-BLAZE-

  Blaze woke up shouting, "The priestess! He wants the priestess!" He thrashed about, trying to get up, but strong arms held him down.

  "Relax!" someone shouted. Blaze recognized the voice. He blinked, and his vision focused. He realised he was lying on a couch in StarHawk's lobby. That meant he had survived.

  The three brave crewmen peered down at him, their expressions a mixture of worry and caution. Portos and Ramis were holding him by the shoulders, pinning him to the couch.

  "I'm okay," Blaze said. "You can let go." They released him and he sat up and inspected his body. He had no visible wounds, though his body ached all over. The back of his head pulsated viciously. Blaze winced.

  "How long was I out?" he asked.

  "20 minutes," Artos replied. "Standard minutes. You use standard time right?"

  "Everybody uses standard time," Ramis interjected.

  Blaze's knees buckled when he tried to rise.

  "Woah there," Artos said, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Take it easy. You just woke up."

  "No time," Blaze responded. He took a deep breath and stood up straight. The headache was beginning to fade. "We need to go after him."

  "Go after who?" Portos asked. "The guy with the swords. He's probably dead now. You got him good."

  Blaze shook his head. "No," he said. He took a few careful steps with Artos steadying him. Thankfully nothing seemed broken.

  "He let that fleshy creature pick him up," Blaze said. "He wouldn't have done that if he thought he would die. He's alive."

  Kaja Khan burst into the room. "You're alive!" She exclaimed. She slapped Blaze hard on the back. "You’re incredible, and you were right. You're way stronger than I thought. A lizard! A freaking lizard with four arms! Wow!"

  "Did you see his claws?" Portos asked her.

  "Yeah!"

  "And his fangs?" Ramis said.

  "Yeah!"

  The three of them broke into a conversation about the awesomeness of the Saurian.

  "Enough," Artos said firmly. They all stopped and looked at him. Artos nodded at Blaze. "The Captain was saying something. Let's listen."

  Captain? Blaze thought. Okaaaay then. He tested out his limbs again. His body was already beginning to move better.

  "I'm not a Captain," Blaze said. "But I am grateful for your help. And I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask for it again." The 3 crewmen nodded eagerly. Kaja Khan didn't say a word. Blaze turned to her. "How's the ship Kaja?"

  "Most systems are back up and running," she said. She looked about as she spoke, as if running diagnostics in real time. "Except some of the more complex stuff which will take a bit of time."

  "So are we good to fly?" he asked.

  "Yeah. But again, we're in jump space. There's nowhere to go."

  "Alright," Blaze said. "Thank you Kaja."

  "You're welcome."

  Blaze looked at the three crewmen.

  "I thought we would be swarmed by other members of the crew by now," he said.

  The three Kinuan men exchanged glances with each other, then Artos spoke. "Apparently someone attacked the Captain," he said. "Things are a bit of a mess right now. They did send some people here, but they were redirected to go after that fleshy creature."

  Blaze had a feeling he knew who the Captain's assailant was. "Okay," he said. "I'm going to need you three. When the armoured man, Nale, attacked me. He said he knew I was with the Order of the First Light and that enraged him. And his skin. He looked Chintari."

  "Chintari?" Portos said, looking at the others. "Like Chin? The planet we're going to?"

  Blaze nodded.

  "Yeah. Chin. He's a Chin who hates the Order of the First Light. I think I know why he attacked us."

  "The priestess," Kaja said.

  Blaze nodded again.

  "The mission brief said the leader of the Andaris reach signed over rulership to the Order of the First Light. Maybe that didn't sit well with some of the Chintari."

  Ramis laughed, "So he travelled across the galaxy to fight you? That's crazy."

  "I can relate," Kaja whispered.

  Blaze spared her a glance then continued. "I need to get to the Priestess now," he said. "It's my mission to protect her and her people. That guy is still alive. And I don't think he's going to stop."

  "You're in no condition to fight," Artos said.

  Blaze smiled. "That's practically my default," he responded.

  He opened a panel in the StarHawk’s wall and took out a standard issue Stellar Authority rifle. Guns weren’t his thing but he didn’t think he should be transforming at the moment. He turned around and noted that Artos had a wary expression on his face.

  "It's my mission," Blaze repeated. "I have to see it through."

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  "Then we'll come with you," Artos said.

  "I was hoping you would," Blaze responded. "However, it would be great if one of you stayed to protect Ms. Khan."

  Kaja rolled her eyes, but she didn't reject the offer.

  "Ramis will stay," Artos said. Ramis started to object, but Artos glared at him and he shut up.

  Kaja crossed her arms and pointed at the rifle in Blaze's arms.

  "Do you really need that?" she asked. "Can't you just transform and kick his ass again."

  "I wouldn’t call what happened ‘me kicking his ass’. But yes and no. I can transform again. But I was warned to limit the number of my transformations. I just recovered from a life threatening injury that took me out for three months."

  He saw the worry flash across all their faces. "Don't worry," he said. "I'm an expert at surviving those, as you have already seen."

  Artos shouldered his weapon. "Let us go then," he said. "I know the way to the Priestess' chamber."

  Artos led them off the ship, Portos following him and Blaze bringing up the rear.

  Before exiting the ship, Blaze turned around and pointed at Kaja. "Stay safe," he said.

  She pouted. "What the heck are you saying? You stay safe."

  Blaze laughed and left the ship.

  -AMARA-

  High Priestess Amara chewed on the inside of her cheek as she paced about her chamber. She stopped in front of the two spies, unsure of what else to ask. The story they had brought her defied belief: Ben Wilson had for some reason attacked the captain. On top of that, a strange being had somehow come onto the ship and fought Agent Blazecorra.

  That strange being, if the descriptions were right, was Chintari. Amara turned to Tinkaku. The Chintari man was trying to mask his worry, but his body betrayed him. His shoulders were hunched and there was a certain stiffness in his brow.

  He sat cross-legged facing the Priestess. Behind him sat all 15 of Amara's acolytes. They were the people who were to help her set up command on Planet Chin...if they arrived safely.

  Amara had been offered a place in the VIP section of the ship, but she had refused once she learned it might not accommodate all her people at once. She instead requested that one of the ship's halls be converted to suit their purposes. That was where they sat now.

  "What do you think?" Amara asked Tinkaku.

  He huffed before answering. "It appears my people are not as welcoming as we believed they would be. Some of them at least." Tinkaku tightened his hold on his staff. "I think you should let me go find this person Priestess. It is my responsibility."

  Amara waved her hand. "Out of the question."

  Tinkaku was not a fighter. Discourse and strategy were more his forte. Amara turned back to the spies. They were a Father and daughter team. The best of the best. Amara knew the father well. His name was Hanzo and he had accompanied her on a few of her missions prior to this. He was a stoic but capable spy.

  Amara didn't know his daughter, Saya, very well. But she was supposedly the gem of their family: a once in a generation talent, who was expected to become far greater than her father. Saya did not resemble her father at all. Where Hanzo had stern, chiseled features, Saya had a cute face with impish features. The only similarities between them were the black gi they wore and their jet black hair, which they both tied up in a little bun atop their heads.

  "What should we do?" Amara asked Hanzo.

  He replied. "Allow Saya and I to go hunt down this Chintari intruder. He disappeared by the time we got to the deck, but with our skills we would be able to find him."

  Amara pondered on the suggestion. "Fine," she said, "But don't kill him."

  Saya raised an eyebrow and even Hanzo looked surprised.

  "Priestess-" he began.

  Amara shook her head. "I would want to have words with him. To hear why he is doing this."

  Tinkaku interjected. "We know why, Amara." He caught himself. "Sorry. Priestess. We know why, Priestess. There is a time for dialogue, and there is a time for action. Not killing him would be a mistake."

  Amara pointed a finger at Tinkaku. "You were in his shoes once, Tinkaku. Didn't you change?"

  "With all due respect, Priestess. You don't know these zealots like I do. They're a different kind of beast."

  Amara looked back at her spies. "There are still too many holes in our knowledge," she said. "I’ve changed my mind. Go to the Freighter’s captain," she said to Hanzo. "See if he's okay. Then find Ben Wilson. Find out why he did what he did. Only after that, can you track down the creature. Saya will stay here, and protect my acolytes."

  Hanzo nodded and bowed. He had a brief exchange with his daughter, then was out of the room in a flash.

  Amara continued pacing. Everyone else remained quiet. That unnerved her. What were they thinking? Were they doubting her? Was Tinkaku right? Had she made a mistake?

  She was so absorbed in her thoughts, that she didn’t see Saya move. She only felt the firm hand on her shoulder forcing her to stop. She looked up to see Saya standing next to her. The female spy put her finger to her lips.

  "Be quiet," the girl whispered.

  Tinkaku was standing too, gripping his staff in both hands. Saya held out her hand and a black sword materialised within it. She seemed to be listening for something.

  Amara strained her ears, but heard nothing herself. She was about to ask the spy what exactly had spooked her, when Saya suddenly tightened her grip on Amara's clothes, and violently pulled the Priestess to the side.

  Amara yelped. Half a second later, the section of the floor she had been standing on exploded.

  The acolytes screamed, and Tinkaku spun his staff and turned to face the hole that had been created. A black object burst through the hole. Amara strained and got a decent look at it. It was a man moving with incredible speed. He ran straight for Tinkaku, then Amara perceived something else blur next to her.

  Saya.

  Saya intercepted the intruder, slashing downwards with her sword. The man hopped sideways, nimbly dodging her strike. Amara was able to see him clearly now. He was Chintari, and wore a black suit of armour that was cracked in several places.

  His angry face twisted with sick excitement as he scanned the room.

  "You're all here!" He cried. "I've made it!" He pulled out a blade from his scabbard and pointed it at the acolytes.

  "Vaku!" He screamed. A wall near the acolytes crumbled as a disgusting fleshy creature broke through. It attacked the acolytes.

  "Saya!" Amara screamed. "Protect the acolytes."

  Saya hesitated.

  "Go!" Amara shouted. She pulled a pistol from a holster on her thigh and fired at the Chintari intruder. "Go! Get them out. I'll be fine."

  Saya obeyed and rushed at the fleshy creature. Amara continued to fire at the intruder. He had a wispy cloak, which shifted in the air, blocking all her blaster bolts.

  Amara heard Tinkaku speaking, "I thought you wanted to talk to him first."

  Amara gritted her teeth. The safety of her people came first. Plus none of her shots were intended to be killing shots. She merely wanted to incapacitate the intruder.

  Tinkaku was thinking differently.

  He attacked the intruder with ferocity. The intruder evaded, then sneered at Tinkaku.

  "You sicken me," the intruder said. "A traitor to your own people. Though, considering your clan, I am not surprised."

  Tinkaku didn't respond. He just continued to attack with his staff, but the man was faster than him. The man dodged, stepped towards Tinkaku, and tried to stab him.

  "No!" Amara screamed.

  Tinkaku caught the man's hand at the wrist, and the intruder responded by headbutting him. Amara's friend stumbled backwards, blood flying out of his nose.

  Amara ran towards them.

  The intruder whirled on her and threw his dagger. Amara twisted, miraculously avoiding the projectile. Then she squeezed her trigger with all her might, but the man's cloak simply absorbed the blaster bolts.

  She had come too close to him. He lunged at her, grabbed her by the throat, lifted her and slammed her on the floor.

  Amara gasped in pain. The pistol clattered out of her hand. The intruder's sword shot back into his hand, and he smirked.

  He whispered, "Die."

  A sudden hail of blaster bolts pelted him. His cloak absorbed all, but it forced him to take a step back. Someone strong seized Amara by the shoulders and hoisted her up. She turned to see a smiling Blazecorra Kuto.

  "Hey," he said. "It's the cavalry."