Espio takes out a commlink with his free hand and the voice of Gerald speaks "General Espio, if you can hear me, we're through the blockade. The Separatist armada is in retreat. Your reinforcements should be landing in a moment". Espio looked up and saw Republic gunships flying overhead. One of them lands releasing Blaze and more clones "Your timing is perfect, Master Blaze".
Shadow sees the gunships as well and smiles before seeing Amy sitting on a step looking upset. He sits next to her and thinks for a moment what to say "You're reckless, little one. You never would have made it as Espio's apprentice". Amy looks disappointed in herself but a slight smile forms on Shadow's face "But you might make it as mine". Amy turns her head to look at him and her face light up. Shadow gestures for them to leave "Come on" the two get up and a gunship lands near by carrying Fang. The two of them board and Fang looks happily at them "Great job, General. You, too, kid" he says to Amy which makes her smile. The gunship takes them to Espio and Blaze who are waiting by a Republic cruiser which is dropping off more troops. The two go to meet them "Master Blaze" Shadow says respectfully, "Shadow, I hear you have a problem with your new apprentice. If you do not feel you are ready for the responsibility, then perhaps Espio can-". Shadow took a step forward "No, wait a minute. I admit Amy is a little rough round the edges. But with a great deal of training, and patience, she might amount to something". Blaze nodded "Then she will go with you to Little Planet". Shadow was confused "Little Planet? The badnik army isn't even in that sector". "Jun Kun's son has been kidnapped" Blaze answered, Shadow tried to hide his anger at hearing the name "You want me to rescue the Iron King's son?". Espio looked at him "Shadow, we'll need the Iron Dominion's allegiance to give us an advantage over Dimitri". Blaze nodded "Espio will negotiate a treaty with Jun. Your mission, Shadow, is to find the renegades that hold the child". Amy didn't understand what the problem was "Come on, Master, it doesn't sound so hard. I'll get the troops organised" she walked of. Espio smiled at Shadow "Don't worry, Shadow. Just teach her everything I taught you and she'll turn out fine". Shadow looked at him "You know, something makes me think this was your idea from the start" he leaves to follow Amy. Espio turns to Blaze "I hope he's ready for this responsibility" "He's ready to teach an apprentice. The greater challenge will be letting his pupil go". They both watch a gunship carrying Amy and Shadow take off "I best be on my way" Espio said before getting into to his fighter.
Inside the Iron Palace on Sandopolis Jun Kun sits on his throne when a bear enters and walks up next to him "Sir, the bounty hunters you sent have… returned". Jun looked hopeful before two guards entered carrying a stretcher which held four severed heads. Jun sighed and turned to one of his men "Contact the Supreme Chancellor immediately".
In his office Solaris speaks to a hologram of Jun "I demand to know why the Shinobi are not looking for my son" "Mighty Iron King, rest assured, the Shinobi are on their way". Jun glared at him "They better be if you want the Republic to have safe passage through my territory", Solaris frowned.
A Republic cruiser has just jumped out of hyperspace and heads towards Little Planet. Inside the hanger bay Shadow stands with Emerl in front of a shuttle that has just landed inside. Two clones, a bat and an ocelot exit the ship "Lieutenant, did anyone see you?" Shadow asked them. The ocelot shook his head "No, sir. We're the best scouts in the regiment" "What're we up against?". The bat took out a small disc which projected a hologram of the monastery "Looks like at least two badnik battalions protecting it. It's heavily fortified, sir, you won't be able to land there" "Good work. Get some rest". Shadow walks away and sees Amy talking to a group of clones that included Fang. "That sounds like a lot, even for a Shinobi. How'd you deal with them?" he heard one of them say to her. He got closer and heard Amy explain "Okay, so there's this wall behind him with a hole in the middle, so I pull the wall down on top of the badniks, destroying them and saving the General" Amy said pridefully. They all laughed, and Fang looked at Shadow "Is that true, sir?" "Most of it" he said rolling his eyes. Shadow looks to the other clones and turns serious "Alright, men, we still got a job to do", Fang nodded "Yes, sir. You heard the General, move it!" the clones scattered. Shadow smirked at Amy "Would now be a good time to teach you a Shinobi is humble, my young apprentice?" "Sorry, just trying to keep the boys inspired, is all".
Espio's fighter jumps out of hyperspace above Sandopolis, Scylla beeps nervously "Don't worry, I'm sure Jun's in a good mood". The ship enters the atmosphere and lands near the Iron Palace. Espio's gets out of the Fighter and two guards come to take him inside "Come with us. We should not keep the wise and powerful Iron King waiting" "I wouldn't dream of it". They take him into the throne room, and he stands before Jun. Espio bows before speaking "Mighty Iron King, one of our most powerful Shinobi is on his way to rescue your son. We will not let you down". Jun looks sceptical "I hope so. However, I have one more small condition. I demand you bring back the slime who kidnapped him in the first place! Dead or alive".
On Little Planet a group of Republic gunships soar through the sky. In the lead gunship Shadow, Amy and the clones are speaking to a hologram of Espio. "Here's the story. Jun Kun has given us only one planetary rotation to get his son back home to Sandopolis safe and sound. I want you to take extreme care. We have no idea who's holding him. Once I've finished negotiations with Jun, I'll join you" "Yes, Master". The gunships fly towards the monastery, but they started taking heavy fire from the tower's defences. Shadow turned to the pilot "Close the blast shields, Lieutenant! Get us under those guns!". The gunships landed at the bottom of the mountain cliffside, some of them releasing walker tanks. All the clones and Shinobi jumped out and charged for the base of the cliff for cover. "This is where the fun begins" Amy said, Shadow smiled "Race you to the top". Amy smugly looked at him "I'll give you a head start" "Your mistake".
The clones fired ascension cables to climb while Shadow and Amy used the vines. The walkers attached their feet to the cliffside and began walking straight up. While Shadow is covering the clones behind him Amy sees one of the walkers get hit and detach from the cliff causing to fall back down to the ground. She jumps onto another walker's front and protects it from incoming fire. Eggrobos then pass around the mountain and fire at the walker's feet causing it to lose grip and hang from the cliffside. Amy falls and holds onto part of the walker for dear life. Shadow seeing this, jumps back down onto the walker. He leaps off it towards the Eggrobos who come round for another pass. He jumps from one to the other taking them out as he does. Once he reaches the final one, he grabs onto it's back to control where it goes. He directs it back to the walker which has reattached itself to the cliff. He flies past Amy "Gotta keep up!" he flies right up the cliff towards the monastery. He leaps off the Eggrobos and immediately cuts through all the badniks. However, three Gammas appear at the door of the monastery, before Shadow can do anything a blast destroys them. He turns around and sees Amy standing on the walker which has now reached the top. He chuckles "Thought you'd never get here, Snips". Fang and the others reach the top and he orders the gunships to stay at a safe distance. Above them on a balcony Lien-Da who was wearing a cloak and a silver humanoid robot were watching them. "The badniks have done their part. Now it's your turn" she says to the robot. Shadow, Amy and Fang examine one of the badniks "No way these are renegades. I sense Dimitri has a hand in this. Let's go find the ox and get out of here" Shadow said. Amy didn't look worried "No problem, the hard parts over" "I wish you didn't say that" Shadow replied pessimistically.