Warning: This fiction is totally fan made and I own no canon characters I just own X'antia. This fic is also for those 16+ as it shall include upsetting topics such as abuse, slavery, child prostitution, cursing and lemons. So if you can't handle it turn back now….no really – if you have read any of my other fics you will know….I write dark things…XD

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Afterglow

Chapter One

Yondu Udonta slumped down into the main chair in his quarters with a huff, stretching out his arms and resting them on the leather arm rests. He was not looking forward to this. The gruff captain let out a grumble of complaint as he took a glance over at the yellow haired alien setting out a tray of tools, none of which looked particularly appealing and from previous experience the Ravenger captain knew exactly what was coming.

The young yellow haired alien chuckled to herself as she set out the collection of tools on the table beside Yondu, noting the scowl that crossed her captain's face made her chuckle even more. In truth she respected her captain however, it was fun to poke fun at him every once in a while. She knew the risks but Quill and she had been getting away with it for a while now and she knew that she was too much of an asset to killing off just yet.

"Girl, you gunna get on with it or not?!" Yondu snapped as he fidgeted slightly in his chair, kicking his feet up onto the table with a thud. The yellow haired alien sighed and moved behind her captain and took a look at the red fin. It was time for an upgrade. Not the most enjoyable time for the Centaurian, his bi o engineered fin was a blessing and a curse in that sense. The prosthetic was in good shape, however it needed updating and X'antia has just finished working on her new improved prototype.

X'antia had been working for Yondu for the last decade, ever since he bought her from a slave driver on Tolkar, remaining loyal to the Ravengers over the years the girl's engineering abilities had gained her a reputation and a permanent standing in the crew. Of course adjusting to the life on the ship was tough for a fifteen year old at first but after ten years X'antia was well adapted to the Ravenger lifestyle and with the addition of the new Terran kid – she was thankful she was no longer the crew's youngest member.

"Stay the fuck still Captain!" X'antia snapped as she grabbed hold of the back of Yondu's head making him growl. He was not a fan of being manhandled especially by a woman – if he wanted that kind of treatment he would pay for it.

"Woman, don't be giving me lip! Ya here?" The Centaurian barked back at the yellow haired alien crossing his arms in protest.

"Then stay the hell still before I jab the wrong part!" X'antia snapped back as she picked up one of her sharp looking tools and began her work.

"Don't you be fucking up my head now girl or I will kill ya!" Yondu snapped back as he scowled as the alien worked on his fin.

"Yeah… not if I fuck up this enhancement." X'antia commented dryly as she began to disconnect wires and remove chips from her captains prosthetic attachment, placing them down on the table next to her.

"Then don't fuck it up girl!" Yondu shouted back as he picked up a piece of the machinery layed out in front of him, looking it over in his hands.

"Then stop bloody moving you great fidgeting smurf!" X'antia snapped as she lightly slapped her captain's hand making him put down the metallic attachments and turn his head to glare at her.

"What's that now? What's a damn smurf?" Yondu asked confused, making note of the smirk on his engineer's face. "Nothing Captain." She replied quickly as she collected one of the new chips from the table and lifted it up to the light to examine it before motioning for her captain to turn around.

"Girl, you better tell me what a smorf is!" Yondu snapped as his engineer continued fixing in the new attachment chip into his head. "It's Smurf and it's something Quill told me about. It's a Terran thing." X'antia explain brushing off the threatening tone in her captains voice as she continued to attach the new chips and wires into Yondu's fin.

The Ravenger captain sat seething as the yellow haired alien continued to attach new parts to his head. It didn't hurt him as much as it irritated him, he wasn't a fan of people touching his fin, the area around it was sensitive and X'antia kept touching it making him shuffle in his chair. X'antia noticed this, she tried to avoid the sensitive areas as much as she could, the scarring from initial implantation was obviously sensitive and she knew whenever she updated the enhancement the scarring got agitated.

As she continued her work the young alien began to think back to the first time she met Yondu and his crew. She would never have expected such an offer as a young girl but she was not unhappy with her current situation.

Tol-kar (10 Years Previous)

X'antia POV

Tol-kar was an infamous city on Fazin, a planet in the outer quadrant, renowned for its less than honourable dealings and residents – if you were looking for the worst of the worst, or the darkest of dealings Tol-kar was the place for to head to. The barren iron planet radiating an electronic core powered the small iron shacks which made up the core buildings of the city. The large menacing fortress which stood proudly in the middle of the main city was the home of Zoldar – my Master. Renowned in the black market and an infamous slave trader, that is how I ended up in his company.

I don't quite remember how old I was when I arrived on Tol-kar; I know I was young – just an infant at the time. I was a scrawny little thing, mostly skin and bone at that time. Slavers were not the most generous with portion sizes when giving us our food. I only remember little snippets of my arrival to the fortress, I remember the icy bath I was thrown into and how the other women scrubbed from head to toe burning my skin in the process ; I remembered how they branded me with the Zoldar's emblem on my spine. I remember how the tag they placed on me like I was livestock- a golden hoop on my left ear. My ears have always been sensitive, as a Valkurian our race were known for our sensitive pointed ears and our bright neon hair colours.

My people were a peaceful race, until Thanos' army destroyed our planet and children like I were sold into the slave trade. I remember seeing another Valkurian child when we were being separated for delivery – I often wondered how that boy turned out.

I had been in the service of my Master for ten years; I wasn't dead yet so I couldn't really complain compared to the fate of some of the other girls. Lashings and beatings were a gift. I had been released from the fortress under orders to collect items from one of the local dealers. It was a common occurrence – they'd send out the younger girls to do the runs. If we were killed it was less of a loss compared to the more trained older women.

As I made my way back from the city to the fortress I could hear some commotion coming from the direction I was heading to. A group of leather clan males stood in front of the fortress gate – they were shooting at the doorway. I shook my head and hid behind a large rock as I watched them attempt to break though the electro fortress.

Scooting through a small gap behind the rocks I slid into the small crevice of the mountain beside me, walking through the small pathway I tried to stay out of sight as I watched the events unfold from a small gap in the rocks. After about ten minutes of watching the pack try to open the door I realized I was late and desperately tried to figure out how to get back to my Master before I received a beating – but at the same time I didn't want to draw any attention to myself.

"Maybe he can't hear us knocking….bring out the big guns." Ordered the blue man, he was intimidating looking – a tall, well-built man; he couldn't have been much older than his early thirties. I made a note of the scars across his face, a mark of the slave trade of old. Each slaver has their own symbol, the scars on his face was enough to tell me that little snippet of information about him.

"Captain says bring out the big guns!" Another member of the gang bellowed as the rest of the crew cheered as they began to set up a very large energy canon. I winced at the large machine, I knew this was a really bad idea – the ammo which was used with these particular weapons react very badly with the energy force field, they could not penetrate it but they could easily wipe themselves out.

"That is a really bad idea…" I exclaimed as I looked over the gun, my hands coming up to cover my mouth in horror as I prayed silently that I had not been heard.

"Who said that?!" The blue man barked as a small group of his men headed towards the crack in the rocks. I cursed myself as I tried to shuffle myself back into the darker part of the cavern – not much good to be had as I felt two large gloved hands grab hold of my shoulders and pick me up carrying me out to the group of men.

"Captain, we found this girl hidden in that there mountain path." One of the ugly men began, I was not prejudice against other races – but this fucker was ugly as hell, scales across his face, webbed tongue and he smelt…to be honest they all smelled horrible.

I looked to the floor as I felt myself being dangled in the air, one of the leather clad men held my up by the scruff of my collar.

"You not talking now girly?" The obvious leader of the group chuckled as he stood in front of me. I knew after my years in captivity it was probably a bad idea to look a man in the eye. I flitched as a sharp whistling sound pierced the air and an arrow came shooting towards my face faltering slightly in front of me, I crooked my neck slightly as I watched the arrow shake slightly in front of me as the red fin on the scary looking blue man flashed red and flickered. No one else seemed to have clicked on to the fact that the arrow shouldn't have faltered in such a way – but it was obvious in the tensing of the blue aliens jaw.

"Speak girl." The blue alien snapped as the arrow remained in front of me. I bit the inside of my mouth and sighed. "The main gate is made up of reinforced energy shields." I began before I was cut off by one of the other men.

"So? What does that matter? We can blast through it!" He growled as he received a cheer from the crew. I shook my head a little at the thought. Did these people not know anything about machinery? Where was their mechanics? Their engineers?

"If you fire that gun at that gate, the energy field will just obliterate everything from here to half way into the city. The ammo which is used for this gun reacts very badly to the energy radiating around the gate. Unless you all want to die in a very nasty way I wouldn't shoot that door." I snapped before looking back at my dangling feet, forgetting myself for a moment.

The blue alien cocked a smirk and raised a brow as I went back to looking at the floor; preparing for a slap or at least, some kind of penance for speaking so confidently.

"You think the kid could get us in?" One of the crew spoke up earning a nod from a number of the members. "Yeah, she be knowin' all kind about this barrier." Another spoke up, I winced a little knowing full well where they were heading with their ideas…and I could get them in – but it would also cost me a beating of a lifetime.

"Hey girly! You tellin' me you know how to get past this damn wall 'ere?" The blue alien began and he circled me. Even as I was raised up off the ground he was still at my eye line. "You need a pass chip." I sighed as I accepted my fate – to be honest I would rather be beaten by the guards than have worse happen to me by these brutes.

"You have a chip girly?"

I looked at the floor, my hands still around the front of my collar trying to keep gravity from strangling myself to death. "Now, now girly…don't be playing with us." The blue haired man chuckled as he walked up to me. "I can't give you no chip Mr." I began as I was hoisted higher into the air by the two men.

"…But I can get you in to see my Master. If you put me down…" I exclaimed as I tried to wiggle free from their grasp, gasping for air. There was a silence before another piercing whistle rung though the air and the arrow returned to the blue aliens hands.

Nodding with a smirk the blue man placed the arrow back into its holster and nodded over to the two brutes holding me up.

"Drop 'er."

Landing on the floor with a crash I winced as I tried to collect the items which had been scattered across the ground, rushing to put them back into the small bag. I stood up slowly and got my bearings before I turned to walk towards the main gate. This was such a mistake….

"Follow me please."

"Girl! Are you listening to me?!" Yondu snapped from his chair, snapping X'andia from her daydream. "You need to show me some respect woman!" Yondu snapped as X'antia focused her attention back on her task at hand. She had managed to fix the majority of the captain's headpiece without much need for complete focus. "I rescued you from that slave trader and you repay me with lip!" He exclaimed shooting his hands into the air dramatically earning him a scoff from his engineer.

"That was over ten years ago Captain! Must you keep bringing it up?" X'antia chuckled as she continued her work on his fin. "You would still be rotting away on that blasted planet if it wasn't for me!" Yondu growled at his engineer who nodded sarcastically behind his head. "Yes, I would be a slave and Quill would've been eaten. You saved us, what a big hero you are Captain!" X'antia exclaimed as she straightened Yondu's head forward earning a grunt in response.

"Now stop moving!" X'antia snapped and continued working.

Yondu POV

I should have left her on Tol-kar, I should have bloody left her on that iron planet with that mad man. Why do I bring people onto my damn ship that cause nothing but problems for me?"Ungrateful bitch." I grumbled as I picked up and admired some of my collectables on my desk. Everything went quiet for a moment behind me. Ah fuck – I knew exactly what was coming.

"I am ungrateful?! You fix your own damn enhancements then!" There it was! I ducked slightly as a screwdriver flew past my head landing on my bookcase knocking off some maps and a galaxy atlas.

That was it.

Pushing myself up off the chair I turned around to the yellow haired woman and grabbed her wrist tightly earning a scowl in return. "Remind me again why I keep your ass on this ship?" I hissed as X'antia struggled out of my grip before groaning and relaxing a little.

"Because I am the best damn weapons tech in the quadrant and my weapons sales make you rich." She chuckled with a smirk. Narrowing my eyes at the smaller woman I shook my head and noted her point –she was a monumental pain in the ass. All of the time-day and night – but she was good and she did bring in a nice profit with her weapons sales…

"Touché." I chuckled as I turned around and sat back down in my chair letting the alien continue her work on my fin. I winced a little as she worked a little rougher on me this time around – her own way of getting her own back for my outburst I was sure.

She was a lot more confident than she was when I first met her as a skinny little teenager. If you lined the two up next to each other you wouldn't notice them as the same person bar the bright yellow dreadlocks and the technical babble. Closing my eyes for a while I figured I wasn't going anywhere until she was finished her work so may as well rest up.

Tol-Kar - 10 years prior

Yondu POV

Payment wasn't difficult to come by in the end. A little bit of negotiation was all that was needed before the slaver paid up. We had been settled on Tol-Kar for the last few days, refuelling and enjoying the local 'entertainment'.

Lounging back to observe the dancers around us I nodded as I took a sip of my beer. It was looking like my boys were having an enjoyable evening – I had overindulged over the last few days and decided to let my boys have their turns whilst I nursed a drink and enjoyed the view.

"Your headpiece needs repairing, you're signalling to your Haka arrow is off." A familiar voice sounded from behind me, crooking my neck to see where the comment came from I frowned slightly at the sight before me.

It was the skinny runt of a girl from the other day. The one who had let us into the fortress; I turned my nose up at her outfit. In place of her slave robes from the previous encounter the young girl was dressed in the same outfits as the other working girls in the bar – it was obvious to me she was far too young to be a working girl. I had seen my fair share and I knew what I was looking at.

"What the hell are you wearing girl? How old are you girl?" I snapped at the yellow haired girl making her look down sadly for a moment before shaking her shoulders and looking me in the eye.

"Old enough." She purred stepping closer to me running her hand over my shoulder, making me gag a little on the inside. Shaking my head I pushed the intended image from my mind. "Nope, sorry girly I don't play that way." I exclaimed as I stood up from the chair.

"You're a Ravenger – you don't have morals." The yellow haired alien snapped back at me crossing her arms. "Besides, I am old enough!" I laughed too loudly at her comment making her wince a little lowering her head.

"I doubt that – she- she looks old enough." I commented dryly pointing at one of the older working girls who was busy grinds down on one of my crew. Turning back to the young girl who now stood very awkwardly in front of me I pointed her up and down making her scowl and cover herself a little "You, you look like you've barely hit puberty!" I chuckled.

"None of my Master's associates have a problem with it." The alien snapped as she covered herself. "Your Master has shit heads for associates." I hissed at the thought – I was a shithead, I was a bad person but damn it, I wouldn't be planning on fucking no little girl. That is some other worldly shit that I don't deal in. "That shit heads got you whorin' at this age? What is it? Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"Fourteen…fifteen in a couple of months…." The young alien commented quietly looking down making sure the other punters didn't hear her. She was looking around a little too nervously at the guards in the room.

"Yea, that doesn't not make it any better." I sighed as I scratched the back of my head. "I am sure you have had worse than me." She purred as she tried to run her hands over me again; poor kid wasn't getting the picture. "I said NO girly!" I shouted without realizing it making the girl whimper and step back preparing for some kind of impact that never came.

As the girl had her back to me I looked over her back, I could see the scars on her back from the lashings, her branding burn on the top of her spine. A tree with barbed wired branches was burned into the base of her neck. I also noted the fresh bruising on her sides; I knew those marking too well. I had enough of my own covered up.

"You fell down the stairs?" I commented dryly as the girl slowly looked back round at me. She stayed quiet at the comment but she knew what I was talking about. "You do that a lot?" I asked crossing my arms as the yellow haired alien nodded.

"…Yeah I used to fall down stairs a lot too." I sighed as she nodded, clearly noting the scar on my face. With a groan I slid off my jacket and tossed it to the girl who caught it clumsily and struggling under the weight of the leather.

"Put that on would you. I can't talk to a child dressed like that. It's disgusting." I ordered as she sighed and pulled on my leather coat, the material swamping her and hitting the floor. Her skinny arms not reaching the end of the coat sleeves. I chuckled at the young girl who was struggling under the weight of my coat.

"Stay there girly." I ordered as I made my way over to one of the men guarding the private rooms.

"Hello there ma' friend. How much you be charging for an hour wi' that one?" I asked as I pointed over to the yellow haired alien who stood in the corner of the room in my coat. She was looking around nervously trying to not stand out in the room.

"That one? Nice choice she is 150 units an hour and then 50 units any half hour after." The guard chuckled smugly; I could see in his eyes that he knew far too well what was hidden under my jacket.

"Sold." I commented dryly as I transferred the money into the brothels account before signalling for the young alien to come over.

The room was nice, I had spent enough time in it over the last few days. Escorting the young girl into the room I went over to the one of the monitors on the wall and logged in my order for a drink. One alcoholic and one non-alcoholic one making the young girl chuckle, I shook my head as I picked up the drinks and turned to walk back over to the sofa area.

Stopping in my tracks I let out a disgusted shout and closed my eyes. "No, no no! Put the damn coat back on girl! Yeesh!" I said as I placed the drinks down and scratched my head. The alien let out a growl and pulled my coat back onto her and stomped over to the sofa and sat down.

"I told you I don't fuck kids!" I exclaimed as I looked down at her. "Then what are you buying?" She exclaimed, clearly confused about the entire transaction. "Privacy girl, privacy." I chuckled as I sat down in the opposing chair and looked over at the young girl. She sat slumped over holding her legs and resting her chin on her knees.

Whistling sharply I sent my arrow flying towards the young girl making her scream and lean back as the arrow stopped in front of her. "You said my signalling to my arrow was off." I commented with a chuckle, lowering the arrow slightly receiving a glare from the teenager.

"How do you know?" I asked as I watched the girl look over the arrow with a new confidence. "The receptor in your prosthetic is having signalling problems; you probably have a blown fuse in your fin, when you summon your arrow your fin falters flashing." She commented, her posture changing as she took hold of the arrow and looked it over.

"And you know this how?"

"I have a few more talents to hand than just spreading my legs." The alien commented as she handed me back my arrow, holstering it on my waist I crossed my arms. "Some of the older slaves taught me to read. All my master has are mechanical books and when he is asleep I tinker around with his spare weapons…as a dealer he has a lot of them." She sighed and removed the high heeled shoes which were obviously hurting her feet.

"Can you fix this?" I asked as I tapped my fin, earning a chuckle and a nod from the young girl. "Course I can." She smirked confidently. "Can you fix anything else?" I asked, impressed at the kids new confidence. "If I have the tools I can fix anything."

I nodded intrigued at the imagined talent of the slave girl. Pulling out my radar I barked down the phone to one of my men and told them to bring me in a tool kit from the ship. "How long you been working for that master o'yours?" I asked as I took a gulp of my drink.

"Far too long." She said darkly as she looked up from her drink. I nodded slowly and took a sip of my drink, both of us sitting in silence for a few moments. I thought it over; I remembered how I felt when I was in her position – not a child prostitute – but having been sold into slavery as a kid fucks you up in the head. I know what the shit does to you – how it rots your self-worth, your soul if fucked up. I was lucky I was bought over a decade ago, regardless I spent the first twenty years of my life in a cage. That is no fucking life.

I ain't soft, I ain't no nice man but I ain't no monster to leave a little girl in this state. If she is good as she says she is with fixing shit, I may find a use for her yet.

"Fancy a change?"

As the silence broke the yellow haired alien looked up, her short yellow hair getting pushed out of her face as she did.

"Every damn day." She swallowed hard as she looked back down again; anger now apparent in her yellow slit eyes. I nodded finishing my drink and placing it back on the table before collecting another one and returning to my seat.

"Well girly - you fix this up for me and you got yourself a new job." I smirked as I watched the alien look up in shock, wide eyes she broke into a wide grin and stood up cracking her fingers and neck before moving over to the toolbox.

"Shall we begin?"

"Captain wake the hell up!" X'antia exclaimed as she slammed her toolbox shut next to me, jolting me away from my dream. I must have fallen asleep whilst she was working on me. "Damn it girl do you have to do that?!" I barked as I stood up from my chair and moved over the mirror in my room to take a look at the enhanced headpiece. Nothing much had changed physically so that was good for me.

"Once enhanced biogenetic headpiece." X'antia exclaimed theatrically as she pulled off her gloves and apron.

"Thank you X'antia!" She said gruffly trying to copy my accent, failing miserably. "You are welcome Captain, a pleasure as always." She responded to herself in her usual voice, rolling my eyes I shook my head and stretched my back, sleeping in that chair had fucked around with my back.

"You are such a wonderful woman. I am so glad you are part of my crew." She sung to herself as she picked up her toolbox and made her way to the door. She was taking it too far, I was the captain of this 'ere ship and I wasn't taking kindly to people disrespecting me.

A sharp whistle pierced the air and I heard a small gasp as my arrow poked the end of the Valkurians nose, making her tut and glare at me. "Oh Captain, normally I ask men to buy me a drink or at least pay me before they begin pointing their sticks in my face." She chuckled as she stepped back away from the arrow.

"I should have left you with that damn Master o'yours!" I snapped angrily as I summoned back my arrow turning around and sitting back in my chair, leaning back and letting out a groan.

She may not be the same fourteen year old kid I picked up on Tol-Kar, she was grown now but damn it she was more than twice as much of a handful. If I had known this when I bought her from her previous Master I probably would have passed on the opportunity.

"Given the chance again you would have." X'antia chuckled as she left the room. I watched her reflection in the window as she left, cracking my neck to the side I sighed in defeat. "No I would'nt've girly."

There we go! Chapter one. I have taken a break from writing whilst I was in university and now I am off for the summer so I am hoping to get back into updating my other fics as well as keeping on with this one if you all want it to carry on. ^_^

Let me know!