Arena Acier, are you okay? Are you okay? Are you OK, Acier??!

[Drifter]

Somewhere in Black Sun Space​

At first, there was nothing, just a void and the faint hum of something mechanical. Then came the pulse. A low, throbbing bass that wormed its way into his skull and dragged him up from the dark. By the time Drifter cracked an eye open, the noise had turned into a full-blown riot of lights, music, and voices even through the filter of his polarized helm.

[ ...Oo-w, ] he muttered, instantly regretting having a head at all.

Something clunked against the back of his helm. He turned just in time to see a crushed can bounce off the floor beside him. Overhead was a ring of scoundrels, gangers, and general sleemos howling for blood -- a real welcoming crowd.

Citrine eyes squinted up at them from beyond the polarized helm he wore and then down at himself. A metal unfamiliar belt that glowed a faint orange was clamped around his waist.

[ - aww, gorram it! ] he cursed, as he realized all of his weapons were gone too. Feth, feth, FETH! Alex was never going to let him live this down. Before he could continue to curse about it, a spark leapt from the thing, tethering him to another belt across the pit. That one was attached to someone else, still slumped over and dead to the world.

Figures. Even unconscious, the stranger had better timing than most of his old partners.

Drifter exhaled through his teeth and rubbed at the sore spot on his neck. The last thing he remembered was tailing a lead on a bounty down in the lower levels on syndicate territory. Guess he took a wrong turn despite that nagging bad feeling at the base of his neck. Should've listened to it.

The crowd started to chant, all ugly enthusiasm and cheap booze breath.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

[ Yeah, yeah, I hear you,] he muttered under his breath through the modulator. [ No pressure. ]

He kicked the crushed can across the pit, letting it clatter against his tethered companion's Acier Moonbound 's shoulder.

[ C'mon, partner, ] he drawled out with a modulated voice as dry as a desert. [ Wakey wakey. Hate to start the show without ya. ]

Because if they were gonna die in this hole, he'd at least like to know the name of the idiot he'd be dying with.

OOC: This fight is between Ace and me and randos PVE, but feel free to join, make bets, watch or have your own fight somewhere else if you like!

 

[Kinley Pryse]

You've been hit by... you've been struck by...

Kinly Pryse is a disease the galaxy hasn't found a cure for​

The roar of the crowd was a living thing, hungry, electric, and wild. Every cheer shook the rusted beams of the old arena, filling the smoke-hazed air with a pulse that matched the thrum of the prize fights below. Kinley Pryse sat high in the stands, a shadow among shadows, her dark coat blending into the neon gloom.

Around her, Black Sun enforcers, smugglers, and gamblers leaned close to the rails, shouting wagers and curses as blood hit the sand. Kinley's attention, though, wasn't on the fighters. Her focus was the quiet trade happening beneath the noise with a quick flash of a vial, a subtle exchange of credits, the practiced sleight of someone who'd made a career out of never being caught.

She dealt with the calm precision of a surgeon, sliding packets of glittering spice into waiting hands, her expression unreadable. The fights made the perfect cover as no one noticed another transaction when fists were flying and bones were breaking.

As another cheer rattled through the stands, Kinley leaned back in her seat, letting the din wash over her. This was her arena just as much as the pit below. And in Black Sun space, control didn't always come from strength, instead it came from the right product, in the right hands, at the right price.

Open to interaction (you wanna buy some deathsticks?)​

A Smooth Criminal

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

The world faded back in crooked seams. Voices first, then the smell: old sweat and cheap liquor. Ace's eyelid twitched before the rest of him did, the familiar throb behind his temples pulsing like someone plucking a frayed thread in his mind.

Ace groaned, rolling onto his side. His left forearm whirred, servos adjusting as the prosthetic compensated for however long he'd been unconscious. Tic wasn't here... that hit him next. No soft chirps of concern. Fantastic.

Something clattered off his shoulder. A can. Then he shot up, wide awake and alert now. There was a helmeted guy on the other end of a glowing tether attached to his waist. Ganger crowd above them, roaring like they wanted blood on the walls yesterday. And Ace was… in a belt? With a lock? Great. Absolutely excellent. The Force really loved pulling stunt levels of stupid with him lately.

Then the man's voice crackled through an emulator. Ace ran a hand, his real one, through his loosely tied locs. Exhaled through his nose, at this point he'd evolved past being surprised by the chaos that was his life now.

He pushed himself to his feet, wincing at the bright arena lights. The crowd roared harder. Ace ignored them, eyes scanning for exits, structural weaknesses, anything he could use... but the Force kept tugging him toward the guy beside him. Not danger. More like… entanglement. A thread looped through both of them.

A shared fate. Temporarily. Annoyingly.

He clicked the edge of the belt with his prosthetic, sparks pinging back. In that moment, he realized he didn't have his lightsaber either. Finally, Ace looked at this... drifter.

"So, what? This some sort of tag-team gladiator match?" He sighed, completely unphased. Then he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. "I'm not dying in a hole with you. No offense."

The crowd roared again. Louder. Something mechanical began to rise at the far end of the pit. Time to get to work.

Drifter | Kinley Pryse​

 

[Drifter]

Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter's visor tilted slightly as he canted his head to the right, a faint metallic rasp humming through the modulator that might've been a laugh. The Hunter leaned forward with one elbow on his knee, studying the Ace as he finally came to. The droid arm, plus the scuffs, and that sort of look that told him that clearly the kid was the type that was a magnet for trouble and a big chip on their shoulder

[ Oh, thank Inari the Reviver, you're alive. I was startin' to think I'd have to do all the dyin' myself. ]

Even through the voice modualer, there was a distinct wry sarcastic amusement that bode of being used to having to be in these types of situations. He rose to his feet, rolling his shoulders until something in his back cracked, immediately sparking a bright orange flare between their tethers.

[ Tag-team? Nah. More like unwilling duet. My money says this crowd's not big on fair fights. ]

The chant from above grew louder, and even a few stomps joined the rhythm. Something heavy shifted behind the far gate and a grinding of gears along with the hiss of hydraulic gave a heck of a dark forewarning.

Drifter gave a grimace unde rhis helm as he turned his head toward the sound, only to mutter a low curse under his breath.

Ahh feth me.

[ I knew I shoulda stayed in bed.. or at least taken that Twi'lek's offer of a ride. ]

The polarized helm gave the glowing belt another glance, going into investigation mod. His gloved fingers gave a tap at the node until it shocked him back for his trouble -- FEeeethhhh!

Immdiately, Drifter shook out his hand with sharp hissing curse.

[ Well, guess that answers that. We're stuck together. So here's the deal, partner -- ] his voice hitched with a dry note of humor [ -- we stay on our feet, we keep breathin', and we don't kill each other before whatever's behind that gate tries to. Sound fair? ]

The gate shuddered open and soon enough they found out waht was beyond it -- a hulking silhouette lumbered out as the metal plating and servo whined and echoed off the walls. The pit lights flashed crimson and swept over the pit, painting the floor in blood red hues.

The gate slammed fully open with a jolt that rattled the floor beneath their boots. What stepped out was not a droid, not some patched-together thug special, but a hulking, snorting mountain of muscle and horn.

A Reek.

Big. Red. Angry. And judging by the scars carved across its hide, well accustomed to this particular dance.

Drifter went very still.

[ Oh you have got to be kiddin' me, ] he muttered, visor tilting up at the ceiling as if appealing to whatever cosmic prankster kept doing this to him.

[ Of all the rancid, back-alley beasts they could've thrown at us, they pick the one with a head shaped like a battering ram. ]

The Reek huffed, steam curling out of its nostrils. Then it scraped one massive hoof against the ground. Once. Twice. The air vibrated.

[ Aaand it's angry. Great. Wonderful. Perfect. ]

The beast charged.

Heading straight at Ace.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

Ace just stared at him for a second. Not confused. Not impressed. Just… staring.

The guy kept talking, rolling with the situation like this was normal for him. Ace took him in: the visor tilt, the posture, the immediate acceptance that they were in a mess. Figures. He attracts the same type as him.

"Unwilling duet." Ace repeated, tone so even it was almost bored. "Never heard that one before."

The stranger tapped the belt. Got shocked. Hissed. Complained. Ace didn't react, just watched him shake out his hand. When he referred to Ace as 'partner' his brow lifted maybe half a millimeter.

Then the gate screamed open. Metal groaned and the air shifted. The threads of the Force in Ace's mind coiled tight. A Reek lumbered out, huge, scarred, snorting steam.

Ace looked at it. Then at Drifter.

"…Outstanding."

The Reek stomped once. Twice. Lowered its head and charged... straight at him. Ace didn't flinch. Of course it went for him first. But then everything clicked. Weight. Motion. Thread tension. Drifter bracing near him. The Force pulling all of it into one clean vector.

He exhaled once and stepped toward it. "Jump." He said, barely louder than the crowd, maybe too quiet for Drifter to even hear.

It didn't matter. He already had him. At the last possible moment, Ace pushed off the ground, a sharp, controlled Force-assisted hop that lifted him clean over the incoming horn. His prosthetic hand tightened on the tether, and with his other hand he sent a smooth telekinetic lift into Drifter's center of mass, guiding the man upward in sync with him. Just enough to keep him airborne.

He cleared the horn by inches. Ace landed in a messy two-person crouch on the Reek's flank as the beast thundered past, slamming into the arena wall hard enough to shake dust loose from the rafters. How Drifter landed? He had no idea. Least of his problems right now.

The crowd's roar cracked in half. A wave of "NO KRIIIIIFFING WAY!" Someone spilled a drink. Someone else screamed a bet they instantly regretted.

Ace straightened slowly, brushing grit off his knee. His eyes were locked on to the Reek, regaining its bearings.

"If I can get close enough, I can calm it down."

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter hit the ground in a half-crouch, half-stumble that definitely wasn't graceful but absolutely was intentional, thank you very much. His boots skidded across the crimson Reek-hide before he found his footing, hands flung out like he was trying to balance on a drunken bantha.

The crowd roared. Bottles flew. Someone yelled something about betting their cousin's speeder.

Business as usual.

He heard Ace's deadpan, all calm and cool Jedi poetry, and snorted through his modulator.

[ Calm it down? Kid, this thing eats calm for breakfast. ]

The Reek bucked again and Drifter felt his spine attempt to relocate itself somewhere between his shoulder blades.

[ Oh feth! ] he cursed as he windmilled both arms shouting, [ Who-o-oa there, cowboy! I do not have Reek insurance! ]

The tether jerked, pulling him sideways just as Ace steadied himself like he'd done this a thousand times. Drifter flapped for balance only to land on a pose that would've looked heroic if it weren't so hilariously off-kilter.

Citrine eyes a hue of the blazing Twin suns flashed wide behind the visor as Ace seemed to try to click into that weird serene focus that Jedi always slipped into right before something exploded or someone regretted their life choices.

'Course, this was just whgen the Reek snorted steam through it's large nostirls, pawed the dirt and was more than ready for round two.

Nonetheless Drifter grinned under the helm. Chaos was his language. And right now, the galaxy was speaking fluently.

[ Yeah, well, typically happens when a hunt goes sideways and I end up with more dancing partners than I planned, ] he called back, bouncing on his heels like he was warming up for a rodeo he absolutely did not sign up for.

Of course, that was when the Force grabbed him. Not metaphorically. Literally.

Citrine eyes widened. [ Huh… well look at you go. Into the fancy mov --GAH! ]

He was airborne. Airborne.

[ Oi! Oi! OOOOI! A little warning before the Force foreplay! Buy a guy dinner first! ]

Then he hit Reek-back. Somehow. With the grace of a panicked flamingo trying to escape a wind turbine. Arms flailing, legs scrambling, dignity abandoned in the dust somewhere behind them.

The beast bucked like someone had strapped fireworks to its hind end. Hard enough to rattle his teeth.

[ Let's lasso this thing! ] Drifter shouted over the chaos, already grabbing the tether they shared.

He whipped it up and over the Reek's massive horn. It tightened. Caught. Success.

[ Yeah! That's how you -- AUGH! ]

The Reek flung its head like it wanted to send him straight into orbit. Drifter flew off its back, slamming against the durasteel wall with a crunch that was definitely going to bruise something important.

He slid down the wall in a heap, groaning.

At least the tether work as some form of reins.

The only problem now was that as soon as the Reek jerked his head, it yanked Drifter along with it.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

Ace's eyes darted to Drifter when he mentioned lassoing the Reek. He couldn't be serious, could he? Considering the pair were tethered, the idea was unequivocally stupid. Even by his standards.

"Wait! Stop--!" He cried out, but it was too late.

All he could do was watch as the helmed man launched the tether over the reek's horn. His shoulders loosened and he sighed, all too aware of what was coming. When the wrathful creature flung its head and sent Drifter into the air, it would only be a moment before he was up there with him.

And that he was, Ace's boots flew off the ground immediately. He felt his torso snap into the direction of where Drifter was, mid-air Ace flipped his body over - angling his lower body toward the incoming durasteel wall.

His soles slammed against the wall, sending tremors up his legs. Gravity called for his return and Ace adjusted his positioning to land on the ground in a messy crouch.

Ace barely had time to get his feet under him. The Reek jerked its head again, harder this time, and the tether snapped like a whip. Drifter's body lurched forward in a violent swing, dragged by the creature as it tore across the pit.

For Ace? One moment he was crouched. The next he was ripped sideways so fast the air punched out of his lungs. His boots skidded across the dirt, leaving two long trenches behind him as he dug in with everything he had. It didn't stop the drag, but it slowed it just enough to keep him from eating the floor.

The Reek barreled forward again, Drifter ragdolling behind it. Ace was forced to run a few uneven steps just to stay upright, tether biting against his waist as the beast hauled both of them like unwanted luggage.

The crowd howled with a mixture of laughter and excitement. They were clearly getting more than they bargained for.

He caught his balance only when the Reek stuttered, confused by the sudden resistance of two full-grown sentients tied to its horn. It shook its massive head, snorting steam, feet grinding against the floor.

Ace inhaled once. Steady. Controlled. He lifted his real hand, palm open, letting the threads of the Force tighten gently around the creature's frayed mind, not a shove, not dominance, just a slow, deliberate pressure to take the edge off its panic and rage.

The Reek hesitated. Not calm. Not docile. But thinking. Ace took a careful, tether-limited step toward it.

He recalled Drifter's earlier scepticism about calming it down. "I can calm it down..." He said, eyes still fixed on the beast.

He didn't look back at Drifter, but his voice carried just enough for him to hear over the chaos.

"No sudden movements." He said quietly, softly. "Don't startle it..."

The Reek's breathing shifted, still rough, but no longer all teeth and rage. Ace reached out through the Force, steady and quiet, letting that calm bleed into the edges of its panic. The beast's head dipped a fraction, feet grinding uncertainly against the dirt.

Ace stepped forward once, slow. The tether hummed between him and Drifter. The Reek rumbled, caught between instinct and hesitation. He held his hand out, palm open, and stopped there - right on the edge of the moment, waiting for it to tip one way or the other.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter hung there like a man who'd made every bad decision in the galaxy and was now paying the interest. The Reek dragged him across the pit floor in a wide, humiliating arc, boots kicking up dust as he bounced along like someone's discarded luggage.

[ Okay! OW! LOVE THIS FOR ME! ] his modulator crackled, voice wobbling with every violent jerk.

Ace got yanked too, but the kid managed to make it look borderline acrobatic. Drifter watched him flip off the wall mid-drag like gravity was just a light suggestion. Typical Jedi nonsense that make his mother as equally proud as exasperated.

Honestly, even Drifter was kinda impressed.

Either way, there was little time to fully admire as Drifter was over here filing a personal complaint with physics. Thankfully, the creature finally seemed to falter, confused by the resistance of two grown men tied to its horn and leaving Drifter sprawled face first into the dirt with a grunt. There he lay, groaning dramatically for a solid second before shoving himself upright in a coughing, dusty heap.

[ Remind me, ] he grunted out with a sigh as he brushed grime off his armor, [ if we get outta this alive, I'm sending a very strongly worded letter to whoever thought tether-fighting was a good idea. ]

But it didn't matter cause the kid was already doing his calm Jedi breathing thing, good hand out, voice all that coaxing murmur, whole aura shifting into that weird, serene focus mode Drifter saw his sisters lean into from time to time. For the longest, he'd been jealous they'd been able to do all the things they did.

Now well, he just knew he was way better and far prettier than the three who lorded over him in the pantyhose jungle that was their parent's house.

No sudden movements, Ace commanded, which prompted Drifter to freeze instantly in the least helpful way possible with his hands awkwardly hovering mid-air.

[ Right, ] he whispered loudly, [ no sudden movements. I can totally do that. Quiet as a womprat. Graceful as a Mon Cal Dancer. Calm as a Browncoat… ] He paused. [ A very nervous Browncoat. ]

As much as he joked, Drifter knew his strengths. They held nothing in calming beasts like this as much as hunting them, processing them, and using their bits for armor and trinkets. He could be useful like that. Calming 'em with the Force and a bit of soothsaying? Nah. That was his twin.

Thinking about her made Drifter consider that his Oma and Malieh just might facepalm at his antics.

Oh well.

The Reek snorted steam again and it lowered its massive skull a bit lower as the Force brushed through its frenzied mind with a slow, steady hand. For a terrifying moment, the creature's horn tilted dangerously close to Drifter's ribs.

He didn't move. Didn't dare breathe. Didn't even blink behind the polarized visor that reflected the bright crimson horned Reek staring daggers at him.

[ …Buddy, ] he whispered at the Reek, [ I swear on every credit I've never paid in taxes, if you gut me while he's doing the Jedi brain-hug thing, I'm turning you into my new area rug. ]

Another breath. The Reek's shoulders slumped. Its stance softened. The kid stepped forward all careful like, Drifter able to feel him use the Force to pull the beast from panic into something halfway like trust. The tether hummed between them, glowing faintly with each heartbeat Drifter tried to keep calm.

The Reek let out one long, exhausted huff.

Drifter stared.

[ Well I'll be, ] he muttered, voice cracking with disbelief. [ Inari the Reviver, it actually worked. ]

The Hunter leaned in if only slightly. Only cautiously. Only stupidly.

[ That's a good boy, ] he said, reaching a hand out with extreme hesitation, [ who's a big terrifying murder-cow-- ]

The Reek's head snapped up.

And that was just about when the crowd tossed an equal amount of boos as much as cheers. Some were here to see blood, but there went Drifter, ignoring the potentially still spookable Reek to toss his arms wide and look at them all.

[ Are you not entertained??!! ]

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

The moment Drifter threw his arms wide, the Reek's focus snapped with him. Its pupils tightened. Its weight shifted. That fragile calm Ace had been building cracked like ice under strain.​

​

He lowered his hand a fraction, letting that quiet Force-pressure settle again - reminding the Reek that the danger wasn't the man shouting at the crowd.​

​

"It's okay." Ace said quietly. Not to Drifter. To the beast.​

​

The Reek's horn dipped, breath coming out in a rough snort that trembled somewhere between warning and exhaustion. Ace stepped in, slow and deliberate, the tether humming with each careful shift.​

​

Its huge eye rolled toward him. Behind it wasn't trust, but it wasn't rage either.​

​

"Allies?" Ace murmured, voice barely above the noise of the pit. Then, with the same flatness as someone pointing out rain: "He's still spooked."​

​

He didn't look at Drifter, but continued speaking.​

​

"But if you're finished antagonizing the audience..." He added, monotone as ever. "I can stabilize him."​

​

The Reek's tremble eased, its breaths evening out in slow, heavy pulls of air. Not fully calm... but steady. Predictable. Ace pressed his palm gently against its flank, grounding the last threads of agitation. The crowd noise dipped, confused by the sudden lack of bloodshed.​

​

Now he had a second to think. To plot. His eyes traced the pit walls, the broken plating where the Reek had slammed into the durasteel, the support beams spider-cracked beneath it. His brows narrowed the slightest bit.​

​

"…You hit hard, don't you." He murmured. Calculating.​

​

He stepped back from the Reek, letting his hand fall slowly, keeping the Force settled around its mind like a weighted blanket.​

​

"We're not getting the way he came in." Ace said quietly, almost to himself. "And we're definitely not winning a crowd vote."​

​

And as if right on cue, the crowd's negative chanting and boos erupted across the arena. Ace's attention flicked to the worst dented section of wall, the one already struggling under the Reek's earlier charge.​

​

"But that..." He added, tone flat as stone. "Will break."​

​

He nodded once toward the weakened segment, subtle enough that only Drifter would catch it. Ace ran his hand along the Reek's shoulder, feeling the rhythm of its breath: the timing, the recoil, the raw power sitting beneath its hide. The creature snorted softly at the touch.​

​

"Listen." Ace murmured, eyes still on that damaged section of wall. "If we ride it in, we can angle the impact. Use its mass, not fight it."​

​

His prosthetic fingers tapped lightly against the Reek's armor-thick skin... counting, measuring, plotting. He stepped slightly to the Reek's side, keeping himself within its line of calm.​

​

"I can prep the wall first." He continued. "Pressurized push with the Force. Controlled." His free hand hovered, thumb brushing his palm as he visualized the Force flow. "It won't look like much. But it'll weaken the internal brace. Make sure the Reek's hit finishes the job."​

​

He finally looked at Drifter with same flat calm, same resignation to the fact this was somehow their best option.​

​

"We ride it." Ace said simply, like he was discussing the weather. "On my mark. Stay low. Hold the tether tight. Don't jolt it."​

​

The Reek shifted beneath his palm heavy, tired, but following the quiet thread of intention Ace projected. Then he leaped upward, assisted by the Force, and landed on the Reek's back. The Reek stirred for a moment before settling once more.​

​

The plan was clear, clean, insane, and completely doable. Now, he waited for Drifter to make his decision - whether he'd comply or resist. Either way, he'd better hurry before the powers that be figure out what's happening.​

​

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter froze mid-pose, his arms still outstretched like some dramatic holovid hero who suddenly realized the villain behind him had a much bigger blaster.

The Reek's focus locked onto him with laser precision.

Oh. Great. Perfect. Just gorram perfect.

Its muscles bunched. Ace's calm mojo shattered. And Drifter felt the Force ripple in a way that could only mean hey big guy, stop being stupid.

He slowly lowered his arms.

Verryy slowly.

Like he was defusing a thermal detonator made of pure bad decisions.

[ Eaassssy there… big fella… ] the Hunter muttered under his breath, that polarized visor angled at the Reek's massive horn. [ I was talkin' to them, not you. You are a wonderful audience. Love the horns. Very shiny. ]

Ace's voice however came drifting over quiet as a whisper but with the clap of a slap, but if you're finished antagonizing the audience…

Drifter couldn't help himself, he cleared his throat loudly as he canted his head to the right.

[ I don't antagonize, kid. I inspire. Big difference. ]

The Reek snorted so hard the dust in front of it kicked up in a puff.

[ Whoaaaa there! Okay okay! ] Drifter pleaded wiith his hands held up.

Course by now, the crowd was madder than a sack full with two wet Nexus of being deprived of carnage. They let out a collective confused groan, and someone even threw a bottle half-heartedly at them. It missed by a parsec and rolled.

[ Look at that. Teamwork. You soothe the giant kill-beast, I… provide moral support. And charm. Lots of charm. ]

The Reek huffed at him again in warning.

[ Hey, don't give me that tone, buddy. I'm not the one who tried to make me a hood ornament. ]

Course this was about when Ace pitched his plan regarding riding the damn Reek and use its mass to crash against the section of the wall. Honestly, not too shabby.

[ Oh I can get behind that. ] he replied, already using his mind to think of how to best assist. [ Oh I can toss my own bit of an omph to help you out there, Kid. May not be able to Reek speak but I do got a few set of skills that make me quite the commodity. ]

Soon as the count down began, Drifter followed suit, landing behind Ace and perking and around. Typically he was hunting Reeks for their hide and horns, not riding them as his improvised ramming mount.

[ Alright, ready to shove some Force out there and -- ] Then Drifter paused as citrine eyes behind his visor narrowed as the Force rippled. The Reek's stance had changed. No longer ready to charge. No longer panicked.

But focused. On the far gate. A low rumble shook the pit floor. Metal clanked. Something massive shifted behind the doors.

Drifter sighed.

[ Oh great. Because one angry space-bull wasn't enough fun for the evening. ]

He glanced at Ace.

[ Kid? I'm thinkin' our dance routine ain't over yet. ]

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

Ace felt the Reek shift beneath him before he heard anything. A subtle coil of muscle rolled through its flank, followed by a low, uneasy vibration in the creature's breath. Its mind didn't snap into panic, something else pulled at it.

He straightened slightly, hand steady against the Reek's thick hide. "…That's not me." He said quietly.

A moment later, the pit floor itself trembled. Metal groaned behind the far gate, slow at first, then with the grinding pressure of something forcing its way through sheer bulk. Drifter's sigh carried over the sound, followed by:

"Kid? I'm thinkin' our dance routine ain't over yet."

Ace didn't answer. His attention was already locked on the gate as every bolt in its frame screamed under strain. Dust shook loose from the rafters. The Reek snorted sharply, hooves bracing instinctively, and Ace felt the tremor run through its entire body.

Then the gate bent inward, not opened, but bent. Durasteel warped like cheap alloy under the weight behind it. Ace's fingers curled slightly against the Reek's hide, not in fear, just in acknowledgment.

The slab tore free and hit the ground with a deafening crash. What stepped through was no droid and no arena bruiser. Slate-gray hide rippled under harsh lights. Pale bioluminescent veins pulsed just beneath the surface. Claws dug trenches into metal with every step. Black, predatory eyes swept the pit until they locked onto the Reek... and then onto the two men riding it.

A Nydak Alpha. Massive. Territorial. Apex.

The crowd erupted into half panic, half thrill. Voices folded together into white noise behind the creature's guttural roar.

Ace exhaled once, slow and unimpressed. "…Of course."

The Reek answered with a thunderous bellow of its own, stance shifting from fear to something closer to defiance, as if recognizing an old rival. Ace adjusted his weight and tightened his grip on the tether with his flesh hand.

"We stick to the plan." He said, tone flat and focused.

He tapped the Reek's shoulder once, grounding the connection he'd built. Ace watched the Reek lower its head, the creature seemed to have other ideas.

"He's preparing to ram that."

The Nydak's roar shook the arena, echoing off the metal walls. And the Reek? He'd broken off into a charge, head-on for the Nydak. Ace lowered himself, bracing for impact, tightening his grip on the tether and legs locking into place against the Reek's broad spine.

"Hold on!"

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter had exactly one second to absorb Ace's calm, Jedi-flavored warning.

And then the universe introduced a new problem.

A Nydak Alpha.

A giant, vein-glowing, metal-warping, teeth-for-days, absolutely-nope monster from someone's worst nightmare.

Drifter stared at it.

Paused.

Then loudly announced to no one and everyone:

[ Oh Inari the Reviver, why is it always the biggest ones? ]

Course it seemed that his companion was all serenity and extremely questionable life choices.

The Reek, however, reacted violently....with enthusiasm.

[ Wait, we are still gonna ram it? ] came Drifter's alarmed cry, before the Reek bellowed with a snarl, shooting forward as it ripped up half the pit floor with its hooves, and launched itself into a full sprint straight at the Nydak like it had a personal vendetta and zero life insurance.

Drifter screamed.

A very dignified scream. A very brave scream.

A scream that echoed off the arena walls like a dying Womp-rat.

[ HOLD ON?! KID, I AM TRYING, I AM HOLDING ON WITH PARTS OF MY BODY I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW COULD HOLD THINGS! ]

The Hunter flattened himself to the Reek's back, armor rattling like a crate of loose bolts in a starship engine. The wind tore past his visor. Dirt, heat, and the roar of very angry apex creatures swallowed the world.

He risked one glance at the charging Nydak -- and immediately regretted it.

[ THAT THING'S GOT CLAWS BIGGER THAN MY FUEL PAYMENTS! ]

As if that did anything to the kid taking care, nah, Ace merely braced himself, those dreads whipping in the air like a gorram holoadventure poster.

As the Reek closed the distance, Drifter clung to the Reek for dear life. He once again questions his decisions in life.

The Nydak lowered its head.

The Reek lowered its horns.

The crowd collectively inhaled.

The two beasts collided.

Hard.

The shockwave blasted dust and air across the pit. Drifter felt himself lifted clean off the Reek's back for a heartbeat, tether yanking tight as gravity laughed in his face.

The Hunter barely managed to slam back down as his arms made a grab around the Reek's neck like the world's least coordinated Nerfboy.

And then, because life hated him personally, the Reek bucked sideways, veering off the straight collision path.

Drifter's visor slammed down closer to the Reek's skull.

[ Shit shit SHIT! ] he cursed, starting to get fed up. Fine. Enough was enough.

If only he had his weapons, then things could work out better. But for now. Feth it.

A few more beer cans and a bottle were tossed down. You know what, that can still come in handy.

Without further ado, the man shot out with his hand, using the Force to yank a bottle up from the ground. It snapped into his hand just as the Reek moved to circle and position itself to go for round two.

[ Alright Kid, Gonna see if I can take a stab at that big guy. ] Summoning the Force, Drifter channeled energy into the metal bottle, filling it with the Force to help increase in damage output.

Now came the tricky part. Seeing if he could throw it with enough force to stab at the Nydak's eye with it.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

The impact rattled Ace's bones, but he stayed locked to the Reek's back, muscles absorbing the shock. The world jolted sideways when the Reek bucked, and Ace rebalanced without a word - just a sharp exhale through his nose as the beast skidded across the pit floor.

The Nydak Alpha staggered from the collision, shaking off dust and fury, claws tearing trenches in the metal as it roared again. The Reek shifted under Ace, torn between instinct and exhaustion, breath pulsing hot against the ground.

Ace laid a steadying hand against its neck. Not calming... redirecting.

"Easy..." He murmured, voice a low anchor through the chaos.

The Reek's hooves scraped, chest heaving, but it didn't lunge a second time. It angled instead, positioning itself between the Alpha and the weakened wall, exactly where Ace needed it.

Behind him, Drifter fumbled something, cursed something, and then Ace felt the Force ripple as an object snapped into Drifter's palm. He glanced back just long enough to see the metal bottle humming faintly with energy.

Then the bottle whistled past Ace's shoulder, spinning end over end, humming with borrowed energy. It struck the Nydak's eye with a wet, ugly crunch. The Alpha recoiled, roaring so loud the arena floor vibrated under the Reek's hooves. It thrashed its head, claws carving deep gashes into the metal as liquid and fury spilled down its face.

Ace didn't waste the opening. The moment the Nydak reeled back, clutching its ruined eye and shaking the floor with its howl, Ace tightened his grip on the Reek's hide and leaned forward.

"Yah!" He exclaimed, beckoning the Reek to charge.

The Reek responded instantly, as if the pain and fury in the pit had snapped something primal awake. Its hooves dug into the ground, muscles bunching beneath Ace's legs. The tether hummed, pulling Drifter with him as the beast surged forward.

The Nydak lifted its head at the last second, one good eye flashing murder, claws biting deep into the earth as it shifted its massive weight to counter. Ace, nor the Reek, slowed.

The Reek roared beneath them, committing to the charge with everything it had left. Ace sank lower, legs tightening, preparing for impact once again... or a mauling.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter whooped like a man who had absolutely no survival instinct left, a loud, triumphant holler that cut across the pit the moment the bottle hit its mark, cheers roaring from the crowds.

[ YEAH! THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT, KID! WHO NEEDS A SWORD WHEN YOU GOT FREE WEAPONS OF OPPORTUNITY LYIN' AROUND! ]

He pumped a fist in the air.

He basked.

He glowed.

And then he realized Ace was steering the Reek right back toward the giant biomechanical murder-lizard.

His celebration died instantly.

[ Really? REALLY?! YOU STILL WANNA -- GAH! ]

The rest of his sentence got swallowed as the Reek accelerated like a speeder with no brakes. Drifter slammed forward, clinging to the beast's hide with all the grace of a wet sock. The impact nearly yeeted him clean off the Reek's backside, visor smacking against thick muscle as all three horns plowed into the Nydak's flank.

The shockwave bounced his brain against his skull.

Welp, he wasn't dead.

Great.

The 'verse lurched sideways when the Reek bucked, skidding across the floor and dragging Drifter with it like an unwilling accessory. He barely kept his balance, boots scraping, armor protesting loudly.

[ OH, I AM TOO PRETTY FOR THIS! ]

The Nydak Alpha staggered from the blow, its roar so loud Drifter swore he felt it vibrate his spine. One glowing, ruined eye poured ichor. The other flashed raw murder, its side now sporting three new holes in its hide.

Well, chit.

As much as Drifter was of the sort to make light of things, having anything suffer with grievous injuries was not one of them.

Oh fuck it.

Deciding now, to see if perhaps maybe, the Force could help him by sending a surge of ionized energy to the tether, hoping it just might break the binds.

Of course, that was when this time around The Nydak turn towards them, claws cutting deep furrows as it braced, determined to not take this lying down even if he was hurt bad.

The Reek roared.

The Nydak roared back.

Two biological tanks once more in a collision course.

Drifter clamped down, every muscle screaming:

[ KID! THIS IS EITHER GENIUS OR SUICIDE AND I GOTTA SAY I'M ONLY BETTIN' ON ONE OF THOSE! ]

And then the beasts moved to collide again with him right in the middle, Drifter sent a surge of ionized energy through the belt and prayed to every ancestor, deity, and vending machine spirit he'd ever wronged.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

Ace felt the split-second shift before he saw it. A sharp spike in the Force, wild, unrefined, but unmistakably deliberate, flared through the tether like a live current. Ace's spine snapped straight as the belt around his waist lit up with sudden ionized energy, humming against his ribs hard enough to vibrate bone.

"What're you--?!"

He didn't even get the whole sentence out. The belt detonated with a blinding flash. The ion pulse ripped through the tether, shredding the binding field with a sound like metal screaming underwater. Ace's breath hitched as the weight of Drifter's presence snapped free from his side, the Force-thread between their belts unraveling in a violent jolt.

They weren't tethered anymore. Ace blinked once. That… wasn't supposed to be possible.

The Reek jerked beneath Ace, the sudden lack of counterweight throwing its balance off. Ace dug his heels in, hand fisting into the thick hide at its neck as the creature lurched under him.

Drifter had bought them freedom. But he was also right in the middle of two charging apex predators. Ace's mind caught up instantly and he immediately reacted. Throwing his off-hand out, directed at Drifter, he then waved it sideways to move the masked man out of the way of the collision through the Force.

Ace didn't wait to see if Drifter landed cleanly. The Nydak and the Reek were already committing, both apex beasts locked onto each other with murderous intent. He shifted his stance, hopping into a crouch along the creature's spine. His center of gravity dropped. His breath leveled. The Force gathered around his legs like pressure building inside coiled springs.

Just before the two titans slammed together, Ace pushed off. The leap wasn't flashy, just precise. A clean arc propelled by the Force, carrying him out of the impact zone in a blur as the Reek and Nydak collided beneath him like freight haulers ramming head-on.

The shockwave followed him midair, hot wind snapping at his clothes before he landed in the dirt, knees bending to absorb the momentum. He rose instantly, eyes snapping to Drifter.

"Let them tear each other apart. We use the opening."

The weakened wall, the one the Reek had already damaged, groaned under the new stress, dust shaking loose from the overhead rigging. Ace pointed toward it with a sharp flick of his hand.

"We hit it together. Full Force. While they're locked."

Behind him, the Reek and Nydak slammed into each other again, grappling, clawing, horns scraping against armored hide. Too focused on killing each other to notice the two free men sprinting for an escape route.

Ace's jaw set, breath steady, energy coiling for the strike.

"On my mark." He said.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter shot upright with a loud, victorious whoop that echoed through the pit like fireworks now that he was free of the tether!

[ FREEDOM!! ]

He punched the air again, chest heaving with absolute triumph. The crowd went feral, roaring their approval, drunk and delighted and absolutely bloodthirsty.

[ Feth yes! ] he crowed, arms thrown wide like a champion on parade. Truly, it would have been a glorious moment....if he wasn't also standing between two apex predators charging at full murder-speed.

Drifter blinked.

[ …Oh hey wait -- ]

The Reek and Nydak slammed toward each other just as Drifter got yanked into the air again with a strangled noise that sounded like a Mynock being insulted.

[ GAAAAAAAAH! WHAT THE HELL, KID!? ]

That dusty polarized helm swung toward Ace mid-flight like a betrayed cat staring at the vacuum cleaner.

He twisted midair, curling his body with the Force, but even then, Drifter hit the dirt like a man who had been launched, yeeted, punted, and spiritually bodyslammed by the Force one too many times in one afternoon.

He flopped.

He groaned.

He lay spread-eagled for a full majestic second of self-pity.

[ ow. ow OW. I hate everything. ]

But he didn't get long to wallow because Ace was already barking orders.
Escape route. Weakened wall. Use the full Force.

[ Risk it for the biscutt, kid! Have at it! ] Drifter called back, scrambling upright with the enthusiasm of a feral loth-cat high on adrenaline.

Twin citrine eyes flashed behind the visor as the Force rushed through him like a wild current snapping loose in a manner that wasn't delicate or refined, but pure stubborn will.

The metal wall panel warped. Groaned. Screamed under pressure.

From under his visor, Drifter bared his teeth and uttered out:

[ Come on, come on, daddy needs an exit! ] With one final heave of the Force, he ripped the panel free and the durasteel tore loose like a tooth yanked from a rancor's jaw, crashing to the ground and revealing --

A Devaronian halfway through eating some McYodas. A Twi'lek holding a datapad. A Gammorean enforcer picking his nose.

All three and Drifter Froze as the Reek and Nydak behind him crashed together, shaking dust from the ceiling.

The Nine Hells broke loose. The Devaronian cursed in Huttese, the Twi'lek drew a blaster, and the Gammorean roared like someone stole his lunch.

Sure enough, blaster bolts went screaming toward them.

[ Of course. Why wouldn't this happen today. ] Drifter cursed as he sprinted forward, sweeping up his arm up to d called on the Force again, dragging a loose wall panel into the air. It snapped into position just in time as bolts pinged across it like angry fireworks, ricocheting right back toward the Twi'lek.

The crowd went wild, screams joined in the fray and from behind him, the roars of two beasts only grew louder.

Drifter didn't slow.

He ducked behind the floating shield, boots pounding the dirt, yelling:

[ KID! I HOPE YOU GOT A PLAN B BECAUSE I STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE THE HELL MY WEAPONS ARE! ]

Behind them, the Reek and Nydak continued tearing each other apart. Ahead of them, a narrow hallway brimmed with more danger, more chaos, and hopefully -- hopefully -- an exit.

Or at least a locker room with Drifter's blasters and knives.

Either way, he was running toward it.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

Ace didn't hesitate. The moment Drifter planted his stance and pulled the Force into his hands, Ace mirrored him. His prosthetic locked against the weakened brace, flesh hand spreading open, fingers splayed as he drew the pressure in tight.

The Force surged. Drifter's raw, ionized burst slammed into the metal like a lightning strike. Ace's push wasn't loud, it compressed inward, precise, focused, hitting the internal support beam at the exact fracture point the Reek had weakened.

The durasteel buckled. Then tore free in a thunderclap that blew hot air and dust back into their faces. The entire panel ripped out of the wall, crashing down onto the floor and leaving a jagged, open passage behind it.

Ace lowered his hand slowly, letting the last threads of energy dissipate from his palm.

"…Astral." His voice was calm, but if you listened close, there was a note under it... a quiet acknowledgment of Drifter's power.

Only then did he look up and see the Devaronian halfway through a McYodas, the Twi'lek with a datapad, and the Gammorean knuckle-deep in nose exploration.

Ace blinked once.

"…Yeah, what else is new."

And the shooting started. Drifter summoned a panel as a makeshift shield, charging toward their attackers. Ace followed close behind, using the cover and listened to the man's comment about a 'Plan B'.

Plan B. Right.

The Twi'lek fired wildly down the corridor. Ace veered left, peeling off Drifter's cover. A bolt came too close; he flicked his prosthetic forearm in its direction and the bolt bounced off his beskar plated limb.

The Devaronian barely had time to swallow his McYodas before Ace reached him. He ducked a panicked punch, pivoted, and immediately clipped his shoulder on a protruding wall fixture. The dodge wasn't perfect and the elbow strike wasn't fluid. But the Devaronian still dropped face-first into his own tray.

The Gammorean bellowed and charged. Ace stepped to intercept, and slid half a step on spilled sauce from the Devaronian's food, throwing him off balance.

It gave the Gammorean a window to hit him. Hard. Then slamming Ace against the wall. Ace braced, sending an uppercut with his prosthetic forearm under the brute's chin, then releasing a controlled Force push that sent the pig-man skidding across the floor and into a stack of crates.

One more left. The Twi'lek fired again, panicked now. Ace deflected the shot back into the blaster itself; it snapped, exploded in the Twi'lek's hands, and sent him sprawling backward in a tangle of limbs and datapad pieces.

Ace straightened, brushing grit off his jumpsuit sleeve. His hair had fallen loose; he pushed it back with a small, nostalgic exhale.

"…Closest thing to reliving my childhood." He muttered.

He caught up to Drifter in three long strides. The corridor ahead bent sharply left and somewhere far behind them, the Reek and the Nydak roared again, the sound rattling dust from the ceiling and reminding both men that round three was not a fight they wanted to be present for.

At the end of the corridor stood a single door: dented, half-lit by a flickering panel, humming faintly from whatever was wired behind it.

Could be a storage room.
Could be an exit.
Could be a damned rancor in a broom closet.

Knowing their luck? Probably the third option.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter barreled down the corridor like a man with three motivations -- survival, sass, and the unshakable belief that his weapons were absolutely somewhere nearby.

Behind him, Ace worked through enemies like he was speed running a childhood trauma simulator. Drifter didn't need to look back to know it; the sounds alone gave him the play-by-play.

Music to his ears.

Drifter swung the makeshift durasteel panel forward as the last of the blaster bolts ricocheted off it, then tossed the thing aside once the corridor cleared.

[ …Man, I am rockin' this today. ]

The Hunter skidded to a halt near the junction, hands up for balance in this risky business, boots scraping on dusty flooring as Ace caught up behind him.

The door at the end of the hall flickered ominously, half-lit, dented like someone had kicked it or rammed it or possibly used it to settle a long-standing debt.

Drifter planted his hands on his hips and nodded at it with deep suspicion.

[ That…] As he wagged a finger at it as if it was bait, [... is either our get out of dodge card, an armory, or something with too many teeth. ]

He sniffed loudly.

[ I'm gettin' a rancor vibe. ]

Ace exhaled through his nose as he superheroed hair flipped his pretty dreads back. Drifter clapped him on the shoulder, giving it a little encouraging shake.

[ Eh, don't worry, kid. If a rancor pops out, we just do what we did out there: panic, improvise, throw something heavy and blame it on fate. ]

Without further ado, he purposely moved forward, stepping up to the flickering door, fingers flexing as the Force twitched under his palms in that good ol' Drifter way -- wild, messy, and always ready.

[ All right… let's see what fresh hell awaits. ]

He smacked the access panel with the confidence of a man who fully expected the worst.

The door hissed.
Sputtered.
Groaned.
Then, slowly, it creaked open.

Drifter leaned in.

[ …Oh you have GOT to be kidding me -- ]

And whatever he saw inside made him jerk back, hand already going to where his blasters should have been.

[ KID. KID. DOOR NUMBER THREE IT IS. ]

Cause there, chained up like some nutty version of a guard dog, was a Gundark, its big ears snapping over with its keen hearing over to them. It immediately went to attack them, only to get tugged taunt and jerked back as it hit the end of its chain.

Of course, right in front of him, just out of reach of those massive sixteen claws, was row of lockers. The hum of their solid light doors illuminating in blessed angelic detail Ace's and Drifter's weapons and gear.

They just had to get past the Gundark trying to make a grab for it.

Once Drifter realized the Gundark was chained, though, the tension somewhat eased from his lean frame, and he cocked his head to the side, going, [ Huh. Okay, maybe not too bad. Come on, let's ignore Mr. Handsy there and grab our stuff. ]

He made a hilarious leap forward even as the Gundark did his best to try and grab for him, being the good distracting man he was.

Finally, he got to the lockers, looking at his gear with all the joy of a kid during Life Day.

[ My beauties! Come to Daddy! Let me get you out of there. ] He preened, looking at the solid light mechanism and determining it between finding the key or frying it with Ionized energy, Ionizing was best right??

Who cared if there were lightsaber hilts there... his was EMP'd hardened...

That was when the Force surged in warning, and all of a sudden, Drifter was doing the interpretive dance trying to avoid the volley of blaster bolts coming from a big Besalik rumbling towards them, the first blaster shot nabbing him right on his left hand, clicking against his prosthetic and rebounding.

[ Oh Go se! ]

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

Ace exhaled through his nose... slow and resigned. He flicked the loose dreads back out of his eyes with the kind of small, irritated demeanor of someone who'd been fighting apex predators for several straight minutes.

Drifter clapped him on the shoulder. Ace didn't react. Not physically. Not visibly. But somewhere deep inside, a neuron quietly shut down for self-preservation.

Drifter went on. "Panic". "Improvise". "Throw something heavy". "Blame it on fate!.

Ace blinked at him.

"…That wasn't panic."

Then he watched as Drifter slapped the access panel with the confidence of someone who'd never once considered consequences. The door hissed open a creak and Ace braced himself for what could be waiting on the other side.

Ace stepped beside him just in time to get a look at what was inside. And what Drifter seemed so exasperated about. He immediately frowned. A Gundark. Of course.

What was this? Some sort of halfway house for the galaxy's top 10 apex predators?

And of course, behind it, was all their weapons and gear. Including a switched off Tic. Probably for the best... the little BD-unit would explode if he saw what he was sharing a space with.

Ace didn't even have time to finish a thought before Drifter launched himself past the Gundark like someone had hit fast-forward on a slapstick holovid.

The beast lunged, claws raking inches from Ace's ribs, chain ringing as it yanked tight. Ace shifted aside with a controlled step, watching Drifter vault through open air, land questionably, and sprint straight for the glowing lockers.

"…You're supposed to wait." Ace muttered, but Drifter was already halfway into a Life Day commercial over his weapons.

Ace moved to follow, carefully, when the Force stabbed a warning through his chest. Blaster fire erupted. Drifter flailed into an improvised dodge-dance as bolts screamed across the room. Ace's head snapped toward the threat just as a hulking Besalisk stormed in from deeper inside the chamber, four arms, two blasters, murder written across every step. A bolt clipped Drifter's prosthetic hand, sparking off it.

The Besalisk leveled both blasters again, aiming dead-center for Drifter. Ace didn't hesitate and thrust his hand forward, a precise, compact strike of telekinetic pressure aimed squarely at the Besalisk's center mass.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter watched the Besalisk go flying like a four-armed sack of week-old laundry and let out a delighted bark of laughter.

[ WHOA-HOHO, KID! ]

He snapped his gloved fingers and hit Ace with the double finger-guns like he'd just witnessed a championship holo-play.

[ That's what I'm talkin' about! Prime Force-fu right there! ]

The Gundark behind them shrieked, chain rattling as it scraped massive claws across the durasteel floor. Drifter gave it a cheerful little wave.

[ Hey big guy, lovin' the energy, please keep those hands to yourself, thanks! ]

He turned back to the lockers. Tried the panel. Got nothing. Tried it again. Also nothing. Tried staring at it really hard. Surprisingly also nothing.

[ Okay. Alright. Fantastic! ]

Then his gaze slid to the unconscious Besalisk sprawled in the corner like a fallen buffet table.

Drifter's visor lit up.

[ …I wonder. ]

He jogged over, skidding to his knees beside the brute, humming like he was checking presents under a Life Day tree.

[ Not here to ruin your afternoon, buddy, just gimme your pockets, ] he told the Gundark as it swiped at him, narrowly missing.

Drifter rummaged like a gremlin possessed.

Blaster pistols?
Mine.

Half a credit stick?
Also mine.

A weird snack wrapper?
Why not, pocketed.

And then --

[ AHAH!! ]
Drifter shot upright with victory in his shout, the keycard pinched triumphantly between two fingers. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it sailing toward Ace in a clean arc.

[ Merry kriffin' Life Day, kid! Go get our toys! ]

And then the Gundark screamed again.

And Drifter grinned under the visor, hands on his hips, eyeballing the big red sucker trying to claw at him with all sixteen claws but unable to reach him.

He had an idea.
A stupid, glorious idea.

[ Ohhh, if I still got my Farrus Sphere… we are about to have some fun. ]

He was halfway through planning chaos when blaster fire erupted across the chamber.

Bolts sizzled past him as they pinged against the songsteel plating on his chest, sending sparks flying and the Hunter stumbling back with the force of it. Gorram it!

[ AGH! Hey! Rude! ]

Drifter spun, just in time to see another Besalisk barreling in from the back corridor, four arms, two blasters, and an expression that screamed deeply offended by our continued existence.

The blasters locked on him.

Drifter yelped and dove behind a crate in what he absolutely considered a heroic roll, only to pop up fully, blasters now in hand and far too much cocksure scoundrel confidence bleeding from his stance.

[ Alright, Kid! You get the lockers open -- I'll keep Captain Quad-Arms busy! ]

The Hunter fired twice, ducked back as the Besalisk furiously returned fire, and added with entirely too much enthusiasm:

[ AND SOMEONE FIND MY FARRUS SPHERE, I GOT BIG PLANS FOR THAT GUNDARK! ]