Thanos's threat was right in front of them.
But Bant wasn't in a hurry.
After all, the direct threat right now was against Xandar, not Sakaar.
He could take his time, letting the Nova Corps fall into a disadvantage while he made every preparation.
"Judging by the timing, Brunhilde should have reached Klyntar by now," Bant thought.
Andromeda was far away, but with star gates positioned around Sakaar, the journey wouldn't actually take too long.
A few more days passed. Bill's initial refit of the giant warship was nearly complete. Though it was still a little rough around the edges, it was already operational, and Bant found another moment to upgrade it once more.
When the shapeshifter's body spread over the giant warship, even those small imperfections vanished.
Turning a heap of scrap into cutting-edge technology straight away was asking a bit much of the shapeshifter, but if the thing it merged with already had highly advanced tech and enough parts, it didn't drain much of Bant's stamina.
Just like that, the giant warship that once belonged to the Korbinites thoroughly became the Tiangong Guild's giant warship.
Bill remained its guardian. The army he led was composed of Korbinites and the former gladiators—arguably the most battle-hardened fighting force on Sakaar.
After all, anyone who survived the arena had some real skill.
Once the giant warship was finished, the members already selected for the Tiangong Guild began to board, and under Bill's assignments, each took up their duties.
At that time, Nebula—most of whose body had already been restored to its original flesh and blood—also boarded the giant warship, dressed in Tiangong Guild attire.
She was Thanos's daughter and knew a great deal about his forces. During her time as a space pirate, she had also crossed paths with Ronan. This time, she would serve as Bill's assistant, helping him formulate strategies to counter the Black Order and the Accuser.
Now, Bant, Bill, and Nebula were in the command room discussing whether to set out after Brunhilde returned, or to leave early and rendezvous with Brunhilde and the symbiotes later.
Bant's preference was the former.
"We can activate stealth mode when the time comes. As long as we don't get too close to Xandar, we shouldn't be detected."
Just then, Star-Lord burst in, flustered.
"That green-skinned babe has escaped!"
The words instantly made Nebula frown and stand up.
She aggressively grabbed Star-Lord by the collar, lifted him up, and demanded, "What did you say?"
"She couldn't have escaped!"
Earlier, Nebula had voluntarily surrendered, making it clear: you're going after my old man, so I've gotta help!
She even took the chance to mock Gamora a little.
But although Gamora hesitated, in the end she didn't dare openly defy Thanos.
Her relationship with Bant, Star-Lord, and the others wasn't like it was in the Guardians of the Galaxy. To her, Bant and his group were just enemies. She wasn't about to take the same risks Nebula did.
So after Bant released Nebula, Gamora remained locked in a cell. Later, even when Star-Lord was let out by Bant, Gamora was still imprisoned.
And now, Gamora had actually escaped?!
Nebula couldn't accept it.
Right then, a disturbance broke out in the capital, and soon a Sakaar courier ship took off without authorization, streaking toward the star gate in outer space.
Nebula immediately realized that it was Gamora.
She had to stop Gamora from leaving Sakaar!
Nebula thought.
Whether because of her personal grudge with Gamora or because she feared Gamora would leak intelligence about Sakaar, she could not let Gamora leave.
She instantly dropped Star-Lord, lunged to the console in one swift stride, and cut into the comms: "Stop her immed—"
But before Nebula could finish, a hand reached out and cut the communication.
She turned her head and saw Bant shaking his head at her.
"Security Chief..." Nebula froze for a moment, then hurriedly said, "We can't let Gamora leave! If she tells Father our plan..."
"Don't worry. I let Gamora go on purpose."
Bant pulled Nebula back down to sit.
Bill was also confused and surprised, but to him, if Bant did something, there had to be a reason. His own intelligence wasn't that high, so he'd better not try to guess Bant's thoughts.
"Why?" Nebula asked, baffled.
Bant said, "Aside from knowing that we plan to join forces with the Nova Corps to strike back at Thanos, Gamora knows nothing else. By the time she reaches Thanos, the war will already be underway. That intel is useless."
"Even so, was there any need to let her go?"
Nebula felt that after all the trouble to capture Gamora, there was no reason to let a tiger go back to the mountain. Gamora had been a galaxy-renowned assassin since her teens. If she returned to Thanos's side, she would surely cause more casualties among the Tiangong Guild members.
"That's why, this time, you have to defeat her," Bant said, looking at her.
"Me?"
Nebula stood rooted to the spot.
She didn't grasp Bant's meaning right away, and her face fell. "I'm not her match..."
Nebula laughed self-deprecatingly. "From childhood to now, I've never won. Not once."
"The past is the past. Now is now."
Bant patted her shoulder encouragingly. "The old Nebula was Thanos's child Nebula. But now, you are the Tiangong Guild's Nebula."
"You let her go on purpose, just for this?"
Now Nebula understood. The reason Bant had done this "unnecessary" thing was actually for her.
So she could defeat her own shadow with her own hands.
She was a little moved, but still asked:
"What if I lose?"
"If you lose, then first protect your own life, and fight her again next time," Bant said, as if it were obvious.
Nebula: ...
Nebula lowered her head, not knowing what to say, so she answered only with silence.
Meanwhile, on Xandar, the war had already begun.
Facing the Nova Corps, Thanos did not deploy the Power Stone—nor did he immediately take the field himself.
In his view, using the Power Stone's immense might on Xandar would be a waste. He would find an opponent worthy of his personal intervention, but certainly not now.
However, the Black Order and the Accuser were already fully committed to battle.
This planetary war was far fiercer than it had been on Earth. Countless Chitauri soldiers joined in, and endless Chitauri Leviathans surrounded Xandar so tightly not even water could slip through.
This Chitauri army was nothing like the small vanguard force from before.
Apart from the Chitauri Queen, almost all of the Chitauri were here.
Because in Thanos's plan, after destroying Xandar, the next target would be Sakaar. By then they would rush over without a moment's pause, and the infinite might of the Power Stone would punch through the Space Stone's protective barrier, bringing death and destruction to Sakaar!
/-\
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