A bounty of information. (Open to bounty hunters looking for IC info on The Cartographer)

[Dredge]

Location: Undisclosed Location in Wild Space

A call was made to bounty hunters of all kinds to find a man worth ten million credits. To say the least it peaked the interests of a lot of different parties, dozens and dozens of hunters scoured the galaxy looking for a man who went by [member="The Cartographer"]. Dredge had set a hit on the man for the simple act of trying to help the man [member="Cryax Bane"] weasel out of a deal. An example needed to be made of what came to those who defied the will of Dredge, for those who tried to escape their fates. Cryax belonged to Dredge now and nothing would change that, especially not some fool who lived in a house on the hill.

The Omen command ship (mass effect reaper) basked in the light of a nearby sun, the living warship was a beacon to hunters who wanted more information on the mark. Dredge sat back in his throne in a atrium room and awaited the arrival of any hunters bold enough to step foot into hell. Anyone walking into the throne room would look upon sheer horror, littered across the walls were hundreds of drying corpses that had been crucified to the walls. In the area bellow Graug and Yuuzhan Vong did what they do best, they slaughtered and killed slaves of every race. Yuuzhan Vong slit the throats sacrificing to the gods while the Graug ravaged and killed their prey. And at the center of it sat Dredge on a throne of iron, simply waiting.
[member="Ciara"]

 

[Ciara]

Ciara had worn her standard Shadowskin Clone Pilot Suit as always. The shadowskin gave the flight suit a dull, lackluster darkness which complemented her nature.

Intrusive, cynical and constantly cloaked in the pall of darkness.

But this was not the time and place for such obscurity: Ciara removed an imposing dark gunmetal suitcase from the adjacent shelf in the docking port and set it upon the ground. Opening the suitcase, she inspected its contents: a Nightstinger Sporting Blaster Rifle, eighteen custom forged Darksticks 6 inches in length, a DC-19 "Stealth" Carbine, and a DC-15S Blaster, with plenty of tibanna gas cartridges and power cells in order to massacre an entire brigade. She knew this from experience.

She closed the suitcase and sealed its contents under a maglock, before lifting the case with her left hand. A miraculous feat to the naked eye, but in reality, the suitcase had a small anti-grav unit attached to the bottom which allowed Ciara to carry the suitcase with ease.

She punched the release from the freighter's airlock and boarded the Omen Command Ship. As she boarded the vessel, she turned back to the Omen's docking controls and released the freighter from Omen Command Ship. She glanced outside a nearby porthole as she saw the stolen freighter slowly gravitate towards the intense mass of hydrogens fusing together instantaneously. Satisfied by the current trajectory of the ship, she maintained her cold visage as she walked down the blood-drenched passageways to the atrium of the ship. It was easily deduced by Ciara that she was in fact headed the right way as the amount of gore and bloodshed increased. As she entered the atrium room, she stated dryly to herself, "Such a waste of living specimens."

[member='Dredge']

 

[Dredge]

[member="Ciara"]

Dredge watched the woman enter his domain toating a literal armory with her. She looked to be rather fitting for the job, however that could always be proven wrong. The last bounty hunter Dredge had hired looked right for the job as well but did not come back in one piece. He had paid for his failure with his life. Dredge smiled and dozens of little lasers from snipers training their sights on the woman. It never hurt to be sure that this person wasn't sent to kill him as well. It was a risky business this mercenary game. Dredge gave a dry chuckle when the woman made a comment to herself, something about a waste. It was hard to hear over the screams of slaves.

Dredge raised a fist in the air and soon the room quieted and all eyes were on the woman. The Graug licked blood from their mouths and stared at her, the Yuuzhan Vong gave the woman curious looks scanning her like one of her precious specimens. It was quiet now but soon the shifting sounds of scales moving broke that quiet and a literal ten meter tall black clad dragon lifted itself up from behind Dredge's throne and lowered it's muzzle to be pet by the man.

Dredge slide a hand over the dragon's mouth and pet the top of it's dark muzzle. He looked down at the woman and didn't waste time with small talk.

"The pay is ten million and your weight paid in gold. I want the mark brought back to me dead or alive, no disintegration." He said firmly

 

[Ciara]

[member="Dredge"]

"Quite an enticing proposal. Usually most people would ask why, but I could care less of those details. Instead, I simply have one question: do I have to bring back the entire corpse?"

Ciara peered curiously at the room around her, paying special attention to the assortment of bloodied creatures around the room as well as Yuuzhan Vong around the room. She, in fact, noticed the various sniper emplacements around the room as well as a number of laser sights focused on her vital points, but chose to ignore them and continue her observations. Instead, she set down her briefcase in a vaguely less-bloodied area and shielded her eyes momentarily. She nonchalantly mentions as she paces on the edges of the room, "You see, I could careless about the snipers but I do care about the annoying flashes of light brought upon their laser sights. Not to mention the fact that the laser sights themselves gives away their positions immediately, losing the purpose of having snipers anyways."

Ciara sighed as the laser sights stubbornly stayed in place, following her every move. Instead, she distracted herself by observing the various massive pale-skinned, humanoid creatures around the room as well as the various limbs and portions of corpses adorning the room. "Hm, care to throw in a few spawn of these...creatures as well? Also, I believe its best to inform you that my freighter is currently headed towards complete obliteration within..." Ciara glanced at her chronowatch, "a few minutes at best, so I'm stuck on your ship anyways."

 

[Boomerang]

[member="Ciara"] [member="Dredge"]

Boomerang noted but did not respond to the other freighter as she docked her own ship, though a soft sigh escaped her lips. It appeared someone else had already arrived, and the mercenary just hoped that Dredge would still let her go.

Doing a quick run through the ship's systems to make sure everything was good, the Jumper exited her ship and also noted the gore everywhere. Wonder what the Yuuzhan Vong are planning? She did not know much about the religion, except that big sacrifices meant big plans that involved bigger risk. In fact, it amused her greatly that so much suffering was created in order to ensure something good.

Boomerang continued down until she entered a room where the hideous creature she assumed was Dredge, as well as the other mercenary -- a woman, too -- were chatting. She brushed her fingers lightly across one of the boomerang strapped to her legs, readjustment her hood and jacket, and walked in.

Her footsteps echoing slightly, the woman kept walking until she was only a few feet from her rival. "Don't count everyone out yet, Love." The female's voice was deep and gravelly, like a chain smoker's, though it also had a robotic him to it. Placing her hands on her hips, Boomerang turned her face up to Dredge. "What did I miss?"

 

[Ciara]

Ciara carefully observed her surroundings as she heard footsteps echoing in the halls. It was deduced that the only moving entity not present in the atrium room would be another mercenary, so Ciara quickly looked for a means of entertainment. Carefully gazing over the numerous decapitated heads around her, she found the perfect skull: the head of a humanoid male whose skin had been delicately peeled off, revealing a thick layer of bloody sinews of muscle. It seemed that, however, the method of decapitation was not as elegant: the tears at the neck of the head as well as the trailing pieces of flesh and bone dangling from the empty void in which the spinal cord had existed indicated that a particularly strong individual had managed to tear off the head.

She dug her index finger and middle finger into the eye sockets of the skull, displacing a copious amount of optical tissue, and then grapsed the top of the poor soul's mouth with her thumb and pulled the skull off the spear it was impaled upon. The motion was smoothly executed, giving off the impression that Ciara had done this numerous times or was, at the very least, extremely familiar with humanoid physiology. As [member='Boomerage'] stepped into the atrium room, Ciara quickly dropped her center of gravity towards the floor and hurled her entire right arm foward, lodging the skull directly at Boomerage.

Ciara then proceeded to look back at [member="Dredge"] and simply stated in a completely unapologetic tone, "Sorry about the skull. It was finely crafted."

 

[Dredge]

[member="Ciara"] [member="Boomerang"]

There was one important rule when around the Graug, not so much the Yuuzhan Vong but indeed rule number one around those savage beasts was rather simple. Don't look like food, if you were to display weakness they wouldn't care how much the hunter was to be paid. They would swarm and eat the person. The Graug (locust from Gears of War) eyed both women when they were in the room. However before doing so the Ciara took one of the heads and began to go to town surgically dissecting it. It showed enough to the Graug that she was in fact not food.

Dredge laughed at the display generally amused by her antics. It warranted her a ride to her next destination. The overlord lowered a hand and the bright lasers of the snipers flicked off.

"They exist as a reminder." The overlord said and then quickly got to the topic at hand

"I require the corpse mostly whole, slight brain damage isn't a problem and lost limbs are not a problem." Dredge looked over and pet the muzzle of his dragon once more

"You may have a ship and a few of my men, as a token of my good will. I find you rather interesting." The overlord scoffed and chuckled afterwards he had more info to give out

"The target is called [member="The Cartographer"] real name Bael. My last known information has him placed on Ession, it was hard to make out exactly where due to all the screaming." Dredge said with another chuckle "but he might be hiding out with the Jedi of that world. I warn you it is heavily fortified."

 

[Ciara]

[member="Dredge"] [member="Boomerang"]

Ciara cracked a small, sly small as the laser pointers were turned off. "Thank you." she stated in response, lowering her previously raised hand and back to her side. However, she stopped her arm midway and walked up to Boomerang, wiping the blood on Boomerang's clothing. "You received my gift. So, this is the least you could do," she whispered to Boomerang bluntly, pointing to the skull on the ground and giving her a wicked smile. She quickly snapped her attention back to Dredge with her previous solemn face and coughed softly once.

As Dredge finished his quick dossier regarding the Cartographer, Ciara nodded and said, "Understood. I appreciate the ship and the men, although I can't guarantee you'll have your men back in one piece... Most literally..."

She stifled her laughter as she glanced at the previously thrown head before coughing softly once again and returning back to her stoic composure. She returned back to the topic at hand. "As for the details of the mission, I assure you that heavy security is of no concern of mine and these hypocritical Jeedai scum, are of no concern as well."

Ciara turned back to Boomerang and thrusted her palm directly in front of her faced and waved, splattering the remaining blood all over her face. "Hello! The name is Ciara."

It was hard to tell whether Ciara's antics around Boomerang was simply due to her possibly boisterous personality, or a complete lack of respect for Boomerang. I guarantee you that one is false, and that is the former.

 

[Boomerang]

[member="Ciara"] [member="Dredge"]

Boomerang narrowed her eyes at the other woman, her body tensing slightly. The Jumper didn't know why her rival was getting a skull, but she had a feeling she would be finding out soon.

Ah. The female resisted the urge to shake her head, instead rolling her eyes. As the skull flew towards her, Boomerang withdrew one of her boomerangs and deftly threw it.

The weapon hit the skull hard enough to leave a gash as it flew by, and the skull dropped to the ground about a foot away. The woman stretched her arm slightly, catching the boomerang as it returned, and wiped the blood on her pants. "Child's play," she murmured softly.

She crossed her arms then, and decided the best thing to do would be to simply listen for now. Even when her rival came over and smeared more blood on her clothes. Really? Blood comes out, she was tempted to say, but didn't. The childish behaviour appeared to be an attempt to unnerve Boomerang, and the Jumper was determined to win.

As she listened to Dredge speak, the Jumper narrowed her eyes slightly. Jedi, huh? This might be a bounty of particular enjoyment. It'd been a while since her blades had been aimed at those crummy Force Users.

Boomerang was about to pipe up and inquire on a bounty for any Jedi brought in when once again, the woman came over and stuck her hand in her face.

The Jumper's hand flew up, quick as a hiccup, and seized the other's wrist in an almost iron-like grip. "Perhaps his men won't be the only ones to lose pieces, Ciara." Though the comment was a threat, her tone of voice almost made it seem like she was making an observation of something obvious.

Releasing Ciara's hand, Boomerang took a step back, gave Dredge an informal salute, and turned to leave. She needed to get her kit ready for Ession.

 

[Ciara]

[member="Boomerang"] [member="Dredge"]

"Ouch." Ciara murmured as Boomerang released her hand. "One can't say a friendly hello without being maimed." Ciara sourly said in an low, exasperated tone. Eyeing the previous boomerang that was thrown, Ciara thought best it would be to kill her on a later date. She murmured again to herself, "Damn things ruined my skull..." and the words soon became a series of barely audible mutters about boomerangs, corpses, decapitated skulls, and the galaxy's terrible sense of humor.

As Boomerang left the atrium room, Ciara looked up to Dredge and said, "So. I'm assuming the bounty goes to the person who retrieves the corpse for you....also, what is this ship and crew?"

 

[Dredge]

[member="Boomerang"] [member="Ciara"]

Dredge laughed once again it rang out throaty and genuine, he liked this child truly he did. "Take the skull with you, I don't much like people touching things then discarding them. Makes me feel like someone might start tracking this ship." Dredge had learned that lesson from the protectorate when they nearly killed him. So dredge would have the woman either take the skull or have it incinerated quickly. There was no need to take chances with the woman he had just met.

The Graug stared at the woman still and Dredge lifted his hand up for them to rise. Eleven Graug rose from raping killing and ravaging to look upon the woman they no longer saw as food. The lot of them were armed with lancer blaster rifles and were prepped and ready to fight at a moments notice.

"These are your men now, I relinquish you all from my command and you are now blood bound to this woman until you die or she commands otherwise. Failure to uphold my last order shall be punished by death, effective immediately. Gruk, escort this woman to the hanger so she may have her ship." The Graug gave one last bow to his former lord then turned to face his new lord.

"My lord, we must go." The Graug said to the woman with volumes of respect and honor. He would lick the grime from her boots if she ordered so

 

[Ciara]

[member="Dredge"]

Ciara gave the Graug a quick nod before turning to Dredge and giving one of her rare genuine smiles, where her lips parted away partially and the corners of her mouth gently raised from their original position. She said, "Thank you," before giving him a short bow and reverting her facial expression to her emotionless face. Slowly moving toward her suitcase, she lifted it up with both hands and flung the container at the nearest Graug, tersely barking, "If you don't catch that, you'll be the first one to die."

Turning to the next Graug, she pointed at the skull on the ground and stated, "And bring that too."

She took a few steps toward the entrance of the atrium of the room, before Gruk, the vague leader of the squad, hastened his pace until he was side by side to Ciara. Abruptly stopping, Ciara stated, "Right. Lead the way."

 

[Dredge]

[member="Ciara"]

"Yes my lord" Gruk the Graug looked over to one of his comrades who was toting a suitcase and a severed head. The eleven Graug filed out of the Atrium leaving their lord behind to look a new horizon with Ciara. The dark halls of the omen flickered softly but the crew lead the way to the wide hanger. Hundreds of men moved about the hanger doing their duties and seeing to it that the ship was maintained, the Graug which were the equivalent to space orcs shoved their way through worker caste Vong and Raalonians to clear a path for their new queen. A blaster bolt and a scream rang out and a body or two of Vong or rodent like Raalonian sprawled out on the path before Ciara

Making it to the end of hanger Gruk moved over to his queen and bowed before her.

"My lord, your ship has arrived." Outside of the omen a large asteroid hung around the front ray shield it was almost two hundred meters and looked to be a simple rock on the outside. The side of the asteroid opened up and a docking tube attached to the omen extending a bridge to the the woman and her Graug.

Gruk remained on one knee looking down as a good subject did, he dared not look into the face of his master. He was well trained

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Yorik-stronha

 

[Ciara]

[member="Dredge"]

Ciara tactically observed her surroundings with keen interest into the social hierarchies established, the order of castes, as well as the racial divisions that were etched into the psyches of the various sentient beings around her. The smell of iron was so pungent to the point of being rancid, but this was of no psychological detriment. Because this olfactory sensation was habituated into Ciara's senses: for her, it was simply another trip into her laboratory, whether that laboratory be a state-of-the-art facility or a decrepit clinic in the shaded alleys of the Underworld.

At the edge of the hangar, Ciara spotted a large astronomical mass...an asteroid? Upon closer inspection into the crevices of the asteroid, Ciara could see life: the organic complexes of proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and carbon structures amalgamated into a single unified, living entity. Walking past Gruk, she boarded the entity without hesitation and entered into the interior of the ship.

Upon inspection, the yorik coral walls of the ship were striped with nerve fibers and circulatory arteries. The ship pulsated, and with each pulse, balanced the conflicting anabolic and catabolic processes necessary for homeostasis. As the crew boarded, Ciara entered a small, segmented room, which she assumed to be the captain's cabin and layed down a raised slab of yorik coral. As Ciara closed her eyes, she could feel the subtle vibrations which indicated the life flowing through the veins of the bio-ship.

The Graug who was carrying her suitcase placed it just inside the cabin and kneeled, "Orders, my lord?"

Without getting up, Ciara replied with one word: "Ession."