lady stardust.

11. starman

Peter and Ziggy boarded the Milano, as Rocket piloted it off the Sovereign. "Lake Shore Drive" played, and Ziggy sat in one of the office chairs, watching as Gamora put restraints on Nebula's wrists. Nearby, Peter changed out of his mission shirt, to which Ziggy ignored the red tint to her ears and avoided eye contact. Eventually, she glanced over at him once he had his shirt on again.

"Oh, sorry if it seemed like I was flirting with the High Priestess. I wasn't." Peter told her.

"Why would I care?" She asked, sipping the tea she had made post-mission.

Peter blinks at her. "You seem like you care a lot, actually."

"Well, I don't." Ziggy murmurs, turning in her chair so the back faces him.

"There are two types of people in the universe, those who dance, and those who do not." Drax suddenly spoke, standing next to Peter. With her back turned, Ziggy could hear him jump. "I first met my beloved at a war rally. Everyone in the village flailed about, dancing. Except for one woman. My Ovette. I knew immediately she was the one for me. The most melodic song in the world could be playing and she would not move a muscle. Not even tap her foot. One might assume she was dead."

"That does sound pretty hot." Peter agrees. Ziggy pretended as if she wasn't listening to the conversation, keeping her head down and occasionally making a loud slurping noise.

"It would make my nether regions engorge," Drax added, and Ziggy choked on her drink.

"Okay, thank you." Peter groaned in disgust.

"What I'm saying is you need to match someone who is as pathetic as you and enjoys dancing. Like Ziggy."

"Ziggy?"

Now she for sure was paying attention to the conversation, hoping Drax was about to possibly put in some good word for her despite having just insulted her.

"Yes. She likes you a questionable amount. Maybe it would benefit you to return it." Drax suggested. Ziggy slunk out of her chair, attempting to not be seen as she tried to head to the cockpit in embarrassment.

"You knew she was there the entire time," Peter says, also aware of her. "Oh, my god..."

As Ziggy hid in the cockpit, the alarms suddenly blared. Glancing out the window, Sovereign ships swarmed the Milano. Peter brushed past her, keeping his eye contact forward as Ziggy frowned. He dropped into the pilot seat next to Rocket, strapping in.

"Why do we have a Sovereign fleet approaching?" Peter questions, glancing at the group.

"Probably because Rocket stole some of their batteries," Drax told them.

"Dude!" Rocket exclaimed.

"Right." He backpedaled. "He didn't steal some of those. I don't know why they're after us. What a mystery this is."

The Milano was fired at, making Gamora yelp in surprise. Peter turned the ship to the side, and Ziggy gripped the bars on the side of the ship's walls.

"What were you thinking?!" Peter yelled.

"They were really easy to steal!" Rocket defended.

"That's your defense?" Gamora snapped.

"You saw how that High Priestess talked down to us. Now I'm teaching her a lesson!"

"He isn't wrong..." Ziggy mutters.

"Oh, I didn't realize your motivation was altruism," Peter says sarcastically with a bored tone. "It's a shame the Sovereign mistook your intentions and are trying to kill us."