A Bounty in Paradise

Paradise Garage -- Orum's Bastion

Large bay doors open to the Paradise Garage, one of the seedier establishments in Orum's service bay. Pink and green neon blinks out the name over a black durasteel plate screwed in above the door. Inside ships of various sizes are in various states of repair. Ugnaughts, humanoids, a Sluissi, and even a couple of Jawas attend to various tasks assisted by droids of several helpful configurations.

---

On'Tina

When not hidden behind her dark-tinted pilot's goggles, the first thing noticed on this feminine figure is likely her piercing sanguine eyes. A rich, expressive blood red iris floating in a field of snow white that contrasts against the smoky, charcoal grey of her skin. Dark reddish-black lips sit under a slightly wider-set nose dotted with a single piercing stud on one side. Deeper onyx markings decorate around her eyes, though whether they are natural variations to her skin tone, tattoos, or some applied cosmetic is difficult to exactly tell. White dots highlighting along the corner of her eyes and her cheeks creates a canvas of her visage akin to stars twinkling in the deep of space.

Her lekku when free from helmet or veil seem similarly decorated with dark markings and binding ribbons that rotate to coordinate with her outfit, defaulting to black for casual day to day wear. On the taller side for her race, she has a scrappy look edging towards lean with the ramshackle appearance of a spacer who takes things as they go. She doesn't seem to easily sit still and constantly fidgets with one thing or another even when otherwise sitting and standing still.

Maccus

Rugged is a term that can easily describe this man. Jagged pinkish scars and burns mark what is visible on his skin. The tone of his skin is that of someone who has spent far too much time in the sun, keeping an even tan at all times. Prominent scars appearing against his neck and down his left eye. The scar along his left eye seems still rather new, almost as if it has remained unhealed. His eyes, properly, are a clover green and even darker toward the pupil. His ebon locks are shaved around the sides of his head, remaining longer at the front. Standing at a height of six feet, four inches he is taller than your average human. His frame is that of someone who is thoroughly and well-muscled. Light clothing, colored black reside over his being, matched with similarly black boots that look only slightly worn

Malideus

A few fingers below the average height of a human male, Malideus still makes for an imposing figure, with his broad chest and workman's muscles. Carrying himself with a stalker's grace, Malideus appears lithe in spite of his pronounced musculature. At a glance, he leaves an impression of health and fitness, save for his eyes, which glisten red, likes tears of unshed blood.

Every centimeter of Malideus is covered in leather, once black but now faded gray. Boots rise to his knees, secured with thick, primitive laces, tied and retied. A well worn coat with a broad collar adorns the upper half of his body, and articulate leather gloves cover his hands. A hood and mask cover his head and face, leaving none of his skin visible, save for a narrow band of flesh around his eyes.

---

On'Tina seems to be chattering aside to the pair of Jawas that blip around the shop. As they chitter at one another, she gives the most blank-faced expression she can imagine as her left lekku curls up and then flattens "** No ... I'm still not going to sell you her arm ** " she comments in Huttesse with an exasperated tone.

She haphazardly engages in that and checks supply lists on a clipboard littered with scraps of plastipaper, labels torn off packages or boxes to signify things lost and likely needing replaced, "** Why don't you focus on getting me that heat panel I asked for instead ... ** " she mutters, likely just loud enough for them to hear. In the midst of all that a Klatooinian and Trandoshan step into the Garage with a couple Weequay not looking the most pleased for needing to be there.

Maccus remains near On'Tina. Ever protective of his crew mate even as she begins to grumble at the pair of Jawa. With a casual glance toward the entry, Maccus spots those who they had initially met on one of their first days at Orum's Bastion. Maccus nudges On'Tina, whispering in soft Ryl, "<>"

Though Malideus would prefer to hunt the Cursed, those connected and posing a danger to the True Source of All Souls, the Telgossian in black leather has done well for himself hunting other game. He takes neither joy nor discomfort plying his trade as a bounty hunter. Some people need to be tracked down and brought in, for the betterment of all. Others gain a price on their head for other, less legitimate reasons. It is not for Malideus to judge the merit of the bounty, but to see it through to the end.

This particular trail on Orum's Bastion grew stale. Some disturbance a week or so ago. Rumors, as fickle and flighty as a songbird on a hot summer's wind, dragged Malideus this way and that. But then he caught a few overheard words from a bartender. He witnessed a dark look from the patron at weapon's shop. Clues and portends led Malideus through the station, down paths he'd already traversed. Back. Back again. Once more, to the Paradise Garage.

As the Klatooinian and Trandoshan slip through the main entrance, Malideus takes a different approach. He leaps onto a tool chest, vaults higher, swinging off a dangling light, higher still to the lip of an air conduit. His can still in hand, he carefully pries loose the grating and slips in, moving along the conduit above the garage proper.

On'Tina tilts her head as she listens to Maccus, her right lek curling up in silent acknowledgement of what he said. She doesn't turn around right away, the practiced nuance of someone who wants to remind another that they exist on her time and not she on theirs. She hangs her clipboard back on the wall and then with one as she turns around she brushes her hand just under the desk to flick the latch off her blaster holster in case negotiations go poorly.

She breathes in and then turns around to face the little gathering with a showman's charm, "You brought the whole crew. Not sure that was, well, strictly needed but... "

Maccus knows his role. He's served it time and time again. He was large for a human and he knew it. With the scars from fighting to match it. One hand goes to his obsidian colored bracer and the other to his elbow, letting it stretch and pop, using it to cover the flick of the safety of his blaster. His hands falls to his side, relaxed. Simply letting his presence do the work as needed. After all, he cornered them all before.

Malideus squeezes deeper into the conduit until he's nearly right above the invaders. He presses his face close to the narrow grate, his bloody-red eyes drinking in the scene below him. The subjects of this hunt appeared desperate to the bounty hunter's eyes. Desperation made men unpredictable. Dangerous. No doubt the same people that provided Malideus rumors also managed to warn these men that another hunter was on their trail. In that case, Malideus himself made them desperate, which meant anything that happened to Izara's crew would be, at least in part, Malideus's responsibility.

Malideus watches On'Tina and Maccus ready themselves. The hunter pays particularly close attention to Maccus, remembering the aggressive stance the man had taken with Malideus recently. Another point of unpredictability.

Malideus couldn't wait. Centering himself, Malideus opens himself to the True Source and lets it flow into his wooden cane. The living wood takes on a life of its own, glowing brighter and brighter until it seems Malideus holds in his hand not an instrument of wood, but a sliver of golden sun. He presses the brilliant weapon against the conduit below him and the empowered weapon begins to slice through the thin material. He won't be able to get the drop on the subjects immediately, but maybe he can provide a distraction. It might buy On'Tina and Maccus the time they need to prepare.

On'Tina tips her lekku up at the ends at something and she tilts her head to one side. She looks confused face a moment and she snaps her fingers over at the two Jawas and gives them a series of quick gestures and they rather excitedly go up to the Weequay to start chittering to them and offering them a number of possible 'upgrades' or 'offers,' poking and prodding them.

She breathes out then and shifts her weight on her feet and steps forward to talk to the talk to the Klatooinian, seeming to recognize him as the 'lead' of this little posse, "Was getting the thought you weren't coming for it. So where's the credits... with interest at this point I'm hoping?"

He snorts out and says, "I brought three... " and then he upnods to his gathering with the silent comment about what getting more would entail.

Maccus keeps his eyes moving at all times. The clover gaze trying to pierce through what might be unseen with the man's intentions. His hand twitching and wiggling just a little in anticipation but otherwise remains silent, letting On'Tina do what On'Tina does best.

The glowing wooden cane, quietly humming with the power of the True Source, carves a quick path out of the conduit. Malideus prepares himself to receive blaster fire, but nothing happens. It seems that instead of Malideus distracting the ruffians, it is On'Tina and the collection of Jawas that have done the distracting.

With the hole cut, Malideus catches the excess material and pulls it back into the conduit before it can fall. He still has some element of surprise on his side, it seems, and it would be a shame to waste such a resource. Quietly, carefully, the bounty hunter lowers himself through the jagged hole, then drops, putting himself between the thugs and the door they used upon their arrival.

Malideus stands with his cane at his side and his knees bent, head lowered, like a bull preparing to charge. He speaks, his voice rough and quiet. "There are two ways this will play out. You can put down your weapons and come with me quietly, or I can return you to the embrace of the All Mother. Either way, the bounties on your heads will be mine."

On'Tina twitches her lekku at the sudden voice of Malideus and she's about to say something else but before she can get a word in sidewise one of the Weequay pushes the Jawas away from them and pulls his blaster, "I told you the **shutta** would betray you ... Nowab ..." he all but spits onto the ground and then one at a time the gathering do the same. It seems everyone came expecting a fight.

On'tina sighs almost heavily as she pulls her own blaster from her side, the familiar Celestine lights running a course down the side as it starts to thrum with it's latent threat, "<>" she sputters in Ryl and hisses in between her teeth as she breathes in the tension in the air. She watches Malideus a moment, the gears in her head churning, "This kicks off in here... I can't guarantee something doesn't happen to that tree of yours."

It takes less than a second for Maccus to draw his blaster and fire it. Aiming it at a non-vital part of the Weequay, the bolt hits with a thud and a ping, the sound of it audible to any around, "Put em the fugg away. Unless the next one you want is between the eyes."

The blaster bolt from Maccus is enough to kick off a response, if not a full-on firefight. None of the thugs want to go down without fight, but most aren't looking to throw their lives away, either.

The Trandoshan, his weapon already out and his finger on the trigger, turns and fires at the bounty hunter standing between him and the door. Three quick pulls on his trigger, the weapon barking loud in the garage.

Malideus responds. Station cameras later might reveal the bounty hunter responding before the blaster was even directed at him. The cane in his hand once more flashes bright, moving in three quick arcs in front of him. The blasts are deflected, two flying harmlessly off into the ceiling, near the same conduit Malideus used to make his ingress. The third is deflected with greater intention. The red bolt of energy is caught by the cane and redirected towards the group's leader. The blast strikes the ground a meter away from the leader's feet, forming a small smoking crater in the metal flooring.

"Last warning," Malideus says, holding the cane in a defensive stance. "You can walk out, or you can be carried."

To the Twi'lek, Malideus offers a dark look. He says nothing to her directly, but his brow is furrowed.

On'Tina winces her shoulders towards her ears (or ear equivalents) as the first shoots ring out and she breathes in and out as she works to keep steady as things begin to kick off. She looks over at the trio of Weequay and she goes stock still, her lekku not moving as her voice takes a serious tone, "This is about the two of them... isn't about you... he really paying you enough to die for him? Go reach over into his pocket... toss the credits over and walk... or take the credits and walk. Ship's in his name anyway, boys... don't think he'll be flying it."

Maccus makes a soft sound of approval. His eyes, however, remain locked on what Malideus has been doing. Studying it in depth as much as he can before stating, "Go on. Hurry up. We're only after the Klatooinian and the Transoshan." Before motioning with his blaster at the Weequay.

Deep in one of Malideus's pockets, nearly half a dozen chips rested, each with a name and a description. Each declaring a price on the heads of the five individuals currently unwelcome in the Paradise Garage. Malideus didn't know what lay between On'Tina, Maccus, and the criminals. He knew that he needed a lot of money to pay for ship repairs, and the five invaders represented a tidy sum. But they weren't going to leave without a fight, were they?

And so it is Malideus begins his dance. The cane sweeps in front of him, a short staff whirring and whistling through the grease-smelling air. At least one of his foes lets loose another volley, and the staff is moved to intercept, glowing only long enough to reflect the energy bolt away harmlessly. There's no more time for directed reflections. There's no time for thought. Only Telgossian instincts, a dance Malideus of the Wood learned even before he discovered his cursed connection to the True Source.

One of the Weequay is closest, and is the first Malideus approaches. The cane whips through the air, a decisive blow directed at the individual's head. Not a killing blow, but one designed to incapacitate.

Malideus didn't believe this was the time to kill. But depending on how the rest of the thugs reacted, that time might be quickly approaching.

On'Tina twitches her lekku as she seems to watch the reactions of Malideus with some rather open look of fascination before she blinks and seems to realize perhaps the danger of spacing out in the midst of a brewing fire fight.

One of the Weequay decides that 'take the money and run' is the best advice he's heard and while everyone is focused on Malideus, makes his effort to try and 'liberate' his former employer from the stack of credits in his hand, grabs it, and makes a run for the door. Only the best of loyalty among thieves. The Klatooinian in turn decides to spend his last potential effort as a free man shooting him in the back so he can't enjoy his ill gotten gains.

Maccus looks over to On'Tina and states, "Think the Trandoshan will try and run now?" As he keeps his blaster aimed down range. Not necessarily picking out any target as he watches, "<<Or do you think we'll have to take the mother-whatever-lover, too?" As his lip curls into a sort of cruel smile.

A runner. Malideus pivots, twists, and hurls his cane in the direction of the fleeing Weequay. The bounty hunter couldn't afford to let any of them escape. Not only because he needed the money for the ship repairs... he couldn't have them spreading word to any other prospective pucks Malideus might still need to take.

Before the cane can reach the runaway, the Klatooinian does the traitor in. The Weequay falls to the ground, sliding ungracefully on his face with a smoking hole above his spine. Malideus's cane glides harmless over the corpse, clattering on the floor and rolling away.

For a few intense moments, Malideus is unarmed. Now is their chance. Efforts to turn the bounty hunter into a smoldering ruin are redoubled. Blaster bolts fly. And Malideus reacts.

It's like a dance, with odd kicks and twists and bends. Malideus's feet are light. He moves forward and back, bending and twisting. As he moves, he reaches one hand towards his cane. The wooden instrument twitches, then hurls into the air towards the bounty hunter.

Amidst the dodging and weaving, Malideus put himself between two of the combatants. The Trandoshan fires at Malideus, but the bounty hunter has moved. Another of the Weequay takes the blast instead, the blaster bolt burning into the creature's shoulder. The Weequay drops his weapon, and Malideus keeps moving.

Before he stops, the cane is once again in his hand. And the dance continues.

On'Tina decides the male populace of the room has the violence aspect well in hand and further decides she's going to take the moment where the rest of them are shooting, being shot, or otherwise causing wreck and ruin to one another, to focus on far more capitalist endeavors. She looks at where the Weeuquay fell in a pile at the doorway and she tilts her head to one side, seeing if the pile of credits was still wedged under him. Spotting it, she decides to pull a runner herself. She then slides on her hip to remain low to the ground. But it isn't the most delicate of goes probably not properly calculating for the oil slicks on the floor and she takes a tumble.

Maccus keeps his blaster aimed down range, though his head does turn just enough to spot On'Tina. Stepping in, he places his first shot, non lethal into the Trandoshan, seeking to knock down the largest target by at least incapacitating it with a shot to its knee. The other hits the Klatooinian but its nothing major, a glancing blow that would barely cause the man to jolt. Maccus brings his left arm up, bringing it to steady his hand in aiming, "Damnit! Keep your head up!" As he shouts toward On'Tina.

The fight has passed its climax, which is good for Malideus, as the exertions are beginning to catch up to him. Pivoting away from the Klatooinian, the bounty hunter closes on the Trandoshan, his cane still doing the work necessary to keep blaster bolts from reaching his body.

Larger than Malideus, the Trandoshan presents a formidable target. The bounty hunter would need to take risks just to reach his opponent's head, even with the reach granted by the cane. Fortunately for Malideus, Maccus's blast to the Trandoshan's knee is enough to force the large alien to buckle over. Malideus steps forward, bringing the wooden weapon up in a golf swing. The end of the cane strikes the Trandoshan right between the eyes, rocking the creature back. It's unconscious before it lands on its back.

The Klatooinian is about to shoot Malideus in the back when he sees On'Tina go for the money. Neither friend nor for was going to take the Klatooinian's credits. He turns, levels his blaster on the Twi'lek, and pulls the trigger.

Malideus cannot put himself between the blaster and On'Tina. But he's already in motion, reacting before the trigger is squeezed. Again, he hurls the cane. The Klatooinian fires his weapon.

For a moment, Malideus sees a split in reality. In one, the cane is too slow. The blaster bolt strikes the Twi'lek, killing her just as it had killed the first creature that tried to escape with the credits. Malideus is stunned by the death of On'Tina. Maccus, on the other hand, is enraged. His weapon comes up and fires, taking the Klatooinian's head clean off his shoulders. But the rage is not abated. He continues firing. The first bolt to strike Malideus takes his arm off at the shoulder. The next severs his right leg at the knee. Malideus falls, but before his body can hit the ground, Maccus finishes him off.

The vision abates.

The cane soars straight and true. One moment, the wolf-headed wooden instrument is rotating through the air. The next, the blaster bolt takes it. It explodes in a shower of splinters and smoking ash.

Malideus bends his knees and prepares to move again. He glances at Maccus, curious what the man will do now.

On'Tina blinks and reacts a few moments behind to the space where the Klatooinian's blaster being pulled on her - she fires and the streak of Celestine light streams past, through the cloud and dust that had been the cane, taking out the the one that would have shot her in the back. She pants in and out, her lekku twitching furiously and then with her last coherent thought, she scoots the pile of credits under her and sits on them.

Maccus stares Malideus down, his blaster aimed down site for a long time before turning and placing three finishing shots into the Klatooinian without thinking or hesitation. He would then turn to Malideus, "I'll have two droids help you carry the bodies out. Don't speak to this with Izara." Before he brings his blaster back down, flicking the safety and holding his hands up defensively to Malideus.

Malideus locks eyes with Maccus, the bounty hunter's chest heaving after that tremendous work out. After the other man lowers his weapon and holsters it, the bounty looks at his gloved hands. He opens them wide, then closes them, lowering them to his side.

"You didn't have to kill them," Malideus says without looking at Maccus. "I understand why you did, but there was another way this time." There is no conviction to the bounty hunter's voice, though. He knew, all too often, that there was only one way an encounter like this could play out. Take them all alive? He was probably fooling himself.

With his hands feeling naked and empty without his cane, Malideus moves to where On'Tina went down after the credits. He extends a hand, offering to help her to her feet. "Some portion of this catch will go to you and your partner. Whatever's left, I will apply towards the repairs on my ship."

On'Tina pauses and offers up her hand to Malideus to stand up off the ground and scoots the credits into her back pocket as she stands and then brushes her hands off on her self. It doesn't help and she's smeared with engine oil and blood and stars knows what else. She tilts her head up and says to Maccus after a moment, "You wanted a better blaster," and upnods to where the weapons of the fallen scatter across the ground and then after another thought comes to, "Find out what he needs to keep as proof.... "

Maccus points to two lifting droids, motioning for them to begin rounding up the bodies. Maccus continues walking with murderous rage filling his eyes with each step. A few more steps pass before he exhales sharply, "Thats truthfully light compared to what I would've done if On'Tina had actually been hurt."

Maccus kneels down, beginning to rummage through the Trandoshan's pockets, "These two will have a higher bounty. They killed their last hunter trying to collect" Before Maccus begins to address On'Tina, "<>" As he finally collects a set of papers from the Trandoshan.

Though he'd rather be hunting the Cursed, this was not Malideus's first bounty. He steps away from On'Tina and follows after Maccus, examining the bodies and validating them against the target chits. There was no doubt these were the ones he was after, but the job came with responsibilities that Malideus refused to shirk.

Kneeling next to one of the thugs, Malideus pulls out a length of leather chord and begins binding the target's arms and legs. He moves on to the others still breathing and does the same, his actions more economical and practical than tender.

As the droids move among the bodies, gathering them up, Malideus scowls. "I do not care for droids," he says quietly. "But I thank you for the assistance."

On'Tina looks slightly away from Maccus as she holsters her blaster again and her lekku begin to twist and untwist at her back but if anything she looks... embarrassed perhaps at his statement and finally whispers, "<>" in soft-spoken Ryl. And indeed she seemed more rattled than hurt directly after a moment she bends down and picks up a splinter of wood of what once was a staff and just looks at it in the flat of her hand.

Maccus nods to Malideus, "Keep most of the bounty. Pay the rest to Izara for the repairs. The rest save incase you need more repairs elsewhere. Just remember to make the roots breathe and loosen, especially when landing." With a deep breath Maccus would then walk over to On'Tina, handing a handful of papers, "Looks like he was willing to sign his freighter away just to make sure he could get any hunters off his trail" He keeps them held out for On'Tina, "Seems like you're the proud owner of a freighter"

There is little left for the bounty hunter to do in the garage. He looks first to On'Tina, watching her with no small amount of curiosity in his eyes. Then he turns back to Maccus when the man speaks, offering reasonable instructions.

"Thank you again. Both of you. My you find shelter in the arms of the All-Mother."

With that, Malideus of the Wood departs, following a series of droids carrying the targets of his bounty. He opens and closes his empty hands. He would need a new staff. But that was a problem for another day.