Experiment: The Ravager Code

Purpose and Promise

"Kraglin said I needed to be scanned..." she said, slowly stepping around and running a finger over the bed. Eying the pair of boots standing by it.

"When you're ready. 'Till then we measured the ones you had on and got a few things made."

"Thank you."

"You're one of this crew, you get equal keep."

"I don't contribute, though..."

"You're healing."

"But I wanna do something," she pressed, swallowing instantly, realizing maybe she shouldn't talk back, should just agree and do as he clearly wanted her to. "Unless you don't want me to, I'm sorry..."

"Hey, calm down, I get it. If you want a way to pass your time I got something you can do."

- - - - - -

Tess was glancing quickly at everything they went passed as Yondu walked her through the ship.

She had settled into her new quarters easily, but insisted she didn't want to just sit and do nothing any longer, so he had told her they were heading to the hangar.

He pushed open the bulky metal door and her eyes went wide.

It was huge, loud and filled with ships, catwalks everywhere between them, all the way up to the tall ceiling then the floor way down below, but incredible.

She looked up in awe of all the different freights of different colors and sizes, some with no wings and some with elaborate designs of paint... She suddenly wanted to touch all of them, run her fingers along the surfaces of both rust and bright sheen.

Wanted to know what it felt like to fly through the stars in one.

Yondu caught her staring, saw the wonder in those big, bright eyes, and found his face softening, his mouth curving up, watching her run her gaze over the hangar.

"This way," he said to her, breaking her from her trance.

She quickly got back up to his side as she had lagged behind him, and he put his hand between her shoulders as they approached the mechanics area.

Tess gazed at the ships disassembled and hung up to be repaired, the tools... the parts. Some even just being simply repainted.

"Horuz," Yondu said, addressing one of the men working in the midst of the freights. "Brought someone for you to meet."

The man stopped his turning on a few gears and nodded at the captain. "Sir?"

"This is Tess, figured she could help you out down here."

"She's the kid you brought back?"

"Yep. Got anything you're having a hard time with down here?"

"Well, yeah... but I'm not sure..." He gestured to her, clearly hesitant and confused as to why Yondu was suggesting her to help.

Tess flicked her gaze down, embarrassed and feeling small next to them. But, of course Horuz didn't look at her and see someone competent, she was skinny and timid and the only female around, young and very clearly unhealthy. Why would any of them think her anything more than a waste of recourses?

"Just show me something that needs fixing." Yondu insisted, holding up a hand.

The other man raised his brow, shrugging, then stepped over towards a ship suspended in air, the front opened and revealing the engine inside. "Can't figure out the problem with this one. Might be time to scrap her."

Tess stared at it, and Yondu gestured towards the ship prompting her towards it. "Well, go on, do your thing."

She glanced between him and Horuz, the latter blinking but saying nothing of the protests that were clearly there, so Tess slowly approached it, gazing down into the metal and wires within.