[color=gray][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/01999aaf-3f89-7769-8311-808050322667.webp[/img][INDENT][COLOR=SILVER][SUB][SUP][H3][b]KNOWHERE[/b][/H3][/SUP][/SUB][SUB]Edge of Galactic Rim - Andromeda Galaxy[/SUB]
[SUP][i]Two Years Ago[/i][/SUP][/color][INDENT]Knowhere was like nothing Clark had seen on Earth. The city within the skull stood before him like something out of a dystopian cyberpunk novel. Ships of all shapes and sizes moved in lanes all around the suspended walkways as Rocket led Clark further into the strange place. Neon-like lighting cast various hues and colours, some of which Clark had never seen, on the buildings around them before the oversized rodent-like creature came to a stop at a door.

Wrapping his knuckles against the metal surface in a distinct pattern, it suddenly slid open, bringing Clark face to face with what he could only describe as a life-sized version of a cereal mascot. Standing nearly a head taller than Clark was a broad-shouldered, feline-like creature, complete with sabre-teeth protruding from its top lip and hooking over the bottom. It looked from Rocket to Clark and back to Rocket again before black lips parted to release a low rumbling growl.

[color=#ffffff]“Private establishment.”[/color] The alien stated, a thunderous voice rumbled from its throat. [color=#ffffff]“Rocket knows better.”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“C’mon on Taghurrhu, kid can help. Tanked a blow from the Pulse Dancer like it was nothin’.”[/color] Rocket argued, [color=#b45f06]“Bet he could take your Karnan tail without breaking a pant.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“Hey, whoa,”[/color] Clark interjected, [color=#6fa8dc]“I don’t think there’s any need for that.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“Are you challenging me, Terran?”[/color] Taghurrhu asked, pushing Rocket aside as the towering alien ducked under the doorframe and stood over Clark. [color=#ffffff]“You’re not even worthy of being used as a toothpick.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“I’m not looking for a fight,”[/color] Clark repeated, holding his ground as the Karnan brought his face down to Clark’s level. Suddenly, he struck, claw hands swung through the air without warning. Despite the alien’s immense mass, he moved with the swiftness and agility Clark would have expected out of a cat.

But Clark was still faster.

Time seemed to stop for a second as he was afforded what felt like a few precious seconds to react. His perception and reaction times amplified to the point that at times, it felt like the whole world was moving in slow motion. He stepped back, avoiding the first swing, before side-stepping the clumsy follow-up.  

From the doorway, Rocket watched amused as Taghurrhu struggled to even touch the kid. 

Clark had fought individuals who had strength rivalling his own before. But when Taghurrhu finally did manage to land a blow, the Earth-raised young man was surprised by how far he found himself thrown back. Toppling over the edge of the path, Clark felt himself become victim to gravity, plummeting several layers through Knowhere before finally reversing course as he flew back to where he had been sent from. 

[color=#ffffff]“Quite the trick.”[/color] The Karnan growled.

[color=#6fa8dc]“You’ll find I’m full of them,” [/color]Clark replied, catching Taggurrhu’s next blow. His fingers interlocked with the other’s claws, twisting the beastman’s wrist and eliciting a cry of pain. Instead of simply throwing the Karnan’s blow back at him, Clark made a point of stopping him dead before dragging the alien towards himself, before finally hoisting him above his head before dropping the feline-like figure to the ground and dusting himself off.

[color=#6fa8dc]“Do you want to keep dancing, or can we talk now?”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“You little-”[/color]

A shot rang into the air, cutting Taghurruhu off and stopping him dead in his tracks as Clark was treated to a cybernetic rabbit in the door now pointing a firearm his way.

[color=#ffffff]“That’s enough, Rocket’s made his point. The Captain’ll hear his proposition now.”[/color]

[color=#ffffff]“Fine,”[/color] Tagghurrhu growled as he picked himself up, [color=#ffffff]“But we’re having a rematch, Terran.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“Clark,”[/color] Clark replied, holding out a hand as Tagghurrhu stared at the strange gesture. 

[color=#6fa8dc]“Oh, uh gee, sorry, it’s an Earth gesture. You shake it.”[/color] Clark explained,[color=#6fa8dc] “It’s how we make a pact, or introduce ourselves.”[/color]

Tagghurrhu narrowed his eyes briefly before wrapping a large paw around Clark’s wrist and shaking it from side to side. 

[color=#ffffff]“You will honour the rematch then?”[/color] The Karnan asked.

[color=#6fa8dc]“I will, as soon as I finish helping Rocket,” [/color]Clark replied.

[color=#ffffff]“Good luck,”[/color] Tagghurrhu replied with a fang-filled smile. [color=#ffffff]“You’ll need more than tricks on Warworld.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“Warworld?”[/color] Clark repeated the word apprehensively, [color=#6fa8dc]“Rocket!”[/color] He called, giving chase as the pair entered the establishment. It took Clark a second to adjust as the smoky atmosphere hit his senses with too many new smells all at once. Foods, drinks and other recreational substances wafted from every direction as something akin to music droned in the background. 

[color=#6fa8dc]“What’d the big tiger back there mean? What do you need help with?”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“Search and rescue,” [/color]Rocket replied as he continued to follow the cybernetic rabbit in front of him. 

[color=#b45f06]“My partner, Groot, was taken by the Tivan Group as collateral after we failed to procure Anulax batteries from the Sovereign for Taneleer. Tanleer, ‘the Collector’, had debts of his own to the Monguls, and Groot was donated as a contestant in the blood sports on Warworld. If you’re half as tough as I think you are, you can get us in the door.”[/color]

There was that name again, and Clark couldn’t help but ask the question on the tip of his tongue.

[color=#6fa8dc]“What is Warworld?”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“It’s a mobile weaponized satellite, large enough to be a small planet, complete with a rulin’ society of scrutholes known as Overseers who are second only to the Monguls.”[/color] Rocket stated, 

[color=#b45f06]“Planet itself is completely artificial, and as, even you can imagine, a planet-sized weapon requires a ridiculous amount of upkeep.”[/color]

They passed the bar before descending some stairs towards a lower level. 

[color=#b45f06]“Working to a fiery death with no benefits or union ain’t exactly a gig anyone in the ‘verse is signin’ up for. So the Monguls abduct slaves from all over the galaxy. But to placate the slaves, they give them a chance at freedom through the ‘Games’ and host horrific fights that are broadcast across most of ‘Dromeda.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“And you want to get me entered in the games?”[/color]

Rocket smiled.

[color=#b45f06]“Just when I was starting to think you weren’t that bright, but bingo, Terran.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“Clark actually, Clark Kent.”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“Yeah, whatever, we’re here,”[/color] Rocket replied with a wave of his paw. [color=#b45f06]“What’s his mood like today, Blackjack?”[/color] The raccoon-like alien asked the cyborg bunny. Clark pinched himself briefly just to ensure he hadn’t inhaled one too many alien fumes and was, in fact, seeing anthropomorphic creatures talking to one another. 

[color=#cc4125]“See for yourself, 89P13.”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“Rocket,”[/color] retorted Clark’s company as the rabbit simply smiled.

[color=#cc4125]“Oh, [i]I[/i] know.”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“Slaggin’ Leproid,”[/color] Rocket grumbled as the cybernetically enhanced Lepi quickly hit the access panel with the back of his paw, opening the chamber in front of Clark and Rocket. Stepping inside, Clark was surprised to see the silhouette of another set of tall ears before the light revealed another anthropomorphic rabbit. Unlike the one that Rocket had called Blackjack, this one lacked any cyberware but stood much taller, nearly as tall as Clark.

[color=#b45f06]“Captain Marchew.”[/color] Rocket saluted, [color=#b45f06]“This is our answer to getting Groot back from the Monguls.”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“Yes, you gave Taghurrhu quite the run at the door, I’m impressed.”[/color] The Lepi replied,[color=#38761d] “Please, Clark, have a seat. Captain Rodg’y Marchew at your service. I think we can definitely help each other.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“You know my name?”[/color] Clark asked, settling in as Rocket opted to stand, staying by the door.

[color=#38761d]“Big ears,”[/color] Rodg’y winked, [color=#38761d]“Part of my own enhancements, but that’s neither here nor there. If you were to help us, knowing it would be no easy task to not only infiltrate Warworld, but also liberate our comrade, what could we do for you in return?”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“Frankly, sir, I’m just on a mission to discover what I am. If I can help you folks out while I do that, then that’s reward enough.”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“That’s very kind of you, Clark, not a lot of beings in the ‘verse operate with that sense of altruism.”[/color] Marchew responded, [color=#38761d]“Seems you triggered a little incident at the scanners, though. Do you happen to recall what they said you were? Seemed like quite the alarm going off.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“It wasn’t a word I was familiar with, Sir.”[/color] Clark replied, [color=#6fa8dc]“Cryptic? Cryptonese? Cryptonian? Yes, Cryptonian.”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“Kryptonian?”[/color] Rodg’y scoffed,[color=#38761d] “That's impossible; no one has seen a Kryptonian in the galaxy for at least a couple of centuries. Whole planets have gained space travel in the time those tyrants have been gone. Blew themselves up before the Dheronians hunted down the last of ‘em.” [/color]A shrug from the Lepi followed a notable pause.

[color=#38761d]“So I heard.”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“Besides, you can’t be Kryptonian, they’re supposed to be big and scary, red eyes. The galaxy’s unstoppable boogey man. You look like a standard Terran.”[/color] Rocket piped up, [color=#b45f06]“If you were Kryptonian, I wouldn't advertise it. Whole lotta mean folks out there looking to cash in on your head. Our buddy Taneleer among them.”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“Rocket’s right, you don’t want that kind of target on your back, though it is an interesting angle that could help get you onto Warworld. The Last Son of Krypton has quite the ring to it.”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“Easy there, Captain Carrot.”[/color] Rocket raised a paw, [color=#b45f06]“You put a title like that on the kid you’re basically beggin’ the Collector to break the door down.”[/color] He let out a sigh. 

[color=#b45f06]“Let's not go making false claims just yet, just say he’s like a Terran version of a ‘Super Skrull’.”[/color] 

[color=#38761d]“A Super-Man?”[/color]

[color=#b45f06]“It could stick.”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“This is great and all,”[/color] Clark interjected, [color=#6fa8dc]“But what exactly is the plan?”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“Clark makes a valid point,”[/color] Marchew replied,[color=#38761d] “You’ve already met Ja’k and Taghurrhu. How about we meet the rest of the crew before we get too ahead of ourselves?”[/color]

[color=#6fa8dc]“Who are you guys anyway?”[/color]

[color=#38761d]“Most of us are from the Zu system, so around here we’re known as the Zu Crew, but officially, there is one other name we call ourselves,”[/color] Marchew explained, motioning for Clark to follow as they passed through another corridor before emerging into a hangar. Held in the middle of the bay was a large ship unlike anything Clark had ever seen in any science fiction back on Earth.

[color=#38761d]“Clark,”[/color] Rodg’y spread his arms, 

[color=#38761d]“Welcome to the Guardians of the Galaxy.”[/color][/INDENT][/INDENT][/COLOR]