chapter five / knowhere

　
IT DIDN'T TAKE THE Ravagers long to arrive at their destination, and as they approached Knowhere, Astrea Voss felt a shiver crawl down her spine. Something was telling her to turn back, that she wouldn't like what awaited her on the crowded streets below. But she didn't care. She needed the answers that only Peter Quill could give her, and she was going to get them no matter what.

"What is that?" Midas Starr asked, her question directed at no one in particular. She was breathless, dark eyes marveling Knowhere in wonderment. She had seen nothing quite like it before.

Astrea, who stood behind Felix Adell as he piloted the Elector, glanced toward her best friend and smiled at the expression plastered across Midas' face. Midas had never been to Knowhere before. Most of the Ravagers haven't, including Astrea herself. But she knew about its history from stories her father used to tell her when she was a child.

"That," Astrea said, "is Knowhere."

Midas gave her a look. "I gathered that. But what is it, exactly?"

"It is the severed head of an ancient being known only as a Celestial," Astrea explained, her eyes glued to the ancient skull adrift in the middle of space. Her words seemed to gather much attention as some Ravagers looked upon her with interest. "My father used to tell me stories about them when I was a child."

"What kind of stories?" asked Midas.

"Long ago, there was a man named Autar. He was a good husband and an even better father to his four sons. Autar was known all across the galaxy as an honourable man with a good heart and soul," Astrea began. "His wife eventually grew ill, forcing Autar to work longer hours to not only provide for their sons, but so that he could get the medicine his wife needed in order to survive."

"And did she?" Midas asked. "Survive, I mean."

Astrea shook her head. "She did not," she replied with a slight frown. "Rhia had succumbed to her sickness over time. But her husband hadn't known this. Autar was on a quest at the hour of her passing, hoping to retrieve an Ismenian remedy that would cure his wife. But by the time Autar returned home, she was already gone. None of his sons had the heart to move her body, so they had left her lying in bed for two days."

Tears glistened in Midas' eyes. "That's awful."

"Yes," Astrea agreed. "But not as awful as what came next." Everyone was on the edge of their seats at this point. "The year which followed brought even more tragedy to Autar. His home planet, Moorel⎯⎯"

"Moorel?" Bael looked confused. "I've never heard of such a planet."

"As you should," Astrea said, glancing briefly toward her friend. "It was wiped out entirely by a Celestial named Sabre."

"No," Midas gasped. "And what of Autar and his sons?"

"Autar had been away on business at the time of the attack," Astrea explained. "So he had not been there to hold his sons in their final moments. They died alone, as had many others." She paused, clearing her throat and swallowing her own tears before continuing the story. "Autar wept for his sons as well as for his parents and friends that day, before rising up from the floor of his ship and vowing to the Gods that he would avenge the deaths of his family and people."

"I reckon he cut off that Celestial's head?" Kraglin assumed, though he did not receive a straightforward answer from Astrea as the woman simply glanced at him briefly and continued the story.

"For the next couple years, Autar traveled from place to place, desperately searching for a way to kill a Celestial," Astrea went on. "Eventually, he heard stories of a place called Nidavellir that could forge weapons so powerful it could even kill a Celestial. So he went there, hoping the stories were true."

"Nidavellir is real?" Bael's jaw fell open in shock, eyes growing bigger than a moon. "I always thought that place was a myth."

"It is quite real," Astrea assured. "And Autar found it. He told the King about Sabre and what happened to his home world. After some thought, the King agreed to make him the weapon he so desired, but such power came at a price. Autar, however, was willing to pay it no matter what. He would do anything to avenge his family and people."

"What did it cost?" Midas asked. She was as engrossed in the story as the rest of the Ravagers. Even Felix had swiveled around in the pilot's chair to look upon Astrea as she told the tragic story of Autar and the extinction of his people.

"In exchange for a weapon powerful enough to kill a Celestial, Autar had to first steal something for the King," Astrea said. "An ancient Sitarian artifact that was strong enough to harness the fragments of stars and repurpose them. The King wanted to use the artifact to forge weapons that would be empowered by stars. Autar, of course, agreed to these terms. He went to Sitara, slipped past their royal guards and stole one of the artifacts from right under their noses. Only then did the King make him want what he wanted. Still, though, it came with a price."

Midas rolled her eyes. "What more could the King possibly have wanted?"

"It was a weapon powerful enough to kill a Celestial, Midas, and the Celestials were basically Gods," Astrea reminded her friend. "Sure, Autar provided them with an artifact that could imbue weapons with the power of stars, but that was only half the payment."

"What was the other half?" This time it was Felix who was asking the question, much to everyone's surprise. He normally didn't get engrossed in these sorts of stories, always saying drunken fools made them up to impress women.

Astrea glanced at Felix. "The other payment was to deliver pieces of the Celestial's body to them so they could use the bone and spinal fluid to forge weapons."

Midas' nose scrunched up in disgust. "Uh, ew."

"Yeah, I second that," Bael said with a grimace.

"And then what happened?" asked Kraglin. He was staring at Astrea with wide, curious eyes, much like a child being told a bedtime story for the first time.

"And then Autar found Sabre on the newly forged Moorel," Astrea paused for dramatic effect, "and he killed him." A chorus of gasps and whispers filtered through the room. "Sliced his head clean off and left it there to rot. And when the Celestial had fallen, the new Moorel fell with him, becoming nothing more than asteroids adrift in space. Autar distributed the body parts and barrels of spinal fluid to the King of Nidavellir as promised, completing his final payment."

"What did he do then?" Midas asked.

"Nobody knows," Astrea shrugged. "It was as though Autar had fallen off the galaxy's edge, never to be seen again. The Celestials haven't been seen in ages as well."

Midas lifted a brow. "So they repurposed Sabre's head into a planet?"

"Sort of," Astrea nodded. "For hundreds of years now, the Tivan Group has set up mining operations within the head. They harvest the bone, brain tissue, spinal fluid, whatever they can get their hands on, and sell it on black markets all across the galaxy. It's a safe haven for outlaws now." She glanced around the room. "Which means we must have care while down there."

"Yeah, and why is that?" asked Jaide. She was sharpening one of her daggers while leaning up against the far wall.

"Because there are no rules or regulations on Knowhere," Astrea said, as though it were obvious. Which it was. But she understood why nobody would know that. They've never been to Knowhere before and weren't as fortunate as herself to have been told stories about the place growing up. "Like I said, it is a safe haven for outlaws now. We don't know who we'll run into down there."

"Enough with the bedtime stories," Yondu piped up, rising from the captain's chair. "We got us a mission here, and that's to find Quill."

"I thought we were finding the orb?"

Yondu swiveled on his heels, an irradiated expression plastered across his face. "We find Quill, we find the orb. Then we get outta here and get paid. Understood?" Everyone nodded. "Good." He glanced around the room, giving everyone their orders. "Adell, you stay here with the Elector. Keep the comms open in the off chance we need backup. I'll take a ship down there with Kraglin, Voss, Nathar, Brekker, and Starr. We'll get Quill and the orb. Be ready to take off when we get back."

"Yes, sir," Felix nodded. He pressed a few buttons along the console, which turned off the thrusters and slowed the Elector to a stop, keeping them in orbit of Knowhere.

Yondu glanced around the room, giving his crew a firm nod, before turning on his heel and leaving the room. Those that were to accompany him on the streets of Knowhere followed pursuit. One by one, they piled into a pod and Bael Nathar guided them through the atmosphere for a place to dock.

Once docked, the six Ravagers exited the pod and separated into two groups. Yondu went left with Kraglin and Jaide, while Astrea went right with Midas and Bael. Their objection was to check every establishment for Peter Quill, use the comms when they found him and the orb, use the cuffs to subdue him if it came to it, and then get out here.

Astrea's stomach was in knots as she walked through the crowded streets of Knowhere. Her sharp eyes darted all over the place in search of the man she loved.

"You okay?" Midas asked.

"Yeah," Astrea replied. "Fine."

"You sure?" Midas asked, skeptically. "Because your hands are shaking."

Astrea looked down, and sure enough, her hands were shaking. She hadn't even been aware of that until now. She clenched them into fists so the shaking wouldn't be so obvious.

"Maybe you should go back to the ship," Midas suggested. "Bael and I can manage on our own."

"No," Astrea said firmly, determination licking at her bones. "I need to find him. I want to know why he did this to us . . . to me."

Midas shared a look with Bael. The pair were equally worried about their friend and what she might do to Peter when they found him. "Alright," she said cautiously. "But, uh, maybe try to take some calming breaths or something?"

Before Astrea could say anything in response, she caught sight of a familiar person standing outside what appeared to be some kind of bar and she came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the streets.

The person had copper hair and wore an all too familiar maroon jacket. It was Peter Quill. And the sight of him made her skin burn red hot. Astrea clenched her hands into tight fists that made her knuckles turn white, nostrils flaring, cheeks filling with heat.

"There he is," Astrea said, nodding her head in the direction where her boyfriend was standing. Midas and Bael followed her gaze.

"What is he doing?" Midas wondered, straining to get a better glimpse of Peter through the bustling crowd.

Bael furrowed his brows. "And who is he with?"

As the crowd cleared a bit, they were able to get a proper glimpse of Peter Quill and the people in his company. The tallest of them all was a humanoid tree, and the smallest was a talking racoon. Then there was a broad man with gray and red skin. He wielded twin daggers whilst standing in front of several ships that were landing in the middle of the street. Lastly, there were two women. One had green skin with pink-streaked hair, and the other had darker hair with tattoos all over her body.

Seeing the man she loved standing with two women she didn't even know only made Astrea more angry with him. Who were they to him? What was he even doing with these people? How did he know them all? Why did he never mention them to her? She had so many questions to ask him. But first she had to catch him.

Astrea's jaw clicked and she started forward, hands gripping her batons with white knuckles and sweaty palms. Then she shouted his name, loud and clear over the crowded streets, "PETER!"

Having heard the familiar voice over every other noise along the crowded streets of Knowhere, Peter's eyes widened and locked with her own. Something between fear and guilt crossed his features as he muttered something she couldn't quite hear. Then, in the blink of an eye, he and his group took off.

"Peter, stop!" Astrea shouted as the three of them took off after him. They pushed through the crowded streets of Knowhere with determination.

"We need to split up!" Bael suggested when they spotted a crossroads ahead. "Astrea, lead Peter that way." He pointed to the right. "We'll loop around the alleys and cut him off."

Astrea nodded, splitting up from her two friends whilst continuously shouting for Peter to stop. She kicked the heels of boots into the gravel, pushing herself to go faster, and when she got close enough, Astrea leaped onto Peter's back, which sent them both tumbling to the ground.

"Peter!" the pink-haired woman exclaimed.

"Go!" Peter told the woman, waving her off with his hand when she turned around to help him. "Go with Vera and Rocket and get the orb out of here!"

The pink-haired woman hesitated for a moment, before turning on her heel and leaving with the racoon and tattooed woman hot on her heels.

Bael and Midas ran over, and Astrea glanced at them. "He doesn't have the orb," she told them. "Go after the women and the raccoon!"

"Yep," Bael nodded, taking Midas by the wrist and dragging her along as they ran after the others.

Astrea jumped up from the ground and twirled her staff, before holding it out in front of her and twisting the middle to separate it into twin batons. She watched as her boyfriend climbed to his feet. "Why?" she asked. "Why'd you do it, Peter?"

"Astrea, let me explain," Peter began, but was cut off as she swung one of her batons at his head. He stumbled out of the way, wide-eyed. "Are you crazy?"

"Maybe a little," Astrea replied with a simple shrug. "But not as crazy as you. Why the hell would you betray us like that? We're a family, Peter. We don't do that to each other."

Peter scoffed. "The Ravagers were never my family, Astrea. They were people that kidnapped me as a kid and threatened to eat me."

"Am I not your family then?" Astrea was on the verge of tears. She blinked them away the best she could. "Did you ever love me? Or were you just playing with my heartstrings all along?"

Peter's eyes softened, and he took a step forward, reaching his hand out to caress her cheek. "Astrea . . ."

Astrea backed away from his touch, knowing if he held her, then she would crumble. "Don't," she said through gritted teeth. Then she swung her batons again and again and again. But none of her blows came in contact. Peter dodged every single one. Maybe it was because her tears were blinding her vision. Or maybe it was because he knew her so well and was able to anticipate her every move.

Peter eventually locked her arm underneath his and ripped one of her own batons from her hand. He looked at her apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, Astrea, but I have to do this. You don't understand what the orb is and what it's capable of doing." Then he jabbed the baton into her chest, sending bolts of electricity coursing through her body.

Astrea gasped and hit the ground, her body writhing with pain. She looked up at him as the electricity ran through her body and found his face twisted with pain. "I-I . . . w-will . . . f-f-find . . . y-y-you," she managed to say.

"I'm sorry," Peter apologized, dropping her baton on the ground, eyes bleeding with emotion. "I never wanted any of this to happen, you have to know that. I love you, Astrea."

And then he ran away, leaving her there.

Astrea felt a tear cascade down her cheek, and when her body stopped writhing in pain from the electrical shock of her own baton, she managed to climb to her feet just as Yondu, Kraglin, and Jaide found her.

"What happened? Where's Quill?" Yondu asked as Jaide steadied Astrea when the blonde swayed on her feet.

Astrea picked up her batons. "He got away."

Youdu's jaw clenched. "And the orb?"

"Some girl Peter knew ran off with it," Astrea explained. "Bael and Midas went after her."

"Nathar, Starr," Yondu said, speaking into the comms. "What's your status?"

"They took off with the orb in some mining pods," Bael replied a moment later. "Someone else is after them too."

"I think it's Ronan," Midas cut in.

Astrea sighed. Of course Ronan the Acuser had something to do with the orb. That must have been why Peter couldn't sell it to the Broker on Xandar.

"There's nothing more we can do on foot," Bael said. "We're heading back to the pod now to go after them."

"We'll meet you there," Yondu informed, pocketing his comms device, before taking off in the direction of their pod with his crew in pursuit.

When they made it to the pod, Bael was already waiting in the pilot's chair and Midas was pacing for them outside. The woman perked up the moment she saw them coming, but furrowed her brows when she didn't see Peter with them. Looking directly at Astrea, she asked, "Where's Peter?"

Astrea gritted her teeth. "He slipped through my fingers."

Midas raised a brow, but didn't press for more information. That would be a conversation for another time. Right now they had to focus on getting the orb.

The Ravagers piled inside the pod, which Bael powered up the moment Kraglin closed the hatch. Then Bael took off in the direction he last saw the pink-haired woman and the orb.

A few moments later, Felix's voice flowed through their comms. "Uh, Captain. You ain't gonna believe this."

"What is it, Adell?"

"Quill just sent us his coordinates." Their eyes widened. "He's just outside Knowhere. I'm adjusting our course to pick him up now."

"We're on our way."

a/n: omg it's been FOREVER since i've updated 😩 but thankfully i've been doing a lot of prewriting for this fic, so now updates will be more frequent. also, the story of autar, the extinction of moorel, and the celestial named sabre are completely made up. please don't steal it because i worked really hard on coming up with a proper background for knowhere considering the mcu didn't really given us much info on it