Well, I have decided to keep updating this fic, because I have already written so many chapters and it would be a waste to not post them, so here is a brand new chapter and I hope those few people, who still read this story (at least I hope anybody is still reading it), will enjoy it.

I don't think that I will finish the whole story, but I have written 18 chapters already in german and I plan to share them all. Not sure if I will ever find back to my motivation to keep writing and finishing this story. I hardly have readers for it and this is anything but motivating, so please don't expect much from me.

And as always:
I would appreciate feedback in the form of a comment very much.
By commenting, you show me your interest and comments are the bigges motivation for me to keep going,
so please don't be shy and let me know what you think about this story, thank you!

Chapter 9

When the big door opened in front of him, Peter hardly dared to believe his eyes when he stepped into the huge hall, where some of the M-ships were hanging from the ceiling.

He had heard a lot about the Ravager's spaceships, but he had never seen any of them before.

They hadn't even let him near one of the rescue pods, let alone near any of the M-ships. The fact that he was allowed to fly in one of them today was like the icing on the perfect cake and Peter could feel how his stomach started to tingle with anticipation. He wanted to run straight towards one of the ships, but Yondu stopped him and looked at him sternly.

"Ya stay close to me, boy. I don't want you to go out on yer own, do you understand?"

Embarrassed, Peter turned his face away from him and mumbled an "Aye, Captain" into his nonexistent beard. But he couldn't help being so excited. All this was new to him and he could barely wait to explore the galaxy.

"Good boy. Wait here for a moment, I'll be right back."

And with that, Yondu turned around and headed for one of the control desks.

While Peter waited for him to come back, he let his eyes wander through the huge hangar. The M-ships were huge and he hadn't expected that. He had expected a small shuttle; like the ones they used as rescue pods, but not like that. And how damn cool these ships looked like. Like a giant metal bird of prey and probably it was something like that, considering that space pirates were flying in them through the galaxy, causing fear and terror.

He flinched when Yondu suddenly stood at his side again and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I clarified everything. We just have to pick one of the ships and then we can go. So Petey, which ship do ya want?"

Was he serious?

He was allowed to choose the ship?

Yondu smiled at the excited twinkle in Peter's eyes and waited patiently for Peter to pick one of the ships.

And he didn't have to wait that long, because Peter had already seen one of the ships in which he wanted to fly. It was hanging a bit off the other ships and had a very different color than the rest of the M-ships. This one had an orange/blue color at the front, while the others had a more dark red coloration. This ship was so different from all the others and somehow this ship reminded him of himself, because he was also so different from the other Ravagers and therefore he thought this ship would fit perfectly with him.

"I would pick this ship over there, if this is okay."

He pointed at it and Yondu followed his finger and laughed.

"The Milano? Seriously?"

"Why? What is wrong with that?"

"Nothing, we just haven't used it for a very long time, ya know? It's technique is a bit old. Nothing bad, but over time we've just gained better ships. Are ya sure that ya want this one?"

The boy thought about it for a moment, but his decision had long since been made.

"Yes. I want this one."

"All right, the Milano then."

The two made their way over to the ship and Yondu could only roll his eyes when Peter could no longer hide his anticipation from him and when he was practically bouncing with excitement.

Children…

But somehow it also made him proud to see Peter so excited, because the boy showed him that he was no longer scared. Not like when he first got him aboard the Eclector. And the boy also didn't see the Milano for the first time, because Yondu had used this ship to pick up Peter, when they had first met. But apparently he didn't seem to remember that and maybe that was better for all of them. Yondu would definitely be wary of saying something...

The M-ship was uncoupled from the brackets and just minutes later, the access hatch also opened and Yondu and Peter entered.

"Maybe it's a bit dusty, so don't be surprised about that," he said as he stepped inside the ship and Peter followed him. His eyes widened and it seemed as if he wasn't able to speak anymore, for no more words came over his lips, as he looked around the pretty big spaceship.

How huge it was in here!

"Wow! You can even live in here!" he exclaimed, when he had found back to his voice.

He heard Yondu laugh softly, as he was about to put their bags onto a metal table.

"In principle, ya could travel around the galaxy with such a ship and call it yer home, because here ya have everything ya need. There are many who live in their spaceships. We're basically doing the same thing, Petey. The Eclector is our home."

"But the Eclector is gigantic and not as fast as a small ship...isn't it?"

"Hmm, ya may be right. But it never gets boring on the Eclector. And ya don't feel crowded there either."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Do you think ya could travel all alone through the galaxy? No, kid. If ya want to live in such a ship, ya need a crew to take care of everything with ya. Just imagine you are being attacked. Ya can't fly and use the weapons at the same time. Ya need someone else for that. Besides, who wants to travel alone through the galaxy all his life?"

"Sometimes being alone is not so bad..."

Yondu turned to him, startled slightly as he saw a touch of melancholy in Peter's face. Slowly he walked up to him, kneeling down so he could face him. He put a hand on his head and gently stroked his short hair and smiled lightly at him.

"Sometimes that's not bad, but being alone forever? Don't ya think that would be too boring at some point?"

The boy answered him with a small smile on his own.

"I guess it is…"

"See? But luckily you're not alone. You've got us."

For a moment, Peter shrouded himself in silence, seemed to think about those words, before he looked seriously at the other's face.

"Why did you abduct me from earth back then?"

Yes, this question came as a surprise and Yondu didn't know what to answer.

He couldn't tell him the truth, but he didn't really know what he could tell him as an excuse.

"Maybe because I just felt like it?" he replied instead and he gave the Terran a crooked grin and before he could ask any more awkward questions, he got up and decided to go back to his bags, which he had placed on a small metal table, which was not far away from him and which was connected to the wall.

Peter looked confused after him, but he decided not to go further into the topic. He could see that Yondu was uncomfortable with the subject and kept avoiding it, and Peter didn't know why he was doing that. There surely was a reason why he had abducted him, but he just couldn't get it out of him; no matter how many times he asked him. Also Kraglin and all the other Ravagers kept quiet about this topic and it also seemed to him that they too didn't know why Yondu had abducted and kept him.

But he didn't want to think about it anymore and spoil this special day.

The excitement returned quickly, just as the twinkle returned to his eyes as he decided to explore the Milano for a while.

"Yondu?"

"Hmm?"

"May I look around?"

"Aye."

The sparkle in his eyes grew stronger and the boy decided to walk past Yondu and into the adjoining room.

"Wow. That is sooo cool!" he said, as he stood in a small sleeping quarters. A small bed was embedded in the wall. A small table was also in the room, which was also connected to the wall. There was even a small closet where he could stow his stuff. In fact, Yondu was right about what he'd said to him: you could really live in this spaceship and travel through the galaxy. Just the idea made his stomach tingle in anticipation.

"If ya want, then ya can have this room. We will be traveling for some time. Here you can store yer things and rest when ya get tired."

"Really?"

The Centaurian laughed softly.

"Really. Put your things down and when you're done, we'll go up and fly off."

As fast as Peter took off his backpack and threw it onto the bed, Yondu could hardly look and he couldn't help but laugh again.

Only a few minutes later, Peter stood next to him and the two made their way up to the bridge of the ship. As they walked up the small metal staircase, Peter turned around once more when he heard a noise coming from the hatch, which now closed and locked behind them.

He still couldn't quite believe that all this really happened, that Yondu really took him on a journey to a planet he didn't know. He trusted him and that made Peter incredibly proud. Above all, when he looked down at himself and saw the Ravager clothes, which he now proudly wore and which Yondu had specially made for him. He had even given him some boots earlier that even fit him. Although they were a little too big, but he had assured the Centaurian, that that was all right and that he would still grow into them anyway. He loved those clothes the way they were and didn't want to change anything about them. Yondu had just shaken his head, but when Peter had looked closely, he thought he saw a small, amused grin on his face...

He shook his head to get these thoughts out of his head, because now he just wanted to focus on what would happen next and so he stormed almost up the stairs and went to the command bridge.

It was as impressive as the rest of the ship and Peter's eyes lit up again as he looked out of the large window, which would provide an outstanding view of the universe once they were on the move.

Yondu was already standing next to the pilot's chair, gesturing for him to sit in the copilot's chair, which stood directly next to the pilot's chair. Behind the two chairs were two more, for the rest of the crew, but today only he and Yondu would fly in that ship and Peter was also happy about this, because he didn't want to share this day with the others, if he was honest.

As he sat down on the copilot chair, his stomach began to tingle again and he could hardly concentrate on Yondu's words when he tried to explain everything to him and quickly gave it up after some moments, because Peter didn't listen to him either way. Instead, he strapped him down, then sat on the pilot's chair and pressed a button fastened to a small speech module beside his head. Shortly crackling sounds came out of the speaker, before Kraglin's voice was heard.

"Open the hatch, Kraglin. We are ready."

Moments later, the huge hatch opened, leading directly out into space.

Now it got serious...

The view was already breathtaking and Peter felt his heart pounding hard against his ribs. He glanced away from the vast expanse of space, looked over at Yondu, who was pressing a few buttons and pulling down some switches on the control panel. Lights were flashing everywhere and in front of him and Yondu there were suddenly plasma screens that showed all sorts of confusing things. The ship's turbines went up and the sound was enough for Peter to get goosebumps all over his body. He felt the vibration of the powerful turbines all over his body and without him noticing it, his hands clawed at the seat belts that held him in the copilot chair.

"Are ya scared?"

Yondu's voice cut almost like a sword through the sound of the turbines and Peter looked at him and he shook his head no.

"Good, because that's only the beginning," the Ravager answered with a big grin and he strapped himself to his chair before placing his hand on a lever that was attached to the armrest of the chair. Gently and slowly, he pushed the lever a little forward and Peter felt how the ship slowly rose into the air.

Once again Yondu gave him a wide grin.

"Hold on tight, kid..."

He didn't say more, when he pushed the lever forward.

The engines howled and the spaceship shot almost like a torpedo out of the hangar of the Eclector, before plunging into the vastness of the galaxy.

And took Peter's excited screams with it...