Inside the enormous black Space Battleship, Ronan the Accuser sat on his throne, listening to his subordinate's report.
"According to the intelligence we gathered, the Ravagers accepted a job to retrieve the Orb from the Broker on Xandar. They did indeed reach Morag."
Ronan's subordinate knelt on one knee and delivered his report in an orderly manner.
"However, the space pirates who have recently become so famous were also there. And since those Ravagers never went to Xandar to complete the handoff with the Broker, we can be fairly certain that the Orb fell into the space pirates' hands."
"Space pirates... I've heard of them. Anyone who can make the Shi'ar Empire back down must have some strength."
Ronan lightly tapped his forehead with a finger. Though his words were complimentary, his tone was indifferent.
"Then let me retrieve the Orb!"
A blue-skinned female cyborg standing nearby stepped forward to volunteer.
"Leave it to me instead. You know I've never failed a mission."
Seeing Nebula trying to get involved, the green-skinned Gamora stepped forward as well. Through other channels, she had already learned that, besides Thanos, the renowned Collector was also offering a fortune for the Orb.
So Gamora planned to seize the Orb, sell it to the Collector, then use the money to escape Thanos's control.
"I volunteered first!"
Nebula glared at her nominal older sister. She had never gotten along with Gamora, much less now that Gamora was trying to steal her mission.
Gamora did not argue with Nebula. Instead, she looked at Ronan on his raised throne. She believed he would choose her, because she was both more famous and more powerful than Nebula.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Ronan did indeed choose Gamora, entrusting her with the mission to seize the Orb.
Though indignant, Nebula