Rocket Raccoon:
The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same
By Jeremy McLaughlin
Prologue
A dim eerie light danced across the walls of the large chamber. The light from over a hundred black and white holo-monitors cast shadowing figures along the wall. Each of the holo-monitors shifted and flowed around as if someone were searching for something or someone. More accurately they were searching for a friend from long ago. With very little success.
Artemis let out a long sigh and lay his head back. The bio-chair that he now lived in, swelled up to give him a soft cushion for which to lay his head. He aimed his milky unseeing eyes up to the ceiling, lost in contemplation. It had been months since he and his Agents lost track of Rocket Raccoon. Granted it was inevitable to happen once Agent 1 had been caught following the raccoonoid. What had escaped his knowledge, was the tree servant Groot.
Granted the Guardians of the Galaxy were well known throughout the stars, but who was to know that Groot and Rocket were inseparable. If only they'd had made that known on the galactic interweb, or an informant would have thought to make a note of it. The unfortunate lost of Agent 1 could have been avoided. All contingencies had been planned for, but none of his knowledge hounds had revealed anything about a living tree bodyguard. That was last time he'd seen Rocket.
“Where could you be my friend, how have you so perfectly escaped my gaze?” Artemis spoke to no one, his voice echoing off the walls of the large chamber.
Never in his wildest dream would he have thought that Rocket would be so good at hiding out. There was also no doubt is his wizened mind, that Rocket was now hunting for knowledge about the Deadlights Society. That would make finding him all the more difficult. Perhaps there was another way to find him. A way he and his Agents hadn't thought of.
“Agent 19, report to me at once.” He spoke into his headset.
Artemis's voice was distorted from his ever growing mass. Always being fed fats and nutrition through tubes. Without the ability to move freely or exercise without the aid of his chair, was taking it's toll on his body. More and more he was taking the form of a blob. His once otter-like face had become a stretched featureless mass. Now he was only Artemis by memory. But from his sacrifice of body, he'd gained the ability to access computer and electronics on thousands of worlds. He alone could control the vast armada of the Deadlights Society ships with just a thought. The only reason he had his Agents at all, was to recruit for his army. Every brain needed brawn, ever nation needed foot soldiers, thus he had his.
“Computer lights up fifty percent, monitors off.” He croaked out.
The light's came up in several rows across the tall ceiling, illuminating the awesome chamber. It was smooth and sterile. The white metal tiles on the floor and ceiling were in direct contrast to the smooth, glossy, black metal panels on the walls. If you were in the room for the first time, it would be impossible to find any of the doors out of the room. Without the proper clearance and a headset you couldn't open them anyway. Everything aboard this flying colony was automated and Artemis and his Agents controlled it all.
A light was cast across the white floor as the far door opened. The sound of footfall filled the room. Along with the sounds came two glowing red lenses set into a helmet. She presented herself and saluted, much like an obedient soldier. A smile moved to Artemis's lips, not really so much of a smile, rather just one side of his mouth cocked upward. Agent 19 responded by removing her helmet, tucking it under her arm.
Alicia's Ar'Lierian features were not unlike that of an Earth otter, the only exception was her once golden fur had been altered and mutated to glow green with Supernova Gamma radiations. It had left her with the unique ability to shape change, but pulling off such a feat was difficult for long periods of time. Her glowing green eyes were radiant, and seemed to pierce the hardest of hearts. But when she gazed at Artemis, they always softened with fondness for the man that was her father.
“Father, you summoned me?” Alicia's voice was soft, but it still echoed in the large chamber.
“Yes my child.” There was a happy tone in his voice. “Have you had any luck locating our friend?”
“No father, he covers his tracks at every turn. The people he usually speaks too don't know where he is. One Peter Quill hasn't spoke to him in three weeks, Drax the destroyer it's been even longer. Even the Nova Corps have no record of where he's gone. We're stuck.” Alice said the disappoint in her voice was heavy, not just disappointment but sadness.
Artemis rotated his chair slightly and caressed her cheek softly. “I know your pain my child, your love for him is strong. It sets my circuitry ablaze. I too am sad for his absence, but we will find a way.”
Alicia pressed her cheek against his hand, blushing despite herself. “We still have one more lead. Gamora the deadliest woman in the universe. We've not contacted her, quite frankly we're frightened to confront her.”
“She is dangerous and I doubt that she knows where he is anyway. Neither of them like each other very much, even when they have to work together. Do you have any ideas?” Artemis raised his one good eyebrow in a questioning fashion.
“Not me, but Aunt Aisha had an idea.” Alicia paused, her glowing green eyes were locked on her father expression.
Aisha, Artemis's sister had been brought on board as an agent when the Thoke family farm collapsed under her control. It wasn't unexpected, nor was she to blame. Artemis Jr. had been into some shady dealing. Which his like and dealings had been extinguished at the hands of Rocket Raccoon. Good riddance were the linger thoughts on Artemis's mind. The little bastard had sold him to a laboratory when he was sick and bed ridden. The laboratory was responsible for giving him the chair, that had given him life again.
Unfortunately the laboratory had met with an accident at the hands of Artemis. He had some regret that it had to come to that, but they wanted to govern his power. Tell him how and when he could us it. Unacceptable after everything he'd been through. Nothing like giving him the Crown Jewels of the Shi'ar Empire and telling him not to spend any of it..
“Father?” Alicia asked.
“Yes, sorry my daughter I was lost in thought about my dear sister.” His sympathetic words, touched Alicia.
“She is doing well father, and enjoying her new surroundings. Thanks to her being here she was able to come up with a great plan for finding Rocket Raccoon. She had been dealing with a trader named Vargus. He would help her from time to time with farm shipment. He's a Kree merchant that only deals with secret organizations and societies throughout the galaxy. He is very formidable at keeping his contacts and information private. Even we've had difficulties finding out who these other groups that he works for are.” Alicia stated tucking her hands behind her back, her helmet digging into her side.
The plan unfolded in her mind, making sure that if there were weak points in it, she could address them before reveling it to her father. Things were different between them now, he was a boss first and then a father. She didn't want to seem incompetent in his eyes. Failure was not an option.
“And.” Artemis spoke, he was well aware that she was going back over the plan looking for holes, a warm feeling filled his circuits..
“Vargus is in all essence a space pirate, but one of honor. He had been wrongly accused of dumping cargo and it landed him in a spot of trouble with the Sakaranns. Luckily for him Gamora had dealings with the same group of Sakaraans. The deal as you may have guessed went sour and many Sakaraans died. Gamora saved Vargus's life and helped him escape.” Alicia bit her bottom lip for a moment, running through the last few bits of information. “This is where his honor comes into play. He owes Gamora a favor in exchange for his life. We could somehow set up a meeting between Vargus and our friend. If they both agree, we can set up a trap to snare him.”
Artemis ponders this thought through his unseeing eye, all at once something hit him. “It's brilliant. I shall set the meeting up on the bones of the Celestial Being, Knowhere. It would seem the most neutral plane for them to converse. Once there, you should be able to capture him.”
“What if he brings his pet tree?” Alicia asked, the question was most certainly relevant.
“Leave that to me. Give me a day or two to set things up. Then take a ship and ten of your best agents. Lie in wait for him, when the time comes you know what to do. Do not fail me this time. So much hinges on our friend.” Artemis's voice became ever more distorted as he lost himself to thought.
“As you wish father.” Alicia said giving another salute before turning away.
Alicia pulled her helmet back down over her head, the green glow of her fur disappearing. Artemis watched as she walked through the door, it closed behind her. There was a loneliness in the room, when he was...more of a man the loneliness would have caused him a cold chill. But now with the help of his chair, he would never be alone. The puzzle was almost complete, his family was almost complete. Just one more piece was missing.
