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[Don’t adjust your tint. The woman is green, not your screen. Gamora, a very unique looking woman unless one’s used to seeing someone with her particular shade of skin, looks into the video feed uncertainly but also with a note of defiance. She will not be intimidated by this… peculiar prison so easily. Sure, it may appear to be a comfortable mansion, but a place she is brought against her will is a prison no matter what it looks like.]

My name is Gamora. It looks like we are all prisoners here. I have no quarrel with you, but should you cross me, I will not hesitate to deal with you in ways you won’t enjoy. Let’s make that clear from the start.

[She is a captive, right? And she doesn’t know if the people here are hostile or not. She’s not about to let this turn into her last prison visit.]

This is not the first time I’ve been in a prison, though this one doesn’t look like the typical style I’m used to seeing. It’s far too… well, it doesn’t matter if it’s reasonably comfortable or not.

[The less sense it all makes the more irritated she gets.]

Who is in charge here? I demand to know why I've been brought here and where my crew is.

[Whoever is in charge is probably going to get punched or worse.]

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Peter Quill was here at one point, but he left a while back.

[ Not through any choice of his own. Wonderland just decided it didn't want him anymore. ]

This may be a prison, but it doesn't mean that all of us are criminals.

[ Steve's heard enough about Rocket and how he met the rest of his team to realize that Gamora here does technically fall under the category of criminal. He also knows there's probably a lot more to her than that. ]

Just some of us.

[And she's a bit amused by that. For the record, her 'record' was expunged; not that it'll make a difference to the people she's hurt in the past.]

I've heard some of the stories from Rocket, yeah.

So... can I ask? What kind of planet do you come from?

[ Right now, that's easier than focusing on anything Wonderland related. ]

[Maybe talking about something other than her problem will clear her head and enable her to solve it.]

You can, but personal questions should be asked in person.

[Who knows, he could be a spy for Thanos for all she knows about him so far.]

[ Steve's first instinct is to refuse, but he knows that would be ridiculous. He's already been enough of a hermit. Interaction with someone, even a stranger, has to be better than sitting around feeling sorry for himself all day. ]

Sure. I can come to you, if you tell me where you are.

Front of the mansion.

[And true to her word, she'll be waiting there on the steps for Steve. Gamora is leaning against one of the stone pillars waiting for the mysterious texter. Had she at least seen Steve's face, she probably would've answered his question over the communicator, but since she didn't, they can talk the old fashioned way.]

I'll be there.

[ Steve takes just a few minutes to wash his face and change his clothes. He leaves Dodger in the room, not sure just how defensive this Gamora is going to be, and makes his way down to the entrance hall and then outside. It'd be nearly impossible to miss her. If anything, the green shade of her skin stands out even more in person. ]

Gamora. [ He steps toward her and offers her his hand. ] The name's Steve Rogers. [ Rocket would probably vouch for him, but hopefully that won't be necessary. ]

[Gamora is a little on edge, but when she sees Steve's face it puts her at ease. He doesn't look to be one of Thanos' lackeys. He looks Terran, though there are other species that resemble Terrans like those of Xandar or Asgard.

When he offers the hand she looks at it for a second, then accepts the gesture, even if it's not one she practices often. Most people don't go around shaking a galaxy-class killer's hand.]

Steve Rogers?

[A little smirk.]

For a second, I thought you could be Asgardian, but obviously not.

[They don't have names like Steve Rogers.]

You must be Terran.

[ Steve happens to have some experience with assassins. Even if he'd known who Gamora was, he probably still would have offered his hand to shake. He does note how she looks almost unfamiliar with the action, though. So she comes from a place where common decency isn't all that common after all.

Or space cultures just aren't as into handshakes.

It's definitely a compliment that she thought he was Asgardian, and Steve laughs sheepishly. ] I'm flattered, but you're right. Terran. [ Rocket uses the same terminology, so Steve knows that when they say Terra, they mean Earth. ]

How about you? Do you mind answering now?

[ She'd said she would once they saw each other face-to-face. ]

[It would be easier to tell him from other species if they didn't look alike. It's a little difficult to mistake someone like her for another species. But yes, he'll get his answer.]

I come from a planet that no longer exists. It was destroyed when I was a child.

[Probably not the answer he was expecting.]

[ No, definitely not the answer Steve had been expecting, and the shock that passes over his face makes that pretty obvious. He lets out a low breath and bows his head. ]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried.

[ But there's not much that he can do about it now. The damage is already done. Still, he makes a mental note. Gamora is no stranger to loss.

He glances up at her again, a little more softspoken in his line of questioning. ] So do you just move from place to place now?

It's the past. Nothing can change it. Talking about it can't hurt me.

[If it could she never would've told Quill, either. Gamora isn't afraid to defy Thanos. She's not about to be afraid of a conversation.]

For a long time I was the weapon of the one who destroyed my world and killed my parents. He made me into an assassin. Then one day, I couldn't do it anymore. After that, I met Rocket and some others, and now we move from place to place.

[And attempt to stay out of trouble. Some try harder than others.]

[ That's a good way to look at it, and maybe a lesson that Steve should keep in mind for himself. The past often does hurt him -- or rather, thinking about it does. But it's set in stone and shying away from it won't do any good either.

Gamora's strong. That much is already obvious.

But the tragedy doesn't end there. She'd then been forced to kill by the very person responsible for ruining her life in the first place. That sounds familiar, but Steve keeps that thought to himself, particularly because now he has an idea of how it feels too. ]

I'm glad you were able to get away from him. It sounds like you and Rocket and the rest of your friends do good work... keep all of us safe.

[ Steve nods, a small smile on his face. ] So I guess we owe you guys.

Edited 2015-09-24 17:02 (UTC)

[She has some things in common with Steve and his good friend. Though there is perhaps a major difference, and it's the amused smile that crosses her face. Gamora may have been torn down and remade by Thanos from the inside out, but he didn't take the heart out of her.]

It's a little strange being on the side of the law for a change, but I think I like doing 'good work'. I think we all do.

[Clearly, she's also a bit flattered.]

But no thanks are needed. It wasn't your world we saved before Rocket or I arrived here. Where Thanos will take his allies or the Chitauri next, though, is uncertain.

Edited 2015-09-25 05:01 (UTC)

[ It's good to see that Gamora's still got that spark in her. If she could bounce back from what she's been through, then Steve should be able to do the same after that event. He's never going to be okay with the things he'd been made to do, but he can still move past them, right?

Steve's always wanted to do good work, and so he can only agree with that, offering a nod.

It's the mention of Thanos which really catches his attention, though, and his demeanor shifts to something more professional, shoulders straightening. ] Thanos... I think Quill said something about him, too. He's trying to get his hands on all the Infinity Stones, right?

[ Steve hadn't understood it back when Peter had told him about it, but now that he's seen one of the Stones in action in the Vision, he's got a better idea of the sort of threat they're dealing with. Good thing that's all been put on hold here. ]

[Gamora looks a little concerned at the mention of Quill's name. If he was here before and left, he might be back home, but there's no way of actually knowing that. She just saw him, which makes no sense, and the same goes for Rocket. Quill could very well still be here or held prisoner for all they know.]

Yes. With that kind of power, he could rule the universe.

And I'm guessing he doesn't have benevolent intentions either.

[ Usually people who aimed for that kind of power wanted to use it to subjugate others, to destroy, to rule. Steve had seen it so many times. In Johann Schmidt, in Loki, in Alexander Pierce. This Thanos would be no different.

With a hardened expression, Steve stares off for a few moments before returning his gaze to Gamora. ]

Any ideas on how to stop him?

Only if you find being ruled benevolent.

[Her people didn't.]

Stop him? [She gives him a wry smile.] No one stops Thanos. He's impossible to get to and even without the stones he's powerful. With them he would be an unrivaled god.

[And she's not talking about the Asgardian kind.]

He can't be allowed to get them.

No thanks.

[ Not the kind of rule that Gamora is referring to, that's for sure. Steve's pretty sure that's tyranny, and he wants no part of it.

He's always has a hard time being told that something's impossible, but Wonderland has already proved that. Even though it's a though pill to swallow, Steve nods. In that case, it's about shifting their strategy. ]

So we don't let him. There's one stone on Earth, at least. If he's already so powerful, how do we keep them away from him?

[ Steve realizes it's probably pointless to discuss this. He won't remember anything Gamora has told him once he goes home. But on that tiny, tiny chance that they figure out a way to get back on their own with memories intact, this will be worth knowing. ]

[Gamora isn't sure just what it will take to stop Thanos from obtaining them. Once he gets one stone, he'll just grow more powerful until he can collect all of them.]

Give them as much protection as we can. The stone Rocket, myself, and the others recently found was given to the Nova Corps. I just hope with all of their defenses they can protect it.

Thanos never fails, but he cannot be allowed to succeed this time.

What's the Nova Corps? Someone sort of galactic governmental force?

[ That's certainly what it sounds like, anyway. Steve doesn't blame them for wanting to give the stone to an organization they thought would be better equipped to protect it, but on the other hand, can they really trust everyone who's involved in that task? At least the Vision can defend himself if anyone tries to take his stone.

At Gamora's definitive statement, Steve nods and rubs a hand over his mouth. ] I've dealt with pretty bad odds before. We'll do our part to make sure he never gets his hands on ours. Or... that's what I'd like to say, anyway, but it really depends on whether or not I even remember having this conversation. [ Which really doesn't inspire much confidence about this plan, but Steve would rather be honest with Gamora. ]

You could say that. They are on the planet Xandar. The planet we saved from Ronin, who nearly destroyed it with the Infinity stone. I don't think they'll allow anyone to get near it after that.

[Not after nearly losing their entire planet to it.]

I'm glad you intend to protect it. I just hope you can.

[She's not convinced of his ability to do so, yet. They just met, after all.]

But it's the other stones we should worry about. You say there is one on Earth and there is one on Xandar. At least we know where two are, but what of the other four? Thanos needs only one to do unspeakable things.

[ It made good sense that this Nova Corps would take good care of the Infinity Stone if they had seen firsthand what kind of damage its power could do. On the other hand, it would also have displayed to anyone particularly power-hungry just what kind of risk it was worth.

Steve realizes there's nothing he personally can do about it, and even protecting the one stone on Earth isn't entirely in his hands. He doesn't blame Gamora for being skeptical. ]

I guess it's possible that there are others on Earth, but it seems unlikely when there's an entire universe out there. [ How are they even supposed to begin to search? ] We don't have the most high-tech space travel capabilities, so we might have to throw that ball into your court. [ Which Steve hates to admit to, but unless they suddenly get lent a fleet of spaceships, their hands are tied. ]

[Gamora looks momentarily surprised.]

You would trust us to do that?

[Sure, she paints a good picture, but Gamora is certainly not someone who was always a good person. Doesn't he fear she might revert to her old ways?]

[ At this point, Steve has met the majority of the Guardians. Rocket, Gamora, and Quill. Rocket's the one he knows the best, but the point is that he's gotten enough of a read on them to make a judgment call. ]

Like I said, it's not like I have much of a choice. [ Though it isn't just that. Steve quirks a smile, amused that he's managed to surprise someone like Gamora, who seems so together. ] You guys have already managed to retrieve one, why not more?

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