This was SO hard! Seriously, this took a lot of work and creative thinking to create a job on a planet in the Marvel universe that subsequently can build for stories later in this series. Gramos in the comic world underwent a siege that knocked out it's energy sources so I kinda went that way, BUT there's also that story about Peter's "Illegal Manipulation of a Gramosian Duchess", so I wanted to set up for that possibility much later... I really hope you like this because I'm fried lol
Yondu had kept him unusually close for the next few weeks, Peter felt the Captain's eyes were constantly on him and really hoped his commander saw how hard he was trying to behave. Even a few of the crew had said he'd been surprisingly less annoying lately, which Peter understood to be a compliment. Still though, Yondu found constant reasons for the boy to be in his company and avoid sending him on missions.
Finally, the Captain called him to his table after lunch one day with a small smile.
"Petey, got a job f'r'ya," Yondu told him.
"Really?" Peter exclaimed, but his excitement diminished quickly, he'd fallen for this a few times recently, "Like a real job 'r a ship job?"
"All jobs 'r real jobs, boy," Yondu smirked, "but I need'ja with Kraglin 'n Taserface on this one. Gotta pick up an artifact from an old Gramosian I owe far more than t'just steal somethin' from."
"Cool!" even working with Taserface wasn't going to deter Peter from being enthusiastic about the mission.
"Y'gotta listen," the Captain raised an eyebrow.
"I know," the boy nodded, "I will, I promise."
"Good boy," Yondu gave him a half smile, "Kraglin's gettin' the Milano ready, headin' out as soon as we get into Gramos territory."
"Yes, sir," Peter jumped a little on his way out of the mess hall, sprinting down the hall towards the hanger.
Kraglin was washing the Milano when he arrived, skidding to a halt next to the First Mate with a grin that nearly reached his ears.
"Guessin' Cap told'ja y'r'comin'," Kraglin commented indifferently.
"Yup," Peter nodded.
"Start wipin' her down," he pulled the towel from his shoulder, handing it to Peter and the boy thought he caught an upward tug in the corners of Kraglin's mouth.
Peter scurried up the scaffold, wiping down the Milano as he crawled onto the top carefully. Yondu had yelled at him and Kraglin before when he'd walked in while Peter was on top of the craft, neither could convince the Captain that it was the easiest way, but Kraglin still let him do it when they were alone.
"Kraglin!" Taserface's gruff bark echoed in the hanger and Peter felt his stomach drop, not from fear, he wasn't afraid of that ugly idiot, but Taserface was really loud and the boy had nearly slipped from the surprise, "Why 'r we takin' this piece'a crap?!"
Peter scowled down at the Ravager approaching Kraglin, rubbing the blue metal in apology to his ship for Taserface's insult.
"She's fast," Kraglin responded with indifference, "an' with the Gramosian's defenses down after that attack we just gotta get in 'n get out quick as we can."
"The Herlio is a better ship," Taserface argued, though his bellow had lost conviction.
"The Herlio is bulky 'n we gotta get this done quick," Kraglin said firmly.
"Fine," Taserface barked, "but if you let that boy drive-"
"What?!" the First Mate snapped, "Y'gonna jump out? 'Cause y'r'wart-covered face freezin' out there might be enough reason f'r'me t'let him!"
Peter felt warmth growing in his gut and couldn't help a smile as he watched the men argue below him.
"Y'r'as bad as the Captain with that runt," Taserface scoffed, turning to leave the hanger.
Kraglin turned back to his task, not even glancing up as he ordered, "Back t'work Pete."
Yup, Kraglin definitely liked him, even if he wouldn't admit it out loud.
As they finished polishing the Milano, the First Mate explained to Peter that they'd be flying into Gramos, a planet normally very well protected, but had recently suffered a siege knocking out all their energy sources, leaving the inhabitants that hadn't yet fled in a state of primitive survival. Kraglin told him there was a Gramosian broker, Skorta, who hadn't held up his side of a bargain the last time he'd dealt with Yondu, instead, surprising the Ravagers with his clan in full attack when the Captain had come to claim his reward. Peter was shocked anyone would be so stupid to back out of a finalized deal with the Centaurian and asked Kraglin why he hadn't just used his arrow on Skorta.
"M'sure he could'a," Kraglin shrugged, "but he wouldn't've gotten all the Gramosians before they got some of us."
"How's it comin', boys?" Yondu asked as he walked into the hanger, Peter sighed, glad he'd descended from the roof a minute prior.
"Good, Capt'n," Kraglin said, "Fueled up, polished, she's ready t'go."
"How 'bout you, Pete?" Yondu raised an eyebrow at the boy.
"Let's go!" Peter jumped, earning a chuckled from both men.
"Where's Taserface?" Yondu asked.
"Somewhere," Kraglin shrugged.
"Bein' a moron," Peter added quietly, but definitely saw a curl in the corner of Kraglin's mouth that time.
"Well, that moron is gonna keep y'from gettin' killed if y'get caught," Yondu informed him tersely.
"I don't get caught," Peter grumbled and felt a sharp jab in his shoulder from Kraglin's elbow.
"Boy," Yondu began warningly, "you don't hafta go."
Peter's eyes went wide and his mouth flew open, ready to protest, but the First Mate squeezed his shoulder, hard.
"He'll be fine, Capt'n," Kraglin said quickly, "Taserface just came in earlier talkin' 'bout how the ship's a junker, y'know how he is."
"He's an idiot," Yondu scoffed and pointed at Peter, "but he's still on y'r'team, so play nice, kid."
"Yes, sir," Peter muttered and Kraglin's grip lessened before patting the boy's shoulder as the Captain turned down the hallway.
"Taserface! If you hold up this goddamn job y'r'not gonna live t'see another!" Yondu's voice was loud and threatening as he stomped through the corridor.
"I hate workin' with that jerk," Kraglin mumbled.
"Why don't you tell Yondu y'don't wanna?" Peter asked and the First Mate let out a hard, single laugh.
"Y'don't tell the Capt'n no, boy," Kraglin smirked at him, "He's not as easy on the rest'a us as he is on you."
"He doesn't go easy on me," Peter pouted.
"Keep tellin' y'rself that," Kraglin chuckled, "A'right, you ready t'go?"
"Uh," Peter was not, having left his backpack and Walkman in his bedroom, the backpack he actually needed for the job, but he really didn't want to get stuck listening to Taserface's grating voice.
"Hurry up!" Kraglin pointed firmly at the hallway and Peter sprinted from the hanger.
He hurried to his bedroom, tossing the Walkman in his backpack and slipping the straps on his shoulders, hardly even stopping before he bolted back to the hallway, bumping smack into Yondu.
"Watch where y'r'goin', boy," the Captain scolded, pulling Peter to his feet by the back of his jacket.
"Sorry," Peter said and tried to take off down the corridor, but Yondu's grip on his jacket didn't relent.
"I'm goin' with ya," Yondu told him, walking towards the hanger with the boy.
"Why?" Peter asked.
"'Cause I can," the Captain answered gruffly, "Taserface pissed me off, I ain't payin' him t'do a halfassed job."
Peter was glad Taserface wouldn't be going, but internally sighed that Yondu would, the Captain always micromanaged the job when he went, and never let Peter fly the Milano. Still though, he'd rather be on the job than not and walked at an even pace with Yondu to the hanger where Kraglin was waiting.
The scaffold had been rolled away and the Milano's hatch was open when they walked in, Peter had a very hard time keeping himself from running up the ramp. Kraglin was sitting in the pilot's seat, checking the controls and flipping switches, but turned when the Captain sauntered into the cockpit with Peter.
"Capt'n?"
"I'm joinin' y'today, Kraglin," Yondu informed him, taking the seat behind the two main drivers.
"Yes, sir," the First Mate nodded, turning front immediately and holding the button until the turbines kicked on underneath them.
"Buckle up, Pete," Yondu jerked his head at the empty driver seat and Peter hopped into, he knew he wasn't going to get control, but he liked to pretend.
They were soaring through the glowing forcefield in a moment, Peter covered his mouth to stifle the excited giggle, as they entered the blackness of space outside the Eclector. It had been a while since his short-lived, solo flight, but no matter how many times he took off in the Milano, Peter had the same reaction.
Kraglin turned the craft around the giant mothership, finally reaching the other side and Peter gasped at the planet ahead. It looked almost like the globes he'd seen at school, but significantly more neon in color, the brightness didn't fade as they approached, rounding the planet at lightning speed.
"A'right, boy," Yondu tore Peter's attention from the enthralling scene, "same as always, get'cha into the vents 'n listen t'what'cher told. Remember how y'got there 'n get back quick. Y'hear?"
"Yes, sir," Peter nodded with the most serious look he could muster.
They descended in darkness towards a city, rows of dark and abandoned buildings stretched as far as Peter could see, which wasn't very far. Kraglin, however, seemed to know where he was going and located the rooftop of one of the tallest structures, gently lowering the Milano into a perfect landing between the useless exhaust stacks.
"A'right, Pete, headset on?" Kraglin asked and Peter turned his head, pointing to the silver piece behind his ear, "Good."
The First Mate lowered the hatch and Yondu pulled his arrow from its holster, ready at his side as he led Peter down the ramp and into the cold night air on the rooftop.
"Listen t'Kraglin, boy," Yondu reminded.
"I will," Peter managed to keep the exasperation out of his voice, but rolled his eyes behind the Captain.
"I'll meet'cha back up here when y'r'done," he said.
"Where y'goin'?" Peter asked.
"My business," Yondu told him, ripping a large grate off the stagnant ventilation system, "Put the mask on, I'm not sure what kinda gasses got left when the generators stopped workin'."
Peter smiled, he loved wearing the mask, it wasn't exactly comfortable, but it looked really cool. The shiny ear piece had now become as much of a staple in his wardrobe as his leather jacket and blaster. Yondu had gotten the retractable forcefield helmet in a trade with an Axi-Tun, he modified it slightly so the mask would fit Peter's head as he grew. When he'd first gotten it, Peter had stared at himself in any reflection he could find wearing the steel face with large red lenses for eyes and watching as a touch of a finger behind his ear dissolved the solid mask, revealing a laughing boy every time.
Though he was entirely serious on the rooftop, jobs were serious business and he finally had gotten his opportunity to prove himself again. Peter had no intention of screwing it up and reached a finger behind his ear, feeling the mask build around his face. Yondu was suddenly a deep shade of purple and the surrounds he could see were tinged red.
"Y'hear me Pete?" Kraglin's voice echoed in his ear.
"Loud 'n clear," Peter said and, with a nod to his Captain, hopped into the vent and began crawling into the building.
"A'right," Kraglin continued, "y'r'gonna go straight till y'git t'the drop, y'need the third level down, but I got'cha on the layout here I'll let'cha know when y'r'close."
"Got it," Peter affirmed, army crawling through the dim, red vents.
Ahead he saw a black square in the rosy auras surrounding it and knew that was the drop, Peter's stomach squirmed, he felt like James Bond in space, which was cooler than James Bond anyway. Peter let his legs dangle into the seemingly endless black hole, hunched from the low height, and pulled a retractor from his belt, setting it on the metal of the vent he was sitting on and pressing firmly down with his palm until he heard a click. He tugged hard every way he could on the black circle, but it wouldn't budge. Satisfied, Peter pulled his gloves from his pocket before grabbing the braided cord attaching his belt to the anchor, he'd made that mistake before, and lowered himself into the black hole.
"That was fast, Pete," Kraglin sounded a little impressed, "Y'got about thirty feet then go right."
"Got it," Peter said, sliding down the cord quickly.
"Woah, Pete, woah, twelve feet," Kraglin said, "calm down, kid."
"Just workin', Kraglin," Peter sighed.
"Six feet," the First Mate sounded like he'd chuckled before coming back to the intercom, "Go right."
"I heard'ja," Peter said, using his toes to pull himself to the horizontal vent floor, cutting the cord with a small knife once he'd crawled into the space, definitely cooler than James Bond.
"A'right, doesn't look like anymore drops," Kraglin's voice crackled a little, "the vault room is on the other side'a Skorta's quarters, camera system is down, well everything's down, so y'gotta be ready, but word we got's that most e'rybody on this rock took off so if there's a guard on that room I'm bettin' they only got enough f'r'the outside, 'n you ain't goin' out there. Can y'see anything under you?"
Peter had just then come to a grate where it had been solid metal and peered down into the red blackness below, "No, it's too dark."
"Well based on this layout you're just about t'be over Skorta's office," Kraglin sounded unsure, "I'm workin' off a map that isn't exactly recent."
Peter's stomach flipped, "Why?!"
"Their powers out," the First Mate responded obviously, "What would y'like me t'hook into?"
Peter grumbled, but had no response, and continued down the vent, peering down at every grate opening, not sure if he was relieved or concerned by the desolate pattern repeating as he went. It wasn't entirely deserted for long, however, as the Captain's familiar voice reached Peter's ears, but sent a chill down his spine.
"It's been a while Skorta," Yondu sneered.
"Y-yondu," a man's voice broke and sounded scared, no terrified, Peter hurried quietly, trying to find the grate the altercation was above, "Y-you've hea-rd about our tr-oubles here on Gramos I take it."
"Couldn't care less 'bout y'r'troubles," the Captain informed him.
"We are rebuilding," the shaking voice insisted, "the Emperor has already begun with our army!"
"His army," Yondu corrected, "I have no qualms with y'r'king 'n I don't see 'n army here, not this time. Guess y'ran outta dough, huh?"
"They were greedy," the man said regretfully, "It was a terrible thing to do, Yondu, to ambush you like that."
"Well, y'know I'd hate t'lose the opportunity t'return the favor," Yondu's voice was filled with icy amusement, "an' kick ya while y'r'down."
"It wasn't-" the scared voice insisted, but screamed as a sweet whistle cut through the air, "No!" an almost pretty tune, "Plea-ease Yondu!" finished with an impossibly high note Yondu hit perfectly just as Peter hovered over the dimly lit room and saw the red streak of the Captain's arrow pierce the heart of a dark blue man.
He didn't gasp, but Peter couldn't look away until the Captain's voice, far soften than it had been, though still firm, took his attention from the dead Gramosian.
"Almost there Pete."
The boy nodded and continued down the vent, whispering into his mask, "Kraglin, did you hear that?"
"That's why nobody messes with the Capt'n, kid," the First Mate sounded like he was smiling and Peter smiled too, Yondu was kind of a badass. Kraglin was more serious when he spoke again, "Okay, Pete, this next grate's the one y'wanna get through."
It was a tight squeeze to flip his backpack off in the vent, but Peter grabbed his laser cuter and pristinely sliced a hole in the grate, holding the middle with his fingers as he finished the circle and carefully set the remanence to the side. He clicked on the flashlight from his bag, he liked to think he was cooler for not using it through the vents on jobs, but truthfully he just forgot to grab it most of the time. In the blackness of his destination, however, he needed to see where he was going.
"Okay, Kraglin," Peter whispered, lowering himself onto the top of a high cabinet, "I'm goin' in."
"A'right, kid," Kraglin whispered too, "y'r'lookin' f'r'a copper box, little bigger than y'r'toy there."
"It's a Walkman," Peter grumbled, shining the flashlight around the room at the treasure of objects.
"Yeah, yeah," Kraglin said, "It'll have symbols on it, not gonna describe 'em 'cause y'won't know 'em anyway, but they're silver."
Peter snuck down the shelves, dropping silently onto the floor, while swiveling his head around the room. It wasn't a large room and seemed smaller by the stacks of electronics, strange artifacts and weird books that definitely weren't made of paper, but Peter spied the copper box on a shelf and everything else fell away from his vision. He slid his backpack off, unzipping it on the floor and carefully picked the box up, examining the silver markings on the lid before sliding it into his bag.
As he was zipping it up, a funny little object caught his eye and Peter smirked at the weird green elephant with three trunks. It seemed so out of place in this treasure room, encased by clear crystal in the middle of a low shelf. He didn't know why, but Peter lifted the cover, shoved the knickknack in his pocket, tossed his bag on his back and shimmied up the cabinet, back into the hole in the vent grate.
"I'm headin' back," Peter said.
"D'ja get it?" Kraglin asked.
"No, I found a target-laser instead," he scoffed.
"Peter!" Kraglin barked.
"I'm kidding, jeez," Peter sighed, "I got it, I'm headin' back t'the drop. Is Yondu back?"
"Not yet," the First Mate said.
Peter crawled further along the dim vents, though he remembered to keep his flashlight out this time, but stopped when he heard angry voices echoing below him.
"Say good-bye, Yondu," one growled.
"You think you can steal from the Gramosians?" another laughed darkly.
Peter found the grate, staring down at three dark blue men with necroblasters trained on the Captain whose arrow hovered next to his ear threateningly. He didn't speak, but Peter saw him purse his lips as the blasters facing him whined, moments from firing. All Yondu needed was a distraction and he'd have his arrow through all of them before they could fire a single blast.
"Hey jerkwads!" Peter yelled, unprepared for the blast sent his way, but managed to push himself back from the grate, which was now a gaping hole in the ventilation system.
"Peter!" Yondu called after a moment of silence.
He crawled to the still smoking metal where the grate had just been and nervously peered over the edge at the pile of three Gramosians and then, touching behind his ear to dissolve the mask, slowly turned his gaze to Yondu. The Captain didn't look particularly pleased, but he didn't look upset either as he holstered his arrow.
"Y'okay?" Yondu asked, jerking his head for Peter to descend.
"Yeah," the boy said as he swung himself down, careful to keep only his gloved hands on the jagged metal of the destroyed grate, "Y'mad at me?"
"It was a dumb move," Yondu nodded, "but it worked, 'n sometimes that's all we've got."
Peter couldn't help a small smile at the Captain's sort-of compliment and followed him down the dark hallways. Only one more Gramosian appeared as they made their way back to the roof, the dark blue humanoid didn't even see the arrow before it soared through his chest and back to Yondu's waiting hand.
Kraglin was waiting with the Milano ready to go, hovering a few feet over the rooftop, and Peter hurried up the open hatch, Yondu sauntered on a few moments later. The First Mate took off as he closed the hatch, clearly more eager to leave the planet than his commander.
"Let's see what'cha got Petey," Yondu extended his hand and Peter turned around so he could take his backpack, the Captain smiled menacingly as he took the copper box out, "Nice job, boy."
"Thanks," Peter smirked, "Oh, I uh, here," he reached into his pocket and pulled out the weird, green elephant, "I just thought it was funny."
Yondu slowly took the little object from the boy, setting the copper box down and his wide, ominous smile softened, "F'r'me?" Peter nodded, "Well, thanks, Peter, I, uh, I think it's funny too. He'll stay on my control console, help me when I'm flyin'."
Peter grinned as Yondu's hand ruffled his hair and the Captain continued chuckling lightly at the stolen trinket.
"Capt'n," Kraglin stole their attention, "we're approaching the atmosphere."
"Buckle up Pete," Yondu said as he took his own seat, still examining his new treasure, "Kraglin, let the boy pilot a bit once y'break through."
"Yes, sir," Kraglin gave Peter a sideways smirk with a wink and the boy stifled a squeal of excitement as he clicked his belt over his chest.
I wrote 3,500 words, some of which I didn't even understand, think you could write a few in that box right there? I super appreciate it ;)
