Chapter Seventeen
However, at the same time, the couple along with Peter were walking the decks, with Peter, still on the edge of trusting them completely. When he turned into the Hanger Bay and screamed with delight.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy" Peter raced across the deck and jumped into Yondu's awaiting arms, whilst the Ravager held his tightly, the last few days feeling like years.
Yondu closed his eyes and breathed in his son's scent, "Hi kiddo", Yondu told the boy, as Kraglin leaned over, "I hope there's room in that for me", the Xandarian joked and Peter leapt from one strong parent's arms into another, and Kraglin held his son tight. "Missed you", he told the boy, who just gripped tighter, before leaning his arm over, so the trio could join together in a massive hug.
They just held there for a moment breathing in everyone's scent, with the Udonta family, finally feeling complete, as Peter looked up, "Did you stop the bad people?" he asked since he had a loose understanding of his parent's job, whilst Kraglin nodded, "And then some", as Peter remained in Kraglin's arms, and Yondu looked up at the Staker, who were surplus.
"Thank you for taking care of him, was he a good boy?", Yondu asked, which caused Aleta to clear her throat and Yondu instantly knew there was more to this, but Peter was just content in his daddies' arms.
"The rest of the crew are back, and we were waiting for you". Peter said, reminding the pair, that they had two crews to debrief and the two Ravagers Captains and First Mates went through the deck. Relieved that their son was fine, but both knew there was a discussion to be had, but at that moment, they had to put that aside and be the ones in charge first.
Walking to the mess hall, it was immediate to Staker and Aleta, of the difference in crews, when the burly, battle-scarred Ravagers of the Udonta Clan, looked up and gave a cheer when the pair walked into a room. With some giving, Yondu a handshake, and a general good cheer which he returned.
Yondu was not going to be a sentimental bastard, but he knew his crew and was pleased that the mission was complete and they had come home in one peace.
Instantly there was chatter, whilst the Osgood crew observing all of this, grew a bit miffed since they didn't have this sense of camaraderie of the ones in charge as easily as the independent. Whilst Yondu got them to calm down, by raising a hand, as if he was a dad trying to calm down his kids, and transferring his son to Proctom, Yondu addressed his crew.
"Right, let's get this out of the way. Those three girls are now in safe custody, going to be fine and get all the help they need, the younger one won't even remember any of this. Tributes were accepted, so don't be acting like assholes over it".
There was a murmur of delight, at this, whilst Yondu continued.
"All the Senators, people we identified, all in custody, and everyone's being looked into, no stone unturned and I mean it".
Yondu on his way back has spoken to a very harassed and stressed Irani Rei, who had informed her of all of this and threatened to go full strength on them. Yondu would do it in a heartbeat, but this was the type of this that needed patience, which only the Nova Corps had.
"Everyone will be paid, accordingly, however all those homes, precious artworks, nice shiny things and all the fun shit we couldn't pick up today". Since there was now a part two of whatever to all of this, and Yondu couldn't soften his glee,
"We're going after that next, keeping an eye on and taking what's owed, and we're owned plenty. But that's going to take some time, but I've got an expert in this type of thing".
Yondu gestured casually to Jamsean, who to his credit, didn't miss a mark, and smugly said "Yes he does", but almost dropped the facade when Yondu said a heist would be coming eventually, and realised that he had to put the work in
Compared to his rudimentary studies Jamsean then realised that was looking forward to that, and wondered once more about what was going through his head, admits the cheers that followed from the Ravagers.
"So, you'll have to wait for that, but I'm not in the habit of ripping anyone off even another Clan, and we've got one more issue, but that's not for your prying ears, you bunch of assholes".
Yondu said with a smirk, with an element of camaraderie, and cheers since they had done something heroic that day, even lured with the units that would soon be flooding in their general direction.
With this Yondu took his seat with his husband and a beer was passed to him, sure he had a hell of a lot to discuss with the pair, but right now wanted to catch up with his crew, and his son. An element of relaxation began between the two Clans, since the mission has been very successful but Yondu had a niggling feeling that all wasn't right.
"So, Peter, what did you do over the last few days?" Kraglin asked and instantly it was like the floodgates had been open
"Aleta and Stakar took good care of me, we went to the barter markets, and I saw Auntie Entity", which caused a frown from Krlaign since they never expected the group to go there, whilst Peter continued.
"And I got a new little bag of sweet things and some new toys, and I talked to the robot toy head and I did some cleaning, and learned all about Regellen and Hoag, I don't really like Aleta now because she did a bad thing.
And, they put me in a dark room, and I hit my nose, and it was blooding and lost Fang…they found Fang, and I cut my foot, and I was walking and very scared, oh and daddy, I wet myself".
Peter finished, whilst all of the crew just looked at each other taking this all in, and for both Staker and Aleta the feeling of dread in the pit of their stomachs grew, and heads turned more in their direction.
"But they got better, and they put me to bed and told me stories, and I did all my lessons…promise", a half-truth at best, "And Actveia was really nice, we made jam together because everyone ate all my jam, and I slept in his bed last night".
If there was a way to describe it, Actveia asshole, both closed and loosed at the same time, as evet single one of the Udonta Ravagers turned in his direction. With a look of contempt on their faces, whilst he hastily explained, that he had a spare room and was looking after Peter, because she hated Aleta, as Peter finished.
"Actveia is really nice, helped me with all my lessons, and a good cook…not as good as Iztel". Peter explained and tension begin to lessen, but what Peter had said, whilst Yondu, turned to the ones in charge.
"Show me now, or, I'll get my hacker on it". Yondu told the pair, and the Ogord's knowing this was coming and it was meant to be in private, just sent the information over to Yondu's pad.
Yondu couldn't be bothered to shield his crew from it all, and they deserved to know, as the screen unfolded to little Peter walking across the halls, Yondu and Kraglin's faces grew tense, and for those who couldn't see, but everyone could see him crying "I want my daddies"
Peter's panic at watching Fang fall, knowing that it could have easily been him, complete with bloody red footprints, and his eyes blazing before the adult came across him. Then everything unfolded with Stakar and Aleta calming him down, whilst Peter didn't watch and was oblivious to it all.
Words were silent since all of them knew Peter was powerful, and none of them were stupid, but it was Yarovesky who muttered "This shit never happens with us" and the tension grew as Yondu and Kraglin looked at the ones in charge and his red eyes narrowed.
"Crew, stand down, don't do anything stupid, we're going to talk with the ones in charge". Yondu coldly informed his crew, who aside from the ones they had been working with. Even though you could put them under the same umbrella, just glared at Ogord's crew since their boy, their nephew had been hurt in all of this, and mission be damned if their Captain gave the order, they would rip them all apart.
Yondu exhaled to himself as the group of four got to their feet, Yondu couldn't help a swish of his long coat revealing his Yaka arrow, but he wasn't spoiling for a fight, just making a point.
As he stood, he turned to Actveia, just sitting there, separately from the crew, since he was a cook not a Ravager, but Kraglin he noted addressed him with a note of respect.
"So, you're the one, who protected our child, made sure he was safe in this shit storm", to which Actveia could only nod in the affirmative.
"Right…Iztel" Yondu said as firmly as he could and the older Ravager now turned MasterChef understood completely as he got up and with his one hand grabbed Actveia by the shoulder. "Tag, matey, you're it. Come with me". He said in a harsh voice, then turned to Peter and used the softer voice he always used.
"Peter, there is a little girl on the ship, she'll just be waking up by now, I bet she's hungry. Why don't we take her some food and some nice things?"
Peter who had no idea about the little girl, peaked up at this, "I can show her my new light toy and Smelly Meg", he told the group, as Iztel and Actveia made up some nice simple thing she could digest, at this time, and Peter was happy as the group left the room, with Iztel looking confident, but Actveia just confused.
With the simmering tension, between the now divided pair, it was Proctom who got to his feet, with Yondu concluding that he was leaving because he didn't want to get involved in a brawl. So didn't mention with his seizure-prone Ravager left the room, even though the Udonta Ravagers had full reign, of the place.
In truth, knowing that he had options Proctom went back to his M-Ship to clear his head and take some medication when almost on cue noted a discreet communication coming in.
Sitting down in his seat, Proctom opened the channel to see Tygresa, with a big grin on his face. Now changed out of his guard uniform into more casual gear.
"Glad to see you're ok, honestly mate. Shit hit the fan after you left".
Tygresa gave a brief view of what happened, and that the Pysiran girls were in a good home, and no more could be said about it. For Tygresa having only met Proctom the year before, the Ravager of a similar age intrigued him, since, in all this time, this was a side he had never seen.
"I didn't know if you could tell, but I was on the verge of cracking up, having to pretend I don't know you, but that said, that was mighty impressive and my High Lord is pretty smug right now, he hated Xander, may have married a Xandarian, but hates the planet. So, this is going to go well for him, in the grand scheme of things, in the more convoluted way, of which I have no idea".
"Well that girl is with us, and I know this isn't over, but we'll have to pretend she doesn't exist too…a lot of secrecy in this job, but what else happened after we left?"
Tygresa filled Proctom in, on the arrests, the outrage and cussing, and a panicked kitchen crew looking for him "…that said, if you want a change, the cooks my mum after all, I'll put in a good word for you here. She'll have you on staff in a heartbeat".
The thought of Proctom having not just options, but multiple ones intrigued him, but he dismissed it. For now, he was a Ravager and good at that, he wasn't sure he could cope with such a change in his life, and Tygresa understood.
"I get it, but I know this isn't over, but Lady Cesarani is taking it over, that's something I do know, so expect a call…or maybe don't…and don't tell anyone about it". Tygresa finished telling his friend a farewell, and their assurance they would see each other in a few months when Proctom was heading for a health check, and Peter was heading for a play date.
Clicking off the view screen, Proctom thought it over, since he had options and something he never considered, an actual friend, something that warmed his soul.
Proctom decided to keep quiet about it since it was already accepted that Iztel and Proctom were always welcome at the staff table in the High Lords Manor, but an actual friend, and resolved to keep it to himself because he was concerned that he may jinx it.
To be continued
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