If Nebula was the only suspect in his conjectures, the Black Order member Supergiant wouldn't have needed to tread so carefully. However, everyone could sense Thanos's deep affection for Gamora.
Even now, after Gamora had betrayed him, Supergiant didn't foolishly believe that he could hold even a fraction of the importance Gamora had in Thanos's heart.
Thus, when it came to matters involving Gamora, Supergiant was forced to exercise extra caution. His position within Thanos's team was already precarious. Ever since Thanos had acquired the Mind Stone, Supergiant's abilities had become somewhat redundant.
"Is it possible that Nebula or Gamora were involved? Do you have no information about who killed your brother? What kind of weapon was used?" Thanos asked after a pause, the Mind Stone on the Infinity Gauntlet glowing faintly. The purple-skinned alien felt a sudden haze cloud his mind, and a vision from his memory materialized within the ship.
The vision displayed the aftermath of a massacre—his brother and a host of familiar corpses strewn across the ground. Thanos focused intently on the wounds of the deceased. It didn't take long for him to recognize the weapon responsible.
Because it was the weapon he had given Gamora.
Upon realizing this, Thanos's emotions became a complicated mix of sorrow and pride. Sorrow that his beloved daughter had indeed chosen to betray him, but also pride in her decisive and secretive nature.
To keep the Soul Stone's location hidden, Gamora had gone as far as killing innocents. This aligned with Thanos's own methods. In a way, it was clear that she truly was his daughter—they shared a strikingly similar approach, even if they had ultimately chosen opposing paths.
"It's Gamora's weapon. The wounds on the bodies make it clear she was the only one involved in the fight. However, her inexperience shows. If it were me, I would've killed everyone involved and anyone who might later provide information. That way, no one could find her or extract the truth," Thanos remarked, shaking his head regretfully.
Surprisingly, his regret seemed directed more at Gamora's mistakes than at her betrayal. This caused the purple-skinned alien to shudder. The chilling realization dawned on him that once Thanos's family marked someone as their target, survival was virtually impossible.
Supergiant, standing nearby, felt a wave of relief. It was fortunate that he hadn't directly reported Gamora's possible involvement from the start. With Thanos's attitude toward her, delivering such news might have subjected him to unspeakable torment.
In fact, Supergiant had already suspected Gamora was responsible after reading the purple-skinned alien's memories. Like Thanos, he recognized her handiwork. Yet he dared not report this directly to Thanos. Instead, he orchestrated a situation where Thanos could deduce the truth himself.
Initially, Supergiant had no idea that Vormir had been destroyed. From his perspective, Gamora must have eliminated witnesses and then retrieved the Soul Stone. The thought of Vormir being obliterated hadn't crossed his mind—Gamora lacked the means to do so. This genuine shock lent authenticity to his performance.
"Gamora shouldn't have the capability to destroy Vormir," Supergiant said cautiously, once Thanos confirmed Gamora's involvement. He was relieved but still wary as he voiced his suspicions.
The ship Gamora had used was relatively ordinary, its firepower insufficient to destroy a planet. Unless, of course, Gamora had found external help.
"Where is Gamora now?" Thanos asked, giving Supergiant a penetrating look.
"According to recent intelligence, Gamora and Nebula are both with the Guardians of the Galaxy. After being hired by the Sovereign, they seemed to have fallen out with them and were reportedly pursued for a time," Corvus Glaive reported.
"Our latest information shows that the Guardians are unharmed, and their new ship is completely intact. Meanwhile, the Sovereign's planet appears lifeless, suggesting the Guardians annihilated them."
"Impressive! Not only did she manage to acquire a new ship, but she wiped out those pompous fools. That's my daughter!" Thanos's eyes gleamed with admiration.
"If Gamora could obliterate the Sovereign, it means she has a power I wasn't aware of before. The Soul Stone, perhaps? Could it be wielded without the Infinity Gauntlet? Does it, like the Mind Stone scepter, have an auxiliary device?"
As Thanos spoke, a heavy silence filled the ship. The remaining members of the Black Order dared not comment, unsure of his intentions regarding Gamora. Thor, under Thanos's control, remained silent, unwilling to involve himself in what he considered family matters. The purple-skinned alien was rendered mute once more under Supergiant's influence, awaiting his inevitable fate.
After a long pause, Thanos sighed and spoke. "Gamora is to be brought back unharmed. As for Nebula, use her life to pressure Gamora into handing over the Soul Stone."
"They've fought and reconciled countless times over the years. Their sisterly bond is Gamora's greatest weakness."
"As for the remaining Infinity Stones, even with the Soul Stone, we'll still only have two. The other four are on Earth. We'll need a new strategy to overcome that final obstacle."
"Earth's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness—their so-called righteous superheroes. Given the right opportunity, we can turn their virtues into vulnerabilities. Why are you all so silent?" Thanos frowned, seeing the hesitation in his subordinates.
Corvus Glaive exchanged glances with the others before finally speaking. "Father, who will go after Gamora, and who will remain with you?"
Corvus Glaive wasn't particularly eager to confront Gamora. Not only was she Thanos's favored daughter, but she also wielded the Soul Stone, a power he didn't feel confident countering. Her annihilation of the Sovereign was a clear demonstration of the stone's destructive capability.
"The mission will be carried out by Thor and Supergiant," Thanos decided, glancing sharply at Supergiant. He had noticed the latter's minor manipulations but chose to overlook them for now. If Supergiant successfully returned with Gamora, the matter could be forgotten.
The times had indeed changed, Thanos reflected. His once-mighty Black Order, capable of completing missions without fail, was now diminished. Even with Thor's addition to his forces, it felt insufficient.
"Yes, Father," both Thor and Supergiant replied in unison. Thor, confident in his abilities, had no fear of Gamora or her Soul Stone. His main concern was ensuring she was captured alive, as Thanos clearly didn't wish for her death.
Meanwhile, Thanos, accompanied by Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight, continued his search for other anomalies in the universe. Their efforts, though unsuccessful in locating the Soul Stone, had yielded some extraordinary artifacts. While their immediate utility was uncertain, they might prove invaluable in the future.
Thanos understood that even without Asgard's protection or the Ancient One's watchful eye, Earth remained formidable. His recent recruitment of Thor had given him a deeper understanding of Earth's strength, particularly of individuals like Robert. Someone capable of nearly destroying Asgard during Odin's prime was not to be underestimated.
Robert, though no longer aligned with Krypton's descendant, Clark, was still a force to be reckoned with. Thanos suspected that Robert might also have his eyes on the Infinity Stones, carrying at least one with him at all times.
Meanwhile, the fate of the purple-skinned alien who had been left alive for so long was sealed. Despite a faint resemblance to Thanos, it mattered little—they were not of the same species. Allowing him to live risked further leaks about the Soul Stone's location.
To protect his plans and ensure secrecy, Thanos executed the unfortunate survivor on the spot. The poor soul, who had narrowly escaped Gamora's slaughter, met his end at the hands of Thanos.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+100 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]