Fatherhood Part 11
Planting the Seeds of Family
"So you seem to be going well for yourself?" Kraglin said to the Mercenary who just nodded in agreement. "Yeah, working for my boss is great, we choose our own hours, the pays pretty good".
Both Yondu and Kraglin had never expected to run into Paistran, a Darbien contact of theirs from way back when. Due to the criminal circles, they run in, they would eventually run into each other. But, as long as they never encroached on each other turf too much, it was all right.
This time, however, there were no mission, or anything violent. All it was, was a supply run. Iztel, the Electors MasterChef, had informed them; they were running low on the essentials.
Not that it was urgent, but Iztel took his job seriously, and in truth, Yondu and Kraglin wanted to take their son off the ship for a while and have some family time. Even if it was scouring the markets for food, and for Yondu to get some of his famous trinkets.
Peter loved the Market, and all the attention he was getting being his typical good self. A quick flash of his green eyes and smile and the supplies got larger at no extra costs, and three-year-old Peter was able to express some energy. Though he was happiest on his parent's shoulders looking out at everyone.
It was on their way back travelling through the deep of space that they got the hail from the Darbien cruiser and their encounter with Paistran. In the end, to refuse him would be worse, so they had to let him and his small crew on board.
Both of them were wary about strangers being around their son, but after explaining the fake story, Paistran just accepted it and Peter, only played on the floor with all his toys, ignoring the dull adults talking.
While every one of the mercenaries was getting wasted, Yondu and Kraglin only sipped their beers. True they could have knocked it back, but because of their son both of them had to keep a clear head.
Paistran, had a small crew of his own, all Darbien so a good foot taller than Yondu and Kraglin, all wearing black played armour, in a bid to be intimidating. And he excused himself to get back to his ship which was currently docked alongside Yondu's own white M-Ship.
Leaving the Udonta family alone for a moment, Kraglin began to look at the time wondering how long they would be when Peter lifted his commutator up in the air.
"Daddy, it works". Peter declared in his sing-song voice, while Kraglin chucked "Peter, that's old. It doesn't work".
"Yes it does, I can hear people talking". Peter argued waving the device at his parents.
Yondu rolled his eyes since this was a similar trick Pete did when he was smaller, no matter how old you were. If a baby handed you a toy commutator, you spoke into it.
Deciding to indulge his son, Yondu picked up the communicator, and almost instantly his blood run cold.
"…so, we've agreed. We kill the Ravagers, and take the boy, he'll fetch a fortune to the boss. Kill him, keep him as a slave, who cares whatever".
"We'll have to be quick. Yondu and Kraglin are tough, they won't go down without a fight".
"Please, Ravagers are all stupid bastards, and everyone knows that". The communicator cut off at that point, and Peter just looked stupefied, being only three and unable to understand most of the words.
Instantly, Yondu and Kraglin shared that look, they didn't want to cause a scene in front of their son, who was just looking at them. In fact, neither of them could explain how or why a dead communicator being used as a toy had come to life and hacked into another ships central mainframe. But they'll ponder that much later.
Yondu and Kraglin didn't need to speak, and instantly shifted their body language, the same glint in their eyes forged by years of fighting side by side. In life there was a line, and parents adopted or otherwise, they had inherited the fear, and that fear was now in the vicinity.
But first Peter, Kraglin adjusted his body language and voice just to speak to their toddler.
"Peter, daddy and I are just going to sort some things out, but you need a nap".
Instantly Peter protested, even though he was tired "No, no naptime, no naptime, please. I don't want too". He pouted, but it had no effect.
"Look we're just going to put you in your box, and you try to get some sleep" reassured Yondu picking up their son and placing him in his box. It was small and hadn't been used for a while, but it was essential while Kraglin grabbed Fang, Peter's precious teddy and placed it next to him.
"Daddies will be back in a second, ok," said Yondu, throwing a blanket over the boy and leaving the room.
For Peter Jason Udonta, he didn't want a nap, he wanted to play and have fun, but the mattress was soft, and a nap would be nice, so doing a loud yawn he lay down cuddling Fang tightly.
"So you want to take my son, you twisted sack of shit" Peter heard Kraglin say loudly, but it didn't scare him, the son was him.
Falling asleep, he could hear the sounds of daddy whistling loudly, and the sound of massive bodies hitting the deck, Peter knew that sound.
It was like when the evil Kree's had tried to take him, and Proctom had saved his life, but even though he shivered, he knew that meant that bad people were dead, so he was safe. Then he heard his two daddies speaking. "Let's see what we can get from this shithole of a ship". Peter then heard footsteps but was fast asleep, safe and in slumber.
When Peter woke up a short while later and poked his head from the box demanding a cuddle which Yondu obliged. Little Peter didn't notice his daddy bruising himself in his hair and holding him close and saw blue on both his daddies clothing.
"Where are your friends?" Peter asked, noticing the new things around the M-ship. Which his parents had torn from the ship now floating in space with its lifeless crew.
"They had to go", Kraglin explained as evenly as he could itching for a shower. They had killed them all in minutes, the moment they had rushed onto the ship, Kraglin had cut them down with his blaster but Yondu, now that was a kill he loved seeing.
Watching his mate draw out his Yaka arrow, with a whistle and driving it into their heads. It was slow and torturous, and Kraglin would admit it got him going. However, they were in deep space and wanted to get the hell out of there, so had grabbed what they could and searched their pockets for units and weapons. It was a small bounty, but still, an impressive one which they would go through much later.
"Oh ok," Peter just accepted his parent's words with no more question and going into the cockpit was happy to be held until the Elector came into view and Peter bounced, happy that he was home.
In the few minutes, it came for the M-Ship to completely dock, and as requested several of the Ravagers came over to the Udonta family for their orders. It was simple, all the food to be taken to Iztel, the rest to the Treasury, the small room where Kraglin would sit and work out what things were worth.
Peter in the meantime, just wanted to get out, and wiggled from his parent's arms, his precious Fang in his arms and run across the deck to the maintenance section. Xandarian's were social by nature, and most of their repairs were done sitting in a collective group and just talking and Peter being raised as one was no exception to this.
"Yarovesky," Peter said, seeing the Ravager stretched out on the floor, cleaning the stem bolts carefully with a rag and polish, and the burly Ravager looked up "Hi Peter Monster,"
Peter just laughed at being called a monster, but he plonked himself onto the floor and looked up at the Ravager who was covered in grime and dirt., "What you doing?"
Yarovesky up the stem and explained to the curious toddler. "This is part of the centralised engine. It keeps the M-Ships gravity in place, but it had to be stripped apart and cleaned every few years, it's really dirty work".
Perhaps it was the mention of M-Ships or dirt, but Peter's face lit up "Can I help you?"
Yarovesky just shrugged while Yondu and Kraglin caught up with them and the Ravager who was their chief navigator, brown eyes noticed the blood spatter. But said nothing, while Yondu agreed with the idea until Peter piped up "But I want to help for units."
Kraglin just smirked, and Yondu run his finger over his lips in a bid not too laugh, oh Peter was his son all right.
Yarovesky to his credit, just laughed, "Ok how many units".
"One hundred" Peter declared, too which Yarovesky immediately began to disagree and the bartering began, in the end, in-between the numbers going high and low, they agreed on thirty-five units, but perhaps a bonus if they did it all today.
The Captain and the First Mate both desperate for a shower turned to the navigator. "You are good to watch him for a bit, aren't you?" Kraglin asked to which the burly Ravager just stated, "No problems, he'll be fine with me".
With that settled, and leaving their most precious passion in the Hanger Bay, both of them caught the end of Peter's next sentence and tried not to laugh out loud.
"If Fang helps, can he get Units too."
"Naaa" Yarovesky stated "Fang's lazy and everyone knows it.
In their Quarters, both Kraglin and Yondu stripped off and headed for the shower. They didn't want to think of how it could be all different, or how that damn toy had come to life since it hadn't since they got back. Instead, they just put it down to Peter's nature, and that was it.
Besides having a quiet moment in the shower, just cleaning each other's bodies, Yondu washing Kraglin's hair, while Kraglin scrubbed Yondu's dense skin. Brushing lips with the water cascading over their naked skin. It was almost like old times sake, perhaps they could get in a quickie, after all, Peter was safe and sound.
A little while later Peter was still on the floor of the hanger, happily covered in grime, a smear of grease across his cheek while he just talked with Yarovesky. Out of all the Ravagers, he wasn't as close to him because Yarovesky was a navigator and spent all of his time on the bridge with his dad's.
He knew he was very good at his job and was always pouring over star charts plotting the directions of the Elector, but he was still friendly to Peter.
"Yarovesky, when did you learn to fly your ship?" Peter asked while cleaning another stem bolt since he had done a lot in the last few hour, and the Ravager just shrugged.
"I was in about twenty, so a few years ago. Took me a while" he said, while Peter tried to digest this information.
"Daddy said I can't learn until I'm ten, but I'm only three, and that's a long time away.
Seven years to a toddler was a lifetime, but Yarovesky understood this. "True, but remember this…"
Yarovesky never got the chance to finish his sentence, as the blade came down across the Xandarian's neck and Peter just screamed.
To be continued
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