[ He shoots her a little smile when she rests her head on his shoulder, though he's not entirely sure if she sees it from that angle. Still, the gesture is-- well. Intimate, in a way. More than he's used to, and while it doesn't make him uncomfortable, he does tense slightly. ]
[ Because this is the whole point of this meeting. Stories. Information. Time to dive right into serious territory. ]
Can you tell me a little more about your victory against Ronan? I mean, it sounds like it's quite the story. One we never got to talk too much about since we got to talking about the Kree...
[ Oh, this is easier territory. He's given the story a million times as witness testimony or to reporters or to just curious Xandarians, so he relaxes.
When he speaks, it's with a sort of casual air -- because, you know. No big deal. ]
So you already know Ronan was a Kree -- his title was The Accuser, 'parently. Angry guy, really pissed that his people had signed a peace treaty with the Nova Empire. So he took it on himself to purge the world of dissenters and heathens, or whatever. He got his mitts on an Infinity Stone, which would destroy any organic matter it touched, put it into this big mallet of his and attacked the Nova Empire's capital planet, Xandar.
Long story short, my team and I managed to wrangle the Stone away from him, channeled the power between all four of us, and used it to kill Ronan.
[ Peter gives a shrug. Obviously he glossed over a lot, there -- the number of men lost that day, or how they reclaimed the Stone, or the unimaginable pain Peter experienced when he grabbed the stone.
He's told the story a lot, sure, but he also knows which parts to omit. ]
[ Long story short -- she doesn't want the shortened, abridged version, Peter! But the short, abridged version is a start. It lays the foundation, and Raina has to chose which path to pursue: the selfish path or the informative path.
She pulls back to look at him, and chooses the selfish path. She couldn't help her undying curiosity about the Kree. ]
And this Ronan the Accuser, he was angry about the peace treaty and went to all of these lengths to fight against it. But was he alone in his belief? Or did the rest of the Kree echo his sentiment but only left him to act?
[ Her gaze shifts to the side, downcast. Concerned. Wouldn't do to hold back this information at risk of upsetting the pretty little lady further, would it, Quill? ]
I only ask out of concern -- that maybe I'm a monster deep inside, too.
[ He's quick in his answer -- because it seems like she needs the reassurance. ]
I mean, not all of them thought that way. It's-- just like any group of people, right? I mean, there's no way everyone could possibly agree on the same thing, you know? So-- Ronan, I mean. He was seriously nuts. A zealot. Some people might have sided with him on bein' unhappy about the treaty, but I mean, hardly anyone agreed with his methods.
The war was a long one. [ Peter shrugs -- he had never been involved, skirting the edges of polite, civilized society, and by the time he had entered the scene, the war had been reaching a standstill. ] Everyone wanted it to end, anyway.
[ Raina looks back at him and smiles after his answer. ]
So Ronan wasn't idolized by his kind? He sounds...
[ Hot. Sexy. Like someone Raina would totally bang... ]
Awful. It sounds as though the universe benefitted greatly from what you and your team accomplished. Were you the leader? I bet you were the leader. You just strike me as a leader.
I-- [ Well, his little uncomfortable shift here, at least, is in earnest. It's hard to tell if he was the leader, despite his constant insistence. At length he says, ]
They follow my lead sometimes, I guess. [ It's a surprisingly modest answer from him, to be sure. ] I mean, honestly, it's like herding cats, so-- that's all I can really ask for.
No need to be modest, Star-Lord. You have all the makings of a natural born leader. Strength and charisma. And it doesn't hurt that you're incredibly attractive as well.
[ She picks up her glass and raises it as though proposing a toast to him and his hotness before taking a sip. ]
And I'm certain your team would say the same thing. But perhaps that modesty is really the glue that makes your position as leader stick. A very well-rounded individual. How did I get so lucky to gain even an inkling of your attention?
A story from me? Oh, I'm not all that interesting. Not enough to share stories. And certainly none of my stories would compare to your tale of heroics.
[ She smiles over at him. ]
The most interesting thing about me is what you already know. My bloodline was genetically altered by the Kree.
Many years ago, a rogue faction of the Kree came to the Earth. Their intentions were to use us humans as experiments -- to create genetically altered soldiers and tinker with our bloodlines. Many believe that was so they could plunge the Earth into chaos and war, but that isn't necessarily true. What this group hoped to accomplish was to build an earth for the worthy. They left behind cities and alien technology to allow us humans with Kree blood to awaken our truer selves. This same technology could destroy those it didn't deem worthy. I've seen it happen first hand. A man exposed to terrigen crystals turned to stone and crumbled into nothing right before my very eyes.
And-- what have you guys been doing with that tech? 'Cause to tell you the truth, it-- sort of sounds like a recipe for disaster.
[ He pauses, then quickly adds, ]
Not that I'm sayin' your intentions are bad, or anything. But-- tech that kills people without Kree blood in them. You know that at least sounds bad, right?
Trying to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. The diviner wasn't meant to destroy -- but give life. However, there was a group that tried to weaponize it. I managed to take advantage of their distractions and steal it from them, though.
[ Her shoulders lift absently -- as though the information is no big deal, as though she's still every bit as boring as she played herself off to be. ]
The diviner itself is something of a metal case. What it houses inside are the terrigen crystals I mentioned previously. These crystals, once activated, are what awakens the dormant DNA of my kind, allowing us to undergo a transformation of sorts.
[ She lifts her hand and before their eyes, it takes on the faintest blue sheen -- thorns protruding through her skin. But Raina doesn't allow the transformation to go any further than that. A sacrifice of truth for the larger picture. ]
I don't suppose you've heard about any of this in your time around the Kree?
[ He watches the way her hand transforms, transfixed and curious. This-- is so unlike anything he's ever heard before. Sure, he's heard of some well-meaning species uplifting others, but that was greatly frowned upon by the galaxy at large, and the Nova Empire especially. Let the other worlds enter the galactic scene in their own time. Prime Directive. Shit like that.
So in answer to her question, Peter shakes her head. ]
I didn't even know the Kree had Earth on their radar, much less actually visited.
[ He reaches out to touch the thorns on her hand, and then he pauses, lets it drop back down onto the bar's surface. A frown tugs at the corners of his mouth. ]
[ No touchie, Peter. You made the right call. Raina lets the thorns retract into her skin again. Out of sight, out of mind. ]
They do. Back home, the transformation was all over my entire body. And it was permanent. I cut myself every time I moved.
[ She looks down and away. ]
You must think me strange. I don't know why I'm telling you this.
[ Yes she does. So that Peter could tell her if he had ever seen anything like it before. He experienced things well beyond Earth. He saw a small chunk of the universe. He interacted with the Kree regularly. ]
But I'm sure a man with as much exposure to the different worlds out there as you would have seen a number of strange things. Strange is probably where you feel right at home.
[ He breathes out a laugh, caught somewhere between amused and bitter. ]
Yeah, you've got that right. I guess I'm kind of a magnet for weird stuff. Doesn't mean I think you're strange, though.
[ His lips draw into a thin, grim line for a moment. Then, ] This level of tampering pretty much screams illegal, though. The Kree are a pretty combative race, though. Warriors. I wonder if they were tryin' to breed soldiers.
[ Raina utters -- touched and warm. How sweet of him! How kind. A lady's man with a heart of gold, but never really giving out that heart to anyone. Because Raina notices the distance he puts between himself and her, for as warm and receptive as he is -- he's not one to open up very easily. Not without some kind of force and possibly a crowbar.
She lays her palm on his knee, squeezing. And then the moment is over, back to the Kree. ]
It's one possibility. They may have been breeding us in order to take over the Earth. They may have been looking for places to colonize and thought we would hollow it out for them. Who knows. But what I do know is that someone attempted to stop it. Someone came through and destroyed most of the cities and temples built by the Kree. I imagine they destroyed a lot of the artifacts and technology as well. Whether this someone, this hero, was other members of the Kree or someone else entirely is unknown.
Of course, all things considered, they didn't do a very thorough job.
[ Peter merely glances down at her hand when she makes contact, a tad surprised but not displeased. But then the moment passes, and he allows it to.
He hums quietly in acknowledgment. Truth be told, this entire thing is ridiculously out of his wheelhouse. Peter's less of a problem solver and more of a reactor. There are better, smarter people who can unravel this mystery, he knows; better for him to be aimed and pointed, like a weapon. ]
I wish I could give you more info. All I can tell you is, if the Nova Corps knew anything about this, they'd be flying their troops in quicker than you could snap your fingers.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on just a sec.
[ He raises an eyebrow at her. ]
Did you pay someone so you could go on this date? Man, I better see a cut of that.
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[ Her glass is set back down on the counter and she folds her arms in front of herself, leaning forward with a playful grin. ]
My matchmaker was only going to charge a dollar, but I assured him you're worth five, at least.
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A whole fiver-- I-- wow, I have no idea what to say.
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[ Raina flashes him a quick smirk before she scooted over and leaned her head on his shoulder. ]
But you don't have to thank me. Really.
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Do you, uh. Have any other requests, story-wise?
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[ Because this is the whole point of this meeting. Stories. Information. Time to dive right into serious territory. ]
Can you tell me a little more about your victory against Ronan? I mean, it sounds like it's quite the story. One we never got to talk too much about since we got to talking about the Kree...
no subject
When he speaks, it's with a sort of casual air -- because, you know. No big deal. ]
So you already know Ronan was a Kree -- his title was The Accuser, 'parently. Angry guy, really pissed that his people had signed a peace treaty with the Nova Empire. So he took it on himself to purge the world of dissenters and heathens, or whatever. He got his mitts on an Infinity Stone, which would destroy any organic matter it touched, put it into this big mallet of his and attacked the Nova Empire's capital planet, Xandar.
Long story short, my team and I managed to wrangle the Stone away from him, channeled the power between all four of us, and used it to kill Ronan.
[ Peter gives a shrug. Obviously he glossed over a lot, there -- the number of men lost that day, or how they reclaimed the Stone, or the unimaginable pain Peter experienced when he grabbed the stone.
He's told the story a lot, sure, but he also knows which parts to omit. ]
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She pulls back to look at him, and chooses the selfish path. She couldn't help her undying curiosity about the Kree. ]
And this Ronan the Accuser, he was angry about the peace treaty and went to all of these lengths to fight against it. But was he alone in his belief? Or did the rest of the Kree echo his sentiment but only left him to act?
[ Her gaze shifts to the side, downcast. Concerned. Wouldn't do to hold back this information at risk of upsetting the pretty little lady further, would it, Quill? ]
I only ask out of concern -- that maybe I'm a monster deep inside, too.
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I mean, not all of them thought that way. It's-- just like any group of people, right? I mean, there's no way everyone could possibly agree on the same thing, you know? So-- Ronan, I mean. He was seriously nuts. A zealot. Some people might have sided with him on bein' unhappy about the treaty, but I mean, hardly anyone agreed with his methods.
The war was a long one. [ Peter shrugs -- he had never been involved, skirting the edges of polite, civilized society, and by the time he had entered the scene, the war had been reaching a standstill. ] Everyone wanted it to end, anyway.
no subject
So Ronan wasn't idolized by his kind? He sounds...
[ Hot. Sexy. Like someone Raina would totally bang... ]
Awful. It sounds as though the universe benefitted greatly from what you and your team accomplished. Were you the leader? I bet you were the leader. You just strike me as a leader.
[ She smirks in Peter's direction. ]
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They follow my lead sometimes, I guess. [ It's a surprisingly modest answer from him, to be sure. ] I mean, honestly, it's like herding cats, so-- that's all I can really ask for.
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[ She picks up her glass and raises it as though proposing a toast to him and his hotness before taking a sip. ]
And I'm certain your team would say the same thing. But perhaps that modesty is really the glue that makes your position as leader stick. A very well-rounded individual. How did I get so lucky to gain even an inkling of your attention?
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So you got a story from me. Do I get a story from you?
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[ She smiles over at him. ]
The most interesting thing about me is what you already know. My bloodline was genetically altered by the Kree.
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And what do you mean by "altered"? That's what I don't really get.
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[ He pauses, then quickly adds, ]
Not that I'm sayin' your intentions are bad, or anything. But-- tech that kills people without Kree blood in them. You know that at least sounds bad, right?
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[ Raina answers honestly. ]
Trying to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. The diviner wasn't meant to destroy -- but give life. However, there was a group that tried to weaponize it. I managed to take advantage of their distractions and steal it from them, though.
[ Her shoulders lift absently -- as though the information is no big deal, as though she's still every bit as boring as she played herself off to be. ]
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I'm-- glad. That you did that. Kept it safe, I mean.
[ Eloquence isn't his strong suit. ]
This-- diviner. Thing. What's it do, other than apparently vaporize folks?
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[ She lifts her hand and before their eyes, it takes on the faintest blue sheen -- thorns protruding through her skin. But Raina doesn't allow the transformation to go any further than that. A sacrifice of truth for the larger picture. ]
I don't suppose you've heard about any of this in your time around the Kree?
no subject
So in answer to her question, Peter shakes her head. ]
I didn't even know the Kree had Earth on their radar, much less actually visited.
[ He reaches out to touch the thorns on her hand, and then he pauses, lets it drop back down onto the bar's surface. A frown tugs at the corners of his mouth. ]
It looks like that would hurt.
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They do. Back home, the transformation was all over my entire body. And it was permanent. I cut myself every time I moved.
[ She looks down and away. ]
You must think me strange. I don't know why I'm telling you this.
[ Yes she does. So that Peter could tell her if he had ever seen anything like it before. He experienced things well beyond Earth. He saw a small chunk of the universe. He interacted with the Kree regularly. ]
But I'm sure a man with as much exposure to the different worlds out there as you would have seen a number of strange things. Strange is probably where you feel right at home.
no subject
Yeah, you've got that right. I guess I'm kind of a magnet for weird stuff. Doesn't mean I think you're strange, though.
[ His lips draw into a thin, grim line for a moment. Then, ] This level of tampering pretty much screams illegal, though. The Kree are a pretty combative race, though. Warriors. I wonder if they were tryin' to breed soldiers.
no subject
[ Raina utters -- touched and warm. How sweet of him! How kind. A lady's man with a heart of gold, but never really giving out that heart to anyone. Because Raina notices the distance he puts between himself and her, for as warm and receptive as he is -- he's not one to open up very easily. Not without some kind of force and possibly a crowbar.
She lays her palm on his knee, squeezing. And then the moment is over, back to the Kree. ]
It's one possibility. They may have been breeding us in order to take over the Earth. They may have been looking for places to colonize and thought we would hollow it out for them. Who knows. But what I do know is that someone attempted to stop it. Someone came through and destroyed most of the cities and temples built by the Kree. I imagine they destroyed a lot of the artifacts and technology as well. Whether this someone, this hero, was other members of the Kree or someone else entirely is unknown.
Of course, all things considered, they didn't do a very thorough job.
no subject
He hums quietly in acknowledgment. Truth be told, this entire thing is ridiculously out of his wheelhouse. Peter's less of a problem solver and more of a reactor. There are better, smarter people who can unravel this mystery, he knows; better for him to be aimed and pointed, like a weapon. ]
I wish I could give you more info. All I can tell you is, if the Nova Corps knew anything about this, they'd be flying their troops in quicker than you could snap your fingers.
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