Private Follow Me

[Judah Dashiell]

KASSIDO

​

Finishing up at the bar, Judah settled his tab for the evening, standing to adjust his suit jacket. A small, nearly undetectable stretch as he did so, trying to work out muscles that had sat for too long. Thats what he got for watching an entire gravball game during dinner and drinks. He had justified it by having no where to be or no one to meet, but as it came time to go back to his hotel he cost was being paid.

His work had brought him to Kassido, a large urban planet. Sitting between multiple trade routes, he was here for more than one reason. Salvage due to the high number of wrecks that occurred at such an intersection. Also the intersection made it perfect for a refining facility for his company. Salvage could be scrapped and refined then quickly sent out on the hyperlanes. One of those perfect locations in his eyes.

Finally getting the gumption to move, Judah wished the barkeep goodnight before beginning to leave. Noticing another patron get up when he did, they both took a silent turbolift ride down to a lobby-level floor. A small nod as the doors opened and he made his way for the street. It was a decent night. The planet was considered relatively safe and he felt the need to walk. Gave him a chance to sightsee too. Judah was certain he had never been in this portion of the galaxy before.

Quietly walking through the throngs of people, Judah eventually reaching the end of the block, turning left. As he did so, he saw the same figure from the turbolift following him from a short distance. Maybe it was something. Or maybe it was a massive city and people tended to go to similar locations. Either way, he made note to enter a corner deli at the end of the next block just to see if this man followed him in.

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Kassido

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

The deli's light was thin, barely illuminating the people, walls, or the steam off the caf machine. Ace had been sitting near the front, eating a half-eaten ration wrap beside his drink. Tic chirped lazily on the counter, projector flickering as it replayed a broken fragment of some old star map.​

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He didn't notice the man in the suit right away. What he noticed was the Force, how it went tight for no clear reason. It was the kind of shift Ace knew from too many worlds: the moment before someone opened fire.​

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He turned slightly, hand brushing the hilt on his hip. The Force hummed low in his chest, quiet but certain. Danger, close. Then the door hissed open.​

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Dro Elamon filled the frame. The horns, the armor, that slow rolling swagger that said he wasn't here to talk. Ace felt it before Dro even looked his way: that spike of hot recognition, the taste of dust and fire and a fight that had ended with neither of them satisfied.​

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"...You've got to be kidding me." Ace muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing. Tic beeped in a way that almost sounded like a curse.​

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The Zabrak hadn't spotted him yet. His gaze was locked on the well-kept man. Dro's hunts always had side damage, and Ace wasn't eager to be collateral again.​

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He slid off the stool, boots whispering against tile. "Careful." He said quietly, angling himself between Judah and the new arrival. "The Zabrak doesn't just follow for directions."​

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Whatever this was, looks like Ace was in it now. All there was to do, was wait for the chaos to unfold. Too bad, he liked this deli.​

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Judah Dashiell​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Walking into the deli, he was surprised it was rundown given the status of the city. Might be one of those hole-in-the-wall places. It certainly smelt delicious inside, maybe he could stop and sit for a bite, despite just eating. Judah wanted to see if the Zabrak was following him and sitting down to eat was the easiest way to ascertain such information.

Yet he didn't have to. The Zabrak had followed and a young man ( Acier Moonbound ) interjected, quietly placing himself between the situation.Brows furrowed slightly. How did this young man know of the Zabrak? Could be a local, but the kid didn't have an air of being a local. Seemed like an offworlder like himself. Which left two possibilites. The kid and the Zabrak were working together and this was all an elaborate trap. Or this kid had run into the Zabrak before in some other time and space.

Both highly likely. Judah didn't know which way to turn. There was the backup plan of his Noghri guards, they always followed at a good distance, all part of the agreement not to interfere unless his life was in grave danger. So far they only had to do so with one person - Kristyl Arenais , such a crazed woman.

"How do you know this Zabrak is trouble?" Without other options, he might as well as the question and go from there.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Kassido

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

The Zabrak's shadow cut long across the deli floor. Even when he wasn't moving, Dro Elamon filled a space like noise. He didn't look back at Judah right away. His focus stayed on Dro, chin lifting just a fraction as he angled his stance.

"Bounty hunter. Emotionally unstable. Hates my guts." He whispered, leaning in a little closer but eyes still fixed on the Zabrak "Complete wildcard."

The door hissed shut behind Dro. For a moment, the only sound was the faint crackle of the deli's old lights and the slow, rhythmic steps of Dro Elamon's boots.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Jedi boy, didn't figure I'd see you again."

His voice carried the rasp of gravel. He didn't even look at Judah, at least not at first. His gaze cut straight through the space between them to Ace, and the sneer that followed was all teeth. He took another step in, the leather of his coat creaking as his hand hovered near the blaster holstered at his thigh. The patrons closest to the counter began to shuffle back, eyes flicking between the three men.

"Still playing hero?" Dro asked, tone almost conversational. "You remember how that worked out last time."

"I remember you running away in the end." Ace shot back, mechanical hand hovering over the hilt of his lightsaber.

His gaze paused at the glint of metal along Ace's left arm. A brow arched, a smirk creeping in. He nodded at the prosthetic, the grin widening.

"Last time I saw you, you had both hands to wave me off with."

Tic beeped, a nervous mechanical trill. Dro's smirk widened. His attention finally flicked toward Judah, a slow, assessing look.

"And you. There's a loooot of credits on your head, old man."

The Zabrak started forward, pace steady, confident. He'd already decided no one here could stop him, shifting his coat to show the pair the kind of heat he was packing.

"Step aside, kid. I'm not here for you. Not tonight. But if you make me work for it again, I'll happily make it personal."

Ace cast Judah a sidelong glance, all the while unclipping his lightsaber from his belt. "If you can't fight, run." Ace said bluntly, following his words with the ignition of his lightsaber.

Fighting with his new hand was something he wasn't used to yet, but he'd grown so much since his last encounter with Dro. The young rebel was confident he could at least take the bounty hunter.

Judah Dashiell​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

KASSIDO

For the life of him, Judah didn't understand these Jedi kids. Igniting a lightsaber in a corner deli? They were under a certain level of threat from the Zabrak but it was clear to him he was needed alive. There weren't many who would put a bounty on him only to want him dead. Didn't make sense, he was worth a great deal alive.

Yet just as much as this situation was about himself, it was also about this kid as well. The Zabrak and the kid had a history, one that seemed to end with the loss of the kids hand. Was the Zabrak a lightsaber user as well? An accident? Torture? No time to ask since things escalated so quickly. No time to even tell the kid about his bodyguards.

Perhaps though there was still time to stall this entire situation out. Or at the very least get a better handle on things. If he had a bounty on his head then perhaps he could counteroffer. Judah didn't like doing such things and if it had just been himself in the situation he would never entertain it. The deli was crowded, plus this kid. Judah didn't want to see the kid get hurt over himself.

"A bounty? What is the current going rate? I'm sure I can beat it plus a little extra for the kid here. No need to stoop to such a level in a public place."

Acier Moonbound​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Kassido

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace glanced sidelong when Judah spoke. He just watched. The older man's voice was laced with careful diplomacy, he was clearly someone used to buying his way out of problems. He respected that, make an issue go away without violence. It might've worked with anyone else, but not here. Not with Dro.

Dro's reaction came with a sound that wasn't quite a laugh, it was more like a bark, harsh and humorless.

"Credits? You think this is about credits? If I cared about that, I'd already have taken it off your corpse. I'm in this for the sport. As for the kid? It's personal."

Tic chirped low, almost a whine. Ace didn't need the Force to feel the shift; the air was tightening, tension coiling in Dro's stance like a predator ready to pounce.

The deli's front door hissed open behind him. A single customer attempting to leave, freezing the second they saw the scene. That was all it took. Dro's eyes twitched toward the movement; his hand went for the blaster.

Ace moved fast, his lightsaber snapping to life as he shoved Judah out of Dro's center line. The deli exploded into chaos, the tension breaking. Chairs scraping, shouts breaking, someone diving for the floor. The Force surged like instinct through Ace's veins, pushing him into motion before thought could catch up.

Dro fired once, a bright bolt that scorched through the space where Ace had been just a second before. The blast hit the caf machine, shattering it in a spray of sparks and boiling steam.

Ace came up from the roll with the lightsaber raised, stance solid, eyes locked on Dro. Dro's advance was methodical, not rushed. Every shot was a test, each one pushing Ace a little farther off balance. The new arm was acceptable, but Ace still felt the lag in his reaction time; every parry sent a jolt up through his shoulder. Dro saw it, saw the rust in his footwork, and moved in with a predator's grin.

Before Atrisia, before the Death Star, Ace would have read the fight like a current. Now he was fighting to keep up. Dro saw that weakness.

The Zabrak shoved in hard, slamming his vibroblade against Ace's lightsaber in a shower of sparks. "You should've stayed out of this. I'm here for him." A tilt of his chin toward Judah, eyes glinting.

Dro's boot came low, his elbow high, a combination to throw Ace off-balance. He evaded the first hit, missed the second, and Dro's gauntlet crashed into his chest like a piston. The impact threw him clean through the deli's front window, glass exploding into the street.

Ace hit the ground hard. Dro stood, vibroblade gleaming. He took his eyes off of the dazed Force-sensitive to Judah.

"Don't move, old man." Dro said, stepping over the glass. "I still came for you."

Judah Dashiell​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

The sport? He could think of at least at three different people that would be more interesting to bounty hunt. Again, there was the question of credits, who did this for fun without the reward of credits? Anyone with half a brain would keep him alive even for a little bit, extract more credits from his family, then kill him. It was clear this guy wasn't working with a full deck of sabacc cards.

A patron tried to leave and the room exploded into chaos. If he survived this, Judah made a mental note to send along an apology letter and enough credits to clean the place up and replace anything damaged.

As the fight began, Judah took a step back. Patrons now freely scattered. Just as he was turning to his comm to call in reinforcements, they arrived. Two Noghri bodyguards, Ovruk and Sirhka, reached his side as if they appeared out of nowhere. Just as always intended, his guards didn't interfere unless it was life or death. It was now life or death. Noghri were fierce in battle and also very stealthy, the perfect combination for someone like himself.

"This way." Sirhka was taking point in assisting him away from the battle. Standard protocol. One bodyguard intervened and took him away. The other neutralized the threat. "Let us go."

"No." Judah rarely defied an expert. "I'll check on the kid. He needs to get away, the both of you focus your efforts towards the attacker."

Leaving no room for argument, Judah assisted a patron in leaving. He wasn't familiar with Kassido but he suspected the owner called local authorities. Everyone had a different procedure for bounty hunters so it was difficult to tell if any help was coming. Not that a bounty hunter often concerned himself with local law enforcement. Once the patron was off and running, Judah crouched down next to the kid.

"Jedi or not that hurt, come on."

Inside, Ovruk and Sirhka blocked the window and front door. A Noghri fighting sickles and long machette-style vibroblade appeared, their weapons of choice beyond their dangerous claws. The pair nodded to one another and advanced. Ovruk went left, drawing the attention of the hunter while Sirhka went right, intending to wound at the side of the flank at the least but slice the throat of the hunter at best.

Acier Moonbound​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Kassido

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

The world came back in fragments,, sirens wailing somewhere in the distance. Ace groaned, more in frustration, forcing himself upright. His chest burned where Dro's hit had landed, and his left arm, the new one, trembled from the feedback. The servos whined faintly, the grip just a shade too tight as he steadied himself.

Tic landed beside him with a chirp, lens flickering anxiously.

"Yeah." Ace rasped, rubbing the back of his neck, "I'm good. More embarrassed than hurt."

The crash of steel and sparks from inside the deli snapped his focus. Through the jagged window frame, flashes of movement: two Noghri moving like shadows, and Dro was using everything in his arsenal. His slugthrower cracked, his flamethrower flared orange through the broken frame, and screams joined the noise.

Judah's voice cut through the noise. Ace blinked, finding him crouched beside him, unhurt. He looked back toward the fight. One of the Noghri had been thrown against the counter. Dro was laughing again.

"You want me to run?" He asked, his tone prideful, maybe even a little offended. Ace swore under his breath. "They're not going to hold him forever."

He flexed his left hand once, feeling the ache where flesh met metal. "When he breaks through, he's coming for you first."

His blue blade hissed back to life, its light catching in the glass shards at their feet. Ace took one last breath and faced the shattered doorway, Dro's laughter still echoing inside.

Then, he turned toward Judah again, eyes sharp despite the fatigue. No, this was his recklessness rearing its ugly head again. The same recklessness that cost him his arm. Ace's shoulders loosened and he exhaled deeply. Maybe it was better to get away, to stay with Judah and protect him that way.

He didn't like it. Hated it even. It felt too close to running... but Ace clearly wasn't in the condition to fight Dro. Not yet.

The lightsaber extinguished with a hiss. "We move then."

Tic whirred in agreement, hopping from the debris and onto his shoulder as Ace pulled Judah toward the edge of the street. "Name's Ace, by the way."

They rounded the corner just as an explosion rocked the block. An ion charge. The blast threw light down the street, shattering a row of storefront glass. Ace ducked low, yanking Judah behind a parked speeder as shards rained down. He was pretty sure those Noghri guards didn't make it.

Ace scanned the rooftops. Dro wouldn't stay contained, not with his toys and his thirst for the hunt. His eyes met Tic's photoreceptor, without speaking, the BD-unit knew what to do. Tic beeped, projecting a small flickering map. Ace pointed toward an alley that cut into the lower district, backstreets thick with steam vents.

"There. He won't risk flamers or explosives in close quarters."

Judah Dashiell ​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Judah."

Doing his best to ignore the droid - the phobia was there but so was the need to live - he realized he might have to listen to Ace. Or at least they should listen to one another. So far the kid was listening on one front, that it was best to leave. Even if this Dro was coming for them it was best to put distance between themselves and the hunter. It would give them an advantage. This wasn't the first time he had been tracked down. Something told him it wasn't going to be the last.

As they moved an explosion rattled the entire block. Transparisteel rained down from the tops of buildings on some of the lesser built buildings. Alarms immediately went off, people started drifting into the streets. A twinge of regret went through him at the fact his bodyguards most likely didn't make it out. Naturally they knew the risks but it didn't make a difference to him - both had been working for him for years at this point. A small mental note to reach out to their clan when he and Ace were finally safe. Or safeish.

Again, the droid was leading the way. Didn't trust him. It was just a map and the kid seemed to think it was a good idea. Judah wasn't so sure this hunter wouldn't risk a fire or explosion in these alleys and closed in streets. Still there wasn't much of an option. They had to go. Or at least try.

"Alright, we go then."

Looking at the map again, Judah picked up the pace, going at a fast jog with the kid. It was easy enough to use the chaos and alleyways. As he ran, he worked on shedding his jacket and tie. Probably best to try to fit in and look a little more nondescript.

"We going in the sewer?"

Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Kassido

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace caught the flicker of something from Judah, not fear of Dro, not the raw, survival kind. It was sharper, stranger. A recoil that didn't fit the situation. He glanced sidelong, the sensation brushing against his senses like static. Whatever it was, it spiked every time Tic chirped or moved ahead. But now wasn't the time to pry, and Judah still seemed capable.

The street behind them flashed orange as another blast hit. The sound chased them down the alley, rolling through the narrow walls like thunder. Dro wasn't far. Ace vaulted a fallen sign, motioning for Judah to follow.

"Sewer'll do." He said, in between breaths "Won't smell great, but we do what we can."

Tic beeped and projected the map again, light flickering against the wet brick. Ace followed the holographic line to a rusted service hatch buried behind a dumpster. Ace unclipped his lightsaber, its blue blade sprung to life and he began to carve through the hatch.

The hatch collapsed into the sewer and a wave of hot, damp air rolled out. Ace slid down first, sewage water splashing against his boots. Ace recoiled in disgust.

The noise of Kassido faded to a low, mechanical rhythm now. Pipes dripped, steam hissed. Ace steadied his breathing, the glow from Tic's lens painting faint circles on the tunnel walls.

"He'll find us, eventually." Ace said quietly, half to himself. "But it'll take time." He flexed his prosthetic hand once; the servos groaned. "Let's use it."

He started forward into the dark, water sloshing around their boots. Ace only took a few steps when he sensed something approaching. It wasn't volatile like Dro, but it was weak, fading, despite its approach.

"Someone's coming." Ace glanced over to Judah "But I don't think they wanna fight."

Judah Dashiell​

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Nose crinkled as they entered the sewer. In a large city such as this, the smell was overwhelming but what could they do? Moving along the surface was far too dangerous of a risk to take. As he was following Acier Moonbound ,ideas were forming in his head on how to escape. The hunter wouldn't be easily placated but there were still options. Judah wasn't sure how many though and he wasn't so sure the kid could survive a battle with the Trandoshan.

As soon as the kid mentioned someone was coming, his ears picked up on faint splashing through the sewer tunnel. Measured steps but they didn't seem rushed as the hunter's would be, more deliberate. Maybe a maintenance worker. Some damage was just caused on the surface level by Dro so there was a potential of subterranean damage.

Before he could say anything one of the remaining Noghri guards came into view. Injured and bleeding but still able to track him down in a relatively short time frame considering.

"Ovruk."

"Sirhka didn't make it. I barely did. The hunter is not only willing to kill you but himself in this quest." Cloth pressed against his side, Ovruk drew closer to the two men. "We must leave planet. All of us."

The trio knew the risks and this was a walk and talk meeting. Precious time couldn't be wasted in the sewer standing still on strategy. Ovruk had the same idea he had though. Put some distance in between the situation and push forward. Long term strategy for himself and Ace could be made once they were safely off Kassido.

Water gently splashed as they walked, rodents scurried about. Distantly he could still hear the sounds of sirens and crews responding to the explosion.

"I agree with Ovruk. We need to go to a smaller spaceport and take a shuttle out. Leave what we both came in on behind." His head turned towards Ace. "Does your droid know the closest or most strategic one for us to journey to?"