Getting Underway

-Earth 616-

"... And this is for our father!" Shocket Raccoon kicked Taneleer Tivan hard.

The Collector didn't move or make a noise even after being struck several times. The collar around his neck still had him in "shut down".

Walt made no effort to stop her. Posing as an independent agent returning Shocket and Linda was easy. Gaining an audience with Taneleer Tivan had also been easy. Taking him down had been a fair bit harder... but not that hard either. There were others among the Elders who would have been a real challenge. He didn't want to kill him and had told the girls as much. They could have some revenge but no seriously harming The Collector. Besides...

Linda slowly gripped her 'sister's' shoulder. "That's enough Shocket... he may have caused us a lot of grief but it wasn't malicious. He's just a world class jerk... with his own motivations, like Walt said."

Shocket growled and went to strike him again anyway but paused... Walt had joined Linda too. He didn't try to stop her but he patted her head, gently running his fingers through the tuft of pink hair ontop of said head. She blinked. In some ways Walt and the people like him were like The Collector too... and now he'd 'collected' The Collector. "Walt?"

"Yeah, Shocket?" He asked petting her.

"You said the universe needs him?" She asked quietly. "That you need him?"

Walt nodded. "Yeah... he's an important figure here. He can't just disappear without consequences. He'll be able to continue to do the things he wants to do but he'll be under our control as well. He and the other Elders are too important to just get rid of." He sighed. "Like I said, I and the rest of my people aren't exactly any better than him. It's hypocritical for me to judge. In his own way he's trying to do 'the right thing' too." He started petting Linda's head too. "He just goes about it with a jerkass alien morality."

They both sighed. He had a gentle touch that reminded them of their adoptive father a little... and Walt might be a bit like Taneleer Tivan in someways, but he wasn't callous in his actions either. He cared. It wouldn't stop him from doing what he had to do but he did care.

"We're all villians and heroes in someone else's story depending on the perspective, aren't we?" Linda said. Walt nodded. She sighed and hugged Shocket. "We're good here, right Shocket?"

Shocket sighed and leaned against Walt and hugged Linda back. "Yeah... yeah, we're good. Do what you need to do big guy." They walked away a bit.

Walt smiled and helped Tivan up. "Friday. Let's get this over with."

(("Understood. Dave has a team waiting. They'll take Tivan, close the gate, complete the procedures and then return him to a time approximately 5 seconds after. The fee for the transaction has already been paid."))

Walt smiled seeing the gate open and pushed Tivan through it. It closed behind him and Walt nodded. "And now we wait."

It didn't take long at all. The gate reopened and Taneleer Tivan popped back out. He blinked and bowed to Walt. "What do you desire, Master?"

Walt smiled. "I want you to live your life pretty freely for the most part so I'm going to give you a lot of leeway... but there will be some changes. You will start being more benevolent and considerate in you actions. No more being quite so high handed. Second you'll take even better care of your charges than you already do. Their mental and emotional care and well being are important. Third you're now my agent among the Elders of the Galaxy. You'll keep me appraised of their actions and schemes moving forward as well as all other pertinent information you come across in your dealings. You'll report in regularly and you'll help me with my own schemes and machinations when I require it... but that shouldn't stop you from living your life or seeing out your own goals. Preserving the unique things in the world incase the very worst should happen someday." Walt smiled and shrugged. "In away you're already a part of my "collection". I'm just tasking you with helping me maintain and watch over it a little bit. Understood?"

Taneleer Tivan bowed again and actually smiled a bit. "So it would seem. The Collector has become the collected. The irony is actually quite amusing. At least I shan't be bored. Thank you, Master."

Walt nodded. That was the Collectors deal. Ages ago after the death of his wife he'd come to the realization that 'boredom' equaled 'death' for theur immortal kind. That, coupled with an alien morality, led him to becoming The Collector. He waved. "Thats all for now. Later Tivan." He turned and taking Shocket and Linda's hands left.

They started walking through the Collectors ship, making their way back to where the Eclector was docked. The two girls were surprised that he held their hands. Linda looked at him. "You uh... you could of done the same thing to us. Can I ask why you didn't?"

Walt squeezed their hands. "Cause I'd rather just be your friends. I'm giving you a better deal than Tivan. After our deal is done you're free to do whatever you want as long as it doesn't cause harm to me or mine. We can even go our separate ways when all's said and done. I won't stop you... infact I'd like to keep helping you. If you're ever in any trouble come find me, okay?"

Shocket actually laughed. "Ahahaha! You're a mad sort of bastard ain'tcha? You steal ships people are gonna blow up anyway! Enslave folks then give them personal freedom and liberties. And you're still gonna up hold your end of the deal? All to be 'friends'? You're a fucking loony! Hahaha!"

Walt laughed too surprising them further. "Yeah... I am! Hahaha! And a lot of folks feel that way about me!" He grins. "But I've made an awesome bunch of friends that way over the years doing more or less that... and a family too. I leave up to you two to decide what you want and how to proceed in the future but the offers there. Think it over while we work. You're free of your pasts now. You're not majorly 'wanted' anywhere. After I pay you I'll give you both one of the Ravager M-Class ships on board the Eclector. Your lives will be yours again."

Linda laughed and shook her head. "Well for now we're your crew 'Captain'. Haha! Speaking of where too next?"

Walt grinned. "Back to earth first and then... on to Asgard!"

"Ahahaha! Ass gaurd!" Shocket said laughing as even Linda titters dispite rolling her eyes at her sister. "What a name!"

• Later -

"... and this is Shocket Raccoon and Linda the Duck. They're going to help us out by being crew for awhile as we make our way to Asgard and beyond."

Jubilee laughed and hugged the two of them joined shortly by Gwen. They start asking them questions about their relation to Howard, how they met Walt and other various things as Jen pulled him aside.

"Really?" She asked. "Asgard, next? With a female Rocket copy-"

Shocket started growling. "Hey jolly green skank! I got good ears and I ain't a copy! Ain't nothing in the 'verse like me!"

Jen frowned. "Who you calling a skank you nasty little trash panda-"

"Whoa!" Walt said stepping in. "Don't be like that you two. Bickerings all well and good but let's try to start things off on the right foot, 'kay? Ahem. Shocket and Linda aren't clones or copies. They were made following Rocket and Howard's racial genetic templates as 'breeding stock' by the Collector so at most they're extremely distant cousins. They're unique individuals in their own rights though they do share certain similarities like foul language, drinking, a propensity for violent action and generally making a scene while causing trouble-"

"Hey!" Shocket and Linda said but Jubilee laughed and hugged them. "Aww they're so cute and totally awesome! Just watch your language when you're around my baby back on earth and everything will be fine, ladies!"

Jen still looked concerned. "Do we really need to go to Asgard?"

Walt nodded. "I have to have a chat with Odinson. See if theres a way to work out a deal that benefits Asgard and Earth. Why? Is there a problem? You were both Avengers."

Jen sighed. "I mean 'yes' and 'no'. Thor is sometimes a pain to deal with... and he's on 'the list'..."

Walt blinked. "What list?"

Jen cleared her throat. "You know... 'the list'?"

Jubilee and the others giggled and Shocket smirked and muttered, "I knew it... green sexy skank lady. Why are there so many of those in space anyway? At least this one's an Amazon sort..."

"Ooohhh..." Walt bought a clue. "Great 'ex' drama... uh, Sorry Jen. Thors a pretty okay guy except for his little bit of an ego at times... I can imagine Thor's a bit of a pain to deal with as an 'ex'. You want to stay home?"

She shook her head and kissed his lips. "Nope. I go where you go, partner! I just don't want you to be surprised when he acts up."

Walt nodded but sighed. "You said 'when' and not 'if', right?" He sees her nod and he rolled his eye's. "Great... something to look forward to. A pissing contest with a god."

Shocket chuckles. "Ok NOW this sounds fun... I'm off to go lay in our course to the coordinates you gave!" She says heading for the bridge.

[Walters Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee and Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters

Will Return In

In Space

Coming Soon]