CHAPTER 128 - PLANS AND POSSIBLE OUTCOMES

A/N: Hopefully we can get back to steady updates from next week

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[Sif POV]

Thor's friends are weird, but then again I think that says a lot about me and others as we are also his friends, oldest friends might I add.

Wait, doesn't that mean we are the weirder ones since we've been with him for so long?

"So where are we headed to?" The one blessed with godly speed, Pietro, asked as he perused the different spatial points we've made jumps at.

"If we want to know what happened, it's best if we go where it happened."

The red haired sister of his, a distinguished sorceress, asked. "And that is?"

"A few system clusters away from Nova Central. It's a more neutral place, but it's still in Nova territory. I picked up a few bounty to sell our disguise better but we should expect a squabble if whatever happened back there pissed someone a little bit influential."

They both nodded in understanding and for once I was glad of this change of pace.

Not that I hate them or anything, but hanging out with Thor, Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg takes a lot of mental fortitude in order to keep up with half the things they get on with every twice in a while.

Thor and Volstagg are simple-minded brutes whose answer to everything revolves around smashing it to pieces until it disappears. If it doesn't disappear, then that just means you're not smashing it hard enough – ergo you're not strong enough.

Though Thor had calmed a lot down after his return from his short banishment, a change I'm mostly proud of, just not the cause. Which ultimately leaves Volstagg as the sole unthinking brute of my closest comrades.

Hogun and Fandral are intellectuals, both in politics and common knowledge but the former is a very passive warrior and is mostly alright with just going along with the majority's, meaning Thor's, vote.

Fandral on the other hand, besides his horrendous acts of philandery and unending flirting, is too laid back and slothful, despite being an elite warrior of the realm. Normally you'd think that would be Volstagg based on stereotypical conjectures, but then you'd be normally wrong.

"I'm really digging this omni-translator thingies Vision whipped up. Takes care of the awkward language barrier we would be facing otherwise." Pietro remarked.

"We could have bought those when we land but it seems Vision copied the dataprint from one of the people we fought back there."

The three of them, even Pietro who seems a bit carefree and with a penchant for mischief, were about the average man in terms of Intellect and prowess. Truly a marvelous group.

'And Thor said there were a whole group of them? If the rest of their group are as strong as they are then they are truly fearsome and mighty as Thor made them to be.'

It would truly be a pleasure to meet and cross blades with warriors of such pedigree.

The doors to the ship's hub slid open as Simons came in, blinking as he looked out the windows before turning to me.

"Why aren't we just jumping through spatial points?" He asked.

With how they carry themselves most of the time, sometimes I forget this is their first time traveling the stars.

"This sector is privately owned and has a spatial lock around it and forcefully initiating a spatial jump outside designated areas is tantamount to breaking the law and we'll be branded as criminals. Which means we'll have the Nova Corp after us at every turn." I diligently explained to him which he nodded in understanding.

"Which will make it even harder to walk in Nova territory for the specific reasons we are going there."

See what I mean? You don't have to even finish a sentence before they get it.

Simons' hands turned robotic and he fiddled with it for a bit before they turned back normal. "I've been downloading all the spatial coordinates I've come across along with the ones I copied from a few bounty hunters to make a universal map, or the start of one."

"You can get something like that when we land. It's not cheap but I think with your expertise it'll come along easily." I informed him. It would be bad if he tried hacking someone's network and got found out, especially in the near the heart of Nova Central.

"I see. That's a lot better. I'm guessing it'll also contain data on the Sol System?" He asked, "Easily." I replied.

"Buckle down. We'll soon be arriving at the nearest jump point." I kicked the ship into fulldrive and enjoyed the ride from there.

'I wonder how Thor and the others are doing.'

°°°°°°

[Vision POV]

'Definitely the most advanced planet I've seen so far.' I idly noted as we went through security at the dock and stepped inside the city.

[Task generated]

[Running passive probe on citywide network hub – Status:… Ongoing]

[Grading systems security level in comparison with highest secured system identified]

[Cataloging incoming data streams]

≪ULTRON Protocols: Currently updating≫

'This planet's security is outrageously tight.'

Drones, street cams - some even microscopic -, echo radars, motion mapping and a few more. All public areas are simply red zones for criminals and crimes unless they create their own blindspot.

'My expectations for Xandar's just got higher.'

"Finally understand huh? This is why I wanted to avoid confrontations until we get started on our mission." Said Sif after she noted how we were reacting to the security, in Wanda and Pietro's case.

With this place's security, every local force, bounty hunter and bandit would have identified us as soon as we stepped into the city and tracking our movements from this point onwards would have been easier.

"I expected it, but finally understanding the scale of it paints it a lot clearer." If I were truly human, I'd probably be feeling a lot excited at the prospect of increasing my processing capacity to the higher levels of this universe, like this city which clearly has a full spec Artificial Intelligence that processes the never ending trillions of bytes of data streams coming in every microsecond from the city's network and the satellites that monitor all spatial movements spanning solar systems a dozen times the size of hours… WITHOUT an Infinity Stone aiding it.

Seeing and experiencing it in person really undersells the crazy advancements of the wider universe with how the comics focus much on earth and its heroes.

Even if earth is given a thousand years to progress without any outside help, while the rest of the universe remains stagnant, they won't still be anything in front of civilizations like this.

"Truly an eye opener, and coming from me, that's saying something. So, what now? Bounty hunting, information gathering, or efficiently both?" I turned to Sif and inquired after taking in everything and getting over it in a split second.

"Both." Smart choice in picking the best option. "I'll admit I'm not too experienced in covert missions like these so I'd be relying on you for that. Also I'm not too knowledgeable about this city, being the second or third time I've been here." She truthfully admitted.

"Don't worry. This after all is our mission and you've done a lot for us despite us only needing a guide. I'm sure we would have been in worse states if we had followed another guide." Wanda threw an arm over the taller woman and reassured her for her great efforts.

Sif smiled and nodded. "Thor did say I can return after making sure you guys are sufficiently knowledgeable about what you want to do and where you guys are going, but if it's alright with you, please allow me to continue lending my strength. I assure you with my honor as a proud warrior of Asgard, I will keep on giving my best."

"Whoa, whoa, no need to go so far, sister." Wanda quickly stopped her from giving probably a warrior's promise/oath and drawing attention to us. "Trust me, we'd love to have you with us all the way."

She brought her head closer to Sif's ears and whispered. "And between us girls, I'd appreciate the company more than having to deal with my annoying brother and keeping him in line since Vision tends to ignore him a lot these days."

"Hey, I heard that!" Pietro exclaimed, not amused by being indirectly called mischievous.

"I see. Then as you so graciously called me a sister, my help to you is given anytime you require it." Sif solemnly nodded before continuing to lead us deeper into the city.

It's rare to see given how smart she is most of the time that I somehow forget how blunt and straightforward Asgardians are.

"So, about the bounty, which one are we going for? Rescue or killing?" I asked to get us back on topic after we boarded one of the flying local transports.

"Killing first. The client for that one is in this city and we can ask him for the information we need without appearing too interested in it other than surface curiosity." She said. She's working a web trail that won't draw attention to us while we also clarify the information the have.

Given how the city's security seems a bit tense, it seems that the fight against Thanos and the Nova Corps is still fresh and they might possibly be expecting another one.

"I'm almost sure of the veracity of the rumor given how frequent the topic is being brought up by civilians all over the city."

Wanda and Sif frowned, with Pietro looking mostly concerned. "That makes it more pressing that we confirm and find out what happened to the Time Stone, if it turns out the rumor's been right all along."

"That's the best case scenario, even if we end up crossing paths with Thanos. However, it's a lot different if it's in the hands of Nova Empire." I said and looked at Sif which prompted the others to look at her.

She nodded and clarified. "The forces of the Nova Empire are not a strong power in the universe and the reason Allfather forbids us from starting a war with them unless they attack first is the outcome."

"Why?" Pietro pressed further but it was Wanda who answered instead of Sif.

"Probably because of the aftermath a war with them will result in. They are obviously a much needed force of balance in these parts of the universe and if people see them in a weakened state, they'll jump at them like sharks to blood and from there it's a stew of cooking chaos, open for anyone with power, schemes and influence to stir however they want."

It's a whole lot worse than the vague picture she painted but that's the general idea.

Xandar's forces are nothing to Asgard but the reason I think everyone is on tenterhooks when it comes to the stone is because of the Kree.

Thanos and Xandar in a weakened state at the same time will allow a whole lot of uglies to tar their heads.