A heavy, throbbing pain was the first thing that welcomed Akio back into the land of the living. Scrambled numbers and static filled her cybernetic eye as a system check was run to assess the damages.

"Left leg, undetectable. Right arm, not responding. Aimbot, running at half-power. Recorder, undamaged, zoom and night vision, undamaged. Chest plate, undamaged, spinal support, undamaged. Miniature shoulder scythes, undamaged." The words appeared glowing in Akio's eye.

Since when did I have shoulder scythes? Those would have helped earlier.

Useless. Not being able to use her leg and arm made her a deadweight. No amount of training would allow her to escape whoever held her. Especially without the use of her injured shoulder in addition to the weight.

With a groan, she sat up, cradling her pulsing head in her hands. Everything hurt. The amount of charge in those batons hadn't been normal. It was increased to target her. To kill her.

"What should we do with her? Haim said to never bring in strangers. It could lead the commanders right to him," a gruff voice declared. "We can't risk exposing our leader."

"You saw what the enforcers did to her. It wasn't prompted Bolivar, she only fought to defend herself," another voice argued, sounding familiar. The woman from the market?

Someone snorted. "This could have just as easily been a rouse. Maybe they knew we wouldn't take her unless her life was at risk. She's an offworlder, Indra, for all you know, she could be a commander. . . Or one of their weapons."

"It doesn't matter. This Se'li is in no condition to take care of herself. If we put her back out there, she'll die. Do you want to be responsible for that?" Indra, the woman from the marketplace asked. "Or maybe you don't care, you specist, Lizzassed royal."

Akio's head pounded harder the louder the talking became. She had to push through it, had to defend herself.

"Hey, hey, calm down. There's no need to throw names," another voice declared.

Still unable to see clearly, Akio stood. There was no way she was just going to lay there and not try to maintain her cover. When she attempted to take a step, her weak body gave out and she fell to the floor, her face impacting with hard stone. Blood seeped from the new injury on her temple.

The agony in her shoulder screamed when she tried to push up, to move. Useless. Dead. She was at their mercy. Just like on Saso.

Trying to calm her breathing, Akio attempted to alleviate the growing tightness in her chest. The raspier her breaths, the more the stab wound on her shoulder burned, threatening darkness at the edges of her eyes. It reminded her of the claws. The hellish claws.

Finally, her sight came into focus, allowing Akio to avoid falling into the hell in her head.

Footsteps came towards her and Indra, clothed entirely in black, crouched down at her side. "You shouldn't try to move. After what happened, I'm surprised you survived. But just because you're alive doesn't mean you should be parading around like a mamock with a bone. Man tank! Help her back into bed."

"I still think we should have left her. Se'li or not, I don't trust her," the gruff voice of Bolivar grumbled. "Don't call me man tank."

"Is metal man better?"

Bolivar growled, his large hands wrapped around Akio's waist and set her back on the bed, she cried out at the pain the movement caused.

Bolivar seemed to instantly become more gentle in the way he handled her after that, lightly setting her head on the pillow and begrudgingly tucking her beneath the covers.

Akio nodded her thanks, which only received a grunt in return.

Bolivar rigidly straightened his spine when Akio looked up at him. Towering over Indra, he crossed his deeply tanned arms, over his grey and white robes, revealing in a small glint of light that his left was made entirely of metals. His near black eyes narrowed, examining Akio with scrutiny. But he made no effort to say anything more since she was obviously awake.

Now that Akio could see, she made note of the location. It was an old abandoned dwelling. Holes and webs decorated most of the spaces outside of the one room size square that hosted this bed, and a few pieces of other scattered furniture. Pitch black shadows made a few places invisible, anything could be lurking in the dark.

Another figure emerged from the shadows, a crooked smile of his stubbled face."Hey beautiful, how are you feeling?"

The humans big brown eyes and pulled back ashen brown hair complimented his tall muscular frame. Which was likely attractive to most female species, but to Akio, his perfection was annoying.

Indra snickered.

Shooting a sharp look toward Indra, Akio willed the pale green streaks of annoyance out of her oi'ek. No one else seemed to react, so she assumed Indra was the only one capable of understanding what that meant. "I'm not great, but I'm glad to be alive."

Looking between the other members of the group she smiled. "Thank you for saving me. I don't want to imagine the outcome if you weren't there."

The far too gorgeous man leaned against a pillar. "No problem. That's what we do. Though I have to ask, what were you doing out at night?" His brows furrowed. "Did where you're staying not tell you about the curfew?"

What should Akio say? It depended on how long they had observed the fight between her and the enforcers to how much they knew.

Bolivar stepped between her and the other fellow. "Why are you called Six? Are you one of them?"

So they were there. The whole time.

Indra stepped forward, putting her walking stick against Bolivar's chest and pushing him back. "Whether she is or isn't doesn't matter right now. The enforcers tried to kill her. Why would they attack one of the commander's weapons? If that is what the name means." The woman turned around, facing Akio. "The more honest you are, the better things will be. But I understand not being entirely upfront with a group of strangers." She flicked a sword out of the walking stick, aiming it at Akio's throat but not coming in contact with it. "Trust me, if there's an inclination that you prove a danger to us, I will kill you."

"We can't have a repeat of what happened to Nanon. It would be wise to leave 'Six' here," a towering Lizz and Draken hybrid spat.

The gold and silver scales visible on her clawed right hand made Akio suck in a breath. This vigilante was descended from the royal family.

Noticing Akio's observation, the hybrid adjusted the black gloves that went up to her forearms. Fire visibly danced inside the female's silver mid chest. The heat emitting from her body singed surrounding dust particles. Most of her figure resembled that of a Lizz, with her long tail, clawed hands, and humanoid figure. But her multi-spiked antlers, height, and head shape were distinctly Draken. It was similar to a Lizz's, but stretched out in length, with lethal jaws that could sever anything they clamped onto.

And this LizzDraken, did not like Akio. At all.

The necklace Akio had found at the burnt down building evidently belonged to her. Had the enforcers chosen to overlook the evidence that linked a royal family to illegal activities? Or had they somehow missed it?

Indra put the sword back into her walking stick with a sigh.

The hybrid LizzDraken coughed, clouds of smoke coming out of her mouth and flared nostrils.

Bolivar rushed to her side, wrapping a protective arm around her waist. "You really shouldn't allow your temper to get the better of you, Eris."

Pushing him away, Eris smoothed her black robes, her golden eyes blazing with orange hues. "Has everyone forgotten about Nanon? Am I the only one concerned for our lives over this," she gestured to Akio, "stranger?"

"Indra sai--" Hawke started.

"Indra is the reason Nanon was killed! She lead th--"

Indra struck Eris in the shin with her cane, the crack of the impact reverberating throughout the warehouse and shocking everyone to silence. "Enough!" It was evident from the heaving of her shoulders that Indra was angry, or in the very least upset. "I pray to the stars every night in atonement for that mistake. I'm done with you beating me over the head with it. What's done is done and cannot be undone."

Akio swallowed. She knew what it was like to hold the weight of unforgivable guilt on her shoulders. Mistakes were the galaxy's worst torment that would forever dwell in the head of the guilty. And some, could never be forgiven.

Like Lemk and the children.

Eris growled, limping over to the couch and cradling her shin. "What if Six already sent out a signal to lead whoever she's working for to us?"

"I did a scan before she was brought here. The communication device she had got fried from the electrical attack." Indra turned to face Akio. "I think it was intentional. Is there anything we need to know, Six? I have trouble believing that the government would gain any sort of intel on our group from a wounded soldier. It would be a liability."

It was odd how precise Indra spoke. Did she know? If so, how?

Akio had her holopad on her, sure, but even that didn't reveal her identity. The documents and briefings were locked away. Without her voice recognition, they wouldn't have been able to get access to them. If someone else, additionally lacking her fingerprint tried opening it, the device would explode.

Glancing to her right, Akio noticed a mess of melted glass and other components next to her satchel. It appeared someone had tried.

"Hey," the walking stick tapped Akio's head, "I was talking to you, best to answer before Eris spits fire in your face."

Narrowing her eyes, Akio looked between Hawke who was still learning against the wall, Bolivar and Eris who sat on the couch, and Indra who proceeded to tap her foot impatiently.

What should Akio reveal to them? That it was likely someone among the commanders put a hit out on her? That she was a weapon sent on a mission to die?

After being attacked by the enforcers, it was clear there was no way Akio could simply waltz into the royal embassy. She'd killed several enforcers, weapon of the commanders or not, that condemned her to a horrifically slow death. She was just as wanted as the group she was sent to infiltrate, if not more so. They hadn't slaughtered anyone, until now.

Even though this group had done some less than desirable things, they were not deserving of the wrath of whomever wanted Akio dead. If she said nothing, they would go in blind. It was obvious from the way things were handled, that Indra had more authority. Perhaps if Akio only spoke to her, they could reach an understanding. "Indra, could we talk in private?"

With a nod, Indra signaled for the others to step out.

Eris grumbled unpleasant things under her breath as Bolivar and Hawke followed after, closing the door behind them.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Indra removed a glove from her hand, revealing flesh so pale that almost all the veins beneath the skin were visible. "Unlike you, I cannot look into the eyes of someone to sense their emotions. I get a general idea that wafts through the air like a radio wave, but it's not as accurate as when I come in contact with them directly."

"Are you wanting consent to touch me?" Akio asked, blinking at the awkwardness.

Couldn't sense emotions like her? Was Indra a Se'li too? Then why was she void of color? Akio had never seen a Se'li with nearly transparent skin. Perhaps it was a defect. Not that Akio would ask, that was rude.

"No, I'm just telling you the reason I'm going to hold your wrist. Don't need you cutting off my head, weapon," she stated, amusement creeping into her tone.

Despite the warning and slow, gentle movements, Akio still flinched, pain shooting through her injured shoulder. At the contact, an odd warmth pulsed through her forearm, accompanied by a pale golden glow. What sort of power was this?

"Now. I'm going to get straight to the point. I know you're a weapon. I know why you're here. That's why me, Fluffy, and Bolivar decided to follow you." Indra shifted, twirling her walking stick through her fingers. "Why did the enforcers try to kill you?"

Smart, blunt, and slightly terrifyingly accurate. Could Indra read minds? Or was there a spy from their group that gathered this intel?

Akio couldn't go back to The Wanderer. Not after she learned Daira, her sweet Daira tried to end her life more than once. And that someone was trying to kill her. Returning would only put her ship mates at risk.

Though she hardly knew Indra and the other vigilantes, they were all she had. Akio's only other choice was to leave the planet, alone, weak, and broken. Between the two, the first seemed the most logical. Until she found a way to fix her cybernetics, Akio wasn't going anywhere.

It was better to tell the truth and regret it, than to die with lies and suffer alone."One of the commanders wants me dead. I believe they paid them off. They mentioned me by name and had me targeted."

Indra nodded, acknowledging that the truth had been spoken. "So what now? Will you be going back to them?"

Akio closed her eyes, allowing her head to sink into the pillow. "I can't. Who knows how many are in on it. Besides, as I am, I'm a walking target for even a mamock pup."

"I could fix your equipment, but I don't know if you'd be able to afford the price components run for around here," Indra declared, releasing Akio's wrist and slipping back on her black glove.

Tilting her head to look at Indra, Akio raised a brow."How much is it?"

"Over a hundred Drexis'."

Akio coughed. "Excuse me? More than one hundred Drexis! That's more than I make in a turn."

With a sigh Indra stood up, her back to Akio. "The royals unfairly price most everything so that they have access to the equipment and we don't. It's intentional. I can jerry-rig your arm and leg enough to get them moving again if we take you to our mansion, but I will only do so on one condition."

Though Akio had suspicions, she asked anyway."And what is that?"

"You become one of us."