Chapter Text
“Cap'n! Kree transport ship ahead!” Kraglin informed him, looking behind him to the man at the helm. Yondu's face took on a predatory grin as he stood to address the crew of the Eclector.
“Whad'ya say boys? Wanna rob some Kree sons-of-bitches?” Yondu asked with a laugh. Kraglin saw something the rest of the crew didn't, hidden behind the Centaurian's blustering and bravado. His body was tense, jaw tight, and one hand subconsciously came up to tug at his scarf. There was a strange look in his crimson eyes. It almost seemed like...fear. Not that Kraglin would EVER bring it up. Yondu hated softness almost as much as he hated Kree.
It was purely through dumb luck and familiarity that Kraglin had slowly learned to read his Captain's body language. Whether that was Yondu surreptitiously leaning against a wall to disguise a limp when he was injured, a flash of hurt crossing his face when he had to skewer the cook he trusted after the man was found trying to slip Orloni poison into the soup he was making, or now, when Yondu gripped the arm rest of his Captain's chair tight enough that the metal creaked. He glared at the approaching ship on the viewscreen.
The rest of the crew whooped as they approached the Kree transport vessel. Yondu hailed the ship. “This here's Cap'n Udonta of the Ravagers! Prepare ta be boarded ya bastards!” He turned to Kraglin, who had taken his place at his captain's side. “Jam their coms, Krags!” He ordered, a snarl revealing his yellow teeth. Kraglin allowed himself a small smile at the nickname once his back was to the Captain and ran to the communication relay, initiating the jamming sequence.
The crew prepared to storm the Kree ship, but Kraglin stayed on the bridge with Yondu. “What's the plan, Cap'n?” Kraglin asked, leaning casually on the back of Yondu's chair. Yondu's scent, a thick, metallic, spicy odor, assaulted the First Mate's sensitive nose. Yondu smirked up at him and Kraglin felt a hint of green blush stain his cheeks. That crooked smirk had no right to be so damn sexy, especially at a time like this. Kraglin had been attracted to Yondu since their first meeting on his home planet of Sirius, but the younger man never felt brave enough to do anything about it. Since his promotion to First Mate, that attraction deepened as their friendship developed. If Kraglin were honest with himself, he was absolutely besotted by the gruff blue pirate next to him.
“You an' me are gonna storm tha ship with th'others. Tullk, Vorker, an' Oblo are gonna stay on board ta pilot us outa here when we's done. We go in, kill those Kree bastards, free whatever slaves they got on board, steal whatever we can carry, an' be on our merry lil way.” Yondu shrugged. "Seems simple enough, yeah?"
“Cap'n, what about the slaves? Once we free 'em, what we gonna do with 'em?" Kraglin asked.
Yondu sighed. “Look, we ain't babysitters. Sure, 'f any of 'em show potential, we cn always use more recruits. Ones what ain't, or what don't wanna join up, cn figure themselves out.” He went to the door of the lift. “C'mon then Krags, we got a raid ta lead.” He grinned a little too widely. Kraglin didn't know much about Yondu's past, but one thing was for sure, the Centaurian always tried his best to help any slaves they freed when they raided Kree ships like this. The Canan suspected there was a reason behind Yondu's soft spot for slaves, but he sure as hell wasn't gonna pry.
The raid began. Vorker manned the helm with Horuz, his cybernetic eye whirling around in its socket as the two guided the ship past volleys of defensive fire from the Kree ship. "Approaching docking position!" Vorker announced. The ship shuddered as it was hit by one of the photon blasts from the Kree ship. "Dammit Horuz, PORT, not STARBORD!" He thwacked his copilot upside the head, who rolled his eyes with a grumble in Xandarian. After a few more tense maneuvers, the Eclector approached the Kree vessel's docking bay. "In position, Captain!" Vorker yelled over his com. Yondu, Kraglin, and the rest of the boarding party waited at the gangway.
"Deploy docking clamps!" Yondu ordered. The clamps were deployed, gripping the hull of the Kree ship with a loud clang, and the gangplank extended to lock onto the Kree ship's docking bay. Kraglin punched some code into the computer in the docking station, which forced open the door of the Kree ship.
"We're in, Cap'n!" Kraglin grinned at the shorter man, who slung a bag over his shoulder for stashing loot in. Kraglin withdrew his knives with a fanged grin and readied for action.
"Ravagers! Let's go!" Yondu yelled. The boarding party thumped their chests and charged onto the Kree vessel, thoughts of riches spurring them on, oblivious to what waited for them inside.