Azula Amongst the Stars

by CrimsonKaiju

Azula goes into hiding in the earth kingdom to escape imprisonment from Zuko and is being chased by the Avatar but after a strange ship from the sky crash lands Azula finds herself on board when it takes off unwillingly taking her into the stars with it. Now Azula finds herself amongst a crew of alien creatures traversing strange alien worlds.

12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Angara twisting and flipping a knife between her fingers as she sat at one of the many tables of the galley in restrained fury not paying attention to what went on around her. All day she's dealt with crew members approaching to confirm what they heard about her duel with Azula to be true and a few taunting her for losing a fight with a primitive teenager, those she dealt with by delivering bloody noses or black eyes.

"YES SCORE!!!" Sev cheered as he watched a game on one of the many holo screens, the shout snapped Angara out of her stupor who promptly stabbed the table on pure instinct.

Chani sitting next to her jumped at the knife, "Um… Angara. I don't think the table is trying to hurt you."

Angara scowled and snarled at the girl as she pulled the blade free, splintering the wood of the table.

"Gara kash ka Azula torari." Gax whispered to his sister.

"I get that she's mad at her but can't she find a healthier way of dealing with it that doesn't involve sharp objects."

"That's just how she process's stuff, breaks things until she's calm." Sev said never taking his eyes off the screen.

"I do not do that!" Angara said while absent mindedly stabbing the table again, "Okay, maybe I do that a little, but can you blame me? What that little brat did to me is spreading all around the station like wildfire. She's tanking my rep!"

Sev finally managed to peel his eyes away from the screen, "Geez you're still on that? Relax Angara, it's happy hour and your attitude right now is sapping away all my happy."

"I agree." Chani said, "All of this negativity you're bottling up is making your inner thalm radiate so much red which isn't good for your skin at all."

Angara narrowed her eyes at Chani, "You saying I have bad skin?"

Chani didn't answer immediately, "Well… uh…"

"Gax! Your sister's trash talking my skin! You just gonna let that slide?"

Gax gave her a plain look and calmly said, "Gesh." which translated to yes and was one of the very few words from him she understood.

"I just think that maybe you should find a positive outlet for your anger." Chani said diplomatically.

A somewhat inebriated alien stepped up with slurred speech and breath reeking of alcohol, "Hey Angara! I heard you got yer ass kicked by some kid! I… I thought you were supposed to be tough or something!"

Angara grabbed him by the bangs of his long hair and effortlessly slammed his face against the table and watched as he crumbled to the floor.

"That tough enough for you!?" Angara scowled at her and spoke rudely as a few other members of the crew collected the injured drunk, "What are you my therapist? If I want your sappy advice I'll ask for it, Chani."

As always any attempt Chani made towards being friendly to Angara ended with hostility, she doesn't even know why she bothers. Chani always finds joy in spending time with her brother and Sev however she would often find Angara not too far behind and would invite herself into their company which Chani found to be less than pleasant as the Ke'Kuvon bounty hunter was always rude, often spoke about doing violent things to people she disliked and made no attempt towards empathy to anyone, especially Chani.

Gax tossed some nuts from a bowl at her and shouted with annoyance at her.

"Alright! Fine, sorry! I didn't mean anything by it."

Gax would often intervene if Angara's words became too harsh as one of the few things that made Gax angry was Chani being picked on.

Angara went back to flipping her knife and drank from her glass looking at it with dissatisfaction deciding she needed something stronger.

She turned to one of the galleys' waiter bots, floating flat cylinder shaped machines that used their flat bodies as treys to deliver orders, "Waiter bot! Get me a jar of Mi'beck!"

The robot floated away in acknowledgement.

"Breaking out the heavy stuff already?" Sev said while watching his game.

"I feel like burning my throat today." She sheathed the knife and got up, "Going to the bathroom, don't drink my stuff if it gets here before I do."

"Nobody wants to drink your battery acid." Sev assured while still watching his game then cringed in disappointment, "Come on! That had to be a foul ball!"

After turning in Azula's pistol the captain dragged her to the galley. It was a large and spacious cavern at the heart of the main asteroid that had once been a mining chamber back when the station was a mining outpost but renovated into a recreational mess hall. Lights were bolted to the ceiling and walls, occupied circular tables were scattered all throughout the floor with waiter bots floating between them, and the bar was built into the farthest wall near the kitchen with an open space near one corner dedicated to recreational activities. Screens displaying various moving images dotted the area. The air was filled with hearty laughter and chatter as people enjoyed their food and drinks with music playing from speakers all around.

Azula has been to this place a few times but only for meals and especially not to socialize with these peasants.

My'Rell quite literally dragged Azula to the bar were commander Suldon sat. His squid-like form peeked out of an opening at the top of his suits tank allowing him to feed.

"Captain." His suit greeted before his three eyes focused on Azula still in a firm headlock, "Uh… what's this all about?"

"Oh this? I'm just making sure my widdle baby girl eats her food so she grows up all big and strong." My'Rell said in a babying voice and pinched her cheek.

Azula violently ripped herself out of the captain's grasp, "Okay, I get it! No more mother jokes!"

My'Rell only chuckled as Azula did her best to fix her now disheveled appearance before giving context for the station commander, "She was being a smart mouth so I had to embarrass her a little."

"That was more than a little." Azula pouted while fixing her topknot.

"And now you know your captain can play this game too. Now sit down and get some chow in you."

Azula turned to find a different table.

"Not gonna sit with us princess?" Commander Suldon asked.

"If I'm not mistaken I am a private, to sit with higher ranking officers would be insulting to my superiors. I will find somewhere more fitting of my station." She said, giving a slight bow of the head before attempting to leave.

This was true in the fire nation however she was mainly using this as an excuse to get away from the captain.

"Nonsense." My'Rell pulled her into the seat, "I want to speak with my sharpshooter in training, see how well you're doing."

Azula narrowed her eyes at the captain, "Is that an order?"

"I can make it one."

Azula rolled her eyes and reluctantly stayed.

The machine that housed commander Suldon's squid-like body laughed, "At least she respects rank."

"So, how have you been? Everyone treating you well? No unexpected surprises with your bending?"

"I'm fine and no, my bending is the same as it ever was, relatively speaking. Once I have a routine settled I'll be able to adapt adequately."

"Good, good." The captain said nonchalantly as the bartender approached with a drink for Suldon.

The bartender was a tall thin woman with gray skin covered in blue stripes, had four arms and tendrils growing out of head tied up in a ponytail, "What can I get ya captain?" She asked in a horse voice.

"Bottle of squig for me and a glass of fruit juice for her and whatever she wants to eat." My'Rell said patting Azula's shoulder.

She didn't like that the captain was ordering her drink for her, "Just give me that mushroom rice I've been having since I got here."

"You mean volk?" The bartender asked.

"Yes that."

Volk was a type of fungi that resembled rice and was the closest thing to food she was used to, even though it had a rubbery texture she hated.

"Coming right up." The bartender pulled up a cube shaped bottle and a glass for the captain then left.

"You invite me to the bar yet you don't let me order my own drink." Azula commented.

"Minors like you can't drink alcohol until you're twenty. At least while I'm running this station." She began pouring herself a glass, "Plus, a drunk fire bender sounds like a safety hazard."

Azula blew air out her nose from that comment, "I've had alcohol before, captain."

"So you were allowed to drink on your planet?" She drank from her glass

"Not necessarily. Every now and then I would sneak a bottle of rice wine out of my father's private collection."

"Did he ever catch you?"

"Almost. Thankfully my brother was there for me to shift the blame on." She chuckled at the memory as the bartender gave her her drink, "Father was so furious."

"I'm sure your brother didn't find it so funny."

"Oh no, I'm sure he still holds that against me. Amongst other things."

"Like what?" My'Rell asked curiously.

Azula felt this was an opportune time to give the captain hee thoughts on her brother and maybe gloat a bit, "Well for starters, he's always been jealous of me because I was better than him at just about everything; fire bending, calligraphy, history. You name it and I could do it better than he ever could." She drank her strange fruit juice, "He was weak and a failure at everything. Honestly, I could go all day listing all of his inadequacies but that would get old real quickly." The bartender brought her food and she continued, "My father saw that better than anyone else and it embarrassed him to no end to know he was next in line for the throne, at least until he was banished."

This caught My'Rell's attention, "What did he get banished for?"

Azula shook her head at the memory of it, "He made an embarrassment of himself and our family before important members of our military and as a recompense he was to take part in an Agni Kai against our father."

"Agni kai?"

"An honor duel."

"Oh, okay. So your culture respects honorable combat, just like the Ke'Kuvon."

Azula didn't appreciate the comparison of her culture's honorable combat to the savage street fight that was her duel with Angara, "Anyway, he refused to fight our father and spat in the face of our traditions so father taught him a lesson and banished him until he could restore his honor and even then he couldn't do it on his own and needed my help." She still left out the existence of the Avatar then scoffed as more memories came to her.

"So you helped your brother? That was sweet of you. Even if you two didn't get along very well."

"I did it out of necessity. I needed a little help in defeating an enemy that stood in the way of my conquest of Ba Sing Se and he happened to be there."

My'Rell creased her brow, "Wait, I thought you said you took Ba Sing Se all by yourself."

Azula forgot she excluded her companions and mentally scolded herself for not remembering.

"Alright fine, you caught me. I had help taking the city."

"Now that sounds more believable than what you told me." The captain teased.

"They don't deserve the glory." Azula said, spite present in her tone, "They betrayed me, all of them. I went through the trouble of helping him restore his honor and how does he repay me? He runs off the day our country is invaded to join the enemy, helps to dethrone our father and lock me away. The worst part of it is that there was hope for Zuko now, he could have actually been something but no. Our uncle poisoned his mind and encouraged his confusion. I think I blame him more than anyone else."

"There's something else you and Angara have in common. Uncles you hate. At least you're free now, so there's that."

"I suppose. Being here is definitely much better than being on the run." Azula began eating her strange food, hating the texture, "I do enjoy this air conditioning you have here, I'd normally have my servants fan me when the heat becomes too dreadful yet out here in the stars even the peasants live with the luxuries of nobility."

She looked out into the galley watching all of the crew enjoying themselves, all dirty peasants unbefitting of her presence yet living with just as much if not more comfort than she ever had due to scientific innovation.

"Even if they are undignified." She commented after seeing two aliens fall over drunk from some sort of drinking game, "Honestly, why do you come here and fraternize with those below you when you can just take your meals in your quarters undisturbed?"

My'Rell turned to look on into the galley with her, "What and miss out on seeing who losses the drink off? What's the use of having a bar on the station if I can't come down here after hours, down some drinks and watch the game with the people keeping us going?"

"You're a superior. You should be setting an example for your underlings to follow, pretending to be their friends will only encourage improper behavior and disregard of rank." Azula said with an upturned nose as she took another bite.

"And if you lord over them like a dictator you foster resentment instead of comradery. Make no mistake Azula, I treat everyone here like a friend and equal but at the end of the day everyone here knows that my word is law and everybody has a job that I expect them to accomplish."

Azula shook her head at that notion, responses like that makes her think that My'Rell and her uncle would probably get along nicely and it made her sick to her stomach.

"Even the Death's Head members?"

My'Rell's demeanor shifted to one of apprehension, "I'll be a little harder on the Death's Head members, just until they prove themselves worthwhile. Duritax may have paid them well but I don't think comradery was promoted very well under him."

"Speaking of this Duritax, what does he even look like? I've been told he and his son are a big deal yet I don't even know what they look like."

My'Rell reached for her communicator, "They've got a bounty on their heads somewhere in the galaxy. Let me find them." Her communicator projected a holographic image of various bounties and cycled through them until she found what she was looking for.

Before her she saw the transparent image of Duritax, her face wrinkling in disgust at his long wrinkled face, his four eyes, chin tentacles and leathery green skin.

"He's hideous. I don't think I've ever seen a creature so profoundly ugly before in my life." Azula said in revulsion before noticing another member of the same race sitting two stools away scowling at her.

Instead of apologizing for her words she looked him in all four of his eyes and stated, "I meant what I said."

The alien took his drink and left grumbling to himself.

My'Rell couldn't contain her laughter and called out to him, "Forgive her Davos, she's just ignorant." She laughed a little bit more, "That was terrible, I should not be laughing at that." She swiped to the next image, "This one is Courtix."

Azula looked at the image seeing the same kind of creature only bigger, more muscular with yellowish brown skin, one of his outer eyes was scarred and blind along with one of his chin tendrils being cleaved in half. Where Duritax had a calm calculated scowl in his mugshot, Courtix had a wild look of untamed aggression with a furious snarl set in his features.

"So this is the man who's going to be gunning for me."

"I doubt he knows you're the one who delivered the killing blow, unless you've been bragging about it to people outside the storm." My'Rell said, putting the device away.

"It may have came up while I was at the Ke'Kuvon camp." She admitted and received a flat judgmental look from the captain.

"You are definitely not going to be walking around unsupervised outside the station now." My'Rell took another drink.

"So does that mean I won't be doing any jobs anytime soon? I'm anxious to put my fire bending to good use."

My'Rell decided to tell her of the deal she struck with Angara, no point in keeping it a secret, "This is what you wanted, right? To have our best as your mentor?"

"Partially, yes it would be great to learn from the best but unfortunately the best is… that woman." Azula said flatly.

"I wasn't too convinced it was a good idea either." My'Rell admitted, finishing her glass.

"So what is this job that she and I must prove ourselves with?"

"Don't know yet. I haven't had a chance to look for one I think would be suited for your skill level."

"Well I hope you don't pick one that's too easy. There's no use if there's no challenge."

"An easy job will be serviceable, the challenge is you and Angara playing nice long enough to properly work together. Think you can do that?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, she is a formidable warrior and our run in with the laugh cats showed that we can work together, so yes I believe I can hold back on my very true observations of her. At least until after the job is done."

My'Rell gave her a satisfied smile, "Good."

Just as they concluded their conversation Sev could be heard shouting cheers as he watched a game on one of the many holographic screens.

"I think you've suffered enough from your mother's company, little pup. Go hang out with your friends."

Azula scowled at both the nickname and the mother comment, rolling her eyes as she left the captain's company, "They aren't my friends. We're just colleges."

Sev was completely entranced with the game he watched as the two amphibious siblings chat with each other.

"This fabricator is really saving us so much money on materials." Chani said, "We could put all the units we save into a budget for that secondary science lab Lectro has been talking about."

"MA CHIN'GARA KA ISHNI?" Gax questioned before sipping his drink.

"No, that's on the SeCore. He's been wanting a more permanent lab on the station so he doesn't always have to be bound to the ship." Chani explained.

"MARKARA KAREEN?"

"No he would still have the lab on the ship but he would also have the lab in the station."

"DESH KA MENARI!"

"Yes I know, that's the main reason why the captain keeps rejecting it because then he'd have two labs to himself. I think we should make it a communal lab, that way it wouldn't just be him using it.

"HEGENA ICH MANI'KA!"

"He's not the only scientist. Dr. Bevel could use it too."

"Doesn't she have an infirmary? Both on the ship and on the station?" Sev asked, still paying more attention to the game.

Chani pouted, "I'm just trying to find out a way in which this can work out for everyone and you guys aren't helping!"

"Well, sometimes you can't help everyone." He continued watching his sports until it cut to commercial and he gave her his full attention, "So how's having the firespitter as a roommate."

Chani's bubbly demeanor became less enthusiastic, "Oh… uh… you know. She's… great! Just great."

"You don't sound too enthusiastic."

"She's still adapting to this new lifestyle so it's bound to be a difficult transition."

Gax narrowed his large eyes at her, "TARAGA GA MAKNIKA!"

"What? No. I'm not making excuses for her. Don't be silly!" She waved off, "Although, she can be a little…" She paused trying to find the right word to describe her, "...Intense."

Sev furrowed his metal brow, "Intense how?"

"I don't really know how to describe it. I just feel that when I'm around her her inner thalm gives off this oppressive wave of negative miasma."

Sev and Gax looked at each other in confusion, "Chani. We love ya, but we don't understand any of that hippie talk."

"I'm just saying that being around her feels like being around a sleeping Theron." She took a drink from her glass of water, "She's not all bad though. She cleans up after herself and likes to keep things orderly."

"That's good at least. Nobody likes a messy roommate." Sev said before turning his attention back to the holovid when the game came back on.

"Although when she cleans she often rearranges my stuff… without asking."

"Yeah that's neat." Sev said, his full attention on the game before shooting up from his seat and cheering, "YEEEAAAHHH!"

Azula bobbed and weaved her way out of the crowd to their table taking a seat and greeted them, "Evening everyone."

Chani didn't see her appear and jumped from fright.

"Oh Azula! Hello! How long have you been here?" Chani asked, hoping she didn't hear anything.

"I just sat down. Why?"

"Oh nothing! Nothing at all." She tried her best to act as though she wasn't just talking about her, "What brings you here? You don't usually come here at this time."

Azula rolled her eyes, "The captain dragged me here against my will, literally, and since I'm here I might as well have dinner."

"Should've came yesterday. It was karaoke night." Sev still didn't look away.

She noticed how Sev paid more attention to the screen than her words, "What are you watching?"

"Grav Ball." He said quickly as if the name alone explained everything, "My team, the Xaveron Ace's, are tied with the Palinon Strikers. I've got five hundred riding on this game and I plan on getting me some new toys for the workshop." His face lit up as an alien on the screen wearing a green and yellow uniform floated through a glass tunnel towards a goal while holding a bright red ball.

From what Azula could tell this game took place in zero gravity and the goal was to get the ball through what looked like a finish line. Sev stood up from his seat cheering the player on in euphoric glee as the player was seconds away from entering the goal, until another player wearing a blue and orange uniform soared into him at great speed shoulder bashing him in the stomach, taking the ball and using his body as a springboard to enter the goal himself.

Sev's delighted expression dropped immediately and his cheers of joy turned to screams of sorrow as Gax jumped in the back cheering for the opposite team.

"I suppose that means you lost." Azula said as she watched a dejected Sev return to his seat.

"Yup." He grabbed a bottle of squig and poured himself a tall glass before downing it, "Why did I even bet on the Ace's? They suck! They haven't had a good win in a while."

"Didn't you say it was because you liked rooting for the underdog?" Chani said.

Sev fished out several units from his pocket that Gax gladly snatched away, "The underdog sucks!" He turned to Azula, "Oh hey fire spitter. When did you get here?"

"Did you seriously not notice I was here?"

"I heard a snippy attitude and immediately thought you were Angara."

Azula scoffed, "That woman is here? I don't have enough energy to deal with her."

"Well I've got just enough to deal with you, pup." Angara's voice came from behind her with her hand slamming on the table and leaning into Azula's personal space, "What the hell is your deal spreading rumors about our duel?"

Azula only gave her a pleasant smile to hide her annoyance, "I was only answering questions being asked of me. And I was telling the truth."

"More like stretching it. I've got people giggling behind my back because I lost to some kid! And you didn't even mention the fight on the train."

"To be fair, nobody asked me about our first duel so I didn't feel the need to bring it up."

Angara growled as she bawled her fist, "Why you little!"

Sev coughed loudly to grab her attention, "Behave yourself Angara. The captain's here." He pointed behind her were My'Rell still sat at the bar watching her like a hawk then waved at them.

Angara rained in her temper, "This ain't over, pup." She gave Azula some space and took a seat across from her next to Sev.

"Better be nice to me Angara, unless you want that leash to get tighter." Azula said, then taking a spoonful of her food, her eyes giving off a subtle glare letting Angara know she still had dangerous info.

"Wow." Chani said in a mousy voice, "Both of your inner thalms are radiating waves of deep crimson."

They both shot her a glare letting her know they didn't like being analyzed.

"So…" Angara began, taking a more relaxed posture, "...the captain is making me your mentor for bounty hunting. Ya got your wish in the end after all."

It was what she had wanted however now that she knew Angara's secret it was mainly to watch over her. Regardless, in the end she'll still be trained by the best, however she could still tease her just a little longer.

"Yes, but now I find myself asking, do I really want this?" She said with a velvety smooth voice.

Angara's tattooed brow scrunched, "What do you mean?"

"I wanted the best, and you lost to a simple teenager in honorable combat." She washed her food down with her drink, "That doesn't sound like the best if you ask me."

Angara grinded her teeth, "I won the first fight!"

"While I was handicapped by fatigue and gravity. Not a fair fight. So maybe I should wait until this Sorren fellow returns. But then again I heard he may be gone for months so I suppose I'll settle for second best."

Angara only glared at her as a service robot came by and delivered her drink, "Go ahead and make your jokes now because when I've got you all to myself I'm gonna make your life a living hell."

"And I'll get through it with no problem. I can handle anything you throw at me."

Angara scowled, she hated that self righteous confidence of hers but then looked over at the jar that was brought to her and decided to see if she really could handle anything.

She took a glance at the bar seeing the captain preoccupied with a conversation with commander Suldon, "Well pup, if you're so confident then why don't you take a swig of this." She slid the drink over to her.

The princess caught it and studied the jar filled with a crystal clear liquid that looked like water. She couldn't read the sharp edged angular symbols that covered the label.

"Oh no." Sev said with clear worry, "That's not…"

"Yes it is." a devilish smile grew on Angara's face, "Mi'beck. Or known by its galaxy wide name, Ke'Kuvon moonshine."

Azula put the jar down, "Is that supposed to impress me?"

"Don't do it firespitter! That stuff can melt the paint off a starship in two seconds, its only legal use is to sterilize wounds on cattle." Sev warned.

Gax only giggled with a manic grin eager to see what will happen next.

"You're over exaggerating. It can't be that bad." She curiously unscrewed the cap and sniffed the beverage only to recoil at the sickening and almost clinical scent of alcohol that burned her nostrils, "Dear Agni! That is rancid. People actually drink this poison?"

"Yeah, squig ain't nothing compared to this." Angara took the jar and poured herself a small glass, "Cheers." She downed the shot in one go, her face twisting as if in pain before becoming serene as she let out a satisfied sigh, "Really burns on the way down. That's why it's called liquid fire in some places. I figured the fire princess would want a drink befitting that name." She then poured another glass and pushed it to her, "Go ahead and take a shot."

The burning smell of this concoction still lingered in her nose made her want to gag at the very thought of consuming it, so she pushed the glass away, "Yeah, no. I'd rather not."

"What, is the great princess Azula scared of a little sip?" Angara taunted.

"No, I'm afraid I'll die of alcohol poisoning."

"Not asking you to guzzle down the whole bottle."

"A sip from a bottle of poison is still poison."

"Stop calling it poison!"

"I mean it practically is." Sev said.

"Shut it Sev!"

"I have nothing to gain by doing this and nothing to prove. So why even bother?"

"I guess daddy raised himself a coward then." Angara took the glass.

This struck a nerve in Azula, "Excuse me?"

Angara drank the glass, "You heard me. Daddy. Raised. A coward."

Both princesses' eyes locked once more, giving intense glares towards one another.

Azula could handle any words thrown at her by Angara but to listen to her insult her father; the true fire lord, the Phoenix king, the man who gave her everything she desired and made her the proud warrior she is today, was going well past what she was willing to tolerate.

The negative energies the two princesses immited were becoming too overbearing for Chani to handle so she decided to intervene, "How about instead of throwing biting words at each other we take a deep breath and calm our spirits so that we can-"

"Poor me a glass." Azula demanded and Angara's grin grew wider.

"Or we can just ignore me…" Chani said in a dejected manner while Sev facepalmed and Gax laughed maniacally as the glass was poured.

She observed the quarter filled glass, "You're not going easy on me I hope? Pour some more."

"Any more than that is gonna put you on all fours dry heaving." Angara warned.

"I said I could handle anything you threw, right? So pour some more!"

Angara happily did so, filling her glass halfway, far beyond the recommended amount for new drinkers.

Gax giggled some more clearly delighted with what was happening while his sister looked on in worry before getting up and running to the bar, "I'm going to get a pitcher of water!"

Sev sat there with his arms crossed looking at Azula with pity in his eyes for what is to come, "May the maker have mercy on your liver."

Azula brought the half filled glass to her, the smell burned her nostrils once more. This was a terrible idea, by far her worst, but this was to defend the honor of her father. She would not let anyone belittle him.

After psyching herself up she brought the glass to her lips and began tilting her head back but before even a drop could make its way into her system she heard a familiar eccentric voice pull her attention away.

"Azula! Hey!"

She turned to the source to find Lectro wading through the crowd until he got to their table.

"I didn't think I'd see you here today."

"You're not here to collect any of your special samples now, are you?" She asked still in disgust from earlier.

"Oh that? No, forget about that."

"Good, now if you don't mind I'm in the middle of-"

He cut her off holding a hand to her face, "Before you say anything else let me ask you this. How do you feel about a field trip?"

Azula ignored the fact he rudely interrupted her and raised a brow, putting the glass down, "Too where?"

"No place special. Just some planets orbiting around different types of sun's. Sun's that could have an effect on your bending." He emphasized her bending, hooking her interests even further.

This also pulled Angara's interest as she didn't like the idea of her being alone with Lectro along with also being curious.

"That sounds like fun." Sev said, "When we going?"

Lectro wasn't planning on having others tag along however it would help to have some extra muscle around if they run into trouble, "We'll leave as soon as possible once I give the captain my report and I find a ship."

Angara saw this as an opportunity to learn more about Azula's abilities and decided that she wanted to jump in, "We'll take my ship."

Azula scowled at her. She already spent more time than she cared for at Angara's encampment and it ended with her being arrested. She did not want another adventure with the Ke'Kuvon princess.

Lectro gave her a sheepish look, "Actually given the whole rumors and your attitudes towards each other, I think it would be best if you didn't tag along."

"Aren't you also still in recovery from the burns the firespitter gave you." Sev reached around and poked her still healing burn that caused her to jump in pain then send a punch to his chest.

"KAKARI SHA GATRA!"

"Yeah and Gax hasn't even started fixing your armor."

"I don't need my armor all of the time! I can fight just fine without it."

"The point of this trip is not to fight but to learn." Lectro stated, "It is purely for scientific research."

"I'm flattered you want to tag along, after all I'm such an interesting person, but I must admit this obsession you have with me is a little creepy."

Azula's words twisted the figurative knife further into Angara who decided to just end this conversation here, "Hey doc. The captain's at the bar. Go bug her."

"Oh thanks! She told me to give her my report by morning but I managed to finish it in under an hour" He said proudly displaying it on his data pad.

"I think what she meant by that was to give it to her tomorrow, not as soon as possible." Sev said, knowing of Lectro's habit of missing social cues.

"But I wrote it all out so nicely and detailed then sprinted all the way over here to catch her. Which, all that running has really made me parched." He took Azula's glass of Mi'beck, "Let me borrow some water."

"Wait! Lectro that's not-" Almost everyone at the table got up to try and stop him but it was too late. Lectro had already downed the half filled cup of liquor.

Almost immediately Lectro began coughing and dry heaving as he sucked in air quickly like a fish on dry land, bracing himself against the table until his voice came out in a raspy whisper, "That was not water… oh God… w-what did I just drink… battery acid?"

"You just drank half a cup of Mi'beck my egg headed friend." Sev answered.

"The Ke'Kuvon liquor?!" Lectro leaned over resting his hands on his knees, "That was… that was foul! I can't feel my face."

Chani returned with a pitcher of water in her webbed hands, "I'm back! Please tell me you didn't drink that yet."

Azula never took her eyes off of Lectro's suffering form, "I didn't, but he did."

Lectro then went on his hands and knees, "Dear lord… my throat is on fire!"

Chani quickly poured a glass for him that he grabbed and chugged greedily while on his knees, "Thank you Chani. You're so nice." He said before lying down on the stone floor.

Angara looked over the table at him with some guilt in her eyes, "You alright Lectro?"

"No… I'm just gonna lay here for a little bit, wait for my system to flush out the poison."

With that said Lectro stayed on the floor wallowing in alcoholic anguish with everyone returning to their seats save for Chani who knelt by his side pouring him another glass.

Seeing him lying in a fetal position after downing that glass was possibly the funniest thing Azula had seen in a while but did everything she could to suppress a laugh. Laughing at his misfortune could possibly make her look bad in the eyes of everyone at the table which wouldn't bode well for her plan, at least until she locked eyes with Angara who seemed to be doing the same.

Both young women tried to hold it in but the moment they noticed it in each other they bursted like a cracked dam and their loud cackling at Lectro's expense came flooding out. It was infectious as Sev and Gax joined in.

All were laughing except Chani who only looked at them all in judgment, "You guys are so mean."

Azula couldn't remember the last time she had a good laugh like that, one that wasn't false or meant to mock others but was truly genuine and people around her laughed with her because they too took joy in this moment and not because they felt they had to.

"Well…" Azula began not really knowing how to continue the conversation, "I guess I dodged a really big fireball there."

"Yeah." Angara responded, wiping away a tear, "Want another glass, pup?"

She took another look at the sad state of the scientist, "I think I'm good. Why don't you enjoy it?"

Angara gave her a dubious look before sipping the jar, "Guess you are a coward."

"I'll take the title for today."

"That's probably best." Sev said, "How about we leave the drinking games for another day. Come on, let's see how you react to VR."

"I'm only here for dinner. I'm going back to my bunk after this." She waved him off.

"Come on firespitter." He lifted her up by the back of her collar.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" She protested while kicking her legs.

"We're mercenaries, we can die at any moment. Live a little." He dragged her with him and Gax as they went for the recreational area while she protested.

Even though they shared a laugh Angara still couldn't help but speculate Azula was untrustworthy and after another heavy sip of the burning liquid she followed leaving Chani to take care of Lectro.

Azula was dragged against her will to forcefully have fun where Sev showed her the VR equipment which took the form of a visor resting over her eyes that displayed whatever she saw on a holoscreen and a pair of gloves.

"I feel ridiculous." She said as she sat on a couch unable to see anything.

"Good, because you look ridiculous." Sev said as he turned on the equipment.

"Why must I be blindfolded again?"

"It's not a blindfold, it's a VR visor."

"Yet I can't see anything."

"If you'll be patient I'll turn it on."

She huffed, "Fine, but explain to me what this VR is?"

With a devious grin he said, "You'll see." Then he turned on the device.

Before Azula's eyes was nothing but pitch blackness until the screen on the visor came to life displaying a colorful menu in a virtual empty white room. The sudden appearance of it startled her into pulling it off.

"What is this?" She said in surprise.

Sev and Gax laughed at her reaction, "That my friend is virtual reality, VR for short. We use it to play simulations and entertainment. If you want to visit a specific location we just put it in the machine and it creates a virtual environment of said place for you to walk around. Keep in mind though everything you see and experience isn't real."

"So it's an illusion?" She asked, studying the screen.

"An interactive one. Put it back on and let's play some games." Sev grabbed a controller as she did so, "Let's start with something easy."

"What about House of Slaughter?" Angara suggested from behind them.

"Her first VR experience isn't going to be House of Slaughter! That'll give her PTSD."

"Should I ask what that is?" Azula said, crossing her arms as she moved her head to look around the virtual room.

"Horror game with a lot of violence." He answered while going through a list of games stopping at one, "How about this one? Star Velocity."

"And that is?"

"Racing game." He selected it and Azula's screen flashed.

Suddenly she was sitting in the cockpit of an unfamiliar vehicle wearing a sporty red uniform while surrounded by machinery. She moved her hands seeing that her digital ones moved identically to every movement her real ones made with the gloves allowing her sense of touch to feel every surface her fingertips came across. She looked around the cockpit seeing she was under a bright blue sky and at the starting line of a race track. To her sides she saw strange cartoony caricatures of people riding in shiny hovering vehicles.

"Ready to race, fire spitter?"

"No, I have no idea what I'm doing."

Sev told her what to do by watching the main screen on the wall instructing her on the controls and what they did and then letting her race.

It was disorienting at first with everything beyond the screen looking so lifelike and moving far faster than she could keep up with.

"Break! Hit your break!" Sev said watching Azula's haphazard driving.

"Which one is the break?" she shouted holding her hands out to work the controls.

"MAKSHA! MAKSHA!!" Gax shouted from her left.

"I can't make sense of your babbling!" She shouted back as her vehicle crashed while making a turn as flashing red words covered the screen making her pull the visor off.

"Welp, game over. Better luck next time." Sev said, patting her head.

Azula rubbed her eyes while trying to process this game, "Everything was so fast and there were so many controls."

"It's not as complicated as a real hover racer."

"You just suck at racing games." Angara said, "I, on the other hand, have the high score in this game."

Azula gave her an annoyed expression then remembered the strong drink that currently sat in her hand and an idea came to Azula on how to make sure Angara doesn't accompany her on their trip, "Really Angara? Then perhaps you can prove that by showing off your skill."

"That's too easy, pup. I've played that game a thousand times already." Angara boasted proudly.

"You're right it is too easy, so why don't we make it a little more interesting? You down some of that rancid beverage and see how well you drive under the influence and if you can't, well you can always take another drink as a penalty and try again." She extended the visor to her, "Unless, father raised a coward?"

Angara's eye twitched and without hesitation swiped the visor from her hands then took a large gulp of Mi'beck, "Scoot over."

Azula smirked as Angara took the bait, just like Zuko.

Angara took the controls and began playing the racing game. She did much better than Azula but the alcohol was clearly having an effect on her driving as her vehicle veered off track often and struck other vehicles until she crashed it into a wall just before the finish line.

"Oops, you failed. I guess that means another drink." Azula said, handing her the glass.

Angara growled, taking the glass and drinking, "Start it over!

She kept going on and on with the Mi'Beck making each attempt fail even worse than the last.

Azula, Sev and Gax laughed at Angara's failed racing with other members of the crew gathering to watch.

My'Rell watched the gathering from her place at the bar. Cetro came by taking a seat at a stool near her.

"What's going on over there?" He asked, gesturing to the small crowd that formed.

"Our new recruit making friends." She answered, "How is she doing in engineering?"

"Better than I thought she'd be. Hardware wise she's memorizing everything pretty well, software though she's struggling. You should get someone to teach her how to use the Omni-net, I ain't wasting time teaching her general info."

"Understood, I'll figure something out. Nothing suspicious about her?"

"If by suspicious you mean complaining about doing, quote on quote, peasant work and lifting with her back instead of her legs then I'd say she's the most suspicious brat I've ever seen." The bartender brought his usual drink, "Don't know why you bother making me watch her. If you ask me you should be keeping tabs on our new Death's Head employees."

"I'm keeping an eye on them as well. At least the ones that chose to stay."

"Well the ones that did stay are just as bad as all the other idiots you've got working under me."

"You know maybe if you were nicer to them and tried positive reinforcement they'd probably do a better job. For example, getting people's names right."

Cetro grumbled, "I'll learn their names when they do something worthwhile."

Lectro appeared by the captain's side in a drunken stupor, "Hey Captain! I've-I've got my report f-for you."

My'Rell gave him a strange look, "Are you drunk?"

"A little. I thought a glass of Mi'Bek was water." He explained with a sluggish mumble as he braced himself against the bar and handed her his data pad.

"That's on you buddy." Cetro commented as he enjoyed his drink.

"You know I said you could give this to me in the morning right?" My'Rell said looking over the pad.

"I-I know, but I wanted to get this done as… as soon as… uh…" He slurred trying to find the right word.

"Possible?" My'Rell finished for him.

"Yeah that! I want to start studying her bending as soon as possible."

She looked through the report looking over the route he was planning to take, "This is a lengthy journey Lectro; Cadenza, Gafko, Ginza, Maripol, Tsu'len. Have you found someone to fly you?"

"Not yet." he sat down on a stool and rested his spinning head on the bar, "Angara offered to fly but I don't think that's a good idea."

"And with how heavy she's drinking I think it'll be a miracle if she manages to wake up past daytime hours." Cetro commented watching Angara taking another long drink of Mi'Beck and demanding to play again. He turned back to Lectro, "You said Ginza was on your route?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take you then."

Lectro lifted his head slightly, "Really?"

"Yeah, we'll take my cargo hauler. I need to make a supply run to Ginza anyway."

"Great! We have a ride."

My'Rell finished looking it over and handed his tablet back to him, "Alright, approved. Just be sure you're well stocked and armed. Ships have been going missing in some of the systems you plan on visiting."

"Meh, just a bunch of pirates. Nothing we can't handle." Cetro said, taking another drink.

"Still, be careful out there." My'Rell turned to Lectro, "And you, get sobered up before you fall and hurt yourself."

"Re-restart it…a-again…Sev." Angara said, slurring her words and struggling to sit up straight while bringing a half filled jar to her mouth.

Sev grabbed the jar and wrestled it out of her hands, "I think you should call it a night Angara."

"Shut up! I-I can…can… keep going… you loser." She swung at him only for her fist to gently bounce off his shoulder.

"Nope. You're done." he lifted her up and began to make his way to the exit, "I'll take her back to her ship, she's gonna have one hell of a hangover when she wakes up. I'll see you guy's tomorrow."

"Put me down! Or-or… I'll break… your-your… uh… what was I gonna say?" The most feared bounty hunter in the storm said pathetically, incapable of focusing.

Azula waved at them both putting on the best serene smile she could muster, "Good night Angara, I can't wait to see you in the morning." She really couldn't.

Now with all of the excitement gone she felt it was time to turn in for the day and prepare herself for Lectro's field trip.

The next morning Angara awoke to a loud alarm emanating from above her head. The sound was painful to her, as if it was louder than it should be and sitting right next to her ears. She scrambles to turn that horrific noise off by hammering a fist down on it several times until it stopped.

She didn't want to get up; she felt sick to her stomach, her mouth felt dry and sticky, her head was spinning, she felt as though she was going to throw up whatever she had for dinner and the very idea of having breakfast made her even more nasiouse.

She remembered Lectro's planned trip with her and the others and forced herself out of bed, almost tumbling over from the vertigo. Thankfully she was still dressed. She pulled herself up and flipped the switch for the lights and the immediate assault on her now very sensitive eyes made her regret doing that.

She quickly scrambled to grab her belongings and race to the hangar.

Azula packed another set of clothes into her bag as she made preparations for the trip. She had very little else to bring other than that so she waited until the last moment to do so as Chani sat in the center of the room doing her morning ritual of meditative stretches before work.

"You must be excited to go out and explore the galaxy." Chani said as she sat criss-crossed, stretching her arms out into the air.

"Somewhat. I am curious how other worlds will look compared to Earth and Kazima." She debated packing a second set of boots.

"The galaxy is full of unique and beautiful worlds. Who knows maybe you'll find one you love so much that you'll settle down on."

Azula side eyed her, "Tired of me already? And here I thought you were so welcoming." She teased knowing Chani would feel guilty about her comment.

"W-what no! That's not what I meant. Honest!" She was just as easy to fool as Ty Lee, so much so that Azula wondered just how much she could get away with.

She paid her pleas for forgiveness with no attention, instead she looked to her exquisite collection of jewelry. As much as she hates Chani's choice of room decor she will admit that her taste in silver bracelets and necklaces was impeccable.

"Say Chani." She stopped her apologies as she picked up a silver chain bracelet studded with polished ruby and pink quartz charms, "You have such a nice display of jewelry. I was wondering if I could borrow one. I much prefer gold but this silver would look very nice on me. A princess such as myself should look her best you know, but all I have is my hair piece."

Chani's expression shifted to one of apprehension, "Oh… uh… I don't know about that."

Azula gave her a feigned look of hurt, "Really? I thought you and I were getting along so well. In my culture friends would bond by sharing our possessions with one another." This was nothing but a lie as Azula would rather burn her belongings than share them with anyone, "But I suppose I am in a different place and cultural norms aren't universal."

Chani scrambled to her feet trying to console her, "I'm sorry, I had no idea. Go ahead and take that one."

Azula smirked, she was entirely too easy to fool. Azula then remembered the ugly wooden charm the Mystic gave her, now would be a good time to dispose of such a tacky bracelet.

"Thank you Chani. In exchange let me give you something, it's not as fabulous as this bracelet but I hope the sentiment will be enough."

Chani's eyes widened in delight, excited at the exchange. Azula fished for the serpent charm in her jumpsuit pocket and dropped it in her webbed hands.

Chani studied the wooden pendant from the cut of its edges to the swirling etchings along the length of the serpent's body, "This is the mark of the serpent, a deeply spiritual charm meant to protect and impart wisdom. Where did you get this?"

Azula put the fabulous silver bracelet on and admired it, "Oh that? The Mystic of the Ke'Kuvon camp gave it to me."

Chani's eyes widened, "The Mystic gave you this?"

"You know him?"

"I've met him a few times. He comes to Horizon city every now and then to sell things like this. He's a deeply spiritual person, someone I admire. Oh to be able to commune with the outerworld as he does." She stopped admiring the bracelet and looked back to Azula, "I couldn't accept this. If he made it for you free of charge then it was meant for you and you alone. It may even be blessed with the voices of protective spirits."

"It's just a simple wooden pendant. I doubt it's anything more than that."

"I believe it may be more than that." Chani took Azula's hand and put the humble wooden bracelet alongside the more glamorous silver one, "The mark of the serpent has a dual meaning. Some of its darker aspects symbolize deceit, death, destruction and poison."

Azula rolled her eyes, just about all of that is how most people would describe her.

"But its lighter aspects symbolize protection, rebirth, change, and healing. If he gave it to you then maybe it was for a reason."

Azula scoffed and pulled her hands away from hers, "That sounds like nothing but a bunch of nonsense. I may believe in spirits like you and this Mystic, however I don't believe they give a damn about protecting or healing us." She packed the extra pair of boots anyway, "I should get going before Lectro decides to pop up announced. He seems to have a habit of doing that."

She exited the room without a second thought and left Chani to herself.

Azula arrived at one of the smaller hangars where Cetro's ship lay in wait. It was a long rust bucket of a vessel made up of bulky brown plating, four cigar shaped engines at its rear and a turret at its top and bottom. It was a simple long range cargo hauler meant for making quick supply runs. Of all the ship's she has seen on this station this was by far the least impressive.

"Azula! Hey! You finally made it!" Lectro said from across the hangar while speaking with My'Rell.

Azula wasted no time and sarcastically said, "Wouldn't miss this trip for the world."

"Well you seem enthused." My'Rell said.

"Believe it or not I actually am. I've been stuck inside this place for far too long and I'd like to feel direct sunlight on the opposite side of a window."

"Agreed, It'd be good to get you on a planet every now and then. Remember, Cetro and Lectro are in charge of this trip so behave yourself."

"Aren't I always on my best behavior?" Azula said back with a smirk.

My'rell already started to mentally prepare for whatever headache might occur.

"Is this our ride?"

"Yup. What do ya think?" Lectro said.

"It looks like a hunk of junk."

The sound of the ship's owner clearing his throat caught both of their attention from behind.

"She may be old and ugly but she'll get ya where you need to go." Cetro pushed past them grumbling to himself as he went up the ship's ramp almost running into Sev who had to crouch in order to get through the doorway. Cetro scoffed seeing the giant, "Great, you're here too. Where's the psychopath that's usually on your shoulder?"

"Gax ain't coming. He's busy fixing up Angara's armor."

"Good. One less idiot I've got to worry about stripping my ship for parts." Cetro pushed past him into the vessel, "Hurry up and get those supplies on board Skiv!"

"It's pronounced Skeeve." He grumbled to himself as he carried a supply box past Azula and Lectro.

Azula tossed her bag on top of the crate, "Take that to my quarters. Would you Skiv?"

He ground his teeth as he continued, "Skeeve! Skeeve, dammit!"

He was just glad that the head engineer was going to be gone for a while along with his days off starting today, which means he'll have plenty of time to gather more information. The deadline for his client was four days away, he needed to hurry and get the code for the mines and still had to find a way to get the fabricator out of the facility when Courtix attacks.

"Are you kidding me?!" Cetro shouted from within the ship.

Azula groaned, "What is he yelling about now?"

"Hard to say. It'd be weird if he didn't yell." My'Rell followed up.

Cetro exited the ship in an agitated state, "Just got a call from Bevel, apparently the extra set of hands I got to go with us just broke them while working in engineering."

"You can't find anyone else?" My'Rell asked.

Cetro scratched his chin as he thought of who else, "Everyone else I'd like to use are busy with more important tasks." He looked around until his four eyes landed on Skeeve who exited the ship.

"Everything is on board. Can I start my days off now?" Skeeve asked.

Cetro snapped his fingers, "Skiv, grab your stuff I need you on board."

"Wait what?!"

"You heard me! Get going!"

This was bad. From what he heard this trip would take days, days that he could use for his plan and the deadline was to close.

"Wait, wait! I've got some… stuff that I need to take care of."

My'Rell patted his shoulder, "Sorry Skeeve, but if he needs you he needs you. Captain's orders."

"But-but I…"

"Hurry up and grab your crap Skiv! We leave in a few!" Cetro shouted, making his way back into the ship.

He gave a dejected look as his freedom was stripped before him. Maybe he could beg the client for an extension.

Sev patted the blue rodent on his back, "Sorry bud. Maybe next time."

"Hold it!" Angara's voice came from behind.

They all turned and were met with an Angara, the feared bounty hunter Red Cap now looking like a shell of her feared persona with disheveled clothes, her long scarlet hair now a frizzled mess and swaying side to side clearly not over the hangover. Azula put hand over her mouth to suppress a laugh, she couldn't help but find her pathetic display of strength delighting.

"I'm ready."

My'Rell face palmed and sighed, "Oh Angara, what are you doing?"

"I'm… I'm coming on the trip. That's what." She stood up straight pretending to be alright.

"You sure?" Lectro asked skeptically, "You don't look too good."

"Well doc, you should get your eyes checked because I feel great. Better than great, I feel awesome!" She said while swaying and almost falling over.

"Really?" My'Rell asked flatly.

"Yeah really."

"You're not suffering from a hangover right now?"

"Nope." She slapped a hand over her mouth to prevent upchucked the contents of her stomach.

My'Rell suddenly clapped her hands loudly next to her head, the sudden noise hitting her sensitive ears made her cringe and grab them in pain.

"Yeah no, you're staying here."

"But captain!"

"No buts. You'll only get in the way."

Angara growled and sent a glare to the still laughing Azula, "You planned this! Didn't you?"

Azula wore a smile to try and hide her amusement, "I don't know what you're talking about Angara." The cracks in her voice only confirmed her suspicion.

"You-you…" she could no longer hold it in and ran behind a shuttle to vomit only causing Azula to break down laughing.

"Well… that's ungraceful." Sev commented.

Cetro saw the display and sighed heavily, "Somebody clean that up!"

B3 approached from the ship, "All necessary preparations have been made. We are ready to depart."

My'Rell messaged her forehead in second hand embarrassment, "You all get on board. I'll take care of her."

"Aye captain." Lectro said before turning to the ship with a chipper attitude, "Alright people let's get this show on the road!"

My'Rell turned to Azula, "Remember Azula, stay out of trouble out there. I'll be contacted when you arrive at every destination and informed of everything. Stay with the group and let them do all the talking if you come into contact with other people and keep your audio translator on you. I won't be able to bail you out of any dilemma you find yourself in."

"With Angara not around I think I will be just fine." Azula said, still enjoying the site of Angara in agony.

"That might be true. I should get her to Bevel." My'Rell said her goodbye and began pulling Angara away to the medical bay.

Azula turned to the robot, "Alright trash can, lead me to my quarters."

"My designation is B3. And I am sorry to inform you but there are no private quarters on this vessel. All crew members will sleep in the bunks of the shared habitation deck."

"Wait. So you're telling me, the only girl in the group, has to share my sleeping space with four men? That is unacceptable. I need my privacy."

"There is a bathstall on board that you may use for private purposes."

She facepalmed at the thought of sharing a space with everyone else with her mood shifting heavily towards aggravation.

"Fine! Whatever, let's just leave."

Everyone involved with the scientific team entered the ship and it began to depart. The ship was cramped and utilitarian, only having the bare minimum of what one needs for general living with comfort being an afterthought. The compartments that made up the interior were cramped, so much so that a giant like Sev had to bend over and almost crouch just to walk. She wondered how he was supposed to sleep if he could barely fit in the bunks.

She followed the ship's path until she found herself in the equally cramped bridge at the nose of the ship where she found Cetro in the pilot's chair and Cetro in the co-pilot's seat prepping the ship. She sat in a passenger seat and strapped in as the ship began to hover and took off.

Within minutes the rusty ship left the ring and soured through space towards its first destination Kazima. Due to Azula's last visit Proxly made it a rule that she was not allowed to use her firebending within the cities so Cetro brought the ship down to an open field far from civilization.

Once settled Azula found herself being strapped with a strange headset and adhesive pads all along her bare arms and legs by Lectro after being told to change into shorts and a sports bra so there would be no obstructions.

"I'm not used to showing this much skin and it's making me uncomfortable." She said as Lectro applied a few pads to her stomach.

"Science can make you feel that way sometimes."

"What is it that you are applying to me anyway?"

He finished with her stomach and began applying some along her spine, "These sensors will monitor the muscles and nerves in your body to pick up any activity that might be going on. The headset will monitor your brain functions. Right now we are going to observe your bending under a yellow star to simulate your home sun due to how similar they are to get a baseline for your bending." He finished with her back and handed her two more pads, "You want to do the chest?"

She snatched pads and applied them herself, "So what am I supposed to do? Just fire bend until you've gotten all the data you need?"

"That is exactly what I need you to do. But try and limit it to fire for now, we'll record your lightning after we get the basics. Just do what comes naturally to you."

"Yeah, show us how you beat Angara!" Sev hollered from his lounging spot at the base of a purple tree tipped with white cotton like vegetation.

Skeeve stood nearby, curious as he had yet to see her bending, "Yeah show us! Let's see what this fire business is all about."

"Alright, start whenever you're ready!" Lectro said then leaned over to the robot, "Make sure you're recording this."

Azula mentally prepared herself before beginning the basic breathing techniques then sending blasts of fire out followed up with leg sweeps coating the air in waves of sapphire.

Skeeve watched in awe as she moved between motions fluidly like a dance of destruction. He'd never seen anything like this and as he watched the gears in his mind began to go to work on how he could get her on his side.

Azula continued her routine incorporating flips and somersaults and ending it with a drop kick sending a wave of fire around her. An excellent display of the crane Phoenix form.

The crowd of three applauded her display.

"That was fantastic! To think such a skilled art form could exist from wielding one of the elements." Lectro complimented.

"I liked it when you did the flip." Sev said as casually as ever.

"Of course you all would think so. After all, I am the best fire bender on earth."

"Is that why your fire's blue?" Sev asked.

"That's right, when we got our initial scans back in the lab all of your fire was orange like a typical flame." Lectro followed up then scratched his chin as he began to theorize again, "Maybe it has something to do with age, possibly genetics?"

"The simple answer is I don't know. As far as I am aware I'm the only bender who has wielded blue flames." She stated proudly, "Now, did you get what you were looking for or should I dazzle you with another technique."

Lectro looked at his data pad, "Yes, we got some readings and… huh, that's interesting."

"What is?"

He flipped the screen to her, "The adhesive sensors picked up something my scans didn't." The picture on screen showed a digital reconstruction of Azula on display with the pads on her body and headset forming the basic shape of her firm with lines of green light going up and down her body between them that glowed brighter every time she fire bent, "These electrical impulses fire throughout your body every time you bend clearly acting as some type of energy source."

Azula observed, "They look like chi pathways."

"So this chi really is a tangible substance? Interesting."

She crossed her arms, "That's what I've been telling you this whole time."

"I wonder if any blockage can occur that could stop the bending process."

Azula's mind immediately went to chi blocking and by extension Ty Lee. She didn't want to reveal any information that could be used against her but Lectro's science could reveal chi blocking as it revealed her chi paths. She might as well tell them as a way to earn their trust.

"There is. Chi blocking is a fighting style that targets the body's pressure points through quick strikes."

"Really? So if I were to strike one of these pressure points what would happen?"

"Well for starters I would break your nose." She threatened to discourage any curious thoughts he may have, "And if you did then not only would my bending be temporarily disabled but whatever part of my body you strike will become as limp as a wet noodle."

"Speaking from experience, princess?" Skeeve asked.

She shot a glare his way causing him to lose his lax attitude, she hated being reminded of what happened at the Boiling Rock.

"Well then, that seems like a test for another day." Lectro interrupted, "Now that I've got some good readings for your fire, let's see that lightning trick!"

Sev and Skeeve perked up at the sound of that.

"Very well. You're going to want to give me some space."

After backing away a safe distance from them she breathed in deeply to settle her mind as she began the swinging motions of her arms generating a crackling spark with the tips of two fingers and further charging it with the tips of her other hand.

Lectro looked on in pure astonishment, Sev was just as impressed, shaded lenses appeared over his eyes from the frame surrounding them as the light she immited was too bright for his liking with Skeeve stepping behind the giant to shield him from any danger.

With a quick strike Azula sent the blast of lightning towards the sky. The crackling thunderous boom echoing around the savanna with the sounds of birds and insects chirping being silenced and any animal nearby being frightened off.

She eased out of her stance, "How was that?"

"That was excellent!" Lectro cried out, "Very few species in the galaxy are capable of producing and weaponizing natural electrical currents from within the bodies, but even those that do can't produce a blast of that caliber!"

"To think Angara tanked that and survived." Sev said retracting the shaded lenses.

Skeeve had a look of terror written all over his narrow face from what he had witnessed, "All that came from one little girl?" Teenagers are irresponsible enough as is but to see one with so much destructive capability frightened him to no end, he would definitely need to stay on her good side.

Azula only smirked, reveling in their praise, "Thank you, thank you. You're all too kind."

Her praise was interrupted when Cetro ran out the ship with a blaster rifle in hand, "What was that?! Are we under attack?!"

"Easy old timer. It was just the firespitter showing off." Sev said.

Cetro directed his four eyes to Azula with an incredulous expression, "That was you? Sounded like a bomb went off right outside the ship!"

"Well lightning isn't exactly quiet." She said dismissively, "So what do your scans say about that?"

Lectro looked over his data pad, "Got a lot of good readings. There's a lot of activity with your chi paths, especially in the stomach area when you pass lightning over it."

"That doesn't surprise me. The stomach is called the sea of chi, by passing lightning through it you can make it more powerful."

Cetro put his weapon down as he folded both sets of arms, "To think there's a whole population of people that can do that. Makes me want to avoid your planet like the plague."

"We have many firebenders but the secret to bending lightning is reserved for the royal family so you'd only be dealing with three of us." She said smugly then remembered her father can no longer bend, "Two of us… actually." She corrected, then shook the thought out of her head, "Will that be all for these tests?"

"One last test and we can move on to collecting DNA samples and moving on to our next destination. I want to examine your plasma manipulation."

"Oh, so you're going to shoot at me? Very well, I can't promise you'll fare well after though." Azula took on a fighting stance in preparation.

"Wow, wow, wow. No. Nobody is shooting anybody." Lectro reassured her.

"I'll shoot her." Cetro volunteered with a smirk.

"NO!"

"Then how are we going to do this?" She asked, annoyed.

"Sev! Come here." Sev did as instructed, "So, Sev is going to shoot that tree over there…" He pointed to another purple puffball tree.

"Alright let's do this." Sev smirked, unholstering his sidearm.

"Hold it itchy fingers!" Lectro said before he could start shooting, "He is going to purposely miss every shot. Your job, Azula, is to try and redirect the bolts into the tree."

"Sounds simple enough." She commented.

"And it's a safe and efficient way to test that ability. Let's begin!"

Cetro began making his way back to the ship, "While y'all are doing that I'm gonna prep the ship for launch."

Sev aimed his weapon at the tree making sure to offset it then fired. Azula flexed her hand out to grab it and felt the heat of the fast moving bolt in her grasp however she couldn't stop it, it almost felt like it was going to pull her with it. With a quick swing of her hand she tried redirecting it however it only moved further away from its target.

Sev fired again and she moved to take control once more, still finding it difficult to steer it.

With another shot fired she sent a jab and managed to pull it closer managing to graze the tree this time.

Sev fired again before she was ready, and again and again and so on until Azula kicked his metal leg, a kick that probably didn't register to the giant, "Slow down! You're not giving me enough time to react."

"Alright, alright, princess. No need to get violent." He said.

"Actually I think I've got enough data." Lectro said.

"What? But I didn't even get to hit the target!" She complained.

"The objective was to acquire data. Striking the target was only meant to center your ability, private Azula." B3 answered.

"We'll have plenty of time to practice your plasma bending later. So let's get some more samples." Lectro reached into his bag and pulled out a syringe.

Azula rolled her eyes, she was looking forward to practicing her plasma bending and very tired of being poked with needles.

They all reentered the ship and Cetro took off into the atmosphere. Azula sat in the center compartment with Lectro and B3 at her side as they instructed her to maintain a steady flame between her hands. The headset and adhesive sensors are still on her body. Lectro insisted that he be allowed to get readings on her chi as they leave a planet to test Azula's theory while Sev took over as copilot.

As the ship broke atmosphere and entered space her blue flame faded to orange and became much weaker, just as the Mystic had said.

"Well Azula, your theory might hold some water." Lectro said as he monitored his data pad, "Your chi pathways are showing less activity as we get further from the planet."

"I told you." She said keeping her eyes on the flame to maintain her focus.

Cetro's voice came over the intercom, "Everybody brace yourselves. We're about to make a jump."

"Great! Azula, maintain that flame as long as possible."

Once the ship was in the needed position the space before it swirled and distorted like paint being smeared before the ship darted in.

The effects were immediately felt by Azula as the fire went out. She could not feel the warmth of her inner fire any longer, just like before.

Lectro watched the readings on his data pad and was astonished when the dim glow of her chi paths went out like a light, "Wow. I didn't think the effects would be that instant. How do you feel?"

"Cold." A shiver ran up her spine and she remembered just how much her current clothes were exposing, "May I change back into my previous clothes and get these devices off of me?"

"Keep the pads on but you can put your jumpsuit back on. Our next destination isn't that far away."

She pulled off the headset and tossed it to B3 who failed to catch it, "Where is our next destination?"

"The next planet is known as Gafko within the Serellan system." B3 answered as clinically as ever, "It currently orbits a red dwarf star."

Azula raised a brow, never hearing the phrase before, "Red dwarf?"

"It's essentially a smaller and cooler star compared to the yellow stars you're used to." Lectro explained, "We'll start off with stars on the lower end of the power spectrum and work our way up, however for now we'll only be going over the basic four color stars; browns, reds, yellows and whites. We'll leave neutron stars and pulsars for another day."

She didn't ever think of the possibilities for so many stars to exist and to think that each kind could have an effect on her bending could be limitless. She was excited to find out what she was capable of however she masked it behind stoic indifference. She'd rather come across as apathetic than show any kind of weakness by being overly emotional.

Their ship exited extra dimensional space and with it Azula felt the energy of the sun return to her although now at a much weaker intensity.

"How do you feel now?" Lectro asked her.

"I can feel the sun… but…"

"Buuuut?" Lectro awaited an answer fully invested in her status.

"It's so weak. It's there but… if a normal star felt like a bonfire then this one is a candle."

"Interesting." Lectro recorded this information then looked over the data the sensors were reporting, "Your chi paths are showing some activity but at a significantly lower level. Try producing a flame."

Azula tried to summon a flame but nothing came from it. She could clearly feel the spark within her however it was as if someone had put a barrier between her and it.

She gave up, "Nothing."

Lectro murmured slightly disappointed, "Well we still have planet side to look forward to."

The ship descended down into the planet. The terrain was black and rocky with jagged outcrops jutting out in the distance like claws reaching out to scrape the sky with no signs of plant life yet the air was breathable. The sky was pink and the sun shined just as brightly to Azula as it did on earth.

She felt a little more strength come back to her now that she was back on solid earth but it still felt off.

Lectro got himself set up with his data pad and B3 recording, "Whenever you're ready!"

"Yeah, dazzle us with your fireworks!" Sev shouted.

"Whatever the outcome, I'll be sure to impress." She declared before sending a jab only to produce a flimsy spark that could barely constitute as a firecracker.

Everyone who had seen what she produced before were stunned in silence unimpressed except for Sev who hollered and clapped as if it didn't change at all.

"Wooo! That's what I'm talking about! You bend that fire!"

She couldn't tell if he was doing that just to mock her or if he was trying to make her feel better but she ignored his praise and continued to bend only to continue producing small sparks like a child just learning they can bend.

Without the full flare of her flames her routine lost all its edge, making her look more like some wannabe fire bender then the deadly prodigy she was.

She promptly stopped realizing that this was going nowhere, "I don't think I like red dwarfs."

"I did say they were weaker than yellow stars so this outcome should've been expected." Lectro logged the information away, "Try producing as big a flame as possible."

She brought her hands together and used all of her focus to produce a spark small enough to be a candle.

"That's it?" Lectro asked.

"Yes that's it!" She snapped at him.

Skeeve brought out a cigarette and his lighter, "Well, that was fun while it lasted."

As he lit the cigarette Lectro had an idea and snatched the lighter out of his hand, "Hey!"

"I need to borrow this real quick." He ran up to Azula, sparking it before her, "See if you can manipulate this."

She extinguished her flame and made a grabbing motion. The flame followed into her hand moving, expanding and simmering to her command as if she had her bending back.

"So you can't produce a sufficient amount of fire on your own but can manipulate pre existing flames. Fascinating stuff!" Lectro said quickly as he jotted down in his notes.

Azula did not find it as fascinating, "This severely limits my bending. How am I supposed to fight if I can't make my own fire?" She punctuated by sending the flame out into a fireball punch, unable to follow up with another attack.

"Looks like you're gonna have to adapt to blasters then." Sev said.

She sulked at that. She didn't adapt as quickly as she thought to learning to use one properly and after the embarrassing display My'Rell put her through she wasn't too keen on another lesson.

"Speaking of blasters. Why don't we try the blaster test once more?"

Sev pulled out his blaster and took aim at a rock outcropping and fired. Azula tried to catch the beams but this time her grasp on them faltered as it felt as though she was catching heavy stones being thrown that threatened to pull her with them. She could barely even manage to shift their direction.

After a few shots they stopped as it was clear that she was having difficulty. They moved on to the Lightning test. She swung her arms in the familiar motion several times but sparks had yet to appear at her fingertips, she could feel it there like she's at the cusp of obtaining it but it slips out of her grasp.

Skeeve and Sev watched her continue her routine with a cigarette in hand as Skeeve sat on a rock with a bored expression spread over his face and Sev standing next to him yawning.

"Hey doc, I don't think her little dance is doing anything. How much longer do we have to be here?" Skeeve asked, puffing out a cloud of smoke.

"Hold on. She's got something charging up." Lectro responded as he studied her chi paths, seeing them glowing.

Azula continued swinging her arms yet again, beads of sweat forming over her face as this was the longest time she'd ever had to charge her lightning until sparks finally formed at her fingertips and she sent the blast at a rock formation out in the distance.

The blast was small and just barely made the rock crumble with a minimal explosion, it was by far the most pathetic display of lightning she has ever seen.

"That was it?!" She said in dissatisfaction.

"I think that was a brilliant display." Lectro assured.

Azula shot a glare his way, "I've had enough of this place. Do you have enough data or not?" Azula asked, completely fed up.

"Just about. I guess we can move on to sample collecting." Lectro began to pack his things and pulled out the syringe gun.

Now back on the ship and in extragalactic space they were on their way to the next destination that would take a few hours to reach. Now she just needed to find something to occupy her time. Lectro was occupied with logging in and analyzing his data to pay her any mind with B3 providing any assistance when needed, Cetro decided he was going to nap in the bridge until they arrived at their destination so that leaves Sev and Skeeve.

"Sev!" Azula called out from the habitation deck, "Where are you?"

"I'm coming!" He called back from the bridge.

The sound of shuffling came from the bridge as Sev awkwardly waddled into the common area standing on the metal caps of his leg stumps, his prosthetics missing. Without his legs he stood almost at eye level with her and the jarring proportional difference it caused made Azula stare at him in a long and awkward silence, especially with the big dumb grin he wore.

"You look foolish."

"Thank you." He stated proudly.

"That wasn't- nevermind."

"So what you need me for?"

"I'm bored and we have time before our next stop. What are you doing?"

"Me and Skeeve are gonna play cards in the cargo hold. You in?" He waddled past her.

After watching him navigate without the use of legs that had knees she decided to follow where she found herself sitting around a crate being used as a makeshift table as all three played cards, Azula and Skeeve sitting on other crates while Sev stood on his leg stumps. She was much less interested in learning how to play the game but more interested in learning more about the two individuals in her presence.

She felt her stomach twist a bit and held her side feeling slightly nauseous.

"You alright firespitter?" Sev asked.

"Is it possible to feel motion sickness in extragalactic space?"

"Yeah, space sickness. Everybody that travels the stars goes through it, especially if you aren't used to space travel."

Azula focused on the cards with wavy spiral symbols in her hands to keep her mind off her queasy stomach.

"So sparky," Skeeve began as he looked over his cards, "How you holding up with those powers?"

She narrowed her eyes at him in a sideways glance, "My name is Azula."

"Alright, my bad. Just thought since the big man here called you firespitter you wouldn't mind another nickname."

"Sev earned his right to call me that after fighting together when your previous employer attacked us." she shuffled her cards putting them down, "And yes, I am doing well. Just because I don't have my bending for now doesn't mean I'm not a threat."

Sev chuckled as he tossed a card down, "Why is it that everything out of your mouth sounds like a veiled threat?"

"That's just how I speak."

"You sound like you're plotting to slit my throat in my sleep." Skeeve added.

"I can't help that I project such strength in my words." She said, holding her chin up high in self satisfaction.

Skeeve rolled his eyes at her. She sounded so much like the imperial pendaren's he has met that he was groan inducing, but he didn't dare do so after witnessing her power.

"Just like Angara." Sev said, tossing down a card.

Azula's temperament soured at the mention of the Ke'Kuvon princess, "Don't compare me to that woman."

"Speaking of Angara, what was up with her in the hangar earlier today?" Skeeve asked.

Sev let out a sigh as he reshuffled his cards, "I don't know. I don't get what her deal is with you firespitter. She's lost fights before even with people in the storm but she's never been obsessed with wanting to kill that person like she does with you."

"I guess losing to a teenager was just too much for her fragile ego to handle." Azula said as she looked over her cards and put them down not wishing to play but observe instead. It was easy to figure out that Sev didn't know who Angara truly was so she made no attempt to hint at any of it.

"Eh, could be. As far as I know she's only ever dueled people either her own age or older." Sev said, throwing down a card and shifting the conversation to the other member of their trio, "So Skeeve. How are you getting along with the crew? Asking as a fellow absorbed crew member of another crew dumb enough to take on the SeCore."

Skeeve looked up and shrugged his shoulders, "It's not bad. Better than my introduction to the Death's Head. I was absorbed into their crew after the smuggler crew I was with got attacked by pirates and left for dead. Duritax found us and gave us the option to work for him or stay in space and die. There wasn't much of a choice with him."

"My'Rell didn't give you much of a choice either." Azula added.

"True, but she allowed us to leave after we got to civilized space. Duritax didn't, he believed saving people made them in debt to him until the day they died."

Sev drew a card from the stack, "I heard Duritax was a rough bastard to work under. Couldn't imagine working under him."

"Trust me, he was. There was no pleasing that man, the only one that could was probably Courtix."

"Of course daddy would probably be less demanding of his son." Sev commented as he drew another card.

Skeeve laughed, "Just because Courtix's dad was in charge didn't mean Duritax was easy on him, if anything he was harder on him than anyone else. That's why Courtix is so brutally efficient."

"Have you ever met this Courtix?" Azula asked as she added her cards to the deck forfeiting the game.

"I spoke with him once, he wasn't pleasant." Skeeve remembered his towering frame and the quick threat he threw at him that Skeeve took as a sign to never speak to him again. That only reminded him that the client wants him to coordinate with said beast of a man.

"I imagine someone with the monocor of the butcher of Axelon four wouldn't be fun to talk with." Sev said.

"Quite the ominous title. What happened on Axelon four to give him that name?"

Skeeve let out a sharp breath as he reshuffled his cards, "Trust me kid, the less you know about what happened on Axelon four the better. Duritax didn't sanction what he did and it's the reason he kept his son on a tight leash."

"And now that I killed him there's no one to keep him in check."

Sev threw down a card, "So when can we expect an attack from him?"

Skeeve furrowed his brow at the mention of that and his long ears drooped slightly, "Hard to say. He might be on his way right now to attack or he could be building up what's left of the Death's Head. Strategy was never his strong suit."

Azula noticed the subtle movement in his ears, the quick second dart in his eyes, slight flair in his nostrils and twitch of his whiskers. He may not be human but Azula could recognize the tics of a liar. She made no attempt to dispute him and instead chose to watch in silence as he drew another card quickly.

Sev threw down another card, "Which means some point in the near future. Guess we have that to look forward to." he said sarcastically.

"I'm sure My'Rell can take him." Skeeve said as he threw down another card, "Like I said, he's not big on strategy."

"What about the former Death's Head members within our group now?" Azula asked with a raised brow and an accusatory look in her eye, "Will any of them help Courtix?"

The veiled accusation wasn't lost on Skeeve. He didn't react to it and instead acted as if it wasn't there, "You won't find anyone who joined you with a positive opinion on Courtix. Duritax never had any love for deserters and members who get absorbed into other crews and Courtix's opinions are similar, if not worse. He'd butcher anyone who joined the Storm." He didn't lie with his explanation as both heads of the Death's Head truly hated those who left the organization but he made sure to emphasize it to hide any incrimination against him.

Sev huffed out a loud sigh, "This talk of Courtix is getting depressing, let's switch it up. What's your favorite Grav ball team, Skeeve?"

Skeeve was appreciative of the change in subject and happy to talk about sports, "I'm a fan of the Goviden sparrows."

"Ew, they suck." Sev laughed.

"They're better than the Ace's. Did you see that game last night? They almost had it in the bag but fumbled so hard." Skeeve chortled.

Both of them continued their conversation on sports but Azula remained silent. Her gaze focused on Skeeve not being able to shake the slight twitch in his body language when speaking of Courtix's attack. She could be paranoid as Skeeve is an alien and his body language could be different to humans however she couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension.

After several hours in extragalactic space they arrived at their next destination Ginza. It was the main reason Cetro volunteered his ship, Ginza was a trading hub orbiting the dim light of a brown dwarf. The light from the weak sun was so little that the planet was in a state of perpetual night and its surface a frigid wasteland covered in thick layers of snow and ice. The only places habitable on this planet were the domed cities that dot the surface covering the bustling cityscapes under a roof of thick steel and glass to shield it from the unforgiving cold while still allowing a view of the stars.

Cetro brought the ship down to the spaceport sitting just outside one of the domed cities, landing in one of the hangars alongside dozens of other ships.

The first thing Azula felt was her inner flame being so weak it felt like a feeble match along with another chill running up her spine. It almost felt like her firebending wasn't there at all.

"How do you feel now Azula?" Lectro asked from his seat.

She was about to answer but the next thing she felt was her stomach threatening to spew and she held her mouth as she sprinted to the bathstall.

"Huh. It would seem that brown dwarfs cause nausea in the subject." Lectro said aloud as he typed.

"Or it could be a case of space sickness." Sev said as he reattached his legs.

In the bath stall Azula finished emptying her stomach and is trying her best to make herself look dignified. She doesn't know if it is the effects of the brown dwarf or just space sickness. It didn't help that the weak energy from the sun she felt made her inner flame feel like the spark of a match with its absence sending shivers down her body.

She looked at herself in the mirror pushing her severed hair strands out of her face and noticed that her skin looked as though it was glowing. Her whole body seemed to glow as if her body was made of fire itself. She looked at her hands seeing the strange glow coating every inch of skin then noticed a glowing handprint on the edge of the sink where it was.

"Lectro!" She called out, reentering the main cabin and stopping in her tracks when her eyes landed on the rest of the crew.

Just like her, Lectro, Cetro, Skeeve and Sev were glowing like lanterns.

"What's wrong?" Lectro asked.

She scrunched her brows in confusion, "I think this sun is making me hallucinate."

"Welp, congrats Lectro. We broke her." Cetro said uncaringly as he walked past her to the cargo bay.

"What do you mean hallucinating?" Lectro asked, concern present in his voice as he ran to her and began looking her over.

"Everyone is glowing. You, Sev, even me." She tried not to panic as she explained. She already hallucinates enough as is, she doesn't need a sun to make it more prominent.

"Glowing how?"

"Glowing as in, you all look like there's a fire beneath your skin." She looked at Sev again and noticed only portions of his body were glowing, "Partially for Sev at least."

Lectro narrowed his eyes as his analytical thoughts took over and he brought Azula closer to the cyborg, "Point to the parts of Sev that are glowing."

She poked to his face that was glowing brightly then his chest and the bare shoulder of his left arm, "All of his metal parts don't glow or not as brightly."

"That tickles." The cyborg taunted.

"Shut up Sev."

"Skeeve and I, we're glowing all over right?"

"That's right."

Lectro called B3 over, "Is B3 glowing as well?"

To Azula the robot looked the same as she had always seen him but noticed that as Lectro set his hand on its head a glowing handprint was left behind, "The only thing glowing on him is whatever was on your hand."

Sev and Skeeve looked at her in confusion while an inquisitive smile formed on Lectro.

"Yeah I think you need to get your eyes checked there princess because there's nothing on the robot's head." Skeeve said after looking over B3.

"Dr. Lectro currently has no foreign substance capable of producing a glow effect on either of his hands." B3 stated.

"Sev, you can switch your vision to infrared, right?" Lectro suddenly asked.

"Yeah." Sev's maroon eyes then began to glow a bright pink and he looked down at the robot, "Hey would you look at that. There is a handprint on B3."

Lectro clapped his hands and cheered to himself, "I knew it! You have thermal vision!"

Azula twisted her face in confusion, "Thermal what?"

"Thermal vision! You can see heat, the handprint you're talking about is residual body heat left behind by me when I touched B3." Lectro practically cheered at this discovery.

"Why is that? How does this even happen?"

"I don't know, that's why we need to conduct some tests and see to what extent the brown dwarfs' effects are." He ran to grab his bag of belongings and scientific equipment, "Where's the headset? We probably need to reapply the adhesive sensors."

Cetro reentered the cabin, "Hope you ain't doing those tests here, doc? Because right now I need the ship for all the supplies that's gonna be coming on and I don't want her lighting any more fires while we're here."

Lectro looked annoyed, "That's right, I guess we'll have to find some place in town to do our tests."

They disembarked from the vessel and the first thing Azula noticed was the biting cold. The outside temperature in the tundra may have been below freezing but inside the hangar, despite its warmer temperatures, was still unpleasant.

The space port was one massive hangar where dozens of ships came and went with massive doors on the ceilings and walls covered in a transparent shield to keep the cold out.

To everyone else it looked like any other facility they had been in but Azula had a different experience. Every creature visible was glowing, some brighter than others or their clothes obscured their body heat. The engines of ships were glowing brightly as they were active, heat given off by them almost looked like waves of smoke. Fresh hand and finger prints were visible on objects and anything else that generated heat was clearly stuck out to her.

It was disorienting to her somewhat as everything else appeared normally.

"Hey firespitter, you alright?" Sev asked.

Azula rubbed her eyes, "It's just a little overwhelming is all."

"I just hope we can find a place to do our tests. This city is a little dense."

As they discussed where to go Sev scanned the other ships taking in the sites until one ship caught his eye making him stop in his tracks and cursed loud enough for the others to hear, "Guys, we got a problem."

Azula sighed, "What is it now?"

Sev pointed to the ship. It was a long angular black starship much larger than their vessel and more heavily armed with its most distinctive feature being a bright yellow sun emblem painted on its side.

Lectro tensed up at the sight of it, "Oh no, Golden Sun's."

"Golden sun's?" Azula repeated, "Who are they, another rival mercenary group?"

"Worse. Syndicate."