The Soulmate Initiative: Book 2

7. A planet called Morag

LOCATION: ASGARD 2013

Past Lavina is laying in her cell in the dungeons, boredly throwing a small object in the air and catching it, while Tasia and Rocket scurry past.

The pair arrive outside the room Ashley was assigned to stay in, Rocket turns to Tasia "Here's the deal. You're gonna charm her and I'm gonna poke her with this thing-" He holds up a device "-and extract the Reality stone, and get gone lickety-split." They hear a door open and quickly hide behind a pillar, Tasia pokes her head round to see several maids and her mother walking together "If you could send Loki some soup." "Yes, my lady." "And ask our librarians to pull some volumes from the astronomy shelf." They walk away and Tasia just stares after them, Rocket quietly asks "Who's the fancy broad?" "That's my mother. She dies today." "Oh, that is today?" Tasia takes a shaky breath "I can't do this. I can't do this. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have come. It's It's bad idea!" She's getting more upset by the second "Come here." "I think I'm having a panic attack." "Come here. Right here." Tasia steps closer to Rocket "I shouldn't be h-" Rocket slaps her across the face "You think you're you're only one who lost people? What do you think we're doing here? I lost the only family I ever had. Quill, Groot, Drax, the children just with the antenna. All gone. I get you miss your Mom, but she's gone. Really gone. And there are plenty of people who are only kind of gone, and you can help them. So, is it too much to ask, that you flirt with your girl in there and when she's not looking, suck out the infinity stone and help me get my family back?" Tasia, who's now crying, hangs her head "Okay." "You can do this." Tasia takes a few deep breathes "You can do this." "Yes I can." "Come on." Rocket makes his way closer to the room, as Tasia mutters to herself "I can do this. I can do this. I can't do this." She leaves back against a pillar, as Rocket, who doesn't know Tasia isn't with him, says "This is our shot." He looks up and doesn't see Tasia "Tasia? Tasia!" He groans.

LOCATION: MORAG 2014

Lavina, Nian, Penelope and Nebula have flown the Guardian's ship to Morag. The Ship is hovering above the ground, Penelope giving Nebula instructions as they lower the smaller ship down to the ground "Right on that line. That's it. Down, down." Meanwhile, Nian and Lavina are standing off to the side, waiting. A little creature tries to attack the pair, but Lavina just kicks it away. She sighs and Nian says "Hey, can we hurry it up? Come on. We're on the clock." "All that is really helpful." Once it's down, Nian hugs Penelope "Take care, okay?" "Yeah. Get that stone and come back. No messing around. You guys watch each other's six." The pair head into the larger ship and Nian flies them away. Nebula tells Penelope "Coordinates for Vormir are laid in. All they have to do is not fall out." In the ship, the pair are flying through space, enjoying the moment.

Back on the planet, Penelope asks "So, uh... we just wait around for this Quill guy to show up and then He leads us to the Power stone, is that it?" "Let's take cover. We're not the only ones in 2014 looking for the stones." "Wait a minute, what are you talking about right now? Who else is looking for these stones?" "My father... my sister... and me." "And you? Where are you right now?"

LOCATION: THANOS' SHIP 2014

Past Nebula asks past Gamora "Where?" "On a planet called Morag. Father's plan is finally finally motion." "One stone isn't six, Nebula." "It's a start. If he gets all of them..." There's a thud and they turn to see past Thanos transporting onboard "Ronan's located the Power stone. I'm dispatching you to his ship." Past Gamora responds "He won't like that." "His alternative is death. Ronan's obsession... clouds his judgement." Past Nebula bows "We will not fail you, Father." "No, you won't." "I swear..." She stands "I will make you proud." Suddenly the metal around her eye sizzles and she groans, doubling over. Past Gamora hurries to her as she lands on her butt. Imagery projects through her left eye, showing Penelope "We just wait around for this Quill guy to show up and then he leads us us the Power stone, is that it?" "Let's take cover. We're not the only ones in 2014 looking for the stones." The projection ends and Past Nebula grunts in discomfort. Past Gamora asks her "Who was that?" "I don't know. My head is splitting. I don't know." Past Gamora turns to her father "Her synaptic drive was probably damaged in battle." "Shh. Bring her to my ship."