FLASHBACK
The Milano cuts through starry space. In the cargo hold, Rocket readies his weapons as he glances at a tactical monitor.
Rocket: You, Quill, and Gamora are gonna go get that guy's arm over there.
Gamora: I'm ready.
Quill: Alright, let's move.
Rocket: Groot and I are heading to the cockpit to keep the ship steady.
Rocket: And your new girl – Jean – she'll cover us with Tracx from the dorsal turret.
Jean: Got it, no worries.
Tracx: You got it, furball. Cover's all set.
Gamora frowns, glancing toward the compartment where they keep their artifacts.
Gamora: And who's going for the Black Sphere? We can't leave it unguarded.
Quill: I'll take care of it. I know how to handle it… at least a little.
Rocket: We're gonna make a ton of money with that thing, buddy!
Groot: I am Groot.
(Yes, friend – a lot of money!)
END OF FLASHBACK
Back to the present: the ship jolts slightly. Quill runs down the corridor while Gamora waits by the main cockpit door.
Gamora: Hurry up, Quill! The ship won't hold much longer if we keep taking hits!
Quill: I'm coming, I'm coming! Just give me a second…
Quill stops in front of a metal locker, yanking open drawer after drawer in a frantic rush until he finds what he's looking for: an old cassette tape and a metallic black sphere that seems to absorb light around it. He stows them carefully in his backpack.
Quill: Shit… These intense feelings… they must be from the original Quill – the one who was here before me…
He mutters the last part as he runs after Gamora. They both reach the cockpit, where Tracx is adjusting the shields, Groot holds the wheel steady, Jean is focused on the sensors, and Rocket struggles to stabilize the engines.
Jean: Quill, you're here! Now we can get out of this place.
Jean extends her hands and a glowing blue aura wraps around Quill, lifting him gently and setting him in his seat in seconds.
Rocket: Phew, finally! We managed to shake those mercenaries off our tail. Now we're heading straight to the Collector.
FLASHBACK - A FEW DAYS AGO, ON THE SHIP
Everyone's gathered around the central table, talking loudly over each other.
Rocket: I say we sell it to Ronan! He'll pay more than anyone else!
Tracx: Are you crazy, furball? Ronan's a psycho who'll use the sphere to blow up whole planets.
Jean: What if we take it to the Kree? They'd know how to keep it safe.
Quill stands up, rapping his knuckles lightly on the table to quiet everyone down.
Quill: Listen up. Gamora knows where we can take it so it doesn't end up in the wrong hands. I know it's not the fastest way to make money, but it's the only one that'll let us sleep at night… and keep us alive.
After a few seconds of silence, Gamora nods gratefully and the others start agreeing one by one.
END OF FLASHBACK
In the cockpit, the ship speeds ahead at full throttle. Gamora looks out the panoramic window.
Gamora: How much longer till we reach Knowhere?
Rocket: A few more hours, if the engines don't fall apart first. They're pretty worn out after that chase.
Suddenly, the sensors start beeping wildly. Jean jumps to her feet, pointing at the screen.
Jean: What is that?! Her voice is tight with fear.
Everyone looks where she's pointing: a massive space rift has torn open in the ship's path, its edges glowing with dark purple light that warps the space around it.
Quill: That's a stabilized space rift! Rocket, stop the ship RIGHT NOW!