Chapter Text
Rhomann Dey put his elbows on the large table, looking at Peter. “We know that before the events that took place last year, you were very good at retrieving stuff for people such as the likes of the Broker on Xandar. You almost never failed, according to our sources. And seeing how you and your team did in defeating Ronan, we know you guys are capable of anything.”
You leaned towards Rhomann and Peter and politely interrupted them, curious to know more. “What happened on Xandar?”
Peter answered casually. “We stopped this big bad guy from using a glowy bad orb-crystal and kind of saved the entire galaxy.” You nodded in awe. They hadn’t really mentioned that before. That's kind of a big deal.
“To put it simply, anyway.” Rocket added, nodding his head.
“Well Peter, we know that you were pretty much raised by that Centaurian Ravager Yondu Udonta. Do you know of where he might be?”
Peter suddenly looked very suspicious. “That guy would kill me on sight. I’ve been avoiding him like we avoid Galoidian contraband checkpoints... But he’s probably somewhere in the Second Quadrant.” Peter looked a bit uncomfortable.
“Okay.” Rhomann said nodding, his cheerful attitude changing to a more serious one. “Four days ago, our Corpsmen on Hala... the Kree home planet... where the bad guy that wanted to destroy the galaxy came from... Well, Nova Corps intercepted a transmission from an area with known national extremist Kree activity from a planet called Ilor Kiti in the 1st Quadrant. The Kree Empire, though in a peace treaty with Nova, has been sending search and excavation teams to that area for a while. Our spies have shown us that they’re looking for artifacts from whatever ancient people used to lived there.
Ronan the Accuser was nuts about it, and I think it was part of their search for the Orb. We don’t know what the Kree government has to do with it, but it’s suspicious. We think maybe you guys can help us.”
Peter was speechless for a few moments, not liking where this conversation was headed. “Man.. I don’t know—”
Rhomann Dey interrupted him, remembering something important. “Oh, and he’s searching for something called the Key of Vonden?” He said the last part hesitantly, as if he didn’t know how to properly pronounce the word.
“Wait... Oh my God! I know that!” Peter said excitedly, “Can you repeat the name of the planet? I think it’s...”
“Ilor Kiti?” Rhomann said, surprised but happy beacuse of Quill’s sudden enthusiasm.
“That’s the where the Vessel of Kara is supposed to be hidden! You’ve never heard of it?” Peter said. Rocket jumped up in his seat in sudden understanding, and Drax nodded.
“I recognise the story.” Gamora said, and you just smiled not knowing what to say.
“I do know that story, the one where the Vessel was given by the Celestials to the people and it contained somthing like the secrets of the stars or whatever?” Rhomann said.
“Peter once told us the rumors of the Vessel of Kara being on Ilor Kiti. Nobody bothers to retrieve it; it is too dangerous, and there are low chances of entering the solar system without passing through the Cada asteroid belt unharmed. And it is a nothing but a legend.” Gamora said, sounding incredibly intelligent. “Like Footloose.”
You laughed suddenly at her words, and they all looked at you. Peter was the only one with a knowing smile.
“Yeah, it’s supposed to be hidden in some kind of secret cave called the Den of Death or some stupid-sounding thing...” Rocket joined in, excited to hear more about the famous legend. “And the land was wiped out by some dark force.” He made mystical hand gestures and used his 'I don't believe in this crap' voice.
“Well, it’s a good thing I have you guys on hand. You seem to understand a lot more about the situation than we do on Xandar. I wonder how the Kree got through the asteroid belt...” Rhoman said.
“Y’know who I learned all that info from? Yondu.” Peter said thoughtfully, looking at the dirty table. “I think he’s been to the Cada asteroid belt.”
“Well, the Kree transmissions have mentioned the name ‘Udonta’ several times. It’s definitely odd. We think the Kree Empire is up to something, and the peace treaty's been shaky lately.” Rhomann said, pulling out a portable interface projector and flipping through the files.
You decided to speak up. “I think they’re after Yondu because they think he might have the Key of Vhatever, since he's been there."
“The Key of Vondu.” Peter said. “It not only opens the Vessel, it tells you the location of it if you look through the hole-thing in the middle of the key. Like a... a primitive interface projector.” He said, gesturing to Rhomann’s device.
Rhomann was quiet, thinking the situation over. “They’re looking for the Vessel because they think it might contain infinite power of the Celestials. Like how Ronan wanted the Orb.”
Things just got super serious.
“Is Earth... Terra, in danger?” You asked suddenly concerned for your home planet.
“All beings could be in great peril.” Drax answered, making you even more worried.
“What does the Vessel look like?” Corpsman Darik asked from his spot, making everybody look over at him by the door.
“I don’t know. A treasure chest?” Peter suggested, unhelpfully.
“On my planet, there is a children’s storybook with an illustration of it. It appeared to be like a box, and it was depicted with many beams of energy emerging from its core. I am quite fond of that book.” Drax recalled. “It is often said that mediocre warriors in the possession of the Vessel of Kara are undefeatable.”