Azula rolled her eyes as she sat in her cell listening as Dr. Lectro repeated everything she explained to him in order to understand it, "So...this chi substance flows through the body and you are capable of using this energy to just summon fire without a fuel source?"
"Chi is the fuel." She corrected in annoyance.
"Right." He taps this information away on his hand held device, "And some people are born with this ability and others are not. Correct?"
"Correct."
"And you are only capable of generating fire?"
Azula nodded leaving lightning out of her explanation. She would need an ace up her sleeve should something go wrong.
"And you can only bend one of the four elements. No one can manipulate more than one?"
"Correct." She said quickly leaving no room for doubt on the matter. The last thing she needs is for them to know about the Avatar. It may spark their interest enough to want to seek him out. She still didn't know what the Crimson Storm was or who they held their allegiance for.
Lectro finished tapping away at his tablet, "Absolutely fascinating stuff! What I'd give to run some tests."
Angara's head shot up from where she leaned up against the wall, "Not happening. She stays in the cell, captain's orders."
"Oh come on, you can't expect me to collect all this data and just not run some tests! I gotta find out the science behind this!"
"Then include it in your report. The captain will find you another one to take to the lab. One with a little less attitude."
Azula cocked her head towards Angara, a look of annoyance plastered across her features, "Excuse me?"
Angara replied with indifference, "You're excused, princess."
Her eyes widened a bit. How did they know she was royalty? Did she let something slip in their exchange or is this just another crass comment from this rude individual. She remained silent not acknowledging the comment however Angara noticed the subtle reaction.
"So you are a princess? Figured you were some kind of royalty, given how you carry yourself. Although, I would've expected a princess to dress the part." Angara said with a chuckle while gesturing to Azula's disheveled appearance.
"So why are you dressed like some street urchin? You run away from home because you didn't like who daddy wanted you to marry?"
Azula shot up from her seat, anger flowing through her. They were right, she is a princess and she will not be disrespected by some thug too cowardly to show their face, "I'd watch my tone if I were you." Her voice dripped with malice.
Angara stopped leaning against the wall and approached the cell bars, "Or what?"
Lectro, now sensing the tension between them, decided to step in between them.
"Angara." he said in a measured tone trying to muster as much authority as the captain, "Remember what we said about playing nice with others."
Azula's mouth curled up after hearing this, perhaps she can provoke a reaction out of them and have some fun while in this cell. They seemed too fascinated with her bending to allow Angara to do anything to her.
"Perhaps you should listen to him. After all, you'll probably get in trouble with your captain if you try to go any further with this. Or even worse become embarrassed once I show you some manners on how to properly speak to royalty."
Lectro turned to her shaking his head indicating for her to not escalate the situation further.
A distorted metallic mocking laugh came from Angara, "That's funny, princess. Talking like that to the person who put your ass in this cell to begin with."
"I will admit that, yes, you did take me down. But that was only because I was momentarily overwhelmed by the realization that aliens exist. Given a fair fight I'd have no doubt that I'd make short work of you."
Angara pushed Lectro out of the way as she approached the cell, "Is that right? Then let's get you out of this cell and see if you can put your money where your mouth is!"
"Uh...but what about her staying put?" Lectro asked.
"Shut it Doc." she ordered without ever taking their gaze away from the Princess.
Before their verbal battle could continue the lights dimmed red and the ear piercing alarm returned catching everyone's attention.
"Well...your lucky day. Duty calls." Angara turned away and marched down the corridor, "Doc stay with the prisoner while I go see what's going on."
"But she's not a prisoner!" Lectro shouted as the door slid close behind them. He turned to Azula and gave a sheepish smile, "You're not a prisoner."
"If I'm not a prisoner then let me out of here!" Azula banged on the luminous barrier with her cuffs.
"This is probably the safest place on the ship for you. Don't worry we'll be fine, the captain will take care of this and nothing bad will happen." They were both rocked side to side by an explosion.
"Hull breach! Deck seven!" a bridge officer announced as an explosion rocked the ship from side to side.
"What happened to the shields?" My'Rell demanded as another explosion rocked the vessel.
"Offline! Again!" Commander Shaul answered, "The shield generator still hasn't been properly repaired!"
"Have we located that ship?"
"Enemy vessel located! Putting it on screen now!" a bridge officer sent an image to the main holographic screen of a large bulbous green vessel covered in cannons drifting between the planet and the moon miles away from the SeCore. A screaming red skull painted proudly on its port side.
My'Rell recognized this vessel anywhere. SkyBurner, the Death's Head mercenary group's prized flagship. The Crimson Storm has fought the Death's Head before in petty squabbles over clients and territory but it had never escalated into a full scale battle between capital ships.
The volley of explosions stopped as suddenly as they happened.
"They're hailing us, captain!" the helmsman announced.
"On screen. Let's see what these bastards want. Get that shield generator back online, start charging the Laz gun and have all weapons ready to fire!"
My'Rell readjusted herself making herself look as dignified as possible as the image of the SkyBurner was replaced by a video feed of a hunched over creature covered in slimy green skin, a long head with four red eyes, a chin covered in tendrils, dressed in a dark green uniform and seated in a captains chair of its own.
"Captain My'Rell." The creature croaked out, his gravelly voice dripping with contempt for the person he addressed.
"Captain Duratix. Is there a reason why you're firing on my ship? I know we've never gotten along but I hardly think this is any way to behave."
"The Death's Head is just giving payback for the lives lost on Pavalen-five."
My'Rell narrowed her eyes, "My condolences Duratix, but we were on a job that day and your client at the time was causing trouble for ours. I can't help if your men were caught in the crossfire. You know how mercenary work is."
The leader of the Death's Head sneered, his four nostrils flaring, "I am aware."
Commander Shaul approached the captain and discreetly informed her that weapons were back online, "So is that what this is? Revenge? And here I thought you were just a shrewd businessman who didn't let emotions get in the way."
Duratix let out a croaking laugh, "Oh but I am a businessman. The whole reason I am even speaking to you now is to conduct a trade."
"Trade?" My'Rell was slightly taken aback by this but decided to hear him out, only to stall for time for the shield generator to come back on, "What do you have in mind?"
Duratix leaned back, stroking his tendrils with a three clawed hand, "You have something that our current client wants, the fabricator. Give it to me and I will spare your ship."
My'Rell was shocked that he knew she was in possession of such a rare piece of equipment. They had only just recently acquired it after raiding a pirate hideout and taking it for the storm. Now she was wondering how the Death's Head got word of it.
"I don't know what you are talking about. You think I'd be working as a mercenary if I had one of those?"
"Don't play dumb with me My'Rell, we know you have it. We were scouting that pirate hideout for weeks to take that fabricator for our client."
That explains that then, My'Rell saw no reason to keep up the lie now, "Well Duratix, all I can say is that you should have gotten to it first. The Crimson Storm isn't going to surrender anything to you."
Duratix laughed at her defiance, "I was hoping you'd say that, after all I never had any intention of sparing your ship and crew. After all, the client is paying double for your head."
With the knowledge that Duratix so carelessly revealed in his hubris My'Rell went through a mental list of the various individuals and organizations that want her and her crew dead but decided that that was best left for a different time. Now she had to focus on the immediate threat.
"Reroute power to shields and fire all batteries!" She commanded.
Azula sat on the bed in a meditative posture breathing in and out steadily trying to regain the strength of her inner flame, however it still felt just as weak now as it did before, but the constant rocking and sounds of explosions emanating from the walls made focusing difficult. Lectro paced about outside of her cell typing away at his tablet.
Azula didn't know if his device was capable of telling him what was going on or if he was just taping away to keep his mind occupied. Either way it was contributing to her annoyance.
"Can you stop pacing? It's distracting."
Lectro halted in his tracks, taken by surprise by her sudden comment, "What?! Oh sorry. I always do that when a battle happens. Not really a soldier so I would much rather be in the lab now but I'd rather not leave you alone here."
"How touching." The sarcasm in her voice was not lost on him.
Azula knew he wasn't staying because of some moral obligation, only to be sure his latest science experiment didn't get loose and wander off.
She could wonder about this later as another explosion rocked her cell, "I take it the pirates that made your ship crash are back."
Lectro grabbed hold of the wall to stabilize himself, "Looks like it, and it seems they have more firepower this time around."
"This ship will be able to withstand their assault, right?" Azula asked, wanting confirmation that she wasn't trapped on a sinking boat.
"Of course! She may be old but the SeCore is the toughest warship around. She's walked away from worse." He reassured her with confidence that was soon dashed away after a loud crash was heard that threw them both to the floor.
"Direct hit on decks four and five!" A bridge officer called out.
"What happened to our shields?!" My'Rell demanded after recovering from the blow.
"Shields are offline again!" Commander Shaul informed her.
My'Rell cursed to herself, "Get engineering on the line and tell them to do whatever that have to to get that shield back on!" She turned to the helmsman as another explosion rocked the compartment, "Take us closer to the planet!"
As per her command the SeCore shifted downward as torpedoes flew past missing their mark or were shot down by point defense turrets while cannon blasts darted past or collided with the ship's hull. My'Rell knew she risked the ship crashing again but the planet's atmosphere and gravity would confuse the enemy torpedoes targeting systems, at least until they are recalibrated for atmosphere combat. Any advantage to minimize damage dealt by the enemy is welcomed.
After a few minutes of torpedo barrages missing their marks the SkyBurner ceased its assault. Still in its drifting position large doors on its side slid open where a dozen of U-shaped fighters flew out boosting towards the direction of the SeCore along with several larger tube shaped ships accompanying them.
"Enemy ship scattering fighters!" Another bridge officer announced. The screens flooded with red lights displaying hostile space craft. Several of the fighters getting close enough to land bombing runs on several of the SeCore's cannons.
"Get every fighter available off the ground and ready to intercept!"
With the shields down and their weapons being targeted there was little to stop Duratix's crew from boarding the SeCore. He wouldn't risk completely destroying the ship with their target still on board. There was no doubt in her mind that the fighters were probably escorting boarding craft.
Within moments the SeCore's own fighters were deployed from the hangars along its length. Ships boosted towards each other firing plasma beams and missiles at one another from vast distances colliding into each other turning the space between the ship's into one of explosions and debris before dog fights began to ensue with both sides taking casualties. The Death's Head fighters outnumbered the Crimson Storm however their ship's were cheaper and easier to destroy while the Crimson Storm's fighters were more robust and heavily armed but the cheaper fighters proved to be overwhelming as one by one they were destroyed.
The sharp nose of the tube ships pierced the SeCore and burrowing themselves firmly into the hull. One of which bored straight through the wall of one of the many cells of the detention center, the sudden impact throwing both Dr. Lectro and Azula to the floor.
Dr. Lectro fumbled back to his feet regaining some semblance of what just happened. He saw that at the far end of the corridor a large cone shaped structure poked out of one of the cells.
"Y-you know...maybe the detention center isn't the safest place for you."
"Oh really?" Azula deadpanned as she recovered from the fall.
Lectro dropped his tablet and began typing away at the panel on the wall that dropped the luminous barrier and retracted the angular bars. Azula dashed out of the cell, past Lectro's attempt to help her out, pausing when she saw the structure. She didn't bother questioning what it was, all she knew was that it wasn't conducive to her survival.
With a loud hiss the structure began to open like a mechanical flower. Lectro grabbed her shoulder, upholstered a plasma pistol from his side and began pulling her down towards the exit. She would normally not allow anyone to touch her however this was a special situation and she began running with him to the door as humanoid shapes exited the craft clad in dark green armor and began firing at them both.
Azula instinctively ducked out of the way, sending an arc of flames towards them with a sweeping kick. Her weaker orange fire barely reached them but caught them off guard enough for them to escape where Lectro locked the door behind them.
"Who were they?" Azula demanded.
"By the look of their uniforms I'd say Death's Head." Lectro didn't go any further and instead motioned her to follow down the corridor away from the enemy craft.
Having nowhere left to go Azula followed him as they jogged down the corridor past other alien crew members scrambling to react to being boarded. As they were traversing the ship she could feel her inner flame returning to her, the strength of her fire growing with each passing moment. Her confidence grew with it.
"Where exactly are we going?"
"My lab. We can hunker down in there for a while while the rest of the crew deals with the intruders."
"Can you at least get these cuffs off?" she held up her cuffed hands for emphasis.
"I would...but I don't have the keys to them."
"Oh well that's just great." she growled out, the sarcasm was not lost on Lectro.
She continued following him weathering through the hard turbulence, falling multiple times into the padding on the walls but managed to keep up with the lizard man.
"We're getting close! My lab is coming up on this next turn."
As they got closer to a two way intersection two crew members came down only to be gunned down by bolts of red energy coming down the opposite end causing both Lectro and Azula to pause. Several Death's Head soldiers appeared from the corridor and began firing at the two. They both retreated behind the corridor with Lectro firing back at them.
"Okay...the lab might not be an option anymore."
"What now?"
The scientist thought to himself for a moment as they were going down another hallway, "I'll take you to one of the escape pods and try and shoot you back to the planet."
An explosion stopped them with wires being knocked loose from the walls and pipes spewing out steam blocking their path. On the opposite end of the hall they heard more blaster fire coming their way.
At the end of the hall they witnessed two Death's Head soldiers retreating while firing at an unknown assailant, one was struck in the chest and went down while the body of a third one flew into the last soldier throwing them against the corner of the corridor.
Azula prepared herself for whatever it was that could have taken them out but found that she could only take a defensive stance with her hands still bound, Lectro pointing his weapon down the hall as well shaking in anticipation clearly not wanting to deal with this situation.
What emerged from the corridor was a nine foot tall creature clad in gunmetal gray and silver metal plating that was integrated into his body making him look more like a machine than a man, or the closest thing to a man that exists on this ship. His face was somewhat human-like except for the metal plates that seemed to be welded on to his grayish purple skin and lack of a visible nose. The most striking feature being the curved red metal mohawk going down the center of his head.
On his shoulder sat a short squat toad like creature dressed in a jumpsuit with webbed hands and feet, a wide head with large bulging green eyes, faded blue moist skin, a series of spiked fins running down its head that was blue in coloration, and a wide grin filled with fang like teeth, one of which was made of gold.
Azula kept her gaze hard as these new individuals turned to them, the larger one holding a much larger weapon than the others with the smaller creature holding a smaller yet still large gun. The metal individual's gaze was equally as hard due to what looked like goggle frames welded around his eyes. She didn't know who he was aligned with and was ready to fight back if necessary.
She was ready to make the first strike until Lectro lowered his weapon and proudly exclaimed, "Sev! Gax! Thank whatever divine force that exists that we ran into you two!"
The metal giants' hard edged brow softened as he greeted the lizard man in a jovial manner, "Lectro! Glad to see you're still kicking!"
"I'm not surprised you are! What with that armored plating of yours and whatever firepower Gax is packing."
The smaller creature known as Gax snickered in a way Azula could only describe as unhinged with an expression to match.
Sev approached, his thunderous footsteps echoing down the hall, and with each passing step Azula witnessed just how large this being was compared to her with his mohawk almost touching the ceiling of the corridors.
"Who's this?" He asked in a rather crude manner pointing a long metal claw towards the princess.
"This is Azula, a princess from the planet below." Lectro introduced quickly.
"The girl that was shooting fire from her hands down in hanger three?"
"The very same." Azula answered, easing out of a defensive stance.
A wide grin plastered his face with a chuckle, "Sweet."
"Azula, this is Sevran and Gax, our weapons specialists."
"You can call me Sev."
"GUMBA WAYA CHUTA!" Gax said in a loud shrill voice.
"What?" Azula asked in confusion at the creature's choice of words.
Lectro leaned in pointing to the device in both of their ears, "The translators don't really pick up whatever language he speaks very well."
Sev marched past them, "So, you enjoying your first day on the job, your highness?"
"Excuse me?" Azula followed him rather than Lectro, mostly for Sevran's more imposing size, confused as to what he meant by his question.
Lectro jogged to keep up with them, "Actually she's not a member of the crew. The Captain wanted her to be returned to the planet's surface."
"Really?" He sounded shocked as a squad of enemies appeared from a corner but were immediately mowed down by Sev's large rapid fire weapon, "Thought she'd be interested in having someone who could shoot fireballs as a mercenary."
Gax said something in his strange language that seemed like he agreed with him as he fired down another hall hitting several intruders.
"I'm not some commodity." Azula interrupted them.
"See, she doesn't even want to join." Lectro added, "What we should do is find an escape pod and jettison her back home."
A door opened just as Sev walked past with a Death's Head soldier almost as large as him leaping out attempting to strike him in the head with the butt of his weapon; however Sev caught the weapon with his free hand while Gax fired his weapon at the interloper's face.
"We might want to deal with this problem first. Any escape pods we send out now are gonna get shot down."
"GESH!" Gax agreed.
Not wanting to let these beings dictate her fate, Azula decided to speak up, "I for one would prefer an escape plan that doesn't involve me dying horribly, but first can any of you get me out of these cuffs? I can be of greater help to all of us with my hands unbound." She emphasized by holding up her cuffed wrists.
"Gotcha covered." Sev grabbed hold of her wrists, his large metal hands completely wrapping around her arms, and with a quick yank snapped the cord between the cuffs.
It should come to no surprise to Azula that someone of his size and build was strong enough to do this but she didn't dwell on it long as she savored being free despite the cuffs still being around her wrists.
"Let's see what those powers of yours can do princess." He then handed her the plasma weapon the previous attacker held before jogging down the corridor.
"I don't know how to use this!" She shouted following him with Lectro in toe.
Whether or not he heard her or ignored her was unclear to Azula as the sounds of blaster fire echoed down various corridors drowning out their voices.
"The SeCore just got hit by dozens of boarding ships. Most of the crew got caught up in firefights and cut off from various parts of the ship. I heard from the cargo bay that they're all converging on the storage rooms in the ship's interior." Sev informed them as another enemy appeared from behind a blast door that caused him to instinctively punch with his free hand, his superior strength sending the enemy ragdolling back several feet.
Azula was slightly taken aback by the violent display of strength.
"And what exactly is it that you are carrying?" She asked as she fumbled around with the plasma weapon in her hands trying to figure out how it works in a way that made Lectro uneasy enough to run behind her as to not be on the receiving end of an accidental discharge.
"To put it simply, really valuable cargo." Lectro answered.
Sev fired his weapon on a group of Death's Head members already engaged in a firefight, taking them out without them realizing they were there.
"Angara's already there holding them off but she's pinned down so I was on my way to back her up. We'll take the stairway there and..."
As they reached the corridor that led to the stairway they were met with a large group of the enemy already stationed there, using their plasma weapons to melt through the blast doors. All of their visored eyes trained on the four of them before firing on them. Thankfully they came from an intersection and were capable of taking cover.
Sev and Gax fired blindly from one side of the hall as plasma bolts kept them from peeking over while Lectro fired sparingly. Azula tried to follow his lead and was able to peek over from his side. After observing how these weapons were used she attempted to fire the plasma weapon but was not prepared for the recoil to knock her back and miss her mark entirely.
Growing frustrated with it she tossed it aside and with two fingers shot a bolt of blue fire directly at one of their faces. Not enough to do any damage but enough to disorient him while Sev or Gax took the killing shot. The feeling of her inner fire returning filling her with strength and an eagerness to fight, she did not understand why her firebending felt so weak to begin with or why it was suddenly returning but she couldn't complain.
Their assailants soon caught on to this and began to focus their assault on her. In an attempt to defend herself she bent a wall of fire to deflect the plasma blasts but as she rotated her hands swaying the existing flames into a fiery spiral the bolts already in air swayed and curved at her movements missing her and being redirected into the floor or wall. Lectro, Sev and Gax looked at her in surprise at this display with even the Death's Head soldiers halted in their onslaught flabbergasted.
They snapped out of their shock and went back to firing at her but now armed with the knowledge that she could manipulate their projectiles she dived out of cover and swayed her arms to manipulate the bolts flying towards her.
She could feel the bolts coming at her like fireballs from another bender but moved too fast for her to stop fully and instead was forced to redirect every bolt away from her. Sev jumped out of cover following behind her with Gax jumping off him and following with his own assault form the floor as she haphazardly redirected the bolts away periodically firing and taking out several more until there were only four left.
Azula bent the remaining beams managing to catch them but couldn't stop their momentum and like a waterbender swayed her arms in a clockwise fluid motion, the beams arcing in air like water as she redirected them back and took out the remaining enemies. She didn't mean to follow a water bending form however the movements flowed more naturally when bending them.
"How the hell did you do that?" Sev asked, walking past her stepping over the bodies to get to the door.
"I...I don't know." She said honestly not fully understanding what she did.
"That was incredible!" Lectro said with glee as he hopped over the fallen soldiers, "I've never seen plasma being manipulated like that without the use of some form of technology! I wonder what it could possibly be?"
With a hiss the thick blast doors slid open allowing them access to the stairwell after Sev punched in the necessary code, "How about we talk about this later?"
"You do have a plan of attack, I presume, right?" Azula questioned the large cybernetic man as he led the way, Gax climbing back onto his shoulder.
"Yeah. Get in. Shoot all the bad guys. Maybe celebrate with a glass of squig later."
"That is a terrible plan."
"Worked for us in the past."
"But you're covered in hard armored plating while we're not." Lectro pointed out.
"Take a note out of Gax's book and stay behind me, then." Sev opened another set of blast doors on the floor of their destination, "Besides, we've got someone who can direct the flow of plasma fire away from us."
Azula looked at him incredulously, "I just learned I could do this minutes ago! I don't know the limits of its capabilities yet and you just want to throw me to the wolfbats."
"WOOF BAKS?" Gax questioned looking at her in confusion.
"You'll never know unless you practice." Sev gave her a cocky grin flashing his chrome colored teeth.
The princess only shook her head at the level of recklessness he displayed, "This is going to get us all killed."
After finding a small blast door with the almost deafening sound of blaster fire coming from behind it. Sev took a defensive position near the door with Azula and Lectro behind him. He opens the door and just before he could rush in the body of a smoking Death's Head soldier flew out colliding with the opposite wall.
Ignoring the sudden body being flung at them Sev charged into a large open room filled with crates and other supplies, littering the floor where dozens of bodies from both the crew of the SeCore and of the intruders, scorch marks lining the walls and crates.
In the center of the bloodshed there was Angara displaying a dance of carnage and fury while surrounded by Death's Head soldiers. She moved like a feral animal clad in armor dodging and weaving out of the way of blaster fire or deflecting them with a luminous circular shield appearing from her left gauntlet while returning fire from a single pistol, closing the distance between her and her opponent taking them down with a swift strike to their abdomen or head with her shield.
As Angara grabbed a hold of another enemy using them as a shield, once she retracted her luminous one, from another opponent's blaster fire. Sev charged in using his size advantage to barrel straight into several other enemies, sending them flying before offering supporting fire at Angara's side. Gax firing at the opponents behind Sev.
"Took you long enough!" she said, tossing her shield aside and ducking out of another blast.
"Got held up on the way here!" he responded with a grin as a bolt bounced off his chest plate, "Also I brought some help."
Just as Angara was about to ask what he meant by that, a blast of blue flames collided with an enemy knocking them to the ground. Azula leapt in throwing waves of fire and jabs towards her opponents forcing them to remain behind cover.
"What's she doing here?" Angara asked fiercely, dashing to grab a plasma rifle from a fallen opponent and firing at several enemies on the upper level.
Azula used her new-found ability of redirecting plasma fire to fling enemy blasts away then firing back with her own, "Lending you my strength, you clearly need it."
Angara only responded with another animalistic snarl.
Azula shot a blast at an opponent behind Angara, nearly striking her red helmet.
Angara growled at her as she summoned her shield again, soaking up plasma fire while closing the distance between her and her opponent, backhanding the weapon out of his hand then firing at him until her weapon overheated.
Angara moved to find cover as one of the enemies fired at her from above with a stray shot colliding with her helmet sending her reeling back.
Azula took cover behind some crates and found that she was pinned down, too many plasma blasts coming her way giving her no window to try and manipulate them. Now would probably be a good time to try and bend lightning, she just needs enough time to generate it.
Just as she began to make the necessary hand motions one of the enemy soldiers appeared by her side, his weapons sights trained on her. There was no time for her to react, no time to stop her motion and firebend.
Before he could squeeze the trigger a bright red helmet was thrown at his head making him miss his shot. Angara tackled him to the ground before he could recover and impaled him with a blade protruding from her gauntlet.
She turned to face Azula. Her face was very human like except for her yellowish green skin, long blood red hair tied back in a braid with various tribal beads woven into it, narrow catlike eyes surrounded by black sharp edged tribal tattoos, thin slits for nostrils with short spiked horns growing around her head poking through her scarlet hair like a crown of thorns.
"What're you looking at?" She sneered, retracting the blade.
Azula let her surprise at her appearance waiver and instead gave her a smirk, "I was right. You aren't that flattering underneath that mask."
Angara hissed at her, flashing her fangs, "Just stay out of my way, princess." Two more enemies appeared with their weapons ready.
Angara shot up to her feet and a cone shaped weapon unfolded from her right shoulder firing a series of long needles from pores along its surface that pierced their armor killing them instantly. Small thrusters along the backside of Angara's suit propelled her past Azula kneeing another intruder in the head, throwing him back as she took his weapon taking out several others.
Not wanting to be outdone by Angara's display of martial prowess Azula rolled out of the way of several other blasts spinning in a fiery blaze throwing several opponents back then used her firebending to propel herself onto the second level landing next to her latest victim. She kicked his weapon out of his hands before roasting him with a constant funnel of fire causing him to panic and fall over the railing crashing into a pile of crates.
The soldier behind him lunged at her with a combat knife roaring out in fury. Azula managed to dodge a few swipes before grabbing hold of his arm and sending an open palm to his chin then sending him over her shoulder and breaking his arm with a sickening crunch.
A blast came her way from the third soldier stationed there that she was able to deflect with a simple hand motion. He fired several more times only for each bolt to be redirected someplace else. The soldiers backed away slowly trembling, his weapon shaking within his grasp as she approached. A smirk forming on her lips as she savored his fear with his muffled hyperventilation ringing like music to her ears.
"W-what are you?!" the soldier trembled.
Her grin grew tremendously, "Isn't it obvious? I'm the one who is going to-"
She was interrupted as a grappling hook from below pierced his leg and pulled him beneath the railing where he collided with two others beneath. The grappling hook retracted back into Angara's gauntlet before she turned to another opponent.
Azula gritted her teeth in discontent at her prey being stolen by the scarlet headed warrior before leaping off and taking out another soldier with a downward sweeping fireblast just as Angara turned to face him.
They both locked eyes with one another as their personal competition began to escalate with them begrudgingly fighting alongside each other as they tried to outdo each other with each strike of fire and gadget until they became a furious storm of destruction.
Sev stood not too far away as an armored tower of destruction, plasma bolts striking his armored body doing little damage to him as Gax stood on his shoulders covering Sev's blindspots until they managed to clear the room of all enemies.
Once the room was cleared Azula was able to drop her guard and catch her breath. From the corner of her eye she caught movement, spinning around and taking on a fighting stance again she was ready to send a fireball straight into the surviving Death's Head soldier until a plasma bolt rushed past her striking her opponent in the chest.
Behind her Angara stood with a blaster in hand, smoke still flowing from its barrel.
"I had that one." she said in annoyance.
"Then why'd I get him?" Angara asked with a cocky smile as she holstered the weapon.
"Is it over?" Lectro called out from his hiding spot behind a crate, peaking out slowly.
"For now." Angara turned her sights towards a large crate in the back of the room where a few of the surviving crew mates were, some injured but were still in fighting shape.
"How's the fabricator?"
Lectro was already by the side of a large metal crate that took up a good portion of the back wall. He observed the status of its contents through a built-in panel sighing in relief, "The fabricator is in good condition."
"Is that what this is all about?" Azula asked, unimpressed by the large crate, "What is so special about this 'fabricator' device we've had to vigorously defend?"
Angara scoffed, "Course a primitive wouldn't understand."
"What was that?" Azula asked in a warning tone.
"The fabricator is a piece of hyper advanced technology that is capable of converting raw resources into usable materials or converting it into different elements of matter. It's actually how we intend to fix the ship." Lectro explained, hoping it would prevent another argument from forming between the two, "Technology like this isn't easy to come by so of course we're probably going to get attacked by anyone who knows we've got it."
"And of course the Death's Head is the first to come knocking." Sev responded as he lightly brought down a metal fist on a recovering enemy's head knocking him back out.
Satisfied with Lectro's analysis Angara grabbed a hold of a plasma rifle from one of her fallen enemies, "Some of them split off for engineering. We need to get there before..." She was never able to finish her sentence as the ship shook violently with the lights shutting off before the emergency lights came back on.
"What was that?" the Fire nation princess asked.
"The reactor going offline." Sev answered grimly.
"And that is..." she egged on not understanding what that meant.
"Very bad. We're dead in the water."
My'Rell braced herself in the captain's chair as all electronics within the bridge flickered on and off, "Status report!"
Various bridge staff attempted to regain control of their monitors.
"Nothing is responding!" the helmsman said moving the ship's controls in vain.
Commander Shaul pulled himself up from where he fell from the turbulence as he attempted to use the holo table, "Somebody shut down the reactor. We're running on auxiliary power!"
My'Rell immediately grabbed her personal communicator, "Cetro! What's going on down there?"
The sound of blaster fire came through along with other sounds of a struggle before a gruff scratchy voice answered, "Engineering got compromised! We were able to take them out but some of them got through to the reactor controls."
"Can you get the reactor back online?"
"Yeah, but it'll take a while."
My'Rell gazed out the panoramic window seeing Skyburner approaching the SeCore inverting its axis as it loomed over head, "Get it done now!"
Azula sat on one of the many crates as she used her firebending to torch the cuffs off of her wrists. It was mainly something to keep her mind occupied while her companions discussed their situation.
Angara paced about trying to get ahold of the captain with her communicator while Sev and Gax took watch at one of the doors for any more intruders. Lectro stood with Angara hoping to speak to the captain as well.
One cuff fell off. Now she just needed the other off.
Clearly there was no plan in place and instead they were forced to react. They had no control of the situation and that irritated her to no end. She'd offer her skills in tactics but there were too many factors that were unknown to her on how these "people" fight.
Angara got through with Lectro running to her side. They discussed something in private far from her range of hearing as she finally got the other cuff off.
Now with nothing else to keep her busy she crept up to the two just as they seemed to be finished with their conversation.
"Well? What is the plan?" She demanded earning her a scowl from Angara.
Angara relayed the information to Azula letting her know the gravity of the situation that if the Skyburner manages to dock they will be overwhelmed, "I've got an idea though." She added.
"I got the captain's blessing too, but it's a risky one."
"Well don't keep us waiting." She said sarcastically and crossed her arms.
"The plan is we go outside, hunker down and defend the dorsal docking collar from entry. If they couldn't get it open now they're gonna try and use the panel outside to activate it. While they dock they're gonna have to turn off their shields leaving their bridge defenseless and that's when we'll hit it."
"That is an incredibly risky plan." Lectro added in.
"Well doc, if you've got a better one I'd like to hear it." She snarled at him.
"What we need to do is get the reactor back online. I can help with that, so I'm going down to engineering to take care of that."
"Fine. While you do that I'll gather up what forces I can for the defense."
"Great plan. So where do I need to be?" Azula asks.
Angara gave her a hard look, "You're staying here princess. You'll just get in the way."
Now she was angry. How could this lowly thug say such a thing after witnessing just how formidable she was?
"Get in the way? If it wasn't for my assistance you would have been overwhelmed and your precious cargo would have been lost!"
Angara snarled in frustration stomping up to her face, "I'll admit that you managed to help out there but zero-g combat is completely different. You'd be fumbling around like a child learning to walk."
"I'll adapt like I did here." Azula stood her ground, refusing to be intimidated into submission.
It was here that Lectro decided to chime in, "She's right Azula. Zero gravity combat is unlike anything your people have experienced. Plus, your fire bending ability will be useless out there."
"I'll manage." She responded, never breaking eye contact with her challenger.
The two female warriors stared each other down, each refusing to yeild to the other until another rumble across the ship interrupted them.
The thunderous footsteps of Sev could be heard approaching from behind Azula, "As fun as it is watching you two have your little pissing contest, we should probably get started on that plan of yours soon before the whole Death's Head army shows up."
Angara finally broke eye contact, "Fine, you want to die in space? Then grab a blaster princess, because we're gonna be in for the fight of our lives."
Gax gave a wide grin and laughed in approval of the plan.
"Very well then. I'll see you outside." Azula shot back.
Angara says nothing and instead pushes past her, being sure to purposely bump into the princess's shoulder hard enough to stagger her. The message was loud and clear to Azula that Angara clearly did not like her or having her authority questioned.
Before she could dwell on this further Lectro approached with a look of apprehension across his long snout, "Azula, don't go out there. The cold vacuum of space is an inhospitable environment for anyone on a good day. You don't have any experience in such a place let alone the ability to fight in it!"
She is not concerned in the slightest as she has braved greater odds before and disregards his warning. She would not be sidelined into leaving her fate in the hands of others, "Don't you have somewhere to be, doctor?"
She turns to follow the others out leaving the scientist to deal with his anxious feelings towards this. Before long Azula found herself in an armory with the other members of the crew, all gearing up with various forms of weaponry and armor.
Angara shoved a pair of boots into her chest, "You're gonna want to put these on princess. They'll keep you from floating away."
Azula begrudgingly took the strange dark colored boots, mentally questioning what she meant by that but pushed those thoughts aside in favor of her tactical mindset, "You said you were going to take out their bridge. How do you plan to do so?"
The armored warrior pulled out a large cylindrical shaped heavy weapon almost as tall as her from a weapons locker, "One hit from this rocket launcher should be enough to do the job. Once the bridge is out and their leader dead they'll be scrambling and that'll give us enough time to react. You think you can keep up or stay out of our way long enough for us to get the job done?"
Angara seemed to push all the right buttons to set off Azula's contempt, "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were concerned for me."
Angara let out a rude chuckle before leaving with the weapon, "Yeah right."
Sev came from behind her holding a metal vest to her that looked puny in his possession, "Don't mind her, she's like that with everyone. Also you're gonna want to wear this."
"What is it?" She studied its strange texture and device attached to its back.
"Your space suit."
She gave the giant metal man a look of confusion.
"Put it on and I'll show you how it works."
She did so along with putting on the boots Angara gave her and found that it didn't cover much, only her upper torso and the circular device on its back weighed her down. The boots were also a size too big for her.
"Isn't a suit supposed to cover the entire body?" She asked while testing her movements.
"Press the button on your chest."
Azula did as instructed and when doing so her exposed arms, head and lower torso were engulfed in the same luminous barrier that was around the ship and her prison cell, only this time cloaking her body like a second layer of skin.
"What you're wearing is an emergency shield vest. Not the best space suit to have in a firefight but better than nothing. It uses shield tech to generate a barrier around the wearer to protect them from the vacuum of space. Has enough power to last three hours but try not to take too much plasma fire on your shielded bits, that'll cut that time shorter. Also that circular pack on your back is your oxygen supply so don't get hit there either or you'll suffocate." Sev explained as he put a mask over his face that attached to the metal plates of his head.
Yet again Azula couldn't help but be amazed by the technology she had witnessed but couldn't focus on it as Sev gave her a plasma pistol to use.
She turned the shield suit off, "I told you, my bending should be enough."
Sev's voice came with a metallic echo, "Normally fire powers would be great but we're going out into space. Fire needs oxygen to burn and guess what space doesn't have a lot of."
Reluctantly she took the weapon and after getting a quick lesson from Sev on how to properly use it she along with various other members of the SeCore's crew ventured to the top deck piling into a hanger. The various crew members around her dressed in form fitting space suits to whatever species they belonged to or wore emergency shield vests like her. All armed to the teeth and many holding thick rectangular blast shields meant for deflecting plasma fire. She stayed close to Sev as his larger frame would make for a great shield from danger and Gax clinging to his back added extra support.
Angara stood at the front of the group now dawning a new black helmet that displayed her face, "Listen up! SkyBurner is just right above us. They're probably already sending out more strike teams to secure the docking collar. We're going to hit them with everything we've got! Take out as many Death's Head as you can and make sure they can't secure that collar. Once the collar is secured we'll focus on taking out the bridge. When their head is cut off, that'll give engineering enough time to get the SeCore up and running again and blow that hunk of crap to pieces!"
The crew showed enthusiasm to her words with many cheering in approval of her plan.
"Remember! We're the Crimson Storm! We don't go down easy and anyone who crosses us faces a hurricane of fury!"
The crew shouted and screamed with passion, all hyped to go into battle and defend their ship. Azula only sat back and watched, she wasn't a part of this crew and wasn't even here by choice so she felt no reason to take part in their cheers. She only wanted to get this over with.
"Suits on!" Angara ordered, with everyone present pressurizing their suits or activating their shield vests, "Depressurize and open the doors!"
The artificial atmosphere in the hangar disappeared with the heavy blast doors slowly sliding open revealing the length of the SeCore's massive frame floating in the inky blackness of space, illuminated only by the rays of the sun.
A new feeling came to Azula, pure weightlessness that almost carried her off, her half done up hair and loose fitting clothes swaying as if she were underwater. The only thing keeping her from floating away were the magnetic boots given to her.
All occupants in the hangar charged out into open space taking defensive positions around the hangar. Azula followed them out trying her best to stay grounded but the lack of gravity almost carried her away with each step causing her to fumble over a few times. She now understood what Lectro's warnings meant but now was no time to think of this, she had to adapt just like she always has. She is a prodigy after all, it will come to her eventually.
Sev managed to scoop her up in his free arm, "Just hang on to me."
She begrudgingly grabbed hold of a metal component on his back, drifting off of him like a cape. She felt ridiculous but couldn't do much about it and instead focused on her surroundings. Two massive cannons were in position outside the hangar where a vast majority of their forces began taking positions around establishing plasma turrets on or under them.
She could see explosions out in the distance as fighters continued their dog fights in the space around them.
She looked past these sights and caught a glimpse of something she'd never thought she'd ever see. Her home, the Fire Nation resting in the middle of the sea like all the maps displayed it only this time it was no map. From far above her world the series of islands looked so small and insignificant compared to the massive continent that is the earth kingdom, so much so that she was beginning to wonder if the Fire Nation's cartographers may have over-bloated the country's size.
She continued to marvel at such a sight until she caught a glimpse of something else. SkyBurner looming overhead with an oppressive force slowly drifting closer, its dorsal side facing them.
Sev reached a position beneath one of the cannons allowing her to attach herself to the hull.
As SkyBurner drifted closer she could see dozens of enemy soldiers descending from the ship, all armed with many of them carrying blast shields to defend against an assault while being propelled by small thrusters on their suits.
As soon as they were in sight Angara gave the order to fire. The area around them was soon engulfed in blasts of plasma that ranged in hues of reds and yellow.
The Crimson Storm members were in a better defensive position taking pot shots at their more exposed enemies whose only defense were large hand held blast shields that soaked up incoming fire and a good offense.
The Storm's defensive positions were soon compromised when several members of the enemy's strike force brandished their own rocket launchers and began firing. Explosions flushed out those taking cover where they became easy prey for the invading force to pick off.
Azula took cover behind Sev as several bolts rained down, one of which struck her in the head with the shield of her suit absorbing it but now flashing red. She recovered quickly firing her weapon at the assailants just as she was shown but the chaos of the battle mixed with the explosions threw off her aim. Sev and Gax fired from their position managing to take out a few but most shots bounced off their blast shields.
One armed with a rocket launcher appeared from behind a shielded soldier and fired.
Sev seeing that rocket blast coming their way grabbed hold of a nearby blast shield covering himself, Gax and Azula from the resulting explosion.
Azula tried to fight back but this style of combat and this environment was beyond what she was capable of and it had dawned on her just how much she overestimated herself. Every attempt to fire bend was in vain as no spark would form, movement was difficult with no gravity to stabilize her, the blaster she was given was too foreign to her and she could barely hit anything.
She had no control of anything. Another explosion appeared near her and the blast wave threw her back again, this time her magnetic boots didn't catch onto anything and she began to float freely in the air, away from the safety of cover and unable to properly stabilize or stop herself, where she became an easy target.
Just as she was getting too far away she felt something grab hold of her arm and when looking to face it she saw Gax's webbed hands around her arm, his feet grappling Sev's extended arm as the metal giant pulled them both behind cover. She made sure to firmly plant her feet on the hull.
Sev stood above her like a towering shield, "Listen! This is clearly out of your league so hang back and only shoot if you have too." He fired at the looming foes as Gax climbed back on him.
Not wanting to be ordered around she shot back defensively, "I won't just sit by and do nothing!"
"I can't fight and look after you at the same time!" His sudden commanding tone was enough to silence her.
He followed up with a softer voice, "Just hang back and let us take care of everything."
With that her two companions refocused on the battle at hand while she sat up against the cannon. She had become what she had always feared. A useless burden.
Many of the enemy landed several yards away from the cannons with those using blast shields gathering together to form a wall. Behind the forces that landed a Death's Head member who pulled off a panel where they began plugging their own equipment. The shielded soldiers began to form a perimeter around him.
Angara could see this from her elevated position on one of the cannons.
"All units! They're trying to hack into the docking collar. Focus fire on the shield wall!" She ordered through her helmet's built-in communicator.
As if on cue all forces did as they were ordered. Many of the plasma bolts bounced off their shields but the frequency of the impacts and burns left behind began to warp and wear down their durability.
The forces that stayed floating began to fire a rocket barrage at them once more, taking out several large groups.
From behind cover Sev saw the wall of shields growing and an idea formed in his head, "Gax. I think it's time we test out one of our new toys."
The smaller creature paused in his assault as he gave Sev a wide mischievous grin as he cackled in approval. Sev holstered his weapon to his back as his right shoulder extended from its socket, he bent his arm back where his forearm hooked into his metal bicep as the gears that made up his elbow joint detached moving out of the way as his upper arm opened revealing a cylindrical device that began spinning rapidly as a barrel extended from where his elbow was.
Azula watched in amazement as his arm continued to distort itself into what looked like a cannon. Sev planted his metal feet firmly on as the cylinder in his arm spun faster, generating a fierce red glow. Once fully charged a beam of pure red light was fired, the beam cutting clean through the blast shields and anyone behind them as if they were butter and managed to clear a path revealing the enemy hacker.
Various vents on his arm opened as heat shot out while the cannon folded back up returning to its use as an arm.
Azula couldn't help but be stunned in awe of such a powerful weapon and was thankful Sev was her ally and not her enemy.
The remaining invaders refocused their efforts on protecting the hacker and focused fire on Sev's position.
Angara, seeing the opening Sev made, attached her rocket launch to her back and leapt into the air using her thrusters to propel her into one of the enemy who was too distracted to notice.
She collided into the man grabbing ahold of his mask and ripping the visor open, letting out his oxygen supply and kicking him away after taking his blast shield.
After kicking off from the enemy another floating close by began firing at her, however Angara used her newly acquired shield to block the blasts as she closed the gap between them slamming the shield into him sending him spiraling and unloading a few shots in him before he could stabilize himself.
She sped to another floating in a defensive position above the shield wall who held a rocket launcher prepared to fire at her allies. With the corner of her shield she bashed the side of their helmet shattering the visor and making them miss their target.
She fired at another floating soldier then flung her shield at another and now positioned above the hacker she grabbed her rocket launcher and fired.
As the hacker was finishing his work the rocket came down faster than he could react, only noticing it when detonating just a few feet away engulfing him and those around in a fiery explosion. The Shockwave knocked the rest back.
Angara floated there for a few moments hoping that she managed to stop them in time, however the large door that made up the section of the ship began to open as a towering pillar-like structure extended from the SeCore.
She was too late. They had succeeded in their task. SkyBurner extended its own docking collar as it drifted closer.
Angara propelled herself away as the enemy began firing at her, returning to the shelter the cannons provided. She knew what she had to do now, she had to fulfill her object and take out the bridge before it docked.
As she returned to her position to reload her rocket she found that her supply had been destroyed along with various parts of the cannon.
There were too many casualties and injured to continue this plan with only a handful still capable of fighting. She cursed herself knowing that she had to give the order to retreat.
As she gave the order she managed to find a spare rocket drifting by and reloaded. She may have given the order to retreat but she will make sure that the job gets done.
As Sev continued to fire several blasts of plasma struck his armored plating, one bolt managing to penetrate his side. Dark purple blood begins to trickle out.
He grabbed hold of Gax at the side, tossing him onto his back while retreating and grabbing the princess as well, pulling her under his arm as he ran.
"What are you doing?" She shouted in fury.
"Ain't it obvious? We're retreating!"
"So much for this grand plan."
"Hey if you've got any ideas now would be a good time to share them?"
While struggling to break free of Sev's grasp she looked back up to the invading ship, what seemed like the rear housed a tower-like structure overlooking the ship and positioned right above the SeCore's bridge. She knew what she must do.
"I have one." She pushed out of his grasp kicking off of him towards the top of the cannon.
"Where you going!? Hey!" Sev shouted into her translator's communicator.
Gax watched as she drifted off grabbing onto the bars of a built in ladder, "GASH KATA KA EAN!"
"Yeah, you're right. She's dead." Sev agreed. As interested as he was of the fire princess he risked enough for her and didn't know her long enough to run after her and prevent what ever suicidal plan she had, "Real shame too. Those fire powers were pretty cool."
Azula climbed up the ladder to one of the upper levels of the cannon. The rest of the Crimson Storm retreated into the hanger as Death's Head forces overwhelmed them. Sev's display of such a destructive weapon reminded her that she had her own deadly weapon within her arsenal but she wasn't sure if lightning would work in space like her firebending but that didn't matter anymore. If she failed or it didn't work, death awaited her and she would rather go out fighting.
She took her pose and focused. Drawing her finger tips in a familiar arcing motion focusing on splitting her chi and generating a spark of lightning.
Angara drifted trying to find a better position to target the bridge. As she waited for the rocket to lock on, a flash of blue light caught her attention where she saw lightning being generated.
Sev and Gax re-entered the hangar as blaster fire dashed past them. Gax caught his companions' attention and pointed to the lightning being generated.
On the bridge of the SeCore My'Rell barked orders to engineering who still struggled to get the reactor back online. She continued to coordinate with her forces on a counterattack until one of the bridge officers called out to her pointing outside the window. My'Rell and several other officers approached gasping in astonishment at the sight of lighting being generated by a single person.
Duritax sat in his captain's chair watching in satisfaction as his forces overwhelmed his longtime rival. He mused at what he would do to My'Rell, gun her down like some common street trash or stick her in an airlock and slowly pull the oxygen out and watch her suffocate. Maybe he'll gun down her entire crew and make her watch then do one of those. He couldn't help but smile at the image.
"Captain!" one of his bridge officers called out.
Annoyed at this interruption he barked out, "What is it?"
"I'm picking up a strange reading from one of the turrets."
"On screen." he commanded in a disinterested tone.
The main screen displayed the image of Azula surrounded by currents of electricity.
Duritax leaned forward in bewilderment and confusion, his four old eyes straining to grasp what he was seeing, "Is that a person?"
Before anyone could react the image, Azula thrusted her fingers towards them sending a blast of cold blue lightning crashing into the walls sending and explosion of fire, metal and glass over everyone within the bridge before the sudden decompression sucked everyone out into the cold void of space with one of the helmsman colliding with the ships controls kick starting the engines and propelling SkyBurner forward just before the docking collars could connect. The docking collar colliding and crumbling against the body of the SeCore.
Azula looked on with triumph as SkyBurner flew off out of control, the fire in her burning hotter than ever, finally showing that she was not worthless even out here, until it was replaced with a new feeling, a dreadful freezing coldness that penetrates her body. It was a terrible feeling like being stuck in a blizzard without clothes. She tried to gasp from this sudden chill but found that no air would enter her lungs. Panicked, she grasps her neck as she desperately tries to breathe and finds that the radiant barrier cloaking her body had fizzled out with her shield vest completely fried from the lightning blast and leaving her exposed to the vacuum.
Behind her a Death's Head soldier drifts closer with his weapon trained on her ready to fire but before he could squeeze the trigger a rocket collides with him saving her from certain death. Angara tossed the rocket launcher aside as she sped towards a falling Azula, her magnetic boots shorted out from her lightning, and she drifted. Choking, her vision began to blur as she descended and gazed upon the sight of the fire nation miles below her.
"Was this it?" She thought. Was this how Azula, princess of the fire nation, met her end? Fighting in a battle between two factions she knew nothing about just as she had learned that there is so much more beyond the sky of her world.
As she fell a figure appeared before her, halting her descent. Azula looked at the figure seeing her mother holding on to her with the same solemn expression she had always had. She tried to say something to her, anything, but slipped into unconsciousness.
Angara, now holding her, propelled them both towards the hangar managing to fly between the doors just in time to close behind them.
My'Rell couldn't believe what she had seen. How could someone just generate that kind of power within themselves? There was no doubt in her mind now, Azula could be a very useful asset to the Crimson Storm.
The lights to the bridge cut back on with all monitors and holograms returning to life.
"The reactor is back online! We have full power!" Commander Shaul informed her.
She marched back to the captain's chair, "Status of the Laz gun?"
"Fully charged, captain." Another officer informed her.
"Target their reactor and fire on my mark."
As SkyBurner drifted further and further away, panels on the dorsal side of the SeCore's nose opened with a cannon ascending from it, two prongs at its front generating green energy as it positioned itself for a clear line of fire.
"Reactor targeted!"
"Fire!"
A beam of green light erupted from between the prongs colliding with the rear section of SkyBurner, melting through its armored plating before the entire ship erupted in a massive explosion, the brightness of it forcing members of the bridge crew to shield their eyes.
"Target successfully neutralized."
My'Rell let out a tired breath of relief, "Damage report?"
"Minimal compared to before, however I recommend we go over a full systems check for the shield generator." Commander Shaul reported, "It nearly cost us."
"Agreed, but first; recall all fighters, get anyone left who is fit enough to fight to round up what's left of the Death's Head and get me a full head count on how many people we have left. Shaul you have the bridge. " She turned to leave the bridge.
"Where are you going, captain?" He asked.
"I'm going to go see our stowaway."
Azula awoke in a drowsy stupor; her head pounding, muscles stiff and a nauseous feeling churning in her stomach as she winced at the bright fluorescent lights overhead. The last thing she remembered was producing lightning and a sudden coldness but then she remembered something else, seeing her mother again. She shook her head in annoyance. Of course that wasn't real, just her mind playing tricks on her again.
She surveyed her surroundings, finding herself in a bed within a wide stark white room filled with glowing blue monitors. She tried to sit up but found that her limbs were bound to the bed. Instinctively she struggled against them to no avail, she was too physically exhausted to break free of them and she also felt the same dimness in her inner flame as before. This felt no different then when she was bound in a straight jacket back at the asylum except now if she escaped she would have nowhere else to go. She had no control of the situation again and in turn was causing her to panic.
"Hey! I demand you release me!" she called out hoping someone could hear her struggle.
The voice of an elderly woman came through however it spoke in the same unfamiliar language all of the creatures spoke with before. She used what little movement she could muster to look to her right seeing a large window overlooking her where an elderly women with blue skin, white hair tied back into a bun with a pair of long ridged horns growing backwards from the side of her head, she seemed to be one of the same type of people as My'Rell.
Azula glared daggers at the woman as she continued to struggle, "If you do not release me now, I swear to whatever spirits you believe in that I will-"
She was cut off when above her six mechanical tentacles slithered out from openings in the ceiling, each having a three clawed hand at the tip, reached down undoing the straps that held her in place.
Surprised by the sight and being suddenly set free she leapt out of the bed stumbling as she did in an attempt to get away from these metal tentacles and getting caught on several wires attached to her via sticky pads hooked up to machinery. Everything within this place just kept getting stranger and stranger.
She pulled the wires off of her skin and took on a fighting stance. She didn't know if the lightning blast did what she had intended or if she was on the same ship as before but she wouldn't take any chances.
One of the metal tentacles grabbed something on a table that was near the bed and slithered through the air to present it to her. It was the small translator device Lectro threw into her cell. She didn't realize that it was no longer in her ear. Still remaining in her fighting stance she quickly took it from the metal fingertips and quickly placed it in her ear.
The voice came back again, "Can you understand me now, child?"
"I do. Where am I now, and what have you done to me?"
The arms retracted back into the ceiling as the older woman began to talk, "You're in the medical bay of the SeCore, more specifically in a surgical room where you are being quarantined. Apologies for binding you, we weren't sure how you would react when waking."
She never eased out of her stance, "Quarantine? For what?"
"You are a member of an unregistered species who has had no contact with extraterrestrial life. Keeping you here is for your own protection until we can concoct a drug compatible with your biochemistry to counteract any foreign bacteria you may have come across while onboard."
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Fourteen hours. I would suggest you calm yourself and get some rest, child. Your body is still recovering."
"I believe I have rested enough." Azula eased out of her stance, leaning against the bed for support.
The sudden burst of energy took more out of her than she thought as dizziness rocked her mind. The doctor was about to repeat her last statement to her until the door to her room slid open and My'Rell entered. My'Rell looked through the window seeing Azula catching her breath, "I'll take things from here doctor."
The doctor nodded and exited the room.
"I wouldn't push myself too far if I were you." the captain said through the intercom.
Azula said nothing for a long while and took a seat on the bed, "I take it we won the battle?"
"We did. All thanks to you, princess."
She figured Angara or one of the other crew members would have told the captain of her title.
"If I knew we had royalty on board I would have tried to make your accommodations more comfortable."
There was a hint of playful sarcasm in her statement, one that Azula would have found amusing if she weren't so physically and mentally exhausted, "If you knew I was royalty you probably would have tried to ransom me back to my foolish brother."
The captain made a mental note of that statement and chose not to pursue that topic further, "I'd like to apologize for getting you mixed up in our little squabble. You should never have been involved in our affairs."
"Agreed." Azula said in the most conceited way she possibly could have, "But, minus being knocked unconscious twice and nearly suffocating to death, I cannot say it was all bad. I learned and experienced many things I would have never thought possible, and discovered a new type of bending."
My'Rell couldn't help but chuckle at the princess's self satisfaction, "You'll have one wild tale to tell when you get back home. That's for sure."
It was then that Azula was reminded of her situation back on the earth, where she was a fugitive on the run. All alone, no one to share this tale with but the apparition of the one person she hates most in the world.
"That is if you want to return home." My'Rell added, catching Azula's attention, "Your powers are unlike anything I've ever seen or heard of. Being able to shoot fire from your hands, manipulating plasma bolts in air and even that blast of electricity that took out a capital ship. The Crimson Storm could use someone with your talents."
Azula scoffed, "And you want me to join your little mercenary crew and use my firebending to ascend higher in whatever food chain you are in."
"To put it simply, yes." My'Rell said honestly, "You'd benefit from this greatly as well; you'd get to leave your primitive world and see what lies beyond the night sky, have access to resources you'd never would have back home, and you'd escape from whatever it is you're running from."
Azula's gaze hardened as their eyes met, "I am not running from anything."
"Then why is a princess dressed in rags and smells like garbage?" My'Rell gave Azula her own conceited grin.
Azula had to admit that she couldn't fight back against her correct assertion of her situation and again chose to remain silent.
"This is a once and a lifetime opportunity, Azula. Think about it."
Think about it she did and in her mind the gears began to turn sparking an idea in her that brought a smirk to her face, "What is there to think about? It's as you said. A once and a lifetime opportunity... and I would be beyond stupid to decline it."
My'Rell smiled in satisfaction at that answer and turned to exit the room, "Good. We'll go over the details later... private Azula."
The captain exited the room leaving Azula to contemplate her new title by herself.
The princess went back to her bed taking the doctor's advice and resting her body and as she did so she began to plan. The Crimson Storm had access to weapons, technology and resources unlike anything her world had. This single ship could possibly wipe out the whole Fire Nation without exerting too much energy, even the Avatar wouldn't be able to stop them. It would be ludicrous for her to not join. She will bide her time, learn all she can, adapt to whatever situation she finds herself in and once she has gained enough experience and knowledge she will take the Crimson Storm for herself, overthrowing My'Rell if she has too, and return home to retake the throne that Zuko wastes by using it to spread love when it should be used for fear, and why stop there when she could take the entire world. Her achievement would dwarf any her father or past firelords had accomplished and usher in her own era. She just needed to play nice with these "people'' for now.
She leaned back in her bed relaxing as she smirked. After two long years her luck was finally turning around.