Fun in the Suns [Open to CIS]

[Kyyrk]

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TATOOINE, FIVE WEEKS AFTER THE BATTLE OF KUAT, MIDDAY​

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Voph sat hunched over in the shuttle craft, looking at the desert whipping by below them. He had taken a small squad with him in pursuit of a small band of criminals, the leader of whom he suspected had ties to the First Order. After their collapse, he knew it wouldn't be an officially sanctioned mission. Probably just another radical planning to lash out at anything that wasn't the First Order. If not for that fact, Voph would have let the target pass by. Voph sighed, and pushed himself to his feet, reaching up to take hold of a hand rail above him. His attention turned to the soldiers around him.

"We're approaching the drop point. Once again, this may be an outpost, but there are still Civilians around, so be sure you know what you're shooting at if you MUST shoot something. If at all possible we are to take this one alive for questioning. We still don't know if the bomb threats have any merit, but you were picked specifically because that may be a reality. Our goal, as always, is minimal civilian casualty. Once we're on the ground, we're to rendezvous with a contact, says he's got a friend that might be able to help us. Any questions?"

Voph was met with a chorus of shaking heads. He nodded in response, turning to watch as the shuttle settled down on the outskirts of a small farming outpost. As the men departed the shuttle, it took off, leaving Voph and his small collection of soldiers alone in the sweltering heat. But Voph didn't mind it. Tatooine had been the closest thing to a home he'd had back in the day. It was always a welcome site. Come to think of it, he'd have to check and see if his old home was even still there. But that wasn't important. He saw his contact approaching them. In tow...well, Voph knew a gunslinger when he saw one. His rebreather hissed as he drew a heavy sigh, mentally preparing himself for the manhunt they were about to engage in...

[member="Vanric Dannon"]

 

[Vanric Dannon]

[SIZE=16pt]Closing the far horizon distance was a pair of riders on dewbacks. Slowly, but surely, the lumbering beasts carried their charges: a young man in blue jean clothing and an old man in a tan duster. The young man seemed to have an affinity to blue, from his jean jacket and his light blue undershirt to his jean pants. A smile, in one form or another, always seemed to loiter on his face. Even his eyes were blue, with a sharp observancy that seemed to cut right to the marrow every which way he gazed. The old man was a different story.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]His duster and other attire were brought together with hard desert living in mind. Like a hardened spirit of expansionism pulled from a tall tale, he embodied every notion of what one might assume of a marshal. The intensity of his blue eyes distracted from his weathered, tan face. One might have mistaken the two for brothers, if they were so inclined. It was the blue jeaned one who broke the silence, as he had been doing throughout the trip.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]“See that goof troupe, up a ways. That’s them. You ready to wrassle some dangerous people, Dan?” asked the man in blue.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]“I am, Sam. Always,” stated the marshal, simple as you like.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]“There won’t always be danger to be ready for, Dan. Times are changing. Work’s drying up. You might have to find a hobby, for once…” To this, the one called Sam grinned.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]“Thing’s haven’t changed. You’re just not looking hard enough.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]“Well, that might be true, if you were to get off this dust ball for good and take a gander at another planet for once….”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]Vanric didn’t reply. They had arrived.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]“Hail, friends!” said the man called Sam. He pointed to himself. “Vizsla Samyan.” He pointed to his companion. “Vanric Dannon. I trust it wasn’t too hard to find the place. I know parking can be a nightmare…”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]A smile crept across his face as his hands swept at the empty expanses around them.[/SIZE]


[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph bowed stiffly to Vizsla as he introduced himself. "A pleasure to meet you in person, Vizsla." In contrast to the two men, Voph was dressed in a dull black cloak, elements of armor protruding from the black faulds, and his lower face was concealed by a rebreather. White hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, with a loose strand hanging down over...a blindfold. Perhaps [member="Vanric Dannon"] was smart enough to know a Mirluka when he saw one. But with how rare his species was, it was anyone's guess.

Voph turned to "look" at Vanric for a moment. In spite of not having eyes, his gaze seemed to pierce the man's very soul. Between that and the twin lightsabers hanging from the man's hips, it was clear that he was a Jedi of some type. "I am High Marshal Voph, of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Vizsla may have already filled you in. There are unconfirmed reports of a wanted man, last reported location being the outpost near here. We believe he has ties to the First Order, and may...seek retribution against her enemies. Even though the First Order has fallen, this presents what we believe to be a credible threat. Vizsla recommended you for being something of an expert tracker, I believe?"

 

[Vanric Dannon]

[SIZE=18pt]“Oh, yes. Expert tracker, expert ‘slinger, expert hardass--,” started Vizsla. He was quickly silenced by aggressive cough-grunting and a hard glare from Vanric. He spoke up, saying,[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]“Wanted for what, exactly? Because he’s a soldier caught on the wrong side of a war or because he actually committed crimes?”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]Vizsla leaned over and said in a stage whisper and a smile, “Careful, Dan. He outranks you, ya' know.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]Vanric didn’t grace his humor with a reaction; just kept staring down at the blind Jedi from atop his steed, waiting for an answer.[/SIZE]

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph held up a hand to Vizsla indicating he could be quiet. "I did not make it to where I am believing that my word is the only valid one." His gaze focused in on Vanric. "If only it were that easy. Were he a soldier you and I would not be having this conversation. The First Order is no more. Any agent claiming to act on her behalf is a rogue element. In this case, he's murdered several civilian targets, and we've received word that he may be planning a bombing attempt."

Voph regarded the man silently for a moment. "Were he just a soldier, we'd kill him and be done with it. But he's not. He's a terrorist with no regard for sentient life. And there's more where he came from. And they're going to keep on murdering people in the name of their fallen empire unless we stop them. So argue the legality of it all you wish, he's still a man that must be stopped."

[member="Vanric Dannon"]

 

[Vanric Dannon]

[member="Voph"]

[SIZE=18pt]Vizsla sat there atop his dewback; quiet, but still with that unerring grin on his face. His blue eyes flitted about the ensemble gathered here. He didn't need much convincing, so Vanric lightly nodded his head as he said, [/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]“Yeah, sounds good to me. I can help ya’ find ‘im.” He turned his attention to Vizsla and said, “You said they’re about where now, Sam?”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]“Pakeyya Outpost. I won’t say the place’s in their pocket, but there’s a reason they’ve kept from becoming statistics while everyone around them suffers. It’s also where I’ve gathered the most spottings of ‘em. Right here is a good place to hoof it from to preserve the element of surprise…”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]“Pakeyya…hoofin’s right.” He addressed Voph again. “You boys got mounts? Otherwise, it’s hard marchin’….”[/SIZE]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph watched the man for a second, then turned to the soldiers with him. He spoke quietly, as the soldiers huddled up around him. There were nods of agreement, then Voph turned back to the two locals. "If he's that dug in at the outpost, my men would only serve to give us away. Shuttle will come collect them, and they can redeploy if we need them." Voph checked his gear, turning in the direction of the outpost, making sure everything was firmly attached, then began walking. He assumed the locals would follow, even though he didn't have a mount.

He moved quickly through the sand for someone as heavily armored as he was. And with how little the heat bothered him, it almost seemed as if he were a native of the planet. He walked in silence for a moment, head turning every so often to look at something invisible to his companions. When he did finally speak, it was with a simple question. "How long have you been doing this, Marshal?"

[member="Vanric Dannon"]

 

[Vanric Dannon]

[member="Voph"]

[SIZE=18pt]To that simple question, he gave a simple answer.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]“Couple decades…” He readjusted in his seating and cast a critical gaze upon the blindfolded warrior. Hot damn, but did the galaxy come in all types. Seeing without sight, hard trekking without slowing, not to mention the other insane things you hear across the bar and see on the rare occasion. As if sentients weren’t complicated enough, some of them somehow got the ability to raise the stakes higher than the sky is tall. At least there were good types, else this galaxy would have been done for a long time ago. Though, sometimes that was because the elite few finally used their powers to fix things and the common many laid down their lives to make it happen. As Vanric ruminated on these things, it wasn’t until a little later that he realized that Vizsla had started talking. Again.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]“---there was the time he had to deal with the Brothers sisters. Hottest pair what come to grace this backwater part of the galaxy, and I’m not talking about Tattooine’s suns. Probably the one time Dan over here was more concerned with taking them alive than dead, bein’ the gushing gentleman type he is.” Instead of letting Vizsla continue his “defamation”, he chimed in.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]“C[/SIZE]o[SIZE=18pt]me off it, Sam. The bounty was bigger alive an’ they were being careful not to kill. Not everything requires two in the chest and one in the head…” Vizsla’s passive smile grew three times bigger.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=18pt]“You could say the situation required a ‘gentle touch’, huh?” This comment gave Vanric pause as his next words just about caught in his throat. He visually re-evaluated his companion, surprise written on his face. It was the first time he seemed to have been caught off guard, as of yet. He quickly looked away and changed subjects slightly.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=18pt]“What makes you such o’ storyteller, anyways? Ya’ keep yappin’ on with one tall tale or another at least once whenever I’m with you, especially if we have company.”[/SIZE]


[SIZE=18pt]“Who knows? Maybe I was a bard in another life…” Vizsla then fell silent, which was a surprising feat for him. His last words led Vanric’s eyebrows to knit together out of puzzlement; at least for a little while before he mentally shrugged it off and focused on the trip.[/SIZE]



[SIZE=18pt]Sand blew across the open dunes in their everlasting march; probably on its way to try and smother yet another settlement or township. Thus was the way of the desert for all who tried to coexist with it.[/SIZE]

 

[Kyyrk]

"Stories are a noble art."

Voph didn't look at the two men with him, brow furrowing as he looked towards the horizon amidst hair whipping in the wind. "All of which I find are subject to exaggeration. The mark of a good storyteller is the inability to detect fiction among the fact." Voph fell silent for a moment, then said, "Not to destroy whatever preconceived notions you may hold of yourself, but reincarnation isn't possible. Not in the way many think it is." Voph finally turned to glance at Vizsla for a moment, before looking back towards the horizon. "I've seen more than enough death for a host of lifetimes. I've seen people pass through the veil, and come back. Usually to get sent back in the near future."

Voph fell quiet for a moment, then said, "But such are the ways of war. Truth be told, I'd wager I've seen things even you would struggle to believe, Master Vizsla. And perhaps you as well, Marshal Dannon. Planets turned to ash at the mere snap of a finger. Mighty warships ripped apart by mere force of will..." Voph trailed off as he focused on the small outpost now coming into view on the horizon. And in spite of his mid-thirties appearance, his white hair, as well as his tone, suggested he was older...far older than he seemed. "We're drawing close. Master Vizsla, perhaps it would be best to keep things strictly professional from here on. Not that we will be caught unawares, but... Best to be on the safe side."

[member="Vanric Dannon"]

 

[Vanric Dannon]

[member="Voph"]


Vizsla turned to Voph and said,

“Well, that’ll be easy, as I will not be accompanying you into town. I have upheld my end of the bargain and I’m no good in a fight. You have your soldiers on call and Marshal Dannon here at your side. The latter should be more than enough.”

“That’s easy praise for a spectator…” grumbled Vanric. He may have seemed opposed, but it was more out of general irritation than objection. He knew this was most likely going to happen. Vizsla was a messenger bird that came to visit now and again with a pretty tune. He was a valuable source of information, but never around for the dirty work. Vizsla shrugged casually, as if to compound the fact that Vanric shouldn’t be surprised.

“Happy huntin’, Marshals. I’m rootin’ for ya’.” Vizsla settled in his saddle and pulled out his canteen to get a drink of water. Vanric exhaled before sounding off a palatal click to his dewback, signaling for it to get a move on. There was no time or reason to debate the help of an informant for what was to come.

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph raised a hand in farewell as he followed Vanric into the city. "Keep an eye out. I'd be willing to bet he knows we're coming. And that's being generous, and assuming that Vizsla didn't tell him." Voph offered the marshal a sidelong look, or what qualified for a sidelong look for a blind man. Voph sighed to himself quietly, turning to look behind them at the receding image of their informant. "I can't quite explain it, but something doesn't sit right with me about him." Voph turned to look at Vanric for a moment, then reached back to confirm his lightsabers were still strapped to his back under the cloak.

"Best to assume we're walking into a trap. If you want to leave, I'd not hold it against you. Otherwise...keep your blaster handy." Voph's attention turned towards the City gate that they were approaching. It was open, nothing seemed amiss, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was...off. People were milling about, guards stood on duty, and yet no one seemed particularly distressed. "We should start at the cargo docks. Likely the best place to figure out where he's at."

[member="Vanric Dannon"]