If at first you don't succeed... Try, Trident Again [dev thread, pm to join]

[Ghorua the Shark]

LOCATION: NAR SHADDAA
EQUIPMENT: IN BIO
CURRENT MOOD: NONCHALANT

Ghorua the Shark plodded along the underbelly of Nar Shaddaa carelessly, and for good reason. The massive Herglic was now bigger than most every sentient being in the galaxy, resting at a solid 10 foot height. He wore his pitch-black armor, scratched and dented by various jobs and firefights. Even without his helmet, he felt invincible. Powerful. Like the Alpha predator. Perhaps it was his new genetics speaking, but both his brain and his new body could agree on one thing. He needed a new weapon that complimented his new genetically-enhanced strength and reflexes.

​The massive Herglic had acquired a lightsaber on his first Hunt, and had stashed it away until he felt he could do something with it. Now was that time. After a few hours of research, he'd decided upon trying to construct a saber-pike for himself. He didn't know how he would actually construct such a weapon himself, but that wasn't why he was here. He was at this particular street of Nar Shaddaa for parts.

Hyperspace Street was the nickname for this particular area. Tired signs advertising dirty bars and brothels winked in and out of existence. The street was littered with filth. Despite the unappealing atmosphere of the block, however, people of all species flocked here. The simple answer to this conundrum was the Black Market. Hyperspace Street was the place to go if you needed something rare, and you didn't want it on-record. Perfect for constructing a saberpike for a Force-less whale.

Finally stopping, Ghorua scanned for the guy he was told about. Look for the Devil in the satin.

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua had been walking for a few minutes when he noticed the Devaronian. The red-skinned horned shape of the Black Market Dealer was easy to look over in the crowd. Ghorua immediately walked over to the man, who was dressed in fine linens and satins, various bright colors painting him as a king among mortals.

As the Herglic approached, the snide-looking man smiled. "Ah, you look like a powerful warrior! Perhaps I could interest you in some weapons! I have just gotten a new shipment of contraba-... Uh, I mean, completely legal blaster cannons!" The Devaronian smiled at his little joke.

"Of course." The Herglic's deep bass shook the man's table. "I am, however, looking for something a bit more... potent." Ghorua patted his waist, revealing a small lightsaber hung to his bandolier. The seller immediately straightened.

"Ah, of course... Come inside my shop." The man turned around, and walked into a building, beckoning the Herglic to follow. Ghorua tromped after, ducking as he came to the doorway. The Devaronian led Ghorua to a side room, lined with more dangerous goods. However much Ghorua wanted to gawk at the wares, he had to remain professional.

"So, you are the Herglic I was told about, yes? You have... quite the project in store, don't you?"

Ghorua nodded. "Yeah. You have the parts I need?"

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

"I do," he said, scratching his ruby chin, "If you got the creds, that is. Otherwise, I'm all out!"

Ghorua nodded, and brought out his own lightsaber. It was diminutive in his enormous flipper. He would never be able to wield it in it's current form. But, with a lot of modification... Who knows? "Yeah, I've already got plenty of the components." The Herglic lit the blade, a small streak of sky-blue popping from the hilt. Ghorua waved it around, careful not to cut himself. He had Lady Kay to thank for his toy.

The Devaronian smiled. "Ah. It suits you. I feel sorry for the sad bugger you killed for it. Hmm... It will need a stronger emitter and stablilizer... Bigger compartment... Keep in mind, you'll probably need to find someone to actually put this crap together for you. I sure can't karkin' do it. I'm just the parts guy."

"Of course." Ghorua knew he would need to find someone to put it all together. On top of that, he would need phrik, but he had a deal going on for that elsewhere.

"Alright, I an get you the interior parts, and you already have a crystal, but you'll need to find a casing, and someone to make it, on your own. Besides that, we're all set."

Ghorua smiled in anticipation. The thought of not having to ever fear a lightsaber again appealed to him. Of course, he still had far to go. But, all going well, Ghorua would be a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

With a little dramatic flair, the Devaronian leaned down to the floor, and pulled a panel off of the ground, revealing a hidden room. The Devaronian held up a finger, to tell the Herglic to wait. The Devaronian descended into the room.

As he waited, Ghorua retracted the lightsaber, and opened a compartment on the side. Roughly, the Herglic squeezed his fingers in, and pulled out something in his fist. Opening his palm, Ghorua admired the saber crystal, like a pure sapphire twinkling in his gloved hand. Stuffing the crystal in a pocket of his bandolier, he waited for the man to come back up. It was about then that he heard a sharp gasp.

Quickly, the dealer ascended into the room again, but his face held less joviality than it did before. "I... Ah... May have encountered a slight problem."

Ghorua squinted at the guy, black eyes threatening. "What problem, little devil?" Ghorua didn't feel like getting cheated out of this deal today.

"I... ah... hmm..." The horned man cleared his throat, and brought out a sack of lightsaber parts. Where he got them, Ghorua didn't want to ask. From what he'd heard, however, this man was the guy to go to for saber parts. Something felt off, though. Ghorua took the sack, and peered in. Various electronic gizmos and hoo-dads littered the bag. "I had everything ready for you this morning, I swear! I made sure of it... But... Some parts appear to be missing."

A cold fury played in Ghorua's eyes as he processed this new revelation. "You mean to say someone stole these pieces from you?" The Herglic looked down suspiciously. There was no way he was buying this.

"Yes! I have a hidden camera down there! One sec," the Devaronian said, climbing back down. A minute passed of mute swearing, and he came back up, datapad in hand. "Yes, watch!"

Ghorua crossed his arms over his massive chest as he observed the scene. The room was no bigger than a closet, lightsaber bits and pieces littering various cabinets in the walls. The Satin Devil stopped the footage on a shady man, stuffing a large casing into his bag, along with a few various baubles. He seemed very insistent and deliberate, as if the thief knew what he was searching for. The Herglic examined the picture for another second, and then brought out his own datapad. "You'd think you would have better security."

"I do! I do not understand! You're a Bounty Hunter, right? Hunt down this thief for me!"

"Do I get payed?" Ghorua began to examine his bandolier, making sure nothing was missing.

The Devaronian smiled coldly. "No, it is just as much your stuff as it is mine! But perhaps we can negotiate something later."

- AN HOUR LATER -

Ghorua the Shark sat at the counter of Frida's bar, drinking a glass of water. He didn't know where to go from here. He needed those parts, but it looked like someone else needed them too. Obviously, he needed a bit of help. With his holopad, the Herglic sent out a message, basic frequency for those looking for work.

// LOOKING FOR: Bounty Hunter //
// Hello. I am looking for a bit of help. Not an extremely large job here, but if you're bored, come on down to Frida's Spacer Bar, Sector 14. More details on arrival. Look for the big guy. //

Content with his message, the Shark let it loose, and thought about what he would do. He had to contact a slicer, that much was obvious. Some extra muscle might be nice. Ghorua had payed for the parts that the Devil still had on him, but it wasn't enough. Something about a 'heavy duty emitter'. Looking over the rest of the bar, Ghorua waited for someone to answer his call. If no one came, he would try to go it solo. Either way, he'd been wanting to test out his new muscles for some time now.

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -

 

[Evelyn Yara]

/ Look for the big guy / is how the transmission ended.

Yeah, okay, Evelyn thought to herself, as though this message wasn't already vague enough. She was naturally suspicious, but the message did say 'simple' after all. And she just happened to be in the same system. Good work just doesn't fall in your lap. She couldn't pass up the opportunity. After programming the course into the navcomputer, she left the cockpit of her ship to check her supplies and dress herself in light armor, not knowing what to expect.

Frida's Spacer Bar - Sector 14

Evelyn walked into bar wearing a dark grey cloak and hood that disguised her figure and weapons. She scanned the room looking for 'the big gu-' ... and she gasped softly at the sight of the massive figure in the back of the bar. She had encountered Herglic before, but this one just consumed the space around him. Hesitantly, she began to reconsider the entire mission.

No, work is work, she thought. Got to work to eat.

Walking over to the Herglic, the eyes of the rest of the room watching her approach, she kept her hands inside her robe and minimized her already small frame.

"Well, 'big guy' was a bit of an understatement,' she said to Ghorua

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua had just finished his water, and was ordering another when he was addressed. "Get me another, please," he said to Frida, the Duros behind the counter quickly filling up another glass for the Hunter.

Turning his body around, he saw a small human, almost trying to make herself smaller in his presence. Ghorua smiled, revealing his rows of sharp teeth, certainly not something your average Herglic would have. His Koodan-Class battle armor plated his body, encumbering in the being's strength. He was definitely a sight to be seen, but Ghorua knew through experience that size wasn't everything. The fact that this girl not only received his message, but had the guts to confront him about it, showed more about her than any looks. Not to say she wasn't attractive, of course.

"Yeah, you could say that." He smirked at the woman, and gestured to a nearby booth. "Shall we?" Not waiting for a response, Ghorua stood up to his full height, almost bumping his head on the ceiling, and walked to the booth. The seats were specially made for larger species, but the chair still felt a bit small. Ghorua leaned back into the padded seat, and pulled out his datapad, sending a quick message to a slicer the Herglic had worked with before. Yee was practically a child, but the kid had skill with a datapad. If anyone could track down these parts, it was him.

Waiting for the woman to sit down, he began his formal introduction. "Ghorua the Shark," his deep bass voice rumbled, "Bounty Hunter, at your service. And you are?" Ghorua nodded to Frida as the female Duros brought out his water. He held the liquid in a large cup, and gauged his company's mood. "Would you like a drink? Frida here has the best alcohol on this chithole of a planet." Ghorua smiled again, rather amiably for having dangerous weapons in his maw.

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -

 

[Evelyn Yara]

Evelyn followed the Herglic to the booth and took a seat across from him, trying not to stare directly at the rows of teeth.

"Just a Corellian Ale would be great... thank you," Evelyn said to the Duros bartender with a polite smile.

She turned back to Ghorua, shrugging her cloak behind her shoulders and pulling down the hood to better reveal her face, "I'm Evie... Evelyn Yara, I mean. I received your message." Frida set down the glass of ale, "Thank you, I appreciate it."

She took a long sip against the foam before continuing, the cool drink stilling her nerves. She felt small and vulnerable sitting across from the giant. If this conversation went sour she struggled to imagine how she would defend herself. Yet, she did possess a skill set that could prove useful to him...

"So, let's talk about how I can help you."

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

"Of course." Ghorua the Shark slid his datapad across the table to his new company. The device was about twice as large as a regular datapad, and would probably be pretty unwieldly for Evelyn to hold. On the screen, a close-up shot of the man who stole the parts. It was a human, clean shaven, dark scraggy hair plastered to his head. Beside that picture, a small image of a heavy-duty emitter rotated. Ghorua gauged Yara's expression as he talked.

"Well, Evie, this is what I got. You're looking at Zas Martello. Low level scum, arrested four times for assault, seven for armed robbery. The police seem to think he's part of the Red Sparrows, a little gang that runs down here." Ghorua pointed to the floating object. "This morning, he stole this from a client of mine. We have to get it back, and... eliminate the opposition. I would do it all myself, but..." Ghorua gestured down at his bulk. "I'm a pretty big target for a gang of thugs."

The Herglic took a sip of his water, and tried to hide his disdain for Martello. It would be unprofessional of Ghorua to show any emotion besides interest and joviality. Fear, anger... There were other places for those. "And, it turns out that the police have a small bounty on all Red Sparrows. Two thousand a head, dead or alive. I love the cops on this planet." A quick smile, then he continued. "I've taken the liberty of contacting a Slicer, who'll be able to track these guys down no problem. Of course, you'll get an additional payment if we bring that piece of tech back in one piece." Ghorua also tried to mask the fact that he REALLY wanted that emitter, but he couldn't cap all of it in. The Herglic drummed his fingers on the table in anticipation.

"So," he said finally, eyeing the little Hunter. "If you're in, I hope you're tougher than you look." Ghorua didn't laugh, but his dark eyes danced with amusement. He enjoyed a bit of banter every now and again.

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -

 

[Evelyn Yara]

Evelyn cocked up an eyebrow, "I'm plenty," she said flatly.

She took another swig of the ale and pulled the datapad over for a closer inspection. A Red Sparrow, huh? She had heard of the gang in this system, but hadn't heard much. And this guy, this Zas Martello, didn't look like much to worry about. Evelyn tilted her head, studying the image. What was the tech, she wondered. She spun the datapad around on the table to look at it from a different angle. No, she didn't recognize it. Didn't understand why it would be so important, but then it wasn't her job to understand.

The other members of the gang might be a worry, though. "How many Red Sparrows are we thinking?" She tried to avoid unnecessary violence - for her, a hunter who seeks more than her share of violence is no longer a hunter but something else entirely. She finished her ale in a gulp. "Nevermind. I suppose we'll find out together."

She took a long look at the Herglic, sizing him up, trying to read the details in his manner.

"When do we get started? I'm following you."

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua frowned at Evelyn. From first impressions, Ghorua could tell she was trying to be serious and temperate, whether it was her real personality or not was left to be answered. He was just about to answer her last question when the datapad in Evie's hand buzzed. A message from Yee.

"May I?" Ghorua reached over again, and grabbed his datapad in one flipper. Large fingers flying over the screen, Ghorua gave Yee Lung the go-ahead to find Martello's last movement. "Ah, alright. We can head out once we get a location. Can't run outside and expect to see this guy around the corner, now can we?" Sipping his water, Ghorua waited for Yee to do his thing.

"It shouldn't be too long. I'd expect a hit in the next half-hour." Ghorua reclined in his ploofy chair, relaxing. "So, you got any good stories? I do enjoy a good tale before a Hunt." Ghorua smiled at his new partner. Nothing like a good story before a job to calm the nerves. Despite his large bulk, missions always put him on edge. That, coupled with the target on his back after collecting on a Republic Senator, left Ghorua with more than his share of the jitters. The Herglic's bigger physique helped with this, but he still found himself looking over his shoulder every now and again.

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -

 

[Evelyn Yara]

Maybe it was how quickly she drank the ale, maybe it was particularly strong brew, but she laughed. A full body laugh, and she raised her hand to cover her mouth, her teeth, attempting to save some grace.

"A story? I'm not much of a storyteller. What kind of story are you looking to hear?"

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua grinned as he saw Evelyn slowly relax. The sound of her laughter brightened his day slightly. The melodious sound kept his mind off of his problems, if only for a few seconds. He didn't know about getting a little buzzed before a hunt, but the Herglic decided to let it slide.

"Oh, you know, stories of grandeur! Battle! Adventure! Love! Perhaps one of your old missions? Humorous tales from your childhood! I don't care!" Ghorua's deep bass voice sent ripples through their drinks. "If you can't think of anything, I can go first. I have quite the repertoire of tales." The Herglic winked, and looked back down at his datapad, checking for messages. Nothing yet, but one can't rush genius.

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -

 

[Evelyn Yara]

Evelyn straightened up in her seat, correcting her posture a bit.

"Well, I don't know really. There's not much to say about me. I'm actually not very interesting at all. And I'm still pretty new to the hunting business," her eyes widened and she quickly backtracked, "That's not to say I'm not experienced... or not prepared. I'm good. Really good, actually. My father was a hunter, too. Started training me when I just a little girl."

She slowed down, "Anyways, what I think I'm trying to say is I don't have many contacts in this sector. It's always good to know who you can count on for solid work, you know? Or for help with tough jobs. If this one goes well, I don't see why, maybe, we couldn't work again. You certainly have..." she paused and eyed the Herglic top to bottom, "a certain physical quality that I'm missing. We might work well together in the future."

She grew a bit nervous talking to a stranger like this, and rubbed her palms against her knees under the table. A nervous smile, her eyes darted around the room.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

"Perhaps we will turn out to be a good match in the future." Ghorua laughed, a deep, jolly guffaw. He knew how Evelyn felt, the nervous mannerisms, the feeling of being a little insignificant and over your head. "Are you uncomfortable? You look nervous." Then, lowering his voice a little, "You'll attract attention to yourself. Well, the wrong attention," the Herglic said, looking down at his bulk. "I remember one of my first bounties. My mentor and I, Julian Valentine, went after this Senator. Turns out we work great together, went on as partners for a while. The partnership got me this."

Reaching into a pocket of his bandolier, he pulled out the lightsaber crystal, gleaming blue in the dismal lighting, tiny in the palm of the Hunter. "Perhaps you'll get lucky. And... Don't worry. I won't bite." Ghorua repressed the urge to bare his fangs, and cackle like a maniac.

"To be truthful with you, I'm pretty new too. I was a Bodyguard until about six months ago. You know, I've got the perfect story to calm your mood. One time, when I was on the job..." Ghorua went on to tell her one of his favorite stories. He had been doing a late shift at a cantina in the Courscant underbelly, when he saw a Rhodian hitting on a large Gammorean woman. Eventually, the alien got tired of being rebuffed by the pig lady, and tried to grab at her... packages. The most hilarious barfight ensued, of a large woman smashing a Rhodian's face in. Ghorua had laughed so hard, it seemed his sides would burst.

"Haha, eventually I had to break it up, but that Rhodian forever had a new meaning to the words 'pork chop'."

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -

 

[Evelyn Yara]

Evelyn smiled throughout Ghorua's story, she laughed when he laughed.

Yet her mind stayed upon the lightsaber crystal. She had never seen a lightsaber before, although she's heard stories, the famous stories of all the heroes and villians, a few men controlling the entire fate of the galaxy. Was Ghorua constructing his own lightsaber? Was the stolen device he was seeking a part for the saber? And if so, did that mean he was also a Jedi of some kind? Someone of his stature and strength would be truly terrifying if he also possessed the powers she had heard associated with the Jedi.

"Yeah, that kind of story seems pretty typical for Coruscant. Rough place in the lower levels," she paused, considering her words, and running her fingers through her dark hair "Ghorua, I have to ask you, not that it is any of my business really... well, I guess it is kind of my business now... but are you building a lightsaber?"

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua was glad to see the little Human so at ease. Bounty Hunting rarely let one relax, so the Herglic would enjoy this respite while he could. Frida came over to refill their drinks. Ghorua nodded to the barkeep as his new partner addressed him.

The smile on the Herglic's face melted as he considered her question. Slowly slipping the crystal back into a pocket on his bandolier, the Herglic sighed. "Well, you deserve to know that, I suppose. Yeah, I am. A saberpike, to be specific, if you know your lazer-swords." Ghorua began to drum his fingers on the table again, solemnly looking to a far side of the bar.

"I'm not a Force-User myself, but..." He hesitated, his bright composure slipping into something sadder. "Our profession is a tough one, Evelyn. One that often has little success, little reward, and... Lots of death. Think of the Jedi, or the Sith, and their lightsabers. They must be fearless. But the rest of us..." Ghorua's expression had fallen into a soft frown. He didn't want to feel so scared anymore. The Jedi never seemed to be afraid. Fearless. Perhaps it had something to do with the Force, but if Ghorua could capture even a glimpse of that bravery...

Ghorua blinked hard. Suddenly looking up, he realized who he was with, and tried to regain his composure. They were about to do a job, and the massive Herglic had a reputation of no weakness to uphold. The Herglic pulled his lips apart into a smile, but the expression didn't reach his eyes, or his voice. "Nevermind. We... We have a job to do, and my slicer should give us some intel any moment."

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -

 

[Evelyn Yara]

Evelyn was warming up to the Herglic, something she didn't expect when she first laid eyes on him. He seemed a genuine enough person, although she knew she had been a bit too trusting in the past.

"I've got a good feeling about this one," she said with a smile. "As long as you don't have a bounty on your own head. My last two partners both held a hefty price - big surprise - but I'm not really one to ruin a good working relationship over some credits... Still, it makes things more complicated." She laughed to herself thinking about one of her most recent bounties. "You know, you're not the first Herglic I've met. You're certainly the biggest. But I had to bring one in on a bounty. Was a body guard for Kae the Hutt. Could of been pretty messy, but it was a clean hunt..." she stopped herself suddenly, eyes wide, realizing she probably shouldn't be talking about pulling in a Herglic bounty with another Herglic "Wait, you didn't know a Gula, did you? I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

"Gula?" Ghorua interrupted, feigning surprise, a big smile on his face again. "You don't mean my long-lost thrice-removed twin brother? I'll kill you if you hurt a hair on his head!" Ghorua began to chuckle, all hints of emotion gone again, deep inside the massive Hunter's physique. "You know, not all Herglics know each other, you Space-Racist. And as far as I know, I don't got no bounties. Yet."

Ghorua was about to make a comment about humans when his datapad buzzed in his hand. Looking down carelessly, his translator worked to translate Yee's message. The young hacker couldn't speak common, so Ghorua had to find a way to communicate. Reading the new message, Ghorua's smile grew. "We've got a location. Hmm... Looks like Martello's trying to auction off the saber parts. Get them off of his hands as quick as possible. Lucky for us we got on this job so quickly. I suppose the place'll be heavily guarded. You geared for a firefight?" Ghorua got up quickly, and payed for Evelyn's drink. He was itching for a fight right now. One man can only show so much emotion before he needs to punch someone.

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -

 

[Evelyn Yara]

Evelyn laughed again, but a little nervously this time around. She was about to apologize when the datapad started buzzing. When the details came in, her mind became focused on the job.

"How do you want to play this?" she looked back up at Ghorua. "You would stand out a bit - well, quite a bit - at the auction. Might be more attention that we want. But if snuck in as a regular buyer, I don't think I would raise any suspicion. Could be useful on gathering some intel. Or would you rather go in blasters first?" She wasn't too keen on diving right in, but maybe Ghorua was already forming a plan.

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua looked down at Evelyn. "We should probably scope out the place first, but I do stick out like a sore thumb." The Herglic checked the coordinates of the auction again. Not too far from Hyperspace Street. Barely any police down there. With a nod, Ghorua looked to the door. "Shall we go?"

- TEN MINUTES LATER -

Hyperspace Street hadn't changed in the hour and thirty minutes he had been away. Same filth, same shifty eyes, same unexplained crowds. Around the corner, a seemingly deserted nightclub sat dejectedly, no music playing from it's halls. However, species from all over the galaxy still filed in, excited looks on their faces. "There it is; Zesty Zayne's." Ghorua looked back at Evelyn, embarrassment in his eyes. "Hey, I didn't name it. They say the place has been abandoned for years, collecting dust. Apparently the perfect place to auction off contraband." The Herglic pulled up a map of the old strip club, showing the basic layout.

"I see two options here, right off the bat. Option A," Ghorua started, tracing his finger along the map as he talked, "... is that you go in there, keep a low profile, and comm me when they bring out their 'equipment'. The wall here is structurally unsound," he said, a big finger tracing the wall next to a large stage, probably where the dancers used to do their thing. "When they bring out the stuff, I could break through that wall, cause a huge distraction, and that would be a good time for you to grab and go. It would take them completely by surprise. But then we'd be up against their full strength, and the club has a small chance of breaking down." Ghorua smiled, his helmet on the ground.

"Option two is the inverse. I go in as a buyer, and be a distraction right off of the bat. They have no idea I'm after 'em, and my wonderful ability of attention-grabbing would most likely let you sneak past their defenses. You could just steal the parts before they get brought out in front of everyone. We have a bigger chance of getting caught, but less down-and-dirty fighting, and less chance of civilian casualty." Ghorua sighed pensively. "Well, I guess if they're going to an illegal auction, are they really civilians? Eh, never mind."

Ghorua finally looked up at his partner. "So, which tickles your fancy? Anything to add? Perhaps an Option C?"

- [member="Evelyn Yara"] -