.]
["You will do no such thing."]