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Chapter 2

Yondu Udonta was sitting in his chair, looking at the stars waiting for the rest of the crew to file in. As always he had forgone breakfast that morning, so he had no idea what had transpired until his first mate Kraglin put his head round the door to declare that the "Kid was sick".

Yondu could only roll his eyes at that statement, in the past 6 months he had been stuck with the boy; he was either trying to hide or sobbing about his "mommy". "Fine, just tell him to get to bed and sort himself out." He decreed, in a bored tone.

"No, I mean he's really sick, he's passed out in the mess."

Since Kraglin was perhaps the only person who could counter his comment in any way, anyone else he would have killed long ago. Yondu got to his feet and followed his first mate. "I swear to whatever god Kraglin, if it's just a sniffle I'm going to punish you both" he declared and turned the corner into the mess. There admits the men standing, he could see the boy lying on the deck, the sweat dripping onto the metal leaving a small pool around him, everyone one of the crew was taking it in turns to nudge the unconscious boy with their hobnailed boots, leaving bruises that were beginning to develop on his pale skin. As they saw the Captain, they immediately parted, and from the look on their faces expected Yondu to join in.

Yondu wasn't in the mood, he had charts to sort out and a scavenging mission to plan, as he bent his head over the boy and yelled in his ear "You get up now, you hear me?" There was nothing from the boy, no emotion on Peter's face to show he had even heard the Captain. As an exasperated Yondu leaned closer "I'm telling you boy, get your ass up now". Again there was nothing, for a few moments, as finally Peter opened his mouth and a small thin gasp filtered across the deck.

The was the only response from the boy, as Yondu truly sick of this grabbed the boy from the deck, holding him under his arm, as the boys limbs dangled in the air, he motioned Kraglin to follow him as they walked the deck in the direction of the med bay. This rough action, providing no reaction from Peter, who was just hanging there like a limp rag. As they stepped into the med bay, Yondu aggressively shoved the boy onto the bed which finally produced a small moan from the boy. "Kraglin, fix him up." He ordered his crew man as he made his way to leave.

"Fix him…he's not my responsibility to fix, Yondu"

"Do I look like I give a shit; I've given you an order…so fix the damn kid".

The elevation in Yondu's tone produced another slight movement from the boy, whose eyelids began to flicker.

Still hearing, Kraglin complaining that he wasn't a damn nursemaid, Yondu knew he would follow instructions to the letter, everyone on the ship knew that. As Yondu walked back to the bridge thoroughly pissed at the interruption. The scavenger mission on the outer rims, would be difficult but promised riches. It had taken ages to plot this territory; to stay the hell away from the Kree's who were encroaching everywhere. And now it was all going ahead, everyone knew the importance of this, so the last thing he needed was interruption.

He got it, three hours later when he heard Kraglin voice over the intercom. "Yondu, we need you down here, we've got a problem."

Yondu knew exactly what that "problem" was…that damn kid. Ever since he had arrived on the ship, crying like a baby, demanding to be taken home. He had been one problem after another. In the end, Yondu had made it clear, that threat of being eaten had finally managed to get him to shut up, to become invisible...which what was exactly Yondu wanted. Hell if he's had taken him to his planet, who knew what sort of life he'd be leading.

Yondu knew he was doing the kid a favour by keeping him, even if it was an open secret no one on the crew thought so. Summoning Yarovesky to keep his seat warm, and deciding to keep his bitching to himself. He made his way back to the med bay. Feeling more irritated with each step, as he made it to his destination, he was greeted with the sight of Peter lying raised up on the table, semi-conscious and his face a mask of death.

With his t-shirt having been removed, Yondu could see the extent of the bruises on the boy's pale skin and could see his rib beginning to protrude through his chest. The boy's weak desperate gasps for air, for some reason managed to produce an echo in the room in line with the heart monitor, which didn't sound as strong as it should be, from what Yondu knew about human physiology...which wasn't much. It was a sound that Yondu didn't like as he turned to his first mate "So what the hell is wrong with him?"

"He's got a punctured lung, there are fractures all over his body, and there some sort of virus in his brain "Read out Kraglin in a matter of fact voice, another of the reasons he had been Yondu's first mate for so long.

"What sort of virus." Queried Yondu, already sick of the sight of the boy that was causing him so much trouble. And how the hell did he have fractures on his body, it was no secret the Revengers roughhoused him, it was expected…almost encouraged. If he was going to be a Ravager, he had to be tough, everyone knew that. How frail were these stupid human bodies...didn't his father's DNA filter in him somewhere?

"The computer translated it as fungal meningitis; it means that his brain is sick". As Kraglin read out the symptoms, and mentioned something about membranes in the brain that were attacking his spine.

"So can you treat him?" Yondu had a feeling he wasn't going to like where this conversation was heading.

"No, not here he needs specialist healers…or he's just going to die…but look at this".

Kraglin picked up a glass, stepped over and pressed it to Peter's am, the coldness on his skin caused the boy to suddenly jerk, but he seemed incapable of saying anything as Yondu saw the spotty rash under the glass.

"So…the boy's going to die." Yondu should have felt relief since the boy's mere presence was a constant thorn in his side as Kraglin nodded in the affirmative.

Yondu cursed, under his breath, this was the last thing he needed, they were too far out in space and now this, as Kraglin said aloud what Yondu was beginning to think.

"That asshole of a father of his is still contacting us, the last time you told him he was refusing to leave…what do you think he will do when he finds out the kids dead?"

"Shut up, Kraglin and let me think." Yondu demanded as he kept his eyes on the boy. Damn that stupid kid, he knew if the kid died it would be all over for him and his crew, one of the reasons he was talking missions so far in the outer rims was that he was avoiding his father's planet and its people. The one thing he had never voiced out loud, but everyone knew it…but he pretty much dared any member of his crew even Kraglin to say it to his face.

Whist Yondu was thinking of his next move both of them turned their heads as the Peter made a futile gasp for air, and leaned forward as Yondu could see the coughing spasm in his chest.

"Ah hell." Uttered Kraglin as he dived for the bed, grabbing a bowl that was within his grasp, and held it under the boy neck, as the pathetic kid threw up the blood that had been collecting somewhere in his body that wasn't meant to be there.

Peter glanced up at Kraglin, who had the good grace to wipe the boy's face with a rag, as Peter's eyes rolled in the back of his head and he slumped back against the bed.

"Shit." Muttered Kraglin, as he dumped the blood filled bowl on the shelf. "If we don't get him somewhere soon, he's going to be dead in…".

The last word was left unfinished as the sound of the monitor began to beep widely…it was the sound of Peter flat lining.

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