Private Pound of Flesh

[Kasady]

Outer Rim
Valery Noble

---

Kasady had killed before.

To this day she could relive the moment in perfect detail. The feeling of her would-be owner’s final breaths struggling to escape underneath her grip, and the mortal stillness that followed.

Truth be told, she thought she would’ve felt more.

But that was survival. This was pleasure. More than that, this was justice. A belief she repeated to herself any time a semblance of doubt arose to challenge it. How slavery continued to plague the worst corners of the galaxy had baffled her since the day she learned there was something better out there.

The man of the hour was a wealthy socialite, popular with the tabloids and even more popular with slave traders. You don’t get that rich without finding new methods to avoid losing your money. After all, why pay your servants when you can pay the authorities to look the other way? Out here, nobody cared. It was just how things were.

Kasady trudged down the damp, neon-lit streets, looking no different from any of the other lowlifes that called this world home. He was supposed to come planetside tonight for a new ‘shipment’. That’s when she’d strike.

A raincoat widened her small frame, working double duty to keep hidden the pistol on her hip, and the collapsible sniper rifle on her back. She rounded a corner at just the wrong time, bumping into a passerby before there was a chance to react. Kasady was knocked over as easily as a twig, but no sooner had she hit the floor did she scramble back up to her feet. “...Sorry,” She mumbled, and pushed past the figure with equal brevity. She was here for one reason only.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

"Are you okay?"

Valery looked down at the younger woman who had bumped into her and hit the ground. But before she could offer a hand up, the blue-haired woman was already on her feet again and quickly moving away. It left Valery standing still, blinking for a moment, but she shrugged it off. She was here for an important mission on behalf of the Jedi, so there was little time to waste.

With her two new blaster pistols strapped to her hips, and a lightsaber concealed within her jacket, she continued down the streets to find her target — a notorious slave trader. The idea of carrying blasters was still strange, and her husband would likely still be scared to see it, given how terrible her aim had been during the lessons he gave her... but she had finally gotten adjusted to them, and they helped her settle into the role of just another civilian on a planet controlled by criminals.

He should be arriving soon... she thought to herself, as she walked with her head up and her confidence out there for all to see. Those who looked weak were always targeted out here, so she made sure those lurking in the shadows understood she wasn't to be messed with. Avoiding these problems would allow her to focus on the one thing that mattered.

She was here to put a stop to another group of slavers and criminals on the rise.

 

[Kasady]

"Are you okay?"

The question earned a derisive chuckle after they had already walked past each other. The fact that someone even bothered to ask felt bizarre. She quickly deduced they must be an outsider.

What about anything here seemed okay?

It didn’t matter. Everyone around this place was just some nameless face she’d never see again. It’s not like a few pleasantries were suddenly going to instigate galactic peace.

Until that day came, Kasady could at least do her part to make things a little more peaceful. She rounded a corner into an alleyway, where she quickened her pace substantially once out of sight. The motors of her exo-skeletal braces buzzed loudly with each movement, propelling her faster and farther than any normal person could ever hope to achieve. She sprang a full story up and latched onto a fire escape balcony, scaling it all the way to the roof.

Here she would make her nest. The dock view from her was sufficient enough. Kasady sat against the ledge and unfolded her rifle: a high caliber weapon, and not one she could even hold, let alone fire, if not for her cybernetic chassis. Gratuitous? Maybe. Pretty much any sniper could do the job. But there was value in the message of a kill. And the bloody crater this one would leave behind was a very clear message.

Through the scope she could already see a few people arriving. But none of them were her primary target. So Kasady waited, her finger twitching impatiently against the trigger.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

After drawing in a deep breath, Valery looked around and disappeared into a narrow alleyway. She made sure nobody was watching, and turned to the Force to wrap it around herself like a cloak, making her invisible and impossible to hear. It was one of the three primary skills she had picked up as a Jedi Shadow, and now, it would hopefully allow her to get closer to her target without running into issues along the way.

Looking up, Valery launched herself high into the air with a powerful Force Jump and landed on the rooftops. From above, she had the perfect view over the city and the arrival that would soon be walking down the streets. She began to jump and move from one building to another until she looked over the edge and spotted a group arriving in the distance.

Got them.

But right before she was about to position herself to make her move, she spotted something else — a woman with a familiar blue hairstyle. It wasn't so much the person that surprised her, but the large weapon she had aimed down the street. A few options to respond to it all crossed her mind instantly, but there was only one she could take to hopefully spare lives...

"I don't think you want to take that shot," Valery said as she stepped out of her cloak behind the woman. She had her pistol drawn but not aimed at Kasady, just in case, it would provoke a hostile response.

"He's needed alive, so more of his kind can be stopped."

 

[Kasady]

The sudden voice nearly made Kasdy jump out of her skin. She flipped around to face its source: that woman from before. “How did-?” She scowled, and responded coldly, “No, I’m pretty sure I do.”

Her own blaster was drawn, aimed toward the Jedi master, but still concealed beneath her heavy poncho. How could she trust anything this stranger had to say? This must be some kind of set up. “How’d he know I was coming?”

A co-conspirator. Had to be. Kasady’s instincts screamed to pull the trigger now and kill her, too. And yet she waited.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

"You're not going to shoot me."

Valery could feel the threat of a pistol drawn echoing against her mind through the Force. But she wasn't pulling the trigger for a reason — either she wasn't really a killer, or Valery had drawn her attention with her appearance. Either way, she wasn't going to count on things staying like this too long.

"I'm here with the same goal..." she looked down at the street below, "...sort of. I want to stop these people too, but you have to look at the bigger picture," she tried to argue with the younger woman.

"What do you think will happen when you kill them? Someone else will just take over. If you want to hurt them and stop these people, you have to cripple the entire operation. If he's captured, other slavers can be exposed, and much more suffering can be prevented." She let out a soft sigh and decided to holster her own pistol.

"Don't do it."

 

[Kasady]

The admission that she knew about the pistol only irritated Kasady more. It couldn't have just been a lucky guess, could it? The weapon was lowered, but still in her grasp.

"Then I'll kill them, too." Again and again if she had to, until they finally got the picture. But annoyingly, this woman was making a point. Slavers were cowards. With the right motivation, it could be easy to unravel the network. It would at least make her job easier. But there were a lot of uncertainties in that. Still she said nothing until Valery holstered her pistol, and only then did the tension in Kasady's shoulders seem to loosen, if only a little.

"You a cop or something?" She raised a brow, uncertain of what to make of the woman in front of her. For now anyway, it seemed Kasady was more interested in listening than shooting.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

"Not a cop but..." she sighed and slowly opened her jacket while she tried to make sure she didn't seem threatening or suspicious. Within the jacket, Kasady would be able to see the hilt of Valery's lightsaber, "Jedi, and while I'm sure you have your opinions, we also fight against slavery and organizations like this."

Her eyes shifted back down to the streets below once more.

"I can't let you kill them, it makes it impossible to go after the organization as a whole. Not only will the one possible source of information be dead, but they will also be alerted instantly and either go into hiding or arrange a lot of security." She now closed her jacket to make sure Kasady knew that Valery had no desire to pull her lightsaber out and start trouble.

"If you want to stop these slavers, help me. Your shooting skills can come in handy."

 

[Kasady]

Kasady’s reaction to the lightsaber was stoic, little more than a glance at the weapon, then right back to Valery. In truth what she knew about the Jedi was little more than hearsay and fairy tales; Magical knights that fought for goodliness, protecting the weak and downtrodden of the galaxy.

A shame they were apparently too busy to get around to her.

“Whatever,” Kasady spoke at last, several seconds after the so-called Jedi had finished making her case. She still didn’t quite believe Valery was a Jedi. She wasn’t even sure if she believed in Jedi at all. But something in her plea got through. If she was actually interested in stopping them, then an extra set of hands was the logical choice.

Kasady picked up the sniper to stow it away. She then threw her poncho down and approached Valery, giving her the closest look at the young assassin yet. The sheer lack of physicality was distinct; Even the Jedi stood nearly a foot over Kasady in height. Her complexion was deprived of sun exposure, and her frame unhealthily thin. Along her back was the spine-like base of a cybernetic orthotic, which extended along her arms and legs, hydraulic servos affixed beside major points of articulation. But most revealing was the slave brand, only half-hidden behind her arm warmer. It appeared worn, and scarred from unsuccessful attempts to remove it.

If Valery paid any mind to these features, Kasady didn’t seem to acknowledge it regardless, “You have a plan, then?” With no further contribution offered, dull blue orbs stared expectantly at the Jedi. If she was so intent on doing things a certain way, then she could be the one to micromanage.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

"Sure, I have a plan," Valery said with a slight smirk after she had looked the younger woman over once. What Valery thought about her didn't show, and it didn't really matter. If Kasady came out here, armed with heavy weapons, to take down a dangerous slaver, she was likely not some stupid kid who was planning to get themselves killed. To some extent, she had to know what she was doing.

"They won't be arriving on foot but in a closed-off speeder. Likely a convoy with some protection around the one we're looking for. If you're a good shot..." she looked at the sniper and then back up into the woman's blue orbs, "...then I suggest you hit the engine of the front speeder. The one in the back too, if you have a clear shot."

"It'll trap the convoy and force them out of their vehicles, which will make it easy for me to get up-close and personal. After that, it's just a matter of keeping his personal guards away, and taking him prisoner." She looked at Kasady and grinned a little in an attempt to push her just a little. If she could keep the woman fired up and ready to go, this would hopefully go a lot more smoothly.

"You think you can do that?"

 

[Kasady]

"You think you can do that?"

Her question earned a cocky smirk from Kasady. The challenge alone was enough for her to follow along. She looked back towards the meeting spot below, then to Valery once more, “Yeah. I can do that.” The plan was set, then. Their agreement made. For all the grinning between them, there was an underlying tension behind the ex-slave’s eyes, never letting either of them get too comfortable in their accord. “Once the speeders are out of the way, I’ll have to join you up close. This weapon doesn’t exactly do nonlethal.” The size of the barrel was proof enough of that.

With nothing else to offer, Kasady took her position once more, reengaging with the target through her scope. “Best get a move on, lady. I think they’re getting close.” It occurred that she didn’t know the Jedi’s name. To be honest, it wasn’t exactly her biggest concern anyway.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

"I figured it didn't have a stun setting, so that's fine."

Kasady didn't exactly look like she was the type to fight up-close and personal, but a lot of things are able to influence the speed and strength of a person, so going off of size alone wasn't exactly enough. She seemed confident about it, so Valery trusted that it would be fine. If not, she'd do what she can to help her out.

"The name's Valery, and I'm moving in."

She flashed the other woman a final smirk and sprinted up to the edge of the rooftop, where she launched herself into the air. The distance down was enough to kill just about anybody, but as Valery drew closer to the ground and incoming convoy, she turned to the Force and used it to cushion the fall. Her landing looked soft and elegant, but the two blaster pistols she drew into her hands still made it clear she wasn't here to make friends.

"Here they come..." Valery whispered, right as the convoy of vehicles turned into their street. Now she just had to wait for Kasady's shots to hit their mark, and all would be over quickly.

 

[Amani Serys]

oopsie

 

[Kasady]

“Mhm,” Kasady smirked back, but notably took no interest in exchanging names. She watched curiously as the woman leapt down an impressive height without so much as a thud; And Valery sure didn’t look like she had any sort of cybernetics or exo-suits on. Maybe that Jedi B.S. was legit, after all.

There was little time to dwell on the matter, as the sound of the arriving motorcade was soon upon them. Her sniper turned to the lead vehicle, specifically the turbine engine jutting off the back, “Here we go…” The shot rang out, striking the turbine in a shower of sparks. On impact the landspeeder clanged against the ground, causing the one behind to ram into it. Before anyone could react, Kasady swiveled to face the back speeder, and did the same in a flash.

The slaver’s entourage was on high alert, as men got out of their vehicles and began searching for a culprit. She watched as the door to the VIP car opened, from which another guard emerged. But more importantly, she caught sight of her target, waiting anxiously inside. That moment seemed to stretch on in slow motion; Her scope was over the man's head. It would’ve been so easy.

“...Fuck.” The twitching of her trigger finger ceased, and Kasady leapt back down into the alley. A light crack formed in the street where she landed. Then the girl drew her pistol, and readied for Valery to step in and play her part.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

The shot connected, and the incoming vehicle hit the ground hard. But it still had a lot of momentum going forward, so it was rapidly approaching Valery, who now stood in the middle of the street, ready to take them all down. A hand from the woman came up and very abruptly, the convoy was slowing down to a full stop.

Here it goes.

Doors opened on each side of the vehicle and the first few thugs stepped out, dazed by what happened but with weapons in their hands. However, before they could figure out who fired on them, Valery sent them all to the floor with a few well-placed stun rounds. She could have easily killed them if she wanted to, but if she could prevent that, she wasn't going to take lives.

"Center vehicle!" Valery called out as Kasady drew closer. The doors opened there, and she could feel that a couple more armed thugs were inbound.

 

[Kasady]

Kasady watched with surprise as the Jedi seemed to halt the incoming speeder with little more than an outstretched hand. “Huh…” It was about the most emotion she had displayed thus far.

Arriving thugs were dispatched just as quickly, and at the call, Kasady leapt into the fray. The first one out the door didn’t even have time to react as she launched him back against the car with a high-powered kick. He slumped unconscious on the ground, leaving a slight dent in the metal behind him. It was a rush of adrenaline for Kasady, who had never actually hit somebody with her exo-skeleton before. But more soon closed in, giving her little time to dwell on that feeling.

If Kasady’s pistol had a stun setting, she apparently wasn’t interested in using it. Instead, she simply hit non-lethal areas; First she plugged two rounds into a thug’s knees, toppling him over in a wave of pain. When the other rounded the corner, she shot the hand holding the gun, destroying several of his fingers, before knocking him out with a pistol whip.

Her gaze flicked to Valery, then to the rear vehicle, waiting to see if any more arrived.

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

"That's one way to do it..." Valery looked at the thugs who were rolling around on the ground in pain from shots to their knees or powerful blows to their heads. Some were likely going to pass out from the pain, and there wasn't anything Valery could do about it. With a sigh, she accepted it for now and turned her fiery eyes to the vehicle in the center.

"He's still hiding inside."

As dangerous as these armed thugs were to most people, the big boss was rarely much of a problem. Sure, she could feel the danger of him being armed with a pistol, but he wasn't going to be taking out the two of them. "Knock knock," Valery said as she opened the door, and almost instantly, a pistol round was fired. The woman just raised her hand and once the bolt connected, it was deflected up through the ceiling of the car.

With the same hand, she pulled his pistol from his grip and into her own hand, before she looked over her shoulder at Kasady, "Let's take him somewhere quiet. Can you be on the lookout for more of his people? I wouldn't be surprised if he called for back-up already."

 

[Kasady]

“Fine.” Kasady scanned their surroundings. Any immediate resistance seemed dealt with. But she was similarly unsurprised by the idea of back-up. A moment later, an idea popped into her mind, one which drew a wry smirk across her face. “Hold on.”

She stowed her pistol and approached the VIP, who was now looking at the both of them with scorn, “The hell do you want, schutta-”

“Shh.” Kasady hissed, clasping a hand over his mouth to keep anything more unpleasant from spilling out. Her patience was wearing thin enough as is. With the noise out of the way, she began fishing his pockets until she found a tracking device No doubt for his buddies to come retrieve him in case he was ever in trouble. If anything got out, he’d likely be in as much trouble with them as he would be with the law. The thought made Kasady smile, as did crunching the device into pieces between her fingers.

“That should buy us some time to hide.” She brushed the remaining fragments from her hands, “There’s a bunch of warehouses on the far end of the port. Should be empty at this hour.”

Valery Noble​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Outer Rim
Outfit: Undercover outfit
Necklace: Link
Weapon: Lightsaber (Concealed)
Blasters: Link
Tag: Kasady

"Hold on."

Valery blinked and stepped back while Kasady approached the slaver. A part of her was worried that she'd end up hurting the man, especially as her hand came to rest over his mouth. But to her surprise, all she did was remove a small item from his pockets. Valery recognized it as a tracking device instantly and began to smile, "Good thinking."

Her eyes then turned back to the VIP, "You have a choice. Either you come with us without causing trouble, or we make you come with us." Whether it was the choice of words or the somewhat intimidating glare he got from her fiery eyes, she didn't know but he swallowed hard and just nodded before rising from his seat.

"We'll use the warehouse as a hideout but we can use the time to start questioning him as well." That really seemed to get the man nervous — he had seen the two women take down his entire convoy, so his mind began to run through all possible scenarios about what this questioning could involve. Despite it though, he tried his best to look calm and composed.

...

"This should do," Valery looked around the warehouse they had brought the man to. It was a huge storage facility for raw iron and other materials, so there was no way they'd run into someone here at this hour, "You want the first question?" She looked at Kasady and smirked.

 

[Kasady]

Kasady smirked at the offer, and carried over a chair beneath the spotlight. “Okay. So, Mister… Davoss, is it?” She knew it was. She’d been studying up on him for weeks. The man apprehensively nodded his head, and was then shoved into the seat behind him.

“C’mon, just tell me what you want already. Why’d you have to bring me all the way out…” Kasady leered at him intensely, and the man trailed off, wisely picking up on the cue to wait his turn, “...here.”

“I just want to know who your supplier is…” She leaned in close, almost whispering in his ear now. “Those men back there worked for somebody. Somebody who was actually paying them. And it wasn’t you.” Davoss stared incredulously, “I got no idea what you’re talking about.”

A response that was more or less expected. Kasady nodded, then smashed his hand with her cybernetically charged fist. Something crunched underneath, and the man whimpered, “You know exactly what I’m talking about. The slaves, Davoss…”

“You’re stupider than I thought, if you really believe I could just tell you that,” He still managed a chuckle. She could hurt him, but it was becoming clear to him that she wasn’t some expert interrogator.

Not that even Kasady would claim to be. She simply grimaced, “Then you’re useless,” a hand lashed out and clamped over his throat, threatening to strangle him to death without intervention.

Valery Noble​