A Change of Pace

[Sal Valentino]

Coruscant​

The time and location had been set weeks prior to when the meeting was to take place. Both parties would meet for the first time in one of the upper levels of Coruscant. This part of Coruscant didn't house the rich elite you'd find in the upper districts, and it was not too low as to attract the scum of the planet. It was a safe meeting place, although the exact coordinates provided to the contractor would be away from any government surveillance equipment that could compromise the deal. What was taking place here was illegal, and so measures must be taken to protect everyone involved.

Away from this scene, in one of the glass superstructures of the city, a shadowy figure watched the area where the deal would be taking place with his own array of cameras and transmitting devices. "Move in." The figure grunted over the communication link to a man present in the nearby area. Doing as he was told, the henchmen, dressed in a non-descriptive black suit, would approach the meeting point. Once there, the man would retreat into a nearby shadow and await for the other party to appear. The unknown man, who remained in his luxury apartment somewhere on the planet, didn't break contact with the screens at any moment. He would pay the closest attention to every detail in his field of view. Analysing it. Remembering it.

The contractor who would be used for the upcoming mission was currently untested, however the employer saw potential in this person. They were skilled at what they did, but more importantly he was disposable; once the task was over, they could be neutralised. Leaving no loose ends was always good for business.



[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin surveyed the surrounding area quietly, keeping mostly to the shadows. Not that he was trying to hide, persay, but this whole arrangement struck him as strange. Better to have every advantage he could take if things went south. He'd never been to Coruscant before, and certainly hadn't dealt with government officials before. And yet, he couldn't help but feel that meeting in the streets was...strange. Whatever contract work they needed was likely to be just as strange.

As he neared the meeting point, he spied a man tucked away in the shadows, presumably watching for him. Dorin walked up to stand beside the man and folded his arms over his chest plate. A soft spoken Mandalorian accent filtered through the helmet as he spoke, "You know, when I contracted with the Coruscanti government, I had assumed I would be meeting in an office. Why all the hush hush?"

 

[Sal Valentino]

The henchman on the ground had been briefed on what to say and, more importantly, what not to say to Dorin. "You must be Mister Arkx." The lone man began, "You see, this planet is full of corruption. We cannot afford the information I'm about to give you to fall into the wrong hands as it may raise awareness to the mission we have planned ahead."

A holo-projector was almost forced into the hands of Dorin, before an identical device was taken from the suit pocket of the mystery man and turned on. The image displayed was that of a map, with a predetermined route heading somewhere in the city. "As you can, this device holds all the information on the mission. It has the location where your target can be found and a picture of the target; we don't want any possibility of mistaken identity." This man spoke with confidence and would appear official to someone not familiar with the government on Coruscant.

"Your target is Duchess Opara." As he spoke, and image of a obese Hutt would be displaced in the shimmering blue light of the projector, "The target is a slaver visiting from the outer colonies. The senate has decided this parasite is guilt of her crimes and should be eliminated."

In the uppermost levels of Coruscant, a shark-like grin began to appear on the face of the over-watching figure. His plan was coming together.



[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin listened to the briefing without comment. He studied the hutt for a moment, then turned his attention back to the map. "I think you'll find, sir, that corruption is everywhere. Of course, that is going to make something like this...problematic."

He pointed to a spot nearby the location of the target. "I'll attempt to take the target here once I've secured her. I'll radio ahead for evac once I'm ready. If Coruscant is as corrupt as you say, you're going to need an air-tight case against her."

Dorin looked at his contact, turning the holoemitter off, and tucking it away in a hidden pouch. "On what grounds is she being detained, and who am I getting a copy of the warrant from?"

 

[Sal Valentino]

The contractor was asking a lot of questions. Sure, they could've just employed any mercenary or bounty hunter to complete this mission, but the employer wanted skill and precise. These were two traits he was sure that Dorin could fulfil without hassle.

Without speaking the suited man would bring up another image on the holo-projector, this one displayed a warrant with the Hutt's name plastered at the bottom. This was a real document, although it was received via bribery of someone within the Coruscanti government. "I hope this is sufficient for you." The man spoke to Dorin, "It can also be found on your device, of course."

"Operatives will be sent to collect Opara once the threats have been neutralised and the area is deemed safe." It was unbeknown to Dorin, but once the Duchess was collected, she would be killed. The employer was not interested in detaining this target; what he wanted was much simpler, and evil.

"As for payment, you will receive 50,000 credits now and another 50,000 upon completion."


[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

"Strictly speaking, it's not me that needs the warrant."

Dorin looked over the provided document for a moment, then pulled his own device back out of his pouch. He pulled open the map again and began considering options. Direct approach was the most likely to cause trouble. Hutts couldn't move fast, but they usually had multiple escape routes. Tough for a single person to handle. And Dorin still couldn't shake that feeling at the back of his mind that something was off about this whole thing. "I'm guessing your boss is patched in, so here's how we're gonna do this."

Dorin knelt down and placed the device on the ground, using both hands to simultaneously manipulate the image, and indicate spots as he spoke. "Send a security squad to this location. Make sure they're inconspicuous till I give the signal. Airspace needs to be shut down around this whole thing so if she jumps in a shuttle we can head her off. I want a sniper here....and here. Everyone outside using non-lethal rounds. Check fire, there's bound to be a civilian or two when the shooting starts. I'll need a breaching charge strong enough to break this window here, and unless another exit presents itself, I plan to exit out the side where your security force will be waiting. Send a shuttle to pick us up....there, and I'll personally escort the target to the detention facility."

Dorin lets the holo sit for a moment, then stands, pocketing the device again. "Remember, non-lethal rounds."

 

[Sal Valentino]

Although the plan was prepared quickly, it seemed like a solid effort and it was clear Dorin was experienced in this field. The henchman would reply to the contractors requests, "I'll radio all of that in now. By the time you reach the location the airspace will be restricted and the operatives will be on hand."

"We also have some more information on the Hutt's location and their entourage. The location that has been marked is a nightclub, the Hutt will be found in the backrooms, it is unlikely for civilians to be present here but you should still handle the situation with care." In reality, the employer did not care what happened in the club, just along as Opara was removed from play. "Expect heavy resistance. These scumbags almost worship Duchess Opara. They've got heavy weaponry and their paychecks on the line." On this planet, crime paid well. Well enough to afford the best, military grade weaponry. Even with his skills, Dorin would have to be careful.

"Blasters will be set to stun, but be aware, Hutts have been known to shrug off stun rounds. Especially a Hutt as large as the Duchess."


[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin reached back to adjust his sword, and rolled his neck. Why did it always have to get more complicated? He sighed quietly, looking off in the direction of the building for a moment before turning his head back to the contact. "And you planned to tell me about this military force when, exactly?"

Make no mistake, Dorin was fully capable of taking down fully armed soldiers, but he appreciated knowing about it before hand. "Plan should still work. Might want to double the numbers in the fire-team, though. Also, if they're sporting military grade weaponry, we're going to have to renegotiate my price. 65, before and after, plus any medical expenses and repair costs."

Dorin turned to face his contact, holding out his hand for the payment. "And I know that Hutts are tough sons of bitches. The Stun rounds aren't for her."

 

[Sal Valentino]

"Our initial offer did say this operation would be dangerous. And if it wasn't, we wouldn't need someone with your... skill set." The suited man told Dorin, next would come to issue with payment. This would require confirmation from higher up. "That is fine." Is all that would be exchanged through the communication link. The employer knew you had to spend credits to make credits, and an extra fifteen thousand to secure the deal was an expense worth it.

The suited man then took a small electronic device from his pocket and handed it to Dorin, before explaining what it was. "This contains your credits. You can transfer the credits to any account you wish. In case you were wondering, it is completely untraceable."

A small message on the holo-projector confirmed that the operatives were in their designated locations at the location. Once Dorin was ready the mission could start.


[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin looked at the device for a moment, brow furrowing under his helmet. He finally pushed it into a pocket to be worried about later. "Someone with my skill set often times has more important things than slavers to worry about. Let's just be glad I was bored enough to court a hundred total."

He turned and began walking towards the nightclub, pausing near a building a block away. He checked the street ahead, then behind him, before ducking into an alleyway. He sighed quietly and rubbed his hands together, jumping up onto the nearest dumpster and quickly scaling the side of the building. He paused on the roof, sneaking around to an unobstructed vantage point where he would not be easily noticed.

As he crouched down and looked over the exterior of the club, he mulled over the meeting with the security official. Someone else was pulling the strings, that much was certain at this point. Corruption or not, meeting in a back alley somewhere didn't sit right with Dorin. The real red flag was untraceable credits. Governments usually kept a VERY close track of such things. Dorin stood up, and drew his sword, crystalline edge at the back of the blade shimmering in what little light there was. He held it up across his torso, left hand placed flat across the blade at the base. He muttered something under his breath, and slid his palm down the blade, causing the crystalline edge to glow a soft purple color. He then drew the sword back across his left shoulder, and took a running leap forward, throwing the sword as his feet left the ground.

In mere seconds, three things were going to happen. That sword was going to impact the window he'd indicated, and release a shockwave of energy. Then his feet were gonna hit the ground right behind it. After that...all hell was gonna break loose...

 

[Sal Valentino]

"Good luck, Mr Arkx" Was the final exchange between the two before they went their separate ways.

Inside the club was as you'd expect most other on Coruscant. Patron filled the dance floor, with large crowds also around the bar counters. Unfortunately for Dorin, the only way to access the backroom where the Hutt was located was to navigate this busy area and make his way through the protected and reinforced doors.

The window that Dorin was breaking through would cause him to land at the far side of the room to the doors. The breaking of the window caused panic to the many of those in the room. Many would run towards the exit upon seeing the armed man enter the building. The crowd moving towards the exit would get larger and larger until most of the guests had moved from the area. The loud music would make those guarding the door unaware of Dorin's presence to begin with, but as every cleared out they would catch on that something was happening.

They would make their way to the broken window, blaster pistols drawn.


[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin picked up his sword, and stood from his kneeling position on the ground. He rolled it in his hand once, before bringing his opposite hand up to slide along the blade again, a soft electrical crackle beginning to hum around the blade. He turned to the nearest armed guard, and flipped his sword around so it was held reverse, blade running along his arm. He held up a hand. "I want to speak with Opara. We can do this the easy way, and no body gets hurt. Or we can do this the hard way and I kill you all. Your choice."

Not that the blast doors were going to be a problem, but Dorin always did prefer to talk his way past such obstacles. His eyes shifted wildly beneath his helmet, taking in every small detail, every small movement he could see within the nightclub. Particularly the mass of people pushing towards the door. Crowds were trouble, and easy to hide in. Dorin focused his attention back on the guard he had addressed, grip tightening around his sword. Might not have hurt to try and milk his contract for seventy five, now that he thought about it...ah well, he was just going to have to enjoy what parts of this contract he could as best he was able...

 

[Sal Valentino]

The guard looked at Dorin with a confused expression. This situation was foreign to the armed man, and so he didn't know how exactly he should react to the threat. "Meet the Duchess?" He would eventually choke up, chuckling as he did so, "All you're getting is this!" After this corny one-liner, the henchman would begin firing at Dorin with his blaster pistol. Soon after, the second guard would also begin firing. It would seem that the head guardsman didn't think much of the intruder who only seemed to be armed with a sword. And in a Galaxy full of blasters, lightsabers, and several kilometre-long dreadnaughts, why should he be worried about sharpened metal? These underestimations would most likely prove to be his downfall.


[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin shook his head, almost in an exasperated manner when the guard said that. The first shot rang out, and Dorin was already in motion. Lightning crackling along the edge of the blade arced and snapped as the blade flew through the air towards the second guard. Dorin didn't even wait to see where the sword landed. He knew the gunman wouldn't be fast enough to dodge it. He instead turned his attention to the guard that had spoken to him. He surged forward in the same fluid motion he had thrown the sword with, bringing a gauntlet up to block one of the bolts as it streaked towards his face. Dorin reached out, and gripped the blaster with the force, ripping it from the guard's hand. He launched himself forward, left arm now outstretched to seize the man by the throat. He watched the man quietly for the briefest of moments as he stretched his right hand out behind him, recalling his sword to him from whatever electrified pulp the other guard had turned into. As soon as the blade landed in his hand, he brought it around to rest the guard right on his wrist, and against the man's neck. His voice, when he spoke, had a cold, quiet intensity to it. "I'm sorry, you seem to have misunderstood me. When I said I wished to speak with Opara, what I meant was I would like to speak with Opara. And when I said we could do this the easy way, I meant you would take me to her. Am I understood?"

 

[Sal Valentino]

Unbeknown to Dorin, but the security cameras of the club had been hacked into and were currently being viewed by his real employer, who remained somewhere in the upper quarter of Coruscant. As both guards were swiftly dispatched, the same grin as once before stretched across his face. It seemed he had employed the right person.

As the guard was being choked by Dorin, commotion could be heard originating from the backroom where Opara was said to be located. It seemed the blaster fire had attracted the attention of more guards. Instead of giving Dorin what he wanted, the guard only spat blood in his face and taunted the bladesman, "Oh you're in trouble now!" He would finish with a loud cackle, before the reinforced doors were busted down and four armed guards entered.

These guards were armed with blaster rifles. Although they saw the mess Dorin had caused, these people were not as ignorant as the first guard and would question the intruder. "What are you doing here? And what have you done to Slick and Skeet?"


[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin's gaze snaps to the new henchman addressing him, helmet splattered with the blood that the guard he was holding had spat. "I'm looking for Opara. Your boys here..."

Dorin glanced back at the lifeless corpse behind him, before looking back to the rifleman. He quickly drew his blade across the man's throat, releasing him from his grasp. "...chose the hard way. I am gaining an audience with Opara. You can be fools like them..."

Dorin gestured with his empty hand to the two dead guards, "...or you can walk away from this. The choice is yours."

 

[Sal Valentino]

It was clear that this henchman was not pleased with the state that guards had been reduced to. "You want an audience with the Duchess after gutting two of our men?" The question was clearly sarcastic and did little to hide the fear and anger of the man.

"If you put that blade down we will take you to Opara. But she won't be pleased at all!" Although it seemed that this guard was attempting to negotiate with Dorin, two members of the group were beginning to flank the lone man. Eventually they would be behind him and start closing the distance. Their aim would be to capture Dorin so that the Hutt could decide what to do with him. She was known to enjoy public executions. Or a new slave was always welcome among her gang.

The all-seeing eyes of the man at the monitor saw what was happening. He wondered if his assassin would catch onto the trick these guards were attempting to pull.


[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin listened to the man, then sighed quietly. Though his visor did not turn, he was keeping a close watch on the two moving to flank him. He pretended he didn't notice them, instead speaking directly to the leader. "I would consider myself most fortunate at your proclamation, then. I am blessed of all beings, for I do not find myself here to please Opara."

A lot more fluff than he usually spoke with, but it was a delaying tactic. Dorin pulled his sword up, and almost lazily threw it to the left, under his arm, impaling the guard behind him in the leg before sticking to the floor, effectively pinning the man in place. At the same time, he reached out with his left hand, using the force to rip the rifle from the man's hands, and sling it across into the one flanking him on the other side. Dorin turned clockwise as he did this, bringing his elbow up to take advantage of the distraction he had caused, and slammed the metallic spur into the man's ribcage. Not a lethal shot, but certainly one he wouldn't walk away from unassisted.

Then he rounded on the man in front of him, and used the Force once again to rip the rifle from his grasp. This time, Dorin caught it, and leveled it at the man. "Blade's been put down, per your request. Lead me to Opara. Do. Not. Test. Me."

 

[Sal Valentino]

The contractor moved with such speed and precision that his enemies could not keep track of him and not even a single blaster shot was fired in his direction. With all but one of the guards either dead or incapacitated and now equipped with a blaster rifle, Dorin had complete control of the room.

"I'll take you to her! But if I do we're both dead!" The henchman seemed sincere; it was clear that he feared the Duchess and could not decide whether he should be scared of the assassin holding a gun to him or the fact he would be facing the Hutt soon. "This isn't someone you want to mess with, man. She's been known to eat people!" Hutts eating people was not uncommon, but witnessing it firsthand was always a terrifying sight to behold.

The henchman would begin to move towards the reinforced door, expecting Dorin to follow him. As they walked through the doors they would be met by another set. Using a key-card, the guard opened the door which lead into Duchess Opara's quarters.


[member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

[member="Sal Valentino"]

Dorin walked behind the henchman, still scanning his surroundings. "Fortunately for you, I am a benevolent being. I understand your fear of your overlord, and rest assured, I will face her alone."

As the guard fumbled with the keycard, Dorin reached out behind him, and recalled his sword to him once again. "After all, your fellows and I have a contract. And they chose the hard way. Applies to you too."

Dorin brought the rifle up in his right hand, and as the door into Opara's quarters opened, he fired a single blaster shot into the back of the man's head. Dorin turned into the door, and walked in, tossing the rifle away. He spoke loudly to the room, simultaneously sweeping the area and making note of all present hostiles. "I see one weapon trained on me, this whole room dies right here, right now."