Following Coulson, Rocket and his companions made their way to the entrance of the SHIELD branch base. Drax appeared elated, Groot enthusiastically waved his tree branches but occasionally paused as if practicing something. Rocket, on the other hand, seemed indifferent, as if he had known that his request would be accepted.
Indeed, the conditions Rocket had just proposed were hard for Captain Rogers to refuse. As Coulson mentioned earlier, SHIELD’s technology and weapons were already at the forefront on Earth. Even Stark Industries and other high-tech companies, along with gadgets like the Iron Man suit, couldn’t rival SHIELD’s position.
However, SHIELD couldn’t afford to remain complacent. Especially as they began to interact with extraterrestrial civilizations and aimed to make strides into the Interstellar Age, technological development and progress were vital. Therefore, since Rocket was willing to provide them with technical support, they had no reason to decline.
Click, Click, Click~
As Rocket, Drax, and Groot followed Coulson and sat in SHIELD’s specialized vehicle to leave the SHIELD branch, in the command and control center of this base’s core, Rogers shifted his gaze away from the screen displaying the base’s entrance.
“Captain, are you really letting them all go out for a stroll?” While Rogers shifted his gaze, Falcon, standing beside him, suddenly asked.
Although they had recently joined forces with the Guardian of the Galaxy to combat Dormammu, apart from Lin Rui, none of the others knew much about the members of the Guardian of the Galaxy. Trust was in short supply.
“Don’t worry; they won’t cause any trouble. Besides, a few Agents will accompany them to handle any unexpected incidents,” Rogers replied with a smile, understanding Falcon’s concerns.
During their recent encounter, Destroyer Drax had already demonstrated considerable combat prowess, which was enough to earn Rogers’ respect. Furthermore, he trusted the Guardian of the Galaxy and had confidence in Lin Rui. As long as they didn’t stir up trouble while exploring outside, Captain Rogers didn’t see any harm in letting them go.
“Even if they behave well and can disguise themselves, like Star-Lord and Gamora, we can’t rule out the possibility that some individuals or organizations might try something,” Falcon added, expressing his concerns. Sometimes, even when you trust certain people, there are always others looking to cause trouble.
Rocket and his companions’ disguises might fool ordinary people, but they couldn’t deceive specially trained agents or individuals with unique abilities. If any special organization detected them while they were out and about, it could lead to many complications.
After all, SHIELD claimed ownership of both the Milano and the E-Grade Spaceship. Nobody knew that the Milano was an actual spaceship from the cosmos, housing several extraterrestrial beings. If other organizations discovered that SHIELD was harboring extraterrestrials, it might not bode well.
“If they dare to take action, I’d like to see who dares at a time like this!” Captain Rogers’s tone turned serious upon hearing Falcon’s continued inquiries.
“Moreover, even if their identities are exposed, so what? At this moment, having a few friendly extraterrestrials in SHIELD doesn’t seem like a bad thing,” Captain Rogers concluded, addressing Falcon’s lingering concerns.
“Hmm?… Friendly extraterrestrials…”
***
As Rocket set out with Coulson for a tour of the outside world, in the Himalayan Mountains, the secluded dwelling place of the Sorcerers, the Ancient One stood in his yard, facing an older gentleman exuding an aristocratic aura— this gentleman was none other than Star-Lord’s biological father, Ego.
After Dormammu’s main form had crossed dimensions and left, Ego arrived on Earth in his spaceship. However, he didn’t immediately seek out Star-Lord.
Instead, he had come to meet the Ancient One. Ego’s spaceship was highly advanced, and Earth had no knowledge of its arrival, as it slipped through undetected amidst the E-Grade Spaceship and the Milano.
“Ego, did you come all this way just to find your son, whom you’ve lost for decades?” The Ancient One observed Ego, then spoke, his voice laced with curiosity.
He didn’t know about Ego’s origins or his sudden appearance as an ally during the battle against Dormammu. Although he had claimed to be Star-Lord’s father, the Ancient One hadn’t immediately trusted his words. Not that he doubted Ego being Star-Lord’s father; he simply sensed that there was more to him than met the eye.
“Well, I’ve been searching for him all these years without success. It was only recently that I stumbled upon his whereabouts, so I’ve come all this way,” Ego replied with a smile, not perturbed by the Ancient One’s inquiry.
If Earth hadn’t had the Ancient One, Ego would have gone straight to find Star-Lord and explain everything. However, after witnessing the Ancient One’s capabilities during the recent battle, he didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble. So, he had decided to pay his respects to the Ancient One first.
“That’s fine. I won’t meddle in this matter. As long as you don’t pose any threat to Earth, I won’t interfere in a father-son reunion,” Ancient One responded, not finding anything amiss in Ego’s answers.
“That’s good to hear. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go find my son now. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ancient One.” Ego nodded with a smile after the Ancient One acknowledged him.
Then, after a mutual nod of acknowledgment with the Ancient One, Ego took flight into the sky and entered his pure-white spaceship suspended in mid-air.
Swish!
The next moment, the pure-white spaceship accelerated and departed from the Himalayan Mountains. Judging by its direction, it was heading towards the American continent.
After the spaceship had left, the Ancient One, still standing in his yard, withdrew his gaze, his expression calm. Just as he had mentioned earlier, as long as Ego didn’t cause any trouble on Earth, he wouldn’t interfere.
Moreover, Earth had already begun to make contact with cosmic civilizations, and individuals like Star-Lord were not necessarily a bad addition to the mix.
“Just… Strange…” Pushing aside thoughts of Ego for now, the Ancient One muttered to himself.
…
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