C29 Unwilling Damsel


    <span>Check out early ess chapters on my Patréon, currently 11 chapters ahead!


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    <span>A/N: 2 Chapters Today! Also, I edited a line in thest chapter to rify why Peter got mad and chose to save Neb even though he doesn''t know her. It''s basically because her situation reminded him of how Windu found him on Yondu''s ship :)


    <span>In the corridors of the Kree gship, the tension between Master and Apprentice escted with every step they took toward the prison sector. Their path was marked by the sounds ofbat, as each encounter with Kree soldiers became a sh, leaving the halls filled with incapacitated bodies.


    <span>Peter, driven by a fury ignited by the Kree''s cruel actions against a seemingly innocent child, moved with a determination that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. His attacks on the soldiers were ruthless,bining his force-enhanced strength and the skills he''s honed for over three years in the Jedi Temple, leaving a path of defeated Kree in his wake.


    <span>Windu, though hesitant at first, found himself drawn into the fray, working in tandem with his apprentice. Yet, his heart wasn''t in the fight—not like Peter''s. He fought because he had to look after his student, not because he wanted to.


    <span>Of course, he felt bad for the poor, captured girl, but saving her wasn''t their mission. Their mission was far greater than just a single life.


    <span>Windu nced over at Peter, his mind clouded with the Jedi code, which preached detachment and warned against letting his emotions sway him, which his apprentice was most definitely doing right now…


    <span>Their journey through the ship was punctuated by their arguments, their voices low but filled with intensity. "Peter, we must think this through," Windu urged, blocking a punch from an oing soldier before knocking him out with a swift, calcted strike. "Rushing in, driven by your emotions, will only lead to recklessness."


    <span>Peter, however, was unmoved. "That''s where you''re wrong," he retorted,unching another unsuspecting group of soldiers against the wall with a gesture of his hand. "Sometimes, you gotta listen to what your gut''s telling you. And mine is screaming that leaving that girl to suffer isn''t the Jedi way—or at least, it shouldn''t be."


    <span>"Besides," Peter continued, ncing back at his master. "My emotions aren''t controlling me. I''m simply doing what I know is right…"


    <span>The discord between them grew as they advanced, their differing views shing as fiercely as their assault on the Kree.


    <span>Windu''s calm, controlled approach tobat contrasted sharply with Peter''s aggressive tactics. Yet, despite their disagreements, they were a formidable force, theirbined strength leaving no soldier standing in their path.


    <span>As they neared the entrance to the prison sector, Windu continued lecturing Peter, "…you still have much to learn, Peter. Acting on impulse, and emotion, even if you''re still in control—these are the ways of the dark side, not the Jedi. We must always remain aware, yet detached from our emotions, something you''re evidently struggling with."


    <span>Instantly, Peter''s frustration boiled over. He stopped abruptly, turning to face Windu with fire in his eyes. "You keep rambling on about the Jedi code, but what aboutpassion? What about defending those who can''t defend themselves?" he demanded, his voice echoing through the empty corridor.


    <span>Windu, taken aback by the intensity of Peter''s words, remained silent for a moment. The Jedi Master was known for his wisdom and experience, yet in that moment, he seemed to be searching for answers.


    <span>"Has this be the way of the Jedi? iming to be guardians of peace yet standing by while innocent people are left to suffer?" Peter continued, his anger giving way to a profound disappointment. "Because if that''s the case, then maybe I''ve been wasting thest three years of my life."


    <span>The question hung in the air between them, a challenge that went beyond their current mission. It was a question of morality, of the very essence of what it meant to be a Jedi.


    <span>Windu''s expression softened, the weight of Peter''s words sinking in. "The Jedi are guardians of peace and justice," he began slowly, his voice steady. "But perhaps, in our pursuit of detachment, we''ve forgotten the importance ofpassion..."


    <span>The acknowledgment didn''t instantly heal the rift between them, but it offered a glimmer of understanding.


    <span>"d you could finally take that stick out of your a*s and think properly," Petermented, a smile on his face. "It must have been jammed pretty far up there…"


    <span>"Language…" Windu warned, his expression morphing to match his apprentice.


    <span>As the tension between them began to fade, suddenly, the sound of rms red through the corridors.


    <span>Peter and Windu froze, turning their attention to the urgent wail that echoed off the metal walls. The tension between them may have vanished, but now another sort of tension began to rise.


    <span>Closing his eyes, Peter reached out with the Force, his senses expanding to epass the entire ship, feeling a flurry of activity converging on their location. The life signatures of countless soldiers, previously scattered throughout the ship, now moved with a singr purpose toward them.


    <span>"It''s like a swarm," Peter muttered, a frown creasing his brow as he estimated their numbers. "We''ve got-"


    <span>Before he could finish speaking, Windu, sensing the same impending threat through the Force, cut him off. "I know. They must have finally figured out what''s going on. We don''t have much time, let''s find that girl and get out of here, quickly." He said, his voice low and urgent.


    <span>"Guess we''re finally on the same page now," Peter said with a quick, appreciative smile. Windu merely nodded, his focus already shifting towards their next move.


    <span>————


    <span>In a dimly lit prison cell, Neb sat curled up on the cold metal floor, her gaze vacant and defeated. The tears that had once threatened to overwhelm her had dried up an hour ago, leaving behind a deep, unshakeable sense of despair.


    <span>She had long since given up any hope of escape or rescue. After all, her life seemed to be an endless cycle of suffering—first thanks to her father, Thanos, and now the Kree.


    <span>The sound of a distant rm briefly pierced her bubble of destion. She lifted her head, her eyes narrowing as she tried to decipher the cause of themotion. A flicker of curiosity sparked within her, though it was quickly extinguished by the cold reality of her situation.


    <span>Most prisoners might cling to hope, imagining a rescuering for them or dreaming of an opportunity to escape. But Neb knew better. Hope was a luxury she couldn''t afford. Who woulde for her? Thanos? The thought was almostughable. She''d rather meet her end in this cell than get saved by her tyrant of a father.


    <span>Resigned to her fate, she barely reacted to the sound of footsteps approaching her cell. She assumed it was just another guard passing by or perhaps returning to taunt her. She didn''t even bother to stand, let alone prepare for any confrontation.


    <span>But then, the footsteps stopped right outside her cell, and confusion mingled with a hint of fear. She watched, frozen, as a ck energy de, pulsating with white light, suddenly pierced through the door.


    <span>The de moved with precision, cutting through the metal as easily as if it were butter. Neb scrambled backward, her heart pounding, pressing herself against the wall as if it could offer any real protection.


    <span>The door, now severed from its hinges, ttered to the ground with a resounding thud. Standing in the doorway was a figure she had never expected to see—a handsome boy in slim, form-fitting Jedi robes, holding an all-ck lightsaber at his side.


    <span>Peter Quill waved casually as he deactivated his lightsaber, clipping it back onto his belt. "Hey there," he said with a grin that was both reassuring and out of ce in the grim surroundings. "I came to save you."


    <span>Neb stared at him, her mind racing. This boy, this Jedi, hade for her? Why? Her initial shock slowly gave way to a wariness borne from years of hardship and maniption. Yet, despite her suspicions, she couldn''t deny the small ember of hope that his presence kindled within her.


    <span>"Why?" she finally managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes never left Peter''s, searching for any hint of deceit or hidden agenda.


    <span>But all she found was a simple, kind-hearted sincerity that she hadn''t seen in a long, long time. "I saw what happened to you back in the hangar," Peter began, his voice calm and empathetic. "I couldn''t just walk away and leave you here."


    <span>Neb''s eyes, sharp with suspicion, remained fixed on him. "Why? You don''t even know me. Why go through all this trouble?" Her voice was tinged with disbelief, not used to the concept of someone risking their life for her without an ulterior motive.


    <span>Peter simply smiled, casually introducing himself despite the circumstances. "I''m Peter. And you are?"


    <span>Reluctantly, she responded, "Neb."


    <span>Instantly, recognition sparked in Peter''s eyes. "Neb…" he murmured, noting the few cybeic enhancements along her body. Quicklyposing himself, he offered her a warm, reassuring smile. "Well, now I know you, and you know me. So, can I save you now, or were you nning on staying here indefinitely?"


    <span>"I haven''t decided yet," Neb replied, her voice t, betraying the depth of her resignation.


    <span>Peter''s concern deepened at her words, sensing the profound despair that had taken root in her. But before he could respond, Windu''s voice echoed from around the corner, urging them to hurry. "Peter, we need to move now. It won''t be long before they''re here..."


    <span>Choosing to ignore Windu''s urgency for the moment, Peter focused on the person in front of him. Neb''s spirit seemed as fractured as her body, her will to live extinguished by years of suffering.


    <span>"Well, If you''re not leaving, then neither am I," he dered, half-joking yet entirely serious, taking a seat on the floor across from her. "We can stay here together, and either die or get locked up forever, I guess."


    <span>Neb''s frustration rose at his nonchnt attitude toward danger. "Just leave already," she snapped, the first sign of life in her voice since he''d arrived.


    <span>But Peter remained unfazed, his resolve clear. "Are youing with me?" he asked, meeting her gaze. When she didn''t respond, he shrugged, adding, "Then I guess I''m staying. Can''t leave you here all by yourself, can I?"


    <span>The absurdity of the situation finally broke through Neb''s walls. With a huff of annoyance, she stood, facing away from him. "Fine, I''ll leave with you. But only to get you out of here," she conceded, her tone begrudging yetced with a reluctant gratitude. Deep down, she recognized the rarity of his kindness, even if she wasn''t ready to fully ept or admit it.


    <span>Peter grinned, standing up to join her. "That''s more like it." He said, noticing how injured she seemed. "Now hop on and let''s get out of here…"


    <span>"Huh?" Neb grunted in confusion as Peter turned around and dropped to one knee, ncing back at her expectantly. "What are you doing?" She asked.


    <span>"Giving you a ride, now hop on." He instructed, ready to give her a piggy back ride.


    <span>"No, I can walk on my own…" She turned him down.


    <span>Peter''s patience thinned as Neb stubbornly refused his offer. "Look, we''re going to be moving fast, faster than you can on your own—especially in your condition," he exined, trying to reason with her onest time. Yet, her response was a defiant cross of her arms, signaling a clear refusal.


    <span>With a sigh of exasperation, Peter decided that enough was enough. He stood, swiftly closed the distance between them, and without warning, scooped Neb into his arms in a princess carry. "We don''t have time for this," he said firmly, as he stepped out of the cell, holding her.


    <span>Neb, caught off guard by his sudden action, iled and protested loudly, "Put me down! I can walk on my own!" But Peter focused on the task at hand and ignored herints as they quickly met up with Windu, who waited around the corner.


    <span>And the moment they started running, Neb realized the truth in Peter''s words. The world around them blurred, their speed rivaling that of a low-powered speeder.


    <span>Overwhelmed and unable to maintain her initial resistance, Neb instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around Peter''s neck, her face warming with a blush of embarrassment at the closeness.


    <span>Dodging and weaving through the ship, they managed to avoid most of the soldiers, dispatching those they couldn''t avoid with swift precision and coordination.


    <span>However, as they entered the hangar where their ship awaited, they came to an abrupt stop, the sight before them halting them in their tracks. Ronan the user stood there, nked by his most elite guards, his gaze fixed on them with a chilling intensity.


    <span>A/N: 2140 words :)<span><span>