Darknet Cage Match: Tan'yill vs Runi Verin

[Jerec Asyr]

[SIZE=11pt]Deep in Sith Empire territory, the government controls the HoloNet with an iron fist. But outside Imperial monitoring, a patchy, furtive network swaps unregulated data, raw footage, contraband, and things that thrive in the dark. Two of those things are the Darknet Cage Match, and the betting attached thereunto.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]No Force. No weapons. No gimmicks, no gear. And no referees.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Tonight’s match: The notorious Outer Rim spacers @Tan’yill and [member="Runi Verin"]. The winner of this first-round fight will get a purse of twenty thousand credits.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The arena is a square cage ten paces wide. The wire-fence walls have plenty of give but won’t break. The floor is a quarter inch of bloody sand over permacrete, offering both traction and treachery. [/SIZE]There are ysalamiri around, plenty of them.

[SIZE=11pt]A light goes yellow, orange, red -- and stays red.[/SIZE]

 

[Runi Verin]

[Member="Tan'yill"]​

​

​

Twenty thousand credits.

Hard to believe that just a few years ago, the prospect of a purse that size would’ve sent her heart fluttering with excitement. Letting her clear in a matter of minutes more that she would have made on any of the podunk salvage jobs she had been taking at the time. A small fortune on the Outer Rim. These days, however, she was a long way from the Rim and her former financial concerns. These days twenty thousand wouldn’t even cover KDY’s quarterly office supplies.

But as she stepped into the cage, the door slamming behind her with a resounding note of finality, Runi knew tonight wasn’t about the money. It was about proving something. To the crowd clamoring less than ten feet away in any direction, baying for the blood and carnage that would soon break out. To the viewers watching the scrambled feed in the seedy dive bars across the galaxy, slinging back cheap drinks and slapping down bets with ever mercurial odds.

And most importantly to herself.

If she needed to crack a few skulls, bloody a few knuckles and break a few bones in the process…

Well, that was just a price she was willing to accept.

“Feth it,” She muttered, rolling her bare shoulders. Stripped down to just a simple grease stained vest, a battered set of pants salvaged from a flight suit and the combat boots. A far cry from the slinky dress she’d been forced to wear only a few nights ago, yet all the better for it. For the first time in a long time, she felt herself again. No need for any pretense and no need to hold herself back. Win or lose, like the purse it didn't really matter. Not really. Feth pride, this was just about feeling alive. For a night, for a minute, for a second.

Her posture shifted, boots dragging small furrows in the sand beneath her feet as she rested in a loose, almost lazy fighting stance. Her cybernetic hand gesturing for her opponent.

“Let’s be havin’ you then, ‘lek? We ain't got all night.”

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

The closer they got to the start of round one, they tensed up even more; the crowd demanding a begin of tonights entertainment. Alien beings from other planets and humans alike, they all had paid for a ticket of an intense brawl. Some had more or less credits at risk in bets taken while drunk, even more so from behind the holo-net screen in the different shady bars the fight was broadcasted. This would surely be a first time! Well, with this kind of attention it would! You didn't have a fricken camera droid all up in your face when beating people to a pulp in some secluded alley back in Coronet City!

She did not say a word while neatly bandaging her knuckles just outside the cage, trying to focus and to close out the crowds frantic shouts and whistles. It was literally the only thing they were allowed, other than that is would be kept to a clean fight; no force wizardry, no weapons, no gimmicks. Fine by her, it was pretty much the same game as in Coronet. Except for the fact that she often had spice going through her veins back then, which did some help at taking punches whenever the opponent got inside the guard. It had continously increased her pain threshold, though and that had came in handy since them.

While finishing the bandaging, she glanced up to get a first look of her opponent; [member="Runi Verin"]. A kiffar-mix girl with a cyborg-arm. No gimmicks, huh? Question was how well it worked and what kind of arm it was. Her main priority would be to avoid it, and then... Hmm... Yeah... Oh, yeah... That could work. Her hazel, green-yellowish irises started to shift into the more yellow color it often got when intrigued and the adrenaline was about to begin rushing. She closed her eyes and begun to warm up, beginning with rolling the neck and working down through the shoulders, arms and legs. If she won this, the twenty thousand credits would be quick and well-needed ones to pay off some due-date debts.

Wearing a simple grey tank-top, dark green cargo pants and a pair of black combat boots she entered the cage when the gate in front of her now opened. With a stern face together with some deep focusing breaths, she took a few calm glaces around this new arena of hers. The camera droids hovered around and above them in the cage. The crowds cheering reached its top. Her gaze eventually landed on the across the face stripe-tattooed chick. It did not budge, so many memories from the past coming back to her. This were maybe going to be more than fast credits, it could even be fun!

''Why in such a hurry... kiffar?'' she said, took a solid stance and raised tightened fists in a guard. To anyone familiar with streetfights, if would have looked like she knew what she was doing.

 

[Runi Verin]

[member="Tan'yill"]​

​

Those scarred lips parted in a grin that was as genuine as it was lopsided. So that was a no on the invitation, huh? Tt. There was a fine line between scared and cautious, with the former holding little appeal in a prospective opponent for the Warden. The latter on the other hand, the latter could be a promising trait. It spoke of experience. The kind that suggested this wouldn't be quite so shut and dry as Runi had feared. Good. When was the last time she'd had a decent fight?

"You know how it is." She tensed, knees bending and body coiling like a spring. "I just ordered a drink from the bartender."

No sooner had the last word tumbled from her mouth, the kiffar was already jolting across the distance between them, sand scattering wildly beneath her feet as she came in low and from the right. Testing the waters with an attempt at right uppercut to the Twi'leks body. As if not content there, the second blow in the combination was already in the making. A ruthless return cross from the left.

"Hate for it to get warm waitin' on me to finish."

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

There were little time for her to reply to the kiffar's cocky comment, before she made a dash towards her over the sand covered floor of their battlefield. Ah, she realy was in a rush! That kind of a fighter that wanted to finish things off quickly? Good to know... She kind of prefered the reverse herself. When dealing with opposing gangs, indebted lowlifes and wanting information from people you had to beat it out of, you had to prolong it, the pain. And boy did she remember the thrills and pleasure back then, no less under the influence of spice and other illegal drugs that made you withstand things and emotions. She were free of that chit now, but in a situation like this and with all the memories coming back, her detemination and fighting spirit grew as fast as the adrenaline were flooding in her veins.

The stripes never go out of a tiger, they say.

From the approach [member="Runi Verin"] had, the uppercut was pretty easy to foresee. A classic if you wanted a quick end to things. And of course, she loaded her right cyborg-arm for the hit. Timing were crucial and she were able to dodge it with an agile step and lean to the left. The left cross were not as easy to see, but she still expected that the kiffar would not settle for a single try in her first attempt. It were not much more than the blink of an eye to spare. She got her right arm up and tightly pressed to the side of her head to block the punch. It were a good one, she'd almost deserve creds for that. Almost.

The kiffar had her attempt. It was time to return the favour. She loaded a low left hook aimed at the right side of her midsection, bellow the cybernetic arm. Dead aware of it, she made sure to stay airtight and on the outside of it. Either body contact to contain its movement or far out from it, out of reach, was the plan. She followed up the left hook with swift steps to the left side, trying to reposition herself to her behind and aimed a left kick at the back of her knee. All while keeping up the guard if the cyborg-arm would come swinging backwards.

''So you say! I guess that's what I call wasted credits!'' she called at her over the crowds rumbling cheering and shouting while backing a few steps.

 

[Runi Verin]

[member="Tan'yill"]​

"Luckily for me, those winnin's will go a long way to coverin' the second round if nothing else, cheeka."

Undeterred at finding her opening moves so easily blocked and otherwise avoided, the spacer continued to press forward to close the gap between the pair. Barely even batting an eye as the Twi'leks return hook cracked into the crook of her cybernetic elbow, the arm already partially folded up in a make-shift defensive block from performing the uppercut only seconds before. Not bad at all; girl knew how to throw a punch. Unfortunately for her, Runi had spent a lifetime taking them. Honing her trade and combat abilities on the streets of Kol Atorn and in every dive, scrapheap and forceforsaken hell hole this side of the outer rim since.

It's why she didn't let it rattle her, stepping in to the kick to dull it on her thigh as she reached out to try and grab the Twi'lek by the collar. Taking it close and personal as she tried to yank the other woman forward and into what would be a vicious headbutt. Gutter born, gutter bred. She didn't need to win this stylishly. Kark, it wasn't even about winning. It was about chasing the rush that only came from bloodying your knuckles and smearing someone across the floor.

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Even if the taping around her knuckles did offer some protection, the hit to the metallic arm would surely be felt when the round was over, but right now it didn't bother her thanks to the rush of adrenaline. She kept the guard up and an intense burning gaze upon the near-human chick, trying to read her next intentions. Making sure she got the footwork right, it allowed for light and quick movement. Agility were one of her strenghts when it came to fights, technique learned from her past but as a twi'lek much of the agility came natural to the often employed dancers of a species. She were far from a dainty dancer, though. So far.

The moment later they were up close to each other, too close realy, as the kiffar got a hold of her. [member="Runi Verin"] managed to disrupt and get into her guard but because of her being slightly shorter in lenght, the headbutt hit the cheek area around the mouth. A decent hit, but it might not have hit where the kiffar had wished and calculated for and thus slightly loosing its force. It was good enough though to make her taste blood from her lower lip. That familiar taste of thrills and excitement.

With the hands still raised in between them, the natural move she made was to swiftly go for a firm headgrip and snatch it forward, trying to tightly pin it under her jaw. Using her slightly taller stature and weight to her advantage. If she managed to do that, it would instantly follow with a knee to either the face, chest or stomach. Whatever the kiffar offered to dance to... If she wanted to take this to a dirty level, it was fine by her! She didn't realy count with something else, actually. It were her game back then, and was still.

 

[Runi Verin]

[member="Tan'yill"]​

​

Her head rang from the impact of her own blow. The impact of a cheekbone was a lot more jarring than the relatively crunchy crumple zone of a nose, so it took her a split second to regain her bearings - a second it seemed she could ill afford as the Twi'lek reached out and grabbed her by the back of the head, trying to guide her face down into an uprising knee. That was the trouble with being so relatively short in a galaxy seemingly made of giants; they always had an advantage when it came to leverage.

Adrenaline surged, anger bubbled and a singular, blackened curse was let loose as the Kiffar dug in, planting her feet to forcefully shove the woman back a pace the moment that leg began to rise. Trying to take advantage of the opening to throw the woman off her center of balance. Only to immediately reverse at the last second, dropping her shoulder and trying to bodily toss the Twi'lek across the ring. The servos in her cybernetic arm roaring, yet doing little to quieten the protests from her leg as she twisted. That damn earlier kick; tightening her thigh muscle as the bruise continued to develop under the flight suit pants.

The pain just added fuel to the fire coursing through her veins.

"Feth you, cheeka!"

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

Feth! She thought as her kiffar opponent, luckily for herself, timed and interupted the sharp knee that were rushing to impact with her face. How sweet it would have been if that one had hit right! Not a moment too soon brusquely taking her down from the high horses of arrogance she rode into the cage on, those drinks were becoming awfully warm by now!

For the fracture of a second, the two fierce contestants got into a forcefull head-to-head clinch. That was when the kiffar woman suddenly reversed and used that karking cybernetic arm of hers in an attempt to toss her. She felt the ground disappear from under her feet but it resulted in a low sideways toss, sand violently shot out of the cage when she managed to land on a feet and a knee. Every fighter knew that was not a favourable position to be in, so she quickly got up to her feet again without letting the kiffar out of sight.

The toss made for a short pause in the match, giving them both room to catch their breaths for a second. The sweat had begun to work up, but they had hardly even started. Tan felt her lip with the thumb, clearing it from the blood. She got a taste of it, and a blood-mixed spittle left her and wet a small area of the otherwise harsh sand on the floor.

''First blood... Congratulations, kiff'!'' she called callously over to her headstrong opponent, her intense yellow gaze piercing her.

She would admit that the kiffar woman had alot to offer in terms of determination and pure mulishness. It was quite impressive, and fun to see. She gave her that! It had not been always you had faced such a tenaciousness. Some were dealt with embarrassing quickly, and where were the fun in that? No competition. No thrills. No adrenaline. No time to feel alive, and she had not felt like this for a long time. It literally got her to taste blood. And she did enjoy it. Again.

Feth her? Oh, were this going personal? Or had it been from the start?

''What's the matter? You realy did thought of a quick match?'' she said without realy expecting an answer as she begun to circle the cage, looking her over and clenching and opening her fists repeatedly. She payed attention to the position of her legs, if she intended to charge again and her fists and arms, looking for muscles tensing and indicating another attack.

[member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Runi Verin]

[member="Tan'yill"]​

​

"Elek. Hate to admit it, but I might actually have to work for it." Runi shot back, a mirthless smile creasing those scarred and tattooed features. The anger in her veins less reserved for her opponent, more herself. Kark it all if she wasn't rusty. There was a time when she should've cleaned this cage top to bottom with Twi'lek, even without the force on her side. Now they were all but dancing around a draw at best. It was a little galling for someone that favored themselves a dab hand in the arena, even with the recognition that the Rutian actually had skill. "Not bad form. Which gutter did they drag you out of? Too rough for Coruscant or Empress Teta, but too polished for anything on the Rim. I'm guessing Coronet? Fondor, maybe?"

Not that it really mattered, she was just buying herself time to catch her breath and reevaluate her strategy. Taking it close and personal might not have worked quite as planned, but that didn't mean the Kiffar was entirely without options. She narrowed her stance, feet dancing lightly across the sand as she fell back a few paces to give herself room, letting her guard drop just a fraction before bursting forward once more. Her body turning as she closed the distance, bringing her leg around in a whip like motion from the top, attempting to drive the woman to her knees from a downward blow.

 

[Tan'yill Vizsla]

''Hmph! Where's the fun in a one-hit knockout? I'd say you better forget about those drinks...'' she replied to the kiffars statement of her having to fight for it, this match that she initially seemed to be so confident about.

''Hmm, have to say the same about you, kiff'... I've faced worse...'' she continued with an ever so slight smirk to her lips and walking around the cage, gathering herself for what was inevitably to come. Worse as if it were a good thing facing a better and tougher opponent. She knew exactly why this conversation came up; Them both licking their wounds and preparing for a another fierce discharge against one another, like two furious nexuses fighting over a territory.

''Coronet, sweetheart... And you...?'' she said, doing the same to buy some time.

She blocked out the loud scolding from the crowd demanding havoc and blood spilled. They were getting impatient. Impatient to know who went home with more credits they came here with. She were not even in the cage anymore, but instead in some shady alley back on Coronet. Feth! She were even uncertain if the spice had made any considerable difference right now, atleast for the fighting spirit. Deep focused breaths provided more oxygen to the blood, blood needed for the muscles working and tensing underneath her blue skin.

The kiffar fighter challenged yet again with a charge across the cage, and this time it were answered with the same counter-measure. Her intent were to go for a strike from bellow, aiming for the kiffars solar plexus. That would bring her down a notch! With her slight advantage in height and weight, she might be able to then tackle the lighter woman to the ground. Taking the fight down to the dirt.

However, as they closed in on eachother, the kiffar turned and met up with a kick coming from the side and above. Chit! The speed were way too high and it were way too late to evade it! The only option were to hold on and push it. The leg forcefully hit her upper body, just bellow the shoulder and it made her lost the balance and fall. Though, on a clear collision course and having not slowed down during the charge, she clashed right into the kiffar.

She didn't know if she had got that hit away or not, if it had hit or not. Now it seemed that they both went for the dirt, even if it was in an unexpected way.

Spoiler

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

[member="Runi Verin"]