Strays - 9.180

[Callomas Savoc]

When it was all said and done, the Gelthian Prime Minister and a half dozen of his bodyguards lay dead in the Office of the Ministry. The culprits remained at large, and the planet was embroiled in speculation as to who could have committed such a brazen assassination in broad daylight and escaped.

It was a strange thing to read about yourself in the HoloNet. Stranger still to see exactly what is said of you by omission. The unknown. The ghost. The mystery. It all had ominous portent when the spotlight of news media tried to flush you out and found itself wanting.

"You gonna buy it, pal? Reading ain't free."

The Gran shopkeep blinked his three eyestalks at Callomas, and the Caridan bounty hunter suddenly felt somewhat sheepish being caught up in the headline's sway. He carefully returned the flimsy to the clerk.

"I think not."

Instead, the Caridan pushed a meager assortment of groceries onto the bodega's countertop. Some blue milk, lentils, onions, and a loaf of bread.

"This will be all."

Wordlessly, the gran processed the transaction, and a moment later, Callomas Savoc found himself on the streets of the Gelthian capital, the red light district still buzzing with the whispers of murder. Callomas paused at the corner of a street, waiting for a speeder cab to flag down, so that he could return to his rented apartment.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Well, jyou can tell hjim to go frrrack hjimsself, that jiss mjy sshjip and -!" Saarrreeaa was stalking down the sidewalk, and had to abruptly stop her conversation on the commlink as she nearly walked right into someone. She looked up at the older hyu-man, and narrowed her eyes before looking away. "No, jI don't carrre how long jit'ss been, jit wasss rrrjidjiculousss jin the fjirrsst place, and jI don't have the crrredjitss to - no, no, no, the Gujild can fuck jitsself, and jyou and jyourrrr motherrrss. Don't hang up on me!"

She ground her teeth and squeezed the unresponsive commlink, about ready to just throw it into the street. "Dammjit!"

[Callomas Savoc]

It wasn't his problem, and Callomas only let his eyes linger for a moment before turning away. He held up a hand at a familiar shape flying by.

"Taxi!"

The speeder cab floated to a stop, its gull wing door sliding open as a Sullustan cabbie blubbered something equivalent to "Where to?"

"Jandoran Hills Apartment complex, if you please."

Putting his groceries into the cab, he looked back to see the distressed felinoid still fuming behind him. She looked angry and lost.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"jI'm gojing to Jandorrran Hjillss too," she blurted, darting toward the cab as the male started putting his bags inside. "Can we ssharrre?" She needed to save her credits where she could, unfortunately, even if that meant sharing cabs with forrrda.

[Callomas Savoc]

"Certainly."

Callomas paused as he was to enter, and relented to allow the young alien woman to take her seat first. Once she was situated, he took his own seat, closing the door behind him. The speeder began its ascent through the Gelthian skyways, heading towards a lane that would carry it across the city to a residential district.

The Caridan sat fairly still through the trip, hands clasped in his lap as he watched the city go by.

"I am told this planet is for the recreation." He spoke, his thick Caridan accent apparent as he passed the awkward time in a cab with a stranger.

"It does not sound that you are enjoying yourself."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She sat quietly, except for the tip of her tail which flicked back and forth by her knee. "No, not enjojyjing mjysself." Saa thought for a moment, remembering the months locked in the brig of the Novgorod.

"jIt could alwajyss be worrrsse, though. Sso perrrhapss jI ssshould be grrateful." She sighed. "jYou don't know anjythjing about gettjing sshjipss out of jimpound, do jyou?" Saa looked at him, her face open and hopeful.

[Callomas Savoc]

"It usually requires a preponderance of credits."

From the look of the way things were going for the felinoid, it appeared that she well-knew this, and that whatever sum she had would be well-short of the amount needed.

"From your conversation, apologies as I overheard, it would seem you do not have the sum demanded?"

A modest look of sympathy was offered.

"Perhaps seeking work here would help to pay?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She rolled her eyes. "jIt would, but therrre jissn't much jin mjy ljine of worrrk herrre. jI need my ssshjip to get worrk, need worrk to get mjy sshjip." Saa sighed, leaning her head against the window. "Unlesss jyou know of anjy bountjiess avajilable on Gelthjia jI haven't hearrrd of. jI'm a hunterr," the sixteen year old said matter of factly.

[Callomas Savoc]

"You are a hunter?"

Callomas's eyes wandered to his travelling companion, somewhat wide. His expression changed, and he quickly turned his eyes forward as he frowned.

"That is a dangerous profession."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"jI'm a dangerrouss woman," Saa said, raising an eyebrow as he looked away. "Don't worrrjy, jI'm not on dutjy. jYourrr grrrocerrjiess arrre ssafe." She laughed, a throaty purr, and the cab pulled up outside the apartments. Jandorran Hills rented by the week, and she'd managed to scrounge enough to cover one. She had a few days left before she'd have to come up with more, or just leave. Leaving was her preference.

Saa eyeballed the meter and dug a chit from her pocket to cover half, and handed it over to the driver before hopping out of her side of the cab. She stretched languidly, watching the older man arrange his bags in his arms, and then followed him up to the entrance to the apartment building. "Have jyou ljived on Gelthjia long?"

[Callomas Savoc]

Callomas in turn paid his own half of the fare, with a modest tip. Taking care to bundle his groceries, he climbed out of the cab and walked along the same path that Saarrreeaa followed.

"Not long."

Perhaps too cryptic. The Caridan conversed further.

"I am here on business."

The pair entered the building, going up the same flight of stairs. Callomas wondered where their paths would divert. The thought of another hunter so close to him made him consider cutting short his time on the planet, especially in light of his recent success. She didn't depart on the first floor, and there were two more floors to his room.

"Why do you hunt?"

It was an innocent enough question to ask openly, but one in which Callomas found himself deeply curious.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Whjy not?" Saa took the steps two at a time, but remained near him. "jI'm good at jit. And jI'm not cut out forr bussjiness." And mjy Housse jiss jin djissgrrrace, and jI have no prrrospectsss jin the Clussterrr.

"jI'm not the tjype to take a mate and have a passssel of cubss, jif jyou know what jI mean." She looked him over. He probably didn't.

[Callomas Savoc]

But you are so young were the words on the tip of the Caridan's tongue. He stayed these words, as they were rarely heeded by young people with ambition. He too had once been young, and had made a similar decision.

Another flight of stairs, and still their paths remained the same.

"And your parents? They approve?"

Callomas remembered a time when he was younger than this alien. A time when his father had put a gun in his hands.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

He seemed determined to walk in front of her until the end of time, his slow steps leading her up toward the floor where her tiny apartment was. "jI am a woman grrrown, what mjy motherrr thjinkss jisss jirrelevant. jI cannot harrrdljy rrujin the famjiljy name morrre than ssshe djid."

Saa gauged the width of the stairwell, trying to see if she could skip past him, but with his arms full he was practically filling the whole space.

[Callomas Savoc]

Running away from problems at home was a tragic reason to turn to the hunt. It wasn't the first time that Callomas heard that motive, and the story usually ended sadly for those who told the tale. There were probably things he could tell her to avert this life, but she was likely past the point of listening, judging from the line in the sand she'd drawn.

Callomas finally arrived at his floor, turning to exit the stairwell. He turned, ready to bid the felinoid adieu, only to find that she was also exiting on the same floor. He hurriedly went down the hall with a series of short, quick strides, hearing Saa's footfalls continue behind him. He paused, sighing. He was at his door, and she was still behind him. The Caridan turned to see that she was facing the door adjacent to his own.

"It would appear that we are neighbors."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Perrrfect," Saa purred. "jYou can jinvjite me overrr forrr djinnerr."

She unlocked her door, and blew him a kiss before shutting it. Where the fuck was she going to get money? Saa slid down the wall and sat in the entry of the sparsely furnished apartment, her head in her hands.

[Callomas Savoc]

"I did not hear your..."

And the door was closed, leaving Callomas alone in the hallway.

"...name."

Introductions were probably an unneeded formality in either case. He imagined his stay on Gelthia to be short, and for the mysterious young woman's fortunes to be sadly just as brief. With a sigh, Callomas let himself into his apartment. The light flickered on as he entered, revealing a studio apartment with spartan decor. His cases were piled in a corner near his bed. Multi-composite body armor lay arrayed on the bed's thin comforter, alongside a telescoping slugthrower, a folding-stock flechette gun, and a roll case full of vibroknives. These were all eschewed for the opposite corner of the studio, which housed the kitchen unit.

Callomas began to unpack his groceries, laying out the vegetables on a work surface. Finding a kitchen knife in the drawer below, he began to make short work of the prep, quickly working the vegetables until they fell into a fine dice, which he slid from the board into a waiting pan. A piece of onion didn't make the transition, falling to the floor. Callomas paused his work, stooping down to pick up the errant vegetable. Rather than assigning it to the rubbish bin, he walked across the room to where one of his cases lay open. He carefully pulled free a clear plastic cage, where a thimiar cooed and warbled in his presence.

"Who is a noisy pig? That is you. You are the pig."

Opening the lid slightly, he allowed the bit of onion to fall in the cage. The rodent scampered forward, and eagerly began to gnaw on the bit of scrap.

"Good piggy."

Callomas paused in doting on his pet, noticing the bundle of flimsies stashed next to the cage. They were all posted bounties on Gelthia. The money, to him, was immaterial. Some paid well and some paid poorly. None offered anything resembling sport. It was simply blood money, and he was above taking that kind of job.

The Caridan's eyes turned to the wall, thinking of the alien girl. If her story wasn't bravado, this was likely the kind of work she might need. He held the flimsies a moment, filing through them. As much as it might help the girl, there was no good way for him to pass these onto her. They were simply two ships passing in deep space. Nothing more.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

The people next door to her were yelling at each other in a language she didn't understand, and Saa tried to tune them out as she pulled her meal out of the microwave. Peeling back the plastic, she was greeted by steam and something that smelled like food. She wrinkled her nose, then shrugged and used her fingers to eat.

She would go to the security bureau in the morning, and check their listings. The only way she had to access Guild postings was on her ship. Her spare weapons and gear were on her ship. All she had was a blaster that Onashi of all people had made sure she had. She frowned at it reflexively, licking gravy off her claws.

The neighbors got louder, and she turned on a holomovie, trying to reduce them to background noise. At some point in the evening she fell asleep, only to have blaster fire wake her up. At first she thought the movie had gotten turned up, but a bleary glance showed the holo had turned itself off during the night.

Saa rolled off her couch, takeout containers scattering as she fumbled for her blaster.

[Callomas Savoc]

Callomas was already bolted awake, the spectrum suppressor threaded onto his blaster as he pressed against the door of his apartment. Making a quick motion for the peephole, he spied nothing in front of his door. Frowning, the Caridan slipped his weapon into a shoulder harness, throwing on his gray overcoat over an undershirt as he cracked the door open.

Down the hall a slight distance from his room, a body lay on the floor, still smoking from the hole in its chest. The Bith's glassy eyes stared dead at the ceiling, his emptied wallet was tossed next to him like trash. A simple cheap murder over the credits in his pocketbook. But nothing was ever so simple. The authorities would certainly respond to this killing, and questioning the residents nearby was a certainty.

Callomas carefully smoothed over his coat, closed the door behind him, and stepped to the door next to his. He paused before knocking, not exactly sure what he was doing. He knocked anyway.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa tiptoed up to the door, blaster in both hands, pointed down at the floor. She pressed her eye briefly to the peephole, her sulky neighbor's face dominating the view. "What do jyou want?"

[Callomas Savoc]

What did he want? Callomas stood at the door, not exactly sure how to answer her insistent question.

"I heard a shot."

While he was almost certain this poor Bith didn't meet his end at her hands, perhaps she was more foolish than he'd considered. He hoped not.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She hesitated, then cracked open the door. "Sso djid jI." Saa held the hand holding her blaster behind her back, and leaned out into the hall. There was a dead body in the middle of it, several feet away from where her neighbor was standing. "Kosa," she breathed, pulling back into the relative safety of her apartment.

He was looking at her, studying her. "jI djidn't do jit," she said. "jI wasss asssleep!"

[Callomas Savoc]

"I believe you."

With a deep frown, Callomas looked left and right. Already there were a few other apartment dwellers opening their doors to catch a glimpse at the commotion.

"It is not safe to be here." You should leave was on the tip of his lips, but went unsaid.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saarrreeaa stared at him. "jYou'rrre the one sstandjing jin the hallwajy."

He had a point, though. She looked over her shoulder at the back windows of the studio apartment. There was an antiquated metal fire escape fastened to the side of the building. Someone in the building started talking loudly, the words she could catch indicating they were calling the authorities. Kosa! Saa shoved her blaster into the back of her pants and grabbed her jacket where it was hanging by the door.

[Callomas Savoc]

Leaving her be, Callomas returned to his room. It was time to leave for him as well. Quickly, he parceled his gear up into cases, and kitted into his combat armor, holstering the flechette guns and vibroknives where they were slotted, and securing the other cases into a well-arranged backpack that he slung onto a body harness to latch into place. It was certainly conspicuous, but again, he didn't intend on staying on Gelthia long at all.

The Caridan looked out the window of his studio apartment, and appeared to dab at the tearduct of his right eye. A tiny holographic emitter flicked to life, bringing up a HUD superimposed against his vision.

"Extraction. Five minutes. Two hundred meters east of my position."

The machine language of a droid brain could be heard responding affirmatively to his request on the other end of the transmission, and he killed the line. Looking to the window once again, he carefully unlatched it, and opened it to the night air. When he leaned out slightly, he caught the motion of a familiar alien skulking about.

"I thought you would take the front door?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Neverrr can be too carrreful," she said airily, starting down the rickety stairs to the level below. Saa looked up at him, shaking her long blond hair out of her face. "jYou'rrre not gojing to tell on me, arrre jyou?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, and then took a few more steps down. "Don't tell me, jyou'rrre comjing thjiss wajy too." It seemed he was going to be a stalker.

[Callomas Savoc]

"I will find another way."

The Caridan replied inscrutably, removing the black glove that covered his right hand. Beneath, a matte black droid prosthesis flexed, and he aimed across the roadway with an open hand. A grapple fired high, connecting with the highest edifice of the building across the way, and as the built-in ascension gun's cable grew taut, the Caridan leapt across the abyss, extending his feet outward with bended knees. As he swung, the cable drew in the slack, allowing him to trim his descent and he met the wall of the building across the way with a scrabbling of boots against a brick wall. Finding purchase, Callomas continued to reel his way up the sheer face of the building, heading for its roof.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa watched open mouthed as the man soared through the air, his non-descript clothing now covered with combat armor. She gaped, then gave herself a shake, hurrying down the fire escape. Despite her best efforts (and she was naturally stealthy) the iron clattered and groaned under her weight.

She grabbed the last ladder and it extended to the ground as she stepped onto it. Once her boots hit the pavement she headed for the fence, not wanting to be seen by the security forces emerging from the alley next to a building where someone had been murdered. Saa jumped, grabbing onto the chainlink, and quickly climbed to the top and swung over to the other side. She looked up briefly at the building her neighbor had swung over to, but couldn't see anything.

She dropped lightly to her feet, and started jogging.

[Callomas Savoc]

As Saarrreeaa ran, a ship (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/M22-T_Krayt_gunship) suddenly thundered into view, retro-jets firing as it aligned itself to descend on top of the building she'd last seen Callomas ascend.

Callomas, finally reaching the zenith of the roof, watched his Mandalmotors M22-T Krayt gunship touch down on the rooftop. The gangplank began to lower, and seeing no police cruisers nearby, he moved to board the craft, trotting up the gangplank as he entered the fuselage.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

It was a nice ship; she could tell just from the lines of it that it was built for speed. Were those heavy laser cannons? Saarrreeaa adjusted the strap of the holdall that held her scant belongings, making sure it was secure across her body as she took another turn and found herself on a fairly busy street. Speeders flew by at street level and she slowed to a walk.

[Callomas Savoc]

And even the best laid plans can be laid to waste.

As Callomas prepared to power up his ship, two police craft looped from on high, brilliant strobing lights on their hull flashing blue as the snapped spotlights onto the Mandalorian ship. The Caridan acquired a target lock to potentially swat them from the sky with pivoting laser cannons mounted at the wing, but the police cruisers were too fast, stitching blaster fire across the gunship's aft fuselage. The hull blistered and buckled, and Callomas made a snap decision, kicking out the cockpit canopy and leaping off the ship's nose as it exploded.

Tumbling free from the blast, he rolled perilously close to the rooftop, his prosthetic hand catching and anchoring him at a point to prevent him from freefalling into the street. There he hung awkwardly, with smoldering bits of metal raining above him from the wreckage.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

The police cruisers overhead didn't worry her until she heard them open fire, but even then it was someone else's problem.

Oh yeah, hjiss problem. Saa looked up in time to see the fireworks along the edge of the roof. Was that a boot hanging off the edge? The civilian crowd around her talked loudly and snapped pictures with their comms, but she ducked close to the wall of the building, popping her jacket collar up as she kept moving. A piece of debris slid off the roof with a screech, and plummeted into the roadway, smashing a speeder to the ground. She looked over her shoulder at it...a cockpit canopy?

[Callomas Savoc]

"Uggh."

The Caridan looked down noting that a twisted piece of shrapnel from the ship had impinged into his composite armor. The armor held easily, but the way the durasteel had burned and slagged into it meant he'd need to replace the plate. Callomas crawled on his elbows to keep a low profile in case the cruisers above did a thorough search, and came upon a storm drain. A more chaotic way down than he would like, but he'd take even an unfavorable option in favor of none. Carefully rolling a leg over the ledge, he grasped at the metal structure with both arms snug, before swinging his last leg over to completely clear the roof. Now all that remained was a controlled slide down....

...he leapt a story before ground, rolling into the impact of a speeder below to transfer the energy of impact across his shoulder to propel him to his feet for a running start. Now in the street, he spotted a familiar face.

"You mentioned a ship?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Ai'kosa!" Saa managed not to leap backwards as the neighbor thumped into the street and then jogged to her side as if he hadn't just been on a roof ten seconds ago. She kept walking, but looked sideways at him. "Djid jyou kjill that Bjith? jIss that whjy jyou werrre at the aparrrtmentss?"

[Callomas Savoc]

"I would not be so sloppy."

Callomas kept a brisk pace as he walked along with the felinoid. So his secret was out, then. Strange fortunes, strange bedfellows.

"It appears our dead friend had simply the bad luck. And so too do we."

On the lam for crimes they didn't commit, in fear of discovery of crimes they did.

"Your ship, it is where?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"jImpound," she said, picking up the pace and finding he was intent on keeping up. "The long terrrm lot downtown." If she walked any faster she was going to be running. And he smelled like smoke...and onions for some reason.

Saa stopped walking, her hand on her hip. "jYou arrre not comjing wjith me."

[Callomas Savoc]

He paused, looking at her with a mildly impatient expression.

"You tell me before that you have no means of getting back the ship which is yours."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Well, ssso?" Saa huffed. "jI'll get jit back."

She grimaced, taking in his well equipped body armor and weaponry. She was wearing skinny jeans, half-laced combat boots, and a leather jacket, and had a small bag of clothes and a blaster. Saa sighed, and took a few steps more, standing next to him. "Fjine. Help me get jit back and jI'll gjive jyou a rrrjide off Gelthjia." She took another step, and then added, "jI'm Saarrreeaa."

[Callomas Savoc]

"A name befitting the exotic."

They walked on their way, and the Caridan hunter took a moment to visually appraise his informal partner. Aside from her blaster, she didn't appear to have much in the way of gear. That was perhaps not a good sign. A hunter should be prepared. Still, they were working towards a common goal, and even unlikely camaraderie had rules.

"I am Callomas."

They passed by a fairly deserted street, and the Caridan pulled Saa by her hand towards a Ubrikkian speeder car. He carefully stooped down, pressing a finger against the biometric reader. An electronic countermeasure interface began to attempt to bypass the lock, as a tiny hologram flickered in his right eye.

"How well do you pilot?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Betterrr than mosst," she replied without a shred of humility. She observed his artificial hand (she'd seen a grapple gun fire out of it for Saanjarra's sake) unlock the speeder, and still debated just leaving him. After all, the police were probably searching for him. The longer she stayed in his company the more likely she was to be lumped in with whatever it was they didn't like him for. Flashing lights made their way up the street toward them, a cruiser near ground level, and she hopped into the Ubrikkian speeder without another word.

[Callomas Savoc]

"Head for downtown. Drive casual."

Appearances were everything. Bolting from the scene could tip their hand prematurely. There was still a chance they could evade the security sweep.

They picked up speed, and Callomas watched the felinoid expertly peel through traffic as the cruisers canvassed the area around them. He glanced at his driver's attire, an eyebrow raising.

"This is your hunting attire?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She took her eyes off the road for a minute to look at him, and then just shook her head, returning her attention to where she was going. "They'rrre jusst clothess. jI'm not on a job."

Saa pulled around a rickety noodle truck, the proprietor serving a steaming bowl of food to an adjacent speeder while both were stopped in the middle of the roadway. "What'ss wrrrong wjith my clothess?"

[Callomas Savoc]

Callomas felt uncomfortable defending his observation.

"It lacks the design which is utilitarian."

She'd already mentioned she wasn't working but to Callomas, the notion of not having some manner of way to defend yourself in any situation seemed an alien concept.

"I mean not to offend."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"jI had ssome bad luck," Saa said shortly. "jIt'ss... a long ssstorrjy. jI losst mjy sshjip and mjy gearrr - jit'ss ejitherr on mjy ssshjip orrr the Alljiance ajirrrlocked jit."

Orrr gjiant sspace ljizarrrdsss ate jit, really, who could say. She turned up another street, and stopped at a traffic light.

[Callomas Savoc]

"Luck is a fickle weapon. It rarely shoots straight."

For emphasis, Callomas raised his prosthetic hand.

"Taken by a Jedi Knight. A Dangerous Game who also chooses not to equip the luck."

Stopped at the light, the Caridan kept his eyes open for any sudden change in law enforcement activity. For the moment, all was quiet.

"Have you ever faced a Jedi Knight, Saarrreeaa?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She accelerated when the signal changed, and nodded. "jYess, but not on purrrposse. The back luck jI wasss sspeakjing of."

Saa turned right. "jI'm jusst drrrjivjing jin the generrral djirrrectjion of the lot. jI djid consssjiderrr brrreakjing jin, but jit'ss got a few ssecurrrjitjy drrrojidss jinssjide the lot, olderrr HK modelss, not to mentjion the bjiometrrrjics to get jin, and the logjissstjicss of an unauthorrrjized launch frrrom an jimpound lot."

[Callomas Savoc]

"How much is the impound fee?"

The Caridan twirled a credit chit between his fingers, ready to sign away the amount as a pittance.

"You have not the quarrel with the Gelthians. I do not employ violence lightly."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Two thousssand. Apparrrentljy therrre'ss ssomethjing about bountjy hunterrrsss that the localss don't ljike verrrjy much." Saarrreeaa looked at the chit in Callomas' hand, and then back at the road.

[Callomas Savoc]

Two thousand credits were authorized casually, and the chit twirled again along fingers until it was presented to the felinoid.

"With my gratitude in advance."

Callomas glanced about. They were getting close. Any closer and they would risk being within sight of the lot.

"Please to stop here. I will depart, and await your successful return for pickup."

With brows slightly raising in unison, he offered a second possibility.

"If complications arise, I will provide means of departure more explosive."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Ah, well, good to know." She slowed the speeder and he hopped out, fairly spry for an old guy. Old hunter. Whateverrr. She continued to the impound lot, and parked her stolen speeder just outside it.

Saa sauntered up to the booth built into the wall, and waved at the police officer who'd pulled impound duty. "jI'm herrre to pjick up my sshjip." She smiled pleasantly, her foot tapping on the duracrete as he asked for information and she supplied it. The fee was paid with Callomas' generous contribution to the Escape Gelthia Fund, and soon enough she was being escorted through the lot, past the HK droids and to her ship. Of course, now that she was here, how exactly was she going to pick up her new friend? She eyed the walls while the police officer entered the password and submitted to a retinal scan to unlock the hatch for her. Was he going to just hop over and run in before she left?

She could just leave and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Oh, except maybe blow her up. She narrowed her eyes, and then smiled tightly at the officer. "jYess, thankss, jI can take jit frrom herrre."

[Callomas Savoc]

Walking down the street perpendicular to Saarrreeaa's approach, Callomas kept a casual gait about him as he passed another speeder and other pedestrians. Casually, he glanced about, noting the height of the buildings around him. Occasionally he would steal a glance toward the impound yard, looking for any security nodes or patrolling droids.

Finding a building suitable to his needs, Callomas ducked behind an alley, scaling the wall face under relative cover. From this rooftop, he would only have to scale a few others to be at a vantage relatively close to the impound lot.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saarrreeaa sat in the cockpit of her ZH-25 Questor (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/ZH-25_Questor) running the preflight checks and warming up the repulsors. Her gear had been mostly untouched, even the thermal detonators she'd had hidden in a wall compartment.

"You are cleared for takeoff, Burn Unit, when you are ready."

"Thank jyou," she replied primly, and activated the repulsors, the ship lifting off gently out of the lot. She activated the sensors, giving one good ping to the surroundings. Therrre. A figure on a roof. She lazily arced near it, pulling the controls for the hatch to open up the ship while it slowly passed.

[Callomas Savoc]

A distant whooshing sound could be heard, crescendoing into the approaching scream of a rocket as a disembodied hand suddenly clamped onto one of the hydraulic struts at each side of the hatch. An ascension cable whined as the hand kept a firm grip, and Callomas cleared the divide, landing squarely on the gangplank as his prosthetic hand re-attached to its interface. He stepped aboard the Cizerack's ship as the gangplank withdrew, heading to the cockpit, looking with some relief that there didn't appear to be any reprisal. As Saarrreeaa picked up speed and headed for the upper atmosphere, the Caridan settled into the seat beside her.

"Where will you travel?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Anjywherrre but herrre," she replied. "Wherrre arrre jyou headed?" Saa jerked her head toward the navicomputer on the console between them. "Pjick a place."

The ship soared up under her capable hands, and she selected an adequate trajectory for leaving the atmosphere, the inertial dampners kicking in after a moment of them being pressed into their seats.

[Callomas Savoc]

"I travel where there is work."

Foregoing the nav charts, Callomas instead pulled up another node on the Cizerack's computer - an assortment of bounty postings. He scrolled through dozens of assignments that seemed to be beneath him, before finally selecting one that held his interest.

"And there is work on Utapau."

Again he looked at the young woman, a wrinkle of concern on his expression.

"There is on Elrood work that pays commensurate wage."

He gestured on the screen to the Cizerack for emphasis.

"It is a small distance from Utapau. If you are inclined to work."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Of courrrsse jI am," Saa replied, Burn Unit escaping atmosphere and heading for the sweet spot where the pull of the planet's gravity was canceled out by it's moon. She looked sideways at him. "What jiss 'commensssurrrate?'"

[Callomas Savoc]

Suddenly unsure at his word choice, Callomas gave his host a confused look.

"This is not a word? Equal to service that is rendered? The fair shake?"

It suddenly occurred to the bounty hunter that they may be trying to find common ground over the same adopted language.

"You will be needing equipment?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Oh, me'arrta, jI thjink." Saa shook her head. "jI have equjipment." She leaned over to look at the screen. "Utapau lookss jinterrresstjing."

She met his eyes, and shrugged. "Drrroppjing jyou off. Do jyou need equjipment? Djidn't mosst of jyourrrss get blown up?"

[Callomas Savoc]

How soon he'd forgotten. Callomas nodded in the affirmative. He reconsidered his plan, adjusting the star map on the terminal.

"I have a cache on Carida of considerable size. Perhaps the diversion before work would be best. Any supplies you require would be compensation most appropriate."

It was a journey a little off the path from Utapau, and might be inconvenient, but an ounce of preparation was worth a pound of cure, after all.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Carrrjida? Ljike, the jImperrrjial Academjy Carrjida?" Sara's hand froze over the navicomp unsure what she should do.

[Callomas Savoc]

"The same."

Callomas eyed his companion, curious of her expression. Aliens often feared to tread crossing the Empire, often with good reason. He wondered if she had past troubles.

"This concerns you?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Of courrrsse not," she bluffed, inputting the name into the navicomp and letting it crunch the numbers. "Let'ss go."

***

Starlines receded into dots and the ship slipped into the Carida system, the inhabited planet on the far side of the star from their current position. Star Destroyers and the like were clearly visible on sensors, and Saa felt her insides clench. "Home ssweet home," she called into the intercom to Callomas in the other part of the ship.

[Callomas Savoc]

He returned to the cockpit when she announced their arrival, slipping into the adjacent seat once more. Casually, he input a set of waypoints for her to follow.

"My family has an estate on the lower continent. Go there."

He neglected to mention that this would likely be the last time he'd be visiting Carida. Since last he'd met Loklorien s'Ilancy, he wagered his actions had more or less dissolved his position of privilige under Imperial patronage.

The ship pushed through cloud cover to a landscape of open ranges and terraces. On a hill, a compound could be seen, it's angular white walls set clear against the green landscape.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She followed his directions and set the Questor down near the compound on the hill, grasses flattening under the landing struts. "Looksss njice, Ssavoc." Saa shut down the repulsors and listened to the pressures equalizing while the ship vented gasses. "Need help carrrrjyjing ssstuff?"

[Callomas Savoc]

He considered her request, glancing back to her and then turning ahead to view his family's estate.

"Your help is most appreciated."

Callomas didn't tarry, heading down the gangplank with purpose.

"We should not dawdle, Saarrreeaa. The apprehension you have for visiting Carida, it is mutual."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Grreat," she muttered, following him out onto the planet's surface. Her ears flicked back and forth as she got a feel for their surroundings.

[Callomas Savoc]

The estate was large enough to make apparent that it's owner was well-off, but not nearly so opulent as to draw undue attention. Angular and white, the columned home was surrounded by a tidy garden and trees, and the two hunters took a walkway made of old paving stones. Midway on the path, Callomas slowed his pace, a wistful expression on his face as he surveyed the house.

"My papa, he built this place. He was, how do you say, the man self-made. A work ethic most strong."

Glancing to Saarrreeaa, the Caridan prodigal continued.

"You are a Cizerack, n'eita? I am to understand this is no strange concept to you, although a virtue a mother passes to her daughter?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Rjight, exactljy." She made a face at the thought of her mother, and flipped her hair out of her eyes. "jI ssupposse jyourrr fatherrr accepted jyourrr chojice of prrofessssjion?" The doubt was clear in her tone.

[Callomas Savoc]

She intended to scoff, but Callomas only replied with a genuine smile.

"Precissnat, Saarrreeaa. It is the family profession for Savoc."

She hadn't expected that reply, and Callomas nodded his head in understanding.

"I am something of a, how do you say, child of two worlds. Here of course on Carida, where of course I have lived years most numerous since I was too young to speak."

They stepped onto the columned porch of the house, arriving at the door, where a chime was pressed.

"And where you hear in the voice of Savoc the Lingua Caride which is most pronounced, his father carried with him unto his dying day no such inflection."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"...okaaajy." She folded her arms and leaned against a pillar as he rang the doorbell at his own house. Perhaps his wife changed the locks on him. Saa examined her claws, wondering for a moment if a bit of polish would be out of place, but retracted them as she heard movements behind the door. Reflex found her hand on the butt of her blaster, but she forced herself to relax and keep her hands free at her sides.

[Callomas Savoc]

"Master Savoc, it is good to see you."

The stiff-yet-courteous posturings gave away the protocol droid immediately, it's polished silver plating glinting in the daylight let in by the open door. Savoc, for his part, humored his artificial servant with a smile and a curt nod.

"J-42, I am pleased to see you are still of a state most functional."

Many droid owners dispensed with any pleasantries whatsoever with their artificial companions, treating them barely more personably as they might treat a chair, but Savoc fastidiously maintained the social dynamic as if his droid was flesh and blood. The droid's head and torso canted slightly.

"Of course, sir. It has been eleven months, six days, and twenty three hours since you have last visited the manor. I have performed five successful diagnostics, and am operating according to your parameters."

The droid seemed to notice Saarrreeaa for the first time.

"Oh."

An unusual turn of events. The master did not make a habit of entertaining guests.

"I was not expecting a guest. How interesting."

Callomas waved off the curiosity casually.

"J-42, this is Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta, an acquaintance of mine of the sort most professional."

At this comment, the droid regarded Saarrreeaa carefully.

"A professional guest, you say? How interesting. Will you be requiring enhanced hospitality subroutines?"

Savoc paused, not prepared for the offer from his droid.

"What? Oh. No. No no no, s'ait taun fas that is not needed. Our stay will not be long, we are here for supplies."

The droid seemed to relax, or at least changed its posture slightly.

"I understand, Master. Might I arrange refreshment for you and your guest?"

Savoc considered this. Despite not wanting to overstay his journey to Carida, he missed his home. The hunter nodded.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa raised an eyebrow. "Enhanced hosspjitaljitjy sub-rroutjiness?" Callomas looked uncomfortable, or at least, less comfortable, so she settled for a smirk as they entered the house. "jI could ussse ssome rrrefrresshment, though, sso thank jyou."

[Callomas Savoc]

Appropriately bashful, Callomas nodded along.

"A program most peculiar for working engagements. J-42 is programmed to provide opposition most lethal."

A serious look on his face momentarily, Callomas shrugged it off.

"For the training, s'ei tat. A honing of the skill."

Directed to a sun room overlooking a row of trees on the back of the property, Callomas sat alongside Saarrreeaa as J-42 brought a tea set and a small arrangement of biscuits and marmelade.

"Alas, it is probably not the time for such things."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She was not about to admit she had assumed a hospitality routine for a 'professional' companion involved clean sheets, towels, and perhaps a bottle of champagne, topped off with quick and discrete removal of the professional from the home, and poured herself a cup of tea. Callomas' explanation made more sense, when she considered what she knew of the man (which was painfully little).

Saa inhaled the fragrant steam coming from her cup, but merely held it. "jI wouldn't thjink that jyou would have fjirrrefjightss jinssjide jyourrr own home...on purrrposse. Verrjy messssjy."

[Callomas Savoc]

"Quite messy, n'eita."

Callomas retrieved a teacup, half submerging a biscuit within for a moment before taking a bite.

"Of course, the damage most collateral is of no consequence to replace for Savoc. My time under imperial service has made the financial affairs of little consequence."

Sipping some tea, he rested the saucer upon the table once more.

"Never pick up what you are not willing to throw away if the heat it becomes too hot to the touch, Saarrreeaa. This is a rule Savoc takes to heart most seriously."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Was he talking about himself in the third person now? Saa busied herself with her teacup, gauging her distance to the various exits to the room, including the window. She'd delivered him home, after all. Job done, right?

"jIf jyou don't need the crrredjitss, whjy arrre jyou a hunterrr?"

[Callomas Savoc]

"The passion for a job done well. It has always been my profession."

He could see the divide, and knew on which side of it she stood.

"To you, the hunting is the means to an end, n'eita? It is a job that can pay well, there is no shame to say."

Callomas sipped at his tea once more.

"And if the credits were of no consequence, you would not do so?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"jI..." Saa's voice trailed off as she tried to find the right wording. "Therrre arrre easjierrr wajyss to make monejy. Sso jI guessss jI do jit becausse jI enjojy jit. Plusss jyou sshould have sseen the look on mjy motherrr'ss face."

[Callomas Savoc]

"To infer from your previous mention, I imagine it was the expression less than joyful."

Talk of unhappy homes. Callomas set aside his tea again, taking full regard of his guest. The way she sat, and the familiarity with this type of setting.

"You come from the family most prestigious and affluent, Saarrreeaa? And for you, Savoc imagines the wrath of your mother to be total."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Sssomethjing ljike that," she said, a little smugly. Saa put down the tea cup. "But, jif jyou have thjingss to pjick up..? Orr do jyou have anotherrr ssshjip herrre?" For some reason she was hoping the answer was no.

[Callomas Savoc]

Her diversion of the topic was abrupt, and Callomas raised his hands in deference.

"Escuzà, I mean not to be impertinent."

Even still, she was probably right to, as they say, cut to the chase.

"But you are correct. We did not come here to kick up the feet. Please to come with me."

The Caridan rose, gesturing for Saa to follow.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She languidly got to her feet, pulling on her nerfhide jacket to straighten it, and trailed behind Savoc as he made his way through his house. She found herself staring at his backside, and forced herself to look up and away. What had it been, a couple days? An unhealthy length of time to go without... release. Saa coughed and pinched her inner arm to clear her mind. She was getting quite the bruise there.

[Callomas Savoc]

Callomas paused as they headed for another room in the house. Looking back at the younger hunter, he arched an eyebrow.

"Are you well?"

She didn't look feverish, although symptoms did tend to differ in aliens.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Fjine," she said, a little tightly. "Jusst a ljittle tjirrred." Need to sssleep...wjith sssomeone...ssoon. Saa took a breath, and smiled. "jI bet jyou have a lot of grrreat equjipment."

[Callomas Savoc]

He canted his head in deferment to her astute estimation.

"Cei zá, maidellé. The equipment it is beyond reproach. Please to come."

Callomas led her on through a corridor lit by natural light by floor to ceiling windows. He entered a room that was well furnished, but contained within row upon row of weapon racks, cases of special equipment, and glass armoires holding armor suits. Some pieces in the large room were for show and no longer practical. Some were the cutting edge of Imperial design. Cases illuminated on motion sensor as they passed, allowing full inspection of the items within.

"Take that which you please with gratitude."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa whistled softly at the show room, walking down a row of racked blaster rifles. "jI couldn't. Thank jyou, but - jiss that a DC-17m wjith a ssnjiperrr attachment?" She reached out and picked it up, peering experimentally down the sight toward the ground.

[Callomas Savoc]

Callomas glanced back, a smile as Saarrreeaa's passion betrayed her.

"It is as you say. The sight, it is adjustable for reflex and magnification three times."

The DC-17m was ideal for less-than-ideal scenarios, when one may not necessarily be able to rely on always having an advantageous sniping position.

"I prefer other means, but a hunter cannot always create their environment."

Moving to a case at the far wall, Callomas came to a stop once it's illumination sensor kicked in. An old set of crimson and grey Mandalorian Armor flickered into view. He paused for a moment, placing a hand upon the glass.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She slung the DC-17m from her body with the shoulder strap, and caught Callomas having a moment with a set of Mando armor. It looked old. Saa coughed delicately, walking toward him. "Lookss ljike an hejirrloom."

His backstory was starting to come together in her mind - a Mandalorian somehow separated from others, settled on Carida and had a family, including a little Callomas who was raised as a Mando and of course put his skills to use in the family business.

[Callomas Savoc]

He regarded the armor thoughtfully, considering the Cizerack's words.

"Cei zá." He nodded.

"From a time greatly removed. It is the armor of my papa, you see."

He tapped a control on the armoire, allowing the glass to slide away. He ran a hand along the chest plate, feeling the imperfections and pitting from years of conflict.

"The armor it is beskar, maidellé. The Mandalorian iron. It is strong, and requires in it one who is also strong. I have always hesitated to wear it."