LODESTAR ❥ PETER QUILL

Chapter 6

Heather sits on the steps onboard the Milano anxiously turning a small slab of metal over and over in her hands as she waits for the opportune moment to corner Quill who's been flitting around the ship faster than a Stelherki runs from a Xoeboeth. Not to accuse Quill or anything but Heather is 85% sure that he's avoiding her. The thought makes her feel miserable. On the floor a few metres away from her Rocket is using parts of her namesake ship to create small gadgets.

Quill walks into the room looking at Heather but is quickly distracted by the tinkering raccoon.

"Yo, Ranger Rick! What are you doing You can't take apart my ship without asking me! See, what is this?"

"Don't touch that. It's a bomb."

"A bomb?"

"Yep."

"And you leave it lying around?"

"I was gonna put it in a box."

"What's a box gonna do?"

Rocket opens a draw and pulls out a small wrapped gift.

"How about this one?"

Quill's demeanour changes from frustrated to furious and defensive. He pushes the present from Rocket hands back into the draw and slams the draw shut.

"No! Hey! Leave it alone."

"Why? What is it?"

"Shut up."

"Hey!"

"What is that?"

"That's for if things get really hardcore. Or if you wanna blow up moons," Rocket says gleefully.

"No one's blowing up moons," Gamora states quickly.

"You just wanna suck the joy out of everything," he mutters.

Quill glances at Heather and Gamora before turning around to face Gamora. Heather sighs discreetly.

"So, listen, I'm gonna need your buyer's coordinates."

"We're heading in the right direction, for now."

"If we're gonna work together, you might try trusting me a little bit."

"And how much do you trust me?"

"I'd trust you a lot more if you told me what this was. Because I'm guessing it's
some kind of weapon."

"I don't know what it is."

"If it's a weapon, we should use it against Ronan," Drax says picking up the orb.

"Put it down, you fool. You'll destroy us all," Gamora snaps.

"Or just you, murderess!"

"I let you live once, princess!"

"I am not a princess!"

Gamora and Drax stare at each other with icy fury.

"Hey! Nobody is killing anybody on my ship! We're stuck together until we get the money."

"I have no interest in money," Drax says.

"Great. That means more money for the four of us –" Peter notices Groot and corrects himself – "for the five of us. Partners."

Heather decides to speak up. She throws her small piece of metal to the ground. The clattering sound of metal on metal attracts all eyes to her.

"I could be wrong, but I have a vague idea of what the orb is."