Chapter Text
Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away- wait… Whoops, wrong story. Let’s try that again.
In the Virgo Supercluster was a galaxy called the Milky Way. Within that galaxy, unfathomable numbers of beings ranging from Terran to Centurion to the Sovereign resided. Each with their own histories and cultures that made them unique. At the heart of it all were two well known groups- Nova Corps and the Guardians of the Galaxy. The latter being the more controversial of the two with each member’s black marked past, whether for killing, stealing or both. While most of the members knew of their back story, there was one who knew nothing of his true genealogy. Unfortunately for the Guardians, Peter Quill, their leader and ‘family,’ was the only one with no knowledge of his personal family history. Normally, not knowing one’s past wasn’t that big of a deal- more of a curiosity and a nuisance- but for Peter, it was downright tragic. Especially with all the vague comments made by beings like the Queen of the Sovereign, whom they had just completed a job for and were rewarded with Nebula- the little minx would fetch a pretty damn good bounty. Despite the success of the job, Peter was still not feeling it. He was a freak to some beings, which was really saying something in his Terran mind that was conditioned from a young age to see Terrans as the baseline being and all others as adaptations.
His supposedly mixed lineage plagued him often, causing some discord among his family of misfits since it often distracted him from matters at hand. He did his best to be present but Peter often found his mind drifting back to the issue. All he knew was his mother’s family, most of whom had never met Peter and those who had assumed him to be dead so many years after he was abducted following his mother’s death. He was starting to believe he didn’t even have a father or that his mom had made up the story of his true father to hide the fact that he was just some deadbeat Terran who got into trouble and was taken away for his misdeeds. The latter was more likely, but he grappled with the idea of his mother lying to him- it just wasn’t like her. Peter was lost in his own thoughts once again when the shouting of his team brought him back to the present.
“You stole the batteries?!” Peter demanded as the Milano was assaulted by Sovereign piloted ships.
“They were just lyin’ there! Besides, those pretentious douches needed to be knocked down a few pegs.” Rocket argued. “You should be thankin’ me, Star-Dick. These beauties oughta fetch a high price on the market.”
The bantering continued with Gamora chiming in on occasion to get them to shut up and focus on surviving the attack. They needed to keep their heads on straight if they were going to make it through the treacherous asteroid field that hurtled through space towards them. If they didn’t make it to the jump point, they’d all be dead in seconds. Just as things were starting to look up, with Drax hanging out of the ass end of the Milano shooting down what they thought was the last of Sovereign fleet, they found the remainder. Apparently, the Queen was much more clever than they initially gave her credit for since she was waiting on the other side of the asteroid field to block them from escaping via the jump point. Just when they thought they were dead, two sleek and odd ships, one black and chrome and the other white, came out of the blackness of space and obliterated the fleet before them.Taking the opportunity, the Milano pushed forward to make the jump.
“Guys, we are being followed!” Drax bellowed before they jumped.
Sure enough, a third ship had cropped up behind them. This one was shaped just like the other two, but it was painted with the cosmos. Choosing to focus on their already decided escape route, they punched it. Once through and ready to make their crash landing on Berhert, Gamora made a mad dash to save Drax as the anchor that was holding his tether to the ship shattered. She held on for all she was worth, screaming in agony as she furiously held onto the busted back end of the Milano with one hand while the other held Drax’s fate. The landing was rougher than they anticipated, but they had next to no time to recover as the galaxy printed pod ship began to land a small ship’s length away from them.
Despite the potential danger, they still found themselves bickering about the state of things. That was, until the other ship opened up to reveal what looked to be a Terran, an oddly perfect youthful looking female at that. She looked to be about five and a half feet tall, hour-glass figure, olive complexion, and she petite but curvy around her chest, hips and posterior. Her eyes were lilac and her hair a rainbow of all common Terran hair colors with the darkest at the roots fading to the lightest blonde at the tips, which looked odd with done up in a braided crown around her head and in the tidy bun that held the rest back. She wore a headband of silver and a long lavender dress with the upper half made of lace and the skirt made of chiffon and silk, a ribbon at the waist defining her figure and lace half-sleeves defining her biceps. She was absolutely gorgeous, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t dangerous. As she walked towards them, they spied her bare feet with shimmering black painted toe nails peeking out from under the hem of her gown. She was an odd woman and they were eager to discover just what the Hell she was here for and who she was.
“Who the Hell are you?” Peter demanded, still irritated with Rocket for getting them into this situation.
She stopped barely a foot away from and giggled. That was certainly not what they expected.
“My apologies, Peter,” She breathed, recovering from her amusement. “I am Veritas Eunomia. I am also known as Superego, though I prefer the former because I do not care for being compared to my brothers.”
“What do you want?” Gamora questioned, wary of the strange woman before them. “And How do you know his name?”
“He is the famous Star Lord and also a very important hybrid. I want you all to come with me. It won’t be safe here for long. My brothers will follow behind if they haven’t killed each other.” Veritas answered, a sense of urgency building as she looked to the sky.
“No way, Lady. We have to repair our ship and we’ve got somewhere to be.” Peter refused, crossing his arms over his chest.
“What if I could offer you something you’ve always wanted?” She posed, looking a bit desperate but still in control.
“Like what?” Peter challenged, glancing to his crew.
“Answers. I can take you somewhere safe, somewhere that has the answers you’re looking for. You only have to stay there for a few days, until the danger passes.” Veritas tempted, backing away a bit. “If you come with me, you’ll know everything you’ve been longing to have knowledge of. But we must go immediately. It’s not safe here. They will be here soon.”
Veritas anxiously watched them form a circle to discuss the situation. She hoped they would come to a decision soon so that she could either hide them or take them away from here. They were arguing in whispers. Clearly, a couple members did not want any part of this. After a few more minutes of quiet disagreements, they broke away from each other. Peter turned back to Veritas while the others entered the Milano.
“Drax, Gamora and I will come with you. Rocket and Groot are staying behind to repair the ship.” Peter informed her. “I’m sure you know of our reputation, but I’ll warn you anyway. If you try anything funny, we will take you down.”
“I understand.” Veritas agreed, relief flooding through her. “Please quickly gather your things! Bring only the necessities. Anything else like hygienic items, food or water, I can provide.”
Peter nodded and boarded the Milano through its busted open ass end. It was about ten minutes later before the small group started trickling out. Rocket was already working on the ship and Nebula had been relocated to be in the raccoon’s line of sight. Groot was looking quite upset with the situation, not ready to be left with only one member of his family. By all means, he was essentially a baby and therefore it was natural for him to be upset. Gamora picked the tiny tree baby up and cradled him in her arms. Peter approached and smooched the little sprout on his wooden forehead. Gamora followed suit as she saw the tears in his eyes.
“It’s only for a few days. We’ll back before you know it.” Gamora assured him.
“You and Rocket might even be coming to join us,” Peter pointed out. “I’m sure if you help him out, you two will have the ship repaired in no time and be racing through the galaxy for a reunion.”
Groot nodded sadly as he was set down next to Rocket. They said their goodbyes with Gamora and Peter giving the raccoon the option to shoot Nebula if he needed- or even wanted- to. With that, Peter, Gamora and Drax followed Veritas to her ship. They boarded and got settled in while she started the odd machine up. It turned out that Veritas had a few empaths on the ship. Two were male and one was female, all of them with peculiar antennae. The tallest and oldest was a male named Eris, the second oldest was a female named Harmonia, and the youngest, who was also the shortest, was a male named Elpis. All three sat interspersed with two of the Guardians in a lounge area while they awaited their captain and host to join them. Peter had ventured to find Veritas, having a favor he needed to ask of her.
“Hello, Peter.” Veritas greeted, pausing before punching in the coordinates to their destination.
“Hey…” Peter responded, avoiding eye contact with his hands in his pockets.
“Is something the matter?” She asked, noting that he was a bit less confidant and in charge as before.
“Can I ask you a favor?” Peter wondered aloud, still not meeting her gaze.
“You can ask anything, Sweet Boy, but whether I acquiesce depends on what you require of me.” Veritas assured, approaching him and lifting his chin so he’d make eye contact. “Pray tell what you desire of me.”
“I… I-I, uh, was wondering if you’d, um, be willing to make a stop…” Peter stuttered, unsure of whether she meant what she said.
“It depends on where you would like to stop.” She qualified. “You and your family are not my hostages. You are my guests. I will not force, but I will persuade you to act in your best interests as per my knowledge of what they are. You may ask anything of me, but I will not guarantee that I will act in alignment. If I deny a request, you may also request that I explain my reasoning.”
“Okay, thank you.” Peter responded. “I was wondering if you would make a stop on Terra… It’s my mom’s death anniversary and it’s kind of important that I visit her grave. I do it every year to pay my respects and stuff…”
“That is a request I will happily comply with as it also aligns with my goal of getting you as far away from my brothers as possible.” Veritas agreed. “Please, go join your family and relax. I will set the autopilot and join you all with refreshments shortly. My companions will keep you company in the meantime. Feel free to ask them anything. I do not promise they have satisfactory answers, but they will tell you to the best of their knowledge.”
“Sounds good.” Peter submitted with a somber smile.
As he rejoined the others, he found Gamora looking quite uncomfortable wedged between Harmonia and Eris. Drax couldn’t have looked more jovial if he tried as he sat on the other side of Harmonia with Elpis on his other side. Gamora looked up at Peter with an expression that reminded the Terran of the phrase, ‘if looks could kill.’ If that were more than just a saying, he was sure he and the others would have been dead a thousand times over already. He wedged himself between Harmonia and Gamora, feeling the relief roll off her at having one less empath too close for comfort.
“Where did you disappear to?” Gamora inquired in a whisper.
“I went to talk to Veritas.” Peter shrugged, watching Elpis place a hand to Drax’s forehead and burst into laughter- the Destroyer’s good mood was certainly infectious.
“And?” She pressed.
“Fine. I asked if we could make a stop along the way.” Peter huffed, wishing he would’ve just gone back to the quarters Veritas had given him. “It’s an important day for me and we have to make a stop on Terra.”
“I thought there was nothing left on Terra for you?”
“There’s not. Well, not for me to stay…” Peter sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to give up until her told her. “It’s my mom’s death anniversary. I need to stop by her grave and pay my respects.”
Before Gamora could comment, Veritas joined their group with a large tray piled with glasses of ice water and dishes with small snack foods varying from bits of fruit to cheese, crackers and salami. She set the tray down and took a seat next to Eris with a sigh of contentment. It had been a long time since she had this much company.
“Please, help yourselves. There is iced water and some light foods to munch on.” Veritas encouraged. “I simply wish to make this journey a pleasant experience. A small vacation from the dangers you face every day.”
“Why do you take so much interest in us?” Gamora interrogated, suspicious of her motives.
“Well, you are what stands between us and then end of all we know.” Veritas lied, hoping the Zehoberei woman wouldn’t catch on.
“Just as many people want us dead for what we’ve done.” Gamora challenged.
“Fair enough.” Veritas sighed.
“So what is your real reason?” Gamora pressed.
“Gamora! Stop already!” Peter hissed. “She’s not kidnapping us or anything.”
“How do you know?” Gamora hissed back.
“Because she told me.”
“So she explained everything?”
“Well, not everything… At least not ye-”
They were startled when they heard a loud thump next to them. As they looked over to Drax, they saw that Harmonia had a hand on his forehead and that he was definitely asleep.
“I am sorry. He asked if I could really make him sleep and insisted I try it on him.” Harmonia sheepishly explained as she pulled her hand back to her lap.
They all sat there for moment, the two Guardians left awake were somewhat impressed. They were brought back to the moment when Veritas cleared her throat.
“Ms. Gamora, you can ask anything you like. I may not always have the best answers but I will give what I have.” Veritas informed her. “I admit my interest in Peter is familial.”
“Wait, what?” Peter questioned, unsure of what she meant. “Like you’re my long lost relative or that you wanna like get married and have my babies familial?”
“I believe the former is the most accurate.” Veritas chuckled.
“Now, hold on a second! I’m not comfortable marrying a complete stranger.” Peter clarified, putting his hands up in front of him.
“Peter, that possibility is referred to as the latter in the structure of your sentence. The former refers to the option that came first.” Gamora explained, amazed at his denseness. “She’s trying to say that you’re her long lost relative in some way.”
“Oh… That makes much more sense.” Peter noted. “So does that mean you’re Terran?”
“No. I am from your father’s side.” Veritas frowned.
“Why do you frown when you mention Peter’s father?” Gamora jumped in, having a bad feeling about all of this.
“It is a long story for when we reach the safe place. I will explain once Peter has gotten the answers he seeks.” Veritas responded, smoothing her skirt.
They talked about trivial things for the remainder of the day cycle. Upon reaching the beginning of the night cycle, they all retired to their respective quarters- except for Drax, who was still unconscious in the communal area. Peter and his crew’s sleeping quarters were in one part of the ship and Veritas and her crew were in a separate part, so when Veritas escorted him to his room aboard the surprisingly spacious craft, Peter was thoroughly confused. It was even weirder when she tucked him into bed, it reminded him of his mother and that wasn’t necessarily a wanted memory at that point.
“I know you have a great many questions,” Veritas began. “And I promise I have a great many answers, but here and now is not the time and place for such a revealing conversation.”
“Can you at least explain why you tucked me in?” Peter prompted, surprisingly content with practically being swaddled in the luxurious bedding.
“You won’t have remembered, but I did know you when you were just a baby. You were the most beautiful, sweet little half-Terran.” Veritas answered, running her hands through his soft tawny locks. “I missed helping take care of you and I couldn’t resist the desire to do so again now that you’re with me.”
“So, are you like my aunt or something?” Peter yawned.
“Or something. I’ll explain more when we reach our safe hold.” Veritas promised, kissing his forehead. “Goodnight, Little Star Lord.”
Once she was sure he was asleep, Veritas departed to her own quarters. She didn’t necessarily need to sleep, but it was nice way to relax. She changed into a white cotton floor length nightgown and got into bed. It had been a long time since she was able to slip into a resting state. As she thought about it, Veritas realized it was around the time the Peter came into the galaxy. The Milky Way seemed much brighter back then. She only wished she could tell him everything, but there were certain things he wasn’t meant to know. It was safer that way.
As soon as the next day cycle began, Veritas arose, donning a black and white polka dot dress reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn’s style. She had discovered the Terran on one of her many trips to Earth and adored her sense of style. The 1940s on Terra was a good century for fashion in her opinion. Once dressed, she checked their trajectory. If the estimations were correct, they would be landing near the cemetery in Missouri where Meredith Quill was laid to rest by the time breakfast was over. With a wistful smile she moved onto making a hearty breakfast for everyone. Veritas settled on french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, and a diced mixture of strawberries and bananas. She figured Peter would appreciate a breakfast from his childhood on such a hard day. She set the table in the ‘mess’ hall and headed off to awaken everyone. She began with Eris, Harmonia, and Elpis in the crew’s quarters. She helped Harmonia style her hair and encouraged the empath siblings to join everyone for breakfast. Veritas then moved onto her guests, beginning with Drax since he was on her way to the others.
“Mr. Drax, breakfast is waiting in the dining hall.” Veritas informed him as he awoke.
“Breakfast?” Drax yawned as he stood and stretched.
“Yes, I made more than enough for everyone.” She assured him.
“What did you make?” Drax inquired.
“A favorite of Peter’s. When he was little, he loved French toast with scrambled eggs, bacon and a mixture of strawberries and bananas so that is what I have made.” Veritas elaborated. “I understand Terrans have an easier time dealing with difficult or complicated things when they have some form of comfort to fall back on, such as meals from their childhood or objects of comfort like blankets or songs.”
“That must be true. Quill is only in a good mood during difficult jobs if he has had a favorite meal, snuggled with what I once heard him call his baby blanket, and has his Walkman.” Drax agreed. “I shall await the others in the mess hall. Thank you, scrawny woman.”
Veritas rolled her eyes with an affectionate smile. She knew all about his culture and their idea of what was attractive in a mate, which meant she already knew he disapproved of her preferred form. As she moved towards the guest quarters, she ran into Gamora, who was already dressed and pulling her hair back into a ponytail.
“Good Morning, Ms. Gamo-” Veritas began.
“It’s Just Gamora, Veritas.” The Zehoberein interrupted her.
“My apologies, Gamora.” Veritas responded. “I just wanted to wish you a good morning and encourage you to indulge in the breakfast I have prepared and served in the dining hall. It is one of Peter’s favorites from his childhood. I hope you will enjoy it as well.”
“Thank you, Veritas.” Gamora replied. “Is everyone already awake?”
“Most are, but Peter is still asleep. I was just going to wake him.”
“I’ll join the others and wait for him in the dining hall.” Gamora stated, not sure how she felt about the odd woman being so involved with Peter already.
“We shall join you shortly.” Veritas reassured her with a soft smile and hands folded in front of her.
Gamora departed with a nod and Veritas continued to Peter’s room. She knocked first and waited for a reply. Upon not receiving even a groan, she entered to find him still thoroughly passed out. He was sprawled across the bed on his stomach like a starfish with a large spot of drool on his pillow and still trickling from his mouth. It was such a heart-warming, familiar sight. Veritas could recall seeing him only months old and sleeping the exact same way. She grinned as she approached and sat on the of the bed. She reached out and pet his hair, humming “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra. She and Meredith used to sing it to Peter when he was just a baby, a memory she cherished.
“Mama…?” Peter mumbled, still half asleep as he slowly blinked at her.
“Not the one you remember, Sweet Baby.” Veritas murmured, kissing his forehead. “I came to wake you for breakfast. I made your favorite, French toast and all the extras.”
“Scrambled eggs, bacon, and bitesize strawberries and bananas, too?” Peter tested, much more awake as he pushed himself up.
“Yes, Peter. It’s all waiting for you in the dining hall along with your family. I will step out and wait for you to dress. Then I will happily walk you to the dining hall.” Veritas confirmed, getting to her feet with one last tousle of the hybrid’s hair.
Peter shot out of bed as she stepped out, giggling all the while. He had grown so much but he was still the same precious boy she remembered. Veritas sighed as she remembered that Yondu Udonta still needed to be confronted. She wasn’t sure how Peter would handle discovering the truth, but she was going to have a familiar face to help ease the pain and horror afterwards. The problem was in the fact that the Centurion had threatened Peter as a way to keep in line growing up and she was confident that would do more harm than good if the half-Terran responded the way she expected.
“Alright, let’s get some grub!” Peter enthused as he stepped out, allowing Veritas to take his hand as if he were a child that would wander.
He wasn’t sure what it was about her, but something was familiar and it was actually fairly comforting to receive affection and positive touch from the Terran looking being. He glanced at her to see that she was positively glowing as she lead him to the dining hall. It was nice to see someone so happy for once. The Guardians had their moments, but there were usually still rough undertones hiding behind the smiles and laughter. With Veritas, it was different and more genuine, like anything but contentment and happiness didn’t exist.
“Good morning, Quill.” Drax greeted, pausing in his consumption to utter the sentiment.
“Morning, Peter.” Gamora spoke up.
“Hey, guys.” Peter responded, taking a seat at the head of the table as Veritas pulled the chair out for him. “How’s the food?”
“It is delightful.” Drax offered, stuffing an entire piece of syrup drenched French toast into his mouth.
“Breakfast is delicious. Veritas is a good cook.” Gamora added, taking a bite of the mixed fruit.
“Right?! It’s my favorite breakfast.” Peter gushed, happily accepting the nearly overloaded plate that was placed before him. “Thanks, Veritas.”
They exchanged pleasantries and talked of the time it would take to get to their destination. Once breakfast was over, everyone chipped in to help clean up. Veritas departed to oversee the landing in Missouri near the cemetery. The others went back to the commons to await the announcement of their successful docking on Terra. It seemed like only a matter of minutes before Veritas retrieved them to depart to Meredith’s grave.
It was early afternoon when they set foot on the grass next to the headstone that denoted Peter’s mother. It was surrounded by flowers from loved ones, her friends and family, and a few trinkets that were in weather-proof boxes that were tethered to the headstone. Peter felt awful as he realized he hadn’t thought to even bring flowers for his dear mother. Thankfully for him, Veritas was a step ahead with sprigs of lavender and lilacs along with baby’s breath. She handed the blue ribbon bound bouquet to him and watched as he lovingly placed it on her grave. The empathic siblings could feel the grief in the air between their caretaker and the hybrid. They desperately wished to make the ache go away, to cheer up the ones around them, but Veritas had told them that they needed to feel and express the grief so altering their emotions was off-limits this time.
“It is time to go, Sweet Pea.” Veritas softly stated, resting a hand on the small of his back. “We must get to the safe place before the others find us.”
“Yeah… Okay.” Peter sniffled, taking her hand and then Gamora’s.
They all walked silently back to Veritas’ vessel and departed Terra. Peter watched through the window as the planet he was born and raised on grew smaller and smaller until it was nearly a speck. As he turned his attention towards the coordinates Veritas was punching in, he recognized their ultimate destination to be Xandar. Peter had not been expecting that to be the safe place she kept mentioning, but it made sense with Nova Corps being based there. There weren’t many who dared to piss off Nova Corps so it was safe to say that the planet that held their base was the best place to be. Unfortunately, it felt like forever before they reached Xandar since Peter’s heart was still heavy with grief and his mind reeling with all the questions he wanted answers to.
“Peter, we’ve arrived.” Veritas informed him with a gentle hand on the small of his back. “Are you ready to get the answers you seek?”
“Yeah… Yeah, I am.” Peter responded with a distracted look on his face. “Let’s go round up the others.”
They left the command center and moved to the commons to collect everyone else. Spirits weren’t very high for anyone, it seemed. The others had fallen into surprisingly comfortable silence with Veritas and Peter at the helm. Gamora, for the first time since she was a tiny child, was nearly startled when the pair came to collect everyone. She had been so lost in thought, wondering what exactly they were about to learn, that she hadn’t even noticed them approaching despite their echoing footsteps. No one but Peter and Veritas knew where they were so it was quite the shock to be greeted with Nova Corps Headquarters when they departed from the spacecraft.
Veritas lead the way with the Guardians hot on her heels and the empath siblings bringing up the rear. Veritas talked in hushed tones with each guard they encountered. None of them had been to the areas that she was taking them through so everything was new and odd. Most of the places were hallways with meeting rooms, offices or labs branching off of them. Then they took an elevator down to the lowest level of the complex. There were signs warning that only authorized persons were allowed beyond the following points and trespassing may result in the death penalty. Upon reaching the observation room attached to their destination room, the three Guardians realized why the penalty was so severe. They were just outside of the Core, which held the Nova Force. It was said that it would drive the sanest person mad if they were exposed for longer than a few minutes at a time. Veritas had seen the effects herself and it was true depending on the race of the being attempting to endure it. She was confidant that Peter would come out with minimal effects if any at all, thanks to his half-breed lineage.
“Peter, your answers are in there. I would just tell you myself, but I know for a fact that you would never trust my answers.” Veritas explained. “If your friends are curious, I will answer their questions myself because it is too dangerous to expose them to the Nova Force.”
“Then why are you sending me in there?” Peter questioned, not liking the plan one bit.
“Because your lineage on your father’s side gives you a sort of immunity to most, if not all, the negative side effects of it.” Veritas answered. “Please trust me on this.”
“How am I supposed to trust you when I don’t know you?”
“I know it’s asking a lot, but I’ve been around for longer than you can believe.”
“Okay, fine. At least tell me what the Nova Force is supposed to be able to do.” Peter sighed, running a hand through his short, wavy locks.
“Well, Xandar is known for its vast information and advanced technology. The Nova Force powers it all and maintains that flow of knowledge. Not many realize that it is not just an energy source, it is somewhat of a complex living thing.” Veritas explained. “It knows just as much, if not more, than any Xandarian computer. Please, just go in and get your answers.”
Peter nodded, taking a deep breath and going into the containment chamber. Within minutes he was in with the Nova Force, the light of it making it almost impossible to see him. They waited a few minutes and watched for any sign of the Terran returning. It didn’t appear that Peter was coming back from the Core any time soon so Gamora decided to get some answers for their peculiar host. Who was she that Nova Corps just let her walk right through everything and take whoever she desired with her?
“What and who are you?” Gamora demanded, her eyes still glued to what little outline she could make out of Peter’s form.
“I am Superego, but I have taken the name Veritas Eunomia. Veritas refers to truthfulness and integrity while Eunomia refers to civil order. I know I have not been aligned with my name since we’ve met considering how much I’ve withheld, but there are somethings that Peter Jason Quill does not need to know.” Veritas frowned, watching Gamora as she spoke. “I am one of three parts to what is known as the Celestial Psyche. On Terra, where Peter was born, the scientists developed what they call the Tripartite Theory of Personality. This concept suggests that personality is broken into three systems that synthesize at different stages in one’s life. One of the systems is referred to as Id, which is the most primitive of them all. It focuses on sexual instinct, Eros and what is commonly called the death instinct, centering around aggressive behaviors.”
“Wait, what does this theory have to do with anything related to Quill?” Gamora prodded.
“I’m getting there. Please allow me to finish.” Veritas responded, noticing that even Drax seemed intrigued. “Id insists that every impulse should be acted on and as soon as possible, no matter what consequences may follow. On the opposite end of the spectrum is superego. It expects one to operate down to the most miniscule rules and expectations of society, often causing a person to feel bad or guilty for wanting to do something different. In the middle is ego, a kind of mediator that compromises between the demands of Id and constraints of Superego. Together, they make up the psyche. I am the embodiment of Superego and I am a Celestial.”
Gamora was silent as she thought over all the information that Veritas just dumped on her before she responded, “So if you are Superego and you have brothers, doesn’t that mean that they are the Id and Ego from that theory?”
“Unfortunately, you are correct.” Veritas confirmed, meeting Gamora’s gaze as she tore her eyes from Peter.
“But if you all follow the parts of the psyche with embodiments as Celestials, wouldn’t Id be the only one we need to worry about?”
“Normally, yes, but Ego has been corrupted by our oldest brother. Ego and I are twins in terms of when we both came to exist. We even had the same idea for the future, creating halflings that would be part Celestial and part other race. We intended to make two halflings per race to create the optimal future society of cultural diversity, but with Id constantly shadowing Ego, his vision was corrupted with the desire for expansion and perfection rather than our original vision. Id’s vision of expansion corrupted our ideals to simultaneously preserve and evolve existing societies.” Veritas elaborated, a few glowing tears falling down her face. “We used to be so close, but then Id came between us…”
“What happened to all the halflings?” Gamora pressed.
“There are none other than Peter. We did create lives with various races, but we had agreed that if they bore no Celestial genetics, we would leave them on their home planets. If they desired to meet us as they got older, we would return and eventually invite them to move to our home planets. They could decline of course.” Veritas added, wiping her tears away as she sniffled. “Ego did not keep to our agreement… He is a threat to all, more so than even Id because he is much more ambitious, more determined than our brother.”
“Which one of you is Peter Quill’s father? What did Ego do?”
Before Veritas could answer her, they were startled by Peter’s agonized screams echoing from the Core. Gamora was ready to dash in to save him but found herself held back by empaths who put her and Drax to sleep for their own safety. The Celestial ran into the core and took the Terran halfling into her arms. The Core was a mere tickle to her compared to what it would do an average being of any race that existed. Halflings could withstand more if they carried active Celestial genetics because of the resistances they held. Veritas carried Peter out to the observation room. Upon the Celestial’s orders, her empaths followed behind her, carrying the other Guardians, as she departed Nova Corps headquarters to re-board her starship. Just like the previous night-cycle, Veritas tucked Peter in but she stayed by his bedside this time. Elpis and Harmonia stopped by to notify her that the others were tucked in as well while Eris took over their flight path.
The Celestial knew there was something off about Peter now that he had seen the truth so it was time to hide him somewhere safe. Everyone would be out for a day and night cycle if her approximations were correct. While they were out, she would take them to through the galaxy to Superego, where everything was just so. On the way, she would get in contact with Yondu Udonta so he could be a part of whatever happened next. She was certain her lover would appreciate the update and the chance to mend past wounds. More importantly, Veritas needed his help, though he would likely start a fight over what she planned to do.