[Shots Fired]

[Alexandros Xanathos]

//OOC: Moving this to private. [Here] Staff feel free to delete please.

"You're an assassin, right?"

The man was wearing a black jacket over a grey shirt with a red tie. The look was sharp and formal, like a banker or lawyer. The man had long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was tall and lean with a sharp face that looked hard and mean but had a soft mouth.

"That's right," Alex said.

"Well, you're an assassin so I figure you've probably got some skills and talents."

Alex didn't say anything but his gloomy eyes narrowed at the man.

"So, tell me, what are your best skills and talents?"

Alex stared at him for a moment before answering. "I'm a trained sniper."

The man's eyebrows raised. "Oh? Well, that sounds useful. What else do you have?"

"I'm a fast learner. I don't need much sleep and I never get bored. And I'm good with a knife, though not nearly as good as I am with a rifle."

The man considered this and moved to place his dossier on the table. " This is your target- Cedwyn. He's spent years building a reputation as a skilled assassin, and bounty hunter. He's one of the best. This should do for your first field test. " The handler said to Alex.

"First test?" Alex asked, looking confused.

"Yes, let's see how well you handle yourself. You'll be working solo, no backup,no training wheels, no simulations; this is the real deal here out in the field to see what you're made of. Your only job is to track down and kill Cedwyn." The handler stated.

Alex nodded. "Got it." Alex moved to press a hand to the several images of Cedwyn in the folder studying them briefly and drinking in the details of his face.

"What did he do?" Alex asked.

"Maverick; you should know better than to ask questions by now. " The Handler admonished in an amused tone.

"Sorry." Alex said, looking down at the floor and moving his hands to rest behind his back.

"You don't need to apologize for asking questions, but we will not tolerate disrespect when you are undergoing a performance review. " The Handler said sternly.

"Understood." Alex said, looking up.

"I think you'll find that Cedwyn has quite the reputation for himself. It's why he's so successful. Part of that reputation deals with being friendly to the ladies. A little too friendly at times. Fate would have it one of those pretty little things had a jealous husband. Cedwyn is a popular man among women; Cedwyn has a long list of enemies. You are not to reveal any of this knowledge. The less you know the better in truth. "

Alex nodded and took a sip of water from his canteen.

"Failure is not an option. We can't afford to lose you. " The Handler stated.

Alex looked up at the Handler. "I understand."

"Cedwyn is a professional killer, assassin, and bounty hunter. He's killed many people. He's a legend within the Guild. You can not be discovered, and you can not be captured. " The Handler stated, pointing a finger at Alex.

"Capture? No way! Not after all I've been through!" Alex exclaimed. "He looks like an old man this shouldn't be difficult. " Alex said, looking over the information again.

"You won't even know he's there until it's too late. There are no witnesses to Cedwyn's methods." The handler stated seriously. "If you are captured, you are to keep quiet and do as you are told. If you make noise or get caught, you will die. You must never talk about your mission. " The Handler said.

"Don't worry, I'll follow orders," Alex assured with a smirk.

"If we lose you; you will be terminated. You must not fail. " The Handler warned.

"No worries, I'm a pro," Alex said confidently.

***

Alex eventually found Cedwyn and tracked him for several days keeping tabs on his habits and business. Alex knew where Cedwyn was going to be and he followed the assassin home.

Alex had tracked the man to a hotel, and set up his hide to stake out. Alex was trying to find the best location to get a clear shot. Alex was not going to take any chances. He'd taken the time to make sure he had enough ammunition for his gun, and that it was fully loaded. He knew that Cedwyn was skilled. Taking the time to find a good hide to lay in wait with a clear view of Cedwyn's suit is what he needed. He didn't want to end up in close quarters with the man. He wanted a clean kill.

Alex waited patiently, watching the front door of the hotel. Alex's HUD identified him as Cedwyn: Classified.

Being sniper isn't just about being an excellent marksman — although that's important. But when you're in an operational status, Alex had to overcome the mental constraints of lack of sleep. Alex watched Cedwyn leave the building and head off into the night. He decided to wait and see what the assassin would do next as he zeroed in on his target locking him with in his sights. Alex inhaled with a few breaths to relax, cleared his mind, focused his aim aim and fully exhaled. A pause in the breathing cycle— and then shots fired.

Cedwyn Blaidd​

 

[Glar Ulchtar]

Alexandros Xanathos

Light rain fell around Glar Ulchtar, as he paced down the streets of the city. The city’s name wasn’t particularly important to Glar, it was on the obscure planet Iridium, and was really nothing more than a blip compared to massive population centers like Coruscant and Daiyu. What did matter to Glar was who he could meet here. If his sources were correct, the legendary bounty hunter R. J. Cedwyn was living in this city. Not unlike Glar himself, Cedwyn had a… less than stellar history with the Pyke Syndicate, so perhaps he could be a useful ally. That is, assuming Cedwyn would not immediately try to kill him upon seeming that he was a Pyke.

Fortunately for Glar, he happened to see Cedwyn walking out of an old, dilapidated apartment building just across the street. He was an older, balding human, with a grey mustache. He was somewhere between 50 and 60 years old. However, he still seemed quite sharp, and had a predatory glint in his eyes. Glar crossed the street at his next opportunity, and began walking behind Cedwyn. To introduce himself in a way that would probably not cause Cedwyn to immediately diffault to “killing mode”, Glar decided to play on his ego.

“It is quite the honor to see a legend in the bounty hunting world in person, Mr. Cedwyn.” Glar said in reverent tone.

Cedwyn turned around to look at Glar. “So, have you come to learn from the best, or challenge me for the title?” he said, his voice oozing with arrogance. Typical Humans.

“Actually, I have a job to offer you. If you are looking for work, that is.”

“As a matter of fact, I am. What sort of job might you be offering?”

“Perhaps we should discuss the specifics somewhere less.. exposed than the middle of the city.”

“I would agr—“

Before Cedwyn could finish his sentence, a round of blaster bolts interrupted him. Glar managed to get out of the line of fire by taking refuge behind a well-placed durasteel bench. However, Cedwyn was not as lucky. He was hit three times on his right side, and twice in his right arm. Evidently, he was wearing some body armor underneath his overcoat, as he had not been instantly killed.

The blaster fire had come from the backseat of a rather nondescript, blue speeder, with tinted windows. The backseat gunner reloaded, and then fired a second round at the bench Glar and Cedwyn were taking cover behind. This volley didn’t manage to chew through the bench, but it seemed like it would just be a matter of time. Glar took out his own blaster pistols, and began firing at the speeder. Glar knew this probably wouldn’t be very effective, but it was the best he could really do in his current situation.