Things Never Left Unsaid

As soon as Yondu Udonta sent out the message for "Reinforcements", it had let to perhaps one of the biggest rows the couple had ever experienced.

From the Bridge, all the crew overheard most of it, with the standout words.

"I don't want them in our lives…I don't want that bitch in our lives…we went independent for a reason…what about Peter?

"Yondu was strangely calm, but Kraglin, oh now that was a different story until he had calmed down enough to know Yond was right, they needed him and the rest and it shouldn't matter, they were independent, but the threat of exile still hung over them and all of them knew it.

Even though none of that should matter anymore. That was wishful thinking, of course.

Kraglin, however, wasn't happy, he was loyal to his Captain and his husband, and preferred the freedom of independence. Yondu however just didn't care, let the universe judge him, just perhaps one individual, and he had no regrets about what he did and never would, which had changed from who he used to be.

This meant explaining things to the crew, since Yondu when he had taken the position of Captain, had decided to remain independent like his predecessor, he didn't want the issue of the other Ravager Clans getting involved. Yondu had become Captain in rather unique circumstances and at the time didn't want the hassle of trying to justify his actions.

In the end, after Peter was in bed, he hailed all the Ravagers and in the mess hall explained the situation, what they would need, and how the reinforcements would assist, before adding the most crucial detail and of course it concerned Peter.

"The rules of the Clans are, "no dealing in children", I wasn't doing anything illegal, I was hired for a job which I didn't fulfil. Peter, since none of you are stupid bastards have an idea at where he was meant to go…we just decided to keep him because we knew he would be better off".

There were nods of agreement, to this, even with the veil of silence over the decision,

"However, according to the other factions, I was trafficking a child. They will probably find out about this, if they haven't already, this means I'll be exhaled permanently, and I was always fine with this".

"So was I" uttered Kraglin, knowing this was the only course of action but not wanting the other Ravager Clans in their lives, which Yondu ignored.

"If I am exiled, then all of you have a choice if you want to stay on the Elector or not if you want to stay, fine. Want to go, all units and property will be transferred, and we'll have no more word on it. They may think I'm a child trafficker, I don't give a shit. Ask me three years ago, my decision would be the damn same. After all, Peter's still small, good for thieving and all that".

The last comment was meant to save face, but all of them knew what a sap their Captain truly was, Yondu had tried to have some division in his life, but that mattered for shit when he was wandering the decks late at night soothing his baby who was restless for a nightmare, or the softer tone in his voice when he was speaking with his child.

However, the next line of dialogue came from Horuz, who just spoke up, with a stern tone in his voice, "Yondu if they think Peter was trafficked, could they take him?"

With that Yondu expecting this, just twisted his lip. "I've got no sodding clue, but I am expecting that, and I'd love to see them fucking try".

That was a sobering note to end on, but Yondu and Kraglin had shit to do, and excused themselves and left and hanger bay. While the rest of the Ravagers. Just pondered this and Iztel said, and loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I'll tell you this now if they're going to take our boy, they're not leaving without a fight", to which everyone agreed, and Gunnsen spoke up, "Look, all we know is Ravagers are coming, let's just be ready since we have no clue at who they are…we're take it from there. But screw who this new Captain is, we're not going anywhere".

Stepping away from his crew, Kraglin still in a mood which Yondu didn't blame one bit, and watching his Xandarian mate head back to their quarters Yondu armed with a few beers, took himself to the previously abandoned, but now it had a few new details, second bridge. There he just privately watched the stars fly by, and as rarely as it was, since his life was so different let himself get lost in his own memories.

Many Years Earlier.

"Theirs's fighting in the M-Ship Hanger again", Mainframe, looked up from his console and looked over at his Captain, who didn't even react and responded in a bored tone.

"Let me guess, Yondu?"

"This time, it's with Charlie-27".

Stakar Ogord, just exhaled and got to his feet, followed closely by his First Mate and girlfriend, A pissed off tone in her voice, which Stakar, just tried to ignore as she walked with him.

"This is the fifth time this has happened; we need to get rid of him. He's competitive, he's argumentative, and he's becoming a goddam liability". Aleta said catching up with him; however Starker wasn't even going to consider that.

"He's been a Kree Battle Slave for the past twenty years, we can't just put him in the red coat and expect it to be over" supplied Stakar, since this was a conversation, they had had more than once.

"I sat we dump him at the nearest rock and see where he falls. He's not Ravager material".

Aleta had many virtues, she was a warrior, a damn good first mate, but my god it was true that the woman he loved could be a total bitch at times.

"I'm telling you right now he's staying, I didn't bring him on board if I didn't think he had potential…now I'm asking you to drop the subject. Yondu is a Ravager, now and my responsibility, remember that I'm your Captain".

Aleta humped but went back to her seat, leaving Stakar to walk the decks always wondering what the hell he could do about the Centaurian, who was currently being held back as Stakar entered the room.

"You're a damn bastard, that's what you are". Yelled Yondu as Charlie-27, who for once ore a look of composure on his face, being genetically engineered and forced to live in the same world as Yondu, he knew he was stronger, more versatile and because of this having seen the slave the moment Yondu come on board, he knew Udonta had issues. But unlike Yondu knew how to handle it.

"Yondu, I'm, not going to fight you on this. It was an accident". Charlie said, and in response, Yondu just pushed in his direction.

"Bullshit, you did it on purpose, bump into me, want to see the slave fight for your amusement. Pathetic bitch, I could have had you in a second".

Stakar just decided to end this.

"Udonta, come with me", Yondu just glared at the Captain, who couldn't help but notice the tortured look under the angry red eyes and just stared at Stakar. Clenched hands by his sides as if itching for a fight.

After he was released, he followed his Captain, never talking to him, eyes glancing at the floor, but Stakar could feel the anger in the young Ravager. It had only been a few months since he had picked him up, following a raid on the Kree ship.

There has been a few survivors, ones who had people and communities who would take them in, or welcome home after their abduction.

It hadn't taken long to find out that Yondu had neither, having been sold as a slave when he was five, he no longer had a community to go back too. Especially when right afterwards, his fin had been shaved off, leaving a long empty crater in his skull, which he just hid under a bandanna.

With no home and no family, Stakar had no choice but to accept him into the Ravagers, hoping that Yondu would embrace his new family and clan.

Instead, the twenty-five-year-old was snappy, violent and just prone to anger. What made it more disturbing was that Yondu worked, he was a good worker and Stakar found he could speak Darbian and Kree fluently as well as Xandarian. Even if these languages were forced upon him.

Yondu worked hard, and that was the problem. He worked too hard, he sat there learning to fly, building, and fixing, to the point you had to get his attention for anything. It was good for productivity since he liked to work alone, but he didn't interact, hardly ever spoke unless it was in violence.

Stakar wondered what there was to break him out of this mentality, but he knew the scars on his body, were mental too, and he doubted he would ever be free of them.

"Aleta, wants you gone by the way," Stakar said, trying to gauge Yondu's reaction, but all he got in response was "Yes I know", Yondu managed to say as they came to a port window and just stared out into the vast unknown.

"Well I'm not going to do that, look, this is hard, I know it's fucking hard, I'm not going to pretend I know what you've been through, I'm not a patronising bastard like that."

Yondu just looked over, more in curiosity to the young Centaurian, he couldn't help but think of Starker as his master, and he was a slave, and no matter what he couldn't break out of that, and he could only reply to the statement.

"That's the only advice I'm going to give to you, is you don't have to work all the time, no one is going to try to imprison you, and everyone's got your back."

"I got that", Yondu was just staring at the stars because it was easier than looking at Stakar of the House of Ogord as he had been introduced too, who just signed, then chuckled to himself,

"No Yondu, that's the thing you don't get it. You need to stop fucking fighting. If you want to punch someone, go to the gym or just go for a walk, you need to calm yourself down. I get that your lost, and I can't help with that, you need to start helping yourself".

Stakar had pulled that for an article he had read, and personally thought it was bollocks.

Yondu just bit his lip and looked to the stars, replying in a voice that sounded so broken. "They took everything from me", causing Stake to just nod.

"Then by whatever it is, take something back, find something in this galaxy worth fighting for and hold on to it".

Stalker just stepped away leaving the young new Ravager along, and Yondu just looked out at the stars and pressed his head against the glass, wondering when the fuck he would ever have something worth fighting for.

Present-day

Yondu still thinking over that memory, just smiled to himself…at what he finally had something worth fighting for, and nothing was going to stop him protecting his family.

To be continued

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