Mastering Illusions

20

The last two districts we have to visit are Hala and Asgard – Districts 8 and 12, respectively – which are the champions' districts. Since Veers has been signed over to Asgard as our champion, my home will be our final stop. Then the Champion Tour will be over and I can speak with Gamora about finally running away.

I can only hope she'll still want to.

Hala is covered in skyscrapers, a bustling, futuristic metropolis. I remember Veers telling me, before the Contest began, that it was built up, and I can see what she was talking about. The Statesman lands in a hangar bay, which is empty of any other ships. It's most likely a Starforce hangar, judging by the couple Kree I see waiting in the green spacesuits both Veers and Yon-Rogg wore in the Contest, their Starforce uniforms.

Veers stiffens as the ship sets down, and I glance over at her. It dawns on me for the first time that this is the only place she truly remembers as home, and this is the first time she's been back since the Reaping.

What is it like, for her to return here? After they signed her off to Asgard? Her face is stony but I can see flickers of emotion in her eyes.

"Hala at last," Minn-Erva sighs. "It will be back to Starforce, after this last night." She glances over at Veers. "But not for you."

"I know," Veers mutters.

"Let's get ready for the event," Ronan says. "Veers, since you fought in the Contest as a Kree contender, you do get to enjoy a Kree celebration, as our champion."

"But you signed me over to Asgard," Veers reminds him quietly.

Ronan is silent for a moment, just looking at her. "Yes, Hala did. You did kill one of our own, not to save your own life, but to save his." He looks at me, his expression dark. "What is Starforce's motto, Veers?"

"For the good of all Kree," Veers, Minn-Erva, and Korath say simultaneously. Hela grins mockingly and rolls her eyes.

"Exactly," Ronan replies, his tone low and with an ominous edge to it. "Killing Yon-Rogg was not for the good of all Kree. Therefore, you may have won, as a Kree, but you failed Starforce. That is why the Supreme Intelligence chose to sign you over to Asgard."

"But I am still Kree," Veers insists, her eyes flashing. I see her fingers clench into fists. "I was not trying to kill Yon-Rogg, I was trying to simply stop him. It just ended up...ended up resulting in his death. I had made an alliance with Loki, on a previous occasion, and Starforce protocol dictates all Kree honor such arrangements! No matter what I did, I am Kree."

"You are," Korath says, his tone tinged with disgust. "But you killed one of our own, one of your fellow Kree. To make it worse, you killed the Kree whose blood courses through your veins. And then you and the Asgardian both lived. So yes, the Supreme Intelligence deemed it wise to give you to Asgard. You won in alliance with him, after all." Korath fixes his dark eyes on me.

And there it is. Both of our problems are caused by the survival of the other. If Veers had died, I wouldn't have Thanos breathing down my neck. If I had died – which I am glad I didn't – Veers could have stayed on with Starforce.

But hey, relocation isn't nearly as bad as execution. She should lighten up. I'm the one who got hit with the death sentence.

It doesn't matter, not for much longer. We'll be in Asgard tomorrow.

Veers still looks defiant, a slight glow issuing from her fists. Ronan notices this, for he trains his eyes on her face and says, "Control it, Veers. What was given can be taken away."

I see Veers flex her fingers, the glow diminishing slightly. Korath steps away for a moment, his head tilted as if he's listening to something as he touches his cybernetic implant, then he looks to Ronan. "Ronan, the Supreme Intelligence wishes to commune with both Veers and Loki."