Picking Up A Ship And Crew

"You sure this is the place?"

Walt looked at the seedy, rundown bar. "Yep. The Captains Catch. Thanks, Jubes." He kissed her cheek.

Jubilee smiled but still eyed the bar. "Looks like whoever the Captain was he probably caught something nasty and died. It reminds me of Madripoor and the places you, Logan and Fury would get into trouble. You sure you don't need me to pick you up? I don't like keaving you in the middle of nowhere Florida."

Walt smiled. "Actually it's not that bad... no actual holes in the wall. You ladies have fun at the beach and then head home. Besudes this ain't nowhere. The swamps right over there."

They all looked. "Yep... you just made her point," Jen said. "Call if you need anything!" She'd already put on her "mask". She was going to enjoy people not knowing who she was. Gwen gave him a thumbs up from where she was inflating a beachball.

Walt chuckled and disembarked. He really wanted to go with seeing them in their swimsuits. He mentally resolved to take all the girls to a beach sometime as he watched them fly off.

The interior of the bar wasn't much better from the exterior. It really was a dive "in the middle of nowhere"... but that also made it the closest location to hidden weirdness concealed in the swamps. But he hadn't come here for that either. It just happened to be where his "crew" had popped out so it was convenient.

There were a few strange "people" in the place but everyone was there to mostly avoid others... it was that kind of place. It wasn't nearly as disreputable as it looked as long as one didn't stick their nose where it wasn't welcome. Still the ladies he was meeting were easy to spot despite sitting in the darkest back corner booth. He stopped at the bar and got the one eyed lady bartenders attention. "What's their tab so far?"

"Fifty dollars," she said.

Walt nodded and peeled off two large bills then a third. "Another round of whatever for the bar and a tip for you if you see we ain't disturbed."

She nodded. "Done. Thats what we do best here." She started slinging drinks. "What can I get for you Mr Anonymous?"

Walt shrugged. "I'll have whatever they're having too to start... and then a round of coffees after."

The woman shrugged and started mixing up the concoctions. Then set them on fire. "There ya go."

Walt smiled and grabbed the three drinks. "Thanks." He walked to the back booth and set them down. "Been a while since I had one of these. Ain't it a bit warm out for flaming drinks though?"

A pair of small feathered hands and a pair of small furred hands grabved the drinks. "Ice machines broken apparently," said Feathers. "I figured if you can't beat the heat..."

Fur asked. "How do we know it's really you?"

Walt smiled. "Same way I know it's you. Even for this place stand out a bit." He raised his glass. "How about 'fuck the Collector?"

They tapped glasses with his repeating, "Fuck the Collector," blew out their drinks. They all drank.

"So," Walt asked. "You still in?"

They both nodded. Fur said, "We're in. What ship are we gonna steal?"

Walt smiled and showed them pictures. "Drink up. Two. We're going to steal these two ships."

Feathers said. "Uhmmm... isn't that the exact same ship? Why and how... would you... steal it... twice? *Yawn*... oh you son of a-" *Thunk* *Thump*

Walt finished his drink and pulled out the collars. "Sorry about slipping you the Mickey, ladies. But I asked if you were sure." He collared them both. "Friday?"

(("Capture and registration of Shocket and Linda successful. Control collars operating normally."))

Walt nodded. "I wonder if I'm getting too blasé about this?" He shrugged and took his time finishing his drink then went to get the coffee and wake them up to tell them the plan.

---

"Heya guy," Dave said as Walt came back. "I registered two new acquisitions who'd you-" he blinked. "Okay..."

Dave chuckled. "Temporarily anyway... We need to go in to different places at two separate time points one after another," he ignored the astonished Shocket and Linda. The more he told them the more he'd have to erase from their memory. "Once right here aboard the ship... this exact time and location and steal it... then back into right... here! We'll sieze and steal it again replacing it with the first one."

Dave nodded. "I see creating a nice little loop. Sure no problem. It only works because we don't see this exact version of it ever again. Very nice."

Walt nodded. "Yeah. It's not a bad little ship at all. Not "overwhelmingly awesome" but pretty kickass."

Linda looked around. "What uh-?"

Walt looked at her and Shocket shaking his head. "Don't. I told you. I don't want to erase too many of your memories."

Shocket Raccoon nodded. "He's right. It's best to just let this play out. This is just one of those weird things Linda. I don't see anything, I don't know anything." She starts playing with the pink streak in her hair and checking her weapons. "Come on lets double check the positions we gotta hide in just so to pull this off."

Linda the Duck throws her feathered hands up. "Aww, geez. Fine! I guess we ain't got a choice anyway."

Dave nods his head. "Really? That's your crew for this heist? Getting the first one's easy. But the seconds a bit tricky like they said. Also... you ain't got it in you to hurt the kid! How you gonna work around that?"

Walt held up a portable game console. "That's what this beauty's for! It's not exactly a heist, more a trade..."

• Later - Earth 199999 - on board the Eclector -

"Really?" Shocket asked in their hiding spot.

Walt blinked. "Uh yeah... why? You don't approve?"

She shook her head. "They just hit the music and start blasting?"

Walt listened to Come A Little Bit Closer playing and the gun fure and whistling. "Ok maybe it's not the greatest plan but sometimes simple is best."

She chuckled. "Oh its "simple" alright." She shook her head. "I can't wait to hit these morons."

Walt chuckled. "Yeah but remeber the kids off limits... plus try to go easy on 'em a bit. After all your a little like Rocket after all so you're-"

Shocket glares at him. "If you say it's like I'm hitting myself I'll bite you... I don't know how but I'll find away."

Walt shrugged. "Understood. Honestly I always thought you were a bit smarter anyway."

Shocket smiled just a bit, "Yeah?"

Walt nodded. "Yeah. More fashionable too." He heard them getting closer to the right moment and nodded.

Shocket nodded too. Game time. Walt started silently counting them down.

They dropped out of hiding knocking out Yondu and Rocket before Yondu could set the ship onto a terminal explosion course.

Baby Groot turns growling as Shocket takes over shooting up Ravagers and Walt holds up his hands. "I am groot." He pulls out a flower.

Baby Groot pauses. Walt nods. "We didn't hurt them bad. Yondu that lovable maniac was about to blow the ship up. We want to help."

"I am Groot?" Baby Groot asked.

Walt smiled and handed over the live flower. "That's right... and I feel a tiny bit bad about knocking them out but I want to make a trade." Walt looked up. "Excuse me." He quickly grabbed Rockets pistols and started firing at the mutinous Ravagers including Tazerface.

"I am Groot," baby Groot said putting the flower into his suit.

Walt nodded. "Thank you, I think you have good taste as well. I'm so glad you liked it. I have something else I think you'll enjoy as well as a few apology gifts for the lumps." He sees Linda walking their way as they finish the last of the mutinous traitors. "Kraglin give you any trouble?"

Linda shook her head. "Not even a little. Comfortably resting."

"I am Groot," baby Groot said approvingly.

Walt smiled nodding putting weapons away including returning Rockets. Linda slipped Yondu's Arrow back into it's holster. Walt started dragging Yondu as Linda and Shocket dragged Rocket. "So I have one of those ugly doll things Yondu likes, some tape for Rocket and for you a handheld video game console."

"I am Groot?" Groot asked following along with them.

Walt chuckled. "Oh I think you'll enjoy it quite a bit! It's a way to play a bunch of different games that's portable. Kinda like Quills music."

"I am Groot!" Groot said excitedly at that prospect. But then he looked thoughtful. "I am Groot?"

Walt nodded. "Right. Since Yondu was gonna blow this ship and I saved it, I claim it... and I want to trade those things for it and..." he pointed out the window. "And you all can go on your way on this ship and I'll replace it with that one everyone happy."

"I am Groot?" Groot said looking at the exact same ship.

Walt nodded. "Good eye. You're right. It is for all intents and purposes the exact same ship. So it's basically like I'm trading you for something Yondu was gonna throw away."

"I am Groot," Groot said nodding.

Walt nodded pulling out the handheld. "Right? It is a pretty good deal for everyone. Ok let me show you how this thing works..."

---

Yondu, Rocket and Kraglin shake their heads waking up. Groot is holding something that bleeps and bloops.

"What happened?" Rocket asked rubbing his head.

"I am Groot," Baby Groot explained.

"I did?" Yondu asked looking at the troll doll in his lap.

"I am Groot," Groot said mashing buttons.

"I did?" Rocket asked looking at the roll of tape around his wrist.

"I am Groot," Groot said excitedly clearing a level in the game.

"I did?" Kraglin asked. Then nodded. "I mean of course... all according to the plan... right, guys?"

Yondu stuffed the troll in his pocket. "Right!"

"Yeah... yeah!" Rocket said. "And now we can save the others. Just like we planned."

Groot smiled as everything went according to plan and turned out a good deal for everyone. "I am Groot."

[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

Getting Underway

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