Rocket Raccoon from Memory, Beckett's Doubts

"Gamora?"

"Why is it you?"

After the Nova Corps soldiers pushed the four bound figures to the Xandar Defense Center, Nebula, who had been standing behind Beckett, immediately recognized one of the figures.

Her signature green skin, and that face she would never forget.

"Nebula? Beckett? Ronan?"

Gamora had been giving him an unfriendly look, was momentarily stunned when she saw the figure on the steps.

How did these three end up together?

Furthermore, judging from Ronan's position, he's actually in a subordinate position??

"Gamora, Lord Thanos has entrusted the search for the Power Stone entirely to His Highness Beckett." The Other, mindful of his status as Beckett's most loyal subject, stepped forward and bowed to Gamora.

No matter how much he looked down on Gamora's strength, he still had to put on a show.

He was, after all, a subordinate, while Gamora was Thanos's adopted daughter. Disrespecting her was tantamount to slapping Thanos in the face.

Beckett can criticize Gamora and Nebula because he is Thanos's most valued adopted son and the handpicked successor of the Dark Order.

"Is that so...?"

Seeing familiar Gamora somewhat lowered her guard. Nebula was there, Beckett was there too; she was safe no matter what.

"Untie her." Nova Plame, who was always alert and observant, immediately signaled for someone to go and untie Gamora.

"I've been tracking the Power Stone, and then I followed this man all the way to Xandar." Gamora, rubbing her aching wrists as she maxed out her tracking skill, recounted her pursuit of Star-Lord to Beckett, who was seated at the head of the table.

"Wait, wait, wait, what did you say?"

"What Power Stone?"

Star-Lord, who had never heard of this thing before, was completely bewildered.

He clearly took a ball!

"Still playing dumb?" Gamora ripped Star-Lord's coat in half.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"I'm not a casual person!"

Star-Lord, startled, was immediately pinned down by the soldiers behind him as soon as he made a move, unable to struggle.

Snap!

With the tearing of her coat, the bag containing the Cosmic Orb landed right in Gamora's hands, along with two photobooks featuring nude male gods on the covers.

Their affected poses are an eyesore.

"Uh... would you believe me if I told you that this was actually found in the ruins along with the Cosmic Orb?"

Faced with the astonished looks from everyone present, Star-Lord hesitated, his explanation sounding weak and feeble.

"Tsk, I didn't know you had such a unique hobby." The Rocket, who was also tied up, couldn't help but sneer, but Star-Lord secretly kicked him hard, making him wince in pain.

"Shut up, you freak! If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"

Star-Lord growled menacingly in a low voice.

His illustrious reputation cannot be ruined here.

"Your His Highness Beckett, this is the Power Orb—uh, Your His Highness Beckett?" The Other eagerly took the Cosmic Orb from Gamora and turned to present it to Beckett so he could verify its authenticity, only to find that Beckett's gaze was not on it, but rather fixed on the Rocket that was exchanging profanities with Star-Lord.

"Your His Highness Beckett, what's wrong?"

The Other, puzzled, clutched the Cosmic Orb and followed Beckett down the steps to the Rocket.

"I—I f***ing!" The Rocket turned around, cursing, and Beckett's cold, emotionless gaze made him swear.

My heart was pounding.

That look in his eyes was absolutely terrifying.

"Woz." Beckett effortlessly lifted the Rocket by the scruff of its neck.

"Woz is scanning, Your His Highness Beckett."

"Scan complete, image comparison in progress..."

"Imaging comparison complete."

"Your His Highness Beckett, this Rocket shares the same life characteristics as the Rocket that appeared in Asgard back then."

Woz's voice was unusually solemn.

"But judging from the life data, the life energy in this Rocket's body has been active for less than a hundred years."

This is a huge deal.

It is impossible for two organisms in this world to have completely identical life characteristics.

Even if it's cloning, at most it only shares the same basic life characteristics.

"Interesting."

Beckett looked at the Rocket in front of him, which seemed not to recognize him, and with a flick of his wrist, sent it flying to The Other's feet.

"The Other, take it back."

"I think my father would be very interested."

"This... is, Your His Highness Beckett!" Woz's words opened the door to his memories, and The Other also remembered the Rocket he had encountered in Asgard years ago.

If it weren't for Woz's scan, The Other would probably have long forgotten the Rocket that once roared on the Bifrost. More than a thousand years of memories.

"What... what do you want to do?"

Rocket Raccoon found The Other's gaze unbearable; he felt that the latter's ferocious face would give him nightmares at night.

"I--"

The Rocket, who was trying to struggle one more time, was knocked unconscious by The Other.

He closed his eyes and kicked his legs.

"Groot ..." The silent wooden figure tried to help, but was knocked unconscious by the ropes binding him.

"Beckett, these two..." Nova Prime, who was watching from the sidelines, didn't know why Beckett was so concerned about a Rocket. Seeing that Beckett was about to leave with his men, she pointed to Star-Lord and Groot, who were still tied up, and asked.

"Do whatever you want with it, it's none of my business."

Beckett, who had just received the Cosmic Orb from The Other, glanced at the nude Ego Photo Album at Star-Lord's feet, and with a jolt, the Power Stone, which he had encountered over a thousand years ago, came into view.

"Let's go."

Having obtained the goods, it was time to head home.

Centaurus Galaxy, Dark Order Base.

Carrying the unconscious Rocket Raccoon in one hand and the Cosmic Orb in the other, Beckett entered the base's main hall and bowed to the figure on the throne. "Father."

"Has the Power Stone been found?"

"Yes." Beckett handed the Cosmic Orb to Thanos, who was walking down the steps.

"That old guy really knows how to hide things." The light from the Power Stone illuminated Thanos's eyes.

"Who is this?" Thanos then closed the Orb and turned his gaze to the Rocket Beckett was carrying.

"A Rocket that has lived for decades, Father." Beckett held up the unconscious baby body in his arms.

"Strangely enough, I saw it more than a thousand years ago in Asgard."

"Are you sure?" Thanos paused in his toying with the Orb.

"Confirmed." Beckett nodded, then had Woz play the footage of him causing havoc in Asgard.

Recording and saving videos anytime, anywhere is a good habit that Woz has had since he was created.

Midnight~

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Bonus chapter progress: [8/15]

Thanks to [づGuan Guanjujiu] and [Huaiyi] for the reward~