Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Two Paths

@[member="Harkin Kane"] | Forest on the planet of Seltos


Sunlight filtered down through the tall trees, a light breeze causing the branches to sway. A small path zigged through the forest floor, barely noticeable in the undergrowth. It was well trod, suggesting the path had been taken time and time again. According to her map, it was lead her up through the valley and to the base of a mountain. Delila had heard rumors that mountain had a series of caverns that the Bando Gora had once used as a base. The redhead highly doubted it though. Seemed far off from the last known location of the creatures. Yet....she wanted to see for her own eyes.

Shifting her pack, Delila did not look the walking armory as she normally did. Sure, her blaster rifle was nestled along her back, along with some explosives jostling in the pack. Yet she had tried to keep it light. This wasn't some assignment after all. This was....an off day or something similar.

Brush tangled in her boot and along her form fitting cargo pants, causing Delila to stop and pull the offending vegetation out from her limb. Yet, she wasn't alone, something Delila still found a little odd. @[member="Thessa Kai"] had passed the contact of a bounty hunter friend of hers along with a wink and small smile.

Just because you're married and pregnant doesn't mean its meant for all of us.

Thessa perhaps didn't see it that way, she was just trying to help out. Plus the company was nice in case she died. Someone would have to haul her carcass back home.

" So....I'm sure there are a million things you could be doing right now" Grunting, the vegetation was ripped away and she straightened. "I'd like to apologize. One simply does not ignore the demands of a pregnant woman. The kid got violent before all those hormones started runnin' through her."
 

Harkin Kane

Back In The Saddle
A breeze managed to tenaciously squeeze its way through the trees. Seeming to come in brief waves it was received as an occasional moment of compassion from mother nature. Carried on the breeze was a plethora of scents identical to those of Alderan. Harkin hadn't felt so at ease in a long time. The feint scent of the woman in front of him as well as her audible struggle with the forces of nature kept Harkin from drifting off into the far crevasses of his mind. The man trudged softly behind the woman struggling far less with the vengeful vegetation seeking to see @Delia Castillon fall.

Harkin often times missed his time with the KCP. At the time he had become so entwined with the forests of Alderan it pained him to have to return to Terrarium City when he was called on. "Nah, you kidding? I'm having a blast!," He straightened the carbine on his back as he continued. "And you wouldn't believe what we were into when Thess sprung this match making ordeal. Still like you said, Itta got ugly to have said no." ​He laughed as he caught up to Delia making note of something scurrying off from some point to his right. Man was it good to see trees again...
 
@[member="Harkin Kane"]

"Honestly, I can imagine about a hundred life and death situations that Thee finds casual.Ship crashing into a planet? Have a dinner party. Getting shot at? Give birth. Hostage? Organize her coupons."

Walking along the ill-marked trail, Delila shrugged. Thessa might have been completely crazy, but the woman was an excellent friend. Even if they didn't see one another quite so often. Really, it was her own fault, Thessa was busy after all. Delila certainly had the time on her hands to visit anytime, it was just the matter of not intruding in on the Galans personal life.

"Anyways, glad you're having a good time despite the potential of death looming over us - both from our crazed friend and what I'm looking for."

Delila wasn't so worried about the Bando Gora. She wasn't a total idiot, it wasn't as if she was going to fight them on her own. Her style was more throw in a grenade and watch the fireball. Although she had no grenades on her. If she came across her targets there would have to be some type of improvisation with her hiking partner waited at a safe distance.

"So....how'd you two meet? You own a business or something? Got that security consultant look written all over you."
 

Harkin Kane

Back In The Saddle
"Oh do I?" Harkin laughed beside @[member="Delila Castillon"], "I usually get the baker look," He joked. Striding softly next to the woman he made mental notes of the different herbs and natural oddities on the path. It would be incredibly easy to lose their way back. Harkin was curious as to if the woman intended to bag a cultist or two or simply sight see. Either way it was far more interesting than combing the outer rim for any noise pertaining to a certain Sith.


"I was, er am, a bounty hunter. Sorta." Harkin looked over expecting a look of confusion. The Galan's endeavors of the last few months made the company of a hunter a ludicrous idea. But that is what made the whole thing so damn funny, and truth be told, it directly caused this rump through the jungle. "At the time I was still guild so I was getting updates about em on Nar Shaddaa. Yeah the two of em took a trip to the smuggler's moon when she hadda bounty." He shook his head thinking about it. He hoped the group's (including himself's) poor decision making didn't pass to his godchild. "So I helped em outta the whole Bane mess that I'm sure she told you about, and the rest is pretty much history." He looked towards Delila, "I'm sure the gang had an interesting first encounter with you as well."
 
@[member="Harkin Kane"]

Delila was one of the few that had drug Thessa out of Bane's capture. The kid never really did explain what had exactly happened, although the redhead remembered the deep depression and alcoholism her friend fell into. At the time, Delila had been living the high life with Omega Pyre, even bringing her mermaid best friend to stay with her at her apartment to shake loose what Bane did.

Still, Delila never found out. If she ever saw Bane or had a chance to find him, the Sith would no doubt die a painful,slow death by her hand.

"Bounty hunter eh? Not exactly my first guess.Yet you're no longer with a guild...which I find even more interesting...."

She wasn't going to pry into his life. After all, both were only here out of mere obligation.

"Thessa and I served in the same military. I met her at a party and almost hit her then fiancee with a large pipe. I don't know her....husband....much at all.So far he's taking care of the Kid, but we'll see. She seems happy which is all I could want for her." Delila chuckled and looked to Harkin "For kriff's sake, I sound like an overprotective family member."

In a way, Thessa kinda was family to her.
 

Harkin Kane

Back In The Saddle
Harkin laughed with Delila, "Yeah, you're telling me. I felt like the harping parent through the whole thing." Harkin shrugged a bit. "It looked bad for the guild for a cowboy to intentionally frak up a bountyhead ya know." He gave an apologetic look for his word choice but continued. "And I might uh took a shot or two at a colleague which is kinda frowned on even for bounty hunters." He gave a smirk and a shrug towards the woman. "But whatya gonna do?"

Harkin had suspected the woman to be military. There is a certain passion that only soldiers posses. It can be seen in their stride. It's a glint in their eyes. Thess had talked about piloting for the Republic so Harkin was gonna go out on a limb and put two and two together. "Republic then?" Realizing how scattered he was he attempted to clarify, You said same military, so you served under the Republic?"

'Geez Harkin words are nice...' Stowing away on the Siren was Harkin's initial greeting to the couple, and even his introduction to his late wife was accidental. First impressions were most defiantly not a strong point for the old sailor.


@[member='Delila Castillon']
 
@[member="Harkin Kane"]

Delila shrugged with him, not pretending to know the ins and outs of the bounty hunter lifestyle. As an entire collective, an entire guild of bounty hunters seemed like an ill idea. Didn't seem like a group that would sit down and hash things out sensibly. Trudging along, Delila briefly checked their location. They were getting close. The valley only wound so far until their destination, the very end of the line so to speak.

"Yes, for quite some time." Pausing briefly, she shook her head. "Don't quite agree with the Republic of late though. Best we don't talk about it. Not unless you want a crazed rant."

Giving a bit of a sad smile, clearly in thought, she slowly changed the topic.

"We should be arriving soon. You can wait at the bottom, shouldn't take me fairly long to do what I came to do."
 

Harkin Kane

Back In The Saddle
Harkin realized that he might of struck a nerve. He gave an apologetic smile and tilted his head to peer into the canopy.

"You and me, we're soldiers, can't let the politics get you down. I've been from one system to the next and lemme tell you, it's all the same chit. But if one group grants the means to help someone, Empire, Republic, Omega, take it, and when that opportunity diminishes let them get back to their money squandering and power grabbing. Maybe it's simply to justify my wasted life, but I feel like I did a lot more good as a merc then I've seen a lot of G.I.s and suits pull in their tours."

Harkin could have very well overstepped his boundaries, but if he was nothing else, he was passionate in his beliefs. He kept a strong, straight expression on his face still peering into the top of the trees. There was a time Harkin would have signed with the Republic as well, but they didn't take kindly to convicted murderers. Especially those who would carry out the murder in the streets of Coruscant. Frack em...



Delila Castillon said:
"We should be arriving soon.

Harkin nodded in agreement as @[member="Delila Castillon"] spoke. That was until she offered a spot on the sidelines. "And let you check this out alone? Hell no." Again the man's directness might have been to much. Realizing this fact he included, "Thess would kill me if I let a cultist cook you in a stew." He gave his best award winning Harkin Kane smile.
 
@[member="Harkin Kane"]

"Kind words, no doubt. You understand....to a point.....I don't feel comfortable discussing it."

Of course, at this point she probably seemed like a total queen. Yet Delila had her reasons. She truly didn't want to discuss her thoughts on the matter with Harkin. It wasn't just the man, her lips had been sealed for quite some time on the matter. It was more of a thing she quietly seethed about, entering the back of her mind now and again. Vegetation lapped at her calves once again, the trail winding higher. The valley they were in was littered with slow slung mountains covered in trees , so traversing upwards was less than a challenge than usual. No repelling. No free handed rock grabs up a sheer cliff.

As they ascended higher, Delila started to keep her head on more of a swivel, bringing the blaster rifle off her back and into her hands.

'What she doesn't know wont hurt her. I guarantee the Kid is sitting by the pool, eating chocolate and debating what color to paint Kid Jrs room." Catching his smile, Delila merely shook her head. Part of her wondered if Thessa now had this parental mojo now that she was pregnant and knew she had been planning this trip. Somehow....the mermaid knew."Alright. If you die, it isnt my fault."
 

Harkin Kane

Back In The Saddle
Harkin nodded laughing silently behind the woman. Ghosts of the past he could relate to all to well. If she didn't want to discuss the past it wouldn't hurt his feelings.



Delila Castillon said:
"Alright. If you die, it isnt my fault."

"Hell, a bouquet of flowers and I'll call it square deal?"

Harkin didn't draw the carbine from his back, but the blaster saddled to his hip hung in silent anticipation. He followed the woman close. Close enough to make an attempt at her safety, but distant enough to not be a hovering nuisance. Harkin wasn't well versed with knowledge of the cult but knew enough to know they were trouble. The force itself made the man a tad weary.


@[member='Delila Castillon']
 
@[member="Harkin Kane"]

"Bouquet of flowers? Isn't that what you're supposed to be bringing me?""

Letting out a rather un-annoyed hmph, their ascent continued higher. The trail diverged and Delila stood for a long moment, looking over the trail markers to determine where she wanted to head. In the end, they were walking parallel to a second path, picking their way through the woods. Dells had grown quieter now, concentrating on the task at hand.Which was more or less not getting shot at this point.

The cave entrance was just ahead and Delila set up shop in a section of thick brush and fallen logs. Digging the macrobionics from her bag, the redhead was soon on her belly in the brush, searching. It took a long moment for her to find the brush covered entrance. Nearly holding her breath and she searched around the entrance more, Delila saw movement within the cave. It was the first time Reavers had taken up shop in caves. Last experience she had been captured and drug into one though.

She offered the macrobinoculars over to Harkin.

"Fairly certain they're in there. Not many."
 

Harkin Kane

Back In The Saddle
Harkin, with his belly in the dust as well, snagged the optics and peered into the darkness.

"I'm assuming you want the cave intact huh?" He joked with intentional disappointment in his voice. As he handed the optics back to @[member="Delila Castillon"] he gave his pack a pat, "Ya know, fire works lighten up any date."

He was only joking of course, that was unless she agreed to it. In which case he would gladly oblige. The man was unsure of the motives to their current location and actions, but he was having a good time. Isn't that all that matters in the end? Harkin began pulling from his bag and tossing things into it. He had attached a light on top of the rifle as well as a single shot slug thrower to the bottom rail. He slid half a dozen slugs into the mesh on the side of the bag and held a frag grenade towards the redhead with a smirk...
 
@[member="Harkin Kane"]

"Lighten up eh? Its been that terrible? Not surprising."

The last two words were muttered for herself. Leaning on one elbow, she watched him pull little goodies from his bag, mainly slugthrowers. Delila found little use for such primitive weapons, the only slugthrower in her use was a bolter. Even then, the little gun was more like a miniature grenade launcher than a real gun. Her blue eyes lit up at the offer of a frag however.

"Aw, how'd you know?"

Sliding into position better, Delila set the charge and tossed it into the cave, landing just inside the entrance.
 

Harkin Kane

Back In The Saddle
"You kidding I'm having a blast!" He gave a big smile as he handed over the grenade, "Pun intended of course."

He had noticed the slight look she had given the attachment as he had affixed the slug thrower to the bottom rail. 'Must not be a fan of gore', He thought to himself. Perhaps he had grown far to diluted and warped to let it bother him. Perhaps it really was a bad thing. But the universe was big and bad, and in his experience inhumane and ruthless often lead to life over death. He slept sound enough. He had grown attached to the slugs while running with the Bluehawks. They didn't pierce the hull of a ship like laser rounds would. But damned if you missed the mark.

His attention was brought back as [member="Delila Castillon"] tossed the explosive into the mouth of the cave. Harkin peered towards the cage with anticipation...
 
[member="Harkin Kane"]

A moment of silence followed by an ear splitting boom shortly later. Rocks and debris rained down on the forest and their location. Gripping her blaster, Delila ducked her head down and waited as the rock chunks pelted her back. It was over in the span of seconds and Delila was moving just as fast. She wanted to see the damage up close and personal. Perhaps shoot a few Reavers.

Crunching over the forest floor and through the settling smoke, the cave was partially collapsed. Half-crouching, Delila approached from the side. A dying Reaver lay near the entrance and she swiftly put a blaster bolt through its head without hesitation. Sliding against jagged rock, the redhead made her way into the cave. It was the general Reaver set up, only with some type of odd shrine off to one side now. It sort of looked like [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] . Must have really made an impression on the Bando Gora.

A shadow caught her eye and she fired, only to have the shadow miss and shoot back. Slinking behind a rock the best she could, a small firefight started to ensue.
 

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