The Hunter Games

[Anastasia Rade]

Utapau

One thing that the Jedi Knight enjoyed doing was exploring. There was a whole galaxy out there and she had seen very little of it. Her master taught her to go out there and explore. The young woman was even encouraged to go alone and not take a buddy. As much as Ana enjoyed the company of others it was nice at times to be alone.

Being alone gave her time to clear her head and think about what was important in life. It was out in the forest amongst the trees, plants, and animals that she felt the most at home. She felt free out here to do what she wished when she wanted to especially since nobody else was here to tell her what to do.

Despite the freedom she felt out here Anastasia always kept a watchful eye on her surroundings. The last thing she wished to happen was to be caught off guard and turned into a slave again. Her training as a Jedi and as a Mandalorian had taught her to always be aware of her surroundings.

Shifting the weight of the bag on her back Ana saw up ahead past the forest that she was in light and what looked to be perhaps a clearing. The sun she knew shone brightly however in the middle of the jungle it was hard to catch any rays. There in the clearing would be a good place to rest.

Pushing her way through the trees Ana found that she was right as the sun shone down on her helmet. Quickly she took that off in order to feel those warm rays on her face. This was a good place to rest.

As she took her bag off and set it to the ground Ana thought of taking the armor off as well and truly relaxing. She of course had on clothes underneath just getting sun on her legs right now sounded really nice. Still she was a little weary on her surrounding so she didn't and for now just plopped down.

[member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Cryax Bane]

“This is Syphex to Cryax Bane. We’ve spotted the target on Utapau. Sending you the coordinates.”

Cryax Bane had spies everywhere, especially in the Outer Rim. Lately, the Antecedent crime boss of the Red Ravens had his eye on many people in the galaxy and one of them was Anastasia Rade, Mandalorian Rally Master, Jedi Knight and his former girlfriend. So when one of his spies, a Rodian named Svent Syphex, spotted Rade on Utapau, Cryax was ready to spring into action. What she was doing on that sinkhole of a planet was anybody’s guess, but he supposed if the Maker was smiling on him, he would find out. The Chiss had special plans for Anastasia, ones that involved a certain Emperor of Panatha who was well known for breaking Jedis. Ana herself was just an unknowing pawn in his game of retribution against the Manda’lor who had assaulted him on Antecedent, and dragged him all across the galaxy to apologize to her over his callous method of breaking up with her over text message.

Cryax promptly called in a specialty team that he had on stand by and told them to prepare their ships and set their courses for the Tarabba sector. They would meet at the Pau City Spaceport at the prearranged time. For anyone else the Chiss would simply let his men do the dirty work involved in the planned abduction, but in this case, Cryax had personal reasons for coming along for the ride. Sure it was dangerous for him to go galivanting around the galaxy with a bounty on his head, but for one, he wanted this done right. Plus, his humiliation at the hands of the Manda’lor ran as deep as the famous canyons of Utapau. Being there in the flesh, would let the Chiss savor every moment of his revenge.


[member="Anastasia Rade"] [member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Zenva Vrotoa]

Meditation. A key aspect of learning and mastery of The Force. One standard hour. Every. Single. Day. Still nothing. Well not nothing, it was there. She could feel The Force pulsing around her like the heart beat of a beast beneath her hand as she held it still for a killing blow. And yet she couldn't touch that pulse. There was hide and flesh between them and she had no way to cut through to the life blood of the beast. Long ago she had lost count of how many hours and days she had spent in meditation. Long ago she had lost count of the times she had cursed her mother for giving her half a gift. To feel the pulse but never quench her thirst for this power.

Frustrated and sore from kneeling for the last forty five minutes, the Zabrak was only to happy to be interrupted. A call to arms no less. A fierce smile spread across her face as she listened to the message from her new employer, [member="Cryax Bane"]. A hunt, a delightfully challenging one at that. A Mandalorian Jedi, how does that even happen? Interesting, dangerous, and guaranteed to pay a whole chit ton of credits once the Jedi was captured. This would be fun!

Zenva pulled herself off the floor and started to dress. Her communicator was brought out as she called her causin Zuko, commander of her ship The Crimson Hunter. "Zuko, tell me you have those coordinates from Mr. Bane."

The reply was nearly instantaneous, "Of course causin. Our route is locked in and the hyper drive is coming online as we speak. Orluk wants to know if you are going in alone again?"

Zenva chuckled to herself, "Tell Big O to get ten of his best suited up and ready to go. Flash bangs and glop grenades only, oh and those force braker gas rockets for their wrist launchers. Make sure we get out those force collars Mr. Bane sent us." A gruff voice murmured an affirmative in the background as Zenva continued, "Tell me, is little Ren up there too?"

The comm link filled with rustling and the sounds of shoving briefly before a woman's voice came over the line, still tinged with the high pitched tones of youth, "Right here, lady Zenva! How may I serve ma'am?"

Zenva couldn't help but smile at the note of excitement in her young clan woman's voice, "Good, good. Ren you remember the armor I helped size for you? The suit I took from the rebels? Go put it on and get your rifle. Your on over watch."

A cry of excitement filled the channel, "Yes ma'am! Right away ma'am! I won't let you down!" The sounds of boots slamming the durasteel deck rang out as the young woman ran off to get ready.

Zuko's voice came back to the comm, brimming with anger, "Zenva, are you insane? Ren isn't ready! She's still to young!"

"Peace causin." Zenva kept her voice calm and commanding, as she continued putting on her own armored vest, "There are what, one hundred and seventy clan warriors on this ship? She is our best scout. Besides she is sixteen now. She's ready. She wants this fight."

Zuko cursed a few times, "Fine. When this Jedi charges her and Ren freezes, and you know she will. YOU can explain to aunt Aylia, why her only daughter is dead!" The comm cut out than as Zuko hung up.

Zenva ignored her causin's anger. The Jedi would never know Ren was there. Over watch was the safest place the youth could be while still being on the planet. It would be good practice for young Ren. Zenva finished readying herself. Two combat knives, one on her hip and one in her boot. Her blaster pistol on her right thigh. Her Orolanis Defense Systems Blaster Buster secured to her lower back. Three flash bangs in a container on her side. Finally a decision to make. The trusted Marr-Sonn LD-1 target rifle or the new assault blaster rifle called The Mauler that she had taken from a dead rebel marine? Capture the target, she reminded herself. Target rifle can disable without killing the Jedi. "Right than." Her target rifle was slung across her shoulder and Zenva went down to the hanger bay to look over her forces. Ten Zabrak troopers all armed to the teeth. Rifles, grenades, pistols and wrist mounted rocket launchers. Wrapped securely in their battle armor painted to Vrotoa clan's colors, black, crimson and amber. Of course big Orluk, another of her direct family. The male Zabrak stood an impressive six foot four inches and had a chest like a tree. His armor was custom fit to his combat style. Heavy durasteel plates covered his chest and left arm, leaving his right shoulder and arm completely bare. He claimed the armor slowed him down to much. Maybe it did. Zenva didn't fight with a vibrosword, how would she know? The FC-1 flechette launcher strapped to his chest was no small weapon either. Finally little Ren in her stolen rebel light armor. Quick, silent and dangerous with her heavy duty slug throwing sniper rifle. Maybe Zuko was right, maybe Ren was too young. She still had baby fat in her cheeks.

Zenva shock her head to dispel the thought, "Alright Vrotoa, I want to be on the ground before Mr. Bane get his fancy karking suit buttoned up. Load up!"

Once the corvette, The Crimson Hunter, entered the Utapau system the hanger bay opened. Dropping one lambda shuttle into a low obrit above the planet. The shuttle quickly targeted it's rally point, Pau city spaceport and moved to land.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

She had come to some backwater planet to see what she what treasures she could find. Matsu had shown her that you never know what could be found until you looked. Anastasia also very much enjoyed exploring in the peace and quite. It gave her clarity that there was good out there. There were places beyond Mandalore which were safe. How could she teach her future children about the galaxy if herself didn't explore? One day she would take Aaden out here as well to see all the wonders of the galaxy when he wasn't busy.

Sighing happily she leaned back in the grass as she looked up to the sky. Things couldn't be better than they were right now. She was out of her cage and romping through forests. A thing she could only dream about before now.

Ana wasn't aware that Cryax was on this planet looking for her. She had closed that chapter of her life and didn't want to see him again. The text had been enough for her but seeing him again via her brother was good for closer. Honestly that had helped her too but Cryax had seemed angered to be disturbed. Ana had shrugged it off figuring he would get over it.

[member="Cryax Bane"] [member="Zenva Vrotoa"]