The market was abuzz with a steady flow of traffic and the constant commotion of prices and conversations on the cargo hauler that was the second most decorated ship out of the flotilla. The markets were places for local and space vendors to sell a variety of goods outside the fish market. 

Lucian took advantage of his free time to do a little shopping and to gather information. A few avoided him or limited their interaction with him, yet not enough to deter their attraction to his credits, which many took with interest. 

“Look, Terran, those Great Lokoron eggs are fresh from my supplier. All the way from Dargon-6, and the agricultural development there is the best!” The Worglor vendor was a portly man with dark purple skin that seemed to gleam in the sunlight. “3500 credits for four eggs.”

Lucian shifted his gaze from the yellow-spotted egg the size of his head to the Worglor man, eyebrows raised, and eyes squinted as if he had been told Leprechauns existed. 

“My sir, these are clearly Lokoron eggs of a lesser variety, which are yellow.” He corrected matter-of-factly. “Great Lokoron eggs are brown, spotted with a slightly darker shell and a much creamier yolk. These are at least worth 500 each.”

The vendor glanced down at the wicker basket of eggs, then back at Lucian. “Wha-, how do you know that?” He fumbled his words, stammering nervously. 

“Hey!” A Loroshan woman with braids shouted near the stall, carrying an egg of her own. “Are these not Great Lokoron eggs? And why are his only 3500 for four? I paid that much for two!” She demanded an answer, her fur ruffling with agitation. 

Lucian felt a tension rising and took his leave before anything got physical. He dropped 2000 credits for two eggs before the Worglor, who noticed, but was too preoccupied to protest with him when a 3-foot-tall woman was raving. He strolled on, not wanting to see the woman go off on the man, satisfied enough with his purchases of eggs, a rocker shirt for Kazia that was on sale, and a bottle of Horj Red wine, which he carried in a black synthetic bag that protected fragile food products. 

Lucian took to the port side of the boat to ride a skyrider to the carrier vessel to return to the Rust Burn. Getting on, no one else was with him until a figure jumped on at the last second, before the lift’s propulsion stabilizers activated, sending the platform on a pre-planned flight between boats. 

“Excuse me. Hope you don’t mind the company.” 

A man of an average muscular build hopped onto the platform, rocking it a bit before it settled. He was a Baragaan, with a mossy green hide of scales, covered by a set of leather clothing and light armor bearing scorch marks and scratches across his shoulders, arms, chest, and shins. He stood a head taller than Lucian, possessing scars on his short snout. His bristling mane was brushed back, falling to his shoulders, lending him a sly demeanor that fit creepily well with his purple eyes. The man glanced down at Lucian, a brow raised. 

“Huh, Terran.” He spoke in surprise, leaning back to get a good look at Lucian with vague interest. “Doin’ a little shoppin’?” 

The question was genuine, though Lucian felt something dangerous about the reptilian man that didn’t come from the rifle slung over his back or the gear he possessed. He smelled of something burnt and of iron, and held the confidence of a hunter with pride. 

“Yes, just picking up a few things for later.” Lucian managed to talk, feeling his eyes scanning him, possibly calculating his worth as prey to a potential predator. 

The man leaned forward this time, peering into the bag, ignoring the breach of personal space. “Ooo, Lokoron eggs! Those’ll make a fine omelet anywhere.” He mused. “How much were those?”

Lucian lifted the bag, feeling a bit exposed, but carried on the conversation. “I, uh, had to haggle a bit for 2000 for these. The buyer tried to rip me off.”

“2000? Those ain’t the good ones?” 

“Lesser.”

“Aw, shoot. Well, eggs are eggs.” He shrugged. “And I might try and fetch me some of those once I collect my due.”

The platform neared the carrier ship, where several sailors were running frantically about the deck, with most of them hurrying to the landing pads near a ship and a cylindrical container. The Baragaan man retrieved his rifle, a medium-sized weapon that felt heavy and high-tech despite its size, and readied it. 

“Might want to step back, friend.” He warned, waving Lucian aside. “I saw a Vul’Katahn nearby, and I’m not sure if she’s down or not.”

The words hit Lucian as if someone threw a bowling ball at his gut. His memory failed to recall seeing any other Vul’Katahn on the flotilla since he’d been here. Yet, to be on this particular boat where their ship had been docked, he felt his heart drop something heavy.

“What do you mean by ‘down’?” He spoke without thinking, taking to follow this man, this hunter, through the deck and between other nearby ships. 

“She wasn’t my target, but she was in the way of my objective.” The hunter confessed with little remorse. “But that damn bio-energy of theirs seemed to take a hit, so I may need to wear her down now that she has what I’m looking for.”

His heart steadied, if only slightly, at the realization that Kazia might be safe. Judging by the weapon, it was a long-range rifle equipped with a powerful scope. Given that the hunter was coming from somewhere least, he must have been a great distance away, possibly hidden on the other side of the fleet with an optimal vantage point. 

Lucian didn’t know what her barriers could do, but knew of stories about tough Vul’Katahni having impressive control over their Mystian abilities. He could only hope she was safe, thinking back to that pull he felt, having a faint understanding of what it might have conveyed if he knew how to interpret such signals. 

As he moved with the Baragaan hunter, who regarded him as a mere tagalong, Lucian felt his Net-Link buzz with a message from Rosha. The message was clear, confirming his fears that Kazia had been shot. He took a hard swallow, yet kept his cool, knowing now that the perpetrator was with him. 

“Going to watch the hunt, Terran?” The Hunter asked, peeking past a ship’s hull, assessing the situation. 

“Oh, well, if you don’t mind.” Lucian decided to stay close, appearing naive and unbothered by the confrontation. “Never seen a bounty hunter at work before, so best to watch firsthand.” He said, feigning interest. 

The Hunter glanced back at Lucian, a crooked smile playing across his face. “Heh, you Terrans are surprising.”

The Hunter moved, breaking cover, but not charging. He strolled up, rifle held at the ready while approaching the crowd, even as a few medical personnel arrived to handle the situation. Drawing closer, Lucian took note of a blaster pistol at the hunter’s hip, yet his eyes focused in on Kazia’s body that appeared around the larger cylindrical machine. 

Before he was able to get any closer, a burst of plasma erupted like lightning from the hunter’s rifle, who fired a shot up in the air. 

“Going to need everyone to back away from the cyro pod!” He demanded, his calm, charismatic voice coming out loud and still smooth. “And the Vul’Katahni.” He added, stepping around and pointing the barrel at the crowd as they retreated, their fear driving them back. 

The Hunter approached Kazia, nudging her body with his boot, watching as she moved slightly, confirming her condition. 

“Good.” He smirked. “She’ll be a fine catch on the slave market.” He grinned something devious, showing sharp teeth of a predator looking to devour prey. 

“Sigarus!” Gosha called out from the crowd, standing next to Kazia’s body in a protective stance. “This pod belongs to my crew and me for transport. You have no right to take either!” He barked, a loud and defiant claim despite his size. 

“Ol’ Captain Gosha, small galaxy. How’s the wife?” Sigarus flashed a smile, chuckling, his tail swaying actively from side to side. “I’m under contract to take this here pod for my client after it was stolen. Simple business. And if this gal is your crew, perhaps I can buy her off of you, old man.”

Lucian could see Gosha’s fur standing on end, his clawed fists tightening, tail slapping on the deck plating. He was angrier than he’d seen. 

“I’m never cutting a deal with you again!” Rosha growled, not backing down. He paused a moment, finally registering Lucian. “Lucian, give me a hand!”

Lucian swore under his breath, but couldn’t waste time. Before Sigarus could turn, he quickly reached out and snatched the blaster the hunter held stowed to his side, aiming between the hunter’s eyes with a quick draw and steadiness honed from years of practice with his older siblings, not just to hold the knife. Sigarus’ eyes went wide in surprise, shock, and fixed on Lucian with glee. 

“Well, damn, kid. You really are a surprise.” Sigarus cackled. “A shame, really.”

Before Lucian could fire, let alone react, Sigarus’ tail whipped out, striking his hand, knocking the firearm from his grasp with precise timing. With a free hand, he quickly gripped Lucian’s throat, holding him in a vice that constricted his airway. Gosha tried to lunge at the hunter before being swatted away by the same tail. Sigarus raised his rifle, once again threatening the crowd with violence, the barrel landing on the Oraxian girl, aiming at her head. 

“You, Rocky, get the controls,” Sigarus commanded, before turning his deadly gaze to Lucian. “And you, heh, no one wants Imperials sniffing around here.” 

Lucian could feel his throat being crushed. The pain was twofold; his lungs were unable to function properly, and the clawed hand around his throat, possibly preparing to rip into his esophagus. He tried to pry Sigarus’ grip loose to no avail. Instead, he gripped near the hunter’s elbow, finger digging into the crease with precision while his vision began to fill with darkness. 

Dropping to his back, Lucian found himself on the ground. He coughed and gasped for air, his finger running across his esophagus for injuries. His eyes landed on Sigarus, who backed away steadily; confusion and distraught playing across his face, while the arm that held the Terran shook.  

A smile stretched across Lucian’s face. He landed his strike clean enough to numb his entire forearm. This was his knowledge; he practiced not simply healing, but knowing a body’s weaknesses and where to strike. 

Lucian’s eyes flicked to her on the ground, only to realize she was no longer lying down. There was no blood once his amber eyes caught her face, but just a minor plasma wound. But her eyes, those gentle and kind luminous eyes, began to blaze like a star.

Kazia moved before he could go to her side, engaging the Hunter immediately. He followed her movements, watching the sudden dance back and forth. A fist collided with the scaly face of Sigarus, enough to cause the hunter to stumble back. His claw grazed across Kazia’s chest, sparking her biotic barrier and drawing a minimal amount of blood. 

Gosha had scampered to Lucian, his hands on his shoulder, checking for wounds. “Kid, are you alright?” He asked, doing what he could to help Lucian to his feet, to the point of towering over the captain. 

Lucian caught sight of Kazia standing tall, her eyes wild with violence. Her fists flew at a speed that didn’t add to the force they delivered, trading blows. She brought her fist up for an uppercut into Sigarus’ center, his boots leaving the ground for a second, before continuing the onslaught; two right hooks and a left jab, every hit connecting with force. Yet, Sigarus caught himself, recovering from the initial shock of his attacker, blocking the next few strikes, doing what he could to not be pushed back any further. 

Kazia swung again, connecting to the Baragaan’s abdomen, leading to another right hook to his jaw, sending him spiraling. He carried the momentum through his tail, whipping Kazia at her center mass. She was not fully grounded, and the attack from an appendage that was thick with muscle launched her off her feet. Instead of immediately knocking her back, Sigarus led Kazia over towards Lucian, knocking them both a ways from him. 

Their bodies tumbled several yards across the remainder of the deck, yet Kazia slowed, her body landing in a way for her feet to land and gain traction. She looked behind, watching in her horror as Lucian found no purchase, his body simply falling over the side in a free fall. 

Ignoring everything else, Kazia rushed to the edge, catching only the splash in the ocean. Her panic overrode reason before she found herself diving after Lucian. The realization hit as hard as the water itself. 

Lucian, holding his breath, quickly swam to the surface. As he did, something else fell in, water hitting his face as he looked up, seeing Gosha peeking over the deck’s edge, along with a few others, attempting desperately to send for help. High above, a sleek black and green gunship flew overhead, a ship that appeared like a bird of prey, possibly augmented with heavier weapons and external side engines that looked bulkier than necessary. The ship landed and soon lifted back up again before the engines shot it out, propelling the craft into the atmosphere. 

As the boat continued, something or someone shot back up out of the water in front of him. Kazia immediately began flailing her arms in the water, her hair stuck to her face, legs kicking frantically in a panic. 

“Lucian, hel-!” She screamed before sinking back under the ship’s current. 

The gears in Lucian’s head finally turned, alerting him to the telltale signs of someone lacking the knowledge of basic swimming techniques. He quickly dived under, swimming for Kazia, who latched onto him out of desperation, air escaping her in a cacophony of bubbles. Lucian acted in haste, grabbing her from behind to keep her from dragging him down. Only once she slowed, realizing he was with her, did he pull her to the surface. 

“Spread your arms and lie on your back.”

Kazia managed to register this, his voice. She followed his instructions, concentrating to stay calm despite the fear pulling her to fight to survive; a warrior’s will.

As she steadied, Kazia could only feel her lungs burning and her heart pounding faster than war drums. She lay on the surface, finally opening her mouth to breathe. Her chest heaved, taking in as much air as she could, her eyes darting frantically, the panic still there as she was afraid to break this pose Lucian had placed her in. 

She heard a splash close by, outside of her peripheral vision. “Lucian? Lucian!” She cried out, hoping to hear his voice. 

Drifting beside her, Lucian brought his face close to hers so she could see him. He reached her hand, allowing Kazia the comfort of touching him, no doubt feeling the fear in her trembling, possibly from the cold ocean itself as well. 

“I got you, Kaz!” Lucian breathed, keeping himself balanced enough to lean over and kiss her cheek, thankful that she was still alive, despite everything. “I got you.”