I’m Star-Lord (SW Xover)

C127 Genius Vs Genius

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Peter and Peggy walked side by side through the hallways of the Red Room, heading towards the hangar. The recent conversation had left Peggy with mixed feelings, but Peter's reassurances had given her a glimmer of hope. Now, she wanted to see how Tony was faring with the alien technology he had been so excited about.

As they reached the hangar, Peggy's eyes widened at the sight before her. Peter's spaceship stood there in all its alien grandeur, its sleek design and advanced features unlike anything she had ever seen. "?!" For a moment, her earlier worries were replaced by sheer awe and curiosity.

"This is your ship?" Peggy asked, her voice filled with astonishment.

Peter nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yup, cool huh?"

Peggy took a moment to take in the sight, her eyes tracing the smooth lines of the vessel. "It's... incredible. I've never seen anything like it."

Before Peter could respond, the cargo ramp of the ship began to lower with a hydraulic hiss. As it touched the ground, Rocket emerged, dragging a hog-tied Tony Stark behind him. Tony was stripped down to his boxers, his face a mix of frustration and embarrassment.

"Found this one snooping around where he shouldn't be," Rocket announced, his voice dripping with suspicion as he hauled Tony forward.

Peggy's shock and awe were immediately replaced with concern and irritation. "Tony! What happened?"

Tony struggled against his bindings, glaring at Rocket. "This damn raccoon—"

"—I'm not a raccoon!" Rocket interrupted, clearly annoyed. "I'm a genetically modified spacefaring being, thank you very much."

Peter couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, though he quickly composed himself. "Rocket, untie him. Tony's with us."

Rocket's eyes narrowed. "You sure? He was acting mighty suspicious, poking around the armory and stealing my babies..."

Tony interjected, "I wasn't stealing anything! Ask Peter!"

Rocket turns to Peter, who nods his head. "Tony was in the armory to collect some supplies. I let him in. He wants to help us with the Kree."

Rocket snorted but began to untie Tony. "Help us? With what? He had almost a dozen guns and other equipment. More than he would ever need."

As Tony stood up, rubbing his wrists, Peggy stepped forward, her concern clear. "Are you alright?"

Tony nodded, trying to maintain his dignity despite his state of undress. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little misunderstanding."

Peter held out his hand, catching Tony's clothes as they flew out of the ship, handing them to their rightful owner. "Here, put these on. And maybe try not to get on Rocket's bad side again."

Tony took the clothes, muttering under his breath as he started getting dressed. "Yeah, noted." He said, confused as to how Peter seemed to call his clothes over. 'How many powers does he have?'

Tony, now fully dressed, crossed his arms and faced Rocket, who repeated his question. "What were you doing with all those guns? At most, you would need maybe 2 or 3. Were you actually trying to rob us?" 

"No," Tony scoffed at the idea of robbing someone. After all, he's one of the richest men on the planet. "I was going to take them apart and make something specifically for me. I'm not exactly experienced in using weapons, but I am good at making them."

Rocket burst into laughter, his sharp teeth showing. "You? Make something with my babies? That's rich. You're just a human from this sh*thole backwater planet—"

"Hey!" Peter shouted, "This planet is not a sh*thole!"

Ignoring him, Rocket continued, "—How could you possibly know how to work this sort of tech?"

Tony was taken aback, stunned by Rocket's blatant doubt of his abilities. It had been a long time since someone had challenged him like this. The last time had been his father, before he died, of course.

Seeing the look on Tony's face, Rocket laughed even harder. "Tell you what, genius. Apologize for touching my babies and beg on your knees, and I might be willing to make you a weapon that even a brain-dead toddler, like you, can use."

Peggy, seeing the offended look on Tony's face, stepped forward. "Umm, Rocket? This is—"

Peter gently stopped her, a smirk playing on his lips. "Hold on, Peggy. This is getting interesting~"

Tony's initial shock quickly transformed into a shark-like smirk. He stared down at Rocket, a glint of challenge in his eyes. "…"

Rocket noticed the change and raised an eyebrow. "What's with you? You ready to beg now?"

Tony shook his head, his smirk widening. "No. But I'm ready to make a bet..."

Rocket's curiosity was piqued. "A bet? With me?"

"Yeah, unless you're scared?" Tony asked, his voice taunting and condescending. 

Rockets bristled as he glared up at Tony, "It's you who should be scared…" 

"Well, are you in or not?" Tony asks, an infuriating smirk on his face. "We'll both make something, and the loser has to get down on their knees and beg, just like you want."

Rocket's eyes gleamed dangerously. "You're on, human. But don't come crying when you lose."

Peter watched with amusement, leaning against the ship. "Alright, let's set some ground rules."

Peggy, still a bit unsure, glanced between Tony and Rocket. "Are you sure about this, Tony?"

Tony nodded, his eyes never leaving Rocket. "Absolutely. I've never backed down from a challenge, and I'm not starting now."

Rocket snorted. "Alright. Let's see what you've got."

Peter clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Okay, you two. You'll each go into the armory and cargo hold to grab whatever materials and tools you need. You have until morning to build whatever you want. Best weapon wins."

Tony and Rocket nodded in agreement, the competitive fire burning in their eyes. Peggy sighed but couldn't help the small smile forming on her lips. This was the Tony she remembered—determined, brilliant, and always ready to prove himself.

As they prepared for the challenge, Peter telekinetically called his lightsaber from the ship, holding it to his face like a microphone. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, creatures of all ages!" He winked at Rocket, who didn't look happy about being called a creature. "It's time!" He imitated the UFC announcer from his previous life. 

After a short, yet dramatic pause, he continues. "For our main event of the evening! In the furry corner, we have the one, the only, the master of mayhem, the tech-savvy terror, the genetically-adapted animal with a mouth sharper than his claws—give it up for Rocket the Raccoon!" 

"I'm not a Raccoon!" Rocket bared his teeth in dissatisfaction. 

But of course, Peter ignored him, turning to Tony, who wore an amused smile on his face. "And in the pretentious corner, standing tall with as many STDs as he has PhDs, the billionaire brainiac, the inventor extraordinaire, the invincible Merchant of Death himself—Tony Stark!" 

"Hehe…" Peggy scoffed out a laugh, which she tried to hold back, but failed horribly. 

"…" Meanwhile, Tony just looked at Peter and her with half-lidded eyes. 

Acting as if he did nothing wrong, Peter carried on. "Prepare yourselves for a clash of wit, tech, and raw power like you've never seen before!" he declared, stepping back to give them space. "And… START!"

As soon as Peter declared the start of the build-off, Tony and Rocket rushed off to the ship, their competitive spirits ignited. They jostled each other, grabbing whatever they could, taking anything as long as it meant the other wouldn't get it.

"That's mine!" Rocket growled, snatching a plasma capacitor from Tony's grasp.

"Not anymore, furball!" Tony shot back, securing a quantum stabilizer before Rocket could reach it.

The two continued to scavenge, their determination fueling their every move. And, once they had gathered their supplies, they set up workstations in the hangar, each focused intently on their projects.

Peter and Peggy stood to the side, watching the scene unfold with a mix of amusement and curiosity. Tony's face was a mask of concentration, his hands moving swiftly and precisely. Rocket, on the other hand, worked with a frantic energy, his nimble fingers assembling parts at an astonishing speed.

"This is going to be interesting," Peter remarked, a grin spreading across his face.

Peggy nodded, her eyes fixed on Tony. "I haven't seen him this fired up in a long time."

Peter chuckled. "Yeah, he's got something to prove. But I don't think he'll be able to beat Rocket..."

Raising an eyebrow, Peggy turned to Peter. "Are you insinuating that my godson would lose to a raccoon?"

"No," Peter replied firmly. "I'm telling you straight up that he doesn't stand a chance in hell."

"We'll see about that…" Peggy didn't look convinced, clearly rooting for Tony. 

After a few minutes, Peter felt his stomach grumble. Turning to Peggy, he asked. "Hey, want anything from Taco Bell? I'm about to go get some food to enjoy the show."

Peggy raised an eyebrow, then laughed softly. "Sure, I'll take some hard tacos and a Coke."

"Got it," Peter replied, giving her a thumbs-up. He walked off to the helicopter, his mind already on the feast he was about to bring back.

As he climbed into the helicopter and started the engine, Peggy watched Tony and Rocket, both immersed in their work. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and hope. Maybe this build-off was exactly what Tony needed to reconnect with his inventive spirit and put his playboy ways behind him. 

The helicopter lifted off, and Peter set a course for the nearest Taco Bell. As he flew, he couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. An alien invasion was looming, yet here he was, fetching tacos for himself and Peggy Carter while Tony Stark and Rocket Raccoon fought in a tech battle. 

"My life is awesome…" He muttered, a smile plastered on his face. 

…

..

.

Long after Peter had returned and the first light of dawn began to creep through the windows, Tony wiped the sweat from his brow, standing tall in an impressive exoskeleton suit. The suit, built to enhance his speed and power, was adorned with various high-tech weapons and gadgets, gleaming in the light of the hangar.

Across from him, Rocket stood with a high-tech backpack strapped to his back, multiple turrets extending from it, two of which were positioned over his shoulders. 

Peter and Peggy sat to the side, watching intently, the remnants of their Taco Bell feast scattered on the floor beside them.

Rocket looked at Tony's exoskeleton and whistled, clearly impressed. "Not bad, for a human," he said with a smirk. "But can yours do this?" He hit a button on the strap of his backpack, activating a jetpack that launched him into the air. Hovering above, he stared down at Tony with a triumphant grin.

To his surprise, Tony merely smirked back. "Although I'm not done, since I still want to upgrade the batteries and add some armor, mine won't lose out to some sh*tty backpack." As he spoke, he held out his hands, and thrusters on his palms and feet activated, launching him into the air. Hovering in front of Rocket, Tony wore a victorious smile.

Before they could taunt each other any further, Peter stepped up, raising his hands to get their attention. "Alright, land both of you. Let's start the presentation and judge your—"

Before he could finish speaking, a loud, piercing alarm suddenly blared through the entire Red Room. Everyone looked around in confusion, but Rocket's eyes widened in alarm. 

Peter's brow raised as he glanced at Rocket. "What does that alarm mean?" He asked. After all, Rocket was the one who knew the most about the Red Room, as he'd been upgrading it every day. 

Rocket, already descending back to the ground, replied urgently, "It means we've got company. And not the friendly kind…"

————

Just outside the planet's atmosphere, the fleet of Kree warships began their descent toward Earth, their sleek, menacing forms cutting through the void of space with silent efficiency. At the forefront, aboard the flagship, Darth Maul stood on the bridge, his yellow eyes glaring down at the blue-green orb below…

A/N: 2062 words :)