[center][h2]THOR AND STAR-LORD[/h2] [b]IN[/b] [h2]GIMME SHELTER[/h2][/center] [hr] Star-Lord rocketed towards the explosions and flashes of light he saw in the distance, his [url=https://youtu.be/bmfudW7rbG0]Walkman blaring[/url] into his ears. Even from this distance he could see the landing craft touching down on the streets of Knowhere. Beneath him, he could see people fleeing from the attack. It made his blood boil, if he was being honest. Quill was in most things for himself, that much was sure. But he made his living conning and stealing from rich assholes and jackasses. He couldn't stomach people picking on the weak, and he wasn't gonna let that pass. He brought himself low to the ground as he approached ground zero. He weaved in and out of the fleeing civilians, using his impeccable flying skills to do so. He knew approaching the enemy from below would give him the opportunity to take them by surprise with the rocket boots. It looked like the invaders were using the square a few clicks away as a staging area. What he saw in the square took him aback. He saw the attackers, and they were unlike anything Peter had ever seen before. They looked like a mix of insects and robots. Their dull-purple skin shined in the light, with segments at the joints revealing it to be a kind of exoskeleton. But weaved int with their natural armor were gold accents that looked both like armor and wiring. It glowed with currents running through it, like a luminescent communications. Their mandibled faces chattered with excitement as they fired into the escaping crowds. [color=9e0b0f]"I don't know what the hell you are, but you're not killing anyone else!"[/color] He opened fire with the Element Guns, ripping through them easily. But they kept coming. One after another, almost like they had no love for their friends. Maybe they didn't. They looked like bugs. For all he knew they were some sort of hive mind. What was best for the colony was best for the individual. Losing one meant nothing when there were hundreds more to take their place. The wave of the creatures climbed over the dead bodies of their kin to get towards him. They fired at him with lance-like rifles, pushing him back into the air. While there, he saw a pair of sleigh-like attack skiffs coming towards him. Before they reached his location, however, a dumpster flew through the air and took the two of them out. Quill shook his head in amazement before peering down to the street. There, brandishing two swords and smeared in the creatures' blood was Thor. Quill had never seen anyone who looked as natural in the thick of battle as his new traveling partner. Thor rushed into the throng of alien creatures, slashing and hacking with the swords. He cut through them as if they were nothing, and before Peter could blink dozens of them laid at Thor's feet. The man seemed to gain strength with ever invader he cut down. He beckoned more and more to come at him, tearing through them as if they were characters in a video game. Suddenly the hum of more of the attack skiffs came in over the music in Peter's ears. He looked and saw they were making a beeline for Thor. Instead, he moved to cut them off. [color=9e0b0f]"Watch out, big guy!"[/color] he called to his new partner as he swooped over the gargantuan man's head, opening fire with his weapons. He watched as the blast tore through the control module of the front skiff, knocking it off course. It wobbled back and forth before the pilot lost control completely, slamming into its partner and causing both craft to go up in a fiery explosion. [color=7ea7d8][b]"Well struck, Peter Quill!"[/b][/color] Thor called to him, reveling in the victory. [color=9e0b0f]"Thanks! But call me Star-Lord!"[/color] Peter corrected the barbarian. [color=7ea7d8][b]"HA! I will do no such thing!"[/b][/color] Thor chuckled deeply at Quill as he bashed two of the aliens' heads together. [color=7ea7d8][b]"Star-Lord! HA!"[/b][/color] [color=9e0b0f]"Come on, man,"[/color] Quill grumbled to himself. [center]**********[/center] The heat of battle was like a save to Thor's troubles. While he reaped Chitauri as if they were wheat in a field, they still managed to score some shots on him. Still, the small cuts and burns their weapons left on him did nothing but fuel his berserker rage further. The pain melded with the high of battle like the most powerful ambrosia he had ever tasted. One Chitauri fell in front of him and was immediately replaced by another, as if they had been made to be felled by him. Overhead, Peter Quill buzzed about like the Greek God Mercury taking out the flying Chitauri buzzards. He was showy, and Thor did not enjoy the use of firearms, but the God of Thunder had to admit the boy was skilled. He had a way of baiting the invaders into a trap, often resulting in the destruction of multiple fatalities for the aliens. As effectively as they were sending their enemies to the gates of Hel, Thor knew that the they wouldn't be able to do this forever. Eventually the Chitauri would be able to overwhelm them. That's how they had conquered countless civilizations before Thor and Odin had taken them off the board. They were ravenous monsters. They consumed and moved on before consuming another world. Thor had always been disgusted by the way they did not think twice about extinguishing life. All that being said, he had to admire their tactics, and he knew that they would win here eventually. [color=fdc68a][/color] the voice of Cosmo echoed through his head. [color=fdc68a][/color] [color=7ea7d8][b][/b][/color] Thor responded. [color=7ea7d8][b]"Quill!"[/b][/color] he called to the man flying around above him. [color=7ea7d8][b]"Come down here! I require your assistance!"[/b][/color] The rocket-booted pirate touched down a few yards from the Asgardian, firing his guns and cutting his way towards Thor, [color=9e0b0f]"What do you need, big guy?"[/color] [color=7ea7d8][b]"We need to keep their focus here,"[/b][/color] Thor directed him. [color=7ea7d8][b]"The station is going to destroy the main craft, but we need to make sure the landing troops are attacking us."[/b][/color] [color=9e0b0f]"Hey, I don't do anything better than being a distraction,"[/color] Quill chuckled next to Thor. [color=7ea7d8][b]"Well done,"[/b][/color] Thor rumbled. [color=7ea7d8][b]"Let us make Valhalla proud!"[/b][/color] The two warriors rushed into the remaining invaders. They worked well together, Thor had to admit. He tore into the advancing hordes while the guns of Star-Lord kept the skiffs at bay. While Quill was mostly unremarkable, Thor was happy to know that he could hold his own in battle. It meant he was a mortal of worth. At least there was that small miracle. As the took out the last of the ground troops, a loud humming filled Thor's ears. He looked up to see one of the eye sockets of the Celestial begin to glow. It fired a crimson beam outward at the Chitauri cruiser, which promptly exploded into a brilliant ball of green. "Bitchin'," Quill marveled. "Aye," Thor nodded. "Bitchin' indeed." Cosmo's voice announced the dogs presence as he padded into the square. [color=9e0b0f]"Is that a psychic Russian dog?"[/color] Peter recoiled. [color=7ea7d8][b]"Yes. I take it they are not normal?"[/b][/color] [color=9e0b0f]"Hell no, dude,"[/color] Quill motioned in amazement. [color=fdc68a][/color] [color=7ea7d8][b]"Nay, Cosmo,"[/b][/color] Thor shook his head. [color=7ea7d8][b]"Our quest continues."[/b][/color] [center]**********[center] The Milano took off from the docking bay and moved to make a jump. In front of Yondu, his screen lit up, showing the ship's likely coordinates. The ship blinked from his view, and he turned to his second in command, [color=0076a3]"Did we get the jump coordinates?"[/color] [color=598527]"Yes, Cap'n,"[/color] Kraglin responded with a gap-filled smile. [color=598527]"But why we goin' after Quill? Sure he's been trouble, but he always comes through in the end, don't he?"[/color] [color=0076a3]"Yea, he does,"[/color] Yondu shrugged, but put the wanted poster that just came over the bounty hunting network on the ship's main screen. On it, both Quill and his blond friend appear, with a number with way too many zeroes to ignore next to them. [color=0076a3]"But sometime it don't make sense to ignore a pay day."[/color] With that, the Ravager frigate jumped off to follow the Milano.