A warm wind blew across the surface of Degenera as four Gegku hunters angrily marched through the planet’s spaceship graveyard. They were looking for treasure. The large reptilian brutes lacked finesse in battle, relying on crude weaponry to do their dirty work. On this day, the Gegku came to Degenera equipped with firearms and prepared to challenge anyone that stood in their way.

“Search the area!” Wazzal, the leader, commanded. “Take everything you find and destroy the rest.” The Gegku stormed through the murky cemetery, tossing trash and scrap metal aside as if it were paper. Spaceships often got caught in Degenera’s thick, polluted atmosphere, falling from the sky to be scavenged on the ground. The foul environment also made it the perfect place to hide. All of these things made Degenera a hub for criminal activity. But the planet wasn’t all bad. There were small communities of harmless wanderers spread out across the surface. “Wazzal, over here!” the Gegku hunter shouted. “I found something.” He used his rifle to poke at a large piece of metal. A tiny rodentlike creature scuttled out from under it.

Wazzal grabbed it by the tail, dangling the terrified beastie back and forth as it tried to escape. “HA-HA-HA! Look at this weak thing wiggle. How pathetic!”

A pair of glowing white eyes opened amid the darkness.

GAMORA leaped from her hiding place into the middle of the Gegku hunters, sweeping her leg in a circle and knocking them off their feet. She unsheathed her sword and swiftly sliced the Gegku’s weapons into pieces. The soldiers were paralyzed with fear. They’d never seen anyone move so fast.

Gamora turned her attention to Wazzal, grabbing his collar and pulling him close. “Wiggle for me, weak thing,” she whispered in his ear, tossing the lizard man into a pool of bubbling ooze nearby. The hunters didn’t dare say a word.

“Without your weapons, you’re nothing but sad, ugly creatures,” Gamora taunted. She looked down to see the sheepish alien critter Wazzal had frightened. It was staring at her. “You’re safe now,” she said. Then she turned to the Gegku. “But you’re not.”

She pressed a button on her wrist gauntlet and a hologram appeared.

“Where is this item?” Gamora asked. “Tell me now.”

“Nuh-nuh-nuh …” Wazzal stuttered nervously.

“Spit it out,” Gamora challenged. She was losing patience quickly.

“Nuh-nuh-never seen it before in my life,” Wazzal said, his shaking body sinking into the goop. “There’s a place you might be able to find such a thing, but it’s just a rumor.”

“Where?” Gamora demanded.

“Zaldrex,” Wazzal replied, still trembling. “I’ve heard the stories about you, Gamora. They said you were just like your father. Now I see the stories are—”

“My blade is called the Godslayer,” Gamora cut him off. “Can you guess what it does?” She brandished her sword, showing the Gegku each and every inch. “If I ever see you hurt another living creature, I will use this blade to chop your fingers off one by one. Do I make myself clear?” she snarled. The Gegku nervously nodded in agreement.

Gamora put away the Godslayer and left them to think deeply about what she had said. Chopping off fingers wasn’t usually her style, but the threat always seemed to give her enemies a new perspective. Gamora spotted a small town in the distance and began walking toward it. She’d only been on Degenera a few days, but she was desperate to leave. Where do I go next ? It had been a while since Gamora had seen her friends. She’d taken a leave of absence from the Guardians of the Galaxy when the universe presented her with anunexpected quest. Was she searching for a simple box, or was her mission much more than that?

Gamora found herself restless and wondered if she might also be searching for peace of mind.

After walking for what seemed like miles, Gamora came upon a dingy diner on the outskirts of a small community. She’d been traveling without a vehicle, hitching rides from transport vessels to get where she needed to go. Now it was time to find a new ride and leave Degenera for good. She watchfully entered the establishment, scanning every inch of it for danger. The air was thick, and smelled like smoke and meat. There were hordes of cantankerous alien creatures from across the universe, and all of them were giving Gamora the stink-eye. They all knew her reputation. Finding a ride wasn’t going to be easy.

“I need a way off this planet,” Gamora said to the alien cook in the grease-soaked apron. He silently pointed to someone in the corner. When Gamora turned to see who, she was surprised by a familiar face.

“Well, well, well,” said Rocket, spinning himself around in his chair. “Hitching rides? C’mon, Gamora. You know better than that.”

Despite her desire for solitude, Gamora was happy to see a friend. Even though he was cranky most of the time, Rocket had a good heart and a warrior’s spirit.

“So you found me.” Gamora shrugged. “Now what?”

“Why don’t you end your vacation and come back to the Guardians? No questions asked,” Rocket continued. “Things aren’t the same without you. Drax can’t stop crying! And you don’t want to know what Groot won’t stop doing.”

Gamora was flattered but in no mood for jokes. “I’m better off alone,” she said, looking away, embarrassed.

Just then a group of renegade Kodabaks burst into the diner. The Kodabaks were surly piglike creatures who served many evil masters.

“You’re sitting in my seat, animal,” griped the alien hog, tapping Rocket on the shoulder. The Kodabak’s breath was hot, and it stank like sewage.

“Until you do something about that swamp breath, I’m not moving!” Rocket said. “This is a free planet, and I can sit anywhere I want. Got that?”

Five more Kodabaks closed in on Rocket, and things got serious.

“Okay, okay,” he said, rising from his chair. “So maybe it is your seat, after all.”

Gamora’s body tensed. “Stay seated,” she said, pushing Rocket back down.

The Kodabak leader rudely looked Gamora up and down. “You’re pretty,” he began. “For a green-skin.” He and his swinish friends let out a hearty chuckle, and Gamora flew into action. She gently slid her foot under the table nearby, flipping it up into the air to land safely in her hands. She flung it at the cackling Kodabaks, knocking them down with a thud. The diner erupted into total chaos.

“RUN!” Rocket shouted, grabbing Gamora by the arm and pulling her out the door.

“I hope we’re running toward a ship,” Gamora replied.

“Don’t you worry. Good ol’ Rocket has you covered,” he said, sprinting down a long alleyway and through an encampment. They darted over and around fruit sellers, trinket peddlers, and the occasional pile of animal droppings. Soon the Kodabaks were gaining on them. Gamora spotted a tower of empty barrels and toppled them over to trip up the pudgy hog-men. It only bought them a few moments.

“Almost there!” said Rocket, rounding the corner. He wasn’t prepared for what happened next. “WHAT THE KRUTAK?!” he shouted. “My ship is gone!” KdSySBofpPy0Shli11BYhKrqDxXCCRnjUYm/fuO6+HKXfBAn8vgY3xGyoSPJokIS