Aequitas

[Kaiden Rohn]

​

The rain battered his coat. His hair was matted down, his facial hair bending downwards with the weight of the water on it. The street was battered- a shootout with police ended with a few dead perps and a crashed vehicle. But it was too dangerous, too hot for the police to conduct either an investigation or a cleanup operation. He watched as squatters shifted through the police vehicle, picking apart the wirings. The officers had made it out alive- and had smartly taken any firearms with them from the perps vehicle and their own. Kaiden walked by, bathed in the dim green light, stepping around the battered pole. He was making his way to a seedy bar, in a seedy city, with seedy people. The green light reflected in his eyes, for just a moment, before he was shrouded in darkness again. His hands were tucked in the gray overcoat, protecting his body from the rain. It stopped after a while, and Kaiden looked around.​

​

They were desolate, desperate, and depraved of any happiness or wealth. And the men in the club Kaiden was entering, they had plenty of it. Happiness from stealing and exploiting the people here. Kaiden had observed long enough to know what they were doing. It made his stomach turn, and his trigger finger itch moreso. He walked to the VIP line, stepping inwards. He looked out of place, aging, unshaven, focused, and not exactly dressed to kill. Girls with dresses shorter than their attention spans, men with collars that went above their ears. Trendy clothes for trendy people. It made sense in a way.​

​

The guard took a look at him, and cocked his head. He itched his beard, a sickening display of multiple colors spread across his matty, unkempt beard.​

​

"You here for someone, buddy? Picking up your daughter?"​

​

He got a glare. So did the other three guards there. Kaiden was not there to have fun. No, he was here on business. He spread his arms and his legs for the pat down, and just narrowed his eyes at the guy before him. He felt him go for his legs first. Kaiden just waited, until he got to his waistband. Then, he moved. Grabbing him by the beard, he slammed him into the nearby divider pole, before removing the suppressed slugthrower from his jacket. He was faster than the gun-toting thugs, and he put two in each of their chests, before they could even draw, while still holding onto the bearded security guard by his goofy beard.​

​

"Where are they?"​

​

"What the hell are you-" His response was cut off by the still-hot suppressor sticking to his cheek."The next answer better be the correct one, or your life is about to be very short." ​

​

"Downstairs- near the bathrooms!"​

​

"Thanks."​

​

Kaiden put two rounds in his skull, and marched inside. The security guard at the front had watched the affair, and was trying to go for his gun, but Kaiden locked his arm with his non-yielding hand, and put two rounds into his upper chest, exploded his heart and other important bits. He took his flashlight as well, making his way inward. The thumping beats and the terrible music did well to hide Kaiden's violence, and the club, except for the security, was unaware. They weren't trying to cause a panic, as panic was money. Kaiden estimated that he had maybe six or seven minutes before the police came. But he was simply going to slip out in the confusion. He wasn't on a Republic planet, they weren't going to buy 'Havoc Squad business' out here, anymore than they would buy a 40 year old man in a club for 20 somethings.​

​

Kaiden moved downstairs, gun in hand. People were either too drunk or too unaware to notice. And if they did, they didn't say anything. Kaiden took the time to reload, dropping his magazine into his coat pocket, even if it did have a few rounds left in it. Better safe than sorry. His mind filled with rage as he passed the bathrooms, and the chit-chat of girls and the pregame of men, trying to find their next sexual conquest. Kaiden was not a fan of either, so he continued. He looked around for a moment, before he spotted it- two guards beside a red-tinted door.​

​

One guard went down in three quick, accurate shots that put two in his chest, and one in his face. The other went for his gun, but Kaiden marched forward and pressed the gun barrel against the side of his head. He nudged his head towards the door. The near-human nodded, and rapped on the door several times. Something that sounded like a Trandoshan answered on the other side. The near-human told him to open the door, but didn't dare deviate from his instruction, even if he was speaking another language. Kaiden waited, calmly. He was ice cold calm, and waited for the door to open.​

 

[Jak Skirata]

A seedy place like this, no one batted an eye when a Mandalorian showed up. Bodyguards, bounty hunters, mercenaries...All of these words described Davin. He didn't care much for politics or even morals when it came to work, at least not usually. Tonight was no different. Someone feared for their life enough to pay his exorbitant protection fee and he couldn't be happier. Two women wrapped around his chest, one Togrutan and one Chiss, sitting in a plush chair with the good back room drink. Sure the place smelled of piss and vomit, even back here but the pay was good and who didn't like headtails?

But then his would be peaceful night was ruined. Reports were coming in of a madman shooting up security. He sucked his teeth in annoyance before placing a kiss on both the women's foreheads and getting up from his rather comfortable seat. He gripped his helmet with the Force, fumbling with it in the air a tad, not used to this basic skill he had aqquired, and slapped the bucket on his head.

His associates and the dancers looked at the door with frightened eyes when a knock and shaky request came. Davin nodded to the Trandoshan to open the door slowly. His blaster rifle was set to low power but ready to fire.

Just another day.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

Kaiden just held the pistol at head level, when the door opened. The man was sweating, and the Trandoshan cocked his head inquisitively, as he did not appear dead- as the reports would have suggested. However, one shot to the near-human's head, and a powerful hand to the Trandoshan's jacket, dragging him out to the darkness of the doorway, and two shots that sounded like pistons in an old-school engine. The only sounds after that were the thumping of the music beyond. Kaiden blinked, and rotated his body in a spinning movement, letting him get a good look inside, while remaining a confusing, moving target for those inside. He only got a second's glance, counting a Mandalorian and a few guards.​

​

"I'm not here for you. And I don't have to be."​

​

Kaiden took the time to check his magazine, with a quick, easy check. He was ready. Mandalorians were tough, but he had fought far worse and come out on top. He wasn't promoted to Commander of Operations for Havoc Squad because he had nice handwriting and could do his paperwork remarkably fast.​

​

He tucked himself about six feet from the door, so if any attempts to shoot through, they'd hit the drywall and the other barriers between him. Blasters tended to go through surfaces a lot less than slugthrowers, which is why Kaiden preferred them.​

​

"There's two men in that room. There's a Lorridian and a Duros man in there. Put them through the doorway and I won't have to do something dangerous."​

​

​

​

[member="Davin Skirata"]​

 

[Jak Skirata]

The two other guards raised their weapons and the dancers hid behind Davin's sturdy armor. He didn't care for the Lorridian, his paycheck was coming from the Duros...But he doubted he would leave with just one of the pair. But if he could solve this without firing a shot...Well, he didn't care for whatever business his client had gotten himself into. He had the skills and the know-how to put off anyone they could send if he pissed him off.

He raised a hand for the guards to lower their weapons.

"I'm not sure I can help you on the Duros...How about you take the Lorridian and call it a night?" He didn't wait for an answer before speaking again, "Or you could stop hiding behind those walls and make our job a whole lot easier."

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

"I come around the corner and the two guys that are with you and maybe you end up dead. And I'd rather not have a bunch of pissed off Mandalorians after me too."​

​

He thought for a moment, and knew that the Lorridian could give him what he wanted. He could always just come back and kill the Duros later. He took the smart route, for now. He entered the club quickly and executed nearly the entire security detail that the pair owned, so him getting out would possibly be easier or harder, depending on the rest of it went.​

​

"Give me the Lorridian. Throw him through the door, and you all can go back to your cheap booze and cheaper women."​

​

[member="Davin Skirata"]​

 

[Garza]

I liked watching others and how they worked. And my suspicion of this man was correct. He had a different mindset when I saw him walking on the street. Crouching from a balcony that had been hidden from the rain outside, as well as the darkness of the street, I watched as the man slinked back and forth between allys. His overcoat kept him from the rain, and his face only visible to me because of nightvision scope I had currently active on my sniper rifle. His movements were calculated and precise. Yet also had a feeling of fury that I have rarely seen in humans.

It was good to see this. Seeing a man act out against these people. So I decided that I would cover him. Shutting off the nightvision, and slinging the slugthrower sniper rifle over my shoulder and across my hardened chest, I reached for my side to grab my EX-1 Hardline blaster pistol, and drew one of the Combat knives I owned. A simple step was all I took to fall down to the street level. I could hear cracking of the ground beneath me. I smiled as the old permacrete had chipped a little. And now as I moved into the establishment, I could see more guards rushing past me. In that moment, I hid my weapons under my own cloak.

I then too ran after them. Smiling as I could now see a number of them including a Mandalorian wanting to kill this man. I simply smiled and watched for now. Keeping the lethal setting on the blaster pistol on, and preparing to use my combat knife to aid the man. I didn't know all of his motives, but I knew he was doing something right. And I wanted to see it through. Times changed. Even HRD's changed. I was a testament to that.

Muttering to myself only, "Looks like even the hardiest have mishaps."

Listening to the discussion that the two were having. I just had to think about maybe walking up and stabbing the Mandalorian in the back of the neck. Right where there was no armor. But I stayed back for now.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"], [member="Davin Skirata"],

 

[Jak Skirata]

A shout of protest came from the two dancers at the insult from the older gent hiding behind the wall. Davin was too distracted to hear any of that though. Reports were coming in from inside the club. Some creep wading through the crowds, following the security headed to the bathroom hall. This night was just getting better and better.

"Alright, I'll go get him." And with that, the Mandalorian vanished behind a corner. A door opened and slammed shut, excited and angry shouting echoed in the hall way. A thud and the door opened again. The Duros was rowdy, didn't see reason, or rather he wasn't as selfish as one would assume. A 'gentle' shove had brought him to his senses. The Lorridian was brought out behind the Mandalorian. Her face was nervous, very nervous and with good reason. She was about to end up dead. He grabbed her by the arm and brought her forward.

"Here's your Lorridian, now get the hell out of my club."

[member="Kaiden Rohn"] [member="Wanderer EXO"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

A swift, deft movement brought the Lorridian towards Kaiden, and into the darkness of the hallway behind. Kaiden stared at her for a moment, and they exchanged words for a second, followed by her pleading for her life. He stepped away, walking down the hallway, darkness shrouding him again. He stood in the darkness for a moment, before turning and popping her in the head. She dropped like a rock, slumped over, blood splattered along the wall. He got what he wanted from her, and he doubted that the Mandalorian knew what and whom he was really protecting. The smoking gun in Kaiden's hand lowered, and he started to make his way out of the club. He was faced with four guards, and a mostly empty club. He stared at them for a while, after coming up the stairs. He blinked, and looked around. He was outnumbered, and outgunned. The only protection at the moment was a thin sheet of stylish glass, with water that ran over lights, giving off an other-worldly glow to the area around it.

He had to move, but he didn't know where. His eyes looked to the bar, and he found that it was his only option. Then, the shooting started. The first bolts from their blasters impacted the glass, shattering it with the impact alone. He moved, and fired back, but didn't hit anyone. He couldn't make a shot off that was accurate. He came towards the bar, vaulting over it, landing shoulder-first. He was reminded of his advancing age when he landed. He wasn't a young man anymore, but he was still playing their game. He had to move. He pushed with his feet, scooting to the edge of the bar, staying low. He got lucky with one out of the many, having him peak over the bar. The piston-like sound of his pistol echoed again, and the guard fell backwards, clutching what remained of his face, before swiftly falling over, quite dead.

He still had three to deal with- and not a lot of options to do so with.

[member="Wanderer EXO"] [member="Davin Skirata"]

 

[Garza]

Watching as the woman was handed over, I sticked to the side of the hall. Slowly moving a few steps back as I heard a soft round of a slugthrower go off. I had put myself in the middle of the doorway off to the side of the hall. Making a baracade of the wall in front of me, and if I needed to escape, I easily could. Just a simple turn and run and I was good to go. That was when the firing of guns started. The man started to run. Going to the bar and throwing himself not so gracefully over while shooting a few rounds. I watched as the troops ran in front of me. I took a few steps back again, only to shove the fighting knife into a chink of armor at the neck. I activated my stealth field, and literally became invisible as I fired a few blaster bolts at them. Hitting one in the chest hard enough to make him fall to the ground, but not die, and the second to slam into a man's head.

I literally just walked over to the bar and crouched behind it as I deactivated it. Crouching next to the man who had killed the woman.

"Don't shoot me. I want out of here as much as you do."

To prove my point, I rose up brought my pistol to aim, and fired at the guard who had already been shot in the chest. Hitting the same spot to break through the armor, and into his chest. Killing him.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"], [member="Davin Skirata"],

 

[Jak Skirata]

Blaster fire echoed down the stairs and through the hall. The other guards that had been with him stood up quickly and like fools ran towards the fray. Cursing under his breath he picked up his helmet and began to make his way to the door only to be stopped by his employer.

"Look what you've done you fool! I'll make sure you never work in this sector again-" A swift pop to the back of the neck from the Mandalorian shut up the small Duros and sent him crumpling to the sticky floor. With a tired sigh he took the blaster rifle from the guard this mystery man had killed and jogged up the stairs only to be greeted with a Gamorean toppling over from a shot to the head. Crouching behind the massive body, he braced himself against him and gripped the guard'as armor and slowly moved forward, using the body as a shield.

"You know, I gave you a chance to get out of this place. You chose wrong killing that woman," he shouted over the sound of blaster and slugthrower fire. Cursing again and grunting as he hefted the heavy Gamorean to the side he dashed forward, attempting to draw on the Force to aid his acrobatics as he flung himself over tables and bodies. He finally landed before a table and flipped it on its side to use as cover. "And now you've gone and killed most of these men..." As he spoke he nodded to one of the remaining guards who tossed him a plug-n-fire clip. Guiding it slyly with the Force, he altered its path to land right into the palm of his hand.

He sucked his teeth, "You would have mad a fine Mando."

With a click the plug n fire clip was active in the blaster rifle and ready. He was ready.

[member="Wanderer EXO"] [member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

"Prove it."Is what Kaiden said to [member="Wanderer EXO"], just eyeing the android-like being carefully, before he rose to a crouch, and nudged his head towards Wanderer, indicating for him to get down. [member="Davin Skirata"] came back- and he was looking for blood. Kaiden crouched against the bar, thumbing the slugthrower in his hands. He did a round count, and a magazine check. He had two, plus the partially empty one left. He blinked, before crouching against the sturdier part of the bar, the corner, where the two metals met.


"You would have made one too."

Came the reply from Kaiden, as he started to slink along the bar, getting closer to the exit. He was done here.

"I get the whole mercenary bit, but maybe even you have your limits. Or maybe you don't. I don't intend to find out."

Kaiden looked up to the lights of the club, and shot out the one above himself, but not the ones near Davin. He moved back to the corner of the bar, holding onto his pistol tightly.

 

[Jak Skirata]

The lights went out over the bar and a little tingling feeling at the nape of his neck told him something was amiss. Looking down to his Ripper, he pulled it from its leather holster and shattered the lights above them as well, the other two guards following suit. The entire club was enveloped in darkness now, the eerie cyan and cotton candy pink glow of the club's mood lights casting strange and obscure shadows throughout the room.

A message was sent via text over the encrypted com channel. The words scrolled down his helmet's HUD in a bright red as his helmet slowly transitioned into night vision. Sir, the planet's authorities are on their way. He smirked behind the black face plate.

"Limits? All men have limits," he needed to stall the two. "For example, we don't work with Sith." His hand ran over his utility belt, plucking a flashbang down like ripe citrus. "The credits have to be right too." He began to concentrate on the small thing, floating it over quickly to the bar, using the Force to activate the non-lethal weapon.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"] [member="Wanderer EXO"]

 

[Garza]

After shooting the man, I got back into cover. I was somewhat accepted as aid. He continued to talk to the man. Getting him to just talk. You couldn't concentrate on shooting if you were talking the entire time. Reloading? maybe. Preparing something else? probably. I smiled as I pulled my own Hex grenade from my belt. Not priming it quite yet. Instead, I put my fighting knife away. making sure it was secure with the wire around the grip of the blade.

Something more was to this Mandalorian. Something I did not like. I thought for a second. And I felt like smiling. As an HRD, I couldn't really smile. It was not in my programing to smile really. Despite this, I put my blaster up. And now, I was holding two of the three grenades I carried with me. Turning to the man, I spoke only loud enough for him to hear over the blaster fire.

"Keep low, and when you hear a loud bang, run for the door. I'll cover you."

I then pulled the pins on the grenade with my metal teeth, released the handles, and waited only a second before reaching around the bar, throwing them in and under toss across to the back of the room, towards the corner. Seeing as how it was dark, and it would be hard to hear the clinging of grenades over the clinging of armor, gear, and even mags hitting the floor, it would not be likely that the Mandalorian or others would be able to find the grenades in time.

I then pulled out my blaster pistol once more, and flipped the switch on my belt and in a little flutter of my body, it vanished from the visible spectrum.

And now, I waited for the bang.

[member="Davin Skirata"], [member="Kaiden Rohn"],

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

In the dim glow of the club lights, Kaiden could make out the shape of a flashbang, being thrown into the air. He placed his biceps against his ears, and closed his eyes. But that didn't help negate the inevitable flash and the incredibly loud bang. It was loud. Kaiden had been around loud noises before, death and destruction plenty. He felt the ringing in his ears first, and he opened his eyes. It hurt to look around. He couldn't hear anything, and probably wouldn't for a long while. He could feel, however, the incredible thumping noise of the bass in the club. He looked up to see [member="Wanderer EXO"] say something, then straight up disappear. He was on his side, right? He hoped so.


He heard the grenades go off in the corner, and decided that he should move. He kept low, scrambling to the other side of the bar, before vaulting over it, keeping his body as low as possible. The grenades that the HRD set off near [member="Davin Skirata"] and his men. Kaiden had to make an exit. Havoc Squad wouldn't bail him out of jail anymore. He needed to move. He needed to be faster and hit harder than the others. He placed his back against the bar, and looked towards the door. He started to move, and out towards the confused crowd gathered outside. Girls trying to find their friends. Guys trying to find their girlfriends. A mess. He could disappear in this mess. He just hoped that the HRD could make it out as well, and that the Mandalorian wouldn't try to chase him down. He got what he wanted.


And left a trail of bodies at the club, ruthlessly and efficient as only the Commander of Havoc Squad could.