Prey

Posted on Tue Oct 2nd, 2012 @ 12:56am by Sev Rezer & Nala Sao

1,834 words; about a 9 minute read

Chapter: Chapter I: Web of Fate
Location: The Lucky Corellian, Nar Shaddaa
Timeline: Prior to Day One

Sev Rezer walked into "The Lucky Corellian" cantina, not really wanting to be discreet and being successful in it. He wanted to flush his prey out so he would take her. Alive. There were missions where the complexity to find a target started with someone else. In this case, it was a hard target: The so-called Master Axion. But to find him, Sev had to find the Nautolan that had arrived in Nar Shaddaa just two days ago.

The rumor among the underworld is that she was Axion's emissary and that she was looking for an alliance with one of the "slugs" (as Sev preferred to refer to the Hutts). And if everything Sev heard was true, she was probably Force sensitive and most likely a Dark Jedi. That was a challenge, but getting Axion was even more challenging.

As Sev approached the bartender, he wondered again if it was good idea to join business with a personal issue.

"What'll it be, sir?" The Mon Calamari serving behind the counter asked the newcomer, his bulbous eyes twitching at the sight of Sev. "Recently got in a big stock of malt brew from Tatooine yesterday, or a nice collection of my own Calamari Xinphar out back," he went on, throwing a golden-orange digit towards the rear of the public house. At the sight of Sev Rezer and his bionic eye, it was common for the less steely publicans to try and win over his favour with cheap prices or more exotic beverages.

"Any drink from Tatooine taste like sand. I'll pass", Sev said. "I'm actually looking for..."

And then another voice spoke. "Or maybe you Mando scum should just be leavin'." Two figures had walked up to the bounty hunter. Now next to him was a man, probably a couple of years older than Sev, wearing an old tatty uniform of the Outer Rim Alliance Militia, circa the Second Outer Rim Conflict. Behind him was a younger figure, a Weequay, armed with a metal pole. "We don't need your kind 'round here, gettin' yourselves all comfy."

Punctuating the Human's words, the Weequay banged his metal pole against the bar, and at the sound, the Calamari bartender took a step back, evidently having no wish to get involved. Most of the other patrons looked on, probably excited at the thought of seeing a potential brawl start, particularly between a ORA Militiaman and a Mandalorian.

There had been no love lost between the Mandalorians and the Republic since the New Mandalorian Wars, almost a millennia ago, but even after the clans split, causing the Mandalorian Civil War that finally ended their new crusade against the galaxy, many of the Mandalorian Exiles (or "True Mandalorians", as they called themselves) continued to raid and pillage in the Outer Rim. It had been such incidents that - combined with many other factors - led to the First Outer Rim Conflict, and more recently (around twenty years ago) the Second Outer Rim Conflict.

Even though the Republic had "won" both conflicts, ORA veterans still held contempt for the Mandalorians - although not as much as with GalactaWerks, admittedly.

"So what's it gonna be, Mando?" The ex-Militiaman asked, and the Weequay made some unintelligible noise that may have been or curse, or simply drunken gibberish.

Sev turned around and his fist projected straight into the human's jaw, making a crunching noise as it hit. Without losing pace, the Mandalorian threw his right leg straight into the Weequay's stomach, making the alien throw up his food on the ground as he fell. With both opponents down and groaning at their wounds, Sev returned his attention to the Mon Calamari. "As I was saying, I'm looking for a Nautolan female. She's been seen around this area," he threw several creds on the bar stand. "I just need a direction. Nothing more."

"How about just a waiting game?" The bartender asked, his eyes nervously flicking between the two downed patrons and Sev. "She's been meeting a lot with a regular customer of mine. He doesn't get here for another half a standard hour, though." His voice was cautious, and people were still looking their way. It was not surprising that he knew who Rezer was speaking of immediately: this particular Nautolan was very distinctive. "His name's Darras Mavan, h-he's also a, uhh... a Mandalorian. He's one of Zorbo's m-major men. A big shot in his Consortium."

"A name. You get to keep the creds", said Rezer with a nod. He put several hundred more creds on the table. "For the damages."

If the Mon Calamari had an eyebrow, he would have raised it. Not touching the credits, he looked suspiciously at Sev, and asked nervously: "What damages?"

"The future ones," he replied.

Almost an hour passed with Rezer waiting in The Lucky Corellian. As the barkeeper suggested, Darras Mavan arrived about half an hour into the bounty hunter's wait. Unlike Sev, this Mandalorian was at least ten years older, his hair grey and face littered with scars. His armour was still that of a Mandalorian, but it had been repainted black and red, faded and scratched from years of prolonged use. Although Mavan noticed the other Mandalorian and his own armour, he made no comment and continued to enjoy his drink.

Rezer continued to wait until his true target arrived. Through the doors sauntered a lithe and very attractive Nautolan. Her large, translucent eyes had a slight red tint to them, alongside her unusually pale green skin, but it did nothing to draw away from her alluring visage. Even the tribal red tattoos that followed down her head-tails added a distinctive and seductive charm to her, particularly as she walked with grace towards Mavan, her wispy black leather-and-silk outfit trailing from her arms behind her.

This was her: this was Axion's favoured apprentice, Nala Sao, and often his speaker in affairs where he dared not to show his own tattooed face.

Sev Rezer identified her and checked his weapons discreetly. He had counted, aside the Darras Mavan, at least another enforcer that could be working with her. She's not my target. She's a means to get to him. So, she must stay alive. The others are expendable.. He observed her calmly and noticed clearly she was carrying a lightsaber. Not surprisingly: she's his apprentice..

He got up off his chair and walked towards her with a very deliberate and calm step. His eyes measured Mavan's movements as well hers. His hands slowly went to his sides. His heavy rifle was snugly attached to his back, and on his hips two heavy pistols were hanging. He stopped ten paces from the table she was at with Mavan. "Nala Sao. I have some questions for you", he said simply.

The Dark Jedi turned her head in a fluid movement, a small smile tugging at her full and red lips, her deep lipstick reflecting the pale light of the cantina. "Ah, the Mandalorian with a grudge against my master." Nala had taken the seat opposite Mavan, and she crossed her legs as Rezer spoke, thrusting her bosom out slightly. "Is there something I could do to accommodate you, the head of Clan Rezer?"

Mavan was less subtle, and pulled a massive blaster from its holster, heavily-modified and glowing with its overcharged and oversized battery, resting it with a thump onto the table to prove a point. "Maybe the 'Defender' should run home to Manda'toma. Leave the real world to the True Mandalorians, eh?" His unshaven face appeared carved into a permanent grimace - he was not far off what Sev would be in some years time.

"Oh, come now, Darras..." The Nautolan said with sultry tones. "Let poor Nala have a bit of fun first..." A sharp and toothy smile was thrown Rezer's way.

Sev's hands were fast and better-trained than Mavan's. Without effort, he brought forth his pistol that hang on his left hip and without saying anything, fired once directly in Mavan's head. With the other hand, he grabbed an old Thermal Detonator that was on his belt and flipped the switch to activate. The next move would detonate the whole place.

"Axion's location, Nala. That's all I need. You don't owe him nothing and you'll be left alive. Deny me the information and you'll die along with me. I'll blow myself before I'll let you leave. Is that clear?" He said, aiming his pistol at her.

"Such an intense little man," she replied in a soothing but equally chiding tone - almost patronising, in fact. "With such big guns, too," Nala added, her dark magenta eyes looking at the weapon directed at her. "I'd love to help, sweetie, but I'm afraid I don't even know his location... at the moment, anyway."

Slinking out of the chair, Nala paid no heed to Mavan's lifeless head which, having smashed down onto his glass, was bleeding profusely. She made a particular effort to avoid stepping in the claret liquid as the Nautolan ran her pale green finger along the barrel of the Mandalorian's weapon.

"...but it will be no secret soon enough of our alliance with Zorbo the Hutt; Axion intends to gut Grogga for the slug and take what will be ours." Stepping back, she made a slow and purposeful bow before Sev. "And you are humbly invited to try and stop us; my Master will be most excited to learn of your ongoing pestilence."

Nala then let her hand wash over Sev, and he could instantly feel her trying to probe his mind, an attempt to make him deactivate the thermal detonator and place it back, but - given his background as a Jedi hunter - he was more strong-willed the most, and only a slight twitch occurred with his little finger.

"Can't blame a girl for trying," she said, with a slight flick of one of her head-tails, but before anything more could happen she pulled her arm back and threw it forwards again, summoning as much power as she could on the spot to throw the Mandalorian backwards. Although it was not as effective as it could have been, particularly given Rezer's unique abilities and past, Nala was able to use the situation to the best of her talents, and disappeared from The Lucky Corellian quickly.

Sev rolled over his shoulder, his gun already firing in the the place where Nala was a second before. His eyes widened as he remembered thermal detonator. He quickly jumped over a table and found the fallen explosive. With a quick flick of his finger, he turned the detonator off. He slowly rose and brushed off the dirty of his armor. Excess of confidence was my mistake. But she made hers when she told me their plans. Axion's days are over. And I'll kill her for free just for being an annoyance.

Now, I just need to find Grogga before them.

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