Everything was silent as the machines continued on their journeys, as everyone tried to take everything in. He's still alive…he's still bloody alive". Yondu declared not caring how it was perceived.
"You" He turned to the first medic, who seemed just stunned. "Don't sit there like a bitch, fix this damn kid". Pulling back his coat to reveal the Yaka arrow so they knew it was serious as the two medics aided by Alezduran who to his credit didn't volunteer his services and just got stuck in as they went to work on the boy.
There under Yondu's scrutinizing gaze needles were inserted into his body, as a tube was inserted in his chest to revive his collapsed lung from what he could see on the med scanner. The boy was a mess inside and out, his legs and arms were broken...his skull was fractured.
Along with he harsh fact that he had been scalped by that bastard Kruger, as he watched Peter's head being pulled back as an oxygen mask was placed over his nose and mouth as he begun to breathe easier. "That's it, boy, that's it. Just hold on". Yondu vowed in his head as he watched the boy still motionless, but according to his vitals getting stronger. It wasn't much, but it was something.
Yondu could have watched them, hell put the bastards under pressure but in the end he saw Kraglin coming into the room, so motioned for the First Mate to follow him, at that time of day the deck was devoid of crew all going through the spoils of the ship, which they both would get through later, as he quickly filled Kraglin in on what had happened.
"What the hell do you mean, he's not dead?" Exclaimed Kraglin his outburst rare for him, but understandable.
"That's impossible, it's been two days". Kraglin was saying the only thing on Yondu's mind, but it was the Xandarian who voiced the conclusion.
"His father's side, apparently the bastard can breathe in space too…fuck knows how". Yondu shrugged since what he knew about Peter's species, well half species, They may be a bunch of uptight jackasses especially his father, but breathing in space…how?
Yondu had no idea, but he had to say something, hell needed to…and he desperately needed a drink.
"Hell knows…but if he comes into his powers now and Daddy's still looking out for him…"
Kraglin filled in the empty space "We're all fucked".
Silence fell between the two, as Yondu received a discreet summons on his personal communication, and motioned wordlessly for Kraglin, they found their way back to the Med Bay in minutes.
There on the main bed, one he had been on more times that Yondu cared to remember was Peter. His breath in unison with the machines and devices around his arms and chest, with his green eyes now closed he looked peaceful, even with the tubes and lines all over his body, as all the medics exchanged looks. This was their cue to tell Yondu everything, but of course they were hesitant too, so in the end it was Alezduran who did the talking.
Peter's body sustained massive damage; there was broken ribs, pierced lung, multiple fractures of both arms and legs and, of course, the whipping". The voice was almost monotone, which was beginning to annoy Yondu. "I know that you asshole". As the hybrid took a breath and continued. "But…everything is healing, faster that it should. His bones are knitting together he can breathe with assistance…not life support but almost by himself so he's getting stronger…".
"But" Stated Kraglin, as he looked at his Captain and knew that wasn't the news Yondu wanted to hear, as the hybrid continued.
"All tests indicate he could live, but his brain is showing no activity or function…he's totally brain dead". Alezduran finished, with the words he knew could kill him as everyone let the words sink in. Brain death…oh shit
Yondu's body stiffened along with Kraglin, and the Captains eyes darted to the brain readout, just reading flat. No stimulates, nothing.
"We're sending charges through his body, and he's going to need massages daily to stimulate his body…"
"Yeah I can do that". Stated Kraglin, remembering the time six years earlier when the boy was recovering from meningitis, which caused a look from Alezduran, who had no idea the reason why.
"So when will his brain recovery?" Asked Yondu in a flat voice , even though he knew the answer, so many other species could recover from shit like this, perhaps even his father's species even though he doubted this, as he saw all the medics hesitate.
This gave Kraglin the opportunity to finally put them out of their misery, since he didn't know Yondu's reaction "He won't will he? As a visibly upset Alezduran shook his head.
"The only thing we can do is monitor him for a few days if he changes, but if he doesn't wake up…is to put him out of his misery as quickly as possible.
The words hung in the air one more, as Yondu absorbed them all…after all he had gone through, surviving in space…and he was now brain dead! All eyes were on him, to see his next reaction, hell Yondu wasn't going to give them the satisfaction as he turned from the room with a swish of his red coat, leaving the rest just standing there, the only sound was the constant song of Peter's monitors as the boy was oblivious to everything going on around him, as Kraglin could only stand there and couldn't help look down on him.
Peter was breathing in line with the machines, the oxygen keeping him revived, but he knew he would be off it soon, and what would be left? A lump of dead living flesh, and he knew what had to be done…but the real depths of what was going through Yondu's mind, knew that he was hesitant too
Yondu walked in a way that every Ravager gave him a wide berth, from the look on their Captains, face they knew something else was going on, but no one was stupid enough to voice it out loud. Yondu didn't know where he was walking too, it was his ship and he knew every inch of it as he just kept on walking
Yondu walked until he reached the end of the ship, a small area pretty much used for junk, even if there was a large porthole which afforded a perfect view of the stars, his predecessor for some reason had installed a rail, which he rested his hands on. In truth, he rarely came here. The Eclector was five miles long and across, there were a million other places, but this here this was his place of solitude, even if he hadn't come here in so long.
Yondu just watched the stars hovering in space, mentally reading the charts like he was wrought to do. Being a good Captain, this was a skill he had learned years ago, he had done it for so long sentiment never got in the way, as an image of Peter entered in his head once more, which he tried to banish…but couldn't.
A myriad of thoughts went through his head but only came down to two things Peter Jason Quill and brain death, shit. How the hell he survived Space was a miracle in itself, to be the one to disconnect him from the machines since almost unfair.
Yondu was so lost in his thoughts he almost didn't hear Kraglin come into the room, even though Yondu's other sense. The one he hardly ever told anyone about quivered in anticipation, as a silence fell on the pair, whilst Yondu never looked round.
"Let me guess, the crew are getting restless, want some answers…and in a few days they'll be asking for his room…right?" While Kraglin to Yondu's credit, just gave a dark chuckle, hell only he could find the humour in this type of this.
"Screw the crew Yondu…they only want to know when you're pulling the plug". As the Xandarian came closer and leaned his own arm on the rail. "Can't keep him on it forever, can you?"
"Boy's not going to wake up is he?" Yondu could only say flatly, as Kraglin just sighed. "No, he's too far gone; he's just a vegetable on a Med Bed. Unless you think he's going to wake up?" A comment which took Yondu a good minute to answer and coming to the same conclusion.
"His father, jackass that he is, doesn't have that ability…so must be his hybrid nature". He shrugged wishing his First Mate had the decency to at least bring beer, as Kraglin exhaled.
"Well whatever, boys still dead Yondu…you can't come back from that". He stated as he took a step back. "I'm going back to the bridge, still got shit to sort out, and you can't stay here forever…or perhaps you can". Kraglin stopped and took a good look around, "God it really is quiet here, and strange that Peter never found it". A comment that involuntary caused Yondu to grin, "Really", gesturing to the wall where Quill's shaky graffiti spelled out his initials "PJQ", which Yondu had noticed the moment he walked in.
"Yeah, well there everywhere, you should see the air ducts sometime". As he shrugged and just left the room
Leaving Yondu all alone with his thoughts his eyes subconsciously drifting to where Peter had scribed his name, he knew he should have been pissed off, but who would he bitch to? To a living slab of meat on a med bad, hell what was the point?
All Yondu knew what that it wants meant to end like this, the boy was a Ravager or training to be one, he had undergone his first mission, and by some shitty turn of events that first solo mission which he noticed had boosted his confidence had now got him killed. No, not today.
Yondu eventually left the area and made his way back to the Med Bay, all was silent with the Medics including Alezduran were out of the room apart from the faint note of the machines. And there was Peter lying on the bed, with the fluid going in and out of his veins. He looked so small, at least when his father had taken and tortured him, everyone knew he was going to wake up, but now…
With the room devoid of people, Yondu could be honest and the boy deserved that.
"Listen, they tell me you're dead, but that just bollocks. I know you're still in there". The words made no impact on the still teenager, even though Yondu wished for a reaction, for anything he leaned closer, his mouth very close to Peter's ear.
"You have one month to wake up, or that's it…thirty days to prove them wrong. You have to do that Peter. Because I'm not going to pull that plug without giving you a chance". With his words said, a vow, a promise…whatever.
Yondu's lips brushed the side of Peter's head, in which a stranger would have been called a fatherly kiss, as he straightened up, sat next to the bed in a chair, and knowing that this shit worked on Xandarians too, took out his Pad accessed something appropriate, and begun reading. trying to get a reaction out of the Terran who just slept on oblivious.
To be continued
