"What do you mean?" One of the black clothed men asked the Hylotl.
"Exactly as I said." The Hylotl calmly answered, "Fujiwara's young master is currently on his way, and he wishes to meet with those that saved his brother."
"Saved?" The black clothed looked over John, Peri and company.
"Yes, yes." The Hylotl said, "They are not enemies, they saved Second Young Master."
"It doesn't matter." The assassin said to Hylotl before turning his eyes to Peri, "If they really saved Second Young Master they should just obediently give him back to us." His eyes clearly showed disgust as his locked at the Floran, Peri.
"Not going to happen." John interjected with a grim expression, "How are we going to know that you won't kill him, or kidnap him?"
"You aren't." The assassin sneered and glared at John, "Just give Fujiwara Saito to us and we won't kill all of you."
"You can try to take him." Peri barred her teeth at the assassin and fearlessly smiled.
"I should have expected nothing less from a barbaric Floran." The assassin commented while shaking his head, "Looks like you have chosen to die here, right?" While his tone sounded regretful, he wasn't the least feeling that way, in fact, he really wanted to just forward and kill the Floran.
"No!" The Hylotl entered in the assassin's way and stopped him from doing any other harsh decision, "Young Master said to not touch them."
The assassin, that was a few centimeters higher than the Hylotl, looked down with a stoic face and frosty eyes at him, "Get! Out!"
"No-" The Hylotl was about to break down and try to convince the assassin when he felt his PIPS vibrate. He threw a quick glance and his eyes brightened like he found a savior, "Miss Aoi is calling."
The assassin immediately stopped on his tracks and stared at the Hylotl's PIPS.
"Don't hurt the ones with Second Young Master." Everyone in vicinity heard the feminine, warm and gentle voice coming from the Hylotl's PIPS, "Do you hear me?"
"Yes..." The assassin shuddered as he heard the voice. His pupils shrunk in fear.
Even the other two assassins shuddered alongside the other one. It was clear that whoever was the owner of that voice, the assassin's clearly dreaded her.
"Retreat!" With his shout, him and the other two assassins disappeared from sight.
The Hylotl sighed in relief.
He turned towards John and his friends.
They didn't low their guards and cautiously stared at him.
The Hylotl forced a smile and said somewhat stiffly, "My young master wishes to meet with all of you."
John squinted his eye and tapped at Lenny's shoulder indicating for him to low his weapons. "Who is your young master?" John wasn't going to meet someone just because the other one wanted to meet with him.
"Fujiwara Rei." The Hylotl answered, "The successor of the current head of the Fujiwara clan and future leader of the Sea Faction."
John's eyebrow jumped. He didn't expect for the other party to be this important. He glanced at Saito that was still cowering behind Peri and then turned to the Hylotl, "What is his relationship with this kid here?"
"They are brothers." The Hylotl calmly answered, "Fujiwara Saito is the second young master of the clan. He was supposed to be traveling with their uncle, but something happened in the space station they were and then we lost all communication with second young master. We thought he had been kidnapped or killed, but from the looks of it, you guys saved him. For that, Fujiwara clan will be greatly thankful." The Hylotl than bowed and said apologetically, "I'm sorry about our shinobis, they were harsh acted on their own."
John waved his hand indicating that it was alright, "I don't really mind since nothing tragic happened, luckily."
"Now...about Saito-"
"We will wait for Rei to arrive." John said before the Hylotl could finish talking, "I still don't trust you, once Rei arrive and Saito recognize him, then we can talk."
The Hylotl sighed before giving in and let John and company to go, "Stay at the Ark Outpost, we'll contact you once he arrives, it won't take long, only a few minutes."
Once they were rather far from the Hylotl, John touched his neck.
"That was a close one." Lenny commented once he saw John feeling the wound in his own neck, "If Peri have reacted a split second late..."
"Dead." John finished Lenny's sentence, "I'm still weak, after all."
"Is not that you are weak." Peri said, "It's just they were way too stealthy. Those men are expert assassins, in a normal fight you would win, but when you are targeted by them from the dark...even I would have trouble."
"Let's not talk about this." John said as he threw a glance at Saito that was still glued at Forge's leg, "Just keep your guards up, we don't know if they are going to try something like that again."
...
Back at the Ark Outpost, John looked up at the enormous building made of Durasteel.
As everyone in the group have already been here once, they weren't shocked by the sight.
Without delay, the group entered in the Ark Outpost.
Lenny stopped and said towards John, "You go do whatever you need, I have to buy a new spaceship."
"You won't come with us?" John frowned as he asked, "It was you who saved Saito, you should come meet with Rei."
"I just did what I had to do. Besides I'm too lazy to deal with this kind of stuff, I rather go to a bar and get drunk." Lenny shrugged his shoulders and walked away while simply waving his hand without turning around, "I don't need rewards. If it has one, take it for me, alright?"
John deeply stared at Lenny's back. He stood rooted for a moment before saying to Peri, Forge and Saito, "Let's go. I want to see if Esther is still around here, she's simply not taking my calls."