Someone had a sucessful bounty,

[Syban]

(Neat story from The Zany Zabrak column on Warcry.)

CORONET, Corellia — I stroll into the cantina and glance around before deciding whether I’d be able to relax and enjoy the entertainment. As I make my way to a quiet table in the back, I sit with my back to the wall facing into the crowd. As I sit in the darkened corner and look out into the crowd the bartender droid brings me a blue milk. At least its programming never forgets me. It has been a long day and the band is doing a wonderful job and rejuvenating my weary mind. As the calmness starts to return, I drink from my glass. I think to myself, it’s time to take some time off. Perhaps I can just blend into the crowd and try to forget the dark side of my chosen profession. Being a bounty hunter can be financially rewarding, but it’s a lonely existence. Those who know my profession fear or loathe my very existence. Yet, I always seem to have an assignment or two on the datapad. Funny how the Bounty Hunter’s guild always stays so busy.

As I sit, mindlessly staring into the crowd, I think to myself “Is it just me or do the entertainers always seem to be absent”. You know what I mean, “the lights on but no ones home.” Occasionally one will make eye contact or even attempt to strike up a conversation. It’s amazing what that will do for ones mental wellbeing. With the ability to transfer credits directly to their account in the form of a tip, it never ceases to amaze me how little work they are willing to do for their profession. Sometimes I wonder if they aren’t just auto-bots. Enough about the entertainers; I’m here to relax.

As this was not my day, I got an alert on the datapad. A Jedi had been seen a few too may times, and the bounty was set high for this one. After clearing the annoying alert, I sat contemplating just sitting this one out. Perhaps another starry-eyed young bounty hunter could take this one. “Nope, can’t do it.” I thought to myself. I took out my datapad and accepted the assignment. I finished my drink, transferred a few “K” to the entertainers and off I went: on my way to Kaadara, Naboo to confirm the assignment.

After logging into the mission terminal and downloading my assignment, I headed off to my favorite informant. He always had the best leads: A little expensive, but always accurate. This time, he had little information for me. My mark had gone to ground and would have to be tracked with droids. “For the love of peanut butter! Why can’t the criminals just stand around in the starports and wait for me?” The CORSEC officers never have these problems. They always have a slew of Meatlumps to pick off outside the city walls. Oh well, perhaps that’s why I get paid more. Fortunately, my informant was able to provide me with a bio-signature. By the way, where does he get the bio-signatures from anyway? Ahhh, never mind. I’m sure I don’t really want to know. Out to the field I went. Time to call down a probe droid.

Up into the atmosphere, I watch as the probe droid departs with the bio-signature. Hopefully it will be a short wait. I need to take some time off. I make my way back to the starport and check my gear. As I program the last bit of information available to me into my tracker, the report comes back from the droid. Hesitant to read it, I slowly acknowledge the alert. Dathomir! Oh c… I hate Dathomir. I really need to get a ship. This shuttle hopping has got to end.

A couple brandies and two shuttle hops later, I find myself arriving at the Science Outpost on Dathomir. Why is it always so dark here? After programming and sending out a seeker, I mount my swoop and head out into the darkness. I make my way through the thick foliage, trying to pay attention to the readout on my radar and tracker. I bounce off a few trees and brush up against some rocks while dodging in and out of the indigenous wildlife. I come to a small clearing on a large butte. There, surrounded by little purple bi-pedal critters was my mark. Not to mention one mean and nasty looking spider. My mark was furiously cutting swaths through the creatures. The Jedi was winded and starting to slow. It was now or never. No time to prepare. No observations to be made. It was time to jump. I dismounted my swoop and hit the ground running as my swoop sped past me before coasting to a stop. As I approached the Jedi with my trusty Geo-blaster drawn, one of those filthy little purple things latched onto my leg. Without thought, I sent the little beast to its death with a few pulls of the trigger. As you can imagine, this infuriated the already frenzied pack. As I looked down to confirm my target’s location on the radar, all I could see were dots. Red dots everywhere! Fortunately my tracker was able to identify the now fleeing Jedi. I gave chase, blasting wildly in the direction of the Jedi as my mark ducked behind some trees.

After confirming the direction of travel on the radar, I rounded the clump of trees to find some blood that had been spilled on the ground and a glimpse of my mark running past me; back to the clearing we had started in. Good news was the Jedi had been wounded; it was tired, and running. As I started to turn to continue the pursuit, I felt a slashing, burning, sensation across my chest. I had been hit by the Jedi’s saber. I gave chase back toward the clearing. Once back in the clearing, my mark was nowhere to be found. A quick glance at the radar showed the Jedi had doubled back into the trees. Man, that force run is fast. I turned back. As I rounded the first small group of trees I was hit with a bolt of force lightning. I stumbled back, cleared my eyes and took aim. It was not my mark, but two of those outcast night sisters! TWO of them! I ran back around the trees, away from the sisters and reacquired my mark. I desperately shot volley after volley into the Jedi’s torso as I continued to give chase. Again, around the trees. This time I took a quick glance at the radar to see what awaited me. As I did, my mark turned and Force ran back toward me. “Not this time” I thought, as I stepped to the side and continued to fire as the Jedi flashed back and fourth in an attempt to lose and confuse me. As the life was draining from my bounty, the Jedi threw the saber; again striking me. This time, the blow was to my head. Everything started spinning. I stumbled, adjusted my helmet and shook off the dizzy feeling that had overcome me. I continued to concentrate my fire at the Jedi’s torso.

Just as I was about to knock my mark to incapacitation, I felt a thunderous blow across my shoulders. The strike knocked me to my knees. I quickly glanced behind me as I fought back to my feet. It was one of the sisters, coming back for more. I burst ran away from the sister; pressing to my mark. As round after round continued to strike the Jedi, the two sisters continued to hammer away at my back. As I tried to clear the visor on my helmet, I noticed that blessed spider had engaged my Jedi. Finally! Something was helping me for a change. As the Jedi quickly dispatched the spider, I continued to blast away at my mark. Soon the Jedi fell, incapacitated. No time to finish the Jedi off, I myself was nearing incapacitation. I quickly reached into my pack, used a stimpack and drank some blue milk. That was all I needed to regain enough strength to send the two Sisters to their death. I was surprised at how quickly they fell. Then I realized they were not the same Rancor taming Night Sisters I usually see. Somehow they were connected with that spider. “Strange” I thought as I turned back to my bounty. I calmly walked up to slay my fallen foe. The Jedi lay motionless on its back, gasping for air and bleeding profusely. For the first time, I looked into the eyes of my adversary. I…i…it was a girl! I closed my eyes, opened them slowly and remorsefully terminated her life. I bowed in respect to a fallen warrior, turned my back and made my way back to the swoop I had arrived on.