Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

Crimson Dawn, Docking Platform A19, Nar Shaddaa

The main problem with hunting on Nar Shaddaa is that it's a giant flipping maze. Still, that makes it the proving ground for many bounty hunters; anyone trying to get lost usually comes here, and it's up to you to find them.

You've long since proved yourself, Rylis.

But a bounty hunter still has to make a living, no matter how famous they are. Maybe if you were some brilliant scientist or politician, the money would keep flowing in on your reputation alone. But in this industry, it's all up to how many people you arrest or terminate.

You've tracked your current target to an apartment on the lower levels. His name is Tib and he's wanted dead or alive (worth more alive).

Now that you've made it to Nar Shaddaa, you can choose to do some prep work or just get on with the hunt.

Well, first of all. What does Rylis know of this Tib, and why does he have a bounty on him?

EDIT- Rex

Sorry about that.

He is wanted for distribution of illegal drugs and possible murder.

He is also a Helodira, which is notoriously mispronounced quite often.

And a Helodira is...?

That's a Savoir Faire check. You have a skill of 9 and the difficulty is 10, and you roll eleven.

You don't know much about the Helodira; they like to keep to themselves. The name of their race is notoriously mispronounced; it is said to be 'Heel-oh-dee-rah,' but everyone's just simplified to "Hello-dee-rah." It pisses off the Helidoras to no end.

It's hard to explain what they are. Some sort of reptilian-insectoid hybrid. Uneducated persons are quick to blame the Arkanians for genetically splicing them into existance, but you at least know that they have always been like that. Helodira joined the Republic thousands of years ago, before Arkania's crazy scientist uprisings.

They are jumpy and their speech is hard to understand. They rarely leave Helodira, and so don't bother learning Basic. Helodiran consists of hisses, croaks, and much lisping.

Basically, you're not going to understand a word he says when you meet him, and you can very easily frighten him into running the hell away.

Well, then, I suppose the best chance at catching him without him being able to run away would be to attempt to corner him. If he's in an apartment, that shouldn't be too hard to do, I wouldn't think.

And as that is the case, I should think that getting moving would be the best idea, as to not let him get a chance to try and take off before Rylis even reaches him.

Must be said, every apartment on Nar Shaddaa is different. This place is a jumbled mess, compared to Coruscant. He could have one door into his apartment, he could have twenty. Also, on that note, Nar Shaddaa planet-wide city is a low city; the buildings are almost like canyon walls.

You've landed in a not-so-nice part of the neighborhood, but you being you, all decked out in armor and carrying lots of toys, nobody is going to bother you.

The apartment is actually lower into the city than your docking point. There's an elevator system installed that can take you to the apartments.

Oh, stop poking holes in my logic.

Well, may as well head down. But Rylis will first scout out the area before just going straight for Mr. Buglizard.

Sounds good.

The apartments are in an area that doesn't get much attention. Everything is rusted and overgrown with odd plants and fungi. Many of the rooms are abandoned.

Starships don't fly at this level, and so many walkways criss-cross between the buildings, leading through tunnels and buildings and the like.

Tib's apartment is not hard to find, once you get an understanding of how they're marked. Huttese numbers, bleh. From what you can tell, his apartment has a single door and a window (covered by a blast shield).

So, what next?

One door, one window, and the window is covered? Excellent. That'll make him getting away much harder, unless he tries to go through a wall or something.

Anyone/thing else around his apartment? As I'd rather not make this a large fight if possible...

If not, then Rylis shall enter, blaster out. No giving this vermin any warning of what's up.

Locked.

Typical.

Well, then we shall pick that lock...

A 20 rolled. Easily done.

You move into the apartment, gun drawn, after the door slides quietly open. It is very sparse; in the first room, there is a beat-up couch and a holo-screen, but not much else. The lights are off in this room.

Keep the lights off, I think...

Rylis will, after making sure that nothing is hiding in this room, move on to the next, moving quietly. She's going for a sneaky approach here...

There are two doors.

Should have figured.

Well, check the first door first, then...

Sorry, I didn't specify.

There is a door to the right, nearest you, and one in front of you, farther away.

Wooo.

Rylis will open the door to the right, first.

You swing it open and find...

...some sort of metal stick used for sports. It clatters loudly against your armored shoulder as it falls out of the closet.

There is shuffling from the other door.

Damn closet...so much for being sneaky about this.

Well, off to open up the other door, then. He's almost certainly there.

Indeed!

Or at least, he would be if he hadn't scampered off into the door in what appears to be his kitchen. You catch a glimpse of...green, but that's it, as he bolts.

Oh he is not getting away. Rylis is going to chase after him.

The chase begins as you bolt after him!

As a reminder, the numbers are:

Combat pool/damage/frames

The initiative is determined by subtracting your speed from 10, setting you on frame 3.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Door

Rylis: 4/0/3



Linked Apartment

Tib: ?/0/1

3 frames ahead

-

Right off, it's a shame you didn't know more about Helodiras. When I said they were jumpy, I meant JUMPY. They are remarkably fast and possess a hyperactive adrenal system that gives them the Stim Packs device as an Alien Trick.

He gets his Speed boost from this, dropping his frames to 0.

He is already three frames ahead of you and dashes for the connected apartment's exit.

Am I able to shoot while moving? Also, is he within range of Rylis's spikegun?

Yes, you may move and fire for a cost of four frames, but he is not in range of the spike gun.

Hmmm. Kinda want to try catching up by making him lose frames by dodging, but that would keep us on equal frames. On the other hand, I'd bring him down quicker.

So Rylis shall chase after him, shooting at the buglizard with her blaster.

Tib goes ahead and runs, delayed one frame to open the door. This puts him on equal frames with you. Player privilege says you take the shot as he heads out the door. He will dodge.

You roll 18! The Outcome is limited to 5, a total of 10 damage to Tib after his Strength is subtracted. His natural armor doesn't factor in due to Eagle Eye.

Terrified as the shot explodes against the door frame, Tib keeps on running, not daring to return fire.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Apartment Exit

Rylis: 4/0/7



Walkway

Tib: ?/10/7

5 frames ahead

-

Tib is out on the walkways, simply running for dear life.

Next, huntress?

Chase and shoot again, I think...

Once Rylis is out on the walkways as well this will be a bit easier to catch up.

Another shot! The red bolt zips brightly through the night. Tib dodges.

But it goes wide as you roll a 1.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Apartment Exit

Rylis: 4/0/11



Walkway

Tib: ?/10/8

2 frames ahead

-

Tib is relieved by the miss, but isn't taking any chances. He gets another adrenaline boost, giving him back his wasted dodge. With a trained hand he draws a pistol (0 frame action due to Gunslinger) and fires back at you!

Rylis will twist out of the way of his shot, continuing the chase and returning fire.

Dodge, keep running after him, shoot him.

Tib fires a double shot, a penalty of -2 to his skill. Gunslinger reduces this penalty to -1. Still, it costs him the first shot. The second is a dead-on hit, a 20.

But with your armor and the low damage of light pistols, that is only six damage.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkways

Rylis: 4/6/12



Tib: ?/10/12

5 frames ahead

-

Firing on the move has cost him any spectacular amount of movement.

Player privilege.

Rylis shall keep up the chase and fire at him. Only dodge one shot if he shoots back.

Crap rolling on both your part and his. His wild shots go nowhere; you're astounded that he even hit you the first time. So astounded that you miss yourself, apparently.

Still, you've both wasted frames dodging and moving.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkways

Rylis: 4/6/17



Tib: ?/10/17

5 frames ahead

-

The walkway that you're currently chasing him across will run out soon...

Will I be able to jetpack out here and will it allow me to close the gap quicker?

It would be a Pilot check, but yes, you have room.

Hmmm. Then Rylis shall continue the shoot-and-chase, I believe.

Aaand scratch that as I didn't notice you edited the post...

Jetpack time! Not going to shoot at him while flying, though.

As you run, you activate your jetpack (however it is you do that) and lift up into the air, roaring towards your target at high speeds.

Tib does not slow down as he comes to the end of the walkway. Instead of trying to blast at you, he shoots out one side of the railing. Barging straight into the now loose railing, he grabs hold as it swings out to one side. You zip straight past.

It's an Acrobatics check as he deposits himself onto another walkway. Unfortunately, Helodiras are amazingly fit and he gets a +2 bonus to his roll. He also rolls a 19.

Still, he falls a rather long way; the Acrobatics check was to make sure he actually landed on the right walkway. With Strength and armor deducted, he takes ten damage as he crunches down.

He does gain another three frames on you, though, from his fall.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Mid-air

Rylis: 4/6/20


Walkway

Tib: ?/20/21

8 frames ahead

-

Tib has to spend a frame picking himself up. You're up.

Dive down after him and continue the chase...

You swoop down on him, covering three frames for every one.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Mid-air

Rylis: 4/6/22


Walkway

Tib: ?/20/21

2 frames ahead

-

Tib doesn't try running this time; you're too fast for him. Instead, he fires at you.

Dodge and fire back, not moving this turn.

He goes for the double shot; one dodge covers both.

He fluffs the first, but the second gets you for five damage.

You return fire, which he dodges. A 13 hits him for seven damage.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Mid-air

Rylis: 4/11/27


Walkway

Tib: ?/27/25

2 frames ahead

-

Tib will attempt a snapped shot on you.

Not going to bother dodging this one, just going to catch up with him.

Tib rolls a 14, for an Outcome of two. Three damage.

You close the remaining distance.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/14/28


Tib: ?/27/27

0 frames ahead

-

He gets another shot on you. This one is not snapped, and is a double shot.

Are you landing?

Yes, I will land...dodge and fire if I can do so at the same time without crashing.

Pilot check says you set down easily.

Tib misses entirely as you close with him. The poor bastard drops his pistol as you fire, ducking beneath your shot...

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/14/33


Tib: ?/27/31

-

Tib's pistol stays on the ground.

Instead, he extends a spine from one of his arms and throws himself at you. This is a close-combat attack.

Dodge...and fire with the flamethrower.

He takes a frame to bring out the spike. It's larger and darker, compared to the other little spikes that cover his entire body.

Tib jabs the spine forwards, towards your ribcage. You dodge, but he manages a 13, jabbing into your ribs with no Outcome. He spends a Fortune point on it, raising the Outcome to 5. The bone spike has a base damage of 14. All said and done, ten damage.

He stabs you in the side with his spike, then withdraws as you prep your flamethrower.

Annoying, you roll a 7.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/24/37


Tib: ?/27/37

-

Tib shouts at you in his native tongue- a lot of lisping and sputtering. He seems distressed. He retracts the bone spike, costing a frame.

There's a burning sensation in your side...but it's your move.

Ah, ****, stupid thing is probably poisoned...well, good thing Rylis a mini-medkit on her belt...

Attack using Channel, and dodge whatever he does this time...

Not your day, Rylis. You roll a 3. A definite miss. Wasted his dodge though.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 3/24/40


Tib: ?/27/38

-

In response, he tries to Headbutt you.

Rylis will dodge that and open fire with her spikegun.

His Headbutt goes nowhere. A 1.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 3/24/41


Tib: ?/27/39

-

Headbutt only costs a frame, so it's still his move.

He'll go for a Hard Strike.

I'll let this one come (watch, it'll actually hit...), and then spikegun him in return.

I think you jinxed it. He rolls a 19, Outcome limited to 5. His base damage is his Strength +4 from Natural Weaponry, then the additional +3 from Hard Strike.

He knocks you backwards, the spikes on his knuckles scraping you as he hits hard. 11 damage.

Rather pissed off, you fire the spike gun. The spread pattern of the shot puts a damper on his dodge, and you roll 16. The metal spikes hit home, most of them sinking into his hard skin with sickening thuds.

Only six damage, though. He's a tough bastard.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 3/35/44


Tib: ?/33/43

-

He staggers for a moment, then charges you down with another Hard Strike.

Your Spike Gun will be reloaded on frame 50.

What the hell is with me and bad luck when it comes to dice rolls?!

Dodge it. Then we're trying with the flamethrower again.

He rolls a 10. That won't cut it.

You roll a 20. Jumping to the side of his punch, you extend your other wrist and send forth a stream of flames. His clothes ignite as he takes 10 damage.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/40/48


Tib: ?/43/47

-

At frame 48, you refresh your combat pool and take five damage from Tib's Poison Sting.

Tib's on fire, but the additional damage won't take effect for another twelve frames. Shouting in pain, he tries for another Hard Strike.

Rylis will dodge out of the way and strike back with Hard Strike herself.

He hits harder than you, Rylis. Seven damage as you slams his fist across your face, cutting your cheek.

You respond with a jab for four damage.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/47/52


Tib: ?/47/51

-

Your Spike Gun makes a chink! noise as the mechanism readies itself to fire again.

He comes at you with yet another Hard Strike.

Dodge and fire with the spikegun again; put a Fortune point into it.

He misses terribly.

The Fortune point spent means you get full damage with the spike gun, as all six spikes thud into his chest. Eight damage!

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/47/55


Tib: ?/55/55

-

Player privilege!

Your Spike Gun will be reloaded on frame 61.

Rylis will strike at Tib, using Trip.

Dodge if he hits me...

He dodges. A 20 puts him down! No damage though.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 3/47/58


Tib: ?/55/59

-

Your move.

Mwahaha.

Rylis will attack with Knee Drop, now.

Or would I be able to just get him now while he's down? Rylis does have those cuffs in her utility belt...

You can try it. It's a Combat roll to hit.

Sure, I'll give it a try. He's prone and I've got a good combat score.

Your bad luck seems reversed as you roll another 20.

As he scrambles to his feet, you push him down with your knee and slap on the cuffs. This makes things very difficult for him.

However, you had to touch him to get the cuffs on, and he's still on fire. You take six damage from the flames. He takes five, screaming in anguish as he cannot put it out himself.

The poison is also still in effect. Combat time ends with you on 58 damage, he on 60 damage.

Rylis will use her mini medkit to counteract the poison, satisfied that Tib's not going anywhere right now.

"Now, why would you think that running was going to be a good idea? We could have taken care of this like civilised people..."

Consider yourself de-poisoned.

Tib yells at you, the equivalent of "Put me out!" in his raspy, lispy language. He writhes on the ground as he continues to burn.

"See, I'm not exactly sure why I should do that..."

Rylis will leave him another moment longer, before putting out the fire.

"But I suppose I can't have you setting the inside of my ship on fire. And you are worth more alive, anyway..."

""

"I'm not interested in the petty details. If I listened to the sob stories of every sad being I went after, I'd never make any money." Rylis replies.

""

"I'm not generally up to bargaining. Now let's go."

Rylis will start heading back to her ship, taking her captive with.

You get Tib to his feet...

...and he rather fiercely tries to Hard Strike you with a kick to the stomach.

Dodge that and return with a Hard Strike myself...

"Oh, knock it off! I prefer to not kill people but I'll do it anyway."

A short pause as I get a rules clarification from Ush...

In his current state, Tib is at a -2 penalty from his injuries and the cuffs. For a moment you don't think he's going to hit, but he spends a Fortune point and catches you in the stomach with his clawed heel. 9 damage to you...not good. At 60 you get a point of impairment, and at 65 you get another. All your rolls are at a -2 penalty...

Your responding punch is dodged; you JUST miss.

He takes advantage of your miss with a Headbutt...

Rylis will dodge his headbutt and aim the flamethrower at him, opening fire.

Tib cracks his spiny forehead into yours, dead-on. You stumble back, your head reeling. You think you might be bleeding...

At 76 damage, you make your impossible-to-fail first Death Check. Oh, how surprising, you pass. Still, another point of impairment...

Your flamethrower strike rolls a 3; with your penalties, that is effectively a 0. Reeling from the headbutt, your stream of fire is a tad less accurate than you'd hoped...

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/76/72


Tib: ?/60/71

-

Tib is going to make a break for it; you get a free attack.

Shoot him with the spikegun...

As Tib turns tail, you attempt to spike him in the back. He cannot dodge this free attack, and so cannot spend a Fortune point on a dodge that he is not making.

A 19! Much better. All six spikes thump into his back, bringing him to 68 damage. He's now at three points of impairment, thanks to those cuffs.

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/76/75


Tib: ?/68/75

5 frames ahead

-

Tib runs for dear life, taking another adrenaline boost. He dashes off across the platform, with severe burnings and about 16 spikes stuck in him. The Helodiras are hardy folk, apparently...

Rylis is going to take off with her jetpack and chase after.

Amending that post, actually.

Rylis is going to fly after him until she catches up, and then land and quickly attack with Channel.

He moves as you move; he moves one frame, you move two.

On 76, he's 4 frames ahead.

On 77, he's 3 frames ahead.

On 78, he's 2 frames ahead.

On 79, he's 1 frame ahead...

On 80, you catch up and are on equal frames...

Right, Rylis is going to attack him again, using Channel (as I just said I'd do once caught up)

Tib does not expect a divebombing punch and doesn't dodge. With your momentum, I'm going to say that you get a damage bonus, a heavy metal object roaring straight at him with fist extended...

As he's not dodging, it's a difficulty of 13 to hit, but to not go spinning out of control in the process is a slightly higher difficulty.

Still want to go for it? I've already made the rolls...

Ahhhhhh I hate when people make comments like that, always guaranteed to make me think I've screwed up horribly...

Yes. May as well go for it at this point. Not exactly sure how Rylis would spin out of control as she shouldn't have been flying that much higher but whatever...

You could always hit him but then go spinning towards a wall...

With the -3 penalty, your Combat skill is 10. You roar towards him...and roll a 16. You shoulder-barge into him. Your Strength is 7, +3 from Channel, +3 from the Outcome...and +10 from your high speed collision. Even with his armor, that's 13 damage to him, and he's sent prone.

With the -3 penalty, your Pilot skill is 8. As you recover from the collision, you careen towards a wall...but promptly roll a 19 (20 with Daredevil!). You quickly stabilize and come in for a landing...

-

CHASE ON APARTMENT LEVEL

Walkway

Rylis: 4/76/83


Tib: ?/81/86

-

Tib passes his Death Check. He'll be up on frame 86...

Oh, he's not getting back up. Rylis is going to take her second set of cuffs and cuff his legs again.

If he doesn't like that...then he can meet the flamethrower or spikegun again.

That rolls off of Combat. Fine with that?

Well, it's that or attack again and possibly kill him and though Rylis is actually rather pissed off, she still would rather get him alive...

Hmm...a 6...

As you try to slap on the cuffs, he scrambles away, struggling to get to his feet.

""

"Oh, you've had your chances. Now, I don't like to kill, but I have been known to make exceptions." Rylis replies, pulling her blaster back out and sticking it in Tib's face. "So how many pieces would you like to be in?"

If he makes an indication of running or attacking again, shoot him.

Pity Strike to Subdue doesn't really exist for this...

"" he answers.

He gets to his feet, but stays rooted on the spot, waiting for your directions.

"Let's go. Any more tricks from you and I'll be bringing back a corpse."

Rylis will begin heading back to her ship, making Tib walk just in front of her so she can keep an eye on him, her blaster held against the back of his neck.

For having a blaster pressed against his neck, he sure does complain a lot.

""

"Someone has a guilty conscience. How do you know it's even murder you're wanted for?" Rylis replies, not answering his questions (mostly because I didn't think to find that out before). "Now be quiet."

It's some private Hutt contract; the bounty mentions to just send off your coordinates to the poster of the bounty and the Hutt's men will retrieve him from your care and pay up.

""

"Generally you have a better chance of collecting a debt from a live person than a dead one." Rylis says, shaking her head at that. "So you did kill someone. What did he owe you money for? Drug deal gone wrong?"

""

"Always with the excuses. Every time..."

Tib simply starts grumbling at you in his native language as you lead him back to your ship.

Anything else you'd like to do before alerting the Hutts of your capture of Tib?

Well, patch myself up a bit...

Consider yourself healed in regards to damage, but you're still feeling pretty achey from being burned, beaten, stabbed, and poisoned.

If there's nothing else, we'll press on.

Your ship is where you left it.

""

Well, there isn't anything I can think of...

"Do you ever shut up?"

""

"I can't exactly see how doing that will help me any." Rylis replies, pressing her blaster into the back of Tib's neck a bit harder, to discourage him trying anything.

""

The constant talking is a nervous reaction, you think, to being litten on fire and chased down by a scaring bounty huntress.

You can lock him up onboard your ship until the Hutts' people come for him. Until then, all you can do is wait.

Well, that's his own fault, he shouldn't have tried to run.

Sounds good to me. There's nothing he'd be able to mess with in the area that Rylis uses for locking up targets.

Tib will stay put, no worries. He learned his lesson.

While we're waiting, your ship's comm unit starts beeping. Incoming message.

Oooh, message.

Rylis will see what the message says.

It's actually a live feed from Makrus, your mercenary ally. He likes keeping in touch with you because having connections to a highly feared bounty hunter is obviously beneficial in his line of work.

He also hits on you far too often, but he's useful, so you let it slide. Sometimes.

"Evenin', Rylis," he greets you. "How'd the Tib case go?"

"Oh, he's locked right now, bit of a mess bringing him in, though. Helodiras are a pain. Should be worth it, though." Rylis replies, settling into the pilot's chair in her ship. "Just waiting for him to come get picked up."

"Live capture?" Makrus asks, somewhat surprised. "Tough bastards, Helodiras. All that hard shell and needly skin." He thinks for a moment. "Didn't poison you at all, did he?"

"This would have been great for you to have told me before now, you knew I was chasing down Tib. And yes, I got him alive, you know how I feel about killing unnecessarily." Rylis says. "He managed to get me with one of his poison spikes but I'm fine."

"You're clever, you don't need me to tell you everythin'," Makrus cheekily replies. He cringes when you mention the poisoning. "Sorry to hear that, love. Do you know anything about that toxin?"

"Most of what I know about Helodiras I've learned in the past half hour or so. Never had an encounter with one before. And I can't say I do, though it appears that my little kit has taken care of it."

"Aye, that's well and all, but not a very final solution. Helodira poison messes you up pretty bad. Sure, your antidote's probably taken care of it, but you're going to be pretty off your game. Untreated it'll kill ya, but if you treated it right away you'll pretty much have a loss of balance, unsteady hand, maybe a little twitchy. Not fun."

(in short, one point of impairment...)

"No, doesn't sound like fun at all. How long does it take for that to go away, or will I need to actually get properly treated at some point?"

"I'd advise a few days of rest, but...eh...you've got that deadline to meet. The Guildmaster gets pretty pissy when you don't meet deadlines..."

The deadline is your least favorite part of the Bounty Hunters Guild. The Guildmaster, a particularly unpleasant Trandoshan lovingly nicknamed Ripper (Destroyer of Internal Organs!), demands a certain fee be paid to him so that you can keep making a living. That way, he can make money without having to hunt. The better you are, the less bounties you have to pull in to meet the deadlines (though most kiss-ass hunters or crazy-psycho-killers bring in many past the requirement). It also keeps you guys all in the green.

If you don't make the deadline, you lose your liscense and he puts a bounty on your head. In the days of the Republic, completely illegal. But now? The Empire doesn't dabble in the affairs of bounty hunters except to use them to hunt terrorists.

Still, Ripper likes you. You've probably got the smallest number of bounties to drag in for someone of your skill.

But Tib's case wasted a lot of your time. You tracked him for a damned long time, but the money was too good to give up on someone like him, and both Ripper and Makrus pushed you towards it.

"Yeah, I know...I should be close for that, though, especially as I got Tib alive and in one piece. And then after I'll take a short break. I'm pretty sure even the Guildmaster will realize that I'm a lot more useful when fully healed." Rylis replies. "And at the very least...I can get some rest while traveling. Better than nothing."

"You'd better catch one soon, eh?"

"I'll be fine. Has anything new and interesting come up that you've heard of while I was chasing down Tib? Or just more of the same old waste of time stuff that there's too much of?"

"Blah, there haven't been many interesting ones to pick at, not since you took up the Tib case. Been doing merc work. You've heard of that Fett fellow, yeah?"

"Of course." Rylis replies, rolling her eyes. "Is he nabbing as much as the good stuff as he can, then?"

"You'd better believe it. He doesn't have a deadline in his part of the Guild, but you know he's got several dozen down. The man's more machine than IG88! Oh, hang on..."

Makrus falls silent for a second, then returns just as quickly.

"Sorry, had to grab my soup. I haven't eaten in a few days. Damned war-that's-not-mine. Anyways, there's a new bounty up that the Fettster hasn't taken yet." He makes a low whistling noise. "Worth quite a bit, too."

"Aren't you generally the one who has more common sense of the two of us?" Rylis says, rolling her eyes again but this time in amusement. "Worth a lot, huh? What're the details?"

"Ever heard of the Nobog Corporation?"

"I've heard the name, yeah."

"It's a big corporation from Ela Nobog. Lots of business dealings on that world. The Nobog Corporation specializes in the shady ones, lots of illegal activities there. Covers everything up with legal fronts, like funding hospitals on Spiridos and charities and mushy stuff that the Empire loves."

"And naturally the Empire turns a blind eye to the illegal stuff so long as they get their cut of the profits, I'm sure..."

"Most of the time, true. Not with the Nobog Corporation. Looks like someone decided to impede on Imperial agendas and then someone else blew it wide open. That someone else got the Corporation in BIG trouble with the Empire, and now they're in big trouble themselves. I'm sending you the file..."

A bounty appears on your screen for...whoa, that's a LOT of credits. Way more than Tib was or...well, maybe anyone else you've ever brought in.

"Kyle Ragnor. Heard of him?"

"Wow. I haven't, though I feel this one is going to be worth my time..." Rylis says, looking through the file. "There's no way I'm letting Fett get his grubby little hands on this one."

"Thought as much! From what I heard, Fett's busy with another one right now, so this Kyle fellow should be yours for the taking, eh?"

"Oh, he's going to be mine all right..."

What exactly is in this file?

My apologies, Christmas parties and work don't mix well with updating RPGs. My bad.

The file is actually very detailed. It lists numerous crimes to Kyle's name (assault, exporting and importing illegal goods, etcetera), but you can tell right away that this is a vendetta, not a bounty. They're offering money for you to kill him stone dead, not just bring him in because he did a bad thing.

It mentions that Kyle is in possession of a starfreighter known as The Last Laugh, a heavily modified Corellian freighter, with bulk armor and additional weaponry. They specifically want the ship returned.

Lastly, it mentions that Kyle is a remarkable marksman with a pistol.

Also, obviously, a description of him. Oh, and that he's working for the Hutts on Nar Shaddaa, smuggling whatever it is that those fat slugs need smuggled.

...

(no mention of the bug in there? )

"This seems to be more of an assassination than a bounty to capture, to me..." Rylis comments to Makrus as she reads through the file.

What bug? It specifically says that Kyle travels alone, actually.

"Well, they put up the contract, so it's still a bounty," Makrus replies. "May not be very much like one in nature, but hey, it's good money."

"I suppose, though you know I'm not fond of that sort of thing. They're right here on Nar Shaddaa, too...and also working for the Hutts...here I was, hoping I could get away from this place."

"You're not going to find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy than Nar Shaddaa," Makrus says. "Well, except for maybe Mos Eisley, but that's lightyears away. All you have to do is walk outside."

The screen bleeps as you confirm your taking of the bounty contract. Your name pops up under 'Confirmed Hunters.' Moments after, quite a few names show up, but nobody that you'd care too much about. Besides, you have first dibs.

"Get crackin', Rylis. Not got a lot of time...toodles."

So, how do we propose to find Kyle Ragnor, oh mighty Huntress?

Well, I would say start out by scouting out the places where the scum tend to gather, but that's pretty much...the entire planet...

Any particular spots where the Hutts like to send their lackeys to meet with people?

There's quite a few places spread across the planet, but a Savoir-Faire roll says that the best place to check would be...The Rimmer's Rest. The place is a small, seedy, privately owned pub where some of the Hutts send their representatives to chat with their smuggler employees. You've only been there once or twice, but you know where it is.

Well, that sounds like as good a place to check out as any...so off to the Rimmer's Rest it is.

The Rimmer's Rest is not within walking distance, being not only higher above you than your current level, but also in another part of the City. You'll have to fly there.

However, before you can start up the ship, there's a gunshot outside.

Oh, joy...

Rylis will go and check out what just happened.

BTW, Tib been picked up yet?

Nope, not yet.

You step out into the docking bay where the Crimson Dawn currently resides. Nothing here but a few crates, some fuel lines...oh, and the Rodian dock-keep, lying on his back with a blast wound to his forehead.

Right, well, holes don't spontaneously appear on foreheads...

Rylis will cautiously take a look around, seeing if there is anything she can see (anything behind the crates, if there's an upper level if there's anything up there, etc) that's suspicious, with her blaster out.

Nothing. The hangar appears to be empty...

...wait, there was a clatter over on the other side of the hangar...

Suddenly, an arm slips beneath your left armpit and reaches up to your right shoulder, grabbing you firmly and putting you in a hold.