<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Yondu thought for a moment that he could, or maybe even should, take offense to Nebula's last barb of a comment, but he was seeing subtle movement in the deep waters of her emotions. It would have been easy to label her as a cold blooded killer, because for all intents and purposes, she was; but she was more than that. For all he metal parts and wiring, she still had a heart. They were a lot the same in that respect and the knowledge of that manifested with the softening of his features as his eyes stay fixed on the landscape ahead of them as they began to lift and take off.<br/>
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He chuckled. It was a delayed response, a little forced. "Yeah, 'spose the kid could of done worse than me." He held back the urge to make the comparison between Ego and Thanos because it didn't feel appropriate at that moment. It would have been received as a slight when it was only meant to be an observation. Instead he reflected on how soft he'd become. Was it old age? Was it what he'd been through recently? Was he kidding himself by thinking he'd ever really been hardened? Maybe decades ago, but that stupid prick Taserface hadn't been completely off base when he'd said that Yondu gave Quill special consideration. That had always been true and Yondu didn't regret it; he only regretted playing up the badass face to the kid even when he felt otherwise. Maybe it had been to toughen him up; but in hindsight it had been the wrong call.<br/>
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"I saw it on his face, you know....When we broke atmosphere. I just....I just wanted to have that one chance to do right by him. Sorta felt like maybe I said too much, then again...." he let the words trail off. It was all too sentimental, even for him when he was feeling sentimental. He was saved from any searing rebuke when the radio feed crackled. "Cap'n, Sir...sending you a few coordinates that fit your description...seven in all."<br/>
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"Good work, Krags, now take a crew and go scour the holes. Let me know what you find."<br/>
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"On it, Cap'n and...be safe, ok?" <br/>
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His old first mate still held on to the honorifics from before his death. Sometimes Yondu found it sentimental, but most times it was awkward. "I ain't a captain anymore, you dolt. You are. Now quit callin' me that."<br/>
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"Yes, ummm...Ca...Si..." Yondu cut off the receiver before Kragglin could flounder any longer with titles and lack of.<br/>
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He looked over to his new partner. "Load the first one into the nav, we got seven of these planets to explore," he grinned in snarl-toothed satisfaction.<br/>
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