Picking Up The Pieces

23. Let's Get Down To Business

THE SOVEREIGN: M49 5IOL339P21+H9LNI31

I looked up as I heard a loud crack from the sky, and I began spinning the throwing knife I had in my metal hand. The rest were carefully stowed under my belt, easily retrievable even with my aero-rig. Quill looked down at his tracker. "Showtime, a-holes!" he said with a grin. "It'll be here any minute."

"Which will be its loss," Gamora said bluntly as she charged up her rifle, the noise calling Quill's attention. I saw Groot sitting beside me, pointing the sharp end unknowingly at his face, and I yanked it away.

"Don't touch that," I warned him, and the tiny tree stuck his tongue out at me.

"Is that a rifle?" Quill asked, causing Gamora to roll her eyes. She didn't look at him, focusing on her gun.

"You don't know what a rifle is?" Gamora smirked. Quill wrinkled his eyebrows.

"I thought your thing was a sword."

"You guys have been hired to fight an inter-dimensional beast from eating a bunch of batteries," I sighed from my position on the ground, my hair occasionally blowing in my face. "You really expected her to fight it with a sword?"

"You're fighting with throwing knives!" Quill said defensively. I narrowed my eyes at him and lifted a hand, where an electric water formed. Rocket had found a way to give me small electric charges to keep the water like this. I gave Quill a cocky grin and pulled it back in.

"You were saying?" I told him. He returned his attention to his gun.

"It's just, swords were Gamora's thing and guns were mine," he explained, but it seemed like he was just trying to convince himself. "But I guess we're both doing guns now. I just didn't know that." Another loud crack went through the sky, and I felt the vibrations through my boots.

"Drax," Gamora asked, "why aren't you wearing one of Rocket's aero-rigs?" I looked over at the alien, who was indeed bare chested.

"It hurts," he said in his monotone voice. Gamora blinked in confusion.

"It hurts?"

"I have sensitive nipples," Drax muttered, causing Rocket to let out a loud laugh.

"My nipples hurt!" the raccoon laughed, holding his paws close to his chest and flailing them around. "Oh, goodness me!" This time it was my turn to roll my eyes.

"What about him?" Drax questioned, pointing an accusing finger. "What's he doing?"

"I'm finishing this so we can listen to tunes while we work," Rocket defended, his gun on the ground beside him as he connected wires.

"How is that a priority?" Drax said darkly.

"Blame Quill!" Rocket told him, this time him being the pointer. "He's the one who loves music so much."

"No, I actually agree with Drax on this," Quill spoke up, looking at both Guardians. "That's hardly important right now." Drax pointed again at Quill to prove his point.

"Oh, okay," Rocket relented. "Sure, Quill." Every word he said had about obvious two winks added to it.

"No, seriously," Quill said again. "I side with Drax."

"No, I understand that," Rocket said back, dropping the wires in his hand on the ground. "You're being very serious right now." And again, more obvious winking.

"I can clearly see you winking," Drax said angrily, throwing his hands by his side.

"Damn it," Rocket cursed. "I'm using my left eye?" Before anyone could reply, Groot yelled and pushed over a foraging Orloni (think tiny space dinosaurs), even punching one in the face.