Scouring the Galaxy: Dark Bounty (Open to all Bounty Hunters)

[Darth Vader]

:: En route to the Joluuvar system, the Dark Lord pondered his next move. Turning to a bridge officer, Vader asked the crewman a question. ::

Where is Admiral Jeyet?

[TSO Naval Officer]

Keying up a query on his terminal, the junior officer turned to Vader.

Ensign Nade: He is in a briefing, m'lord. Shall I summon him?

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[Darth Vader]

No...leave him to me.

:: Vader approached a wall console, activating a panel that projected a holographic image of Admiral Jeyet on the command deck. ::

Admiral Jeyet...

[TSO Naval Officer]

Jeyet quickly separated himself from his briefing, giving Vader his fullest attention.

Admiral Jeyet: Yes, Lord Vader? How may I be of service?

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[Darth Vader]

Admiral, drop the ship out of hyperspace immediately, and prepare to send a broadband transmission.

[TSO Naval Officer]

Jeyet's brow knit with concern

Admiral Jeyet: Is there a problem, Lord Vader? We are proceeding to the Joluuvar System as you commanded. Do you have new plans for the battle fleet?

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[Darth Vader]

No, Admiral...only for your command ship. The rest of the battle group will proceed on course.

Bring the Stormcloud to a halt, and send a signal to all known bounty hunter communication channels.

I wish to extend an offer they cannot refuse.

[Kal Jericho]

An old, battered, not to mention stolen, YT-2400 was resting idle on an asteroid amongst the mainy that paved the way to the Joluuvar System. The power was on low, with communications, life support and shields being the only functioning systems. Only one being was on board. A 38 year old freelance-"anythinger" named Kal. He was laying low, hiding from a group of pirates that happened to catch him by surprise as he dropped out of hyperspace to bypass the asteroid field. He'd been there for almost five hours, and didn't plan on leaving anytime soon until his gut told him they'd gone. Kal had a nack for gut feelings, and so far they hadn't let him down...well, not too much anyway! He woke up sluggishly and walked zombie-like over to the chair where his clothes were, and slowly got dressed...

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter leaned back in the pilots chair as her ship orbited near a binary system. She was in route to Nar Shadda to pick up some supplies and had made a short stop at the binary systems planet to get some food stuffs. The planet itself was anything but interesting. Just another ball of mud drifting in space.

Receiving a signal from the orbiting space dock that her small order had been secured in her cargo hold, she disengaged from the orbital station and slowly brought the ship around to continue it's course to Nar Shadda.

As she reached for the hyperspace lever, her comm began to beep. Letting out a small breath, she moved her hand from the hyperspace lever to the small blinking button. Pressing it, she listened to the message, her interest growing with each syllable. Not to mention the voice behind the message piqued an interest in her and brought up some old history recordings she had heard awhile back.

[TSO Naval Officer]

Jeyet was troubled by Vader's proposal.

Admiral Jeyet: My Lord...bounty hunters? They are criminals. Mercenaries. Scum of the universe, surely not worthy of your attention. To bring such an unstable element aboard one of our starships? Might I suggest utilizing our own elite forces before recruiting rabble.

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[Darth Vader]

:: The Dark Lord raised his hand slightly, remaining otherwise unmoved ::

[TSO Naval Officer]

Jeyet's hand grasps at his throat, his face contorted in pain as he gasped for air which was now cut off.

Admiral Jeyet: <font size=-2>ugh...aaggghh....uuuugggghhgggk.....</font>

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[Darth Vader]

:: Vader watched Jeyet struggle in vain, succumbing to asphixiation as he slumped into his chair, dead. ::

Suggestion noted, Admiral.

:: Lackeys moved to dispose of the Admiral's body as Vader shut the hologram off, turning to Captain Sondt. ::

You have your orders...Admiral Sondt. Don't waste my valuable time in questioning them.

:: The Dark Lord exited the bridge ::

[Jerred Rez]

Jerred looked down at his ships controls. His comm-channel was active, yet he hadn't remembered giving the frequency out to anyone. He pressed down on the green button calmly and listened. His eyebrow arched, pulling up the glowing green goggles that constantly clung to his face. He was in route to Myrkyr, but for an opportunity like this, Myrkyr could wait. He changed his navigational coordinates and set off in the direction of the Stormcloud. One-million credits said that he could make a fortune before the Imperials on Myrkyr even noticed he was gone.

[Ryu Warusa]

I stood in the shower of the Luna Shiryou. It had been a while since I had actually used the ship's facilities, but I had needed them. Those women on Corellia sure knew how to party, too bad they didn't know how to clean up.

I was in the middle of washing my hair when a message had come in, the beeping was enough to drive a man wild. Being a man, I picked it up and heard a very interesting offer.

[Sanis Prent]

(It was the Layla's first time out of dry dock in months. I'd kept her penned at Arcan IV for fore-to-aft repairs and overhauls after my visit to Monto Codru. Aside from nearly rebuilding the ship from scratch, I had to replace the hyperdrive motivator, due to what MARCUS could only determine was a deliberate alteration to its energy flow. There was no telling why. At any rate, I'd grown sick of catching star ferries to Coruscant, Arcan, and everywhere else inbetween. It was good to be back on my own ship, even if the inside had a smell of new paint.

I began to switch helm control to MARCUS when the comm beeped. It was set on the universal hunter code...an unspoken frequency floating between a few major ones used for bounty hunter information. The signal originated outside of the Joluuvar system. That in itself meant as much to me as the mating rituals of a gundark, which is to say...nothing. The only two things in the Joluuvar system to my knowledge were Jack and Crap, and I heard Jack caught an outbound flight.

But the signal had a carrier tag that was very intriguing.)

A Super Star Destroyer?

(And one registered to the Sith Order, no less. I'd had several profitable deals with them before, so it was definitely tickling my fancy. Then again, I'd seen deals go south of cheese with Sith before. They were as shifty as anybody else, I supposed...but their crazy religion just added gasoline to the powderkeg. But...I'd taken bigger gambles at Sabacc tables before, so there were no worries for me.

Well...never say never. I guess I thought the hand was a winner at any rate.

Rerouting course, I turned Layla about...to the Joluuvar system.)

Time to see if I can't earn a little easy money.

[Azure Regalia]

After having reviewed the message sent on the frequency used universally by bounty hunters, the Huntress had decided to investigate this offer further. she had set her ship on course to the Joluuvar system, having put her errand run at Nar Shadda on hold for the time being.

Within an hour, she had reached the destination that had been given in the message. Reverting her ship back to real space, she took a quick scan of the area. It wasn't even a breaths moment before her ships sensors had detected the luming shape of a Super Star Destroyer.

Not wanting to entangle herself with such a vessel, she remained with her shields up. But she kept her weapons off, though they were prepped to go on at the flick of a switch.

SSD: Unidentified vessel. State your name and business in this sector.

She had been expecting such a message. Reaching out to her comm she addressed the voice, emitting from somewhere within the command structure of the giant vessel before her.

This is Azure Regalia, Bounty Hunter, aboard the "Hunter's Fang". I have come via the message received on the hunters comm channel.

She waited what seemed long seconds for the massive ship to give a reply.

[Kal Jericho]

Moments before the tractor beam pulled Kal's ship into the docking bay, he noticed another ship approaching the SSD. perhaps it was part of the pirate group that had attacked him earlier. It didn't matter now, since he was now inside a Super Star Destroyer. The Corellian freighter landed smoothly on the black glossy floor of the docking bay. Steamy gas billowed from exhaust vents as the pressure equalized on board Kal's ship. Simultaneously, the boarding ramp lowered from the belly of the ship. Kal made his way down the ramp just before it has touched the floor. He was greeted by a squad of stormtroopers and a few officers. He spoke to one of the blue/grey uniformed men...

So, who's the guy that decided to wake me up?

He lit a cigar as he spoke...

[TSO Naval Officer]

One by one, bounty hunters arrived in their rabble of custom starships. The nefarious mercenaries gathered in the main landing bay of the Stormcloud, conspicuous in their motley nature. Lieutenant Teikke directed a phalanx of stormtroopers into the hangar to provide additional security. There was no telling what these criminals were capable of. Nevertheless, he had orders from the highest echelons to direct these scum to the bridge. Hands clasped behind his back, Teikke sternly addressed the rabble before him.

Lieutenant Teikke: This way...

With escorting stormtroopers, Teikke guided the hunters to the Stormcloud's bridge. What Lord Vader required of these lawless roughians, he could only guess.

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[Sanis Prent]

(Imperial punctuality was nothing to be trifled with. I dropped the Layla out of hyperspace at the allotted coordinates, and 30 seconds after bringing my engines to idle maneuvering, I felt the freighter lurch as a tractor beam locked on. Drawing into the massive hangar bay, I drummed my fingers on the console, getting an eyefull of the other assembled ships. Some I recognized...foremost of which was the Hunter's Claw, Azure Regalia's ship. My eyes instinctively narrowed. I trusted her as far as I could throw a Hutt. Slinging together my gear, I disembarked as soon as my ship touched down. In crisp formation, a squad of stormtroopers was there to carry me...presumably to the bridge.

For some reason, I had a bad feeling about this. Twirling my shell gun, I slid it into the loop holster as we took a stroll to the command deck.

When I got there, a decidedly-infamous black figure was there to greet us all. Like looking at a man from the grave...or so I thought.)

Well I'll be damned...

[Jerred Rez]

Jerred had refused to be tractor-beamed on board the loading bay of the immense capital ship. Their every attempt to do so had failed. Reversing certain polarizations had that effect on tractor beams, though doing so was usually impossible unless there were several other men aboard the ship. Jerred took that into consideration when he wired all of the functions to a single switch. Quite useful for times like these. "I'll take myself in." He told them, and then proceeded to land wherever he damn well pleased within the Star Destroyer's docking bay.

He soon met up with the other hunters and visually scanned each of them for weapons, the green glow of his perfectly round goggles the only thing clearly visible below the rim of his hat. He didn't trust any of them. Not even Ryu. He spent the walk towards the bridge of the ship completing a mental checklist of all the weapons he carried and all the ways he would be able to get past the ship's defenses if he needed to make a sudden escape.

[Ryu Warusa]

I had spotted Jerred abourd the gigantic Super Star Destroyer, it seemed like he had gotten the message as well. I hoped this job would be worth the trouble of stopping my shower, though, the Imperials were known to pay well. I nodded to him as we entered the bridge.

There were already many other hunters inside, "I hope they don't get in the way of my money." I checked on the status of my piercers, tucked away in the sleaves of my jacket. They were there, they hadn't been used in an actual battle in quite a while, but I had practiced with them everyday. I was sure I still had the knack should any trouble come up, I would be ready.

[Azure Regalia]

It had been only moments before the SSD had responded and locked a trackor beam onto her ship. Setting the engines to idle, she let the large ship drag her into one of it's massive bays. nestled in the bay were a few other vessels, each seemingly with it's own story. No doubt other bounty hunters or otherwise.

As her ship landed, she prepared to disembark, taking only essentials she might need, consisting of quite a few weapons, but nothing different from what she usually stocked up on. Making sure her blasters were strapped in tightly, she made to grab one of her cloaks, then decided to leave it behind.

With the ship finally settled, she exited down the gangplank and walked towards a motly-looking group of various species. As she walked, she tapped a button on the mini-computer gauntlet around her left forearm. Her ship retracked it's gangplank and set it's auto-security to on. Her flight droid aboard would take care of the rest.

Reaching the group, she waited as more ships came in. One she recognized to be the "Layla". She smirked. It never failed. It seemed her path and Prent's were doomed to cross in almost any eventuality. As the others came to stand with the group, she saw an escort come to where they stood.

Moments later they were on their way through the clean hallways of the SSD, up to the command super structure. Finally reaching their destination, the doors to the bridge slid open, and before them stood a massive black figure seemingly out of a history holovid.

Needless to say, it turned the Huntress' stomache upside down, and sent her eyebrows coming together and her eyes narrowing. Near her she heard Prent's words. She answered them with her own whisper.

You can say that again.

[Darth Vader]

:: The Dark Lord paced down the command deck, eyeing the motley assortment of bounty hunters before him. His rhythmic mechanical rasp rang audible in the otherwise-silent bridge. ::

I will pay a substantial reward to the one who finds Lilaena De'Ville.

:: Vader continued to pace, pausing to stare malevolently at Prent. ::

I want her quickly, and I want her alive. No nanotoxins...

:: He glanced at Azure, jabbing a commanding finger in her direction. ::

...and no disintegrations.

[Jerred Rez]

Jerred stared aimlessly, but intensely, in silence. De'Ville... She had employed him not long ago to apprehend Sorsha Kasajian and several of her companions. It was time to revisit that bounty. The journey to Myrkyr would be pushed even further back from schedule.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

The tapcafe was dark and smoky. Aurelias Kazaar sat watching a hyper ball game direct from Corellia, a glass of bourbon in one hand, a dark cigar in his mouth. He took a swig of the glass, allowing the tart liquid to fill his pallat. It went well with the cigar, a reason he smoked and drank at the same time.

*Beep!*

The sound startled him out of his game. It was his wrist communicator, the dark of the display lit with a green light signalling the arrival of a new message.

Scowling, Kazaar brought the communicator to his lips.

"Yeh, whatta ya want?"

"Aurelias," accented Basic came from the speaker. It was Riz Leemir, the bounty hunter's main information broker when it came to hunts, "I got a bounty for you. A large one."

"Interesting. Who's offering it?" Kazzar's gruff voice lowered itself to a whisper.

"You're never going to believe this..." the woman replied.

Thirty Minutes later, Kazaar sat Riz's run down office, near the capitol building of Kuat City. Vader? Vader's back? his thoughts came to him as he puffed on a new cigar, this one lighter than the one he'd been smoking at the tapcafe. After 20 years, the most deadly Imperial returns and now he's issuing orders like he never left. Something's not right.

The bounty hunter's dark eyes scowled as he waited for Riz to make her appearance. The door in front of him opened, and the brown-haired woman entered the office.

"Put it out Kazz," Riz used the nickname Aurelias hated, "You're here for information not to stink up my office."

Aurelias scoffed, ashing the cigar in the tray in front of him, "Whatever Rizzulia, just tell me what the hell this bounty's about."

"It's a big one. Vader's wanting a Sith chased down. Goes by the name De'Ville."

Sith...peachy keen with sugar on top. Why is it I always get the Sith bounties. I swear, I'm taking New Republic ones from now on.

"All righ'. Where's De'Ville's las' known where'bouts. And what does 'e look like?" Aurelias leaned back in the chair, taking another puff of his cigar before setting it out in the tray.

"That's the thing Kazzy, it's not a 'he'. It's a 'she'. Lilaena De'Ville, formerly with The Sith Order," Riz handed Kazaar a data pad with a picture of De'Ville slicing someone with her lightsaber.

Aurelias scowled, "The beautiful ones are always the most evil. Like you Riz."

"Aww...you're all heart Aurelias," the green eyed information broker smiled a fake smile, "My cut of the information is higher this time. Twenty Percent instead of ten."

"That big, huh?" a black eyebrow raised as Kazaar took the datapad, stuffing it in his black jacket pocket, "Got any idea where she migh' be?"

"I just provide the information. However you find her, is your own damn bizzness, " Riz rose from her chair as a sign to get Kazaar out of her office, "But r'member. Don't frell me on this one, Kazz. I know where you live and I will hurt you."

Bitch Kazzar thought as he plucked his cigar from the ashtray, relighting it.

"If you hurt me, Rizzy," he smirked as he walked towards the door, "You won't be providin' info to anyone ever."

Aurelias blew smoke in the Information Broker's face, then walked down the stairs to the dark streets of Kuat City. He began a trek towards The Flying Dutchman the cool night air filling his lungs. His mood darkened as he got to the hangar.

If I were a Sith. Where the frell would I go?

[Azure Regalia]

The Huntress stiffened slightly, but nodded her head respectfully. She grit her teeth.

As you wish.

So, this Dark Lord wanted this Lilaena De'Ville. A Force user. She smiled. She enjoyed challenges, and the fact she was not allowed to just bring remains of the beinging would add even more to the challenge.

Taking one last look at those around her, she turned around and headed the way she had come, back towards her ship.

------------------------------------------------------------

Within moments, the Huntress was tucked away in her ship, slipping through hyperspace. After having pulled in a few favors on the wereabouts of this De'Ville person, she had come to a lead that would be a good place for her to begin.

Lounging back in the pilot's seat, she watched the starfield streak by the cockpit window, anticipating the sweet exhileration of the hunt.

[Ryu Warusa]

I knew what Jerred was thinking, De'Ville had hired us to do a job. I wondered something, would this job be worth it? I looked at the dark lord standing before us.
"How much do we get for DeV'ille?" I kept my hands in my pocket, feeling the device that would save me should Vader not like the way I had asked the question.

[Pierce Tondry]

"Whoa."

The sound of keys had suddenly stopped, which caused the man coded Hemline to start paying attention. "What's up, Fingers?"

Fingers pushed his chair away from the terminal. "Take a look."

Hemline scanned the document- a bounty report from the look of it. "Darth Vader? Okay, so he survived and has a bounty out."

"So what's that tell you?" Fingers nudged.

"Lilaena De'Ville killed Darth Vader maybe? I don't know, I'm not an analysis geek."

His teammate's eyes went flat, which told Hemline he'd said the wrong thing. "You ought to try it sometime. You might learn something- if that's possible."

"What do you want me to say?" Hemline threw his hands in the air and spun to face his comrade and friend. "That someone is after the General's wife?"

Hemline had the minor satisfaction of seeing surprise flicker across Vadgrin's face. "What?"

The Intelligence agent shook his head in faux humor. "Don't tell me you haven't hacked his personal files?"

Fingers continued to gawk. "I have, but-"

"And you didn't think it was a little extensive?" Hemline interrupted.

There was a stretched silence as Fingers tried to find words to fit the sudden burst of analysis he was probably doing. "How did you know?"

Nick Weimar laughed aloud. "I was his best man. They ought to have a kid now, if everything went right."

Fingers slammed a fist into the desk. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You're the analysis geek. You tell me."

Fingers sighed exasperatedly and took a step back so he could see Weimar better. "Fine, I know why. So what do we do?"

Hemline just laughed and found himself a chair to sit in. "You're the analysis geek," he repeated as he started up a nearby computer. "You tell me."

Fingers did not let his exasperation show. He knew exactly what to do. "We haven't been on good terms with TSO ever since that little hack-in they did on our databases, you know."

Hemline did not stop typing. "Means, motive, and opportunity. They killed some good men there, and we haven't given it back yet."

"Payback is hell, isn't it?" Fingers laughed.

Hemline hit a key to send his message. It was very short, deliberately.

V. D. O.
S. S. 118.
T. I. A.

"Oh, yeah," Hemline said softly, pulling a cigar from his pocket and lighting up. "Payback is real hell."

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Frell this is impossible Aurelias was all ready on his 4th bourbon as he watched hyperspace fly by him. Biting the inner lip of his mouth, he pondered where Lilaena De'Ville, mother of one, might be.

Or supposed mother of one. That rumor hadn't been confirmed just yet.

She wouldn't go to the Jedi. Rumor has it, she's even a Sith Mistress. Peachy keen with frelling sweets on top.

The Flying Dutchman could get him anywhere, which was good considering his business of bounty hunting. With this hunt, Kazaar suspected he'd have a lot of traveling to do.

The alarm rang, the ship came out of hyperspace.

"Unidentified craft. This is Coruscant Base. Please identify yourself."

"Coruscant this is the freighter Flying Dutchman, requesting permission to dock."

"Very well Dutchman. Dock on bay A231."

"Understood, Control."

While I may not find De'Ville.I can atleast get an idea on the woman I'm searching. The Sith Order is too touchy on their members. But Imperial Archives..."

Kazaar began the slow pace to Coruscant to find the woman, Lilaena De'Ville. If he suceeded he would be lauded. If he failed, he wouldnt' be remembered. He hoped for the former, and not the latter.