Yondu had given permission for the Milano to land in his bay. Once it had touched down, the group disembarked and were greeted by Yondu himself, with Peter and Gamora behind him. He appeared neutral until he locked eyes with Cora and tensed up at the sight of her.

"What in the hell are you doin' here?" He snarled.

"Oh shit." She winced.

"Wait what?" Peter piped up.

"You have some nerve walkin' back into this vicinity." Yondu continued.

"You know each other?!" Peter blurted out in disbelief.

"It was all down to messy circumstances." Cora folded her arms.

"What were these circumstances?" Drax asked with a frown.

"Yondu, she ain't on Starling's side anymore." Rocket explained.

"Where's your proof?" The centaurian challenged.

"You too?!" Peter spoke in exasperation. "It's a small world, huh."

"You mean the galaxy – it's also not small it's ginormous." Drax butted in.

"Now is not the time." Gamora bellowed. "Cora was with us and you saw her run from the boy when he showed up, why would she run if she was still on his side?"

Yondu paused and nodded with the familiar sly smile Cora had seen many times in the past.

"What did you do to piss him off?"

"It's too much to explain." She shook her head. "But you have nothing to worry about. I'm not working with him anymore."

Yondu gave her a long look then stood to the side to allow her and the others to pass through and everyone wordlessly began to follow Peter through the corridors.

"For now." Cora resumed under her breath with a giggle.

"Do not joke about that, Cora." Peter warned in a low voice. "Yondu will have no second thoughts about killing you if you pose any kinda threat."

"Oh, trust me, I know."

"You pick the wrong times to get ballsy." Peter replied.

"Where are you taking us, Quill?"

"Somewhere quiet where we can talk."

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, what is this about?" Rocket quizzed.

"Be patient." Peter shot back as he opened a door to an empty room.

The group walked in and found their own places to occupy. Rocket went to sit on a metal crate, with Cora sat on the floor nearby, unzipping her bag and grabbing her Nintendo DS, switching it on to play on it idly. Groot sat on a metal crate on the other side of Rocket and Drax sat opposite. Peter and Gamora were the only ones left standing and they looked rather serious as they stood before them.

"Please tell us why we are here." Drax asked, locking eyes with Peter.

"We've learned a few things being here with the Ravagers." Peter began. "I learned Yondu still has a soft spot for me."

"I don't think Yondu would be particularly squishy." Drax frowned.

"No, what I meant was, he raised me as a young boy and initially he wanted to kill me for not giving him the orb, but we've moved past that… for the time being."

"So, if you were part of the Ravagers, how come you never saw Cora's number one fan?" Rocket snickered, earning a glare from Cora until she focused on Peter for his answer.

"It's a big clan, I don't know how many more there are out there. We all had our different roles and assignments. Anyways, can we stay focused? Thank you. So, we figured it out. Yondu and the Ravagers are gonna help us stop Ronan because I promised him the orb but I'm not gonna give it to him, duh. We'll get the orb back to Xandar and the Nova Corp, the whole galaxy is saved! What do you guys think?"

"You call that 'figured out?' We're gonna rob the guys who just beat you senseless!" Rocket pressed.

"Oh, you want to talk about senseless? How about trying to save us by blowing us up?" Peter countered.

"We were only gonna blow you up if they didn't turn you over!"

"And how on earth were they going to turn us over when you gave them a count of five?!"

"Well, we tried to help." Cora shrugged as she rapidly pressed the buttons on her DS.

"I am Groot."

"They are ungrateful." The raccoon nodded.

"What's important now is we get the Ravagers to help us save Xandar." Gamora pitched in.

"Not with an empty promise." Rocket stated.

"We'll figure that part out later." Peter tried to reassure the group.

Cora snickered at his response, still focused on her game.

"We have to stop Ronan." Gamora spoke solemnly.

"How?" The raccoon challenged.

"I have a plan." Peter added, somewhat confidently.

"You've got a plan?"

"Yes."

"First of all, you're copying me from when I said I had a plan."

"No, I'm not. People say that all the time, it's not that unique of a thing to say."

"I don't even believe you have a plan." Rocket argued.

"I have part of a plan!" Peter spoke uncertainly.

"What percentage of a plan do you have?" Drax interjected.

"You don't get to ask questions after the nonsense you pulled on Knowhere." Gamora spat.

"I just saved Quill!"

"We've already established that you destroying the ship I'm on is not saving me." Peter explained.

"When did we establish it?"

"Like three seconds ago!"

"Great so when do we start?" Cora blurted out, looking up from her DS.

"What?" Peter frowned.

"Oh, you've um still not come up with a plan – I should have known better." She mumbled, going back to her game.

"Are you two even listening?!" Gamora yelled in frustration. "Give me that!" She added, trying to swipe the DS off of Cora.

"Take your hands off my DS or I'm blasting you out of this goddamn ship!"

"As boring as this is, just pay attention for a few minutes, will ya?" Rocket reprimanded, earning himself a groan from the girl.

She took back her DS and switched it off, snapped it shut and tucked it back in her bag. Gamora sighed and gave a brief nod in thanks before turning away swiftly from her.

"Happy? Now wrap this up, please." Cora grumbled.

"What percentage?" Rocket continued.

"I don't know, twelve percent."

Rocket burst into a sudden roar of laughter as Cora smiled coyly at the scene.

"That's a fake laugh!" Peter accused.

"It's real!"

"Totally fake."

"Nope, that's an actual laugh of his." Cora said, failing at keeping a straight face.

"That is the most, real, authentic, hysterical laugh of my entire life because that is not a plan!"

"It's barely a concept." Gamora agreed.

"You're taking their side?" Peter spoke in disbelief.

"I am Groot."

"So what, it's better than eleven percent? What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Rocket replied.

"At least one of us is looking on the bright side." Cora commented.

"Thank you, Groot. Thank you." Peter said, feeling relieved by Groot's support. "See? Groot's the only one of you who has a clue."

Peter turned in his direction to see the flora colossus chewing a leaf on his shoulder, only to shake his head, feeling foolish as Rocket and Cora snickered at the scene together.

"Guys, come on. Yondu is expecting to hear this big plan of ours. I need your help. I look at us and you know what I see? Losers. I mean, like folks who have lost stuff – and we have. Man, we have; all of us. Our homes, our families, friends, normal lives. And, usually life takes more than it gives, but not today. Today, it's given us something. It has given us a chance."

"To do what?" Drax asked in a low tone.

"To give a shit for once, not run away." Peter continued. "I, for one, am not gonna stand by and watch as Ronan wipes out billions of innocent lives."

"But Quill, stopping Ronan; it's impossible. You're asking us to die." Rocket spoke softly.

Cora had watched Peter's speech and became inspired by it, prepared to help in any way she could until Rocket had made his counter-argument. Her head dropped low at the mention of death, it made her heart pump a cold twinge of fear through her chest.

"Yeah, I guess I am…" Peter admitted in defeat, turning away from them all in shame.

The room fell into complete silence for a brief moment, leaving everyone to their thoughts, until Gamora broke it.

"Quill, I have lived most of my life surrounded by my enemies. I will be grateful to die among my friends." She stood up in support.

"You are an honourable man, Quill. I will fight beside you and in the end, see my wife and daughter again." Drax spoke as he rose to his feet.

"I am Groot." Groot agreed and stood tall in solidarity.

Cora looked at Gamora, then to Drax, then stared at Peter thoughtfully before turning to Groot. She knew Groot wouldn't put himself through danger in a rash manner. She nodded at her tree friend and slowly stood up.

"You have good music taste and I like your ship so, I'm in." She spoke before shaking her head. "I'm playing, but, well, I… haven't met people quite like you guys. I'd like to stick around with you all for a little longer."

Everyone turned to Rocket waiting for his decision. He stared everyone down for a while before sighing and standing to his feet.

"Oh, what the hell, I don't got that long a lifespan, anyway. Now I'm standing. You all happy? We're all standing up now. Bunch of jackasses, standing in a circle."