Private Cold Reception

[Illian Dragos]

Credit to Alina Tremiru for the title of the thread.

Westender City,
Winter, The Shrouded Moon
​

Of the missions he'd been given, he couldn't understand why he had been sent to this planet of all places. A man of complaints, he silently cursed the superior that had handed him the mission, his neutral expression masking the anger that he felt. There was an urge to clench his fist or to break something, yet, he knew that composure was so important. It was one of the things that he had constantly learned in his life, and perhaps today, it would be something he'd learn once again.

Illian was unfamiliar with the Shouded Moon. In a galaxy of tens of thousands of planets, it was never a world that he wanted to visit, nor had he ever heard of it. But apparently, at least according to his dossier, there was an important shipment of rare goods that he needed to return back to Confederacy space. Why they had never used a major hyperspace route, he didn't know. The young squire knew it was better not to spend time questioning this things: it would not resolve anything, and it would leave you less focused on the task at hand.

And that was why it was here. For a city that considered itself warmer than the other parts of the planet, it was still cold, extremely cold. Were it not for the armor he wore, he would be freezing. No amount of regular cold showers prepared him for this: but then again, someone can only plan so far.

Surprisingly, for a planet that was a quasi-dictatorship, he was surprised to see everyone dressed in armor, even among the working populace. It was as if he had descended upon a warrior race, or perhaps it was a day to remember people. Whatever the case, the young force user was more happy to be allowed to carry his weapons. He'd been practicing on the targeting range recently, knowing full well a diversified skillset was better than being the master of a few skills. As he walked on the streets of the capital city, a part of him had hoped he could test some of his new weapons, but he'd never gotten the time to do so in actual combat.

Maybe today would be his chance.

Blackout / Leenic Ellsil / Rackham

 

[Blackout]

Another day, another fight against the existentialism hanging above his head. Another opportunity to ponder the whys and why nots of war, of his life. He's nothing short of infuriated, tired of lingering dread in his systems. Blackout is a free droid - in the sense that he's master-less. Without owner. In the sense of societal ladders? He'll never be free so long as organics rule the galaxy. Organic scum.

The assassin drags his lethally sharp claws against the wall of his hideout, sparks meeting the cold air, accompanied by the deafening screech of scorching metal as he idly scoops up the holoprojector perched upon his desk. Blackout flickers it to life, eyes narrowing as he browses request after request of fresh meat to satiate his burning hatred. He cycles through, almost like a catalogue, until bright yellow optics meet a new face. Illian Dragos . Interesting - young, too. Seventeen? The droid's interest has certainly been piqued.

Captured. Ugh- just when things had gotten interesting, too. Blackout grunts in frustration. The thrill of the kill, the bloodcurdling screams from his prey as the life drains from their paling bodies. Mnfh- it reminds him of why he lives. To watch organics squirm beneath him.

Alina Tremiru . Another on the younger side, and-- "Seriously? Another capture? Where's the fun if they're still alive?" Blackout furrows his brow. Whatever. Some quick cash to get things over with. Shouldn't be too hard.

2 WEEKS LATER
_WESTENDER CITY, WINTER​

He wasn't a pilot. Not to say he couldn't fly, no, quite the contrary. His TIE/fo fighter was quite nimble, fast. Much like him, and he wasn't afraid to use it when necessary. It had its uses, but Blackout always preferred hunting on foot. So it's a good thing, he thinks, that the intel he'd gotten had pointed him to the moon of Winter.

Littered with the dark side, fully armored civilians, the good news was that he'd have no problem blending in within the city he'd located Dragos to. As the TIE approaches the surface, the droid emerges and analyzes the location. Nothing out of the ordinary. As he begins marching forward, he turns to one of the city's buildings, digits as sharp as daggers meeting hard concrete and brick as he swiftly begins scaling the it. Clinging to it effortlessly, the droid narrows his photoreceptors, and--

"There you are," he murmurs beneath his breath, synthetic skin beneath his faceplate curling his slit into an excited smirk. The droid detaches himself, feet meeting the ground with a metallic thud. He straightens himself out, cracking his joints, before Blackout makes his way towards his target.

 

[Leenic Ellsil]

Leenic sat in a reclined position in his chair. It had been a rather slow week on the bounty board, and he had decided to spend some time (and credits) at the cantina. He glanced to the right as a waitress dropped off his drink (being a regular had its minor perks) before she darted off towards the back. "Thanks." He mumbled, picking up his cup and swishing the green liquid around inside of it. He pulled his helmet up so that he could take a drink, but then the bounty puck on his belt made a chirping noise. "Terrible timing, as usual." He muttered, setting his drink down and activating the puck.

A holographic projection came up from the puck, revealing some minor information on a target. From the looks of it, whoever wanted these two captured was willing to go the extra mile as they had placed one of the highest prices Leenic had seen. The targets were two younger force wielders that worked with the CIS frequently, one male and one female. Interesting. Leenic thought, deactivating the puck and standing up. Ill admit, it is a bit unusual. But business is business. He then dropped a small pile of credits onto his table and made his way to the exit, praying that the location of the targets wasn't going to be anywhere with unusual weather.

16 HOURS LATER
​

Leenic rubbed his hands together as he walked down the frozen street. The heavy coat he wore on top of his armor did little to assist him (mainly due to the fact that he wore it unzipped, but that is unimportant) and he figured that updating the technology inside of his armor would not, in fact, be that great of a cost after all. Activating the bounty puck again, Leenic studied the faces of his two targets and sighed. "Faces in the crowd." He muttered, deactivating it and hooking it back onto his belt. "Why cant bounties ever be droids? Or wear super fancy armor? Would make it much easier to find them." He shook his head and continued pressing forward through the street.

As Leenic rounded a corner, he barely avoided bumping into Blackout as he dropped down from the ceiling above. "Watch it, clanker." He growled, pushing past. "Not all of us are made of metal." Turning his attention towards the droid, he noticed that it did not hear him and was in fact moving the opposite direction. "Hey!" He said, a bit louder this time. "Im talkin to y-"

Then, Leenic saw Illian Dragos a few paces away from him and stopped speaking. Figuring the droid was another hunter, he decided it best to sit back for the time being. For safety reasons, however, he drew his pistol and switched it to the stun setting just in case Illian decided to run. "One down." He muttered. "Only one to go."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

The CIS had proven to be quite close allies to the Sith Empire as of late. All the war happening within the Sith's cloud of influence, and they were always there to back them up. It's what brought Alina to this world. A frozen planet. To help the CIS with a package that needed to be handled.. Carefully. Very carefully, from what she learned of it. Whatever was contained in the case was something rare enough to be taken a roundabout way to CIS space. It better be something good, cause she absolutely hated dealing with the cold.

Alina emerged from the spaceport dressed in a thick fur coat complete with a hood. Lined with more fur. Not the fancy kind, but the rugged keep you warm kind. Being this bundled up meant she wouldn't be able to move as much as normal, but at least she'd be warm. Last time she was on a cold planet like this was for some training and that nearly ended with her freezing off her fingers. Turns out training in the cold in minimum clothing was as dumb as it sounded. At least she actually felt stronger for it.

Her yellow gaze drifted over the crowd. She was supposed to meet someone here. A.. Illian Dragos ? Yeah, hopefully that was the right name. She at least knew his face. Meet up with him, have him lead her to the shipment, make sure it gets off world without a problem. She started to move through the crowd, scanning around.

Should be an easy day, right?

Blackout | Leenic Ellsil

 

[Blackout]

The droid much preferred stalking his prey in the darkness, in shadows or shade. It was a smart move, tactic-wise, his muted colors lended nicely to stealth. But the fear... the fear in his victim's eyes when he sprung from what had wrongfully been assumed to be a safe spot. Delicious. But as for now, there was no quicker route to his target than the direct path ahead of him, scans told him. Fine by him, really, as he could always fabricate something when their distance was clo--

Blackout feels a thud against his shoulder, body forced to the side with a complimentary clang of metal. Without second though, the assassin droid's body cracks as it rotates 180 degrees, hand meeting Leenic Ellsil 's throat beneath his helmet. "You talking to me, skinbag?" he growls, voice low, eyes narrowed. A Mandalorian. "If I were you, I'd take the helmet off. Makes it easier to feast on the fear in your eyes."

With the tug of his hand, Blackout lets go of the bounty hunter, huffing beneath his breath. The droid looks behind him, photoreceptors honing in on the figure of Illian Dragos , still in view but making his way further into the distance. Optics widening in realization, Blackout whips his head back to face the Mandalorian, sending him a gaze as sharp as knives. "You touch my prize, I'll have you for seconds." He prods the man's armor with an accusing finger, and the droid seems all but ready to further bite the man's head off, but... he seems distracted. There's something that's caught his interest, something behind the bounty hunter.

Alina Tremiru . Far in the distance, for sure, but his facial recognition software tells him all he needs to know. Blackout's gaze meets Leenic's once more, optics subtly softening. "Change of plans. I'll cut you a deal, since I'm feeling generous..." his voice trails off, and he moves beyond the hunter, purposefully pushing past his shoulder in mimic. "You get him all to yourself. I see the girl. Don't intrude on my food, and I won't touch yours."

Rolling his shoulders, he'd send the man one final glance over the shoulder before he'd take his leave. "I'd choose your cards carefully."

​

She seemed lost. It was almost saddening, really. She's so young... and so enticing. Blackout hasn't had a target this young for what felt like decades. They were always wildcards, but most were so awfully sentimental. The woman is a target, nonetheless, and an organic all the same. The droid hunts without prejudice. Just business.

Blackout rests against the side of a building. A house, a centre, he never delved into the specifics. What mattered to him was separating the woman from the (rather obnoxiously packed) crowd. Decisions, decisions. Oh, if it were a kill, this would be so much easier. Unfortunately, it's exclusively a capture. To such a young girl, too. It got him interested in whatever would happen to her. Sometimes eternal death is better than the curse of life. He'd know that better than anyone.

Patience. One of the things he excels at. He stalks her, keeping a steady distance. With the flexibility of his limbs and how far he can crouch (and subsequently retain such a steady pace), Blackout is confident on his stealth. She hadn't seen him. He ignored his internal timer and watches with an unblinking stare as the crowd steadily splits off.

He closes the distance. Now is the perfect time. His systems calculate the several branches of possibilities - there are a handful of unarmed civilians nearby, the target is edging closer and closer to empty territory. Blackout's eyes light up, the buzz to his circuits almost like adrenaline. There's a metallic set of footsteps behind her, and before she can turn around, the droid's extended an arm and sent his paralysis cord out, coiling around her tight enough to dig into skin.

With impeccable strength, Blackout swings his upper chassis around, cord retracting in an instant as he sends her flying towards an empty alleyway, slamming against the wall. He inches closer to her, free hand reaching for his K-16 bryar pistol, pointing it directly at her.

"Don't make this any more difficult. For your sake."

 

[Leenic Ellsil]

Leenic scoffed as the droid pushed past him, figuring it too much difficulty to try and fight another bounty hunter while already close to his target. "Oh my, you are exceedingly generous my friend." He spat, gripping his blaster tightly before pursuing Illian Dragos . He figured he could go back for the girl later, maybe even organize a deal with the droid so that they both could make some credits off of the other's catch. For now, however, he determined it much more important to catch his target and guarantee some form of payment.

As he pursued his target, Leenic lowered his rangefinder to scan the surrounding area to check for any armed guards. Seeing that only a few were around (excluding, of course, the civilians nearby) he figured he would be able to hold his own should a firefight break out. Keep it simple. He mused, twirling his blaster once before flicking off the safety. No need for this to get like that Princess' assassination. Just get the kid, then get out.

A few more steps and he had reached a position that was right behind his target. He studied the kid for a few seconds, thoughts flashing back to one of the kids he met back on Mandalore. Keep it together, Ellsil. He thought to himself. This is different, he is a bounty. That kid was a vod. He then quickly placed the barrel of his blaster against the kid's spine and leaned close. "Keep walking." He said quietly, prodding forward with his pistol. "No sudden movements or this gets messy."

 

[Malen]

Wrong account lol

 

[Illian Dragos]

Illian had been given a facial description of Alina Tremiru 's face. He knew who he was looking for, and he expected that she knew who he was. Removing the helmet from his armor, the young squire looked around. Illian was overly cautious, knowing full well that keen eyes seeked their prized cargo. He saw a man( Leenic Ellsil ) approaching his direction. For some odd reason, they'd bene walking in the same direction for a while. Maybe he was going to see a barber, or in the worst case, he was following him; either way it was something to take note off, especially considering the sensitivity of his mission.

As he saw the man approaching closer to him, he quickened his pace. It appeared that for every step his speed increased, the Mando'ade did the same. Knowing with full certainty that he was being followed, the attempt by the mercenary to snick up behind him wouldn't work. They were essentially moving at the same pace; the only way he would move fully get behind him was if Illian stopped moving, which, at least for now, wouldn't be the case.


Wearing a jacket, all he had with him was his lightsaber, a phrik knife, a large piece of ammunition, a Mandaloraian ripper, a sonic-slug based weapon system, and a good handy sonic-slug rifle. Illian's armor featured crushgaunts. His jacket concealed his utility belt, but he wasn't afraid. Many people here had hand-held weapons as well. What he was concerned about was people attempting to run up on him. Putting his helmet back on, Illian made sure to keep an eye out for the man with a T-Visor, as well as any other possible threats around him.

That was when he heard a commotion. On his right, the young warrior looked at what was a commotion. He had heard a buzz of electricity, and he could see some people running toward the area, while others fled in fear. Remembering a trick he had used against his rival, he blended himself within the crowd, particularly focusing on making sure to attempt to hide among those that were running toward the site of commotion, as well as those that were taller than him.

As he approached the area, he could see someone that looked like Alina. The young squire quickened his pace while attempting to hide within the crowd.

"This is bad..." he muttered, preparing himself for what seemed like a possible engagement as he grabbed his rifle.

Rackham

 

[Alina Tremiru]

​

Alina was naturally on edge, given the nature of her task. But she wasn't defensive. She was ultimately an unknown for the job. Or at least she should be. Illian Dragos would know her face, but this was a CIS delivery. No one would suspect a Sith being dispatched for it. That's why she'd come along. And yet, in the back of her mind, she felt something was off. It was an experience she never had before. The unsettling feeling of impending doom. Like something was close, ready to strike.

She was untrusting of this feeling. In all her life she'd never truly been able to feel the Force. The disruptive nature of her connection prevented such a thing. Or so she assumed. Yes, she could channel the Force inwardly to become something far faster and stronger than humanly possible, but that was it. And yet, the more she learned about this cursed connection, the more she began to understand it. Perhaps, eventually, she would be able to use it like any other Sith could.

If she wasn't killed. The feeling turned into a scream, sending adrenaline through her veins and panic into her heart. She'd only be able to grip the hilt of her saber before she could realize what was happening. A cord!? Alina gritted her teeth as it bit into her skin and started to wrap around her body. Pain ripped through her thoughts, leaving her somewhat in a daze. But only somewhat. She knew the type of cord. Paralyzing. To make up for her inability to use the Force before she'd made plans to get her own. Given how tightly it bound her and continued to wrap it's way over her body, it wouldn't of been a bad idea.

Alina had no intention of staying bound, however. Without hesitation she ignited her saber, burning through the skin of her thigh and the cord itself. Severing enough for it to loosen and her wrist to twist and remove the rest. Just as she was sent flying. Free of the cord her landing was slightly better than it would have been. She twisted midair, feet planting onto the wall to stop her from crashing into it. She'd fall, usually, but before she did the Force swelled in her body. A burst of strength sent her flying from the makeshift perch, durasteel boots cracking into the stone in the process.

In the blink of an eye she'd close right in on Blackout . A droid? Her mind barely had time to register who her assailant was. But her body acted regardless. She'd sail right by him in that instant, back out of the ally. But not before swiping her blade at the Droid as he pulled his gun free. A quick tumble across the ground had her rolling to her feet. A sharp pain from the burn on her thigh kept her from charging back in, instead glaring at the machine.

"You going to tell me why you're here?"

 

[Blackout]

If he were being honest with himself, he hadn't expected the woman to be so quick on her feet. The cords were cut, his optics widening in pleasant surprise, staring as a lightsaber screeches to life with its telltale hum. The information he'd gone after - yes, gone after, because Blackout finds no satisfaction in simply reading a list from a bounty puck - had told him she was Force sensitive. A Sith. Blah, all bark and no bite. He didn't care if the Force was real or a mere concept those who were afraid of dying latched onto for solace. He didn't care about Jedi or Sith-- to him, they were all just names with prices on them. Protagonists of a world better off without them.

The droid seems relatively unfazed, never flinching as Alina Tremiru draws closer to him, his eyes following her with a scowl printed upon his face, head snapping and contorting around his body to keep track of her as she moves behind him. Blackout's body twists into place, his pistol pointed at her and never daring to lower. Blackout never fired, however. He knew just as well as many that lightsabers could deflect blaster fire, and while it wouldn't affect him in the slightest if his own shot ricocheted to hit him, he simply wasn't in the mood to fuel her ego. He could fight, and he was certain she'd be more than happy to return the favor. Unfortunately for him, the assassin droid can't shake the lingering disinterest. A capture just doesn't do it for him, doesn't scratch the itch his programming has forced on him.

"Nothing personal." He says, with the shrug of his shoulders. "I'm a bounty hunter. They put a bounty on you, I hunt it. It's really not that complicated, girlie." Blackout edges on with the metallic purr of his voice, brow creased. "Be thankful you were lucky enough to be brought in alive, kid. You're a quick cashgrab, much like your friend. So I'll give you the chance now to come with me by choice, because I find strangling organics to be no fun if there's not a neck snap afterwards."

Thud. Thud. His feet scrape closer to her, closing in the distance between them. A fool's errand, perhaps. He's more than in range of her lightsaber. But-- "Here's the thing with me. You kill me now? Good on you, kid. But I come back. And I do my job. Again, and again, no matter how many times you slice me down. So for your sake... I'd go with me now. I'd hate for your glory years to be consumed by the paranoia of a relentless stalker, wouldn't you?"

The droid lowers his gun. "Just say yes, and hopefully this will be the last you ever see of me."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

No shots fired. Alina lowered her stance, preparing to leap at Blackout if this did end up becoming a full on fight. The people that had been around were gone now. No one wanted to get into a fight when a lightsaber was brought into the fold. And yet, the droid started to speak. Far more like a human than she'd appreciate. There was something in the voice that sent a shiver down her spine. It was like speaking to a human full of hate. But he wasn't a cyborg, that much was obvious.

And yet, the offer he made nearly made her laugh. Whoever wanted her alive wasn't someone she wanted to meet. Though it was someone she wanted to kill. A brow slowly raised as he mentioned this hunt being no fun for him. An assassin droid that loved to kill? Just what was his programming? "I have a counter offer, that I think you might enjoy more. I've no intention of surrendering, but you're right. Who wants to deal with that sort of horror show?" He was getting closer. Did he have a close range weapon that was better suited against a lightsaber? There was no doubt in her mind that he had something. Scattergun? Flamethrower? Her grip tightened on her saber as she readied to jump back and away if there was violence to be had. Before that moment occurred, however..

"I beat you here, you forgo this job. And I hire you to kill the person who wanted to kidnap me. I would benefit from having an assassin droid like you. My resources would help you with whatever it is you desire. Of course, that's why I'd need to beat you. I'd be pretty useless if I can't, right?" She flashed a smirk. He'd either go for it or not, but either way they were going to fight.

 

[Blackout]

The droid's stance never changes. There's not a slump of his shoulders, or a calmness to his limbs. He focuses deadly still on the woman, half-lidded optics glowing as they meet her own. Yellow on yellow. Blackout's gaze does, however, soften at the mention of an offer. He's never been one to barter or negotiate - he simply sees an opportunity and takes it. But Alina Tremiru has proven to be quite the interesting woman, and today has just been full of surprises. Wordless, he listens attentively, grip idly tightening around his pistol. Well... she has his interest. He'd have been a lot more invested with a kill.

"Seems to me like you're just wanting to pick a fight..." He edges closer and closer, spare hand taking hers ever so gently as to guide her lightsaber to her side. "...without actual stakes. To prove to yourself that you're worth the time of day." Blackout peers down at her, towering over the woman, his face one of utter disgust as he glares at her.

A metallic chuckle. "You're fun, kid." He says, before turning around to step away from her, casting his head over his shoulder to keep watch. "Gotta be honest. Killing sounds a lot more rewarding than just knocking you out cold and tossing you on a doorstep. So..." Blackout turns and faces her, throwing his pistol to the side as it clanks onto the concrete floor. "You got yourself a deal. I'd just like to add one teeny tiny little detail, first..."

He sends a glare towards her lightsaber. "Seems like cheating, huh? You wanna have a fair fight, then be my guest. But you slice me into spare parts and you're going to be missing out on some backup. I ain't the only bounty hunter here looking for you, kid. Mandalorian's come here looking for you and your friend."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

She wasn't entirely certain if it was a good idea to let Blackout guide her saber away and be so close. She was strong and fast, yeah, but her danger sense was still pretty lacking. Alina made sure not to let a hint of that nervousness show though. Last thing she wanted to do after giving such an offer to the Assassin droid was step back and give him little reason to trust that she'd be worth the time of day. His disgust was met by a widening grin. "I mean, I loose and you take me to whoever wanted to capture me. I'd say that's pretty high stakes for me at least. I win you just get a new body and such, right?"

Nothing even said he had to keep his word either. She was going on blind faith that he wouldn't just turn around and try to capture her even if she won. Or just try and kill her, if he was this bored with not being able to kill. That dread at the fact he had such human emotions still lingered in the back of her mind. What in the world was his coding?

A brow raised as he stepped back and tossed his gun to the side. "I do try to have fun where I can, I won't lie." Her saber was already off by the time he was glaring at it. She didn't toss it aside though, instead stepping over to a small ledge to set it by. Close enough no one would try to steal it, far enough it wouldn't come into play short of her using the Force to snatch it up. Unfortunately that wasn't something she could do anyway, not that the droid knew it.

"A good old fashion brawl then? How exactly do I win? Can't exactly knock you out or overwhelm you with pain." Back to where she started she settled into a simple boxing stance. "I'll try not to dent you too much."

 

[Blackout]

Blackout cracks a grin. "How do you win?" he huffs, moving swiftly into a deep, almost melodic chuckle. "Alina..." her name rolls off the tip of his tongue, laced in venom, letting it linger in the air. "...You don't win against me. Consider this your first lesson." The droid smiles, and it seems... soft. Like he's enjoying something. And, sure, he's enjoyed killing before, but this feels different. Most hunts go the same - Blackout stalks them down, he kills them, he goes home. In the times where he'd been killed, he would wake up in excruciating agony, hunt them down again, and finish the job. That's fun. But this woman, Alina Tremiru , has not only given him the chance to fight, but a proposition. An offer. He hardly gets much out of organics outside of screams, cries and the occasional high-and-mighty spiel.

He inches closer to her, and while he doesn't match her boxing stance, his body language tells her all she needs to know. He's more than ready. "Mn. Tell you what... Told the skinbag I ran into earlier that I'm feeling generous today. So I'll let my potential hirer in on the giving." Blackout rolls his shoulders, scoffing. "You can use your precious saber." Perhaps he just wants to die. Perhaps he's trying to convince himself that he can go through with a kill if she begins overpowering him. Or maybe he just wants her to have just as much fun as him.

"See? I'm not so bad." Blackout chuckles quietly. "But kill me, and you're gonna be in no shape to take a Mandalorian, don't you think?" The droid furthers with a hum, eyeing her. She seems rather toned for an organic, even beneath her clothing. A Sith, supposedly, too. Blackout isn't doubting her physical capabilities in the slightest. Even if she were to lose, he's banking on her putting up a good fight, even if she were saber-less.

"He's got your pal, too. Dragos."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

​

Yeah, there it was. At least it proved that Blackout was far more human than a normal droid would be. Condescension. She shrugged her shoulders at his offer. No way she'd bother using her saber now. She wanted nothing more than to prove to him that what he assumed was weakness was anything but. There was no reason for her to hold back. The droid said he wouldn't be killed even if this body was destroyed. So she moved. In the blink of an eye she closed the distance, her fists already swinging in a series of swift jabs.

The strength behind her fists was why she even dared to punch a droid. Through the Force she was faster than humanly possible, but so too was she stronger.