Any Confusion please read Things Never Left Unsaid, then all will make sense
Whispers in the Dark
Chapter One
At the same time, near about millions of light years away, the Ships and the new additions were travelling through deep space getting closer hence there was tension in the air.
But so many of Stakar's crew seemed to the Elector to be amazed at the most mundane things about these lives, from the clean deck policy of making sure nothing was left on the ground, the amazing food, to the ability to buy their M-Ship after then most captains.
None of Stakar's more recent crew knew much about Captain Yondu Udonta, aside from he was originally Stakar s crew. But compared to the more ridged Captains, there was something more freeing in becoming independent.
Whilst the original message from Zreada no one realised the extent of what was chapping in the Ravagers Clans, as one by one, red-suited crew all around the galaxy were receiving a message, looking twice and muttering to themselves and others "Holidays…fresh food…paid time". Before sending it on, feeling disgruntled that their Captains treated them lesser that an independent did, before sending it on.
For Yondu, he had more essential things to worry about, and the same for Kraglin, who was worried about their son, but this mission was one of their most important and they needed all their crews to be on the top level.
During the briefing, they went over it once more, and some of the crews were surprised at their assigned roles. Yondu had thought about it in detail and knew all his crew's skill set and what they were capable of, even if they didn't which was something.
A short time later, The Ambassadors Banquet was always a high point for the Xandarian Society, with jewels, pretty dresses and backstabbing, intrigue and whatever was the latest in fashion. Xandarians were a proud people, who the higher you got the more superficial about it, and were rich they were unashamed of it.
However, this year since Xander was always a player interested in trade and making more money, than keeping more people on their side, especially due to the War with the Kree, which no one knew what started it.
The place was already full of the trappings of wealth, well food, quaint music and of course the best of Xander, which Yondu and Kraglin were watching from the vantage point on the roof.
In truth, getting through the security was piss easy, since had given her most of the codes, but Yarovesky using that as a guide had hacked the rest. To give the impression if there was an in-investigation that the head of the Government had nothing to do with it.
In truth, she didn't but everyone knew fingers would be pointed and both Yondu and Kraglin revelled in the fact she would strew in it.
After they entered the atmosphere shield, with a blackout of only a few minutes the security would at that moment put it down as a tech error. The Ravager convoy of a combination of M and S-Ships went their separate ways. Under the cover of the traffic and also the night, running stealth so no one knew of their presence.
"Crew, we have one chance, simultaneous, and I mean it", Yondu reminded which was received by everyone and to their credit knowing how important it was they all had their game faces on.
One by one, Yondu watched over a view screen, which had been provided by Yarovesky, who had done his due diligence hacking into every single camera, every scan of the buildings.
And to his eternal dismay, there were patches of earth on the grounds which had been overturned and something was laying underneath, and it was sobering that for some they were too late.
Yarovesky however was running the lead raid, along with Jamsean, and a few others, whilst Gunnsen would be taking over, and leading the rest on the rims.
Looking down, Yondu surveyed the scene again, beneath him. The floor plan being given by his eyes on the ground, and they were going to do their best to keep causalities to a minimum
Hell, they were Ravagers, but had standards unlike their targets, well that and to keep all evidence intact.
Sitting outside the manor houses, all of the Ravagers were primed and ready, waiting for the signal, hoping the grenades Proctom had assembled had worked perfectly, and under the cover of stealth, they all moved forward, in separate locations but simultaneously, in precision.
They threw the small devices threw the windows and waited. The silent smoke, would penetrate the house and make anyone within these walls feel nauseous, scrambling for the exits, whilst the Ravagers just grew tense.
Within the walls, they could hear the faint sounds of coughing which grew louder. The Ravagers raised their weapons, as doors were suddenly flung open and members of the house, most servants but some wives, and small children, fell outside letting the night air clear their lungs.
Admits the heaving, not one of them knew what was coming until a shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a blaster pointed in their faces and didn't even register when they were grabbed from behind and cuffed almost in unison by Ravagers who hissed and spat in their faces, hell a reputation like there's they had to keep up with.
"Where are the children?", eyes darted over to the young ones of the houses, until slaps were heard all over the live stream "No, not them, the others, where are they?".
From the scans, that seemed to be the case, the Ravagers went into the homes to look, and were more than ready to kill when they were informed "They don't bring them here". Knowing that this went down to the servant's level, which didn't impress anyone, who were all internally pissed.
"You over here". The same conversation was taking place in every home, as for this house, one which was obsessed in comparison to the others, Gunnsen and Jamsean motioned for the children, of which there were five, to come over and sit on the damp ground.
All of them were small, bewildered and confused, by what was happening, and the older Ravager resisted telling them it would be ok. Because it wasn't from this moment these children's lives changed forever.
A similar call came thorough on the other channels saying that the children had been separated, which was an asshole move to some, but how deep did this go, were all the servants, in on it, and what about the rest? These children may be innocent or not, but as Yondu heard a child cry over the channels, due to the cold and fright, they still had to be kept safe.
Since so many of the Ravagers were further away to find what they were looking for, Yondu and Kraglin watched as they went hunting for evidence, under the guise of tearing the joint apart.
For the ones on the ground, trembling in fright, they thought this would just be a raid, not a carefully calculated event as in the opulent Manor house, all of them began to stuff jewels and precious gems. And whatever they could carry, as the attention was turned down below and Kraglin and Yondu even under the circumstances, grinned at each other and turned their attention down below for the main event.
At that moment, three figures came into the room, which automatically drew the right sort of attention.
"Lord Lizxona, Lord Tyorells, we're so pleased you came to join us"
Instantly heads were turned by this, and everyone heard the snatches of the conversation, between the High lord and his husband who were the first of the same sex to fall in love and marry legally.
Both of them were dressed in high-cut suits and fashionable jewels indicating their status with a specific sash around their bodies so that no one would confuse them for anything but members of the authority.
"I thought it was time my planet liaised more with Xander, and my uncle General Lavell wished to check his holdings in this sector" stated Tyorells. Lizxona being a man of prestige didn't have to talk to anyone and Lizxona was just his proxy for the night. Having a wealthy uncle, however, got attention and people moved towards Iztel to get more information, as casually as they could.
Iztel's normally ratty hair had been cropped into a more even cut benefiting the life of a man who was once a soldier, his beard had been nearly trimmed, and his nails were the cleanest he had ever been in his life, along with the rest of him down to an extensive pampering session.
His suit, was bespoke, accommodating his missing arm and tailored to perfection. He gave off the air of a man of wealth and privilege, as he passed his cane to Tygresa, one of the most professional guards, without a word, since stating "Thank you" you were beneath him, in his guise and took a glass of wine that a waiter was taking past, and drunk it with care and precision.
His demeanour, and stature, caught the attention of a group of women of various ages, who came over to him, intrigued.
"General Lavell, I understand, are you here for the duration" Iztel placed the glass of wine to a waiter who appeared out of nowhere. "I'm here for a while I have to return to my estate, sadly it's so large it requires a lot of upkeep". He said smoothly, causing them to think of a wealthy man with riches, which drew more attention as someone looked at him and noted something about his vision.
"I beg your pardon, General but are you blind". One of the highborn ladies asked Iztel, who in response just smiled and puffed his cheat out proudly,
"I sanctified my sight and arm, in battle years, but there is one thing I can see".
Iztel, reached his cane out which was instantly taken by Tygresa who was just standing there waiting for orders, "I can still see that you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen".
With that Iztel took her hand and drew it to his lips to kiss, which made the women seem to swoon at this gesture.
"You smooth bastard", intoned Yondu in his ear, as with the camera through the top of the cane, they surveyed more of the room, to see if there were going to be any potential issues.
Whilst Iztel took the cane back and engaged the woman in conversation requested a turn out of the room, which she fanned herself and attempted flirtation, laying a hand on his arm, as they walked and talked in typical shallow tones.
What she didn't know was that Iztel was resisting the urge to punch her in the face recognising her voice from one of the videos where she was brutalising a little boy, and instead put his best sincere face on.
Waiting however was a form of exquisite torture, as everyone took their seats and the first course was served, and of course, it was the best, all the best food for the best type of harmful people.
Though he was away for all of this, Yondu had regretted he didn't spit in it, but still, they waited and sent a discreet message to Proctom who had been silently observing the whole thing.
Women fortified by good wine, and for some reason enchanted by Iztel like he was the hot new thing, engaged him more in conversation and were eating out of the palm of his hand.
This entire exchange was noted by Proctom who just smiled, wondering how it would be if he was standing there as it was meant to happen. However, being the High Lord's younger cousin would have been more convincing as the original plan went.
Besides Iztel just bled confidence from his every pore, something Proctom lacked, however, this was his domain as he finished putting the last of the food away, and placed his pad into his pocket.
"Tomas, lad come and get a drink, you've worked hard today, and this pie is amazing, if you like I can put in a good word for you, too talented to be a bloody agency cook", sang the head chef, who normally happier now that everyone had been served was in a jovial mood.
In truth today in the kitchens it had taken the last bit of Proctom's nerve not to throttle the man. Unlike Iztel who was compassionate and calm when he was in the kitchen, Proctom had at times felt as useless as an old canine when it came to following orders.
For a group like this everything had to be perfect. And "Tomas", as he was on the agency sheet made sure it was. That being said, Proctom was exhausted but felt the glimmer of anticipation before a raid, and clicked the back of his right tooth with his tongue.
Behind him, Proctom could hear the gasping and coughing, then collective thuds as everyone slumped to the floor, or their faces planted the table instantly. Before Proctom turned around calmly and wished the others had been there to watch this.
His inventions, time-released detonated poison, albeit this dose would only maim and lead to unconsciousness and a hell of a hangover. This had done the job, perfectly, Proctom allowed himself a sense of pride. As more people fell across the building, all the ground staff, deliberately in locations, no one would come across for a while.
Proctom, took off the white kitchen jacket, after throwing it on the floor and reached down into the back of the cupboard and shrugged on his Ravager leathers, before sending word to Yondu and Kraglin, who already knew but wanted confirmation and got in response was "Ya did good…now get moving"
Proctom did as requested but not before making himself useful in his surroundings.
To be continued