Because I could not stop for Death

[Ghorua the Shark]

LOCATION: FRIDA'S SPACEPORT CANTINA, NAR SHADDAA
EQUIPMENT: PACKING LIGHT (in bio)
CURRENT MOOD: PREOCCUPIED

Frida's Spaceport Cantina was quite the rustic place. While Nar Shaddaa had a reputation for being a lawless ecumenopolis, a horde of criminals and smugglers, Frida's was rather calm. The sign outside flashed brightly, and the inside, although dark, seemed rather clean. The patrons of Frida's were jolly folk, each one unafraid of any conflict, as seemed to be the trend of most cantinas. The reason for this relaxed attitude stood behind the bar, absentmindedly cleaning a mug with a dirty rag.

The monstrous bartender was enormous. Ten feet off of the ground, rows of opaline teeth curled up into a smile. Deep black eyes scanned over the crowd of patrons lazily. Muscles bulged all across the behemoth's body, covered by thick ebony skin. He wore a simple black tank top, and cargo shorts, both accessories sized to fit him.

Ghorua the Shark finished polishing the last cup, looking over his handiwork smugly. The genetically-modified Herglic worked as a bartender at Frida's part-time, a mundane job for a less-than-mundane being. The cantina had a reputation of having very little crime due to the large Bounty Hunter's presence. Even so, that didn't mean he wasn't armed.

The Shark had various weapons on his person, including a couple of custom-made slugthrowers, and his vibroknife. Under the bar, a collapsed phrik pole rested, just in case. Trident had long since lost the crystal inside, but the saber-pike was more than formidable without it in Ghorua's hands. Flying just low of the ceiling, a few metallic circles hovered, watching over the scene diligently. The ACS Probe Droids were a new buy for the Herglic; an extra set of eyes never hurt in the hunt, as an extra set of protection, as well as a good tracking tool.

The Shark's shift was nearly over, but he still had fifteen or so minutes until he could leave. The Herglic exhaled through his blowhole, filling up a glass for a particularly drunk patron.

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

Location: Frida’s Spaceport Cantina, Nar Shaddaa
Gear: DB Armor, Throwing spikes, Ball Bearings, Lightsaber, Makrosian Shield

Stepping into Frida’s donning the armor that had once been owned by Nikias, Akhilleus scanned the bar. The patrons went about their business drinking to their hearts content and gossiping about what was going on in the cesspit planet of Nar Shaddaa. Ever since he had landed on the planet Akhilleus was disgusted by what he had seen. Casino’s lined the streets and spice dealers ran rampant. They had been smart enough to not offer the Hellyni any though. The Doom Bringer armor making Akhilleus look intimidating as his base appearance wouldn’t strike fear into nearly anyone due to the effeminate appearance.

In Hellyni culture one never dawned the armor or bore the weapons of a dead man unless they planned on avenging them. That was why Akhilleus wore the armor. Too many people had sought out revenge on Nikias or hunted him, and now that his brother was gone it was Akhilleus’ time to put them in their places. With the 360 degrees of vision offered by the armor Akhilleus was able to see the probes as he made his way into the bar. Each step echoing off the freshly polished wood. The Herglic behind the counter wasn’t one of those Akhilleus needed to kill. He just wanted information on Abelain, the one who had hired them. It had been Joza who had told Akhilleus about what had happened, and the news broadcasts from Nar Shaddaa had helped Akhilleus track down the bounty hunter.

It was impossible to miss the Herglic as Akhilleus sat down at the bar looking at the gigantic being through the darkened visor that hid his face. He’s been drinking his milk and everyone else’s’. Akhilleus thought. He had never seen a herglic in his life but had no clue they could be that big. The shadow of Ghoura falling over him. There were no visible weapons on Akhilleus but that didn’t mean he had come unprepared for what could devolve into a fight. “Ghoura the shark I presume? One of the best in the business?” Flattery can get you everywhere.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

As Ghorua finished pouring a Bith something strong, one of the probe droids hovered down to eye-level, whirring nervously. They had seen a strange figure walk into the Cantina, it seemed, covered in armor. This was a rather regular occurance on the Smuggler's Moon, so the Shark payed it little attention. Ghorua waved away the little sphere, as if shooing away a fly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Get back on watch, Three." With an exasperated quip of binary, Probe Droid #3 flew back up to the ceiling, keeping an eye on the new arrival.

The Herglic looked up from his work as Akhilleus approached, eyeing the man himself. The armor was impressive, ominous even. This was no commoner's plate. Ghorua could see how the droids were spooked by such an individual. The bartender tossed his dirty rag to the side, wiping his hands together as the dark figure spoke.

"That'd be me. Ghorua the Shark, Bounty Hunter extraordinaire, terrorist, durasteel behemoth, server of fine drinks." The Herglic chuckled, his voice low and smooth, hiding the paranoia that had begun to build up in his system. "But I'm guessing that's not why you're here. You know me. That means you require my services, right? Frida's alcohol may be strong, but I assure you, I pack a bigger punch." Ghorua laughed again, careful to keep his tone light. It wouldn't be the first time someone had approached him with work during a shift. It also wouldn't be the first time someone has tried to kill him during a shift. At this point, Ghorua was ready for either, but was hoping the first. His last job went down the drain, and the Shark had to make up for lost time. The entire hunt for Nikias had been a bit of a waste for the Herglic.

A spark of recognition flashed in Ghorua's eyes as he dwelled on his last hunt. Nikias had been a Hellyni. The man before reeked of the scent of Hellyni. Perhaps a strange coincidence, but Ghorua had been in the business long enough to know that one couldn't trust coincidence. Under the counter, Ghorua made a fist with his hand, then quickly stuck out his index and middle fingers. The probe droids, responding to his hidden hand signal, began to float out of the cantina, securing the perimeter, on the lookout for more potential hostiles. If the building was surrounded, Ghorua wanted to know about it. If it wasn't, this was most likely just a potential bounty. Only a fool would dare challenge the Shark alone, right?

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

Head cocking slightly to the side Akhilleus continued to size up the Herglic knowing it was pointless. The Herglic outweighed him and probably weighed four to five times more than Akhilleus. “I’m sure you do, let’s just hope I’m not on the receiving end of one of them, eh?” Akhilleus asked not even having to turn as he saw the droids float out of the cantina and into the streets. They’d find know allies of Akhilleus, only the drunken idiots that littered the Nar Shaddaa streets, and the spice dealers peddling their products. Why would he send his droids out? Akhilleus wondered thinking it some kind of trap or maybe they were going out on an errand. Without any true knowledge of how Ghoura operated Akhilleus would have to be on his guard throughout this engagement.

“You are correct my gargantuan friend; I do require your services but not to hunt somebody. Only information on a certain individual.” Pulling out a datapad and throwing it onto the bar where it slid to a stop before Ghoura it would have a still image of the being known as Abelain. Nikias had told Akhilleus about the stories of how Nikias had once nearly killed the creature, and then with the information Joza had given him Akhilleus thought it time to act and show Abelain there was a new Hellyni to fear. While he had not succeeded in defeating Nikias, Abelain had still tried to hunt his brother. That was all the reason Akhilleus needed to act.

The still image was from the broadcast from Nar Shaddaa had put on showing the antics of both Abelain and Ghoura as they fought a group of street fighters. “I know about your last bounty.” Akhilleus whispered the armor making his voice even lower to prevent the prying of other customers. “I do not want things to get violent, I simply want information on this individual. The moment you give it to me I will leave your shop and ensure you are paid handsomely. So much so that you wouldn’t have to work at this cantina. You would be the one to own it.”

A part of Akhilleus knew that Ghoura wouldn’t go for the deal. Not many bounty hunters would off the principal alone. But considering Abelain was also a Sith, meant that Ghoura wouldn’t give Akhilleus what he sought. “How did you meet Abelain, where did you meet and where can I find them?”

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

As the Hellyni spoke, detailing why he was there, Ghorua let a wide grin split his features. The Herglic had feared the worst; that this man was after his life. Considering that wasn't the case, he visibly relaxed a little. Information, he could do.

Ghorua turned his head slightly as another patron stumbled to the counter. He filled the man's drink with deft fingers, and returned his attention back to Akhilleus. The behemoth had recently been through a bad information-gathering expedition, and didn't want to go through such a thing again any time soon. Even though he was the one being threatened, Ghorua knew he had all the power in this situation. He had knowledge. The Hellyni wanted said knowledge. That kind of power carried weight, and Herglics know a thing or two about weight.

The large Hunter leaned down on the counter, eyes carrying a hint of mirth. "Ah, you're looking for Mr. Narv'uk. Quite the strange fellow, I could see how someone might hold a grudge against the guy." Ghorua laughed slightly before continuing. "There's only one reason I can think of as to why you would want to hunt him down. Friend of Nik's?" Ghorua figured it was a logical assumption. What were the odds that two Hellyni were at odds with the Arue'tii separately?

Ghorua continued, looking around at the cantina. He didn't want to own the place. Frida was a good manager, and the side-job was mostly for stress-relief. One can only live a life of action for so long before craving a bit of peace. But he did like the idea of a little extra cash. And Ghorua figured the more he could get out of this deal, the better. He held no particular allegiance to the Sith. "Sure, I'll give you some info on him. He's no friend of mine, I assure you." The Herglic's face was nearly unreadable, a thin smile masking whatever he could be thinking. "Tell you what, I'll make you a deal. The more creds you send my way, the more I tell you about him."

It felt good to be in a seat of power.

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

In an instant the tension that had been built up between the Herglic and Akhilleus seemed to vanish though the Hellyni wasn’t going to lighten up just yet. One with Ghoura’s reputation obviously had to have the skill to fake his emotions and hide his true thoughts, but if things went the way Akhilleus wanted Ghoura may end up walking away with more credits than he had started the night out with. Helmet still shielding his face and altering his voice Akhilleus gave a light chuckle before leaning back in his seat appearing to drop his own guard. Though appearances were always deceiving. He also wouldn’t say anything as the latest of the drunkards came up and got a drink from the Herglic. In fact, he thought buying a drink was a good idea.

“Before we get back to business could I get the largest glass you have filled with Kri’gee ale?” Akhilleus asked. He already appeared suspicious enough might as well at least act like he was fitting in. Plus, it would probably at least show that he didn’t want things to get violent. The Hellyni didn’t feel like having to pay the fees for him and the Herglic destroying the establishment. “Who I am friends with does not matter, what does matter is that you seem to be one of Abelain Narv’uk’s go to’s when he needs a job done. As such you obviously would have his contact information and be on good terms with him.”

This was a dirty business and even with no blaster being pointed at him Akhilleus felt as though he were under one. The Herglic was obviously going to try and push the encounter for all the credits it was worth, and to Akhilleus it was priceless. But the Herglic wouldn’t know that. “How about this one-hundred thousand credits flat and on top of that enough credits to start your own business. Up to another hundred thousand credits. That’s all I will offer you for the information on Abelain.” To most people such a deal was akin to striking a gold mine, Akhillius hoped Ghoura took it or things may end up getting violent.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

"Kry'gee... We might have that on tap." Ghorua leaned down under the counter, and took a deep breath through his blowhole, using his genetically-modified senses to sniff out any more information. His scent revealed his Hellyni heritage. Ghorua had made sure to study the smell, in case he had to identify a hidden Nikias. This also revealed that Akhilleus had no weapons that used tibanna. That didn't mean the Hellyni didn't have other weapons, so this did little to ease Ghorua.

The Herglic came back up from the bar, with a glass. "There you are, my new friend." Ghorua listened intently to Akhilleus' proposal, and grinned slightly. If the intimidating man was willing to offer so many credits, he must really want the Arue'tii. That, and he was willing to pay big bucks for said Arue'tii. The Herglic leaned forward on the counter, face extremely close to the Hellyni. He spoke calmly, each word enunciated to perfection.

"Now, now, vengeful one. I may be a no-good Bounty Hunter, but even I don't like double-crossing former clients. It's bad business. So for this to work, our deal has to be very, very good business. Send me two-hundred fifty thousand credits by bank transfer first. Then I tell you what you everything I know. Maybe even offer a little professional advice." The Herglic leaned back, gauging the man's reaction to the sudden invasion of privacy, and the price. The Herglic figured a quarter of a million credits was fair to possibly make an enemy of the One Sith, even if the faction was waning in power.

"So? Does this sound fair?"

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

While Ghoura went beneath the counter to supposedly fetch the glass Akhilleus steeled himself preparing for a blaster of some sort to be drawn. At least that’s how it went in all those holodrama’s. Deals like this also never worked out for the person trying to get the information from the bounty hunter. The moment the fee was paid the bounty hunter would turn on them. But this wasn’t a holodrama and this was Akhilleus and not some powerless hero in the stool. Akhilleus wouldn’t hesitate to rip the bar to shreds if he was betrayed, including the Herglic and the patrons in it.

When Ghoura finally popped back up with the filled glass Akhilleus took it in his left hand before placing his right on the mug. Cradling it he looked down at the brown liquid a layer of fresh foam still on the top of it. He had no intention of drinking it, who knew if Ghoura had poisoned it. Or if there was some chemical that would end up separating him from the force. Even temporarily that could change the balance of the situation. Does he have any sense of personal space? Akhilles wondered as he leaned back and away from the Herglic’s face. The sudden urge to deck the Herglic across the face filled Akhilleus, it took the Hellyni’s entire being to fight the urge.

Wagging a finger at the Herglic, Akhilleus chuckled. Did Ghoura really think Akhilleus would pay first just to be betrayed or given incorrect information. “It doesn’t work that way. Same way you don’t get paid for a bounty till after the job is done you won’t receive your credits till I have the information and it is verified… Do you have a problem with said arrangement?” Akhilleus asked his voice growing cold. Denying Ghoura the way he had just done it could possibly get the Hellyni a blaster bolt in the chest but he didn’t care. He wasn’t about to be scammed by some lowlife bounty hunter.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua studied Akhilleus' helmet as he leaned in close to the man. Ghorua prided himself in his ability to read people, and create positive outcomes for himself by exploiting said people. From as little as invading someone's personal space, he had learned a lot. Akhilleus leaning back from his intrusion told the Shark more than just he liked his space. It showed the Hellyni wasn't particularly keen on facing the Shark in a fight. Usually Ghorua would chock the feeling up to fear or discomfort, but the scent of a large amount of adrenaline entering Akhilleus' system leaned Ghorua's mind more towards quiet anger. One wrong move, and all hell would break loose.

Ghorua grinned as the man chuckled. He listened to his counter-proposal, and shook his head. "Obviously, either you are very new to the information trade, or you think I am." He crossed his arms over his barrel chest, letting out a hauum from his blowhole. "You, my well-armored friend, have all the cards on the table. You know who I am, where I work, most likely where I live or what I drive... If my information is bad, you can simply track me down again the same way you did today. But if you take my info and go, I have little hope of finding you." Ghorua put a finger up to his chin pensively. "To be fair, I probably could track you down, but there's no guarantees there."

"I'm going to be frank with you, kid." The derogatory term was another ploy, to see how thick-skinned this armored individual was. If he took offence to that particular insult, perhaps it was in Ghorua's best interest to rethink his strategy. "I don't like Mr. Narv'uk. He's too ruthless, too cunning for his own good. I suppose that's a Sith for ya. I'll play your game. One hundred and seventy-five big ones up front, then after you're satisfied with my info, another seventy-five." Ghorua offered a toothy grin, and again waited to evaluate the individual's psyche.

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

Yet and still with the large amount of credits being offered Ghoura had decided to try and go against Akhilleus’ offer. The Hellyni didn’t understand why Ghoura wouldn’t accept the credits till after the information was handed over unless he planned on attacking him or simply giving false information then going to ground. Possibly under the protection of the Sith. The thought alone sent a fresh wave of rage running through Akhilleus’ body. Teeth gritting beneath the visor his eyes narrowed. I shouldn’t even be making deals with this bottom feeder. A voice said in the back of Akhilleus’ mind but he knew it was the anger talking. It was trying to cloud his judgement, and he couldn’t allow it. Not yet, he would play Ghoura’s game.

“You are too smart for your own good… You know that?” Akhilleus asked with a scoff thinking about what the Herglic had said. “You’re right you could track me down, but I don’t think you’d want to do that.” Voice lowering Akhilleus' demeanor became chilling. “You fought Joza, I am ten times worse than her.” While Akhilleus wasn’t a master he was absolutely ruthless and wouldn’t hesitate to bring every bit of power down on anyone that decided to hunt him.

The threat would possibly have ruined the entire deal, but Akhilleus continued on as though everything was ok and as though the threat had been a simple joke. But it wasn’t. IF the Herglic made a move or betrayed him Akhilleus would stop at nothing till the Herglic was brought to justice. He saw how far Akhilleus was going for someone who hadn’t even been his enemy, how would Akhilleus act to someone who actually betrayed him in that case? So Akhilleus simply ignored the kid remark though his cheeks did slightly flush. “I will concede to this. Prepare the information and I will make the bank transfer.” Pulling out a spare datapad Akhilleus tapped in the security code and logged into a proxy bank that he used so no one could track the credit trail back to Hora. Even then there were four different accounts and alias’ that one had to go through to even find the proxy account.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua smiled again, this time his expression one of savage success. He figured the Hellyni would take the deal. He appeared very intent on taking down Abe, and who was Ghorua to stand in his way. As an added bonus, he had revealed more about himself. When Akhilleus may have been aiming for a threat, Ghorua only saw opportunity. So, he knows Ms. Perl as well. On a first-name basis, at that.That must narrow down the list of his possible identity a little.

His bout with Joza Perl had been little more than theatrics, a ploy to flush out Nikias. It had worked some, Ghorua had tracked her to him, but in an unexpected way, that way being his death. The Shark had parted with the bounty easily. The number of credits that would have been rewarded for the job was astronomically low, much farther below Ghorua's usual asking price. Another reason why he wasn't against making this deal.

Ghorua would wait until he verified the credit transfer. The behemoth gestured towards a booth on the far end of the cantina, and grinned. "Shall we sit down, faceless one? This may take a while. I'm not going to just send you information. I'm gonna tell you, face to face, so then you'll know I'm being truthful. That is something you Force-users can do, correct?" It was a shot in the dark, but a well-educated one. Claiming to be ten times worse than another Forcie, and having no tibanna-based weaponry seemed to just scream lightsaber. Without waiting for a reply, Ghorua walked out from behind the counter, and ambled towards the seats he had indicated.

The booth was obviously created for one of Ghorua's size in mind. The posh seats were massive, fluffy, and surprisingly good back-support. He sat down, the comfortable seating arrangements squeaking under his massive weight. He took out his own datapad, and began perusing the Holonet, waiting for the notification telling him he had received a small fortune. The Herglic looked to Akhilleus, enjoying the obvious annoyance in the Hellyni. "Where to start, where to start..."

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

Every time the Herglic smiled those opal teeth making an appearance Akhilleus felt the urge to knock them out. This was not a joking situation; he had come under the pretense of doing business yet here he was wasting his time with a bounty hunter. They were nothing but scum, mercenaries that sold themselves to the highest bidder. While everyone had to work and make credits there were better ways to go about it than hunting down others who often didn’t deserve the fate they had been bestowed with. Or the painful end that came from being hunted. Especially if they had made enemies of the Hutts. The meeting will end soon. Akhilleus assured himself. One way or another he would ensure it did even if he had to throw Ghoura through a wall.

“You have no idea.” He said to the Herglics back loud enough so he could hear it. In truth Akhilleus couldn’t read other people’s minds due to the Hellyni’s mental immunity. It worked both ways, while he could resist all mental attacks he also couldn’t release any of his own. The downside of such a gift, but Ghoura wouldn’t know that. It wasn’t something known to other species except those that had engaged a Hellyni and tried to pry the information from the mind. Considering the rarity of one ever leaving the planet Hora Akhilleus was certain Ghoura didn’t know what he said had been a lie. With his armor to shield his face and alter his voice any hints that would’ve been there were erased.

Tapping one last time the first hundred and seventy-five thousand credits would be placed in Ghoura’s account through the proxy account listing Akhilleus’ name as S’loen Myr. A fake name of course but it is all the Herglic needed. “How about you start at the beginning. How did you meet Abelain, how much was he paying for you to hunt Nikias, and how do you contact him?”

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Well, that explains his gusto.

Ghorua congratulated himself on the correct diagnosis of the Hellyni, happy that he had successfully put the pieces together. Ghorua believed every being in the galaxy was a complex puzzle, and that putting the pieces together led to a higher understanding of them, a window into the mind of another. If he weren't a ten-foot-tall monster, perhaps he would've been a good politician, or psychiatrist. But, one had to play the hand they were dealt, and the Shark's deck was stacked with muscle.

Finally, a high pinging sound was heard from Ghorua's oversized datapad. With a smirk, Ghorua continued to surf the Holonet absentmindedly, speaking in light tones. "Abelain Narv'uk. Arue'tii, from Ghul, if I remember correctly. We met during a brawl a few blocks away from here. He's a good fighter, vicious. A dangerous fella, for sure." Ghorua sighed, as if he were remembering the good ol' days. "How much he was paying me was of little concern, but I will say it was low. The only reason I agreed was because he helped me out. Look where that got me, eh?" Ghorua gestured across the booth at the hemeted individual.

"He lives on a warship, the, uh... Knight? No, the Paladin. But the chances of even a big, strong Forcie such as youself assaulting a warship and not dying are minimal. Would you like my professional opinion?" Ghorua leaned forward again, not nearly as close as before. He'd learned enough about Akhilleus to know he liked his personal space.

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

Akhilleus had come expecting a fight from the Herglic, for him to deny that he had been connected with the Arue’tii, anything along those lines. In the end Ghoura seemed to be compliant, almost too much. This had to be some trap was Akhilleus first thought but from looking at his HUD he noticed that everyone still continued on with their merry drinking and the droids had yet to return from outside. Did Ghoura actually trust Akhilleus? It was a hilarious thought and one that was immediately dismissed as the information finally came flowing out. Akhilleus had been waiting for it and was sure to activate the recorder built into his armor.

“It doesn’t seem like someone of your stature would need help in a fight, especially considering your track record. I heard about you during the Sith Coup, what mundane beings could pose a threat to you?” Akhilleus asked though it had been mostly a rhetorical question. Anyone could be outnumbered or outsmarted by a foe. Even force users weren’t immune to that simple fact of life no matter how immortal one thinks they are. If everyone in the bar attacked Nikias he would possibly walk out but it wasn’t a guarantee.

“Let me guess, is your suggestion that I hire you to help me with the job? Or possibly lure Abelain into a trap then I get him?” This would be an easy suggestion for many bounty hunters to make as they had plenty to gain. Especially if they wanted more credits. So far Ghoura had been smart, it felt as if they were playing a game and for some reason Akhilleus felt as though he was losing. The credits hadn’t been a concern at all but Ghoura just seemed too compliant. Looking across the restaurant and back to the bar where his drink sat Akhilleus reached his right hand up and the large glass blurred from the bar landing gently in his hand.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

"Heh, I probably could've taken 'em all, but I'm only one man. A rather large man, but still." Ghorua opted to stay away from his work in the coup. He'd distracted one Sith, and taken out a few soldiers. Nothing crazy.

"Well, I don't want to come with you, if that's what your asking. But you assaulting a man on his own ship? That's risky. Too many ways he ends up escaping, and going to hunt you down later. He'd probably look to me." The Herglic let out a small laugh, and continued. "But helping you set up a trap, I can do."

Ghorua noted Akhilleus' Force display. A few patrons noticed the floating cup, and stared in amazement. The Shark kept on tapping his datapad, bringing up Joza Perl's flight records, courtesy of when he had his slicer track her movements. He spoke again, jolly tone still underlying his voice. "Abelain is a treasure hunter, an adventurer, if you will. From what I could glean, he loves searching for goods more than he loves fighting. If you were to somehow figure out where his next expedition was, and crash his party, that would catch him unawares. Or, even better, create your own treasure for him to chase, if you catch my meaning." Ghorua smied sharply, seemingly completely at ease searching through his datapad, careful to keep the contents of the screen away from the Dark Jedi.

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

As much as he hated to admit it Ghoura was correct, even if he got permission from the Sanctum to take one of their ships to go attack the Sith there was still too much of a chance that he would eventually escape just to continue the cycle of back and forth. Akhilleus didn’t have time for some bitter feud, no he wanted it to all end. Even if that meant wiping out everyone that cared for Abelain. It wasn’t something Nikias would’ve done much less thought about. Akhilleus? No that was option A,B, and C possibly even d.

“Does this trap you’d help me set up requiring me to pay you more credits?” Bounty Hunters always grubbing for more credits than their info and skills were worth. Akhilleus could’ve stripped the information from Ghoura by force but what would that do besides possibly bringing down whatever allies this Herglic had? Yet another enemy that would have to be disposed of. No it was just best to deal with Ghoura then if he betrayed Akhilleus there would be a retaliation. One that would make the Sith seem like jedi.

Akhilleus had no clue what Ghoura was looking at on the datapad nor did he care. Everything would be fine. The shuttle he had bought was from a merchant in the outter rim and the old one he had taken from his home-world slagged nothing remaining. There were very few people in the galaxy that knew of Hora’s whereabouts and that was due to it not existing at least in any database. IT had been erased long ago and never been revealed except to those few the Hellyni trusted. Even then all their records for the past three trips and hyperspace jumps to and from the planet were erased. In databases the system Hora was located in didn’t even exist there was literally nothing there on it. “Hmm that will be easy enough to do. I actually have the perfect idea,,” Rising from his seat Akhilleus looked at the HErglic. “Anything else?”

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

It was difficult to read Akhilleus' emotions past his mask, but Ghorua already had a good picture of the man. The Hellyni was an angry individual, that much was obvious. He was furious, most likely over the death of Nik, and that anger leaked into everything about him. His mannerisms, social tendencies, everything was touched with this rage. The Herglic had known enough Force-Users to know the angry ones were the most dangerous.

The Herglic flipped through Joza's flight records quickly, finally stopping on one of the last trips Joza had gone on since the slicer had stopped tracking her. Palace Docks, Makrosia. On his first glance, Ghorua had figured the destination was for Joza to alert Nikias' family of his death. Perhaps that was all it was, or perhaps there was more there. As Ghorua flipped through news articles around the time of her vacation there, he discovered a few interesting things. Nikias had a younger brother, who succeeded his throne. It seemed the very same day Joza arrived, key members of the Makrosian council were eliminated. There were rumors. As Ghorua dug deeper into the holonet, he realized Nik's entire family had scandals marring them, of death and assassination. The pieces finally clicked together for the Shark. Who else would pay such an amount for only a shred of info? Ghorua kicked himself for not putting the puzzle together quicker.

Ghorua kept his emotions hidden as he grinned smugly at the mysterious mask. "Yes, one more thing. You didn't get this info from me." He reclined into the plush booth, feigning relaxation. "If whatever you're planning to do fails, I'd rather not have Abelain know I was involved in any way. In return, if you fail, and he comes to me for help, I won't say what I know about you."

Ghorua let his smile widen, quickly hiding his datapad in his lap. He'd let the Hellyni figure out what that meant on his own.

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

Akhilleus continued to cradle the drink in his hand grip slightly tightening on it even though he had stood. He was tired of being on this cesspit of a world already. He was sick of everything. The Hellyni wanted it all to end and slowly began to think how things would’ve went if it had been Nikias in this spot? Would Nikias have even contacted Ghoura? Paid the mercenary? Probably. Nikias had always been the more civilized and kindest of the children. Akhilleus would never compare to his brother in anyones eyes. He knew it, the dark jedi was simply a replacement. With a heavy sigh that his helmet muted he finally focused back on the present. The herglic could’ve probably shot him during the time he’d been lost in thought.

“Of course I won’t share where I got the information.” Akhilleus said outwardly with a growl. He understood the vague hint that Ghoura had given him and it was enough to finally bring down the wall that had been erected to keep the Hellyni civil. The Herglic had taken a misstep in this situation. Akhilleus was not averse to killing those that got in his way. On the holoprojector where the news played one of the anchors jabbered on about recent criminal activities. “I have a question for you as well.” Akhilleus said taking his seat again. No he was not leaving till his point was made.

“Did you know that jedi could communicate across the galaxy with their allies? Invade the thoughts of others from large distances? Did you even know that they’ve strangled people from across the span of this galaxy?” Akhilleus asked these questions visor never leaving Ghoura. With a slight exertion of the force he reached out seizing three of the beings in the bar by the neck with the force. They stood hands grasping at their necks where they found nothing. Even on the holoprojector the anchor began to choke his eyes widening. “People think to do such things we need sight. I assure you we don’t… And if I fail you’ll be the first to know.” With another exertion Akhilleus would reach out with an invisible tendril of energy not for Ghoura’s wide neck. No deeper and for the mighty Herglic’s heart he sought out the gentle rhythm and would wrap it in an invisible grasp. Not tightly but enough for Ghoura to know it was there. “Do we understand each other?” There were very few force users that specialized in solely telekinesis. Akhilleus and Nikias were two of them, devoting all your time to one ability unlocked paths that many thought impossible Akhilleus had even ripped apart a Vwing recently with his power.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua observed Akhileus' reaction with cold eyes, looking for clues, as if he were investingating a crime scene. Perhaps the bar would turn into that, if Ghorua kept prodding. For as Akhilleus showed the full extent of his power, Ghorua slipped up for the first time in the entire exchange. He showed fear.

The Shark physically tensed as the Hellyni began choking out his patrons, as well as the Holonet announcer. The Herglic had never witnessed such a display of Force before, figuratively and literally. The fear that had slowly built up only intensified as he felt his heart seize slightly, only a murmur, but noticeable enough. Ghorua's blood began to boil, and a snarl began to form at the edge of his mouth. The Herglic pushed back the Frenzy, realizing that feeding his more aggressive side at this point would be a death sentence. As strong as he was, he couldn't ever go toe-to-toe with someone who could stop his heart with a thought. With a visible internal struggle, Ghorua cultivated his jolly disposition again, much colder than before.

Do we understand each other?

"Perfectly." Ghorua's warm smile had devolved into a sharp scowl. His fists under the table squeezed his pistols; he had to use every inch of his willpower not to whip them out and go to town. The man could probably stop the slugs in midair anyways.

"Now, if that's all, I think I deserve the rest of my pay. And then it'd be appreciated if you kindly left as soon as possible. I'd rather not have any of my customers dead on my watch." And they say I'm the monster.

- [member="Akhilleus"] -

 

[Akhilleus]

The concentration required to simultaneously exhibit such a large display of the force was enough to cause an instant migraine in Akhilleus. Even the most skilled of telekinetics would find themselves strained performing such a large feat. It had nearly drained all the energy from Akhilleus, none of it had been instant he had to spend time building up his force power to do it. Even then he wouldn’t have been able to crush the Herglics heart if he wanted to. While he could certainly reach out and lightly touch it manipulating or crushing it was a time consuming and draining process. Perhaps it went against the will of the force but it was the reason why more force users didn’t display such abilities. That time and focus necessary would leave them defenseless and dead.

First there was fear, then the gentle giant became a beast. Akhilleus thought a fight were about to break out and after his little performance he wasn’t even sure if he’d be able to take on the Herglic. Though Ghoura didn’t have to know that. Darkness swam at the edge of Akhilleus’ vision threatening to engulf him immediately. Perhaps both of them had overplayed their hands and with an outward sigh that was muted by his helmet Akhilleus released everything at once. His head pounding, the rapid beating of his heart muffled by the armor. He tried to keep his voice even but was failing. Thankfully the helmet already gave his voice the sense of one breathing through a respirator. It would cover his weakness… Hopefully.

The patrons would once again be able to breathe and on the anchor took in a deep gasp of breath. Akhilleus himself did the same feeling as though it had been his first. “You’re right you do deserve the rest of your pay.” Pulling out his datapad Akhilleus transferred not just the leftover payment but an additional fifty thousand on top of it. “Forget I was here eh?” Not waiting for an answer Akhilleus would walk to the door of the bar and exit once again into the streets of Nar Shaddaa. He would keep his head held high and gait straight till out of sight of the bar and droids. Immediately he’d crumble having to hold onto the wall of a building to support himself. Cold sweat coated Akhilleus and even with the environmental control of the armor he couldn’t cool himself enough. Hopefully the two didn’t see each other again, but Akhilleus knew that it was too good to be true.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]