Remnant of his Past: The Signs that Yondu Cares, Part 10

Chapter 1

For Ravagers there was no such thing as a routine, except for one person…that person being the soon to turn fourteen Peter Jason Quill, who was in the middle of a beer making session, when he got the summons to come up to the bridge. How bloody typical he thought as he made the order.

Of course he had one more thing to add to the list of his chores, even though he mused as he mixed the ingredients for Yondu, it was making him happier, he thought with a smile. If he kept this up, he'd be flying soon. His duties had increased and he knew he was almost there, but so far all he was allowed to do was dock the ship and plot star charts, and he was good he knew that.

Stepping up to the bridge, the rest of the crew took their drinks as Peter as always saved the best for last, as Yondu took the black steaming cup and gave the small boy a nod.

Yondu like most Ravagers was a caffeine addict, something Peter had managed to avoid since he read that it could stunt his growth and he was still painfully aware that even with the injections he had to endure he hadn't grown an inch apart from his hair, now tied up in a ponytail.

Which was why when Yondu had come back to the Eclector with the jar of Pilon coffee he had some across in a market, Peter was initially ecstatic, coffee from his planet he had memories of his mom and grandparents drinking coffee and the smell was familiar…but the taste was like shit.

After he had made a cup for Yondu, however, the look on his face as he sipped the black drink said it all. He loved it and was officially addicted, and now every member of the crew had to keep a look out for another since it was running low and everyone feared a mutiny the moment it run out.

Peter wasn't allowed on those and always felt disappointed wondering if there was more food from Terra he was missing out on out there, no Earth he corrected himself once more. He was from Earth, everyone called it Terra so he had some point begun to think the same, even thinking of himself as Xandarian. Changing from one species to the next, as if it was that easy.

Peter knew his taste buds were changing which was why he was consuming crew food more instead of his supplies, so he was saving Yondu a fortune…or himself. He had no idea if it was coming out of his wages or Yondu's, and even though he could have asked seemed hesitant too.

Yondu after he had taken the coffee, motioned for the boy to stay on the bridge for a while, hell whilst everyone was drinking he could plot a star chart or something, something Peter had only recently begun to do and like everything else he tried had proved to be a natural.

He had a way of reading the stars only a few members of the crew could do but didn't want to boy to rush into things hence the constant delays…which was the reason he told himself and the rest.

As always Yondu's took the cup made especially for him, everyone had learned not to take his cup, even since a month earlier he had given Peter the adamantium drill to see what the boy to do with it. Yondu was expecting the boy to use it for his blasters repair which it later turned out was the case since the crew were giving him more units…what he didn't expect was Peter to present him with a metal cup expertly engraved with the words "Universe's Greatest Ravager". With also the words sarcastically engraved on the inner casing "I'm joking…you're an asshole!"

Yondu appreciated the lack of sentiment, hell the boy couldn't get too soft and this was the reminder. And because of the wording it was the cup he and only he used, as he observed the boy looking over Alezduran shoulders as he ordered and was looking over the star charts, even though their hybrid tech genius knew it all anyway, but this was for Peter's benefit.

"You know we could go through Leestan Nebula, but they have an ion storm heading their way that could screw up the systems, if I were you I would go through the Dabla system, it only adds several hours and free from most sectors guards." He suggested, drawing out the newer course, which Alezduran was going to do anyway, but immediately begun typing in the new coordinates.

"Not bad". Stated the hybrid, which was more for Yondu's benefit then Peter's, who only turned to collect the now empty coffee cups, apart from Yondu. Ever since he had become addicted, he had learned to drink the coffee slowly…to savour each taste. The Xandarian coffee…well, no one gave a shit.

It was one of those moments, which everyone remembered as being normal, nothing out of the ordinary, no warning signs…just a typical day, before it all, went to shit the moment the Xandarian Cruiser dropped out of warp.

"Oh shit", Exclaimed Alezduran as without being ordered raised the shield whilst Yondu ordered Kraglin to a full stop, which the Elector did with ease, Peter even though he hadn't been told to leave, stepped back behind the Captains seat, ready to take the cup in an instant, and could feel his baited breath in his chest caused by anticipation.

Would there be a firefight, would there be a hail…but as a full minute passed there was nothing, just the stark silence which no one understood.

"Open a hail", Yondu said eventually, everyone noting the annoyance in his voice, which they couldn't blame. Ravagers lived on the edge, and not the edge of boredom.

Fingers danced across consoles, sending a message…and a warning to the Xandarian ship, as Peter noticed its sleek lines and white design, put together to sail through the stars as if it was water, even if it was armed to the teeth.

"Nothing…it's just silence". Stated Kraglin, looking up from his console, with hit finger primed and ready for the torpedo, as Yondu sent word to the M-Ship hanger to get them prepped…just in case

The silence dragged out forever as Peter almost on instinct begun to scratch the back of his neck, as finally Kraglin looked up. "There firing". The shield was raised, as everyone watched the torpedo heading towards them, in space all was silence, as everyone heard it hitting the shield in their heads.

As expected, the shield flickered, but held as there the collective breath everyone was holding exhaled, as Alezduran looked up, concerned. "Oh shit", it came out as a whisper but got the attention of everyone as Yondu leaned forward in his chair. "What?"

"There's something up with the shields. It looks like something was in that torpedo…the shield is failing". The hybrid shook his head and looked up at his Captain, "And it look like nanites". The moment he uttered the last work, the shield suddenly dropped exposing the Eclector to cold space, vulnerable as everyone just looked at each other, as collectively the vision of the Ravagers began to swim,

"It was a nanite bomb". Kraglin confirmed, his voice coming out like a slur, "It hit the air vent…how they even know?" He wondered out loud, as he blinked, followed by all the rest. For the Xandarians, it was odourless, but Yondu caught the scent immediately and as it hit his nostrils, begun to react like the rest of the crew, as he saw through his blurred vision the sight of them falling against consoles, and some to the floor, Kraglin's mouth was open as if he was mid-sentence…perhaps he was who knew…

The pause seemed to as Yondu felt himself losing consciousness, several dozen swear words coursing through his head as he observed his crew slumped against their consoles of fallen to the floor looking to his left he could see the blonde hair of Peter Quill, passed out on the deck and tried to say something, anything because everything gave way to oblivion.

The crew work up three hours later, all pretty much at the same time as they pulled themselves back to their feet or assisted their colleagues

Since all injuries were minor, with all forty-five of them complaining of headaches, Yondu woke up to both Alezduran and Kraglin cursing in their native languages as they rubbed their faces, and automatically went back to work before anyone else did, followed a second later by Horus, as they tried to ascertain the damage that was pouring in over the Eclector.

"M-Ship Hanger sustained damage, port door are unable to open, circuits shorted out". Kraglin said as his voice dropped to a low surprise, "No damage to craft or crew, everyone's accounted for…but the bastard engines are crippled".

Yondu grateful for the words, as he rubbed his face, feeling the numbness of his lip being split from blunt force trauma, and that was it. Returning to the real world quickly as he asked for immediately diagnostic, someone had been on his ship, but had taken nothing, left all the crew intact, they all could have been massacred and none would be the wiser as getting to his feet his eyes fall to the spilled liquid on the floor and the scattered coffee tins.

Peering closet there was a small trickle of red Terran blood, with a few strands of blond hair from where Peter must have struck his head on something.

"Peter". Yondu mumbled as he got out of his chair and looked around "Peter". The voice was more stern, where the fuck was the boy, had he dragged himself away to lick his wounds somewhere? Alezduran was now back on his seat looked up from his console, as it finally begun to register that the Xandarian ship that had caused all of this was still maintaining position in the vicinity, as the hybrid looked up.

"We've got a message".

Yondu grunted which Alezduran took in the affirmative as the message felt across the main screen, and everyone leaned forward in their seats at the sight, as the Xandarian Senator grinned.

"Well if you're watching this Udonta, it's been a few hours since my men boarded your ship…so I hope you're well rested". The voice came out like a sneer whilst Yondu's eyes narrowed.

"Kruger" Yondu didn't bother to keep the aggression out of his voice, in the months since Peter had gone out on his first solo mission and shot the bastard with a blaster after rescuing a teenage girl. He had kept an eye on the situation on Xander out of curiosity along with most of his crew who liked nothing more than seeing rich assholes being transformed into common criminals and Governments being undermined.

He had watched dozens of them being sent down with public trials most to the Kyln where even they despised abuse against children, and he had heard that this fat bastard had managed to bribe a guard and escape on the ship he was currently sitting on.

"Oh, so you remember me". The Senator leaned back in his seat but never removed the shit-eating grin on his face. "Oh, that's perfect because I haven't forgotten you…and how that kid of yours fucked me over".

Yondu couldn't resist a sneer as a very real thought run through his mind…where the hell was Quill?

As if the now ex-disgraced Senator was reading his mind, Kruger leaned forward in his seat, "You know since you took so much from me, my career, my family and everything else I worked so hard for".

"Including killing children". Yondu couldn't resist, as the Xandarian just chuckled.

"Well, if you're that concerned about children…" With a flick of his hand, everyone on the bridge of the Eclector gritted their uneven teeth as Peter Quill held by two burly guards was dragged into the room, the gash across his forehead had dried into a black crust, and everyone noticed the bruises appearing on his face, he looked like grade A shit!

"So you broke into my ship…to kidnap the boy". Yondu's emphasis on the last word caused a reaction to cross Peter's face as his head jerked up, and Yondu noticed his eyes darting around in confusion, and not saying a word. "A little short-sighted isn't it, you could have killed us all?", as the Xandarian chucked.

"Oh come now, the word is that you're raising this boy to be your son and heir…am I wrong Udonta?"

As silence fell, whilst Yondu thought of a way to counter that statement, the sound of a small chuckle begun to fill the room, as everyone eyes fell on Peter as he raised his head towards the screen and even with his arms pulled back in clear pain fixed his eyes on the one in the Captain's chair. "You have got to be bloody kidding me…if that's what you think".

As he tore his eyes away from Yondu and looked up at Kruger. "You think that. I'm his slave, his skivvy. He treats me like shit every day…hell, if you killed me now he wouldn't give a shit".

Everyone caught the anger in Peter's voice, as Yondu found himself leaning forward, as Peter carried on, "Ever since I was four years old, when the old bastard kidnapped me, I've been his slave. The only thing he's concerned about right now is that this ship has a fuck ton of awesome stuff on it that I saw as these bastards were dragging me thought the decks".

He gestured to the guards, who retaliated by pulling his arms back tighter, as Kruger got to his feet and grabbed the boy by his chin pulling him up so they were at eye level, as Peter didn't even bother to hide his contempt.

"You're a feisty one right one aren't you…but you won't be when I'm done with you". To prove his point and to make one to the Eclector crew, everyone watched as the clenched hand drove against Peter's fact the moment the Guards released their grip on the boy. Peter was thrown back against a bare console his hand coming into contact with the touch keys, as Kraglin noticed just for a split second a moment of hesitation on the boy's face.

As the Guards grabbed him once more, as a trickle of blood begun to seep down his mouth. "I've had worse". Peter mumbled a comment that produced a suppressed smile from Yondu, and the total opposite from his captor, who drew his face so close flecks of spittle fell on Peter's face, which he ignored. "You think that was worse…you have no idea".

The Senator just grinned, as with a motion the asshole Guard, begun to drag him from the room, as Peter a flicker of panic crossing his face as he turned towards the screen that was recording all of this, ending the live link to the Eclector, as Yondu caught the boy mouthing only two words, that everyone even Yondu read with ease "Find me"

With Peter now out of the room, the ex-Senator turned back to Yondu. "I just wanted you to see him one last time…but don't worry I'll send you little messages, so you can see how well I'm treating him". The Xandarian chuckled nastily. "You son maybe a feisty little shit, but I'll make him so comfortable he'll be telling me everything".

The look on the face dropped, a with a flick of his wrist, the screen cut back to the stars and everyone on the crippled Ravager ship watched as the Xandarian cruiser took off at high warp, whilst everyone on the Bridge to a moment as Yondu got to his feet.

"Track that ship, and I want I want the engines and the hanger repaired right now". Yondu issued a ship-wide alert, as every Ravager who was hurt, or making out to be hurt in a weak bid to gain sympathy went to work, as Yondu begun to bark orders to the Bridge crew.

"And you assholes plot a course and track that bastard ship…no one steals my property" Yondu added, even though none of the crew were convinced, as even fearing the wrath of Yondu, Kraglin was the first to speak. "Yondu, everything's down it 'al take forever to find that ship".

Even though Kraglin was First Mate and the only confidant Yondu had on the ship, everyone saw Yaka arrow quivering in his belt and the glow of his headpiece, at this true statement, as Alezduran suddenly run his hand over his face, and with no permission from anyone brought up the video of Peter being captured, then forwarded to the moment Peter had been thrown against the empty console.

"Oh, Quill you are a genius". He exclaimed which drew the attention of the Captain and First Mate.

"What is it?" Yondu barked, not really in the mood for his hybrids over excitement, as Alezduran pointed to the screen.

"Xandarian ships, have an internal system, a way for other ships to track them like a beacon in space, Kruger being a fugitive, would have deactivated it but Peter…" He enhanced the screen, to show the moment Peter hand fell on the console, "didn't just reactivate it, but sent a rewire into internal systems, in about three hours that ships going to come to a stop"

"Peter knows how to do that?" Kraglin asking sounding dubious, as the hybrid nodded.

"Peter studies everything to do with ships and not just ours. Stand him in an M-Ship blindfolded and he'll tell you where everything is and tell you how it works, so when he…"

Alezduran's voice trailed off knowing this was the worst time to bring that up, as Yondu moved forward. "Can you get a trace on that ship?" Alezduran wordlessly brought up the Xandarians ship heading, and immediately begun to set a course as the engine begun to return to life once more. "Then get the fuck after that ship and do it now".

To be continued, also Peter mentioning he was abducted at 4 was not a typo, it will all be explained soon.

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