The Signs that Yondu Cares. Part 13
First Flight
After so many months of being exiled to the ship. Peter was finally back on missions, truth be told after seeing all those damn films, the excitement Peter had shown seemed to have worn off, and to some, he just looked sullener and withdrawn.
Something that Yondu put down to "Lack of fresh air", and told the crew to take him on missions, not to really do anything but just transfer cargo and not get into anyone's way.
There was really no chance of that.
Over the months Writusa had appeared to be trying to make up for causing Peter's initial seizure, even though Peter being epileptic was no one's fault. But Kraglin and Alezduren just didn't trust him, innate instinct or perhaps something else about him. Even when the Darbien tried to indulge Peter in conversation or ask him about things.
Most teenage boys at least got involved, but Peter had regressed to the point he didn't speak until anyone talked to him, and everything seemed to be forced. But since he was still working on his own M-Ship, which was still in disarray, doing his job, and other peoples. Yondu didn't seem to notice or care, and when Kraglin had tried to mention it, it was dismissed or not seen.
Everyone else however was, Peter had taken to heart that the crew loved his pizza and had made loads which he froze for the crew to be cooked later, which gave the cooks some time off.
The armoury had come in one day to find the teenager sitting silently, successfully putting a retractor. The Ravager tech, he had used on his first ever solo mission together. Building one from scratch took days, and he did it one.
Peter had even found several canisters of Pilon coffee, the drink from his planet which he hated, everyone did apart from Yondu. Peter paid for it out of his own savings and presented it to his Captain in the cup engraved with the words "Universe's Greatest Ravager".
Yondu just took it with a nod, even though everyone on the crew was telling the Captain of the teen's accomplishments which would have given a notice of pride to most. Yondu just took it wordless, and with a nod.
Peter to his credit didn't complain at how he was being treated, didn't rally engage Writusa, or anyone else, which had caused Kraglin and Alezduren some concern. So they had approached Yondu weeks earlier to try and discuss it with him. Yet even though he was silent, both of them felt that had to do something
Peter had regressed to almost a shadow, and the one person who should have been paying attention just didn't.
"See this!", Yondu pulled out the information on epilepsy and some information about Terran teens. "Epileptic's can be introverts, so can teenagers. Peter is fine as he is, now stop bitching about this, and get back to work".
With that door slammed in both their faces, Alezduren decided not to suggest taking Peter to a healer he knew. But nothing they could do seemed to be helping, Peter wasn't eating, it was debatable if he was sleeping. And though the temperatures on the Elector was mixed, he constantly wore long sleeved jumpers.
In the end, even Yondu was getting tired of the teenager and his "bloody sulking" so he packed the teen off on a mission. Of course, he wouldn't be doing anything aside from loading the cargo in an M-Ship and being a look out. But it would give him something to do.
It was so simple all it needed was Kraglin, Alezduren and Writusa, who managed it in three hours while Peter just watched from on top of a building where the M-Ship was parked. The mentality of the security officers of Kuiper Seven was non-existent since they were more wrapped up in themselves then thinking about crime, which was typical of the better class of Xandarian colony.
While Alezduren and Writusa loaded the items, Kraglin had instructed Peter to enjoy the sunshine a bit longer, since he was devoid of all of that on the Elector.
Peter, having no fear of heights was sitting on the edge of the roof just looking below, watching some drama unfold with a pair of enhancers or as Peter had initially called them binoculars. Which made no sense to anyone?
"What you looking at?" Kraglin asked, while Peter just silently handed the enhancers to the Xandarian.
Kraglin looked down and could see straight into a diner where a bunch of teenagers were sitting at a table and talking animatedly among themselves, though Kraglin could read lips, so could Peter and he gave a commentary on what he was seeing.
"That girl is pissed because her girlfriends just dumped her before a big dance. The older teen is worried about an exam, and the other two are dating but are trying to hide it. They're all talking about spending the holidays together in a cabin in the woods".
Peter said in a flat voice, as Kraglin observed the fact. "It's just kids' stuff really", Peter finished more to himself than Kraglin, while the Xandarian just looked away at the viewer and onto Peter. Peter once again had closed in on himself and looked distant.
Which caused Kraglin to feel uncomfortable, if he could he would have told the boy to go down and make conversations. However, he had the feeling that Peter who acted older than he was but looked years younger, just wouldn't be able to.
In the end, all he did was clear his throat when Alezduren and Writusa announced the Bioweapons were secured. Writusa sounded proud of himself for doing it by himself. But no one congratulated him on it.
With everyone back in the M-Ship it would be a good two hours until they were all home, and Peter who once upon a time, would have got involved, just sat in a chair looking over the missions and the S-Ship statistics. It was nothing he didn't already know, but it was always good to refresh his memory.
In the end, the silence was filled by the other three. Normal things, normal conversation. Until the blue blood begun to seep down Kraglin's nose.
Immediately the first mate clamped a hand over his mouth, before rushing to the toilet to be sick. Deep down, he knew something was wrong, he was never sick. Hell, he prided himself on it, but internally he could feel his body begin to burn as if someone had set off a fire in his chest.
He tried to get the words out, but leaning over the bowl his tongue felt thick in his mouth, and his eyes blurred. In his mind, he tried to call out for Alezduren, Writusa and Peter. But something disconnected in his mind, yet he could hear movement around him and realised that the other Ravagers were there with him, the same expressions. But their hands, oh shit their hands.
Alezduren hybrid or not had a look of panic on his face, but Writusa…shit Writusa.
Everything in their minds collapsed at the same time.
To be replaced with something else entirely.
For Peter, he had watched the three crewman, rush out, with the blood seeping out of their noses and just grew concerned, quickly getting to his feet. It happened so fast, but he saw all the blood draining from their faces.
Peter could only step back, as his crewmates and friends, well two of them. Personally, he thought Writusa was a dick, transformed, it was like everything they were had been stripped away, leaving them in this wild state.
"Kraglin". Peter uttered, at the sound of this name, the Xandarian turned, his eyes blazing and lunged forward, catching Peter across the cheek, which a clawed hand. His nails were longer. It as like they had turned into werewolves!
Oh Shit. His mere presence and the blood spilling from his cheek had got their attention, and they all rounded on him. Oh shit, behind him, was the door and in front of him was a second, but what should he do.
His question was answered, when Alezduren hit the wall with his fist, triggering the sensor which brought the door behind him to a close.
Shit, he was trapped but this…this what had caused this.
Looking around the room, Peter could see one of the canisters the three had acquired, bio-weapons for a client open and leaking green fluid on the ground. So that what it was for, shit. That was it. Oh shit.
Peter could see the name of the chemical, it was called Punimerian. Marked as hazardous and toxic. Great, he thought to himself while he planned his way out of there.
In the end, with the three getting closer, they were still unsteady, which he took advantage of.
He dived for the exit, narrowly missing Writusa grabbing by the scruff of the neck. Peter, got clear and brought the door down with a resounding thud, which was followed by the banging on the metal by the crewmen desperate to get at him. Peter's mind just reeled. Punimerian, that's what it was called. But it hadn't affected him. Maybe because he was Terran? Yes, that was it.
Making his way back to the bridge, he looked around trying to figure out what to do, while he brought up the monitors to see the trio still banging on the door teeth bared, baying for blood, his blood. It was so unnatural, Peter felt a small shiver of dread running through his body and willed himself not to seize.
Standing along on the cockpit in deep space, Peter scratched the back of his neck and quickly went over in his mind at what to do with them. Eject the airlock, they would freeze to death in seconds, their lungs thing inside out through the vacuum of space, but he couldn't do that. He cared about them too much. But what could he do?
He pulled up the information in the systems on Punimerian, but it informed him that there was an antidote, a simple one, but it had to be administered within the first two hours of the heart would explode. Peter had less time than that.
Which meant Peter had to fly this bird back to the Elector.
Peter, though having studied everything to do with M-Ship's, just felt pale. He couldn't fly this, not all by himself. He knew how in theory, he just couldn't…but the rest of the crew.
Still heading the sounds of now bloody fists on metal, Peter made up his mind.
He had to get this ship home.
To be continued
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