Chapter 107: The Collector
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As the fighter jet stabilized once again, a massive planet appeared before Link, its proximity catching his attention. He gently pushed the control lever, directing the fighter towards the planet.
Morag was a desolate, barren world. Link wasn't exactly sure what had caused it to become this way or why the Orb was left here. But none of that really mattered.
He began searching for the structures he remembered. The Swallow fighter jet was fast, and thanks to his dynamic vision, Link didn't need to slow down to inspect the buildings. Luckily, there weren't many structures left on Morag, making it easier for him to find a spot similar to the one he remembered from the movie.
Whether there would be any changes remained uncertain, but for now, he had no choice but to search in this way. Some places might change, while others might remain the same—it all depended on luck.
Fortunately, his luck was good. He landed on a deserted plaza, suited up, and exited the fighter jet.
With his X-ray vision, he quickly identified the location of the Orb. Exploring the universe alone was child's play for him—this was the confidence that came with his strength.
Link went directly to the Orb's location. Without bothering with a key, he smashed the door open with a single punch.
The energy field around the Orb was protecting it, but Link tested it with his Vibranium suit. The field couldn't harm Vibranium, and if it had, there would've been no need for him to go in unarmed.
"That was easy," Link said, tossing the Orb lightly in his hand before turning to leave. Morag had been abandoned for a long time, with no signs of intelligent life.
It was possible that the Orb had been placed here later on, but who could say for sure?
Now, it was time to set off for Knowhere, the headquarters of the Collector. The organization he created was extremely wealthy.
...
The fighter jet jumped through space once again and appeared near Knowhere. The journey had been quick.
Although Asgardians didn't rely on spatial nodes, their records were incredibly thorough—a testament to their long-lived race.
Link had been taking notes as well: calculating travel times from Earth to different spatial nodes, measuring energy consumption for space jumps, and gathering other critical data.
These details were essential. He wasn't just charting routes; he was collecting all sorts of minute information, data, and variables.
The universe was vast, and even though they were only within the Milky Way, it was still filled with dangers. Just because Link wasn't afraid didn't mean others wouldn't be.
Knowhere was a chaotic place, fraught with peril—a haven for criminals from across the galaxy.
Link landed his fighter at a spaceport. There were no formal registration or defense systems in place, which was fortunate as it meant fewer hassles. Wearing his suit, Link disembarked.
Two energy guns were holstered on the outside of his thighs—he was ready for combat at any moment.
Glancing around, he started walking toward the center of the area. It was an eye-opening experience, with all sorts of aliens in every shape and form. Some resembled humans, but their skin came in a variety of colors.
Others were bizarre in appearance, looking more like monsters than people. Link didn't stand out in his combat suit, as most people here wore similar gear.
Reaching the central area, Link grabbed a passerby casually. "Where's the Collector?"
The person clearly wasn't happy about being stopped, but the strength of Link's grip made him back down. He pointed in a direction.
There stood a tall building, its uppermost section housing a massive round room surrounded by transparent materials.
Link released the man and began walking toward the building.
At the entrance, Link found that he couldn't proceed further, but there was a communication device nearby. He reached out and pressed it.
"Who seeks an audience with the great Collector?" A woman's voice came through the device.
"I have something to sell—an Orb," Link replied directly, not mentioning the Power Stone just yet.
"Please wait a moment." The woman, likely one of the Collector's servants, responded.
Link didn't have to wait long. The door opened, and a red-skinned woman appeared. "Follow me."
Link stepped inside, riding the elevator all the way to the top floor where the Collector resided.
"Welcome! I didn't expect someone to bring the Orb to me in person," the Collector remarked, studying Link carefully. "Mind removing your helmet?"
Link reached up and tapped the helmet, which melted away, retracting slowly.
"And you are...?" The Collector couldn't quite place where Link was from.
"Earth. I'm from Earth," Link answered as he retrieved the Orb from the tactical pouch on his waist.
"How much are you offering?" Link asked.
"Hmm..." The Collector pondered for a moment. "Ten billion units."
Link shook his head. "Don't think I'm unaware of what's inside. This is the Power Stone."
The Collector nodded slightly. Clearly, the price wouldn't drop. "Forty billion units, then?"
"I have a question first. Can your organization build a mothership?" Link asked. "I assume you've seen the fighter jet I came in. How large a carrier could you construct, and how many jets could it hold?"
"Interesting idea!" The Collector was intrigued. "Earth hasn't entered the interstellar community yet. How did you manage to get out here?"
"Every planet has its geniuses. We've pooled our talents, and with Asgard's help, we were able to leave Earth. You've probably heard about the Chitauri invasion. They attacked Earth, but we defeated them," Link explained openly.
He needed a mothership, and relying on Earth's resources or his and Stark's capabilities alone wouldn't be enough. The time required would also be prohibitively long.
But in the vast universe, finding an advanced civilization to build it would be much easier.
The Collector was surprised by Link's openness. Did he have no sense of caution? But that wasn't his concern.
"Let me see," the Collector said, stepping over to a control panel. He quickly brought up footage of Link's fighter jet, precisely pinpointing its location. Although no one managed this port, the Collector controlled everything.
"Oh, it looks a bit like a raider's jet but smaller—designed for agility. So, this is what you came in?" the Collector remarked. "You have accurate spatial node coordinates and a space-jump engine."
"If you're building a mothership, would you need weapons?"
"Of course. We've designed several types. They all have different shapes. Here, take a look and see which suits you," Link said, handing over a USB drive.
The Collector took the drive and inserted it into his system, bringing up a series of design blueprints.
One of them resembled the *Minerva* from *Gundam SEED*, designed for maximum agility. Though it wasn't meant to house Gundams, it could hold a large number of fighter jets. The design was also conducive to being docked at a space station.
Earth's current state was quite different from advanced civilizations in space. Without having truly entered the interstellar community, Earth's Avengers wouldn't number many.
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(End of Chapter)