Target Acquired

[Darth Abyss]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT0UQHqaNy8

Manea, The Dead Dragon - Throne Room
The Underworld was a dirty place, no matter the planet. Here a life was only worth as much as it cost to pay someone to pull the trigger, and yet it was money that ruled it above all.

The Dead Dragon was a quite lucrative establishment, impressive in size, interesting for various different kinds of patrons and well connected. That was a truth not just known by its owner, Darth Abyss, known within the Underworld only as the Prophet, but by every gang and cartel in close proximity to it. So it came to no surprise to the Prophet that every once in a while someone would grow overconfident and raid the Casino or the Bars below.

If Manea had been his world he would've simply responded by annihilation, but he was a merely a guest on the planet invited for the purpose of keeping an eye on the lower levels. That meant that he generally accepted that it was more effective to defend his property and otherwise remain silent, little more then a watcher.

That had changed during the last raid. Instead of the amateurish attempts of the past, he had faced a precise, efficient operation. In the end it had failed like those before it, but the people that planned it and set it in motion remained a threat for the days to come. Not only had they managed to get past his security, but they also made an effort to make it personal by damaging the elegant, gigantic skeleton that gave his establishment its name.

In response Abyss had decided to do the exact opposite. If they meant to make it personal, he would make it as impersonal as a assassination could be. His contacts brought him word of a IG-Droid that recently had been activated and now offered its deadly service to everyone with deep pockets.

The husk, a hollow armor formed from blood and cursed steel, held together by little more then darkness and eldritch alchemy, rested on his throne. His room was only illuminated by various green flames born through arcane arts, filling the stone chamber with a ghostly light. His body was utterly motionless, like a sculpture placed upon his seat, while he waited for the droid to arrive.

[member="IG-91"]

 

[IG-91]

Manea - Level 5 Landing Pad

It would be the first deal he's ever done with a Sith. IG-91 being a machine, was unfamiliar with the sense of fear or being nervous. However, he expected this mission to be more gruesome than any before due to the nature of the Sith. The loud whirring of the double ion engines could be heard as he made a slow, calculated landing on a public platform. A clinking sound could be heard as his steel feet collided with the platform surface while he exited the ship.

He'd look around, scanning the area with his sensors. The cold stares of nearby tourists who had never seen a droid other than those that served them would be seen. IG-91 would march over to the edge of the platform, and look down. The message he received stated he needed to make his way to "The Dead Dragon" and then Level 480. He'd calculate the distance there after scanning the very deep pit below him. IG-91 would turn around and walk over to an elevator next to the platform he landed on. The doors would detect his motion, and slide open quickly. IG-91 would step forward and turn around, to face the metallic panel next to the doors.

He'd hit the glowing "Level 477" button, and almost instantly the doors would close and the elevator would begin dropping downwards. IG-91 would look around the trashed and scarred elevator. Had he not been a droid without a sense of smell, he was sure the stench would overwhelm him. After several minutes of dropping, the elevator dinged and the doors opened up to Level 477. He'd step out, and look to his right and left. All that could be seen was filth, and bodies that were unknown to be alive or deceased. The droid would continue to look around using his sensors to detect the building he was told to find. Only one truly stood out from the other bright and flashing casinos. The Dead Dragon. IG-91 would walk over to the entrance. Just from outside of the main entrance, yelling and laughing could be heard. He'd step into the building, and see lights, games, and large crowds of people around said games.

He'd of course ignore these people as they were irrelevant, and look for an available elevator. After spotting one, he'd march through a crowd into the elevator where he'd press "Level 480" on the button panel. As IG-91 would expect for the elevator to begin moving, instead he'd be given an error.

"Error. Security check not fulfilled." would be told to IG-91, by a robotic voice from above. He'd begin scanning the metal panel with the buttons, until he noticed an area for card placement. He'd assume it was for clearance card of sorts, and begin slicing the panel. After quite some time going through the security systems, he found his way through and got the system to let the elevator go. He'd hit the Level 480 button again on the panel, and this time the doors would close and whirring would be heard as the elevator sped downwards to Level 480.

As the doors would open, IG-91 would hear crackling from the green flames on both sides of the room. He'd step forward, into the Sith's presence. The assassin droid would prepare for whatever the Sith had to say.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

Over a camera feed within the elevator Abyss watched the Droid's attempt at slicing into his sanctum with great interest. The chances of a living being doing the same were small, they feared the sith and only very few were willing to take the risk of insulting or otherwise angering one of them. Not so [member="IG-91"], like most of his kind he didn't knew fear, or love, or any emotion for that matter. It was the thing Abyss enjoyed about working with Droids. Other then the lesser beings that still had such primal needs as food, air and sleep, Droids had ascended above the chains of the flesh in their own way.

"Welcome."

The voice of the Prophet echoed through the cold room, a distorted whisper that didn't originated within the hollow armor but instead simply formed from thin air, without his metal jaw moving once. As a Droid his guest would be unable to hear the strange layers that followed it, eldritch noises that crawled into reality from beyond the veil. Yet he still expected the Droid to be confused about his state of being.

He was nothing more then hollow metal, neither flesh nor technology but a being of an entirely different nature, and most likely unlike anything a Droid Assassin had ever encountered. Even if he couldn't feel fear, the illogical, reality defying existence of the Prophet was hopefully enough to send the Droid's circuits to work, and from his reaction he would be able to guess if he was as advanced as the others of his series.

"I was told you are offering your services. I need someone erased, clean, quick and impersonal. State your price."

It was uncommon in the Underworld that there wasn't a fixed pay, but Abyss wore that oddity like medal. He famed himself for being able to offer anything, from credits to the souls of the dead, and many had come to him for those options.

 

[IG-91]

IG-91’a auditory and visual scanners would begin lightly buzzing and slightly overheating as they attempted to process what was being analyzed from Darth Abyss. Information was being found, but his systems were having issues comprehending it. He ignored these effects, and began running calculations on the request from Abyss.

IG-91 didn’t think as a biological being, but still was capable of extreme logical thinking. A good standing with the Sith and their business was obviously something most assassins and bounty hunters could only dream of. He decided it would be best to give this request his all. His vocoder would crackle, and then smoothly let out;

“My calculations determine only twelve thousand credits and future business with the Sith for such a clear request.” IG-91 wouldn’t be able to read Abyss’ expression towards such a statement. It was as if there wasn’t any expression.

“All I need is a name. Any extra information is nothing but a bonus.” He’d state clearly. He’d find himself of greater value due to such a “no questions asked” way of business.

 

[IG-91]

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"I accept your terms."

It was probably one of the best deals Abyss had made so far. He had enough credits to not care for even a second about 12000, and in the case that the Droid would do his job well then he had planned on hiring him again anyway. In that regard it was already a victory, even if his enemies still were allowed to breath, even if it was only for a little bit longer.

"The target goes by the handle "Shade". Her real identity is unknown to me or any of my sources."

The husk raised his left, and from the shadows of the throne room a small figure appeared. Without a word the pale, blue eyed agent stepped towards [member="IG-91"], with a datapad in his hands. He offered the small device to the Bounty Hunter before quietly fading back into the darkness. On the datapad the Droid would find a list of known locations and confirmed associates of the target, yet neither of them would lead him directly to her.

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Manea, Level 465 - Abandoned Apartment Building

The wide window was filled by the flashing, violent lights of the countless clubs above and below until a black curtain was pulled in front of it.

Shade, a thin woman with raven black hair and yellow, cybernetic eyes that hadn't yet reached her thirties, allowed herself a last look outside, before her room grew dark. With the world below pushed out of her mind she returned back to her terminal, her robotic left typing faster then two natural hands ever could, while her eyes continued to scan the countless lines of code running down on the display. Besides the terminal rested her trusty blaster, waiting for any unexpected guests.

Not that she considered it very likely that anyone would find her. She had spend a considerable effort hiding her name, location and identity, and the selected few that knew any of them were either dead or knew that they would be if they talked.

At least that was what Shade had fallen to believe.

 

[IG-91]

IG-91 would receive the datapad in his steel hands, analyzing the information provided on it. With each location came a name and identity profile of someone. He presumed these people were in relation to “Shade”.

After going through several of the provided locations, he decided that he would make his way to an associate who was listed as a crime lord. His logical thinking determined that a crime lord should have the most information, and the most to lose.

“I’ll be going after this crime lord listed here first. An easy mark who will have information.”