Andy glanced around, trying to get a sense of the troops. Her eyes began glowing as she counted the indavers.

Stinger paused as he saw her eyes. "What the hell?"

"It's a technique I learned on Eshana.."

"Kind of scary. But maybe Jark will get spooked too."

"Did you ever see the reports of the planets of Jark just dropping dead?"

"Yeah. Don't remember glowing eyes though." He shrugged. "Who cares? Let's just wipe these assholes out and go home already."

Andy nodded and began dropping indavers.

She was so focused on what was ahead of her she didn't sense the man appearing behind her. She felt pain erupting in her back, making her begin to fall forward.

"Andy!" Stinger yelled before attacking the man with his spear. "You're going to wish you had never done that!"

The man smiled as he quickly dodged Stinger's attacks. He moved fast, grabbing onto Stinger's tail with one hand and an arm with the other. He then kicked the scorpion down.

The air slammed out of Stinger, leaving him stunned for a moment. Then he hissed, trying to sting the man.

Andy struggled toward them, weakly throwing kunai which the man easily dodged.

He moved swiftly, catching a kunai and moving to her side. He held it to her throat and looked at Stinger, "If you want her to live, stand down."

"Don't do it! Take him out," Andy yelled, trying to kick back at the man.

Stinger rose to his knees, freezing as he heard the threat. He looked at the man's face, then raised his hands in surrender.

"Good." The man pointed to a few indavers who came and grabbed Stinger. The man led Andy to a cell, waiting for them to throw Stinger in before pushing her in behind him. He then disappeared down the hall.

Andy had fallen when pushed, so she struggled to get to her feet.

Stinger grabbed her in a hug. "Are you alright?"

She winced, "Fine other than my back." He could see blood soaking the back of her shirt. "You should have taken him out."

"He would have killed you." He tore his shirt off and made a bandage for the injury. "You should rest. I'll try to find an escape route."

Andy nodded slowly, not wanting to argue.

Stinger started examining the cell, frowning as he did. Finally, he approached the bars, reaching out to touch them. A light flashed and he fell backwards unconscious.

Andy went to him, checking him over before moving him to where his head was resting in her lap.

After a while, the man from before appeared outside their cell, introducing himself as Tarjak. He smirked as he pulled Andy from the cell, pushing her into another room and leaving Stinger on the floor still unconscious.

Sometime later, the scorpion woke and panicked at finding himself alone. He pushed himself to his feet and growled at the indavers guarding the cell.

After a while, Tarjak returned to the cell, smirking at Stinger.

"Where is she?!"

"Oh, don't worry about her. She's having lots of fun."

"I'm going to kill you." Stinger hissed, coming close to the bars but not touching them.

"Go right ahead and try," the man opened the cell and stepped in, quickly backhanding Stinger and knocking him to the ground. The scorpion was lifted to his feet before being punched.

The man sighed and waved the indavers in, "Have your fun with him." He watched as Stinger was kicked and beaten. Finally he smiled, "That's enough for now. Don't want him to die on us just yet."

Tarjak ushered out the indavers and left Stinger laying on the floor.

About twenty minutes later an unconscious Andy who looked like she'd been tortured was brought into the cell.

Stinger crawled toward her.

After a few minutes she cracked her eyes open, looking around in confusion.

"Hey, don't move sweetheart." Stinger brushed her hair away from her face. "I'm here."

Andy looked him over and noticed the bruises starting to form. She put a hand on him and began pushing energy into him.

He took her hand and shook his head. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine but you aren't. Now rest unless you can heal yourself."

She tried to focus, her eyes slightly flashing before flickering out. She sighed, "Can't heal myself."

"Rest then. I'll figure a way out of this." He held her close, his mind racing.

She nodded slowly, whispering, "I love you."

"I love you too. Don't you die on me."

Andy nodded again, closing her eyes and struggling to take a deep breath.

Stinger cursed softly, trying to come up with a plan.

Soon, explosions could be felt rocking the building.

Andy struggled to sit up, trying to figure out what was happening.

Stinger turned toward her. "I don't know who's attacking. Hopefully, it's the team."

Soon, the door to the cell swung open, Balance and Naga standing there looking in.

"Found you!" Balance said.

Naga frowned as he noticed how bad the pair looked. "Let's get them to the infirmary."

Stinger shook his head. "Get her there. I'm going to find the bastard and make him regret his existence."

"A ship just left orbit. It might have been the guy you're talking about," Naga informed.

"Dammit!" Stinger cursed, coughing violently. He dimly registered blood on the floor and panicked shouts, then darkness.

Andy weakly moved to him, pushing energy into him.

"Let's get you to the ship," Balance lifted her as Naga took Stinger.

Once in ShiShi voyager, she continued to push energy into Stinger until she passed out.

Balance and Naga got them to the infirmary and began patching up what they could.

Tet entered, watching worriedly. "How bad?"

"He had mostly just a lot of bruising but a few broken ribs and a punctured lung. It looks like Andy healed the lung up. He should be fine after some rest and the bones heal. She's not good but will probably live. Multiple bruises, broken ribs, broken arm, nasty wound on her back and what appears to be a few whip marks," Balance updated.

"Any idea who captured them?"

"No idea, some guy who works for Jark is all we know. I'm sure they know more."

"Tar..jak." Stinger's slow, pained voice spoke. He attempted to stand up. "I'm going to kill him."

"Why don't you get some rest first?" Balance pushed him gently back into the bed.

Stinger weakly fought him, his eyes blazing. "I'm fine! Let me go!"

Tet facepalmed.

Naga silently injected Stinger with a sedative.

"Let…" The scorpion slumped to the bed.

"I'll see if Shou has any info on this Tarjak. Restrain him and keep me updated." Tet left the infirmary shaking his head.

Andy woke with a groan. She glanced around and noticed Stinger in the next bed over. She pushed herself up and went to him, healing his broken bones and starting on the bruises.

"You should be resting," Naga entered.

"I'm fine."

"That's what he said before I sedated him."

Andy sighed and stumbled back to her bed, soon falling back to sleep.

Stinger growled as he woke to find himself restrained. "Let me out of these, damnit!"

"Tet gave me orders to keep you here," Balance answered. "Sorry."

The scorpion kept pulling on the restraints, growing more agitated. "Let me out!" His eyes were unfocused, his breathing rapid.

Andy let out a small groan at the noise. She opened her eyes slightly and tried to look over at him. She eventually pushed herself up and went to him, "It's okay. Just rest."

He was hyperventilating now, his words garbled as he panicked. The only words understandable were "not helping you". His wrists were becoming bloody as he fought desperately to escape.

Balance came over with a sedative and injected it while Andy worked on healing Stinger's wrists.

"Just rest, love," Andy said softly before kissing his cheek.

"Must..protect adotante.." Stinger relaxed, his head falling to the side.

Andy sighed, sitting beside him. When she eventually dozed off, Balance moved her back to her bed.

Tet entered, scowling. "Guess who Tarjak is."

Balance looked up at the half Sasori ranger.

"The new fucking leader of Jark Matter."

"Guess it's good they made it out alive then."

"Yeah. But what happens if there's a next time?" Tet went to Stinger's side. "He been awake?"

"Kept yelling to let him out and rubbed his wrists raw. Sedated him again and Andy healed his wrists."

"I hate doing it to him, but if he runs off, he might end up dead or worse."

Balance nodded. "And she just keeps trying to heal him."

"Tempted to restrain her too. She's too weak to take off, but she isn't doing herself any favors by healing him while being injured."

"Do you think she'll take off when she does have the strength?"

"If she thinks it'll protect us? Damn straight she will, and probably get shot down and captured again."

Balance sighed, "We can't keep them both restrained forever."

"I know." Tet sat down and ran a hand through his hair. "Why are they so damn willing to throw away their lives?"

Balance shook his head, "Past issues?"

"Didn't expect it from her."

"All I know is she lost her family except Hammy, and then Hammy now having issues.."

"Yeah. Hammy's injury really messed her up."

"Andy seems to want to be able to heal everyone. Not being able to heal Hammy must have been hard for her," Naga spoke up, having entered a few minutes before.

"Didn't help that Stinger forced her to stay and then Hammy apparently pushed her to leave." Tet sighed and put his face in his hands. "I can't handle this."

"You aren't alone," Naga reminded.

"Thanks. When do you think he can take over?"

"Whenever he can wake up calmly," Balance answered.

"Okyu." Tet slowly stood and left.

Andy eventually woke again, pushing herself up out of bed. She took a painkiller before sitting beside Stinger and watching him quietly. Naga looked up at her with a small frown but stayed quiet since she wasn't using up energy to heal Stinger.

Stinger woke slowly, blinking his eyes and looking around. His eyes landed on Andy and he gave a sigh of relief. He tried to sit up and looked confused when he couldn't. "Did I get hurt that bad?"

"You were pretty bad. I've healed a lot of it up. Don't forget, you're also in restraints."

He froze. "Did I hurt anyone?"

Andy looked over at Naga who shook his head.

"You were going to get yourself killed," Naga spoke up.

"I've been asleep most of the time, but you woke up and were freaking out last time I was up."

"Sorry." He looked down at the blanket. "Anything happen while I was out?"

"It's been quiet," Naga reported. "We have intel though that Tarjak is the new leader of Jark Matter."

Stinger growled. "Not for long because I'm going to fill him with so much poison, the ground he gets buried in will die."

"Calm down, love. We'll get to him when you're fully healed," Andy said softly.

"Let me out? I need to hold you."

Andy undid the restraints and wrapped her arms around him.

He did the same, his tail around her leg. He clung to her, his body calming.

"Uh guys? Please tell me Stinger is awake because we just had a voyager land in the bay. And I've never seen it before." Tet's cautious voice came over the comm.

Andy looked confused before pulling away, "New voyager? Is there a new ranger?"

"That's usually what it means, sweetheart." Stinger touched the comm. "I'm up, Tet. I'll see about greeting our new teammate." He tried to slide off the bed but swayed before reaching the floor.

Andy wrapped an arm around him with a small smile, "I'm not much help, but I'll try to keep you upright."

He huffed, then kissed her. He shakily stood and headed for the door.

Andy kept holding onto him, her own legs a bit shaky.

He paused at the door to the bay. "I'm nervous."

"It'll be alright. Hopefully they'll get along with us fine and become friends. Just have to be nice in the first place."

His lips quirked up. "Not the way I joined, but you're right like always." He tapped the code and the doors slid open.

A voyager sat facing them, a toucan emblazoned on the green glass. They could see a figure, but it wasn't moving.

Andy pulled away from Stinger, approaching the voyager and opening the door. She looked in to get a better sense of the person inside.

A young man dressed in orange robes lay beaten and unconscious. He had a seiza blaster on his wrist.

Andy scanned him over, searching to see how bad the injuries were. She looked out, "We need to get him to the infirmary. You and I probably can't carry him right now though."

"Balance?" Stinger called on the comm. "Need help getting our newbie to the infirmary."

Balance soon appeared and lifted the man. He carried him to the infirmary where Andy began bandaging him up before pushing energy into him. She began to sway, her own injuries still affecting her.

Stinger sat her down before sitting beside her. "Just relax. They've got this." He looked over at the new ranger and chuckled. "This is going to be interesting."

Andy looked at him tiredly, "Why?"

"He's a monk. Probably from Dayama."

Andy nodded, "Does sound interesting."

"Think you can make it to your room?"

"I guess. What if he needs more help though?"

"You want to stay here? Let's get you on a bed then."

Andy sighed but nodded, "Alright."

Stinger gave her a smile. "Watch this." He went over and pushed two beds together and connected them. "What do you think?"

She gave him a small smile, "Are you going to rest too?"

"Hell yes. I feel so weak, it's a wonder I'm standing." He waved her over.

Andy weakly made her way to the bed, slowly climbing in.

He followed, wrapping his tail around her leg and his arms around her waist. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Andy curled into him, falling asleep soon after.

She woke, breathing heavily from having a nightmare. She looked around and slowly calmed down before glancing at the new ranger to check on him.

Dark eyes met hers calmly. "Are you leader of the Kyurangers?"

"He's our Commander," Andy pointed to Stinger. "I'm just a medic. How are you feeling?"

"Much better. Do you know why this came to me?" He pulled a kyutama from the sleeve of his robe.

Andy shrugged, "The kyutama's choose people. I'm not sure why yours picked you, but there must be some good reason."

"I am not a fighter."

"You don't have to fight. There's a lot of the team that doesn't fight anymore. You don't need to fight to help people, and that's what we're ultimately about."

He bowed his head. "Thank you. My name is Kai."

"I'm Andy."

He carefully sat up and looked at her. "The crew here are interesting."

She smiled, "Yeah, we are an interesting bunch."

Stinger began to mutter in his sleep, his forehead furrowed.

Andy looked over at him and ran a hand through his hair gently to try to calm him.

Kai watched in concern. "He is troubled like this often?"

Andy sighed and nodded, "He has a lot of nightmares."

Kai slid off the bed and approached slowly. "May I?"

She nodded, "Go ahead."

He laid a hand on Stinger's head and concentrated. A green light enveloped the scorpion and the muttering stopped. After a few minutes, the monk stepped back and the green light dissipated.

"Thank you."

Kai bowed. "I am still learning. But my Master said I was skilled at calming hurt people."

"Well, that's always useful, especially around here."

"I will attempt to be a useful person."

Andy chuckled, "Just be yourself, don't try too hard."

A smile flitted across his face. "Be myself before I became a monk or after?"

"Whatever you wish."

He gave her another smile, then reached inside a pouch on his waist. Pulling out a bag of bread remnants, he hopped on the bed he'd been using. "What is your role here?"

"Do you want more food? I can cook you something," she offered. "I'm a medic, but I cook a lot and fight too."

He looked confused. "Don't medics stay in the infirmary? And only if it isn't a hassle for you. I do not wish to be a bother."

"On my planet, medics need to know how to fight because we do most of our healing on the battlefield." She pushed herself up off the bed. "Come on, I'll show you to the kitchen."

He bowed his head, following her. "I am in a state of confusion."

"Sorry.. How can I help?"

"My Master and temple are gone. Does this mean I am no longer a monk? Have I been released from my vows?"

Andy frowned, "You can be whatever you want to be. Do you still wish to be a monk? If so, find or build a new temple. If not, find something else to do."

"I wish to defend others."

"Then you're in a good place for that. But defending normally involves fighting. Are you up for that?"

"I never said I couldn't fight. I merely said I am not a fighter. My skills are not in that area. We are trained to defend the temple and our village if needed."

Andy nodded, "If you want to fight, we can train you." She started cooking, throwing ingredients into a pan.

He bowed again, then seated himself.

Stinger came in and smiled at him. "Feeling better?"

Kai nodded. "Are you?"

Stinger raised an eyebrow. "That was you?"

Kai dipped his head with a chuckle. "You were agitated. I merely calmed you."

Stinger bowed. "Thank you." He turned to Andy. "How are you doing, sweetheart?"

"Still really sore but hungry," she chuckled as she plated up some food. She handed them both a plate before sitting down with her own.

Kai murmured a prayer before beginning to eat. He stared at her in disbelief.

Stinger laughed. "Think you broke him, sweetheart." He began eating with a smile.

Andy chuckled and continued to eat.

Kai ate ravenously, barely stopping to breathe. His plate was empty before Stinger was half done.

"Do you want more?" Andy smiled.

He dropped his eyes. "Only if I am not depriving anyone else."

Andy rolled her eyes and went to fill his plate again.

Stinger sighed and shook his head, picking his plate up and going to her side. "Don't get touchy with his attitude. Monks eat whatever is left as an offering by the village. With Jark, it probably wasn't much left to be offered. And they are trained to be beyond humble and not to be greedy."

Andy nodded, "Alright."

Stinger kissed her cheek, then placed his plate in the sink. "Going to relieve Tet before he loses his mind completely." He left the kitchen as Kai remained at the table, his eyes far away.

Andy took him the plate quietly and sat back down.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No, why would you be?"

"He was speaking to you privately." Kai began eating, his face downcast.

"Well, he is my boyfriend, we talk privately sometimes," Andy chuckled. "He was just telling me a bit about monks and that you probably weren't used to eating much."

Kai nodded, his mouth full. When he had swallowed, he answered. "That bag of bread was all that was salvageable after we were destroyed. I have only been eating a small amount each day for two weeks."

Andy sighed, "I understand that. I was on my own for a couple years and often went days without eating. That's one of the reasons I started staying here, honestly. The free food."

Kai stopped eating. "I promise to be as unobtrusive as possible. All I require is a mat to sleep on somewhere and whatever food is not eaten at the end of the day."

"Honestly, eat whatever you want. And I'll show you to a room."

"You do not need to show me such kindness."

"You're part of the team now, you get your own room," she answered. "And I'm just this nice to everyone."

He gave her a shy smile before wincing.

"Let me heal you up a bit more," she smiled before moving to his side, holding her hands up and pushing blue light into him.

"You are truly kind. You would have been a good monk."

She chuckled, "I don't think I'd be good at it."

"You are humble, you think of others before yourself. You fight to defend the helpless. A true embodiment of the Buddha."

She gave him a small smile as she continued to heal him.

His eyes were heavy and he caught himself from hitting the table. "I believe my reserves of strength have dissipated."

"Let's get you to your room." She offered a hand to help him up.

He took it gratefully, then asked "Are there any undesired extra clothes?"

"I'll see what I can find you," she smiled. "I'll try to have it ready before you wake up."

He bowed, then swayed as he rose.

She wrapped an arm around him and helped him to an empty room.

"I thank you." The monk pushed himself to the bed, his eyes closing as he hit the pillow.

She went to find him some extra clothes and left it outside his door before going to her own room and passing out.

Stinger opened the door several hours later and grinned as he saw her. Closing the door again, he headed back to the bridge.