Mao Mao's Test & Stash Zone

[Mao Mao]

AMAUL // YANUS

"All I know is that to me
You look like you're having fun
Open up your lovin' arms
Watch out here I come"

"Groot?!" Rocket quietly questioned his friend's choice to eat some flowers. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I am Groot!" Groot proclaimed.

"I don't care about that! Spit them out or you will have to explain why you ate the owner's golden flowers!"

"I am Groot." Groot then processed to swallow the flowers and smiled wickedly at his furry pal. Rocket signed in defeat as he pressed his claw on to his forehead. He didn't have the time to explain why eating plants in public isn't professional at all. Instead, he told Groot to leave and meet up with their new partners nearby. Looking at the ruined flower bed, Rocket dug into his pockets and pulled out some credits. He threw it in the flower bed in the hopes that the owner forgive his friend's appetite for flowers. Then he left the bar for good.

Outside the Flowers of Gold, Peter Quill and Kraglin walked towards the shuttle stand and waited for a shuttle to arrive. Just as the shuttle approached the stand, Groot and Rocket exited out of the bar in time. Quill, Kraglin, and Rocket hopped in the shuttle, but Groot had to crouch so he could fit inside. Kraglin entered the directions and payment info while Rocket made sure to close the shuttle door. After a moment of processing, the shuttle took off and headed for the shuttle rental place. Rocket breathed a sigh of relief that the Nova Corps didn't spot him at all. For now, he and Groot were safe.

Quill looked at Rocket and asked about the Nova Corps officers, "Why did you freak out about those Nova Corps officers? In trouble with the law?"

"Something like that." Rocket responded.

"I don't care about the Nova Corps. What about the intel you were going to say earlier?" Kraglin impatiently interrupted Rocket before he could finish. The raccoon rolled his eye and mumbled while he was looking in his pocket. Eventually, he found the small hologram projector and tossed it at Kraglin. Then he turned the device on, revealing a section of the massive forest surveyed for possible activities. There were several tents designed to bend with the environment; however, Zynsalak's men didn't do a good job of covering up their tracks. Thanks to Rocket, Quill and Kraglin now had the location of Zynsalak.

"Incredible... How much did it cost you to get it?"

"Well, about that..." Rocket said while his paw was rubbing his neck. "I stole it for the Nova Corps. Hey, it was highly likely that they knew something about Zynsalak and I took my chances."

"Oh..." It was the only thing Quill could say after learning that Rocket stole classified intel for the Nova Corps. He was taught right away to never steal directly for either the Nova Corps or the Lantern Corps. It was fine to steal within the Nova Corps territories if you can outrun them. However, directly stealing from them was risky and most of them worthless since you would of been caught in the matter of days because of the Lanterns. Their rings are capable of defeating entire groups of pirates in minutes. With the Lantern and Nova Corps working together, people who stole from them were fucked.

Once someone was caught, they were charged and found guilty of stealing government property. The punishment had them working in Nova Corps-sponsored asteroid mining facilities and living in their prisons for fifteen years. Twenty-five if the property belonged to the military. To make sure that the Ravagers never got in trouble with the corps, Yondu signed an agreement that made clear that he had to personally turn anyone of stealing for the Nova and Lantern Corps. Other pirate groups weren't so lucky.

Rocket ensured Quill that no-one saw on that night. He dealt with the cameras and additional security before taking the device. Kraglin thanked Rocket for risking his freedom to secure Zynsalak's location and gave the device back to him. "Nah, it wasn't that difficult." Rocket caught the hologram projector and put it back in his pocket. The shuttle arrived at the rental place and lowered to the ground. The shuttle took off to it's next destination after everyone inside left. Then, the group of four entered the rental store and Kraglin went forth to rent out a shuttle that handle Groot.

Meanwhile, Quill decided to stay outside to distract himself with some music from his walkman. He felt uneasy with the fact that Rocket was unfazed about stealing for the Nova Corps. Hopefully, it doesn't come back to bite them in the ass while he and Kraglin are close to getting some answers. Quill kept on listening to music for a bit until all three of them came back with the shuttle for rent.

[Mao Mao]

YANUS //

"When I was still naive
Well, you said that we made such a pretty pair
And that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved
And one of them was me"

An hour of driving the shuttle across the massive forest was boring for everyone but Peter Quill. He was looking at the window while they were driving pass countless trees. It reminded him of all the times that his mother would drive him to the camping grounds. That was one of the few things that Quill missed about Earth. The smell and sight of the Coloradan forests, especially whenever it rained. Yanus was a good enough replacement, but not perfect. While Quill was looking out at the window, Rocket and Groot were waking up from their almost hour-long nap.

"Are we there yet?" Rocket asked Kraglin while rubbing his eyes.

"Just a bit forward and then we got to walk to their camp" Kraglin replied.

"I am Groot."

"Because I am sure that one of us doesn't want to pay for the damages."

Quill was enjoying the sights and listening to music when Rocket noticed the Walkman. It was the first time that the raccoon ever saw it. He was trying to figure out its purpose before he had to ask Quill. It wasn't a device that you would see at a black market and it looked outdated. So in short, it must be something from Earth. Yeah, he knew about Earth because he read classified information on them in a Nova Corps base. If he had to guess, Quill and Kraglin were either humans or Xandarian. The classified information said that they are almost indistinguishable from Xandarians. But, humans lacked pink skins and blue blood, unlike Xandarians. Guess reading all that bullshit was worth it. Rocket thought while looking at the device again.

Quill noticed Rocket staring at his Walkman and stated, "Looking at something?"

"Yeah, I am actually." Rocket pointed at the device and asked, "What is that relic? It looks like it could easily break."

"That 'relic' was a gift. It's a storage for songs that I can listen to whenever and wherever I want. And I have been keeping it clear and do regular checkups to make sure it doesn't break," Quill answered.

"He cares about that thing more than his own ship and pistols," Kraglin added to the discussion. It was true. Quill treasured that thing more than anything else in this universe. It was the only thing that he took with him when he left Earth with Yondu since he was immediately taken away. And they became a source of happiness in his new life with the Ravagers. Even when he adopted the pirate life, he still kept the walkman as a way of not forgetting about Earth and his mother.

"Well, we are here." Kraglin said while he was landing the shuttle nearby the trail. After landing the shuttle, everyone exited and began their fifteen minute walk. While approaching the campsite, the four of them came up with a simple plan to deal with the bandits. Rocket will scout ahead and count how many men were there. Meanwhile, Kraglin and Groot wait until Rocket's signal to attack the camp. And while the camp is under attack, Quill sneaks around to find Zynsalak. With the plan in place, the group split up and went to their positions.

Meanwhile, Peter Quill pressed the earpiece on the back of his right ear and expanded into a helmet. With a press of a button, he became Star-Lord and raced off to find a good hiding spot.

[Mao Mao]

YANUS //

"Life is good, wild and sweet
Let the music play on
Feel it in your heart and feel it in your soul
Let the music take control, we going to
Parti', liming, fiesta, forever"

Once Star-Lord got into position, it was only a matter of time before he would hear Rocket's signal. Suddenly, he heard screaming and shouting coming from the other side of the camp. Then came the gunfire. It was time to get to work. Star-Lord leapt from the bushes and quietly ran towards the camp. He got inside the camp while the men were reacting to the firefight. Earlier, Rocket counted around thirty-four men in the camp with four outdoor tents. While running towards one of them, he saw a tree coming down upon another tent and destroying it in seconds. Then, he proceeded to enter the tent while men were running pass him and towards combat.

Inside, he found dozens of artifacts and prized possessions out for display. Nearby an artifact was a tunnel designed to send them down towards the underground part of the camp. Star-Lord was interested with everything in the tent, but he heard noises nearby. He immediately hid by one of the displays and watched as Zynsalak and three other men entered. "You two follow me into the underground," he barked out orders. "and you will lead the men to victory or death."

The woman nodded and ran outside to fight against the enemy. Meanwhile, one of the men asked what to do with the remaining artifacts. Zynsalak looked around as if for the last time and sighed. "Leave them be. We can finish later or leave it from mother nature." With that, the three men walked down towards the underground. Star-Lord found what he was looking for and returned outside. The fighting was still ongoing with sixteen men dead, according to one of the pirates. He pulled out his blasters and carefully approached the firefight. Unfortunately for them, Star-Lord was spotted right away and opened fire. He managed to kill two of them before flying away thanks to his jet boots.

In the air, he spotted the others using another fallen tree as cover and landed nearby. He ran to cover and greeted the others.

"You found him?" Kraglin asked while Rocket was firing at the pirates.

"Yeah." Star-Lord responded. "You should see the entrance. It's filled with ancient artifacts and other amazing shit!"

"Did you say ancient artifacts?" Rocket stopped firing and looked at Quill.

"Yeah?"

"Alright then." Rocket got excited and reached into his belt, pulled out two grenades, and handed them to Quill. "Take them and use your jet boots to deal with these pirates. We will attack once you drop the grenades on them."

Star-Lord nodded and activated his jet boots. Rocket and Kraglin provided covering fire while he flew towards the enemy. He had to a couple barrel rolls to dodge the lasers. Before he was over the enemy, he put his blaster away and grabbed the grenades. Now with a clear view, Star-Lord pressed the red buttons and dropped them above them. The grenades blew up the second they landed on the ground and did serious damage. Star-Lord pulled his blasters again and opened fire once he was on solid ground. He used a crate as cover. Meanwhile, the others were using Groot as a shield to push forward.

The fighting continued for a few minutes with the pirate losing more people. And soon enough, there were only three people remaining. Of course, they kept on fighting until Groot impaled all three of them. To make sure they were dead, he smashed them against the ground and one of the tents. It became increasingly violent to the point where everyone was caught off guard. Even Rocket was taken back and told Groot to stop.

"I am Groot?"

"You overkilled it, pal." Rocket explained.

Star-Lord and Kraglin were stunned with the brutality and walked away from them. They arrived at the tent and entered it with Rocket and Groot following them shortly after. Inside, the room was quiet and the artifacts were still there. Rocket became amazed with the potential value if they were to take and sell them. If they weren't fakes. He glanced at every artifact before finding the tunnel along with the others.

Star-Lord turned to the others and said, "Zynsalak is in there with two other men and we need answers. So let's not kill him yet."

Rocket turned towards Groot and asked, "Can you walk ahead of us? Just in case."

Groot nodded and walked faster than the others. They were near the entrance when Zynsalak's men opened fire on the tree. Their weapons were no match for Groot's tough wooden hide. He stabbed one of the guys while Star-Lord shot the other with his blaster. Zynsalak surrendered the moment his men dropped dead. Both Kraglin and Quill couldn't believe that they were facing the only man with answers.

"What do you want?" Zynsalak asked while realizing that every one of his men were dead.

"Answers, Zynsalak." Kraglin coldly replied and raised a blaster to his face. "Tell us about what you were doing near the Eclector's last location?"

[Mao Mao]

YANUS //

"And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
'Let it be'"

"You must be Kraglin," Zynsalak said after a moment of thinking.

"How did yo-."

"Your name was mentioned several times in the communication logs. And who else would face off against forty men and risk their lives for answers? None other than Kraglin Obfonteri. The right-hand man of the former Yondu Udonta. Sorry about the loss by the way."

Kraglin raised his blaster again and aimed it at his forehead.

"Don't tell you are going to kill me before you get your answers." Zynsalak laughed. "Put that blaster down. It isn't like I have any plans of escaping."

Kraglin pulled the blaster away from Zynsalak and allowed him to sit. After that, he thanked Kraglin and went on to answer the question. "My men and I received a distress call for the Eclector its self. Of course, we were curious as to why the Ravagers sent out a distress signal. So we traced it and eventually found it to be heavily damaged. Somehow it was still in one piece when we boarded the ship. And inside the Eclector was the same story. Tons of the dead Ravagers as we made our way to the bridge."

"Umm, look what I about to say next might make you very upset. Just remember that I found him." Zynsalak warned Kraglin before continuing on with his story.

"When we entered, it was the same story as in the hallway; but, we stumbled upon Yondu's body. It was brutally beaten up to the point where his face was swollen. And the iconic red mohawk was ripped apart from his body. Whoever killed Yondu wanted him to die painfully."

Kraglin was on the verge of tears when he learned that not only Yondu was beaten to death, but his 'mohawk' was torn off. "I need some fresh air." he puled while leaving the room with his shoulders shaking violently. Quill needed to check up with him, but he needed to know the whole story.

"Then, what did you guys do next?" Star-Lord asked.

"I have made the last minute decision to download and take the black box. But, we didn't know that it would self-destruct the moment we began our mission. We downloaded as much as we could in the short period before we escaped. As for the black box, it took some damage before our arrival. We have been trying to repair it since." Zynsalak answered.

"Where are they?" Star-Lord demanded.

Zynsalak reached behind his desk and opened a drawer to grab a flash drive. He threw at Star-Lord and said, "Here is everything we got from the bridge. And the black box is in the crate right next to the tree."

Groot looked at the crate and opened it up to find the black box was in it. Rocket immediately ran towards it to start investigating the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, Star-Lord put the flash drive in his pocket and thanked Zynsalak. Then, he asked about the artifacts.

"Oh, those things? They were from my days when I sought out artifacts hidden all over the universe for the wealthy. I spent five years stealing most of them back from those families in the hopes of selling it." Zynsalak responded. Star-Lord went over to one of those artifacts. An orb that looked like it was made out of several colorful crystals. He grabbed the orb and was surprised at how soft it felt. Zynsalak noticed him looking at it and walked towards with a confused look.

"That orb was the first thing that caught your attention? How interesting," he commented. "It reminds me of how I obtained it on a volcanic planet. It had been a few years since I got into the business of finding artifacts. A wealthy organization requested my services to find something worthwhile on the planet. My men and I spent days searching for something until we found the orb. It had been sitting in some tomb for ages with no security system. But, we were interrupted by a Kree cyborg and his squad who demanded the orb. Naturally, we refused to give it up and a fight broke. I lost a few good men to that fucker before he dropped dead for sure. We tore a few cybernetic parts off of him just to be sure. Afterward, the organization didn't like the orb and refused to pay me. I was forced to keep it to this day."

"Why don't you take it with you? It's worthless anything to me and the Nova Corps." Zynsalak finished.

"The Nova Corps?" Star-Lord questioned.

"Yeah, since you killed my men, I have nothing else left to keep going. In honesty, a Nova prison is safer than waiting until one of the families send assassins after me. Plus, the Nova Corps will just return the stolen property to their owners. It's a win-win situation." Zynsalak answered with sadness in his tone as he sat down on his chair. Star-Lord took the orb and tossed it around while checking on Rocket and the black box. Groot was now holding to it while Rocket was making mental notes for later.

"How bad are the damages?" Star-Lord asked.

"Not too bad. If I had some proper tools and enough space, I can repair as much as I can." Rocket said confidently to Quill.

"Good. Take it with us because we are leaving."

Star-Lord turned to Zynsalak and said his farewell to him. Zynsalak appreciated it and watched as the three of them left. Outside, he went searching for Kraglin while Rocket and Groot made their way to the shuttle. Eventually, he found Kraglin bawling his eyes out like he did on the day that Yondu died. It was getting Quill emotional to see his brother like this. He pressed the helmet and it shrunk back into an earpiece and greeted Kraglin.

"Are you alright?" Quill asked. "That was a lot to take in."

Kraglin wiped the tears away and said, "Not really to be honest. But, I will be in time. I want the fucker who killed Yondu to suffer the same fate."

Quill placed his hand on Kraglin's shoulder and responded, "I will promise you that we will find the person responsible and make them pay for destroying the Ravagers."

[Mao Mao]

KNOWHERE //

"Just move yourself
And glide like a seven-forty-seven
And lose you're self in the sky
Among the clouds in the heavens 'cause"

Only one day passed by since the confrontation with Zynsalak took place in Yanus. In the hopes of getting answers, they were left with more questions than ever before. Hopefully, more questions will be answered whenever Rocket finishes repairing the black box. Peter Quill decided to look into the data from the flash drive while Rocket was still working on the box. On the other hand, Kraglin was keeping the Milano afloat while it was going to Knowhere. He sat there alone while Groot was most likely staring at a window. After spending ten minutes on the box, Rocket went to the dining area to grab something to drink. That was when he saw Quill working on finding clues.

He was finishing up looking into the first part of the logs when Rocket entered and headed for the fridge. "You want something to drink?" the raccoon asked while holding a bottle of alcohol for himself.

"Sure."

Quill closed the logs and got up to grab himself a bottle. He earned a break. Rocket drank the bottle empty and threw it in the trash can, where it landed on. He was impressed with himself for making the long shot. Quill closed the fridge and asked Rocket about the black box.

"Oh, that thing." Rocket sighed. "Zynsalak was right about it having some damage, but he wasn't specific about it. Since we are going to Knowhere, I need to gather a few parts in the black box."

"Alright, that sounds like a good idea." Quill responded and started to drink the alcohol.

"By the way, how is the hunt going?" Rocket asked with a smirk while pointing at the device on the table.

Quill laughed sarcastically and said, "It has been a pain in the ass. I found nothing of worth. I might give up by the end of the week. I won't be surprised if the information that we want was wiped clear."

He finished the bottle and threw it away. "I should check on Kraglin and see if we are almost there." Rocket waved goodbye and watched as Quill left for the bridge. Quill made his way to the bridge and heard nothing. It was unusual at first, but he saw Kraglin placing another bottle on the ground. He was done with his sixth bottle of rum. It wasn't an impressive feat. Quill clearly remembered the time that he drank fifteen glasses before passing out.

Quill slowly approached Kraglin while picking up the bottles off of the floor. "You know it would be good for everyone else if you didn't drink all of the boozes."

However, there was no response. And soon enough, he saw Kraglin pass out on the job. He was kind enough to make sure that the Milano was on autopilot. Quill rolled his eyes at Kraglin before leaving for the kitchen to throw the bottles away. Once he was done with that, Quill returned to the bridge and sat down on the seat near Kraglin. The best feature of the Milano was it's ability for someone else to pilot it. If one of Quill's "visitors" wanted to fly his ship, he would give control over to them. That easy.

Once Quill had control of the Milano, he turned the autopilot off and began flying the ship to Knowhere. Both Yondu and Kraglin tried to teach Quill how to keep a spacecraft afloat, but he wasn't able to get the hang of it. Not to say that he was terrible, but he could use some work. Regardless, he flew to Knowhere and landed in one of the hangers after talking to flight control.

After landing his beloved ship, Quill left Kraglin to sleep alone in the bridge. He soon saw both Rocket and Groot near the ramp getting ready to shop for parts. Groot waved at Quill and said, "I am Groot."

"Hi, Groot." Quill addressed Groot while waving and then walking towards Rocket.

"You know what to get, right?" Quill asked the raccoon.

Rocket rolled his eyes and responded sassy, "Of course, I do. I have repaired dozens of things before this black box. You just worry about that rock."

"It isn't a rock, dude. It's-."

"I don't care!" Rocket interrupted Quill before he could start. "Just find out if it's worth something and sell the thing."

Rocket and Groot soon left the Milano to look for parts while Quill went off towards a place that he knew. There he would find one of Yondu's assets that he still used after leaving the Ravagers. The asset in question knew well enough about mysterious artifacts and rare items. That issue was whether he was in Knowhere or not.

[Mao Mao]

KNOWHERE //

"Nature's taken over my one-track mind
Believe it or not, you're in my heart all the time
All the girls are saying that you'll end up a fool
For the time being, baby, live by my rules"

Peter Quill eventually arrived at his destination, which was a rundown area. The place contained strip clubs, liquor stores, and "massage" parlors. When he was younger, Yondu often took him here despite his young age. Everything was still the same with new people Quill saw every second. Then, he spotted the store and entered it. A hologram appeared out of the floor and welcomed the customer.

"I am looking for The Expert." Quill said while pulling out the artifact. "I have an item for him to look at."

After a moment of silence, the hologram nodded while it was typing something on a notepad. "Alright, he has been notified. Please wait for him."

Then, it disappeared, and Quill took a seat while listening to his walkman. There were other people in the same room that looked shady enough to steal for him. A few minutes of silences passed before the door opened. Quill looked up to see that The Expert had arrived and got up to greet him. He was a Kodabak, a race of humanoid pig-like from their home world of Kodaba. Recently, Kodaba is in a state of unrest that several nearby planets are looking to conquer. Most of them returned to their home world while some like The Expert don't care anymore.

"Quill!" The Expert greeted with a handshake. "It's been awhile. How have you been?"

"Fine." Quill answered as he was retreating the artifact. "I was hoping that you know what this is."

The Expert grabbed the artifact and examined it for a moment. It wasn't like anything he had dealt with before. He told Quill to follow him down the stairs. The orb felt soft even know it was clearly made of crystals. Once in his store, The Expert carefully placed the orb on a stand designed for rocks and unusual jewelry.

"Listen, I am sorry about Yondu." The Expert frowned while grabbing a laser cutter to use on the orb. "If you need any help with anything, I am available."

"Now, where did you find it?"

"Some guy told me that it was from a volcanic planet inside an ancient ruin of sorts. Now, I am looking to sell it." Quill answered.

"Okay, I will cut it a piece off and see what it's made of. There I am able to tell you how much it would sell for." The Expert said and aimed the laser cutter at the orb. He pressed the button, but it was doing nothing to the orb. Even after thirty seconds, it wasn't working on the orb. It was odd enough to The Expert that a laser cutter wasn't doing its job. He placed down the laser cutter and reached for his rock cutting tools. With the hammer in one hand and a chisel in the other, he got to work on cracking a piece for the orb. Unfortunately, it didn't work. It did, however, leave behind some dust.

It was enough to analyze it, which would take days. The Expert made sure to collect as much dust as he could with a brush and glass tray. He turned towards Quill and said, "I have collected as much as I could for this thing. Wait a few days until I am done. Then, you should know what it is."

Suddenly, the hologram appeared out of the ground and approached The Expert. "You have visitors."

"Who?" The Expert asked confusedly.

"A group of individuals are here for-." Before it could finish, the door blew open and flew down the stairs. Quill moved away before he was crushed by the door. He grabbed the orb and put it back in his pocket. Meanwhile, The Expert went for his pistol and aimed at the stairs. Two individuals appeared at the bottom of the stairs in some sort of armor. They almost looked like the Green Lantern Corp, but without rings. One of them looked at the Kodabak and demanded, "Where is Peter Quill?"

The other one, wearing a helmet, looked at the human and scanned it. "Found him." it answered while pointing at Quill. The Zambaii walked towards Quill and declared, "Peter Quill. By the orders of the Spartax Empire, your presence is required. By force if necessary."

[Mao Mao]

KNOWHERE //

"The whole world in his hands
And the Heavyweight Champion fights in the
International propaganda Star Wars
There`s already one spaceman in the White House
What do you want another one for?"

Peter Quill stood there confused after an alien ordered him to come with them. He didn't know what he did to grant a warrant for his capture. Hell, he couldn't remember visiting a planet owned by the Spartax Empire. Regardless, Quill wasn't interested visiting Spartax. With one hand on a small electric device and the other on the orb, he was ready to attack.

"Please do not resist." the alien said while walking towards Quill.

When he was close enough, Quill slapped the device on the alien's neck and watched as it shocked him. The helmeted individual was smacked with the orb twice. It did enough damage to cause a crack on their helmet. Now with both individuals down, Quill raced up the stairs while his helmet appeared. "S-stop him!" the Kodabak screamed in pain while trying to get the device off of him.

When Quill got back to ground level, he saw three individuals with the same outfit as the other two. How badly did Spartax want him? One of them approached him with his fists turning white with a big grin on his face. Quill took a few steps back and pulled out his blasters. He fired a few shots at them in the hopes of doing some kind of damage. However, it was useless. Before the individual could strike, Quill reached down to activate his jet boots and flew away. He went through the glass door to escape the authorities; but, they were following him with ease.

Quill pressed his earpiece to contact Rocket and said his name.

"Quill, did you find out how much the rock is?" Rocket responded.

"Where are you?" Quill asked impatiently.

"The marketplace? Wh-" Rocket heard the sound of explosions in the background.

"HOLY SHIT." Quill screamed while dodging the beams coming from the Eigessan's golden fist. After flying for a minute and a half, he saw the marketplace and planned on landing until the beam hit his right leg. Now with the jet boot damaged, Quill was spinning out of control until he crashed into the ground. The marketplace was filled with customers looking to buy parts and custom machines. Some of the customers witnessed the rough landing and went to see if Quill was fine. He tried to get up, but couldn't because his leg was messed up. He wasn't in the right condition to run away. Then, the three individuals landed nearby and slowly approached him as they shoved people aside.

"Surrender before you foolishly hurt yourself again." the Eigessan demanded as he got closer to Quill.

Before he could grab the human, he heard something land behind and turned to see what it was. All he saw was a bright light that temporary blinded him, his pals, and everyone else near it. Rocket and Groot opened their eyes and ran towards Quill to see if he was right.

"I am Groot!" Groot yelled out because he was worried for the client.

"He is going to be fine, Groot." Rocket ensured his friend. "Now, you need to carry him to the ship. We need to leave before we are spotted."

With the order, Groot wrapped his arm on Quill and carried him off of the ground. He was blinded by the flash device that Rocket deployed to buy them some time. Of course, it wasn't going to last long. That's why Rocket ordered Groot to walk faster while he ran to check for possible shortcuts. Quill's vision slowly came back while he heard Rocket telling Groot to hurry up. Then, all three of them heard shouting and yelling from the marketplace. One of them, most likely the Eigessan, was very pissed off.

They hurried towards the Milano in the hopes of escaping the group before they were found. Then, Rocket saw that Quill was bleeding badly enough to notice. He scanned around and found a nightclub. It was like any busy nightclub, but it was a perfect hiding spot. "Follow me and stay near me. No matter what." Rocket ordered Groot while he was digging around his pocket for credits. The bouncer was keeping two young aliens from entering the building when he saw the three of them.

"Hey, you can't com-" the bouncer felt credits hitting him while the trio entered the club. When he was planning on stopping them, he saw four individuals landing nearby. They were also approaching the club. He tried to order them to stop, but he was sent flying towards the wall by a gold beam. The young aliens screamed in fear while the group followed the blood trail to the dance floor. It was dark and crowded just like any other nightclub. A perfect place to bend in. Rocket knew that the group was in the nightclub and reached for Quill's blaster. While they kept walking forward, his ability to see in the dark helped in keeping an eye for them. He looked behind him and saw one of them walking near them.

That was when he opened fire.

After a few shots, Rocket returned the blaster to Quill and the trio walked faster. Of course, the group returned fire. Most of their beams were hitting customers. They were panicking and running towards the nearest exit. It made them the perfect cover for their beams. The music was still playing while people were being mowed down by the group. Then, security arrived to respond to the situation at hand. That was when the music stopped and the lights were turned on. The customers' screams were loud and clear now while Rocket was escorting them to the kitchen. As they could hear the firefight in the background, Rocket looked outside of the kitchen door. It was a losing battle for the security guards. Outmatched in every way possible. He wondered who they were and why they are interested in Quill. Does Quill know them? So many questions that he has to wait to ask later.

Groot, while carrying Quill, followed Rocket out of the building and headed for the docks.

[Mao Mao]

✶ 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 ✶

"🇳🇺🇲🇶🇺🇦🇲 🇴🇧🇱🇮🇻🇮🇸🇨🇦🇷 🇪🇽 🇶🇺🇦 🇻🇪🇳🇮🇸🇹🇮"

---

Private space companies, like SpaceX and Boeing, rose to the task of exploring the stars while the world's space agencies fell into the red tape of bureaucracy. And in the year 2022, SpaceX sent a crew of six astronauts to space in the hopes of setting foot on Mars. It was a landmark moment in human history and began the colonization of Mars. In a period of ten years, SpaceX managed to colonized the entire Gale Crater with a population of one hundred and fifteen astronauts. The major space agencies partnered up with SpaceX to find ways in improving Primus (the name of the colony). Meanwhile, the three major space agencies (NASA, Roscosmos, and CNSA) worked on colonizing Luna, Earth's moon. Horizon was founded on the Shackleton Crater two years after SpaceX landed on Mars with a population of twenty-two. Five years later, that population grew to two hundred. Both Horizon and Primus were proof that humanity was ready for the stars.

On Earth, the successful reports of Horizon and Primus led to the Space Revolution aka the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The United States of America, People's Republic of China, and Russia Federation took advantage of it and expanded in wealth and power. The European Union, meanwhile, was still suffering for Britain and Italy's departure for the organization. Some Central European countries were also considering leaving the EU behind in light of the ongoing Migration Crisis. And many were unhappy with the Union's declaration that America was unreliable. Fearful of a collapse, France and Germany tried to establish control with the remaining members in uniting. The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and Portugal signed the Treaty of Strasbourg with France and Germany in forming the Western European Union. Austria joined a year later.

Meanwhile, the three Scandinavian nations formed the Nordic Federation shortly after the disbandment of the European Union. Iceland joined three months later and Finland joined five years later. In Central Europe, a series of alliances were formed and disbanded in a period of ten years. The Polish–Czechoslovak confederation was the successful union that eventually became Międzymorze. It was in response to pressures from both the Russians and Western Europeans. Then, the Baltic states joined the confederation two years later with fears of a Russian invasion. Unlike those countries, the rest didn't fade well. The Balkan countries, for example, immediately were in a state of war. Serbia went to war with Albania over the successful joint state with Kosovo. Soon enough, Bosnia, Croatia, and Montenegro joined against Serbia for their attempt at creating a "Greater Serbia." Greece were on Serbia's side because they were granted land in Albania. The fighting lasted for four years until an armistice was signed by both sides. So far, the region hasn't violated it yet but tensions are rising.

Russia Federation saw the downfall of the European Union as a chance of expanding westward. Ukraine was annexed shortly after the formation of the Western European Union despite protest for America. About a month after the annexation, Russia attempted to stage a coup in an attempt to collapse Międzymorze. However, they were exposed for funding nationalist and communist rebel groups. Soon after, they signed an defense pact with the Nordic Federation to prepare for a possible Russian invasion. Fifteen years passed with both sides waiting for their moment to strike. And one side was done waiting. In July, Międzymorze forces exchanged gunfire with Russian forces stationed in Kaliningrad. With the help from the Nordic navy, the Russians surrendered after sixteen hours of fighting.

World War II had begun. But, it wasn't world ending.

Międzymorze and Nordic Federation begun pushing into the heartland of Russia, hoping to end the war before winter. The Western European Union sided with both Międzymorze and Nordic Federation by attempting to blockade and invade Crimea. Behind the scenes, the United States of America convinced China to not intervene by allowing them control of the West China Sea and other agreements in the Washington Agreement. Right after signing the agreements, the Americans invaded Siberia by air and sea with help from the Japanese and Koreans. However, the Russians kept on fighting into the winter and took advantage. Once the snow melted away, one million and seven hundred soldiers for the Alliance were dead. The Russians lost the same amount of men, but they weren't willing to give up. World War III kept on going for six years with no significant gains by both sides until the Alliance forces encircled Moscow.

The Battle of Moscow lasted seven months until the remaining Russian forces ordered the bombardment of the entire city. The Alliance forces weren't prepared for the bombardment resulting in five thousand casualties. It signaled the end of World War III. And on August fifth, the Russian Federation surrendered to Western European Union forces in the hopes of healing. In total, the third World War resulted in eight hundred million casualties within six years of fighting. Now, there was chance for peace. Treaty of Warsaw was signed on November 22nd that split the Russia Federation into pieces. It was put into effective on the New Year of the following year. Reconstruction begun across parts of the world affected.

The United States of America and the People's Republic of China weren't active participants of the Third World War but benefited greatly for it. The Third Cold War shortly begun after the signing of the treaty and kept on getting hotter. Then out of nowhere, SpaceX found a massive construction far for Pluto and investigated it. Everyone was paying attention to the situation as more space companies and agencies joined the investigation. Suddenly, it activated for a split second causing a few dozen vessels to disappear. Nobody ever heard for them again. Everyone tried to reactive it but it laid dormant for decades. While it stood there quiet, the Solar System was being filled with humans for dozens of government controlled and private space companies. Eventually, everybody knew that it was time to expand beyond the Solar System.

The Alpha Centauri system was the next target for colonization. And then it was the Trappist system. Undoubtedly, their growth gained some attention by the galactic community. Soon enough, they introduced themselves to the humans.

[Mao Mao]

KNOWHERE //

"Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night
Remember how the stars stole the night away"

Peter Quill, Rocket, and Groot had been walking towards the Milano non stop since escaping the nightclub. Eventually, they made to the dock and it was quiet. Too quiet. Groot kept on walking Quill while Rocket looked around for any signs of danger. Then suddenly, all three of them heard someone land behind.

"Stop." Eigessan demanded.

Groot charged towards the alien to stall him while Rocket brought Quill inside the ship. However, he managed to fire a beam near them, causing Rocket to drop him. Quill stopped him from picking him up and said, "I will be fine! Go check on Kraglin and wake his ass up!"

The raccoon nodded and rushed inside the ship to look for the other human. He shouted the name several times with no response until he heard a door open. Eventually, Kraglin woke up from his drunken slumber to find the ship empty. Or he so thought. Rocket ran towards him and punched him in the gut. "What the fuck were you doing?!" the raccoon yelled.

"I was resting." Kraglin responded while trying to get over the punch. "And why did you punch me?!"

"Because you missed our calls! We were dealing with a group trying to kill Quill! Get your ass in gear and start the ship!" Rocket went to his room to a suitable weapon for the bastard.

“Wait, who’s-”

Now with some firepower, Rocket left his room with a rifle and headed back outside. “Just start the fucking ship!” he screamed at the human before leaving the ship. Once back outside, he saw that Groot was doing his best against the alien. Quill tried to help by firing his blasters to distract him. Rocket aimed the rifle and opened fire at the Eigessan. The impact of the explosive bullets caused him to be pushed backwards. But the bullets didn’t stop him at all. He rose from the ground even more upset.

“This ends now.”

The Eigessan punched Groot several times in the face and chest. Admittedly, he was impressed that he has last this long. Then, he grabbed his right arm and turned his hand gold. And in the matter of seconds, Groot watched his arm fall off in horror and tried to react; but, he was knocked out. Rocket, meanwhile, screamed in anger and charged towards the alien. A few bullets managed to hit him before dodging them and flanking him. One hand grabbed the rifle while the other was chocking the raccoon. He threw the rifle to the ground, breaking into pieces and placing both hands on the neck.

“Stop!” Quill yelled out before the alien could kill the raccoon. “I surrender.”

“Finally.” The Eigessan smiled in victory as he dropped the raccoon to the ground and walked towards the human. Quill stood up, dropped his blasters, and walked towards him with his hands up. Once he was close enough, he deliberately dropped his Walkman. When Quill reached down to grab it, he instead grabbed the only working jet boot. It slapped into the Eigessan's leg while Quill turned it on. Immediately, the alien fell face first to the ground and yelled in angry as it flew away. Quill ran towards Rocket, who was waking Groot up.

"We need to go now." Quill stated.

"I know!" Rocket growled at the human while checking up on his friend. Groot was dazed about the last few seconds before he got knocked out. Regardless, he listened to his raccoon pal and went towards the ship. Then, the alien's friends arrived. Four of them landed nearby while keeping an eye on Quill and his friends. Eventually, the Eigessan was able to break free from the jet boot and returned to his pals. And he was so angry. Before he could charge towards him, one of them stopped him.

When he tried to speak, the Kodabak told him to shut up and calm down. The alien walked forward towards the ship as Quill was getting inside. "Wait." the alien said with a calm and demanding tone. "Please listen to us."

Quill turned to look at him and pointed at the Eigessan, "Why should I?! Your friend tried to kill me!"

"He... he didn't mean to. You were fleeing and he thought it was a sure way of stopping you. We were given orders to bring you to our leader. He said that force might be necessary." the Kodabak explained.

"Who's your leader?"

"King J'son of Spartax. The man that wants to see you."

"Then, why isn't he here?" Quill asked.

"He is... busy at the moment."

He reached for his blasters and aimed them at him. "Well, tell him that he will have to get me himself."

"He thought this would happen." Kodabak mumbled to himself before turning to one of his pals.

"Give me the box." he demanded.

The other alien reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. They handed it to him. He revealed it to Quill and said, "At least open this before you shoot at us."

The alien threw the box at Quill and managed to catch it before it could hit him. He placed one of the blasters back into the holster and examined the box. Before opening it, he looked at the group of commandos and said, "I am going to be so pissed if it's a trick."

Quill opened the box and his eyes widen. Inside, there was an old photo of his mom. A young and energetic Meredith Quill having fun. He couldn't help but smile at the photo. It had been a long time since he last saw his mother truly happy. But, there was a man standing next to her with a big grin. He flipped to the back and found a small note:

A reminder of good times - Meredith

"I know that you have questions-" the Kodabak tried to speak but was interrupted by Quill.

"How did you get this photo of my mom?!" he demanded while aiming the blaster at the alien.

"Our king handed it to me. Said to use to prove something." he answered.

"Prove what?!"

"That he is your father."

[Mao Mao]

✶ 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 ✶

"🇳🇺🇲🇶🇺🇦🇲 🇴🇧🇱🇮🇻🇮🇸🇨🇦🇷 🇪🇽 🇶🇺🇦 🇻🇪🇳🇮🇸🇹🇮"

GENERAL INFORMATION

---

Faction Overview
The United Nations Interstellar Protectorate are still the newcomer to the galactic scene. Since fifty years after First Contract, humanity has been traveling around to introduce themselves with other aliens in the universe. Some aliens view humans as too curious and dynamic. While others are intrigue on the possibilities and opportunities that humanity opened up.

Territory Overview
Solar System
↳ ^{Eight planets}
Alpha Centauri system
↳ ^{Five planets}
Trappist system
↳ ^{Seven planets}
Hypergate 2303

History

SOCIETY INFORMATION

---

Demographics
(This is basically where you can describe your race(s). If there are more than one notable species or ethnicity you can of course talk about their ratios and overall relations to each other.

Cultural Overview
(The overall culture and mentality of your civilization. Are they pacifists? A warrior society? Perhaps they wish to preserve the environment? Feel free to introduce us to how your civilization thinks.)

Government Overview
(Of course you can't really forget the Big G here. How's your nation governed? Are there any unique elements to this? Who are the ones in power?)

TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION

---

Tech Overview
(Basically you describe your civilization's tech here. You can mention their overall development, which fields they excel in and which fields are weak.)

Notable Technologies
(If you have unique pieces of technology this is the place where you can talk about them.)

Industrial Overview
(Basically you can describe your industry here. Chief technologies employed, most important industrial areas. Strengths and weaknesses in the industry. Etcetera. I predict this subcategory is going to be ignored the most.)

MILITARY INFORMATION

---

Military Overview
(Basically this is where you can talk about your military in general. Use this as a sorts of intro and if you have things to say that don't belong purely to army/navy. Ignore this otherwise)

Army Overview
(Describe your army here, surface combatants, infantry, combat vehicles, atmospheric fighters, etc.)

Navy Overview
(Lastly your space navy, your ships and space combat doctrine. You aleady know what to do here.)

[Mao Mao]

KNOWHERE //

"Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
I travel the world
And the seven seas,
Everybody's looking for something."

Quill couldn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. His father wasn’t some guy that slept with Meredith once and disappeared forever. But, he had questions that need answering. He kept looking at his father in the picture. Then, he put the photo in his pocket and asked the Kodabak another question.

“Where is he?”

“Spartax.” The Kodabak answered. “We could guide you there if you want.”

“I… Yeah, that sounds good.” Quill responded honestly and tried to ask for their contact information. Suddenly, he saw a device like the one used by Rocket earlier in the marketplace. Before he could have time to react, he and everyone else outside of the ship was blinded. Quill felt someone dragging him towards his as it was taking off from the dock. As he slowly regained his sight, he saw Kraglin nearby looking relieved and realized that he was back on the ship.

“What the hell happened?” Quill asked.

Kraglin looked at Quill and answered, “I had to do it. For our safety.”

“Do what?” Quill asked and then realized that it was him that interrupted the whole thing. And with that, Quill’s eye widen in surprise. Kraglin knew that Quill figured out that it was him that sabotage the whole thing. "What did you do?"

“I did the right thing. That group is bad news, Quill. Trust me.” Kraglin tried to justify it, but Quill wasn’t listening at all. He was still angry at the fact that his closest friend did something like that. Until he realized something else.

“You know who is chasing after me, do you?”

Kraglin turned his back on Quill and answered, “When Rocket told me about a group trying to kill you, I had my suspicions. And for the first time in a long time, I was afraid and praying that it was nothing more than thugs looking for loot. However, they were all confirmed when I saw them with my own eyes. The Darkstars.”

“The what?”

“The Darkstars. An elite task force designed and developed by your father, King J'son. Publicly, it acted like a normal elite task force that every nation has. But, their true goal was finding you. His son. After years of searching the universe, they finally managed to find you.” Kraglin clarified to his friend and turned with a weak smile. “But, you shouldn’t worry now. They have lost track of you for now."

"What if I want to meet my father?" Quill asked.

"You shouldn't." Kraglin answered boldly. "Have you forgot about finding Yondu's killer?"

"Of course not! I haven't forgotten about that," Quill answered. "But we are in need of parts for the black box. Parts that we never got because of the Darkstars. Besides, you can get the parts while I talk to my father at Spartax."

"I..." Kraglin expressed doubt about the whole thing. He knew that Spartax was bad news, especially it's ruler. At the same time, Quill really wanted to meet his father. Kraglin didn't know what to do. He knew that Yondu would do everything in his power to keep Quill for meeting his father. But without him around, Kraglin was powerless to keep Quill in line. That was when he agreed with Quill with a fake smile. "Alright, if you think it's the best idea..."

"Of course it's a good idea. After all, I came up with it."

And with that, Quill left from the bridge to input coordinates for Spartax and Kraglin headed for the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, he opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of ale. He looked at the bottle and placed it on the counter. Kraglin wanted to immediately start drinking to forget everything, but there was something he had to do. He touched his earpiece and said, "Rocket, I need to talk to you about something in the kitchen."

---

TWENTY HOURS LATER
SPARTAX //

Kraglin was making his usual cup of coffee to deal with his hangover. He was still against Quill going to see his father. But, he was going to seek him out regardless. When he was finished pouring the coffee into his mug, he went out to bid Quill farewell. Rocket and Groot have been waiting outside for Quill to finish getting ready. He was fixing his coat when Kraglin approached him. "Are you sure about this?" Kraglin asked.

"I need answers. And this is the only chance I have." Quill said.

"Alright, you should take this then." Kraglin responded as he handed Quill an extra earpiece. "Just in case."

Quill snickered at Kraglin's overprotection and put it in his coat pocket. Then, he left with Rocket and Groot to seek out his father. Meanwhile, Kraglin got a list of parts requested by Rocket in order to finally fix the black box. After a quick drink of ale, he departed to the nearby marketplace with the right amount of credits. It only took him a few hours of looking around and making sure that the parts were right. Once the shopping was done, he returned the parts to the ship and left for a bar to enjoy the night.

[Mao Mao]

SPARTAX //

"I really wanna see you
I really wanna be with you
I really wanna show you Lord
But it takes so long, my Lord"

Peter Quill walked towards the palace gates and stared at it for a moment. His father, the King of Spartax, was in that palace working to protect his kingdom. Based on what he gathered for the galactic extranet, he had been ruling Spartax from years since his father's death in the hands of the Ariguans. J'son conquered their homeworld, R'lalmis, and forced the population to abandon their culture. Those that refused to change were dead. Quill hesitated to enter the palace grounds for a moment and breathed heavily. He was about to meet his father for the first time in forever. The man that forced his mother to raise a child by herself. The man that wasn't there when she got cancer and died. There was a feeling of angry towards him for leaving her behind and never bothered visiting.

He breathed again and walked passed the gate with Rocket and Groot behind to watch for any potential threats. Surprisingly, there wasn't any guards to stop them from entering the palace. Once inside the palace, they heard noises down in the hallway behind a white double door. When Quill approached it, he turned towards Rocket and Groot.

"Can you guys stay here while I talk to him?" Quill asked.

Rocket nodded and said, "Do whatever you need. We will be out here if any goes south."

Quill opened the doors and entered the throne room to find two people in it. One of them was a woman wearing white armor with gold (in order to make it look neat) holding a spear. And the other was his father sitting on the throne listening to her talk. Suddenly, she felt a strange presence in the throne and quickly turned around while grabbing hold of the spear. She pointed the spear at Quill and tried to speak, but King J'son rose from his throne and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Settle down. He will do no harm to us." he said. "How do you know that this stranger will not do you harm, your majesty?" she sounded confused while still looking at Quill for any sudden movements.

"Because he's my son."

He approached Quill and looked at him for a moment. He couldn't believe that he was looking at the child of his former lover, Meredith Quill. But, he wondered if the Darkstars found him. "Do you have it?" he asked, referring to the photo.

"Yes." Quill answered as he pulled out the photo and handed it to his father.

J'son smiled as soon as he grabbed the photo. It was the only thing that he had that reminded him of Meredith and Earth. He carefully placed it in his pocket and looked at his son. "I know that you have a lot of questions. Fortunately, I will be able to answer them." he said as he walked back to the throne and sat down. Meanwhile, the woman watched her king sitting back down and walked to stand by his side. The spear was placed nearby in case of any threat to the king's life. Quill still couldn't believe that he just met his father in person. He wanted to hug him, but thought it would be too awkward. Plus, the woman might of killed him if he tried to.

Now, he wanted answers.

"Where were you?" Quill asked.

"I wanted to stay. I really di-"

"Answer the question, please." Quill sharply demanded which caused the woman to give him a dirty look.

"Here." J'son answered. "I was requested back here after your grandfather, Eson, died while fighting in a war against Ariguans. I had to take my father's place as King of Spartax and achieve vengeance against the Ariguan military."

"Then, why didn't you take us with you?" Quill asked.

"Because everyone would of disapproved it since you both were outsiders of Spartax. I really wanted to bring you along, but they already had planned out my future, even before I was born." J'son said with a tone of sadness. "I am sorry."

"I don't understand why you didn't fight harder! You are basically a king with absolute power. You could of easily told them to shut up and gave us the red carpet treatment." Quill angrily stated. "But, you didn't because you were a coward!"

And with that sentence, the woman had enough and pointed her spear at Quill again. "You will NOT disrespect His Majesty!" she screamed ready to strike for disrespecting the king.

J'son put his hand up and said to the woman, "Stop this now, Victoria."

"But he disrespected you, your-" she tried to speak but was silenced with one strong word for J'son.

"Enough."

She looked at Quill with disgust, withdrew her spear, and returned to her original spot. J'son breathed and got up from his throne as he was going to try to calm the situation down. Then out of nowhere, his right throne arm began to flash. He sighed and went to check it out. It wasn't a good time, but he couldn't refuse to not go. He turned to Quill and said, "I have something important to do. Please stay for dinner and we will continue this conversation. In the meantime, Victoria will keep you company."

"Alright, your majesty." Victoria said while keeping her true thoughts to herself in fear of upsetting the king more. Quill was annoyed that he had to wait for his father to come back, but he was going to have deal with it. He waited until the woman said something, but it was quiet. So, he breathed and looked at her.

"So, what kind of music do you like?"

[Mao Mao]

SPARTAX //

"It's been a long, long time
Since we had a chance to get together
Nobody knows the next time we see each other
Maybe years and years from now"

J'son arrived at his destination in some remote underground facility and saw a shuttle parked nearby. He entered the building and saw that Ferrin Colos was waiting for him. Colos bowed at the sight of his majesty and said, "We have news to share, your majesty. It's regarding with your son."

"I know. He's here right now." J'son said, which caught Colos off guard for a moment. He decided to come here after all. It was a proud moment that he couldn't wait to tell the others. For now, he had to be calm in front of his king. Colos said that it was great news that Peter Quill decided to come to Spartax to meet his father. J'son nodded and said, "What's the other news?"

"We found out something strange that Quill was carrying." Colos explained. "At the moment, Carla is trying to figure out what the sample we obtained is. And we still have reason to believe that he still has it on him. With your request, your majesty, I would like to send Hollika to take the object for further studying."

J'son was silent for a second as he was thinking out the consequences of the choice. Either he dismisses Colos' request and miss out on an opportunity or steal it and risk ruining the bond with his long lost son. He looked at Colos and said, "Alright, I give you permission to do it. He will most likely want to stay the night so he will be in one of the guest rooms. Make sure you are careful to leave everything intact because you will be in trouble if he notices something."

"Got it." Colos said. Before he could say farewell to his king, Sleer Prigatz walked in the door with a huge grin on his face. Prigatz was more violent and direct than the other four because his race was usually like that with a few cases. Colos always had a hard time keeping him in line and calm during missions and training exercises. He was thankful that J'son realized that he wasn't leadership material while forming the Darkstars. Then, he saw his fist covered in blood. It wasn't clear if the blood was his or not. Regardless, Colos asked what happened and what he broke this time.

"First off, I didn't break anything." Prigatz answered annoyed. "I found someone important, your majesty. Should we lock them up in the dungeon for interrogation?"

J'son said, "Yes, the standard protocol as always. Take the prisoner there and question them. Inform me of any developments. Now, I have a dinner to attend to."

And with that, the king soon departed from the palace for tonight's dinner. While he was being driven back, J'son didn't know what Quill was planning to do next. Stay here? Leave? It was all a mystery to him that won't be solved for a while. He personally would like if his son decided to stay forever, but he was an adult. And he would respect his decision. Or he thought he could. He didn't want to lose him like how he lost Meredith. He couldn't deal with that emotion again. Once he was back at his palace, J'son processed for the dinning room where his son and daughter were waiting for him.

Dinner went well for eating with his son for the first time. Quill couldn't believe at the fine foods and started to taste some of them. Meanwhile, Victoria ate her food and then excused herself to finish up work leaving father and son alone. They talked for a while longer about how their lives were going before today. Then, J'son began asking questions about his time in space. That was when he heard the names of Yondu and Kraglin. He haven't heard their names in a long time. He looked at his son for a moment as if he wanted to ask him something, but resumed eating his dinner.

After dinner, Quill and J'son went outside to talk some more. It was one of the best nights that both of them ever had in a long time. They spent most of the time talking about Meredith and what a great person she was. J'son told him how they met up while Quill shared her last moments before spending the remaining months in a hospital bed. They spent hours talking about other things until they noticed that the sun was rising. Both of them laughed at the realization that they spent the entire night talking. Peter thanked his father for welcoming him and then received a hug.

At first, it felt awkward, but that feeling went away almost immediately. Then, it felt normal. Just like a father and son hug. Eventually, J'son let his son sleep in the guest room after a night of talking. Quill ended up in the guest room and was impressed. It was better and more comfortable than the ship. He took off his coat and went to lay on the bed. Yesterday was a great day for Quill. He got to meet his father and learned more about his mother before she got cancer. For the first time in a long time, he felt that he was home. And he never wanted to lose that feeling again.

[Mao Mao]

---

---

History
T'Challa was born in the isolated kingdom of Wakanda to King T'Chaka and his wife N'Yami. Wakanda was an isolationist kingdom located in Africa that survived for a thousand years. Thanks to their isolation, the country was never affected by outsiders that invaded and conquered the continent. The reason for their isolationist policy was to protect the sacred metal known as vibranium, a nearly indestructible metal stronger than steel. And as a result of vibranium, Wakanda secretly became the most advanced country in the world. To the rest of the world, however, the kingdom is just a third world country. T'Challa was taught royal and national duties when he turned five. Then, he learned about vibranium and its origins at the age of six. Eventually, he found out about The Black Panther when he was ten. T'Chaka told him that the Black Panther was the protector of Wakanda and Vibranium. The few outsiders that knew of its existence wanted to steal the metal for their own selfish goals. When T'Challa asked to become a Black Panther, it was when his training begun. He spent weeks in the jungles learning to live off of the land like an actual Black Panther. Then, he was taught the basics of fighting and stealth thanks in part to the Dora Milaje, Wakandan royal bodyguard made up entirely of women.

When T'Challa was almost sixteen, some outsiders entered Wakanda with the intent to steal Vibranium. One of them was Ulysses Klaue, the relative of Firtz Klaue and famous black-market arms dealer and hired assassin in South Africa. T'Challa was made protector of Wakanda and almost became the new Black Panther; however, he still needed to do one thing. He needed to beat his own father and six of the greatest warriors in Wakanda. The fight lasted for hours, but T'Challa was the victor. With honor, he was officially made protector and given a Heart-Shaped Herb. It was a powerful plant that gives enhanced speed, agility, strength, endurance, durability, healing, and senses to people that take it. With all of his training, he used it against Ulysses during the night time in South Africa. However, he was caught off guard and knocked out cold. T'Challa was beaten and tortured for days until T'Chaka and the Dora Milaje found him. It had turned out that Ulysses was training a private army to invade Wakanda in order to steal vibranium and he tried to get information out of T'Challa. Of course, the private army was technologically outmatched and lost to the Black Panther and his friends; however, Ulysses had hired help. The assassin distracted T'Challa while T'Chaka dealt with Ulysses. Despite taking the Heart-Shaped Herb, he wasn't any match for the young Ulysses and got stabbed.

Consumed by vengeance and anger, T'Challa pounced on Ulysses and started attacking him. He took the sword and cut off Ulysses' arm before leaving a massive claw mark on his face. Okoye was the one to stop T'Challa for striking the killing blow. He couldn't believe that his father was gone because he let himself get captured. Returning to Wakanda with the body of the former king was hard for everyone. However, the world kept spinning around and T'Challa had to step up. He was crowned King of Wakanda and became the official Black Panther shortly after. As for the world, they only know that King T'Chaka died of natural causes. T'Challa spent his first years as ruler understanding the Tribal Council and dealing with the White Gorilla Cult. M'Baku, the greatest warrior in the Jabari Tribe, led an attack on the royal palace to force T'Challa to give up the throne. He had managed to kill a rare white gorilla living in the jungles and bath in its blood. Then, he ate the gorilla's flesh and developed superhuman strength. M'Baku became known as the White Gorilla and challenged T'Challa to a duel. He was nearly beaten to death before being declared the victor. T'Challa was left to die in the jungle and visited the ancestral plane. He was able to meet with his father and expressed his regrets for failing. T'Chaka helped him move forward with his life as ruler and the Black Panther.

Then, he woke up. The Black Panther spent days wandering the jungle until he eventually got out of there; however, he realized that he wasn't in Wakanda. Instead, he ended up in the small country of Zambesian, a neighboring country. He stumbled upon stories of a woman with the ability to mimic animals like a lion or an elephant and that she was delivering justice to poachers. T'Challa knew that someone with that power was enough to match M'Baku in strength and tracked her down. That was when he met Vixen. She knew that he was the King of Wakanda and wondered why he was here. After explaining the situation to her, she expressed sympathy because her father, President Richard Jiwe, was killed in a coup d'etat. Vixen agreed for T'Challa to stay at her place to prepare to take back his nation. The Black Panther was rightfully cautious about revealing the truth of Wakanda to a stranger. However, there wasn't any choice and needed her help. Once they arrived and landed in the city of Birnin Zana, Shuri and N'Yami met up with them and went to the Royal Palace. All of them fought against the White Gorilla and his supporters. Vixen joined shortly with the Black Panther and managed to finally beat M'Baka. He respectfully accepted his rule and withdrew for the throne. The fighting had ended and Vixen confronted the Black Panther about the reason to hide all of this for the world.

He said that Wakanda needed to protect both vibranium and themselves for outsiders. She said how vibranium and their technological advancements would benefit the world—especially her home country and Africa. Suddenly, news reached them that New York City was under attack by the Silver Surfer. Everyone watched as superheroes fought a losing battle until his equal match arrived. Without him, the heroes might have died fighting. Vixen asked T'Challa if he was planning on resuming the isolationist policy.

He only said, "No."

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Supporting Characters
N'Yami - T'Challa's mother. She is currently living a peaceful life since her husband's death as the king's close advisor.

Shuri - T'Challa's young sister. She has a gifted intellectual mind with a vast knowledge of Wakandan science and technology. She was the one that updated the Black Panther suit and several gadgets for the new modern age.

Okoye - General of the Dora Milaje. She is the one that protects the Royal Family especially T'Challa for any threats. And she would often assist Black Panther with planning and giving advice.

Vixen - A friend of Black Panther that helped him when he needed it the most. Her necklace gives her the ability to mimic any animal in her mind. She was the one that questioned the isolationist policy that dominated Wakanda for hundreds of years to him. And as a result, made him want to reveal everything to the world. Now, she is looking for Black Panther to help her in a personal matter relating to her home country of Zambesi.

M'Baku - The White Gorilla. The warrior of the Jabari Tribe fought against T'Challa for the throne and won. Eventually, he was beaten and gave the throne back to T'Challa; however, he has a newfound respect for the king. T'Challa knew the potential of the White Gorilla and offered to hone his skills to have extra protection besides the Black Panther.

Ulysses - Black Panther's arch nemesis. He was the one that killed T'Chaka. According to the P.R.I.D.E., he was last seen in the United States with a new arm. Some agents have been tasked with tracking and watching him for any possible moves against Wakanda.

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Powers And Abilities
Thanks to the Heart-Shaped Herb, T'Challa was given enhanced speed, agility, strength, endurance, durability, healing, and senses. The Panther Habit gives him additional protection against firearms and collisions, but the suit doesn't protect him from electrocution and magic. He wears a pair of sound absorbing sneakers that T'Challa personally requested and his claws can break down most metals at ease. And it is capable of absorbing and manipulating energy for various purposes; however, it's a prototype that no-one has tested yet. All of the suit is stored in the teeth of a ceremonial necklace. In order to wear it, he has to be mentally command it. The one weakness that the herb has is that bright lights, loud noises, & strong smells can overwhelm him if he isn't wearing special products designed to deal with the problem.

But, his suit isn't the only important thing about T'Challa. He was taught by the best martial artists and acrobats in Wakanda in order to be worthy of becoming the Black Panther. Thanks to his father, King of Wakanda, he was taught to become the next leader. Eventually, he became one of the best tacticians in the country thanks to Okoye. And he was taught English along with various languages.

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What Makes This Character 'Ultimate'?
I want to focus on the political aspects in a world filled with super powered individuals. King T'Challa, ruler of Wakanda and the Black Panther, is the perfect character to explore that aspect. And with that, I am planning on using elements in a nation roleplay game. If you don't know what are nation roleplays, it is where a person creates and controls a country and they will interact with other countries. And if you are still confused, then I suggest taking a look at Precipice of War to understand what I am doing.

Of course, you will still see the Black Panther kicking ass and taking names. I want to explore the politics in a world where there are superheroes. With the Silver Surfer attacking the Raft, people are demanding the governments of the world to react. Wakanda will offer some comfort to those worried thanks to that shiny metal known as Vibranium. As a result of their isolationist policy, the hidden capital city of Birnin Zana will be revealed to outsiders for the first time. And they will offer their advanced technologies and vibranium to the world in preparation of another Silver Surfer situation.

Meanwhile, T'Challa will have to deal with his ruling his country while protecting it as the Black Panther. He doesn't want people to think that the Black Panther is like Superman. He just wants to protect Wakanda and only Wakanda. And he doesn't trust outsiders, especially those with super powers besides Vixen (sort of). Season Two, however, will show him that he can't live forever like that. He has to put faith and trust in the outsiders to face new threats and challenges. And Vixen is the only outsider to guide him towards success.

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Sample Post

BIG ASS LOGO GOES HERE

𝗭𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗜
𝖠𝖴𝖦𝖴𝖲𝖳 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟪

The Black Panther was crouching to bend with the jungle scenery during the night. He was watching a camp that traffickers had set up on the side of a dirt road. There were at least a dozen men with AK-47s and two machine guns mounted on jeeps with several captives in one of the trucks. After a few minutes of observing the camp, the Black Panther hopped down and went further into the jungle until he met with the White Gorilla and Vixen. They were waiting for the Panther's return.

"What did you see?" Vixen asked.

"A dozen men with weapons, two machine guns mounted, and the captives in a truck northwest of the camp." the Black Panther answered. "When you hear the signal, come in and join. Got it?"

Both of them nodded and the Black Panther went back towards the edge of the jungle. He then noticed two guys nearby as one of them was zipping up his pants. They were talking about the payment for giving the captives and what they were going to spend it on. Suddenly, they heard something hitting a tree and turned in panic. Their guns aimed at the jungle. One of them turned on his flashlight and went to investigate the noise while the other one decided to head for camp instead. Then, he heard noises in the tree and pointed his flashlight up there. And the Black Panther was sitting on the bench like an actual panther. Before the man could react, the Panther pounced on him.

After returning to camp, the guy noticed that his buddy wasn't with him and asked the captain to check on him. The captain annoyedly grabbed his radio and questioned the man's location. But he didn't get an answer. A second later, they heard one of the vehicles getting hit by something. Everyone ran towards the source of the sound and found the man nearby a vehicle with the right side crushed. Immediately, the captain ordered everyone to defend the captives while telling two men to use the machine guns. One of the men ran towards the machine gun and was about to get on. However, he felt a swift kick that caused him to fall to the ground.

The Black Panther landed in front of two men and they opened fire. Thanks to the suit, their guns were useless and he easily knocked them out cold. He grabbed the AK-47 and threw it towards the other gun running to the jeep. For there, it was an easy fight. The captain watched in horror as his men were getting beaten one by one and ordered a man to help him get out. They got into the car and saw that the keys were ignition. With a simple turn, the car started up and drove away without the captives. After knocking the final guy out with a car door, the Black Panther watched as a car was leaving the camp. He placed his fingers on his communicator and simply said, "Stop them."

As the car turned into the dirt road, they were horrified about the event that took place seconds ago. Then, a woman appeared in front of them as she placed her hand on her necklace. The aura of an elephant appeared as the woman struck her hands out to stop the car. The driver laughed at her attempt and stepped hard on the pedal in the hopes of running her over. Unfortunate for them, she was able to stop the car as her hands pressed against the car hood. Out of nowhere, a guy dressed as a white gorilla rushed towards the car. Before they could respond with gun fire, they saw some kind of disk landing on the hood and shutting the car off. Another man dressed like a black panther torn off the car door and grabbed the driver. The captain watched as the driver was thrown far away from the dirt road. Before he knew it, he was knocked out by the White Gorilla and pulled out of the car.

Vixen walked towards the captain to make sure that it was him. The White Gorilla looked at her and asked, "Is this him?"

"Yes." she answered with a satisfying tone. She went to freed the captives while the Black Panther went as the White Gorilla was dealing with the captain. After telling them that they were free in their native language, she looked up at the sky to see that the aircraft had arrived. The Black Panther and the White Gorilla (who is carrying the captain) arrived as the captives were smiling at their freedom. Then, they all looked up at the ship as it flew away and faded into the night sky.

[Mao Mao]

T'Challa was born in the isolated kingdom of Wakanda to King T'Chaka and his wife N'Yami. Wakanda was an isolationist kingdom located in Africa that survived for a thousand years. Thanks to their isolation, the country was never affected by outsiders that invaded and conquered the continent. The reason for their isolationist policy was to protect the sacred metal known as vibranium, a nearly indestructible metal stronger than steel. And as the result, Wakanda secretly became the most advanced country in the world; however, the whole world knew them as a third world country. T'Challa was taught royal and national duties when he turned five. Eventually, he found out about the Black Panther when he was ten. T'Chaka told him that the Black Panther was the protector of Wakanda and its people. The few outsiders that knew of its existence wanted to steal vibranium for their own selfish reasons. When T'Challa asked to become a Black Panther, it was when his training begun. He spent weeks in the jungles learning to live off of the land like an actual Black Panther. Then, he was taught the basics of fighting and stealth thanks in part to the Dora Milaje, the Wakandan royal bodyguard made up entirely of women.

The fighting had ended and Vixen confronted the Black Panther about the reason to hide all of this for the world.

He said that Wakanda needed to protect both vibranium and themselves for outsiders. She said how vibranium and their technological advancements would benefit the world—especially her home country and Africa. Suddenly, news reached them that New York City was under attack by the Silver Surfer. Everyone watched as superheroes fought a losing battle until his equal match arrived. Without him, the heroes might have died fighting. Vixen asked T'Challa if he was planning on resuming the isolationist policy.

He only said, "No."

hi
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"Alright." T'Challa said. "I will tell you about our history. Follow me."

Both of them left the balcony and started walking towards the private bar area. That was when he started to tell the story. "Long ago, a meteorite crash landed in East Africa that affected the surrounding area. Centuries later, five tribes found the site and settled in peace until a powerful mineral was discovered. Vibranium. One of the tribes began to horde the metal for themselves sparking a war lasting for hundreds of years. Then, a servant named Bashenga was given visions by the godness Bast. The visions led him to a plant that granted powers of a god and was ordered to consume it. Upon ingesting it, the servant became powerful and used his newfound abilities to end the war and unite the tribes. When peace finally came to the lands, four of the five tribes supported Bashenga with the fifth tribe isolating themselves for the others."

"I am assuming that the fifth tribe is the Jabari?"

"You are correct. The J'Abari went to isolate themselves for the tribes and vibranium in the mountains of Wakanda." T'Challa answered and opened the door to the private bar only available to friends and family of the king. He grabbed a bottle of Wakandan wine and poured some into wine glasses. After taking a small drink, he went back to finish the story. "Now with the tribes united, everyone looked upon Bashenga to guide Wakanda to glory. He went from a servant to a king and the first Black Panther, protector of Wakanda. They used vibranium to thrived while the rest of the world remained ignorant and descended further into chaos. In order to protect ourselves and vibranium, we hid our truth from the outsiders in fears of history repeating. However, you are one of the few outsiders to see our truth."

Vixen

----------------

It's nothing special. You can skip this part if you want

"Long ago, a meteorite crash landed in East Africa that affected the surrounding area. Centuries later, five tribes found the site and settled in peace until a powerful mineral was discovered. Vibranium. One of the tribes began to horde the metal for themselves sparking a war lasting for hundreds of years. Then, a servant named Bashenga was given visions by the godness Bast. The visions led him to a plant that granted powers of a god and was ordered to consume it. Upon ingesting it, the servant became powerful and used his newfound abilities to end the war and unite the tribes. When peace finally came to the lands, four of the five tribes supported Bashenga with the fifth tribe isolating themselves for the others."

"I am assuming that the fifth tribe is the Jabari?"

"You are correct. The J'Abari went to isolate themselves for the tribes and vibranium in the mountains of Wakanda." T'Challa answered. Before he went back to finish the story, he took a quick drink of his wine. "Now with the tribes united, everyone looked upon Bashenga to guide Wakanda to glory. He went from a servant to a king and the first Black Panther, protector of Wakanda. They used vibranium to thrived while the rest of the world remained ignorant and descended further into chaos. In order to protect ourselves and vibranium, we hid our truth from the outsiders in fears of history repeating. However, you are one of the few outsiders to see our truth."

[Mao Mao]

𝗭𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗜
𝖠𝖴𝖦𝖴𝖲𝖳 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟪

The Black Panther was crouching to bend with the jungle scenery during the night. He was watching a camp that traffickers had set up on the side of a dirt road. There were at least a dozen men with AK-47s and two machine guns mounted on jeeps with several captives in one of the trucks. After a few minutes of observing the camp, the Black Panther hopped down and went further into the jungle until he met with the White Gorilla and Vixen. They were waiting for the Panther's return.

"What did you see?" Vixen asked.

"A dozen men with weapons, two machine guns mounted, and the captives in a truck northwest of the camp." the Black Panther answered. "When you hear the signal, come in and join. Got it?"

Both of them nodded and the Black Panther went back towards the edge of the jungle. He then noticed two guys nearby as one of them was zipping up his pants. They were talking about the payment for giving the captives and what they were going to spend it on. Suddenly, they heard something hitting a tree and turned in panic. Their guns aimed at the jungle. One of them turned on his flashlight and went to investigate the noise while the other one decided to head for camp instead. Then, he heard noises in the tree and pointed his flashlight up there. And the Black Panther was sitting on the bench like an actual panther. Before the man could react, the Panther pounced on him.

After returning to camp, the guy noticed that his buddy wasn't with him and asked the captain to check on him. The captain annoyedly grabbed his radio and questioned the man's location. But he didn't get an answer. A second later, they heard one of the vehicles getting hit by something. Everyone ran towards the source of the sound and found the man nearby a vehicle with the right side crushed. Immediately, the captain ordered everyone to defend the captives while telling two men to use the machine guns. One of the men ran towards the machine gun and was about to get on. However, he felt a swift kick that caused him to fall to the ground.

The Black Panther landed in front of two men and they opened fire. Thanks to the suit, their guns were useless and he easily knocked them out cold. He grabbed the AK-47 and threw it towards the other gun running to the jeep. For there, it was an easy fight. The captain watched in horror as his men were getting beaten one by one and ordered a man to help him get out. They got into the car and saw that the keys were ignition. With a simple turn, the car started up and drove away without the captives. After knocking the final guy out with a car door, the Black Panther watched as a car was leaving the camp. He placed his fingers on his communicator and simply said, "Stop them."

As the car turned into the dirt road, they were horrified about the event that took place seconds ago. Then, a woman appeared in front of them as she placed her hand on her necklace. The aura of an elephant appeared as the woman struck her hands out to stop the car. The driver laughed at her attempt and stepped hard on the pedal in the hopes of running her over. Unfortunate for them, she was able to stop the car as her hands pressed against the car hood. Out of nowhere, a guy dressed as a white gorilla rushed towards the car. Before they could respond with gun fire, they saw some kind of disk landing on the hood and shutting the car off. Another man dressed like a black panther torn off the car door and grabbed the driver. The captain watched as the driver was thrown far away from the dirt road. Before he knew it, he was knocked out by the White Gorilla and pulled out of the car.

Vixen walked towards the captain to make sure that it was him. The White Gorilla looked at her and asked, "Is this him?"

"Yes." she answered with a satisfying tone. She went to freed the captives while the Black Panther went as the White Gorilla was dealing with the captain. After telling them that they were free in their native language, she looked up at the sky to see that the aircraft had arrived. The Black Panther and the White Gorilla (who is carrying the captain) arrived as the captives were smiling at their freedom. Then, they all looked up at the ship as it flew away and faded into the night sky.

[Mao Mao]

---

𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡 𝗭𝗔𝗡𝗔 ⫽ 𝗪𝗔𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔
𝖠𝖴𝖦𝖴𝖲𝖳 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟪 ⫽ 𝟢𝟨𝟢𝟢

It was over. With help for his allies and family, T'Challa was able to defeat M'Baka and successfully reclaimed the throne. It was a respected fight between the Black Panther and the White Gorilla inside the royal palace with their men fighting each other. At first, it looked as if the Gorilla was going to deliver the killing blow until Vixen attacked. She managed to get him over the railing and gave the Panther enough time to tackle the Gorilla, causing them to break it. After falling two stories, the fighting abruptly ended at the throne room. Thanks to the suit, T'Challa was the one with the least injuries and got off of the ground. While M'Baka was too wounded to continue fighting, but he still tried.

After a swift kick to the face did M'Baka realized that he had lost. He got on one knee and declared defeat, making T'Challa the victor. Then, he closed his eyes and awaited death; however, it never came. Instead, T'Challa demanded treatment on him. He knew that the White Gorilla was a valuable ally for the Black Panther and Wakanda and killing him was going to be a waste. When M'Baka was taken to a hospital, the duel was officially over and cleanup begun. Soldiers that fought for the White Gorilla were rounded up and placed under arrest, leaving their fates at the hands of the king. Then, he gave them parole if they accepted T'Challa as the rightful king. Most of them didn't hesitate to accept the offer while those that refused were sent to jail. All of them were going to be spending their remaining lives behind bars for being traitors to the crown.

It had been an hour since the duel ended. The cleanup efforts were finishing up as the reconstruction of the throne room was getting ready to begin. Shuri was checking on the Vibranium mines to make sure that production wasn't halted by the previous king. N'Yami was using her medical knowledge to see if her son's injuries were life threatening on the balcony. And Vixen was looking for him.

"Your body took a beating. But, it should heal if you get some rest." N'Yami said. "God knows that you deserve it."

She heard the door opening and saw that Vixen walking towards them. She was the first outsider to see the true Wakanda that didn't have bad intentions. But, she might not be different for her son. Her necklace gave her the ability to mimic an animal whenever she touched it. It wasn't made out of vibranium nor Wakandan technology based on appearance alone. Just looked like a standard homemade necklace. Once things got back to normal, she planned on asking Vixen if she was willing for Shuri to study it. To see what was giving her the strange ability. After finishing things up with her son, N'Yami walked towards Vixen, thanked her for her assistance, and leave to see if someone else needed her help.

With the fighting over now, Vixen had some time to process the reveal of Birnin Zara, the hidden megacity of Wakanda. At first, it was breathtaking for her to look at since it can't be compared to Tokyo or New York City. Even when they landed, she was still impressed at everything. Now that she had some time to think and look around, she was confused and upset by the secret. Why would they hide this achievement for the rest of the world? What else were they hiding? She wanted answers. When she approached T'Challa, he was watching the sunrise to enjoy a moment of peace. But, he noticed that she was standing next to him.

"How are you doing?" Vixen asked.

"Fine. Just a few broken bones." T'Challa answered. There was a moment of silence before he spoke again, "I know that you have questions. But, I cannot tell you for the safety of Wakanda and its people."

"At least tell me why you are being so secretive about everything?" Vixen questioned T'Challa's reason. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. She was an outsider. An outsider that could end up being like Ulysses. An outsider that will attempt to steal the knowledge and sell it for a profit. But, she was the outsider that helped him twice. The outsider that saved his life during the final battle. And the first outsider that T'Challa felt he could trust in. So, he breathed heavily and looked at her.

"Alright." T'Challa said. "I will tell you about our history. Follow me."

Both of them left the balcony and started walking along the hallway. T'Challa guided her to his private office with the hidden stash of Wakandan wine. He grabbed two wine glasses for the guest and served them. Vixen grabbed the glass and took a small taste before deciding to drink it or not. It wasn't as good as French wine, but decent on their own. She took a sip of wine as T'Challa got ready to tell her the origins of Wakanda.

"Long ago, a meteorite crash landed in East Africa that affected the surrounding area. Centuries later, five tribes found the site and settled in peace until a powerful mineral was discovered. Vibranium. One of the tribes began to hoard the metal for themselves sparking a war lasting for hundreds of years. Then, a servant named Bashenga was given visions by the goddess Bast. The visions led him to a plant that granted powers of a god and was ordered to consume it. Upon ingesting it, the servant became powerful and used his newfound abilities to end the war and unite the tribes. When peace finally came to the lands, four of the five tribes supported Bashenga with the fifth tribe isolating themselves from the others."

"I am assuming that the fifth tribe was the Jabari?"

"You are correct. The J'Abari went to isolate themselves for the tribes and vibranium in the mountains of Wakanda." T'Challa answered. T'Challa answered. Before he went back to finish the story, he took a quick drink of his wine. "Now with the tribes united, everyone looked upon Bashenga to guide Wakanda to glory. He went from a servant to a king and the first Black Panther, protector of Wakanda. They used vibranium to thrive while the rest of the world remained ignorant and descended further into chaos. In order to protect ourselves and vibranium, we hid our truth from the outsiders; however, you are one of the few outsiders to see our truth."

"Wow." It was the only word that came out of Vixen's mouth after listening to the story. She was shocked at the idea that the rulers decided to uphold this isolationist stance for centuries. At first, it made sense that they would isolate themselves in the past. The major colonial powers of the time definitely would have torn Wakanda apart for vibranium. And both sides during the world wars could have invaded the country for the same reasons. However, she wondered if T'Challa truly knew how much the world has changed in the past century.

"It's an incredible story that you told me." Vixen said. "I am just confused as to why all of this is still unnecessary hidden."

"Because I have been entrusted by my ancestors to protect Wakanda and its resources. And the policy has worked for centuries. Honestly, there isn't any reasons to change it now otherwise to disrespect them." T'Challa responded sincerely to Vixen as he placed the wine glass down on the table.

"I mean, do you know what's going on in the world?" Vixen asked with a sharp tone in her voice.

"I only know what will affect my people."

"You honestly think that, don't you. Do you know that you live on the same planet as the 'outsider'?"

T'Challa was about to respond to Vixen's question when he heard the door opening. Director Nakia, a respected friend of T'Challa, was standing in the doorway with a look of concern on her face. She had been training to be a member of the War Dogs, the central intelligence service of Wakanda that ensures its safety for threats all over the world. She spent years as an undercover agent working throughout Africa before the king appointed her Director of the War Dogs. Now, she has been hard at work in keeping the truth for spreading beyond the borders; however, she was here because of a serious matter.

"Your presence is highly needed, T'Challa." Nakia spoke to T'Challa with a hint of fear in her voice.

[Mao Mao]

---

𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡 𝗭𝗔𝗡𝗔 ⫽ 𝗪𝗔𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔
𝖠𝖴𝖦𝖴𝖲𝖳 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟪 ⫽ 𝟢𝟨𝟣𝟤

It had been five minutes since Director Nakia told T'Challa to come with her to the War Dogs Headquarters. Vixen wanted to come along, but the director refused. T'Challa, at the other hand, considered it if she was blindfolded until she was in a secured room. She was fine with that suggestion and Vixen was blindfolded. After getting her the necessary clearance, they were walking towards a monitoring room. There were several designed at watching different parts of the world without detection (most of the time). They were for keeping an eye on those that pose a threat to the country like Ulysses. Other countries might have an idea of what Wakanda's hiding, but it was only an idea. Without the War Dogs, the secrets of Wakanda would have been revealed a long time ago.

"You know what's going on right?" Nakia asked T'Challa while escorting a blindfolded Vixen.

"Not really." T'Challa answered honestly.

"Well, I guess it's a perfect time to talk about it." Nakia said. She signaled an agent of hers and they grabbed a tablet. The agent handed the tablet to the director before rushing back to their job. She pulled out the right side of it and ran it along the side of T'Challa's face. Behind his right ear, there was a vibranium tattoo designed for security purposes. It was painful to implant, but useful in the long run. The tattoo glowed for a moment before disappearing. Nakia placed the tablet back in it's spot and gave it to T'Challa. Almost immediately, it turned on and revealed a video. And he pressed play.

"A month ago, a metallic alien known as the Silver Surfer appeared in Central City with the goal of judging our planet. Testing them to see if they were fit to be 'ruled.' It challenged The Flash, a metahuman known to be the fastest woman alive, to beat him in combat. As you might be thinking, she wasn't doing well." Nakia started talking as the video played out the Surfer challenging the Flash. Then, it cuts to cell phone footage of the Flash saving citizens as the Surfer watched above.

"We are still trying to figure out the events after that. But, we have a theory that the Silver Surfer bought down a commercial airplane to judge the Flash further. Witnesses on the plane reported seeing a blur of red during the whole ordeal. She failed to save the plane and would have died if it wasn't for Superman. He arrived in time to save the passengers and joined in the fight against the Surfer." Nakia said as aerial footage of Superman landing the plane and checking on the passengers. Next, a picture of Superman lifting a damaged car during his fight with 'Toyman.' "Superman is a whole other case compared to The Flash. Nobody knows if he's alien or a metahuman. All we know is that he appeared in Metropolis to stop a terrorist attack."

Another image of the heroes fighting the Silver Surfer in the badlands appeared. Then again, it cuts to a photo of The Flash with the Surfer's board. "There isn't much footage out there of the entire fight, but The Flash managed to get his silver board. And as a result, she ended up in Egypt and tourists told the authorities that the board started to slip like crazy before it sped off. We have theorized that the board is connected to the Surfer somehow. Regardless, something happened between Superman and Silver Surfer that caused him to escape before SHIELD arrived. Nothing else has really happened with the Surfer."

"Until now." Nakia finished speaking as the elevator lights turned back on and the doors opened to reveal a chaotic scene. Everyone in the monitoring room was trying to figure out what the hell was going on. T'Challa looked around to get an understanding of the current situation. Nakia called out his name while escorting Vixen inside a room. T'Challa followed and entered the main monitoring room with nine screens on news channels with footage of the attack in New York City.

Nakia began to lift the blindfold off of Vixen as she said, "Fifteen minutes ago, the Silver Surfer returned to Earth and attacked the Raft. It is a super maximum security prison for criminals with super abilities located near New York City. Several criminals were fled and are causing chaos across the United States in the hopes of getting all of the heroes in one place. So far, he has managed to get several heroes to fight him."

A screen cut off from the live footage to provide the images of the so-called heroes reported at the site. There was only one person that T'Challa remembered and it was The Flash. Meanwhile, the others were brand new to him, especially the guy looking like a cowboy. Their names soon appeared below their image: The Flash, Spider-Woman, Wonder Woman, Vigilante, the Blue Beetle, and the Fantastic Four. Almost immediately, it cut to live footage of the heroes fighting against the Surfer.

Vixen, who was blindfolded and had to wear ear plugs, looked in horror as New York City was under attack by this Silver Surfer. It was the city that she grew up after her father was killed thanks to her aunt. She made a new identity and became well-known fashion model in the states. It was terrifying to know that her friends and family were in danger. "There has to be something that you can do, right?" Vixen asked while looking at T'Challa. There was a moment of silence before he answered. He watched the screen as a group of heroes was fighting a powerful individual, judging their every single movement. He didn't know the answer.

"I..I don't know if we are capable of beating him."

"But, you have vibranium and it's basically indestruc-"

"Are you watching this?" T'Challa responded and pointed at the screens. "Several metahumans with various types of abilities and powers are losing against a metallic alien capable of killing them in seconds. Nobody knows if he has a weakness or not."

Vixen wasn't happy with the response and angrily said, "We have to try something. He could destroy all of New York City while we are sitting on our asses."

"Maybe that's our only option." Nakia added her thoughts to the discussion.

"Maybe to you because you don't care about anything beyond Wakanda." Vixen responded to Nakia and then looked at T'Challa again. "And you need to start realizing that you shouldn't be exactly like your ancestors. None of them ever dealt with a powerful alien determining the fate of our planet at this very moment. You are the first and only one. Your ancestors aren't able to help you. Now, you have to be your own person."

T'Challa paused for a moment to reflect on what Vixen said. Under any other circumstances, he would have been angry with her for disrespecting his ancestors. However, he heard the anger in voice as she was trying to fight to save her world. His world. Their world. It was something that he respected, even if it was a foolish attempt to attack the Silver Surfer. He looked at the screens as the heroes in New York City were still fighting against the Surfer. Then, he started to wonder if the odds would have been in their favor if the Black Panther was there. If the city had used vibranium to build the Raft. There were so many questions floating in his mind.

Then, he watched as the Silver Surfer was studying The Human Torch after lighting up like a Christmas tree. The alien looked at the human like he could tear it apart in an instant. Every other hero tried to reach him in time, but it looked hopeless. Until he appeared. Thunder suddenly surrounded the Raft as Thor came crashing down looking to challenge the Silver Surfer. It was truly the battle of the century. T'Challa was stunned just like everyone else in the room. The God of Thunder made the Surfer bleed.

The fighting kept on going until Thor managed to beat the metallic alien. Then, a woman appeared to protect him for the killing blow. It was difficult trying to hear what she was saying, but it appeared like she was trying to comfort the alien. A kiss occurred and something incredible happened. The Silver Surfer wasn't an alien, but a man. The woman said a few words before taking her man away from this planet. The battle was over and humanity won it. However, T'Challa felt that this was just the beginning of something horrible. He looked around the room as everyone was confused and relieved.

Vixen was right. He was the first King of Wakanda and Black Panther to ever deal with metahumans and aliens able to destroy our world. Not even his father could help him in this path. It was time to reveal it all to the world. Everything from Birnin Zana to the vibranium. He knew that humanity needed some sort of defense if the heroes failed to save the day or went rogue. T'Challa looked at Vixen and said, "You are right. It is time that I forge my own path in this age of metahumans. And I am starting right now."

[Mao Mao]

---

𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡 𝗭𝗔𝗡𝗔 ⫽ 𝗪𝗔𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔
𝖣𝖤𝖢𝖤𝖬𝖡𝖤𝖱 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟪 ⫽ 𝟣𝟦𝟢𝟢

"I am announcing today that I have already taken the first steps towards ending the isolationist policy, which has been active for centuries. The world will realize our strength and the potential to make it safer." T'Challa declared at the Tribal Council Chamber. It was the sole purpose of the entire meeting: to discuss what has been and will be done. But, he knew that there was going to be some push-back against the whole thing. N'Yami sat there in silence while her son spoke, watching the other advisors' reactions. When her son told her about ending the isolationism, she honestly had doubts about how opening up to the world will benefit them in the long run. However, King T'Challa needed all of the support right now before the Council decides to turn their backs on him.

One of the advisors, Cangza, stood up in disgust and shouted, "Blasphemy! You dare to desecrate our history by opening up to the outsiders."

"I agree! The council will never abide by this unholy breach!" Hodari said in support for Cangza.

"You may disagree with my decision, but you have no choice but to accept it." T'Challa responded to Hodari's declaration. No-one in the council cannot demand change since their only role is advisors to the king. Other members looked at each other and mumbled a few things while some took notes. The announcement was a surprise to everyone in the chamber. T'Challa started to walk away from the chamber, leaving the advisors to argue each other on the matter. Then, he heard his name being called out.

"T'Challa!" Hodari shouted across the chamber. "You can't just leave! We demand answers!"

"I have more important matters to attend than sit here and argue with you." T'Challa said before leaving the chamber and heading to Shuri's lab. General Okoye awaited her king at the entrance of the chamber with her spear in hand. She was one of the first people that T'Challa told about his plans regarding Wakanda and the entire world. Okoye believed that he will success and bring more prosperity to the country. It also meant that they could finally help out the rest of Africa. But, it meant that the Dora Milaje needed to protect the royal family more than ever. Her job was about to get a whole lot more difficult.

"I take it that the meeting went well?" Okoye asked sarcastically.

"Almost everyone in the chamber was caught off guard. Cangza and Hodari were immediately against the idea while the others were silent. I am sure that they also against it also." T'Challa answered while he was walking towards the labs. There were lots of people walking around because cars were prohibited in the city because it damaged the environment. Cable cars and rapid transit systems dominated the city and kept it from becoming polluted like Los Angeles and Xingtai. T'Challa and Okoye made their way to the marketplace filled with people doing their daily shopping. It was an usual sight to see the King of Wakanda walking around the city so people didn't think twice.

"Where's the outsider?" Okoye asked while looking around for Vixen.

"Vixen? Zambesi with M'Baku to make sure the information provided by the captain wasn't a lie." T'Challa answered.

---

𝖹𝖠𝖬𝖡𝖤𝖲𝖨
𝖣𝖤𝖢𝖤𝖬𝖡𝖤𝖱 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟪 ⫽ 𝟣𝟦𝟦𝟢

"Have you heard anything from Bahta and his group yet?"

"No. I am starting to worry. We should do some-" the solider couldn't finish his sentence as he felt someone squeezing him to death. The other soldier tried to call for help but his mouth was covered. The White Gorilla snapped his neck while Vixen dropped the other dead solider to the ground. Both of them looked at the building where Abiesa was being held. Abiesa was a vocal opponent of Mustapha Maksai's dictatorship over the small African country. Six months ago, she was kidnapped from her home in Johannesburg and her lover of forty years was killed. The local authorities left the case cold and nobody knew where she was until now.

Thanks to the capture of Captain Bahta, he was able to provide a location of where Abiesa was held. And based on the two guards, the information looked to be good. Now, it was time to save her before it was too late. Vixen went ahead while the White Gorilla kept his distance to watch her back. She quietly walked passed a few guards around a campfire and entered the building. Meanwhile, there were two people on the roof of a lone building overlooking the place. Recently, their names became well-known in the criminal world for several assassinations on investigative journalists throughout the fall. Now, they were tasked with killing Vixen and retreating a necklace from her dead body.

"Maybe we can finally go on that honeymoon to the Caribbean islands once we collect our payment."

"That sounds romantic, bunny."

[Mao Mao]

---

𝖹𝖠𝖬𝖡𝖤𝖲𝖨
𝖣𝖤𝖢𝖤𝖬𝖡𝖤𝖱 𝟤𝟢𝟣𝟪 ⫽ 𝟣𝟦𝟦𝟢

Vixen entered the building to discover Abiesa on the ground, beaten until she passed out. She was most likely interrogated to see if she had information on the corrupt government. What matter more to Vixen was keeping Abiesa alive and well than the information that she had on General Maksai. Abiesa used to live in Zambesi before President Jiwe's assassination as a former physician from Doctors Without Borders. She helped dozens of Zambesians everyday until Maksai expelled all types of foreign aid, including Doctors Without Borders. However, she and a few others attempted to stay behind to help out the locals. Once she was found and forced to leave, Abiesa became a vocal opponent of Maksai and his government.

Eventually, Maksai came across some classified information and planned on releasing it for the general public; however, she was kidnapped in broad daylight. Now, she was going to be saved. Vixen placed one hand on the cuffs while the other on her necklace. The aura of a gorilla appeared while she placed her hands on the cuffs and ripped them off in seconds. Before either one of them could react, she heard bullets hitting against the windows near them. Almost immediately, she grabbed Abiesa and dragged her towards the wall while the aura of an owl appeared overhead.

Looking out of the window, she saw two people on the rooftop of a nearby building. It looked like she walked into a trap. Then, she heard shouting outside as the men from the campfire were caught off guard. Regardless, it was time to escape, but she needed help. After looking away, she pressed the earpiece to contact M'Baka.

"I found her, but it was a trap. Two people are shooting up the building that we are in. I would appreciate it if you can assist us." Vixen said.

"I am dealing with them right now." M'Baka answered while he was grabbing something before throwing it. "One of them is coming towards you. Be careful, Vixen."

"You too." She pressed her earpiece again and looked outside again. He was right. A woman was running towards them carrying a pistol. The guards heard the bullets hitting against the building and were ready for almost everything. Besides someone charging towards them with a death wish. Vixen told Abiesa to hide as the sounds of gunfire and screaming could be heard outside. It was a losing battle for the guards. Vixen placed her hand on the necklace and the aura of a goat. It wasn't the best choice but it should get her outside and away from Abiesa.

Vixen got into position and waited for her target to open the door. And when she heard only footsteps, she knew that things were about to get real. As soon as the door opened, Vixen headbutted the assassin and threw the gun to the ground while pushing her away from the door. The assassin shoved her aside and reached for her knife. Vixen quickly got up from the ground and looked at the other woman. She was wearing a red and black outfit with a white target on her chest. With the knife in hand, she ran towards Vixen with the intention of stabbing her.

"Who are you?" Vixen asked while dodging her attacks.

"Someone that's interesting in finishing their job." the woman answered. The fighting lasted for a few more seconds until Vixen managed to knock the knife out of her hand.

"Are you here for Abiesa?"

"Who? We are only here for you." the woman answered and then delivered a punch to Vixen's gut. She ran towards her pistol and fired several shots at her direction as Vixen ran towards cover. "You have something that belonged to our contractor. Give it up."

"You will have to kill me." Vixen answered.

"That's the plan, hon."