An Unexpected Visitor: Tracking Talent Pt. 2 (Primeval)

[Catalys Maijora]

The Primeval Fleet blanketed the skies above Gulamendis; continuous traffic between the two entities per their new found agreement. Aboard the flagship, Orders' End, the Faithful servants of Anja Aj'Rou were busy at work. The Fleet was preparing for something big but first they needed the resources -- the talent -- necessary to fulfill their longstanding ambitions.

Antecedent...

"Do not fail me.", a hologram cut out on those final words. Catalys' ship had just landed on the busy world inhabited by billions; it wasn't the first city-world he had encountered. It was quite recently that he returned from Nar Shaddaa with two gifts for his Host Lord. This time wouldn't be different, he would succeed. He had to succeed. Just outside of his cockpit a crowd was already moving, he had landed close to an apartment tower containing his next target.

"A red one?", his lips pursed into a sly snicker as he scanned the target data sent to his HUD. Stepping out onto the landing pad he made way through the crowds of various people; the shadows passing him like inconvenient blurs. The KX-80 was neatly strapped to the back of his tactical armour, kept close in-case an incident broke out. The streets around him were full of travelers, merchants, party-animals, drunks, and just about all the scum you could find on such an isolated fringe world. The VR tracking system kept him on course towards the specified tower, it would only be a matter of time until he met this girl that was enough of a handful to give trouble to a Hutt.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Amid the bustling streets of Antecedent, Jorda Ulluto, Zeltron infochant, was walking home from a business meeting at the Dragon Palace Casino in her usual getup, tight black dress, a short black fur coat and too-high heels. Business meetings for the beautiful Zeltron usually meant cards, dice, multiple rounds of shots, and maybe even a little bit of spice. The bigger the party, the more the information flowed, she found. Luckily she had two livers so an excess of drinking usually wasn't an issue, but tonight even she had drank a few shots too many.

As she reached her building, a glittering Antecedent high rise, she nodded to the doorman who was too engrossed in Holos to even grunt at her, and made her way up the elevator to her floor. Jorda blinked and attempted to drunkenly punch the security code into the terminal next to her front door. When the door refused to open, she tried again. Kark it, in her haze she'd completely forgotten the passcode.

A death stick hanging from her mouth, she leaned up against the wall and kicked off her heels, sliding down to the floor where she sat on the carpet rifling through her Corellian leather handbag. If she could only get her Datapad, she could grab the code from there. Unfortunately her purse was like a black hole, and she found herself cursing her inexplicable need to carry everything but the kitchen sink in there.

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

The boisterous crowd made Catalys feel more apprehensive as he went deeper into the city; passing venue after venue on his way to a towering highrise. Nar Shaddaa was something else. He felt secure there amongst the rough bounty hunters and rigorous criminal networks. There was no standing out because everyone stood out and that was ldeal for an Agent of The Primeval. There was nothing worse than feeling out of place when your prime objective was to complete the task unnoticed.

Finally approaching the destination made Catalys jaded; he had breazed by the distracted doorman with no trouble. Perhaps at a glance he was like any other going home for the night, exhausted from a days work and ready to lay down in luxurious comfort. The nature of Antecedent was not something so easily described but for a world seemingly nowhere it was as busy as any in the core.

"Now what?", he said as he approached the elevator. Countless floors escalated above him in an illustrious demeanor that left envy to those beneath its shadow. The tacitcal HUD in his helmet continued cycling through the same information. It hadn't been the first time but it sure didn't make it more enjoyable, "One floor at a time," his words resonated with sardonic wisdom.

The first floor...

At the very least Catalys was able to connect into the large and dynamic public network through his short-ranged transponder. Trying to find anything of help.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

After unceremoniously dumping out all the contents of her purse onto the hallway floor, Jorda finally found her Datapad. Now she just had to retrieve the code from it. She sifted through her messy hard drive looking for the right file. A Holocall was incoming. Jorda glanced at the caller ID. "Dasha the Hutt" blinked up on the screen. "Screw you, Dasha," she growled and hit the "ignore call" button.

"There it is," Jorda muttered, the deathstick still hanging from her lips. She plugged in the passcode, and the door opened with a hiss. The Zeltron grabbed her heels and then realizing that all of her possession were scattered around the floor, started to clean up her things.

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Catalys continued his way up the highrise, muttering a few curse words in impatience. A ping is caught on his tactical HUD, from the same source who provided the information as to the target's whereabouts. The VR displayed the ping only being a few floors up; by the looks of it it's a digital signal. "Well then.", he smiled behind his helmet, allowing the Elevator to reach its final destination. Stepping out of the elevator he glanced in both directions, the halls were mostly empty except for a cleaning droid humming down the opposite end of his target's direction.

The lit hallway glared against his orange-yellow helmet HUD, creating an awkward vision that was cluttered with information. He quietly slid his way to the door, doing his best not to attract any attention whilst he examined the apartment; double checking regularly for unwanted guests before inspecting the keypad.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Jorda entered her apartment and let the door shut behind her with another hiss. The curvaceous Zeltron tossed her bag on the kitchen counter and yawned. She was tired but not yet sleepy, so she flipped on the Holonews and watched the local Antecedent channel which reported that the Red Ravens had taken control of Makeb in the Outer Rim. It seemed like she was hitching her wagon to the right organization after all, she thought with a smirk.

The Zeltron flopped down on the couch and put her feet up on the caf table. She changed channels to Martin Mcdonafray's show which was currently showing her interview with him. Ouch. His production crew's make up artist was terrible. She grabbed her Datapad and started typing a nastygram to the show's producer about how haggard she looked. She was trying to make a name for herself in the galaxy not make people shut off their Holoscreens.

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Catalys took a better look at the keypad, taking out a small slicing tool. He hesitated, turning back. "Surely there must be security systems", he thought to himself before walking down the wall as it arched around. Finding a random apartment he connected the slicing tool, mounting it to the keypad. The system was crude but it did have minor automation features allowed it to be activated remotely through this tactical HUD, but only at a short distance. With the device set in place he found himself back down the hallway and in front of her apartment.

"Show time.", he said to himself playfully as he knocked at her door.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Once she was satisfied that she had given the show's producer enough of a virtual tongue-lashing, the Zeltron returned to watching Martin's show. Jorda was vaguely wondering about the marital status of Mr. Mcdonafray when suddenly there was a knock at her apartment door. Her neatnik neighbor was probably about to throw a fit about something she left on the floor in the hallway when she dumped out her belongings.

In her drunken haze she didn't even bother to look at the Holocam to see who it was, she merely crossed to the door and opened it.

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

The door opened in front of him, the rest of her apartment now in view as the red-skinne Zeltron stood in the entrance. Quick-thinking didn't always mean a good plan but Catalys kept his cool. "Yes, hello!", he said derisively walking into the entrance way; the door just behind his back. Catalys' contemptuous behavior masked his lack affinity for other beings; his species was particularly capable of reading the will of others and even some could influence others. His piercing pale eyes kept a fix on his target as if he was looking through her.

His Tactical Armour was not particularly intimidating, made out of a light-material and having a silver-grey colouring with some red paint. The symbol of the bleeding sun was marked on his left pauldron piece of the shoulder plate.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

It took the Zeltron a few moments to register that the man who had just entered her apartment was not her next-door neighbor. In a split second, she used her race's ability to read emotions, and she was horrified to sense a heady mix of both comtempt and malice. One word rang out in her brain. Dasha. The Hutt had finally made good on her promise to hire a hitman and have Jorda offed, a threat that had been hanging over her head ever since she'd left Dasha's organization.

It suddenly dawned on Jorda that she was in trouble, and the Zeltron woman darted for her blaster which was sitting out on her kitchen counter. The man was heavily armored, but if she could get to her firearm, maybe she stood a chance. And if she could live through this, Dasha would pay.

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Catalys scoffed as she went towards the kitchen counter; he hadn't registered a weapon but it was clear she was going for something. Whether it was security, a blaster, or maybe even a thermal detonator he reached for his KX-80 strapped to the back of his armour and brandished the weapon outward. Taking a typical stance of an experienced gunman he pointed the gun in a deadlock towards her, "Hold it!", he said as his helmet amplified his voice. The unmistakable whir of his rifle's powerpack ringed across the room as he disabled the safety.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Although Jorda wasn't looking at the intruder, the two words he spoke, coupled with the emotions she felt emanating from him, told her he was holding a weapon in her direction. She stopped just short of snatching up the blaster, and raised her hands in the air.

Slowly turning around to face the man, she tilted her head and flashed angry hazel eyes in his direction. Jorda was used to dealing with criminals and thieves and while she was certainly afraid, she took great pains to hide it. "Let me guess," the Zeltron infochant said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're one of Dasha the Hutt's attack dogs. I assure you, if you're working for that filthy slug, she's underpaying you. Whatever amount of credits she's giving you to do whatever it is you're about to do to me, I can pay you double."

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

A slight snicker rested on his face behind the helmet, of course she'd assume he was a paid dog. Should he run with it? That was the question but no, perhaps it was not the best.

"Credits are a meaningless entity.", he spoke softly with composure as he slowly maneuvered himself closer. "In fact, I'm your benefactor.", he added on after the brief pause. Perhaps he should run with it after all. "Here's the big picture: You're in danger, I'm not about to let you go into the wrong hands. An alarm is probably going to go off at any moment and when it does are you going to wait around to find out who's here?", his words slurred together.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

With her hands still in the air, Jorda slowly backed away from him, tottering on her heels. She narrowed her eyes at the unknown assailant. "Your words and your pheromones say two different things, brother," she growled with disdain. "Whatever you're doing right now, I'm highly suspect that it benefits me."

Deep down the jaded Zeltron knew she was screwed. Even if she managed to get her hands on her blaster, she was hardly a match for him. Perhaps he was going to take her to Dasha, and then she could once again plead for her life with the Hutt. Fun times. She sighed as she weighed her options. If she relented, perhaps she could make a break for it once he'd gotten complacent. Either that or die right here on the spot.

Jorda shrugged. "Fine. I know you're lying, but whatever. Take me to whoever it is that put out this bounty." She looked around. "Can I at least grab my purse?"

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Keira Priest]

While most people were either at the ever infamous Dragon Palace Casino or at home in their apartments, Keira was simply wandering the ever lit streets of Antecedent, it not being quite late enough for her to justify tucking in just yet. Sure, she could have been at the casino either moderating any fights about to break out or participating in any trouble that had likely started, but instead she was enjoying what passed for fresh air and nature on the city-world. Which was to say, the expected urban jungle.

As ever, her lightsaber was at her side, something she hardly ever traveled without. That lesson had only been driven home after the interview gone awry in which a Trandoshan bounty hunter had attempted, unsuccessfully, to abduct the Red Ravens’ all but infamous secretary and slicer, Cryax Bane. After that incident, she’d made a point to never leave home without the weapon, as long as she could pass off keeping it on her person.

Her circuit of the block ceased once she arrived back at the casino, and she contemplated her options for a moment before entering, a subtle but dark stirring in the Force catching her attention. It was entirely possible that it was one of the Ravens or a restless, most like drunken, patron, but something about it caught and held her attention steadfast. Odd, but not unheard of.

Stifling a quiet yawn (was she really tired this early in the night?), the rogue wove her way through the crowds to the apartment complex that was included within the casino, letting the dark pulse in the Force continue to guide her, unconsciously flexing her hands in preparation for a fight. Now that she got a better lock on it, the person, whoever they were, definitely wasn’t the usual drunk. Great. This wouldn’t end well.

After weighing her options she stepped up to the apartment door that the presence emanated from, knocking lightly to foretell her entrance. Here goes nothing. “Hey, everything alright in there?”

[member="Jorda Ulluto"], [member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Suspicious about the 'grabbing the purse' comment, Catalys hesitated. "Hm. Alright.", his response was with a sense of doubt, "Grab your purse, but if you try anything -- I'm sure there's something on your 'friends' lying around here.", his followup was reserved and prudent. The grip on his blaster rifle was still just as tight but he released his stance somewhat to give her space but still weary of any attempts to fight to back.

Catalys' guard was shook the moment a voice appeared behind him, instinctively he began to turn towards the entrance way but his thoughts recomposed and his feet dug in as he pushed himself towards the side turning so that both were in view. His rifle was ready to aim at whoever tried anything.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"] [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Chevu Visz]

Jorda smirked and grabbed her purse. Her Datapad was safely tucked in there and with it, her chances of sending out an S.O.S. She hooked it around her shoulder and then slowly walked towards him in, the room eerily quiet.

A voice at the door startled both of them. She quickly looked at the man and then back at the door. "No everything's not karking alright in here!" she shouted. "I'm being robbed in my own apartment! Call the authorities!"

Jorda figured that even if she got the butt end of a rifle in her face for that, it was worth it if she could get help.

[member="Catalys Maijora"] [member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Catalys let out a disdainful scoff; setting his rifle to stun he fired the shot towards Jorda.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

If her suspicions weren't confirmed before, they certainly were now, at the woman's shout. That was her cue, she supposed, and without another moment's hesitation she stepped through the door, assessing the situation both with physical sight and the Force. Hazel green eyes narrowed instantly at the sight of the blaster rifle pointed in her direction, and her left hand instantly dropped towards the lightsaber at her waist, though the blade remained unignited should the man try anything rash and injure the Zeltron he was currently holding hostage. "Listen, let's take things slowly." Keira took a second to study his armor, noting the sun on one of the shoulder plates. That could complicate things, if he was in legion with the Suns.

"None of us have any reason to hurt each other, and I'd very much like to keep it that way." She spared a glance to the Zeltron, managing a wry sort of smile. "Oh, and before you ask, I am the authorities. Of a kind."

Now she looked back to the man who was most definitely not a member of the Ravens, remaining silent for the time being, her gaze flicking between the weapon he held and the helmet that disguised his face. As he fired his weapon she wasn't quick enough to redirect the shot by means of the Force or otherwise, but was marginally relieved that it was only a stun bolt.

[member="Jorda Ulluto"], [member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

With [member="Jorda Ulluto"] stunned, Catalys quickly turned his aim towards Keira. The grip on his rifle was no less than earlier but with his target stunned he was able to be more cautious towards his actions; calculating his options.

"Who are you?", he asked inquisitively as he eyed her person behind his helmet, examining for weapons and any obvious devices. If a fight was going to break out he had to be prepared but he wasn't really in a position for a drawn out conflict; the stun would wear out in anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour. The rifle was still set to stun but his trigger finger was at a point resting between the switch and the trigger; as an Umbaran he was capable of sensing the will of another. He saw that she was capable of standing her own and had an influence of her own. For Catalys his own strength in the force was still untapped, albeit dark and twisted.

[member="Keira Ticon"]