STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- The Hunter

Headquarters, Ela Nobog

The office is dim, the only light dripping in crimson rays from slit-blinded windows, contrasting against the harsh blue glow of holographic screens. A pair of hands whisk across the desk, interacting with the screens via metal-tipped fingers.

The two figures seated in this office are obscured by the darkness, indistinguishable but by the shape of their bodies. The man behind the desk is lanky (to put it mildly) and incessantly moving, his hands flailing from one screen to another has he checks stock updates and other financial jargon. The man seated opposite is rigid as a gargoyle, completely unmoving.

“Everything is in decline, sir. Everything. Since we routed all resources to our legal fronts, we’ve been losing profit left and right!” The Assistant’s voice is squeaky and nervous.

“It is for the best. The Corporation will hold firm and rise again.” By contrast, the Chairman’s voice is eerily calm, if not sinister.

“Shipments are being dropped, operations are at a stand-still, warehouses are inactive...”

“Hush.”

At a word, the Assistant is as silent as a corpse.

“The Corporation has many connections,” the Chairman says. “I am not concerned with credits. As long as our legal fronts are brought to the foreground, we will survive.”

“It will take some time...”

“Of course it will. But that is not the point, is it?”

There is a pause. The crimson streams of sunset fade to dusk’s deeper hues of purple and blue. The Assistant begins shutting off the screens, but the Chairman halts him on the last screen.

“There is...one thing...that should be dealt with. Immediately.”

“Yes?”

The Chairman leans forward, his already crooked grin being further distorted by the sharp crackling light of the holographic display. The twinkling gray eyes pierce everything in their path.

“The Shipment. It is still aboard The Last Laugh.”

The Assistant nearly falls out of his chair. “I thought...but...Ragnor can’t possibly understand what they are!”

“Ragnor is only an obstacle. Do you realize what will happen if the EMPIRE discovers it?”

“I daren’t think, sir.”

The Chairman’s grin impossibly becomes more demented and crooked.

“Kyle Ragnor must die...and my ship must come home.”

--

Welcome to “The Hunter & The Hunted,” an episode of the new Retrospection games! As an episode of this series, “The Hunter & The Hunted” will be a very personal plotline, exploring events involving the players‘ characters. Going off of Ushgarak’s ever-popular Star Wars role-playing game, these mini-episodes occur in game-play's past. In this case, it will specifically explore why bounty hunter Rylis Tavel is so intent on bringing in Kyle Ragnor and Eerin Chim for their bounties.

For the Scum & Villainy side of this game, let us set the scene and review a bit of our character history. Rylis Tavel, as everyone knows, is a bounty hunter. After a campaign of successful hunts, Rylis has developed an infamous reputation as a huntress that is not to be trifled with. You don’t want HER on your tail. She is destined, in a few years time, to accept a private contract from the Galactic Empire to bring down the Guildmaster of the Osokan people, Drakkon, and bring him in alive. Though this mission to capture Drakkon is a failure, she does succeed in striking up her old rivalry with a certain smuggler named Kyle Ragnor and his buggy companion, Eerin Chim.

But what old rivalry? Where did it all start?

The time period is set in 10 BBY- that is, ten years before the Battle of Yavin and the events of A New Hope, and five years before Ushgarak’s “Lanzar.” Rylis has just recently hit the big time in the Bounty Hunters Guild, ranked with famously infamous names such as Boba Fett and IG88. Still, all that means is that the bounties get tougher...

While the Galaxy isn’t a nice place- especially for a bounty hunter- please remember that you can’t go around killing people for fun. Still, Rylis isn’t a nice person. Do your worst.

This is an opposed game; I advise that you don’t read the Rebel thread.

And remember, have fun!

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.