Coronet Crimes

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Spoiler

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pckzpplIW14[/youtube]

Caught.

The deep sounding voice of the towering bounty hunter instilled extra fright to the word. She certainly did not intend to go there a second time, first time had been bad enough to make you do whatever it take to avoid it. They, the CorSec, had stepped up their efforts in trying to supress the criminal elements in the sector. They sent people like this guy when their own personel still valued their lives and was too frightened to end up in The Pit. Brutal meassures called for yet more brutal meassures.

Right after his blunt and and totally unhidden lie, a sudden stun cone screeched past in front of her and the container and made her jump a bit before cracking another smirk behind the cover.

Was it so? A bounty hunter that couldn't be bought? How honorable! An ethical vigilante?

It seemed like he was playing, playing her game. They were at a stalemate, watching the progress from above and assessing their options for the next move. She tried to move the leg hit by the stun blast but it were still too numb to rely on it to carry her in an escape. The nikto was still knocked out too as he laid exposed on the ground a couple of feet in front of her. Feth!

''You know... Just going with the flow, like everybody else...'' she said, not trying to sound overly convincing. The fish had surely read her inquiry and parts of her CorSec-file.

Speaking of 'candy', she dove a hand inside her jacket and pulled out a small transparent bag with some red-orange powder in it.

''You should try it...! I can vouch for your tenaciousness, and you'll fit in just fine... but we realy need to work on that morale of yours! Figure I would love to train you myself...'' she continued as she poured a tiny stack of powder on the back of the hand in which she held the blaster, snorting it up before putting the bag back inside her jacket. The powder burned her nostril as it went up and into her system, but the effects would boost her in a fight or escape, hopefully making it easier to cope with the leg.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Double post.

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

"Go with the flow, like everyone else."

Ghorua used to know a lot of people like that. People who cheated because they had to. Because everyone around them cheated, and if you didn't, you fell to the wayside. People that had to steal to eat, support families, hold themselves up until they got back on their feet in a fair job. He didn't hunt people like that. Usually didn't pay well to, among other things.

This didn't feel like that. To him, this felt like a gang of thieves. From what he'd seen on the holopad. From what he experienced here. This felt more criminal than survival.

But what did he know? As the Twi'lek so kindly pointed out, he didn't know Coronet City. He was working off of 1313 laws.

Ghorua shook his head as she offered him, yet again, a job. "Wouldn't be tenacious if I gave up now, now would I?" he retorted, enjoying the banter. Not often he got the chance to on the job. Usually his ribbing was met with spitting, or pleas for their lives.

Because he had been peeking, he saw her pull something out. He braced himself, but then the contents of whatever it was went into her, not towards him. No way that was a good sign. Either meant she was enjoying one last ride before doing something risky, or these drugs did more than make you happy.

"Aren't you not supposed to get high off your own supply?" Ghorua retreated behind cover a moment, to send a message to CorSec. If their gunfight hadn't attracted the right kind of attention, he would. After a brief moment, he returned.

He'd have to make his move soon. Before she did.

- [member="Tan'yill"] -

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

''It's not about giving up! it's about doing what's best for yourself! You think you can just carry me out of here without anyone noticing?'' she stated and continued their conversation battle of wills. She drew a finger underneath her nose and sniffed to make sure she got the whole dose of the drug that already were starting to kick in.

Picking out her holopad next, she started to write a text to Mitch telling him that they were in the deep end and where they were.

''It's a smart move if you got a death wish, though! Given that you want it to go slow and... unimaginable painful!'' she continued and put away the holopad again. If he had not read her file, he would probably not believe her at all, thinking of the words as empty last ditched efforts to scare him into rethinking his options. Though, the threats were indeed promises, if they could bring down the giant sentinent. If Mitch and the others would get here in time.

She tried to move the leg hit by the earlier stun blast. It started to come back to her and a sigh of relief left her lips. She dragged herself closer to the edge of the container and took a quick peak before firing a random spray of red laser shots towards the direction of where she thought the bounty hunter was hiding.

''I think your friends at CorSec ain't that fond of sending people in here any longer... I so wonder why!''

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

It wasn't that he hadn't read her file. It's that CorSec had declined to give him the full report.

Ghorua had figured out that they didn't care too much for the small-time bounty hunters they hired. He'd bagged a karking Republic Senator, for crying out loud. You'd think they would suffer the time to prep him just a little bit better.

He was under the impression that these beings were members of a ring of thieves operating out of the Blue Sector. The 'file' he received failed to even mention names. Certainly not the best clients he'd done his business for. When all is said and done, though, the employers didn't matter. The target didn't matter. Getting paid and getting rep, now that mattered.

But Ghorua had certainly pieced a few things together. Things that CorSec probably didn't want him to hear until it was too late. These weren't thieves. They were something else.

But the Fish kept these revelations to himself as he stood off against Tan'yill. As she, finally began doing something he understood. She began to puff up. And Ghorua did indeed assume it was a last-ditch effort. "Come now, Blue. I'd thought you were above threats." He clicked his tongue. "Very unprofessional."

A spray of red peppered the wall Ghorua was hiding behind. He could hear the melting metal, the sizzling that would certainly have killed him on a lucky shot. He shouldn't have followed them. He should have gotten his gear. But that's all in the past, now. Bounty hunting is all about planning, and improvisation when that plan inevitably fell apart. He just hadn't gotten to the 'planning' stage of this hunt.

He just had to improvise.

C'mon, Fish. There's gotta be something you can use here.

Ghorua took stock of his surroundings. Not much. It was an alley. There were fuse boxes, unsused garbage cans, trash on the ground...

Garbage cans. I guess I can use that.

Ghorua hefted the lid of a trash can, examining it. It wouldn't last for long, but it would last long enough. The Fish hefted it in front of himself like a shield, and went back to his corner. Her next words made him doubt. What would he do if CorSec left him here? "I've got a guess. Does it involve that blaster?"

One. Two. Three.

Ghorua surged from around the corner, trash lid in one hand, and blaster pistol in the other. He tried to close with the container hiding Tan'yill, firing with the pistol to cover himself.

He was going to get hurt, he'd resigned himself to that fate. But, with enough luck, he'd be in a much better position.

- [member="Tan'yill"] -

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Ducking back into cover behind the container after the spray of laser bolts at the bounty hunter, she felt the drugs coming to a full effect. She felt stronger, more bold, her emotions being dimmed. It was such effects you wanted down here. It gave a vicious boost in illegal fights, and maked one even more capable of doing things one might have thrown a second thought at in clean condition.

His comment from behind caused her to roll the eyes at it, leaning her head back at the cold container wall. The fish rambled on about his guesses and assumptions about her. Her nickname, or more like moniker, had apparently leaked to him - good! Hmpf! The blaster? Was he realy that naive? Sure, a blasted kneecap could be very perusading sometimes but there was much better ways to intimidate rivals or other low-lives that made the huge mistake to try to swindle or tell on them. Loyalty. Loyalty was sacred.

''Oh, fish... I can show you exactly how... unprofessional I can be...'' she stated coldly and slumped her head to the side and edge of the container.

''Hmpf! This little baby?'' she continued with a carefree equally cold chuckle, refering to the blaster. ''Nah... That's just too quick... I've got my secret tricks...'' she continued with a slight shake to her head while a small sardonic grin spread on her lips. No, you didn't use a blaster for those purposes. They weren't cold blooded murderers, now were they? Leaving just a shot dead body didn't set any good enough examples, but a... 'messenger' just barely making it back with some scars and, well... 'defects', that did set examples. And if you wanted information... Well, dead people didn't talk, right?

She tried to move her leg again and could bend the knee all the way up against herself, even straining and bracing on it seemed to work fairly well.

Suddenly, stun bolts hit the container with loud loud noises and flew past it. The bounty hunter must have made an advance towards her and ended up much closer. A man of his size did not exactly had the most discreet and silent movements. With a slight struggle, she snapped to her knees but stayed tightly behind the cover of the container. She tried to listen for him and figure out his new position, the alley were narrow so it could not be much were else but considerably closer to her, maybe just on the other side of the container... She tightened her grip on the blaster and threw a glance down the opposite direction for an eventual escape plan.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua crouched down low, trying his hardest to find cover behind the container. The very same container that hid his target, on the other side. He still held his blaster pistol in one hand, his makeshift shield in the other. He could see the Nikto on the ground to his side, taken out in the middle of the street. He would need to get him in cuff soon. But first, he had to deal with the threat.

On first impressions, the Fish and this thief were identical in all ways but appearance. Cocky, sure of themselves, killers who talked a lot of smack, and had the gumption to back it up. But Ghorua drew the line at cruelty. From the way she talked, the bounty hunter could tell his mark had no such reservations. If she managed to take him down...

Ghorua pushed away the thoughts of doubt. That was the first step towards a lost battle. He had to find his advantages, and cling to them for dear life.

Ghorua didn't waste any breath on a snarky quip. Instead, he crouched low, hooked his hands under the container' and heaved up.

He intended to pin the Twi'lek, or at least force her into the open. Then...?

I'll figure it out.

- [member="Tan'yill"] -

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

The alley went dead silent for a moment, in the distance only starships passing above them and the buzz from the Row could be heard it you pointed your ears. She draw her glance from the far end of the alley and to her nikto friend and enforcer. Wake up, damn it!

Wait! Was that his hand moving? Her green-yellowish eyes went wide just before the fish made a metalic noise behind the container and it started to tip over. Thanks to her already being up on her knees, she made a lunge straight back from it. With an agile flip along the ground she turned around on her knees and took aim with the blaster against the now tipped over container and pile of trash in front of her. Her eyes had that angered almost glow to it, if they could they would kill.

''C'mon, fish! Let me filét you, piece by piece!'' she growled with her jaw tightly bit together and prepared for where ever he would come out. Veins filled with adrenaline mixed with the powerful drug.

If only Mitch and the others would show up right now! Hopefully the fish had not noticed the nikto starting to wake up, maybe he could make for a distraction and let her retreat behind what few covers there was. Right now, she were in the open and her only advantage was the aimed blaster with the finger on the trigger.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

She's fast. That's good to know. I'll have to lead my shots.

In the millisecond of time Ghorua had, he pondered his next move. Bolt from cover, hope to get lucky, or stick it safe.

Bounty Hunters don't get payed for being safe, now do they?

He still had a trick in his limited arsenal yet, something the Twi'lek hadn't seen him use. A vestige of his family's spice trade, something that had allowed him to survive thus far in his hunts. The gatler on his back. The Spinster.

He reached back, and clutched the familiar handle, pulling it out. Before he stepped from behind the crate, he revved the tines, making a low roar of metal before stepping out. He didn't see the stirring of the Nikto, now conveniently placed behind him.

And before he could blanket the alley with orange stun bolts, his target had a window.

A finger on the trigger, metaphorically speaking.

- [member="Tan'yill"] -

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Feth! FETH!

Those were pretty much the only words that went through her head when she heard the ominous sound of the gatlings engine revving and the fish stepped out aiming it at her. Time to got to plan B, or start making it up anyway. The cover were blown and there was not any new and useful one nearby, so it left her with only one option. She broke the aim and split on her arms, raising them slightly as she stood up. The purple and silver blaster held just between her thumb and the palm of the hand.

''Hey... I guess I'm not having seafood tonight... ,coward.'' she stated in a low and cold voice. ''You got me. Unfairly, but you got an edge there I won't challenge...'' she continued as her green-yellowish gaze went from the gatling to his deep black eyes, down and back up again.

Other than the obvious fact that his loadout were heavier than her, and a stature of defeat, she showed absolutely no fear. She rarely did, just like in the fighting ring, even after taking a vicious beating. Showing fear down in the undergroud would instantly give you a disadvantage and made you look weak. Next to impenetrable. Be it a facade, but it was strong and effective. It was only Mitch that had, through her heart, gotten inside of it. Her brother too, of course.

''I'm putting this down, okay?'' she said refering to the blaster in her raised hand.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua didn't halt the spinning of his weapon. He wasn't that stupid. She was fast, he'd seen that. If he let up, he wouldn't have enough time to pull the trigger if she did. One good shot through his eye, or in his center mass... no amount of blubber would save him. All he could do was stand there, feet positioned to roll back to cover, tines revving, looking as if he had the situation under control.

But he could see the truth in her defiance now. The show of force had been enough to make her give up. Ghorua didn't smile though. All that friendly banter was gone, the illusion of false confidence they had both put on long since shattered. There was no mistaking the murder in those eyes. Those very intense, fiery eyes.

She called him a coward. Maybe that was true. The brave hunters die much quicker than the cautious. But he wasn't about to share that bit of knowledge.

He had her surrendering. Yet, something about her felt far more dangerous than the heavy blaster in the Fish's hands. He'd have to learn how to do that.

She gestured to her blaster, saying she'd put it down. "Then do it," he growled, his deep voice extending downward, evoking the dangerous predators of the deep seas. All of his senses were focused on the danger in front of him, his considerable muscles pulled hardened like cortosis, prepared for a 'fast one'.

He'd believe it when he saw it.

- [member="Tan'yill"] -

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

For starters, she did not know wether the CorSec had wanted her dead or alive. If that gatling were set for lethal she certainly did not want to challenge it by getting away some shots and risking that they missed or that they did not bring the huge bounty hunter down. Damn it! Where were they?

She draw a deep breath and nodded slowly, confirming the aquatic sentinents pressure that she should put the blaster down. With a slow motion, she bent he knees and put it down on the hard dirty ground of the alley. She were sure to keep her gaze at him the whole time, it indeed signaled anger but also that she knew the race was lost. She weren't stupid.

Standing up again, she pushed the blaster to the side. Not mentioning the vibroblade which handle stuck up from inside her boot.

''... Were I high up on the list?'' she asked after a moment of silence, slightly curious where she was on the wanted list. ''You got to have alot of credits coming your way tonight... Harassing girls that simply tries to make a living...'' she continued, still holding up her hands at head height.

''My offer still stands; Let me go, and I'll offer you a more profitable future. Letting all of this slide... Credits. Booze. Thrills. Drugs if you fancy, you seem like a fun guy to watch getting high...'' she laid out and turned her head a bit to the side, biting her lips slightly smiling and quietly chuckling at the last thought of watching the fish be in 'dreamland'. She could not help but to find it amusing in all of this, still under the influence of the substance she took earlier.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua watched as the woman set the blaster on the ground, not letting up any of the hard edge he'd acquired. He didn't let up on his gatler either, as it span in endless circles, a new wave of uncertainty coming with each spin. It made things easier that she dropped her blaster. That meant she trusted him enough to gamble with her life.

Or she figured she could still escape without it. The Fish thought it was the former, but he liked being safe.

Ghorua cast a suspicious eye over his target, looking for any easily accesible weapons, but his eyes never strayed too far from her hands. Therefore, he missed the vibroblade, which he also possessed in one of his oversized boots.

Then she spoke again. Tried to buy him off. Maybe she hadn't worked with many bounty hunters. At least, she hadn't worked with many good ones. Any hunter that could be bought off, or thrown off the trail by a shiny bone, wasn't worth their weight in credits. It was a surefire way never to make it big, always be untrusted.

"First on mine," Ghorua said cautiously, careful not to fall into the trap of words. He would not be caught monologing. But he did see the humor in what he'd said, and he allowed himself a selfish smile. "And I get enough thrills."

Then he allowed is private grin to widen a bit, as if he had a secret he couldn't wait to share. "Are you pregnant, or experience frequent migraines?"

It'd be rude not to ask.

- [member="Tan'yill"] -

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

''None of your fething business, slimeball!''

She thought to herself while her green-yellowish gaze stared into his big black orbs.

That smile. That selfish irritating smile of his. Along with the way too personal question, it were enough to make her imagine how insanely good it would feel to cut it off his face. A couple of years ago, that thought would never had crossed her mind but everything had changed so fast. She had changed. Her whole life had changed so fast. It was nothing she had contemplated herself, though. Atleast not yet, and certainly not while high on drugs.

With alot of effort, she kept her boiling inside calm.

''No.'' she said with a stern and sour look and shaked her head slightly.

She broke the stare for a second to glance at her nikto buddy and enforcer. Darn it! She must have imagined the movement from before, he were still out cold from the stun shot. She glanced back at the fish, still with a glowing gaze.

''Well... Aren't you gonna come over here and arrest me, laserbrain? Touch me and I swear you'll never be able to set your foot inside Coronet without having to constantly look over your shoulder...'' she said with a certain tone. It was not a threat, but a promise. They had the potential to make it that way, if you pulled the right strings in this ruthless underworld.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua watched her silhouette, alert for hidden weapons. She didn't seem to understand the questions he asked. Her subsequent answer, and the insult chasing it's heels, revealed as much. It made him smile even wider, his perfectly conical teeth glimmering.

Ghorua, in the one second he had to muse, mused that in a lot of ways, this hunt had been something else. A chance encounter, a firefight in the streets without his armor, the banter, the threats. Ghorua had thought he was going to die on multiple occasions. He still might, in all honesty.

But they both saw where this was going. Even if Blue didn't see how it would happen.

And then he said one word, the secret he'd been keeping to himself.

"Nah."

And he fired both his weapons, sending two point-blank stun cones at the woman.

Stun blasts were known to cause miscarriages and seizures on those susceptible to them. He was only being considerate, after all.

- [member="Tan'yill"] -

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

This race was lost. The battle was over, but certainly not the war. She could just hope that the aquatic bounty hunter was a such a laserbrain and that someone would spot him, to stalk him to know where he took her or maybe set up a quick ambush.

Most of the time when a bounty hunter was sent into the Blue Sector, it was because of the cowards at CorSec did not dare to venture too deep inside it. First place to look for a lost member would be at the CorSec jails before they spilled their guts. They would not get a word out of her, though. They knew that. Mitch knew that too, but getting caught were never the less a good thing.

Her cold gaze registered that the fish prepared his blasters. Holding her breath, she bit together and turned her head before the stun bolts hit her and she fell to the hard ground.

She could endure what was coming, awaiting the hopeful rescue...

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]