Chapter 15.

Contraxia was just like Meredith had remembered it – cold. Walking alongside Yondu they entered a bar while the rest of the crew paid a visit to the Iron Lotus. Looking around the bar that was mostly empty

except for a few Contraxions. Meredith looked at Yondu and asked "are you sure Peter and Pearle are responsible enough to stay on the Eclector alone?".

Yondu chuckled as he ordered two drinks at the bar and replied "they ain't on their own. Kraglin is with them and he's been instructed to watch them. Anyway, the Eclector is at the dock so we won't have far

to go if Peter and Pearle start something".

Meredith nodded her head and taking her drink she followed Yondu to an empty booth where they sat down to drink. Sipping the bitter beer Meredith said "I thought you'd be over at the Iron Lotus with the

rest of the crew".

Youndu smiled but still kept his eye on the door while he said "not in the mood this time, you can get sick of fem bots ya know".

Meredith shrugged her shoulders and said "I wouldn't know Yondu. That ain't my thing".

Yondu nearly choked on his drink before asking "what do ya mean it's not your thing Mer? Ya can't go through life without sex".

Meredith felt her cheeks heat up which no doubt matched her Ravager uniform before saying "I meant I'm not into having sex with fembots. If I'm going to have sex I want to have it with a living being".

Yondu laughed and seeing Meredith's surprised expression he said "Mer they have male bots as well ya know".

Meredith took another mouthful of the bitter beer that was beginning to taste like cherry before saying "I don't know why I started this conversation with you".

Looking at the bartender and signalling him to bring two more beers Yondu asked "so how has the arrow been working out for ya?"

Meredith looked into her drink and replied "I've been practising, and I've learned how to use it without the bow but my whistling isn't as good as yours".

"It may never be. I'm just surprised that you've taken to the arrow very quickly. Tell me if you're not using the bow how do ya launch the arrow?" asked Yondu as he finished his drink.

Meredith drank back the rest of her beer before saying "I have my ways". Seeing a confused expression on Yondu's face she added "alright. I use the cybernetics you had put in my head which I'm thankful for

by the way".

Yondu smirked and nodding his head he said "I knew that thing would come in handy someday. Now if ya excuse me my Queen of the Arrow I need to use the gents".

Meredith rolled her eyes and watched him go before smiling. Taking a sip from her fresh glass of bitter beer the bar door swung open and a crowd of Kree marched into the bar. Feeling a chill run up her spine

Meredith kept her eyes on the table while her hand pulled out the arrow from its holster. Taking a few deep breath she decided to go in and alert Yondu but as soon as she got up from the table one of the

Kree harshly grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

"This is her" he said to his companions who each gave her a look she couldn't read. "This little bitch is the one who killed our commrades. We'll take her back to our leader and let him him decide what to do

with her".

Meredith pulled out of the Kree's grasp and whistled sharply sending her Yakka arrow flying through his skull. Seeing his commrades draw their blasters she started giving a series of sharp, high pitched and

low whistles controlling the arrow as it flew this way and that piercing each of the kree through the heart. When the last one fell she gave a sharp whistle and the Yakka arrow returned to its holster by her

hip. Taking a deep breath she turned around and saw Yondu watching her with a shocked expression on his face.

Yondu was amazed at how Meredith had handled the arrow. Taking out a some credits he payed for their drinks before grabbing Meredith's hand and leading her out of the bar.

Meredith looked at Yondu concerned and asked "are you okay?"

Yondu looked around their surroundings before saying "first ya were amazing Mer but ya forgot that they might have more Kree with them".

Meredith ran her free hand through her hair and said "shit. Okay what will I do?".

Yondu smirked at her and said "well if we run into any more of those Kree bastards we'll fight them together. To be safe though it's best we get the crew and ourselves back to the Eclector and get the hell

outta here".

Meredith nodded her and biting her lip she waited until Yondu sent the order through his com link before following him down the snow laden street. Everything seemed to have become very quiet which made

her even more nervous. As they came to the ends of a building twenty Kree stepped out from their hiding area and blocked their path.

Yondu pushed Meredith behind him and looking at who he figured was their leader he asked "what are ya getting in my way for Kree?".

The lead Kree member smiled at Yondu and said "I remember hearing about you Centaurian. You were our battle slave until you were freed. Tell you what, you hand her over and we'll remove the bounty on

your head. What do you say?".

Yondu gritted his teeth and was about to say something when Meredith let out a shrill whistle sending her arrow through the lead Kree member's skull. Not wanting her to get herself killed Yondu let out a

series of sharp whistles killing the rest of the Kree with Meredith helping him. As soon as the Kree fell to the ground and they Yakka arrows had returned to their holsters Yondu grabbed Meredith's arm tightly

and led her back towards the Eclector.

Meredith was confused by his behaviour and as soon as they were forty yards from the Eclector she said "I don't know what you are so angry for, we killed them".

Yondu let go of her arm and spun around to face her his eyes flashing red as he snapped "ya could have died Mer. Did ya even think of your kids when ya killed those Kree in the bar?".

Meredith fought back the lump in her throat and said "I was thinking of them. Those Kree in the bar were going to take me and you were in the gents. I did what I thought was the best thing to do".

"Well it wasn't because if anything had happened to ya how do ya think those kids or me would have felt" growled Yondu.

"I'm sorry Yondu, it won't happen again okay" said Meredith as she pushed past him and boarded the Eclector. Yondu watched her before following her and giving the order to get them into deep space.

A/N - Please Review.