A Trip to Kknowhere
Yondu woke early, even with so little sleep Yondu came around in time to make sure that his crew was functioning after the switch in shifts. He found himself sprawled on his back with Peter tucked under his arm. It made him sigh. Careful not to wake the boy, the Captain dressed for his morning and then moved off to grab a bite to eat.
The moment his crew hesitated, he was barking orders, brow set into a hard scowl. " Get to work! We've got places to be." A crew that slacked was a worthless crew indeed. Yondu set out for the bridge, sure he'd find Krag already seeing to their flight path.
Peter slept soundly tucked against Yondu's side. Luckily for Yondu as he shifted to leave the tired boy stayed passed out, huddled in a fur covered blanket and purring like a small kitten. Iit would be another two hours till the boy finally awoke.
In the meantime Kraglin had already set their course for the day and took over the controls from the night shifters. The young second in command watched at they passed a few clicks away from another post of theirs. Orion Five. As they past the planet and headed onwards he heard the doors to the control bridge open. Dark green hues flickered towards the doorway and the young man stood straighter with a quick Ravager salute Yondu's way.
"Mornin' Cap'n." Krag mused. "Ships ready. Got our path. Clear space and two hops." He replied casually. "How's th'kid?" Kraglin pondered once Yondu was close enough to ask in a quieter voice.
The bridge was clean and orderly, in comparison to most of the rest of his ship. Ravagers weren't exactly the neatest bunch in the galaxy. So, long as his deck stayed clear though, he didn't care what the rest of the ship looked like. When Kraglin saluted him, Yondu felt the corner of his mouth twitch upward slightly.
"Mornin'," he stepped over to the other and folded his arms across his chest. "Sounds like smooth sailin'. Be there in time for the markets to open," Yondu nodded his head, observing the display briefly. "Kid's sleepin still. Wore himself out running around the meadows yesterday. "
"Should make you take him next time. Don't know where his energy comes from. Somethin that small shouldn't be that hyper..."
"He's a kid Cap'n." Krag explained with a small shrug, crossing his arms and watching the stars ride by them with their heading.
"Sometimes they jus' need to run 'round. I know you ain't know much 'bout kids but I know a thing or two. Had three older brothers n'a sister myself." He glanced sideways to the elder Ravager. "Please, me? No. You'd skin me raw if the kid ever had a scratch when I'd come back with 'em. Better you watch 'im."
"He's good fer you." With that and a slight smirk, he left his Captain with those words and strode past him to check their position.
Yondu arched his brow slightly as he looked at the younger Ravager. Imagining Kraglin as the youngest child seemed accurate.
To be fair, Kraglin was likely the only one he would trust to keep a good eye on Peter. The others, while they might have been vigilant out of fear of what Yondu would do to them if something happened, it didn't change the fact that he was sure they'd all likely turn a blind eye if he got in trouble.
That was the thing about Ravagers. While they cared about their own on most occasions, anyone outside that title could get bent. Yondu however knew that many of them came into this life at Peters age, they just didn't remember it.
"Watch yerself Kraglin," Yondu warned carefully at that smirk as the other wandered off.
"Best keep your head on straight boy," He wagged his finger in the others direction. Idle threats really.
Yondu took his seat in the captain's chair, and he adjusted the little bobbles he'd collected here and there. Good for him. Feh. The boy was gonna turn him greyer than he already was!
"Yes sir Cap'n." Kraglin just grinned as he took his place by his Captain's side, hiding his ever-growing smirk as he did so. He knew when Yondu was teasing. It was their secret thing of course.
Meanwhile in the Captain's quarters a young Peter groaned and shifted in Yondu's bed. The boy's eyes fluttered open, dark lashes revealing soft baby blues underneath. As he stirred awake he looked around himself, confused and alone. What time even was it? He rubbed his tired eyes and looked around before finding his shoes and slipping them on where they had been placed besides the bed.
It wasn't long till he had scurried his way past the other Ravager's in silence to the bridge, poking his head out from the corner as to not draw that much attention.
Kraglin caught the tiny child from the corner of his eyes sneaking around. He snorted some before lightly jabbing Yondu and gesturing with his eyes towards the small guest they had.
With his second close at hand, the Captain could relax and keep an eye on the happening around the ship. A portion of the crew was currently organizing their latest haul. Those he was keeping a close eye. One wrong move and he'd hang them out to dry. Everyone on the ship got a cut of the profit, and anyone tryin to get a little extra by stealin would be thrown to the wolves.
It was the jab at his shoulder that drew his attention away from what he was observing. Twisting slightly round to look in the direction Krag was motioning he spotted the boy. "Don't be sneakin around boy," he grunted and made a motion, "Makes me think yer up to no good." He was pretty sure that he was ALWAYS up to no good actually.
The tiny sandy haired Terran squeaked when he was found out, trying to hide back behind the corner. Kraglin snorted beside his Captain.
Sheepishly the boy did pull himself out though once he was sure Yondu wasn't terribly mad at him for coming on the bridge. "I-I erm...m'sorry." The boy stuttered out, coming into full view. "I just well...wanted to see what you did up here."
Peter was a curious boy, always wanting to know what did what and who did it. The child knew Yondu was the Captain sure, but he rarely actually got to see him do Captain stuff.
"I-I won't get in the way I promise! I just well...wanted to see you work." Quill explained as best he could, nervously fiddling with his jacket as he waited for a reaction.
Yondu gave the boy a rather aloof look. His head tilted slightly. " You don't look like Bridge crew..." He was being a hardass, eyeing the boy skeptically. "Spose we can change that though." He made a motion at him, giving Krag a stern look. He could only hope that his don't say a word meaning got across. Not even a snicker.
Krag coughed and did his best not to smirk. The boy however grinned brightly and jogged forwards, skidding to a stop around Yondu's chair and standing opposite of Kraglin.
"Nice!" The boy grinned and looked around with excitement.
"Why does the course say Knowhere? We're going knowhere? That doesn't make sense." Peter mumbled, totally oblivious Knowhere was a place.
Yondu glanced down at him a little bit, leaning back in his chair. Observing the boy's excitement was about as amusing as it got. Always ready to learn something new. The Captain wondered how long it would take Peter to learn exactly how every station on the Bridge worked. The kid already knew the ropes of the Ravagers crew, so why not give him a chance to learn everything. Besides, maybe one day he and Krag would be gone and they'd need a new Captain.
Peter would be his prodigy. It seemed like a good plan.
"Knowhere. Not NO-where kid. It's a good place to make money on our cargo," he stated making a motion. "Keep yer head about yah when we dock. Eveyone one there is in it for themselves. Don't trust anyone you don't know. Got it?"
"Got it." The boy gave a thumb up. Kraglin just frowned slightly, giving his Captain an uncertain look. They were taking the kid out of the ship on THAT place? Especially if someone found out just WHAT he really was...nobody would care if he was a kid if they could make a fortune on a child who was potentially half god.
"Sir..." Krag gave the elder a knowing glance. "Can I have a word with ye, n'private Cap'n." The younger Ravager muttered, giving Peter a gentle nudge to go off and get closer to the viewing window.
Once the boy was out of earshot he knelt some beside the Captain's chair, watching as the child put his hands on the window with awe.
"Y'think this is wise sir? Y'understand who's located there. Dat Collector guy yeah? Ain't he one of them Celestials himself...one like the kids...y'know." Krag whispered quietly. There was no doubt in Kraglin's mind that someone that powerful could know when a spawn of its own species was close by.
"Ye'take that kid out of this ship and it'll be like blood n'the water for all things with a set of teeth sir." The younger warned.
Yondu watched him scurry off. He already knew what the other was going to say. " You think he's gonna sit still in the ship? " The Captain propped his elbow on the arm of his seat and glanced up at Kraglin. " You remember the last stop we made? " Peter had a tendency to worm his way off the ship even when he's been told he's not supposed to.
"The only other option is for you to take lead on the ground and I'll keep the kid up here," Propping his chin in his palm, he glanced up at Kraglin.
The Ravager Pirate might be able to occupy the boy here in the ship long enough for trades and sales to be made. Fact was that if the crew left and Yondu went with them, Peter wouldn't stay on the ship.
"…You think Ego's askin the others for help?"
"Y'know I can't." Kraglin almost growled out. "This deal is between you and the Nova Rouges. They ain't gonna take this cargo without you and ye'know that." He sighed and rubbed at his face. "The kid needs t'stay by your side then. If he leaves it he's as dead as th'rest." This was gonna be even more challenging than he wanted it to be. Great.
"N'I don't know. I got no idea what those higher ups have for relationships. None of us know. They stay n'their bubbles. Keep things to themselves. Point is, watch yourself Cap'n. You ain't wanna make deals with a man like Taneleer Tivan."
Ego had hired him for a reason. Surely that was enough proof to tell him that they were not talking between them. After all, how easy would it have been for one of the others to find Peter? Why hire someone like him to find the boy? To find any of those kids? Shit, fact was Yondu was certain Ego was exactly what his name claimed.
"Ain't gonna let nothin happen to the boy," Yondu stated resolutely. Not a chance in hell would he allow anything to happen to the kid. Not after he'd decided to keep him around. " He can stay aboard the shuttle while I hand over the goods. At least that I can lock down. Anything happens it'll come right back here. "
Kraglin still looked unsure. His Captain was a stubborn man. A strong one but even he could become overconfident at times and the boy...Dark green hues turned to the boy who pressed his small hands to the window. He was smart and clever. Only had to see a man lock in a code once and knew it by heart. They were in deep shit if they lost him on that place...
"I jus' hope you're right Cap'n." With that he sighed and pushed himself up, striding over to start their jump session to Knowhere.
"Alright. Everyone ready?" He called out. "Les go!" With that he flipped the switches and off they went sprouting through the Galaxy with the burst of sparks and neon lights. Peter yelped and skidded over to Yondu's side, clutching to his arm chair as they bounced through the pockets of space.
Yondu made a face. He hadn't taken too much thought in their meeting place. Blunt fingers drummed harshly against the arm of his chair.
"On our way," he stated firmly. When Peter stumbled back towards his chair he reached out and caught the boy by the back of his jacket, keeping him from sliding any further away.
When they made it, he instructed the crew to orbit the location. Yondu stood, and he made a motion, giving Kraglin control before he took Peter out of the control bridge and through the ship. "I need you to listen close boy," he stated firmly head up as they strolled towards the hanger bay.
"This place aint no place for a kid like you..." Udonta said seriously. " There are people out here who would have yer skin. Got it? Eat yah alive and I wouldn't be able to do nothin to stop it. "
The boy sighed in relief when Yond caught him in a strong grip. He gave a shaky smile in thanks before finally the large Pirate ship came to a sudden stop outside what looked to me a giant floating head. The boy stared in awe, his eyes shining with awe. "Cool." Peter whispered to himself.
It wasn't long till the sandy haired Terran followed Yondu, his tiny legs just only keeping up with the elder man's long stride down the hall. "So, stay close to you. As always." Peter rolled his eyes, unable to comprehend just how important is was that he didn't leave Yondu's side. "M'not going anywhere trust me. Everything always wants to eat me in the places you always take me to." Quill joked.
Yondu frowned, "This aint a joke kid." Not a chance in hell. "There are people here that ..." He frowned pointedly, "A Terran boy would be worth a lot more money to people here than anything I have to trade. " He wasn't about to admit that there was no chance in hell he would be alright if something happened to the kid.
The red eyed Centaurian looked down at him. "This time I can't afford for you to be riley. I need you to pay attention and do as I say. Understand. No laughin' matter here son. You'd be gone before I could even think to stop yah. "
"I-I...alright." Peter frowned up to Yondu in confusion. Why would some Earth kid be so much worth to these people? "I won't play around. Honest. I won't leave your side." The boy gave a shy nod of his head. "I promise Yondu."
The poor kid had no idea just how much of a bounty could be on his head. The last living hybrid of a mortal and a Celestial. He would make anyone rich if a man was greedy enough.
Of course, anyone greedy enough to want to be rich would have to get through Yondu first. When it came to the boy? Well, it was safe to say he'd become more than protective. The Ravager would kill if he had to. Not after all the time he'd spent bringing the kid up already.
"Just stay close. And if I tell you to stay in the ship I want you to stay in the ship..." Yondu told him.
They reached the hanger and he took Peter up into one of the jump ships. "Seen and not heard. Listen. Pay attention. And be cautious."
"Y-Yes sir." Peter murmured quietly.
The kid didn't like this. Something was going on and he didn't understand. Sure Yondu was a serious guy but this...something was really messing with him. He couldn't put his finger on it.
As they made their way down to the detached head of a giant space oddity, so did the other Ravagers in turn. The fleet of ships easily swirling through the voice of space and entering through the eye of the massive carcass.
Somewhere on Knowhere a man smirked and turned his gaze upwards. He could sense it the moment it came into proximity. "Hmm..." The stranger with snowy locks mused. "... Interesting."