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Xandar!
A planet of highly advanced civilization, peace, and unparalleled prosperity. The technology here was practically indistinguishable from magic, straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster. Even the sky itself was a breathtaking—vibrant shade of pinkish-purple.
It was also the headquarters of the Nova Corps, the intergalactic police force dedicated to maintaining peace across the cosmos.
Every morning, at the crack of dawn, the pilots of the Nova Corps would launch their Starblasters, streaking up into the atmosphere for their daily flight drills.
If you were lucky enough to book a room at the Apex Hotel in the city center, you had a front-row seat to the spectacle.
And unlike the hotels on Earth that slapped the word "Apex" on their name just because they were a few dozen stories high, Xandar's Apex Hotel truly lived up to its moniker.
The hotel literally floated in the sky above the city center—a cluster of circular platforms connected by transparent energy bridges.
Every platform was an independent, ultra-luxury suite, enclosed within an energy shield that could instantly adjust its opacity. It offered total privacy when you wanted it, and a breathtaking, unobstructed 360-degree view when you didn't.
Right now, Gwen was sitting on the balcony of their suite, wearing a set of incredibly comfortable pajamas—official Nova Corps merchandise they'd picked up from a gift shop—watching the Starblasters weave through the morning sky.
Today marked the thirtieth day of their honeymoon.
If Gwen had to rate the trip so far...
Five stars.
Beyond perfect.
Over the past thirty days, she and Hawk had explored every corner of Xandar.
They had visited the Nova Corps Hall of Honor.
There, Gwen had learned the history of the Corps—from an alliance of disparate tribes to a galaxy-spanning peacekeeping force. She had even seen the holographic memorials commemorating the moment the Corps had united, linking their ships to form the famous golden energy net in a desperate, heroic attempt to stop Ronan the Accuser's flagship, the Dark Aster.
They had also spent a day in the Shimmering Forest, Xandar's most famous nature reserve.
It was a forest straight out of a dream.
The foliage wasn't green—it was a dazzling, bioluminescent gradient of blue, violet, silver, and pink.
The wildlife was equally bizarre, yet incredibly gentle and tame.
They had explored ancient Xandarian ruins. They had even rented a secluded, private island, where they had enjoyed a candlelit dinner while watching the twin suns set, painting the clouds in explosive, brilliant shades of gold, orange, red, and violet.
Right now, as she sat on the balcony, Gwen was doing what every newlywed does on the last day of a trip.
She was scrolling through a holographic display, sorting and lightly editing the thousands of photos they had taken the day before at the Nova Corps Headquarters.
The display was being projected from a sleek, purple bracelet on her right wrist.
Her brand-new computer.
They had bought it at a high-end electronics store—essentially an intergalactic duty-free shop—right after they had registered their ship and cleared customs at the spaceport.
Just then.
Hawk stepped out onto the balcony, wearing a sharp suit and carrying a tray with the breakfast they had ordered from room service.
"Morning."
"Morning."
Gwen looked up from her editing, a blissful smile spreading across her face. As Hawk set the tray down on the table, she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss.
"Breakfast is served," he said.
"I know, give me just a second," Gwen replied, her fingers flying across the holographic interface as she quickly deleted any photos with bad framing, poor lighting, or awkward background elements.
Her honeymoon album had to be flawless.
A moment later.
Gwen tapped her purple bracelet with her left hand, and the private holographic display vanished. She took the knife and fork Hawk handed her.
And don't bother asking why, on an alien planet light-years from Earth, they were still using knives and forks.
That question is just as pointless as asking why everyone in the universe speaks English.
As she ate, Gwen went over their itinerary for the final day of their honeymoon.
"I checked with the concierge. There are a ton of high-end boutiques and souvenir shops around Harmony Plaza. After breakfast, we should head down there and pick up some gifts for everyone back home."
"Sounds good," Hawk replied with an easy smile.
With the Reality Stone, he essentially had an infinite bank account.
Things on Xandar cost money, but Hawk could simply manifest the local currency whenever he needed it.
It was exactly how they had gotten through customs in the first place. When he and Gwen had flown the Enterprise into the Xandar spaceport, he had used the Reality Stone to forge flawless IDs, registering them as independent bounty hunters, and they had breezed through immigration without a hitch.
So…
Forget a few souvenirs—if Gwen wanted to buy the entire plaza, Hawk could foot the bill.
But Gwen had already made a list of exactly what she wanted to bring back for their friends and family.
A set of Melody Stones—small, glowing rocks that could be programmed to play custom tunes—for their flower girl, Jean.
A holographic sand-table projector that mapped out the known galaxy for Sharon. A detailed star chart would go a long way in helping S.H.I.E.L.D. prepare for the inevitable leap into deep space.
And seeds. Specifically, seeds that supposedly bloomed into radiant, rainbow-colored flowers in any environment.
Gwen bought two full crates of them. Twenty-four jars in total.
They were relatively inexpensive, beautiful, and the perfect gift for her bridesmaids, her mother, Helen, and the rest of their friends.
And, of course, alcohol.
A local Xandarian specialty—a sparkling, slightly luminescent nectar wine.
It was low in alcohol, tasted amazing, and didn't give you a hangover.
Paired with the rainbow flowers, it was the perfect gift set.
Gwen bought ten crates of the stuff.
She had developed quite a taste for the nectar wine herself.
Because they had made such a massive purchase, the shop owners were more than happy to provide a complimentary delivery service, sending the cargo directly to the Enterprise, which was docked in the orbital spaceport.
Gwen stood by the massive viewport on the Enterprise, looking down at the slowly rotating planet of Xandar below—its pinkish-purple atmosphere, the swirling white clouds, and the glittering city lights beginning to turn on as night fell across the continent.
Hawk walked up behind her. "The Nova Corps inspection team will be boarding in ten minutes. Once they clear us, we're good to go."
Yes.
An inspection. A routine security check to ensure departing vessels weren't smuggling out contraband or restricted Xandarian technology.
Hawk didn't mind.
He and Gwen were here on their honeymoon. When you're a guest in someone else's house, you play by their rules. He was happy to comply with local laws.
Gwen pulled her gaze away from the planet and turned to face him.
"I suddenly don't want to leave, Hawk. It's so beautiful here."
"…Okay."
Hawk blinked, surprised for a second, then smiled warmly. "We can go back down. We can stay here as long as you want. You say the word, and we'll unpack our bags."
Gwen rolled her eyes playfully.
"I'm kidding, Hawk. It's beautiful, but Earth is our home."
"I take everything you say seriously. You know that. I'm at your command."
"I know you are."
Gwen's smile grew radiant. She looked down, gently resting a hand over her flat stomach, then looked back up at Hawk. "Which is why, when it comes to the kids' education, you are absolutely not allowed to interfere."
Yes.
She was pregnant.
Just two weeks ago, while they were visiting the Xandarian Museum of Science and Technology, they had walked through a full-body medical scanner near the entrance. The machine had casually, and very publicly, announced the joyous news.
Twins.
A boy and a girl.
Hawk had immediately rushed her to a top-tier local hospital for a full workup.
And it had to be said.
The healthcare on Xandar was phenomenal. Not only were all the prenatal checkups completely free, but the doctors had also enthusiastically explained the incredible benefits the children would receive if they were born on Xandar and granted citizenship.
Gwen had been sold instantly. She had set up a maternity file at the hospital. Her purple bracelet was now synced with their medical network—no matter where she was in the universe, it would alert her when it was time to return to Xandar for her next checkup.
What could they say?
The perks of Xandarian citizenship were just too good to pass up.
In fact, the cargo bay of the Enterprise was currently filled with more free, high-end prenatal supplements provided by the Xandarian government than actual souvenirs.
But…
If Gwen wanted the kids to have Xandarian citizenship, Hawk had absolutely no objections.
But giving up his say in their education?
Yeah, no.
Hawk shook his head. "I reserve my right to parent my own children, honey. I might choose not to exercise that right, but I refuse to surrender it."
Gwen sighed, opting for a compromise.
"Fine. But when I'm disciplining them, you are not allowed to intervene."
"Deal."
Hawk nodded, accepting the terms.
Just then, the Nova Corps inspection officer arrived. He pulled out a scanning device and, with a quick hum, ran a diagnostic sweep over the Enterprise's hull and cargo manifest. Finding everything in order, he signed the clearance form and handed it to Hawk.
Hawk signed his own name and handed it back.
The inspector smiled and offered his hand.
"Safe travels, Mr. Phoenix."
"Thank you."
Hawk smiled back, shaking his hand, and politely escorted the officer off the ship.
Soon—
The spaceport control tower transmitted the official departure clearance. With a soft hum, the energy tethers holding the Enterprise in place disengaged.
On the bridge.
Hawk called out to the AI that had been manifested alongside the ship.
"Enterprise!"
"Yes, sir."
"Set coordinates for the Quantum Asteroid Belt."
"Acknowledged. Calculating route... Route confirmed."
"Engage."
"Aye, sir!"
The Enterprise powered up. As it cleared Xandar's orbital traffic, it shot forward, engaging its impulse engines and accelerating toward the final destination of their honeymoon: the Quantum Asteroid Belt.
The Quantum Asteroid Belt was—as the name implied—a massive field of space debris.
Except, the asteroids here existed in a state of quantum flux. Put simply, you never knew exactly where an asteroid was going to be from one millisecond to the next.
Countless massive rocks constantly flickered in and out of reality, blinking across the sector.
They zipped around like a herd of wild horses, completely unpredictable.
Hawk didn't really understand the appeal.
But Gwen had said it was one of the only places in the universe where you could observe quantum mechanics with the naked eye, and that it possessed an indescribable, chaotic beauty.
Pregnancy cravings weren't just for food—apparently, they affected aesthetics, too.
Hawk thought to himself, shaking his head in amusement.
Just then.
The Enterprise's collision alarm shrieked to life, and the red warning lights on the bridge began to flash frantically.
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