I’m Star-Lord (SW Xover)

C213 Gulda the Hutt

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"Are you angels?"

Natasha smirked at Anakin's innocent question. "Angels, huh?" she teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. 

Mikaela gave the boy a playful smile, her head tilting slightly. "Well, what do you think?" She asked.

Anakin stammered, his cheeks turning red. "I-I think you are! I heard the deep space pilots talk about angels… They say angels are the most beautiful creatures in the universe," he explained, his words rushed. "They live on the moons of Iego… or that's what I heard."

Natasha exchanged a glance with Mikaela, both clearly entertained. After a brief moment, they shook their heads in unison.

"Nope," Natasha said. "Sorry to disappoint you, kid. No angels here."

Mikaela shrugged with a grin. "Just us girls."

Before Anakin could respond, Tony spoke, "Can we go find a bar already? I want to get drunk on alien liquor…" 

Ignoring Tony, Natasha knelt down in front of Anakin. "So, what's your name?" he asked warmly. "And do you know this place well? Because we could really use a tour guide."

Anakin's eyes widened with excitement. "I'm Anakin! And yeah, I know everything about Mos Espa!"

Natasha grinned. "Perfect. So, how about a deal? You show us around, and I'll give you some money for it."

"Yeah, show me to the nearest bar, kid…" Tony reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of hundred-dollar bills, holding them up.

Anakin blinked in confusion. "Uh… what's that?"

Rocket groaned from behind them, slapping his forehead with a pawed hand. "Really, Stark? Dollars?" He stepped forward, shaking his head. "This ain't Earth, genius. They don't take that worthless paper out here. They probably don't even take Republic Credits either..."

Anakin nodded eagerly. "We use wupiupi here."

Tony raised an eyebrow, amused. "Wupiupi? Sounds… unique?"

Before anyone could say more, Anakin's eyes lit up, seeing this as an opportunity. "I'll show you around if you pay me with wupiupi. I'm saving up to finish my pod racer!"

"Pod racer?" Tony asked, intrigued. "What's that?"

Anakin's face brightened as he explained, "It's a super-fast vehicle for racing! There's a big race coming up soon, and I want to join. I built my own pod, but I still need a few parts to finish it..."

Natasha's brow furrowed, impressed by the boy's ambition. "Aren't you a little young for that?"

Anakin shrugged with a grin. "Maybe. But I'm the only human who can keep up with the other racers."

Before the conversation could continue, a voice called out, breathless. "Anakin!"

The boy turned to see his mother, Shmi, rushing through the crowd toward him. Her expression was a mixture of worry and frustration.

"Mom!" Anakin greeted cheerfully, unaware of her anxiety.

Shmi reached them, placing a protective hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I'm so sorry if he's bothering you," she said, her voice soft but apologetic. "Thank you for not hurting him."

Natasha gave Shmi a reassuring smile. "He's not bothering us at all. In fact, we just hired him as our guide."

Mikaela nodded, adding, "We could pay him a bit to show us around—if you're okay with it. You're welcome to join us, too, if you'd like."

Shmi hesitated, glancing between her son and the strangers. "…"

"Please, mom!" Anakin begged. "I can use the money to finish my pod before the race starts…"

Anakin's eager expression tugged at her heart. "Fine… But I can't join you." She said reluctantly. "I need to get back to the shop before Watto notices I'm gone."

Natasha and Mikaela exchanged a look, picking up on the fear in Shmi's voice when she mentioned the name Watto, but neither of them pressed the issue.

Shmi knelt down and cupped Anakin's cheek gently. "Be back before nightfall, okay?"

Anakin grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "I will, Mom. Don't worry!"

With a soft sigh, Shmi straightened and gave the group a polite nod before turning back toward the shop, leaving her son in their care. "Take care of him

Please…"

Tony clapped his hands together. "Alright, kid, where to first?"

Anakin grinned mischievously and held out his hand. "Wupiupi first, then I'll show you around."

Rocket groaned, muttering under his breath as he reached into his satchel and pulled out some coins. "You're lucky I've got some left…" He handed the wupiupi to Anakin with a grumble.

Anakin pocketed the coins with a satisfied grin. "Alright! Follow me—I'll show you all the best places."

As Anakin led the way, the group exchanged amused glances, already charmed by the bold, shrewd little boy. 

Rocket rolled his eyes, muttering, "Great. Now we're following a kid."

Natasha smirked. "Hey, he's cute. I like him."

Mikaela chuckled as they followed Anakin through the winding streets of Mos Espa. "Really? Then why don't you date him, and I'll keep Peter..."

"Yeah, right…" Natasha rolled her eyes. 

————

Meanwhile…

Peter's ship was dragged deep into the heart of the oasis, the vines snapping the wings with ease, jamming the engines, and crushing the frame with a series of bone-rattling groans.

The light from the desert sky vanished, replaced by the eerie glow of bioluminescent leaves and twisting vines. 

Peter sat in the pilot's seat, assessing the damage through the cockpit window. "Well… f*ck."

With a resigned sigh, he hit the emergency release, ejecting from the seat. The canopy blasted open, and Peter shot into the air, flipping nimbly before landing on the forest floor with cat-like precision. He crouched for a moment, absorbing the impact, before standing to his full height.

Almost immediately, several thick vines snaked toward him, hissing as they lashed out.

Peter's hand moved like a blur. His black-bladed lightsaber ignited with a hiss, casting an ominous glow across the forest floor. In a single, fluid motion, Peter sliced the nearest vine in half, the blade humming as it cut through the alien tendril.

The severed vine screeched like a wounded animal, convulsing before retreating into the underbrush. The surrounding vines, which had been creeping toward Peter, halted. A low, collective hiss echoed through the forest as they recoiled in fear, the shadows writhing away from the ominous glow of his saber.

"Creepy..." Peter commented. 

He extinguished the lightsaber with a snap and clipped it to his belt.

The vines, however, weren't as concerned about his ship. Above him, they swarmed over the wreckage, twisting and tightening like serpents. Peter watched as his once-sleek ship was compressed into a mangled heap of scrap metal, the crunch of twisting steel echoing ominously through the forest.

Peter sighed. "That's gonna hurt the wallet… Not that I need ships anymore, I guess." He shrugged. With an army of Transformers at his disposal, personal ships were more a luxury than a necessity.

Dusting himself off, Peter surveyed the forest, inhaling deeply as he attuned himself to the pulsing energy that resonated from deep within. The dark power of the Celestial Seed called to him, drawing him further into the alien oasis.

Gripping the hilt of his saber, he pushed forward, vines shifting and coiling in the underbrush, though none dared attack again. Occasionally, a particularly bold tendril would lunge at him, but a quick swipe of his blade was enough to drive it back.

With each step deeper into the forest, the pull of the seed grew stronger. The strange vegetation thickened, the air heavy with an unnatural energy that vibrated through Peter's very bones. The dark power wasn't just present—it was alive, wrapping itself around his senses, urging him onward.

At last, Peter pushed through a wall of dense foliage and came upon the heart of the forest.

There it was—the Celestial Seed.

Unlike the dormant one he had found on Earth, this seed pulsed with vibrant, cosmic energy. Tendrils stretched out from it like veins, weaving through the forest, feeding life into every plant and tree within the oasis. The core of the seed glowed, a swirling mass of dark light, like a star waiting to be born—or consumed.

Peter approached slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the raw power radiating from the seed, stronger than anything he had ever encountered. His fingers itched, the temptation to absorb it overwhelming.

'This is it,' he thought. 'All that power, right here. All I have to do is take it.'

Just as he reached for the seed, the ground beneath him trembled. Peter froze, his hand hovering mere inches from the pulsing core.

At first, he thought the seed would manifest his father's illusion again, just like before. His hand instinctively drifted to his lightsaber, ready for another confrontation with Ego.

But this wasn't his father.

The earth shook violently, and with a deafening rumble, the ground split open behind the seed. Peter staggered back as the colossal form of a Krayt dragon emerged from the earth, towering over the oasis like a living nightmare.

The massive reptilian beast had scales as black as obsidian, glinting ominously under the dim light filtering through the canopy. Its long, sinewy neck arched high above Peter, sharp horns lining its crown. Five pairs of powerful legs, each ending in razor-sharp claws, dug into the earth as it shifted its massive bulk. Its whip-like tail coiled behind it, knocking over trees with a single flick.

[Insert picture of Greater Krayt Dragon here]

The beast's eyes glowed faintly, as if it too were infused with the same cosmic energy radiating from the seed.

Peter's heart raced as the Krayt dragon fixed its gaze on him. The beast's massive maw opened wide, rows of jagged teeth glinting in the dim light. It let out a thunderous, earth-shaking roar that echoed through the oasis, shaking leaves from the trees and sending birds scattering into the sky.

Peter grimaced, gripping the hilt of his lightsaber tightly.

"Well, sh*t," he muttered.

The dragon glared down at him, its breath hot and rancid, the ground trembling beneath its weight.

Peter slowly raised his saber, the black blade springing to life with a hiss.

"Alright, big guy," he whispered. "Let's dance."

————

Back I'm Mos Espa, the streets buzzed with activity as Tony, Natasha, Mikaela, Rocket, and Groot followed Anakin through the bustling marketplace. 

Tony and Rocket, who had managed to find themselves some strange glowing cocktails from a nearby vendor, drank as they walked alongside the group. 

Tony held up his drink, inspecting the vibrant blue liquid swirling inside. "Gotta admit, this alien stuff isn't half bad."

Rocket, meanwhile, was already halfway through his second drink. "I dunno what this stuff is," he slurred, "but it hits like a Gamorrean with a grudge."

Natasha rolled her eyes, keeping a close eye on their surroundings. Mikaela walked beside her, staying close to Anakin, who eagerly pointed out the landmarks of the city.

"That's where they sell the best hyperdrives!" Anakin exclaimed, gesturing toward a shady-looking shop. "And that over there—"

As the boy chattered away, a lone Bith bounty hunter, cloaked in dusty robes, lingered in the shadows of the alley. His dark, bulbous eyes tracked the group, his attention particularly focused on the strange visitors.

The bounty hunter watched closely as the shuttle descended from the warship overhead. That was no ordinary craft, and he knew enough to recognize opportunity when he saw it. If he played this right, he could win the favor of the new Hutt ruling Tatooine.

He ducked into a nearby alley, pulling a wrist communicator from his belt. With a flick of his bony fingers, he activated the device and connected to his Hutt employer.

The holoprojector flickered to life, displaying the grotesque form of the Hutt lounging on his dais. A scantily dressed Twi'lek interpreter, and slave, stood nearby.

The Bith bounty hunter gave a slight bow, his voice low and rasping. "My lord, a massive warship has appeared above Mos Espa. A small group from the vessel is moving among the townsfolk. I believe they may pose a threat. Their ship… it's quite intimidating."

The Hutt's yellow eyes narrowed, and he rumbled deeply in his native tongue.

The Twi'lek interpreter turned toward the bounty hunter, her voice smooth but authoritative. "The Great Gulda the Hutt commands you to wait for backup. Do not engage them alone. When the others arrive, you will bring these strangers before the Great Hutt for judgment."

The bounty hunter nodded, cutting the transmission and slipping the communicator back into his cloak. His black eyes gleamed with anticipation.

It was only a matter of time.

Back in the marketplace, Tony and Rocket were getting progressively more inebriated as they strolled through the streets with their companions. Anakin, still full of energy, darted ahead to point out more things.

"That's the cantina!" he said enthusiastically. "They say all the bounty hunters hang out there."

Natasha gave the establishment a wary glance. "Let's avoid that one."

Meanwhile, Rocket clinked his glasses with Tony, both seemingly blasted on alien alcohol. "Y'know, Stark, you're not so bad—"

Before Rocket could finish, the group suddenly found themselves surrounded.

Thugs in mismatched armor emerged from every corner of the street, blocking off escape routes. The leader of the group—a familiar Bith bounty hunter—stepped forward, his expression cold and calculating.

Tony's eyes narrowed, his drunken facade evaporating in an instant. "So, the stalker finally shows himself," he muttered.

Rocket, still swaying slightly, squinted at the bounty hunter. "We were being followed?!"

Tony ignored Rocket and focused on the bounty hunter. "Let me guess," he said, crossing his arms, "you're not here for a friendly chat?"

The bounty hunter's black eyes glinted in the afternoon sun. "The Great Gulda the Hutt requests your presence..."

A/N: 2300 words :)🚨🚨