(Medical Bay, UNSC Cruiser)

The Gravemind himself watched the four men being trapped and tangled by his tendrils. Rocket Raccoon and his companions were struggling to break free from the clutches of the wooden being turned Flood infested monster.

" Now, you choose, " he said. " Get infected and be part of the flood or Die! "

" I'd rather not to be part of you! " R'tas indignantly spoke. " I'd rather die here! "

" Same here, Sick-O! " Rocket added. " If you won't leave Groot alone and plan to toast us, then make us! "

" You have killed a number of people here, Gravemind! " Chris-77 yelled. " You should have returned into the containment! "

" We're gonna fight you to death and bring Groot, back! " Drax loudly cried.

" Fine..." Gravemind evilly snickered. " Have it your way, I will end your lives immediately! "

The Gravemind formed tendrils and released some small cephalopods with legs. They were swarming and lurking around towards to the four men who got stuck by the evil creature's tendrils. They were trying to break from it and yelling in fear.

" Where the heck's Quill? " Drax anxiously muttered. " He should have been here with us! "

" I don't know! " Rocket angrily spoke. " Why would I know?! You guys are trying to ditch me! "

" Guys, let's just stop bickering, " Chris reminded the two. " We're going to die here! "

Rocket and Drax ceased their sudden argument and became more frightened when the Flood were approaching to them. R'tas also looked at them and then to Chris, thinking of another way to escape.

" Spartan, " the Sangheili man spoke. " Perhaps, you should ask that woman inside your armor to ask for help to the other Guardians. Tell them to come here and save us, then we need to contain this poor creature here. "

" Right, " he nodded and called out his female AI. " Cortana, I need your help. "

" What is it, boss? " she asked.

" Did you hear what the Elite have said? Can you send that message to Starlord and his other folks? Please make it quick! "

" Affirmative, " Cortana nodded.

" Good. "

Cortana quickly vanished into thin air from the Spartan-II's armor. She instantly appeared to Quill's device while he and his girlfriend were talking and got interrupted.

" What the hell?! " the red haired Terran raised his voice and felt surprised. " Cheese, Lady! You startled our sweet moment here! "

" Starlord, this is very urgent, " she answered. " I'm sorry for doing that, but Chris and the others need your help. "

" What do you mean? "

" Groot... I mean, Gravemind has them! He's going to let them kick the bucket! "

" No, way! " Quill raised his voice in shock when his Zehoberei girlfriend thought of the other people who were taking care of Groot.

" We need to check on them, but we need Anna, Mantis, and Teng, " Gamora added.

" Just to warn you guys, the Gravemind is the highest form of the Flood, " Cortana reminded. " One more act to deal with him, you can get infected and die. "

" Is there a way to save these guys? " Quill asked.

" That I don't know. Just bring the four into safety and contain the Gravemind. "

" Okay, got it. "

The couple rushed into the hallway when they saw Anna, Mantis, and Tengfei inspected the deceased victims along the hallway. The three noticed them coming as they stood up.

" Guys, let's go and save the four from that monster, " Quill called them out. " We can't let them die there! "

" Right! " they said in unison.

Reaching the containment area, the Guardians saw the other four who were being trapped by the creature's tendrils. The Flood had closely come to infect the victims into their demise. Rocket and his companions turned their attention to the newcomers.

" Quill, Everyone, help us outta here! " the talking raccoon loudly yelled.

" We're here, Rocket! " he answered and turned to the others when Anna handed them some weapons from the UNSC. " Just shoot'em once they get you! "

" Got it, " Mantis nodded and received the gun.

" Well, well, well, it's the Guardians of the Galaxy! " the evil creature laughed. " You have come to hinder my work in meeting their demise. "

" We won't let you take them down. Leave Groot alone! " the red headed man indignantly spoke and pointed his pistol to the being.

" That's what you think, Starlord. You have travelled into the past and met the Forerunner herself. You are looking for answers in saving your timeline from such a disaster will happen very soon and planning to retrieve a very important object. You will just all fail. "

" Shut up! " he angrily growled. " You don't know everything! "

" I know everything, because I have your friend's memories. I can sense what he has seen or heard. He's under my trap now. You can no longer undo it from me! "

" Cut the crap out of it! " the Terran man instantly shot the tendrils when Gamora and the others shot every tendril and the swarming flood coming to them.

" Atta boy, Quill! " Drax happily beamed.

" Go for it, Starlord! " Chris-77 added.

" Make them burn into ashes, people! " the R'tas cheered.

" Time to get trigger happy guys! " Rocket yelped.

The flood had exploded into blood and flesh when everyone targeted at them. The Gravemind was not pleased on what was happening. He formed another spore from his tendrils when another swarm of the Flood had come to attack the newcomers. Mantis sensed more danger coming as she paused shooting.

" Guys, this is not good, " the insect lady anxiously said.

" Right..." Tengfei wryly smiled.

" Now, what are we gonna do? " Anna-26 asked. " We can't leave those guys dying here. "

Quill heard his teammates and saw the Flood multiplying in number and making such strange noises. Then, he turned to the other four. He remembered what the Librarian had told him when he snapped his fingers.

" Bingo! " he smirked.

" Peter, what is it? " Gamora asked with a concern.

" Just watch and learn guys! "

The Terran man took a deep breath and snapped his fingers when a turquoise white light had formed on his both hands. He targeted at the incoming and jumping little brutes, preparing themselves to attack and infect. Quill instantly illuminated them and stunned them into ashes. The Gravemind instantly closed his eyes and groaned in pain. The tendrils and the other Flood which were supposed to infect the other four screeched in burning pain and turned into ashes. R'tas, Rocket, Drax, and Chris-77 instantly fell down on the floor when Tengfei, Anna, Gamora, and Mantis rushed to them and brought them into safety. Quill ceased his radiant energy coming from his hands and left the room.

" That was close, " the tall muscular alien sighed in relief. " Now, what are we gonna do? "

" We have to tell to the others to evacuate the ship and bombard it as soon as possible, " Anna-26 answered.

" We can do that, " R'tas nodded.

" But what about Groot? " Rocket asked. " We can't leave him here! "

" That might be complicated matter, my friend. The flood can destroy every single species. We have no choice, but to exit this place and find our way to Installation 00. "

" Wait..." Tengfei paused and snapped his fingers, recalling what the Starlord did. " I volunteer to save Groot from the Gravemind, even I will risk my life to do so! "

" What?! " the rest exclaimed in unison.

" Teng, you can't be serious! You can't be another bait by that freak! " Quill loudly exclaimed, finding the Kree Voidwalker's idea was ridiculous.

" My void energy is destructible. Perhaps, in that way, I can save Groot from the tremendous infection. I noticed another room with a Kree technology where Groot can stay until he gets recovered."

" Teng, you are very important to us, " Gamora  said. " You can't risk your life! "

" Groot is also important to your team too. We all need him back instead of giving him a mercy killing. "

R'tas heard the Kree's word and felt guiltier than ever when he sadly sighed and said, " Do what you have to do, but please comeback with us safe and alive. "

" I will, thanks, " he nodded.

" Teng, you need a partner to stop that menace, " the Spartan-II reminded and turned to Anna-26.

" Me? " the Kree Spartan-IV lady curiously spoke, feeling hesitant. " Chris... I don't know if I could do that... I haven't used my powers yet. Old Amnon-Selah just trained me when I was five years old. I'm not even sure if I could..."

" Anna, just do it, " he sincerely smiled and gently patted the lady's shoulders. " I know you can do it. Just do it for the Corbulo and all of us."

Anna heavily sighed and realized she had no choice, but to do it. Then, she looked at her teammates and then to Tengfei.

" All right, then, " she nodded and nervously smiled. " We'll be right back. "

" Goodluck, Anna, " Mantis smiled at her.

" Thanks. "

Anna-26 saluted at the Guardians of the Galaxy and joined with her fellow Kree, returning to the same place. Suddenly, the Gravemind opened his eyes and saw his victims had quickly escaped. He was grimacing and forming more tendrils and spores, thinking he could make a revenge against Guardians.

" You fools, you won't escape from me! " he cried.

" Hey! "  a male voice echoed. " Why don't you find someone your own size! "

" You..."

" Right, " a female Kree Spartan-IV stood beside the man. " That's make the three of us. "

" Show me, what you have got before I shall let you see your doom! "

" How about giving you a light show, first before we kick the bucket for you! " Tengfei grinned.

The Gravemind summoned the small infecting critters to attack the two Kree people. Tengfei's eyes turned dark violet when his Void Energy released from his hands. He threw a ball of it when the Flood began to explode. Anna-26 observed her fellow blue skinned one's attacks and took a deep breath to spark a bluish-white light from her hands. A series of photon energy blasts had exploded the swarm into dust. Tengfei was surprised to see her act and smiling at her.

" I know you can do it, Girl! " he happily exclaimed and kept targeting the spores.

" I've never used this before, but thanks! " she replied and smiled back, blasting the incoming wave of flood which the Gravemind was constantly creating.

" Your powers are very impressive, " the evil being spoke. " But it won't last long for me! "

He formed another tendril producing spores and summoned the swarm of Flood to attack the two Kree warriors. Tengfei and Anna were both tirelessly sending the vile creatures into their explosive demise and thinking to spare Groot from the infection. The unending battle between the evil being and the Kree took minutes into hours. Anna became weary as her powerful photon energy blasts had drained her. She understood being a Kree Eternal-Human hybrid was not enough to use her powers into the extreme. On the other hand, Tengfei was still in full of energy and having his hands with dark violet light energy.

" So, you two have become tired? " Gravemind taunted and darkly chuckled.

" We're not giving up though, until you have released Groot from your captivity! " the Kree Voidwalker yelled.

" Why don't we end you right now and have it done? " Anna added and panted.

" I am not tired yet, " he replied and showed his tendrils to entrap them. " Perhaps, I can make you put into your eternal rest! "

Anna and Tengfei heard the evil being had said and shared glances. The Gravemind was loudly laughing when the Kree Spartan-IV fell down on the floor. Her partner instantly took her hand and helped her standing up.

" Anna, just hang-in there, " he said.

" Teng, I'm too tired for this, " she wearily answered. " We nailed every Flood, but he's getting unstoppable. Maybe, we should give up and leave. "

" No, we're not gonna leave until Groot is back with us. "

" Are you crazy, Teng?! " she loudly raised her voice and found him too d
ridiculous. " We've tried blasting those little brutes, but the Gravemind is too overpowered in using Groot's body. "

" Don't tell me you're part-human and then you easily get tired. "

Anna-26 raised her eyebrows in doubt and grimaced at her male companion from the past. She understood what he meant when she sighed.

" Anna, you might say that the full-blooded blue Kree race is the most superior in the entire empire, " Tengfei continued. " I don't care if you're part human and Kree Eternal. You're still my fellow one from Hala. It doesn't matter. "

" I'm glad you're not a racist freak like anyone else. If Old Amnon-Selah were here, he would give you a  great big hug, " she chuckled.

" Why would he do that? "

" He equally treats every people in Hala as he has known, " Anna replied. " Now, what's your plan, mister? "

" I'm going to energize you, young lady and combine our powers together. How's that sound? "

" Good idea, " she smiled.

" Quit stalling and chatting around! " the Gravemind yelled. " I am not finished with you! "

" Well, if you're not done with us, we will give you blowing end! " Anna grinned.

" What are you talking about?! "

Tengfei and Anna both illuminated their radiances together when a bluish-white light and a dark violet void energy combined together in forming an indigo stellar like radiance. The Gravemind was using his tendrils to block the two, however they instantly targeted him with the bright radiance and left him in excruciating pain. They watched and heard him loudly screaming and screeching. The combined radiant energy had faded when the creature became unconscious. The two Kree warriors waited for any signs of Groot returning to consciousness.

" Is he dead? " Anna queried.

" No, " Tengfei spoke.

Suddenly, the evil wooden being instantly opened his eyes and indignantly glared at them. He was ready to take them down for good, however, he started twitching. Groot returned to his normal self.

" I am Groot... I am Groot... " he weakenedly called them and switched into Gravemind.

" You fool! " the evil being angrily  said. " You are supposed to be dead! I will kill you, Groot! "

Then, Groot switched back and furiously spoke, " I am Groot! "

Anna and Tengfei got confused to see and hear in what happened to such confusing and unfortunate effect to the wooden plant being. They exchanged glances and turned their attention at him. Groot and Gravemind were still switching and bickering at each other.

" What's going on with Groot? " Anna asked.

" I guess that combined energies had returned his senses, leaving him struggling with the Gravemind, " the Kree Voidwalker answered.

" Should we do that again? "

" I'm not sure. Perhaps, we need to ask someone for help to bring back Groot to his normal senses. "