Shortly after, the Mandalorians and their companion arrived at their vessel, which lifted off from Tatooine's surface and eventually rendezvoused with the Guardians' ship in planetary orbit. The larger vessel's hangar bay doors slowly opened, allowing them to dock successfully aboard the massive Guardian warship.
Inside the hangar, Vision's attention was drawn to two other ships. One looked weathered, surrounded by scattered wires, scaffolding, and blueprints suggesting ongoing repair work. The other appeared to be undergoing major renovation, evident from the equipment and components arranged around it.
The group quickly gathered in the ship's main cockpit. Despite the number of people, the cabin seemed spacious enough with sufficient seating for everyone.
Star-Lord settled into the pilot's seat with Gamora to his right. Drax and Rocket occupied the positions behind them. They punched in coordinates for their next destination, and the ship hummed to life.
Vision couldn't hide his wonder as he watched intently.
Soon after, they entered hyperspace. A tunnel of blue, white, and black streaked past them in a truly breathtaking display. Something he'd only witnessed three times before.
"Ugh," Rocket made a bored sound. "Too quiet."
Star-Lord grinned and flipped a switch on the console. Immediately, music filled the cabin, a distinctive song from Star-Lord's personal collection.
While the original Guardians were familiar with the melody, it remained relatively novel to the current galaxy, having been recorded on a cassette tape Star-Lord brought from Earth.
Vision, however, recognized it immediately. "Wait," he perked up, a nostalgic smile crossing his features. "I know this song. It's 'Since You've Been Gone' by Rainbow. My teammates on Earth listened to it frequently."
"Hey, this song's a classic," Star-Lord said approvingly from the pilot's seat.
Vision's expression turned reminiscent. "During my time with them, I learned considerable amounts about Earth culture." In the relaxed atmosphere, Star-Lord asked with genuine curiosity, "What kind of music's popular on Earth these days?"
Vision's brow furrowed slightly. "Musical trends do shift considerably over time."
As they prepared to exit hyperspace and approach their destination, the conversation drifted to other topics. Looking through the viewport, Vision's jaw dropped slightly as he stared at the sight ahead.
"Damn, this view never gets old," Fenn exclaimed.
Their ship gradually approached an enormous ring-shaped space station with multiple vessels moving in and out around its perimeter.
The massive structure looked both impressive and strangely familiar to Vision. His synthetic mind began processing connections. "What was that game Pietro and Sam played? Halo? This resembles that remarkably."
Drax also marveled at the station's beauty and scale.
Eventually, their ship docked at a port that could accommodate them. Star-Lord generously paid a substantial amount of credits to ensure their vessel received extra security against any potential tampering.
Dax looked around the bustling station and asked Peter, "Where's your base located in this place?"
Star-Lord frowned, hand digging into his jacket pocket until Kraglin handed him a tracking device. He accepted it gratefully. "If you'll follow us..."
In such a busy station, moving through crowds would naturally attract attention. The group needed to remain careful to avoid being followed.
They passed through multiple levels and corridors before finally reaching their destination. Though the surrounding environment appeared unremarkable, this was their operational base, and no one was willing to compromise its security.
Soon they approached a secluded entrance where two guards stood watch. One was a rugged-looking man wearing a red chest piece, beige coat, and black scarf around his neck. The other was a blind man in dark robes, leaning on a staff.
"Peter Quill," the blind man said with a knowing chuckle, gesturing toward them with his staff. "Members of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Mandalorian Protectors. Welcome."
Star-Lord approached, extending his hand to shake. "Hey, Chirrut. Baze."
"I've got something here that'll satisfy everyone's thirst," Baze said with a smile, glancing around at the assembled group. "We've prepared this place for you. Just want to make sure you're satisfied with it."
As everyone conversed, Chirrut found his attention drawn to one individual in particular. He tilted his head slightly, sensing something unusual about this person. His interest focused on specific details, especially when his awareness centered on the man's forehead. He felt a distinct presence there, something that sparked numerous questions. However, he chose to remain silent for the moment.
Chirrut's scrutiny didn't escape Vision's notice. He could feel the stranger's attention fixed upon him.
He needed to set this matter aside temporarily because Baze was already guiding everyone into the base they'd acquired, suggesting they conduct a personal inspection to explore and confirm everything was suitable.