Star Coins were the universal currency, accepted by practically every species in the universe.
"Pfft-!"
This time, someone genuinely choked, unable to catch their breath, and almost passed out on the spot.
Five billion Star Coins?!
Were you fucking robbing us?!
What kind of spaceship did you have? Was it studded with Infinity Stones?!
If we had five billion fucking Star Coins, would we still be risking our necks in this line of work?! We'd have bought an island on some resort planet and retired ages ago!
Every Ravager on the bridge felt the world spin around them, stunned by Hermione's outrageous demand.
The blue of Yondu's face was almost turning purple. He took several deep breaths before he barely managed to compose himself.
"Ma'am, we really don't have that kind of money!"
Thinking fast, he hurriedly added:
"We're members of the Ravagers! Our leader is Stakar! Please, for his sake, show us some mercy and let us off..."
He hoped invoking that legendary Ravager captain would give her pause.
At that, Hermione merely gave him an indifferent glance.
"Even Ravagers have to obey traffic laws."
"Today, even if Sylvester Stallone... ahem, even if Stakar showed up, you'd still have to pay."
"Ma'am, we..."
He tried to say something else. That the Ravagers had their dignity, for instance, or that they weren't pushovers, or that five billion really was too much...
"No money?" Hermione's voice remained level, betraying neither anger nor pleasure. "If you have no money, there's no point keeping you around."
Dozens of fiery serpents instantly stirred, their tongues flickering as the temperature soared again. They looked ready to lunge and burn everyone to ashes at any moment.
"We have money! We have money!" Yondu practically blurted out. "We have a way to get it! Soon!"
The Ravagers