[The Collector glanced at Star-Lord. Several figures in black hoods appeared on the screen, surrounding the Power Stone together as several energy channels connected them.]
["Once, a group of beings tried to harness this energy for themselves! But they were instantly incinerated!"]
[As if on cue, the hooded figures in the projection were obliterated by the immense power of the Power Stone, turning to ash in the blink of an eye.]
[Just then, the machine finally unlocked the Orb, revealing the violet Infinity Stone nestled within.]
[Carina stared at the purple gem, her expression unreadable as a storm of thoughts raged in her mind.]
[The Collector was practically vibrating with excitement, his fists clenched and his body trembling. "Magnificent!" he breathed, his face a mask of pure obsession. "Utterly magnificent!"]
["Blah, blah, blah! You're a real smooth talker, we get it! We're terrified! Now show us the money, you white-haired creep!" Rocket mocked, mimicking the Collector's dramatic gestures.]
["But we'd much rather see our units!"]
[Having finally acquired the Infinity Stone he'd dreamed of, the Collector was unbothered by Rocket's crassness. He simply said, "Your payment. How would you like to receive it?"]
[Rocket didn't miss a beat. "In cash, you freak! Quit stalling!"]
["Very well," the Collector said, moving to open one of his display cases.]
[At that moment, Carina began to walk slowly, deliberately, toward the Power Stone.]
[The Collector noticed her movement, his brow furrowing in annoyance. "Carina! Stand down!"]
[Carina's face twisted in fury. "I will no longer be your slave!"]
[Behind her, in another glass case, her fellow attendant saw what was happening and slapped her hands against the glass, her face a picture of panic.]
[But Carina's mind was made up. With a defiant cry, she reached out and wrapped her hand around the Power Stone.]
["No!" the Collector shrieked in horror, but it was too late.]
[The instant Carina's fingers closed around the gem, a cataclysmic wave of energy erupted from her body.]
[The shockwave ripped through the room, shattering the priceless collection to pieces in a shower of glass and metal.]
[Star-Lord instinctively tackled Gamora, pulling them both to the floor as the wave of destructive energy passed just over their heads.]
[Carina's arm was being consumed by the Stone's power, violet fissures of energy cracking up her skin, spreading from her palm to her arm and across her entire body.]
[She let out an unearthly scream of agony as the skin on her face began to blister and peel away.]
[Rocket was thrown to the ground, but Groot was there in an instant, scooping him up before charging toward the exit.]
[Carina's screams reached a crescendo before she was completely annihilated, turning into a cloud of purple dust. The resulting explosion tore through the rest of the Collector's gallery.]
[The entire building shuddered, threatening to collapse.]
[Groot, with Rocket clutched in one hand, smashed through a window and leaped into the open air. The fiery explosion followed close behind, scattering the terrified onlookers below.]
[With a final, mighty roar, Groot propelled himself clear just as the blast engulfed the area he'd leapt from.]
[When the chaos subsided, Gamora and Star-Lord slowly peeked out from their cover to survey the damage. Seeing the absolute devastation, Gamora was left speechless.]
[Star-Lord just whistled. "What the f… That's some serious firepower."]
[The Collector lay wounded on the floor amidst the wreckage of his life's work, before finally succumbing to unconsciousness.]
Because she hadn't touched the Power Stone—because she hadn't been given the chance—the real Carina was still very much alive. Watching the scene unfold on the massive screen, a cold, sickening dread washed over her. She knew Taneleer Tivan. She knew his temper, his possessiveness, his cruelty. After seeing this, he would never let her live.
But then, a memory sparked through her panic. The Collector wasn't on Knowhere. He had taken his ship to sell his remaining collection that survived the attack to a client light-years away. He wasn't here.
The realization hit her like a physical blow, knocking the air from her lungs and replacing it with a fragile, desperate hope. This was it. This was her only chance.
Escape had always seemed impossible. Where could a runaway slave even go in the vast, uncaring cosmos? But now, she had no choice. If she stayed and waited for the Collector to return, her fate would be infinitely worse than that of her on-screen counterpart. She had to run.
Meanwhile, aboard his starship tens of thousands of light-years from Knowhere, the Collector watched the same scene play out. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the arms of his chair, his opulent façade cracking to reveal the cold, murderous fury beneath. His collection was in ruins, but that was secondary. The true offense was the defiance. That his property would dare to rebel…
It was too late to turn back now. By the time his ship could return to ruin of Knowhere, Carina would be long gone, vanished into the galactic ether. A low, menacing growl rumbled in his chest. She could run, but the galaxy was not as large as she thought. He would find her.
At that same moment, as Carina frantically gathered what little she had for her escape.
the Milano finally breached the edge of the Sol system. Peter Quill gazed out the cockpit window, and his breath caught in his throat.
There it was. A familiar swirl of blue, white, and green.
"Peter… is that your home?" Gamora asked, her voice soft with awe as she stared at the planet. "She's… beautiful."
A sad, nostalgic smile touched Peter's lips. "Yeah," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Yeah, she is. Haven't been back in a long time." He took a deep, steadying breath, shaking off the wave of memories. "Alright, let's find the Avengers. A prize this big paints a target on your back, and every bounty hunter and warlord from here to the Kyln is probably looking for us by now. We can't protect this thing alone."
In the viewing room, Tony Stark's eyes widened. He shot a quick, incredulous look at Scott Lang. The ex-con had actually been right. That little orb really was an Infinity Stone.
Peter switched the Milano to stealth mode, its metallic hull shimmering before vanishing from sight. The ship silently cut through Earth's atmosphere, coming to a gentle stop as it hovered invisibly above the roof of Stark Tower.
[Gamora moved swiftly through the wreckage, snatching the Orb and closing it before its raw power could cause any more damage.]
[Cosmo the Spacedog, having miraculously survived the blast, yelped and darted out of the ruined gallery.]
[Gamora emerged from the smoke and dust, holding the contained Orb.]
["I can't believe he thought he could control that kind of power," she said, shaking her head.]
[Rocket spotted the Orb and threw his arms up in frustration. "What are you doing?! Why do you still have that thing?!"]
["What was I supposed to do, just leave it there?" Gamora shot back.]
["I can't believe you put it in that stupid little bag of yours!" Rocket grumbled, pointing at Peter's satchel.]
[Star-Lord immediately bristled. "Hey! It's not a bag, it's a satchel!"]
[Gamora looked down at the Orb in her hand, her expression serious. "We need to get this to the Nova Corps. They're the only ones who might be able to contain it."]
[Having witnessed firsthand the cataclysmic power held within the Orb, Gamora's objective had shifted entirely. This was no longer about a payday; it was about keeping a cosmic weapon of mass destruction out of the hands of tyrants like Ronan and Thanos.]
["Are you insane?" Rocket yelped, jumping onto a piece of debris. "We're wanted by the Corps! We might as well hand-deliver it to Ronan ourselves!"]
["So you'd rather let him destroy the galaxy?" Star-Lord retorted.]
[Rocket stared at them as if they'd grown second heads. "What is wrong with you people? Are you serious? What has the galaxy ever done for you? Why would you want to protect it?!"]
["Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it!" Peter yelled back.]
[At this point, Star-Lord was still a man guided by chaotic neutrality. He wasn't above bending the rules for his own selfish gain.]
[But when faced with a choice that could lead to the suffering of countless innocent people, his conscience wouldn't let him stand aside.]
[And letting Ronan get his hands on the Power Stone wasn't just a bad choice—it was an unthinkable one. He would never, ever let that happen.]