Private To Kill a Prince

[Arris Windrun]

KO HENTOTA

In the streets of Ko Hentota's Swoop Town, word was out to stay away from Jakkar's Hotel, a popular hotspot for gangsters and bookies who keep up with the races.

The upstairs bar was reserved for a private party. Officially, it was Black Sun business, but less officially, it was about one thing and one thing only.

How the hell do we kill the Prince of Parrlay?

The actual act would probably be as simple as a blaster, but getting to him was the tricky part, especially now that the High Republic and the Syndicate were effectively at war. Assaulting Theed directly may've worked if that had surprise on their side, but undoubtedly, the prince would be paranoid and well-guarded after the 604,008 credit bounty went up.

Arris sat alone in the lounge as she awaited the arrival of three others, pouring back a bottle of Tarisian piss ale. No, you did not drink it for taste.

Mercy : The murky Sith killer turned Kaggath superstar. They fought personally and traded contact info afterwards.

Koda Fett : Known to her only by reputation, they never crossed paths in the tournament, but Mauve du Vain said she'd pull some strings.

Xeykard : Known to her only by Mauve's insistence that he was an 'up and comer' as it were. No other details were known, besides a name.

The door slid open as the first arrived.

 

[Mercy]

In came Mercy.

"Ah, Arris darling, you are lookin' much better." Mercy drawled lazily as she dropped herself in the chair opposite of Arris Windrun . The chair groaned in response to the sudden gravitational assault. "I hear this Prince is a right arsehole." Quinn Varanin had filled her in what happened during the invasion and it sounded like a mess.

She wasn't too worried about accomplishing the deed.

These nobles fell like fleas once you had the proper handle to squeeze or the appropriate pressure point to push.

"Nice to see you got replacement arms too." A little smirk there, but then both elbows settled on the table, leaning in there. "Real fething good fight though, haven't had a satisfying fight like that in a long arse time, thank ya for not wasting my time back then."

It was the highest praise anyone had ever received from Mercy when it came to their battle performance.

She ought to be honored.

Koda Fett Xeykard

 

[Xeykard]

Xeykard was last -- holding the door for the Number One himself. Fett was reliable, impossibly competent. Mercy was a wild card only in how violent she would be getting, not whether or when. His snout, thankfully, intact after their last meeting. But Windrun...

Despite his stature and demeanor, Xeykard was no brute. He was studious. He'd learned the faces and styles of a thousand potential opponents; key players of every nation, third parties of note, Sith and Jedi and everything between. He knew his strengths and theirs. It was why he'd challenged Mercy at the Kaggath, if only briefly; any longer and he'd have suffered more than a broken nose. It was why he'd avoid Fett in any confrontation that he couldn't plan, and even then, avoid that further. But his pride still said he would win.

He'd watched Windrun at the Kaggath. The first round, he'd dismissed her and her opponent both. By the end... his pride still said he would win, but how long that would remain true was the real question. At the Empire's height, she would have been brought under tight control or purged as young as possible. Now -- what would she learn next? What would she take from Fett, from him?

As it stood, his expectations for this operation were mixed. The four of them were killers. Fett the most flexible, Xeykard the richest in resources, Mercy the strongest, Windrun... that he did not know, perhaps, was where the danger came from. But they were fighters. Assassinations needed a particular kind of tact. Alone, perhaps, he could do it; living to tell the tale was a different matter.

He kept his reservations to himself, his mask like Fett's.

"Mercy," he said. "This one thought the killing of the weak beneath you. A welcome surprise." It was a close to a joke as he'd ever gotten.

"Windrun." A look. Nothing else.

He took his seat at the table.

Arris Windrun | Mercy | Koda Fett ​

 

[Koda Fett]

He loomed over the table, standing outside the booth the other three lounged in.

His helmeted gaze tore over the three of them. One hired him for a long-term job in Sith space, and another more recently tried to kill him on Hapes in some challenger's bout. It wasn't personal, never was, and so he could look on her with something less than a contemptuous glare.

"Shame we're on a team now," said the bounty hunter, "I liked hurting you."

Though, as if it were never said, Fett turned to look at Arris. She was not yet known to him, nothing beyond a faint traces of memories and a name. She was at the Kaggath, did well enough for her name to show up a handful of times, but he was never there as a spectator.

"Mauve tells me you have a job for me."

Arris Windrun - Mercy - Xeykard

 

[Arris Windrun]

Mercy arrived first. Unsurprising.

Less surprising was the banter. Even their fight began with a conversation much like the one they had now.

"Yeah, the guy sure is punchable."

"Nice to see you got replacement arms too." A little smirk there, but then both elbows settled on the table, leaning in there. "Real fething good fight though, haven't had a satisfying fight like that in a long arse time, thank ya for not wasting my time back then."

"You might be surprised at how often I change my arms, babe." It really ate into her paycheck.

Their banter would have to wait, it seemed, as two more arrived in short order. The silhouette of the large Barabel stood by the door and held it for the infamous Bounty Hunter to step on in. Calling Koda Fett a Legend was like calling fire hot.

The other, the doorman, was the biggest mystery to her, and the circle of familiarity made Windrun feel the odd one out. Maybe she was the mystery.

"Windrun." A look. Nothing else.

A curt nod in return as he took a seat. Xeykard and Mercy seemed to know each other. Was that good?

"Mauve tells me you have a job for me."

"I do," she replied. "For all of us."

She pressed a button on a remote, and the table between them lit up with a holographic projection of one Aurelian Veruna .

"Met the guy personality. Called himself the 'Future King of Naboo', so that's where I'm guessing he lives. Boss put up a 600-thou-cred bounty on the guy for kicking off the bloodbath on Wielu. Though he ran away before we could blow his brains out."

Arris let the hologram remain and took another swig from her bottle. "Guy's easy to hate, so I imagine he has plenty of enemies back home."

"Thoughts?"

 

[Mercy]

"Mercy," he said. "This one thought the killing of the weak beneath you. A welcome surprise." It was a close to a joke as he'd ever gotten.

"Killing is like a sport, big boy, sometimes its fun for a pro to go shoot fish in a barrel." Mercy drawled lazily as she waved hello to both Xeykard and Koda marching into the room. Mostly it was teasing bravado though. The prince himself might be not worth much of a damn in a fight, but Naboo and the High Republic would probably defend their own furiously.

If only to show they weren't weak.

"Shame we're on a team now," said the bounty hunter, "I liked hurting you."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry, babe." She continued as she watched the bucket head settle in place. "Knowing us, we will find more opportunities to fight, maybe this time around I will finally get to see what you hide beneath that visor." A little curl of her lips upwards. "If I don't wrench your whole head off with the helmet still attached to it."

But it was all delivered in good-humor. It was nothing personal. There were predators in life, who came across one another, unable to kill each other and would never miss a chance for another shot. That is who they were. Mercy was a nightmare who had just toppled a Queen and it didn't seem she was stopping any time soon. Koda had faced Sith Emperors and Jedi Grandmasters, bagging bounties both big and small.

Then again, Mercy only had to get lucky once, Koda had to be lucky over and over and over again. She wasn't worried. One day she'd catch him slipping and then that would be it for the legendary bounty hunter.

Finally the main event arrived with the quip exchange dying down. Mercy listened and then Arris posed the question.

"Thoughts?"

"Does he often leave his nest on Naboo? Easier to catch him if he off-world. I imagine Naboo will protect one of their sons, will be a right pain in the arse to try and get him on his home turf." Especially now that that bounty was put on his head. They'd be seeing it coming from a mile away, any attempt.

Xeykard Koda Fett Arris Windrun

 

[Xeykard]

Studious Xeykard spilled his hand a touch, to fill in the gaps.

"He is a Senator. The Republic's High Assembly -- of an agricultural world. Plooriod III. He makes visits out of pity to them. His family is of Parrlay, less a city and more a fortress, a short trip from Theed. They rule as some Sith might.

"It would be rare to catch him offworld. His business may take him elsewhere, but there is no consistent schedule, nor one that is public." He flexed his right hand. A new, yet small addition, for Fett and Mercy -- thick neuranium rings on two fingers, less like adornment, more like weapons.

"Without insider knowledge -- any attempt outside of Naboo is up to chance. A sufficient lure must be presented. Else, you must prepare for Theed. Not impossible. Not easy."

Arris Windrun | Mercy | Koda Fett ​

 

[Arris Windrun]

"He is a Senator. The Republic's High Assembly -- of an agricultural world. Plooriod III. He makes visits out of pity to them. His family is of Parrlay, less a city and more a fortress, a short trip from Theed. They rule as some Sith might.

A Senator?

Arris just had a thought. She pulled up her datapad and began to search as Xeykard continued to advise.

"Aha!" She finally interjected. "Looks like they have an upcoming session." The nice thing about more 'democratic' regimes was the public accessibility of information.

Maybe catching him off-world would be the easiest route, but...

Assaulting the Senate to kill one guy? "Sounds fun."

Koda Fett | Mercy

 

[Koda Fett]

One day, Fett would take his shot and Mercy would take hers.

The job on offer now reminded him of the assault on the Coruscant senate, in which he almost blew the then-Chancellor to pieces if not for her Jedi defenders. And now served to remind him of an upcoming job, too.

He pulled out a holo-display of his own, holding it in his palm and settling his visored eyes over what displayed the High Chancellor of the High Republic.

"Black Sun is sending in a team to capture their Chancellor," it was no small wonder as to how he learned of such, "Senate will be on lockdown after that, no chance of hitting it twice. Hit him off-world, or... I can put you in contact with the right people."

Arris Windrun - Xeykard - Mercy

 

[Xeykard]

Kidnap the Chancellor... an opportunity to cause more damage, more chaos in the High Republic. Two key leaders gone in a single stroke. Success would, of course, be preferable; a considerable sum for his use, and a blow to the Republic, but even failure would suffice. A sufficiently spectacular attack would shake public confidence, force a new paranoia upon them. A tighter grip, that it might be more wholly broken open.

But dangerous. More factors in play, more hunters that might fail. He weighed the odds.

"It may be an opportunity for a lesser prize," he said. "Utilize the chaos. Bug his office, his ship. Patience, until he slips.

"But... this one would not be against joining the Black Sun in their attempt at the Chancellor. There would be time for both."

Arris Windrun | Mercy | Koda Fett ​

 

[Mercy]

A slow stretch there as Mercy listened to all sides.

It was the Chancellor mission that piqued her interest.

"Sounds like the biggest opportunity to cause mayhem." Mercy said with a little yawn. "I'd say let's swat two flies in one. We join the mission to kidnap the Chancellor, but then go and grab the Princeling. If we cause enough problems we might draw more attention our side and make it easier for the others to grab the Chancellor."

She smirked a little there.

"That's my vote anyway."

Shouldn't have surprised any of the people involved. The moment she realized it would cause the most damage, the most mayhem? Mercy was all in on it.

Xeykard | Arris Windrun | Koda Fett

 

[Arris Windrun]

All this talk about kidnapping a head of state had Arris downright elated.

It was only a little while ago that the cyborg was a nobody, the dark horse who entered the Kaggath, and now they were talking about upending the Senate and snatching a head of state. Crazy stuff. Fucking cool.

"I'm with Mercy on this one," she said. "Why not try to off him then and there? The chancellor will be the bigger target, right?"

She overexplained to justify her itch. "Look - this guy has the most annoying face in the galaxy. We kill him, or he continues to build a reputation as the galaxy's most detestable runaway politician. Either route ends in a sudden death."

She looked at Fett. "I wanna know these 'right people."

Mercy | Koda Fett | Xeykard

 

[Koda Fett]

"I could," he put the holo-display aside, stowed in one of many waist-lined pouches. "It would mean trialing for their team, if there's enough interested parties."

If enough hunters felt themselves up to the task, the Black Sun would need to cut down their number somehow. Too many moving parts, and things became far too chaotic. Too uncontrollable. A series of puzzles, discerning one's ability to solve problems on the fly all while encouraging each other to screw one another over. All because it was expected in this particular line of work.

"Or, when the Black Sun make their move, I can give you the details to move off the back of. For a cut of the deal. With hunters after the chancellor, it'll leave the prince open."

Arris Windrun - Xeykard - Mercy

 

[Arris Windrun]

"I can give you the details to move off the back of. For a cut of the deal."

"Done."

As far as Arris was concerned, plenty of credits remained on the table, and she expected each of them to walk away with a cut anyway. Even if the Legend's role in all of this would amount to something less direct.

She turned to Mercy and Xeykard next. "Well? I think it's a two-person job - at least - but three on the target feels easy creds to me. Unless one of you is itching a scratch real bad on the Chancellor?" She grinned.

The thought of a two-person job drew up a memory from the cyborg's youth. She recalled a day on Talus. Some merchant owed the boss big, and she tagged along with two experienced thugs. Their plan was pretty simple: have the biggest among them scare the target and chase him down a path where the other two waited. Tired and cornered.

Arris revealed the thought like so. "Hmm... Once the Chancellor is on the run, I bet the others will make themselves scarce. Maybe one person goes straight for the Prince - y'know, cut him off and send him running? Then one - or two - of us can try to scramble ahead and be ready for him."

 

[Mercy]

Arris Windrun Xeykard Koda Fett

She shrugged softly.

"I think we all know that from the four of us, I am the most explosive. If anyone can send the little Princeling running, it will be me." if Mercy could actually kill Aurelian Veruna , she'd be incredibly pleased. It had nothing to do with Quinn. She wasn't one to be overly sentimental about things like that.

Every time they stepped onto a battlefield, they risked being killed, that was what made it beautiful.

No, she just got the taste for it now. She had murdered the Queen Mother of Hapes and planted someone on the throne who pleased her greatly. It would just be delicious to murder a prince and watch him bleed out slowly in front of her.

She hadn't been able to truly savor that first kill. Koda had taken her attention afterwards, this time around Mercy planned to truly enjoy it.

"Xeykard is big enough to act like a wall." Mercy pointed out. "I'd suggest he waits for the Princeling and Arris stalks him from the shadows, herding him if need be." They couldn't predict with full accuracy where the prince would run after all. Secret tunnels, trap doors, just plain lack of luck. Anything could happen that would divert his path.

 

[Xeykard]

The plan laid itself out in his mind. Dependent on timing, luck, and the two of them… once more, more research would be required. Odds needed stacking. His claws would be the only ones for Veruna.

“Suitable. A wall. But, this one has doubts.” Slitted eyes took to Windrun. “This one saw you at the Kaggath. You can fight. Can you, as Mercy says, stalk from the shadows?”

Arris Windrun | Mercy | Koda Fett ​

 

[Arris Windrun]

"I'm resourceful," Arris began, "but shadowy?" She wondered.

"I will find a way to strike him. It might not be a traditionalist's idea of stealth, but I promise he won't expect it. If nothing else, all three of us will close in on him. He won't escape us twice."

Xeykard | Mercy | Koda Fett