Middle Men [Open]

[Bolt]

Definitive boot pressings could be heard from a distance as a man approached in a long coat, polished black leather boots, with a wide rimmed hat adorning his head, face cast in shadows. Every so often his coat would sway to and fro with his stepping, revealing the butts of three shooters, one hanging under each armpit, with the largest bound around his waist so as to hang on his right hip.

Approaching the same area as the others, whom he had no clue were there, Doc swiftly brushed his hand back his right side, moving the coat so he could freely draw The Colt. In an instant, as was now rote to memory, the long barrel was lined up at the chest of the massive armored body charging his way. Its armor was Ultrachrome, so the bullet that was loosed and connected did not puncture it.

However, shot at less than half a dozen yards with a .75 caliber round, while not able to instantly punch through the armor, dented it heavily, as well as lifted the being off its feet to be thrown back a few yards.

The pace never slowed.

Soon enough he found two more opponents nearing, while his first enemy never moved. There was no way for him to know his shot had caused the ribs under the plating to be crushed inward, one stabbing a lung while another sliced multiple organs. The two new however had seen the power his moderate sized revolver could dish out, so their steps were slow, maticulous, planned.

"Im looking for someone-" Was all Doc managed to call before the nearest lunged, a bullet instantly traveling to meet him head on. Literally. The chest of the armor was dense, heavy. Helmets though could not be, for problem with too much weight on the neck. Thus the bullet entered through the nasal canal, and was never seen again.

While the body was falling, Doc cast his gaze lazily to the other, "Ya know, I am sorreh fo' that. I know ya must feel quite the anger at losin' ya boys." He paused, showing his cockiness by showoffishly flipping the gun in a three hundred-sixty degree motion, ending the barrel tightly in its holster. Moving his coat back into place, he continued, "But I do digress. Im heer lookin' fo' someone. Care to assist a gentleman?"

 

[Miss Blonde]

Miss Blonde was seriously starting to get vexed. It was like wherever she went, stupid people just seemed to follow. Sounds of gunshots were going off outside the temple and by the sounds of them it wasn't any kind of caliber that her droids used, and she knew exactly what weapons the Graug used here on Gratos. It was a very specific list of weaponry, but that wasn't important. What was important was appeasing idiots who just kept coming out of the god damn woodwork.

So with a heavy sigh the crime lord was all but rolling her eyes behind the mask towards Sal. She knew the man was desperate but what was she going to do? Just magically conjure up the bird here and now for him? Well. She probably could, but there was no guarantee that the bird would be alive or intact when she tried to moved it across space and time. Best to just not let Sal know that was something she was capable of doing for fear of using a stupid amount of energy and potentially killing his dumb bird.

"Yeah sure he's right here, let me just grab him." Reaching into her coat pocket Blonde shuffled around a bit before pulling out and giving Sal the bird, though it wasn't the kind of bird he was looking for.

"Do I look like I have your bird on me? It's back at a safehouse." With another annoyed sigh she pulled her hand up to her mask and pressed a comm button on its side.

"Yeah. It's Blonde. Mmhm. He what? No no I understand just fine, just have him throw some ice on it or something." Getting to the point the woman eventually brought the bird up.

"About the bird, no don't kill it. We're giving it back. So just evacuate the safehouse and we'll let the guy go pick it up. Alright, see you later." With her call finished the woman hung up the call and then looked over towards Sal.

"Your birds on Nal Hutta, little slimy joint called Otto's Pub. You'll find him in the basement alive and unspoiled. Damn thing has already cost me money in cybernetic replacements for my men, so at this point you're just doing me a favor." Blonde said in a very professional voice.

"Now $@#% off I have work to do." Hopefully that would satisfy the man.

[member="Dead Eye"] [member="Serenity Loveheart"] [member="Sal Katarn"]

 

[Garza]

"Oh don't be so harsh on them Blonde. They are children."

I smiled with my metallic face as I walked up towards the group of people who seemed to be fighting over something.

"Miss me?"

[member="Miss Blonde"],

 

[Bolt]

"Help you!? You basta-" The Graug began to shout, but at the unnecessary vulgarity Doc began lazily tapping a fingertip against the butt of Daisy. The brute got the message, "You all come here, killing my people but i need to help you!?"

"Now, now, I may be a hypocritical ass, but i dare say, I aint heer with anotha'." Doc replied, his finger still gently bumping the beautifully carved wooden butt to the revolver, "So, again, will ya be helpful?" Doc looked even more bored as each second passed, so when silence, angry though quiet, continued from his opponent he drew Daisy, lined the sights, and loosed a round into the faceplate ahead.

Returning to his brisk pace Doc only paused to look down at the man and add, "I am very sorreh." His drawl dragging out the end of the last word. Reholstering the pistol he headed for the temple, noticing footprints in the sandy entrance. Multiple. Some seemed mechanical, robotic, in their unnatural gait. Doc absolutely detested modern technology, so he tended to be able to recognize this sort of thing.

Believing that those ahead were probably enemies, Doc paused long enough to concentrate on Nullifying Gravity, the ability he learned from his teacher among the Law of the West. There was no immediate noticeable effect, but he knew it was active. It was his power. It was working. And so with a loose lift off, Doc soared slowly upward until he touched the ceiling.

Flattening out, Doc crawled upside down along the "ground" (as it was now, to him anyway). Many, many, Force Users knew many, many, talents. Thus they never had true power in one. He knew one skill, thats it. So it came like breathing, easy like blinking.

With the gravity not even effecting his coat, there should be zero reason for anyone to notice him. Plus the Null field was an odd nuance in the Force, likely shrugged off by most. So it was as he found a group nearby, above... Below... Whatever. It was a group, including those blasted mechanicals, on the ground opposite him.

[member="Miss Blonde"]

 

[Natalie LaForte]

A confused look crossed her face in response to the man. In stubbornness, she ignored Blonde's orders and with a blank expression continued the gaze at the scoundrel; and by the end of it, she thought she had heard 'Bird' enough times to slit her wrists. Opting not to, a giggle emerged from the child.

"Why don't you just buy a new bird? How special is it that you have to risk your life for it. Honestly, homeless people these days." Knowing that the man would not, or at least she hoped wouldn't, attack her, she toyed with him a bit. He seemed a bit... on edge. This bird must've meant something to him, and her mentor must've went some length to stealing it. Regardless, she ignored whatever response was given and turned her back, continuing to search for this door with a spider on it.

The walls were solid rock, wrongly, thinking that there would be a hidden door, she kept tapping them for a while, her knuckles making the classic *THUNK* sound as they hit off of them. At one point this stopped and decided to start hitting the weapon off of the wall. The only difference being this wouldn't bruise somebody in the process.

[member="Dead Eye"] I [member="Lt. Sage"] i [member="Miss Blonde"] I [member="Sal Katarn"]

 

[Sal Katarn]

For a moment, it looked as if the drifter might shoot [member="Miss Blonde"] all the same, then he pointed the rifle at the ground.

Nal Hutta. Pub. Good enough.

Strangers started popping up in pairs. Time to lit a shuck.

Sal turned to go.

The youngest member of Blonde's lollipop guild said something. Katarn froze.

Beneath the helmet, his lips twitched violently. Katarn clenched his jaw and uttered a non-committal grunt, then stalked out of the temple.

 

[Miss Blonde]

With the business with Sal now concluded it was time to finish this job up. It had been taking way too long and it seemed that everyone really wanted to talk to her. Even Sage had showed up and in a timely fashion. How accessible was the basement of a Graug temple anyways? Apparently it was an open freaking bar with how many people just seemed to waltz in there, and here Blonde payed good money to get its location when she could of just walked inside like she owned the place. But despite all that she just gave a robotic laced sigh and spoke.

"Be seeing you around, Sal. If you ever need a job you have my number." Blonde waved at the retreating Sal and thought about shooting him in the back for a moment. Was it honorable? No. But she was a criminal so who freaking cared.

She decided to not do that and eventually turned to say hello to a friend and employee she had hired for one of their more successful jobs. Sage, he was a hell of a pilot and get away driver. Without him the Voss Job never would of come together in the end and they'd be sitting in some Silver Jedi cage.

"Sage, nice to see you friend. I'm afraid I haven't the time for pleasantries so you'll have to excuse me. Feel free to tag along though." Blonde said with a nod of her head.

Turning around she caught up with her student Serenity and once more sighed to teach her a lesson that might serve her well in the future. She cared for the kid and wanted her to succeed.

"Try your best to make time for the little people. While restricting information is important you must also remember to treat your employees with respect and kindness. Don't be afraid to crack the whip if it comes down to it, but fear is not something you wish to open up with. You are nothing without these people and you must remember that they are vital." With that lesson taught, Blonde eventually found the large door with a massive metal spider sigil on it.

"We're here. Now when we cross the threshold it's important to remember not to freak out. You might see some stuff, a few things that are disturbing. It's important not to pay them any mind. All that matters is that we get to the bridge. Is that understood?" Blonde asked the kid and made sure she was ready for what was going to come next.

[member="The Rope"] [member="Lt. Sage"] [member="Dead Eye"] [member="Serenity Loveheart"] [member="Sal Katarn"]

 

[Bolt]

[member="Serenity Loveheart"] [member="Miss Blonde"]

Doc watched as one of the members of the party turned and left, all the while the others continued on, having no reason to believe they were watched. When the one in charge, he presumed much, yet she spoke as if she expected nothing but the utmost treatment, spoke about what was to come Doc finally opted to show himself.

Rising to his full height, still upside down on the ceiling, he spoke lazily, his drawl prominent as always, "Now, what might ya'll be expecting? The Graug are a dang'rous bunch, that is ta be fo' sur', but within the numbuhs you possess, not much a challenge." With that he grabbed his hat, moving it to his chest in a show of respectful courtesy, "Pahdon, where are my mannehs?"

Deactivating the Null Gravity field, he dropped back toward the proper floor. Righting himself mid-air, he made the transition look graceful and yet once more, lazy as hell. As if these sorts of things simply didnt interest him. Or that they had happened so many times in the past, that each detail mimicked a past one.

"Dead Eye is the call sign, mah game is ta make money. If you can offuh goods, you would have anotha skilled hand to assist. Without needin to pay moh then what i may find of coh's." Doc paused, "Well, maybe a future job oh two as well."

(Coh's = course (said with a southern drawl. Couldnt think of how to spell it haha))

 

[Natalie LaForte]

She turned to her accomplice.

"Oh, you're finally done talking to the losers. And by the way, I've seen some pretty messed up stuff. A few dead Graugs isn't going to fa-.."

A startled look grew across her face as the cowboy began to speak.

"Not being rude, but which one of us has the bigger gun, cowboy?" ​she said while pointing the enormously large weapon at him. "Intrigue me, how did you sneak up on us undetected? And why would you do so, knowing you would meet your demise if we even disliked you a smidgen." Laughing once more, she could not understand his dialect very well. It made a mental mind-game for her, only hearing people speak in basic and with relatively normal accents was the regular for her.

Although she had remembered to treat these people with respect, a lesson she learned just moments ago, given the man calling himself 'Dead Eye', he seemed menacing enough to be threatened.

[member="Dead Eye"] I [member="Miss Blonde"]

 

[Miss Blonde]

Even though Blonde had just finished telling Serenity to treat people with care and respect, there was only so much she could handle. At around this point between having to deal with delirious washed up bird enthusiasts, old friends making mysterious entrances, and now some nonsense speaking yokel she was pretty much at her limit. So when she spoke there was clear tone of annoyance in her voice.

"HOLY &$&#!!!" She yelled outwards towards the roof of the basement.

"DOES ANYONE ELSE HERE WANT TO HAVE A DRAMATIC STEPPING OUT OF THE SHADOWS REVEAL?! &@$#ING ANYONE!?" Blonde asked towards the room around them.

"NO?! GOOD!! NOW SHUT THE $&@# UP!!" Blonde then pointed her finger over towards Dead Eye.

"YOU!!" She yelled at the man pointing him out.

"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT $@#% YOU ARE SAYING!! SPEAK. $&@%ING. BASIC." Blonde then continued with her annoyed tirade, all this stress was definitely not good for the baby.

"I WILL PAY YOU A HUNDRED THOUSAND CREDITS IF YOU JUST SHUT HELL UP, SHOOT SOME GRAUG, AND THEN TAKE SPEECH CLASSES!!" Turning around Blonde looked at the door in front of her and with the force practically blew it off its hinges.

The large stone door flew forward and crushed a few Graug underneath it. Inside the halls looked nothing like the temple, what was stone walls were now sleek metallic purplish walls with lots of advanced lighting and panels. A few Graug stared at them and Blonde whom was very very upset at this point was gonna go on a very very brutal warpath.

"Y'ALL GOT ME &@$#ED UP!!" Grabbing her rifle the woman ran forward and started firing at the monsters in an attempt to finish what she came here to do.

[member="Lt. Sage"] [member="Sal Katarn"] [member="Serenity Loveheart"] [member="Dead Eye"]

 

[Bolt]

(LMAO!! I cant even. Both of those. +10)

Doc arched a brow at the mention of his gun. Was he about to have a "mine's bigger" conversation with a woman? Why not, "Why, ma'am, you do. But i can assuh you, mine is betteh." He winked to accompany the words, drawing the colt then swinging the barrel through the air as he let loose dual .75 caliber rounds from the Hand Cannon.

Both rounds struck faceplates, once more not breaking through, but denting enough to cause brain hemorrhages. When the other began flipping out, angered by his accent Doc laughed aloud, "I speak fluentpy, and can manage to even contain my accent." Then another chuckle, "But, I dont know why i would." She took off into the next room and Doc followed suit.

Ducking beneath the swinging arms of an encroaching Graug, he spun, sliding a hand into his coat to grip the butt of Daisy. Slipping the gun against the bottom of the mans chin, shooting upward, all the while now drawing the other free then continuing his cycloning momentum to level his next shot. Both bodies also fell.

"Boy, the metal of these fellas, quite durable." Doc muttered, then spotting as the largest of his opponents yet neared to a dangerous degree. Launching out with his power, he nullified the gravity around the being, then fired another round from Colt. This time with his enemy having no ties to the ground, the puncture launched him through the air. Barreling backward, the unconscious body slammed hard into two others.

Releasing his hold on the Null field, he sighed then paused as he began to reload the Colt. While able to be configured to house any sniper round or like, it was still only a six shooter.

[member="Miss Blonde"][member="Serenity Loveheart"]

 

[Natalie LaForte]

"I think you need to calm down, love." to Blonde who was obviously angry at this stage. Before she continued, she turned to the cowboy once more. "Wow. I don't even think I'm getting paid for this, and you're being given what it'd take a life time for me to make? Sexism at its finest." With a sarcastic grin. Instead of wasting her energy, she just watched as Blonde continued her rampage ahead, although occasionally firing a round at any stragglers that got too close for comfort.

She also used this as a period for training, dying to perfect her connection with the force as a tool of power and strength. Lowering the weapon, she outstretches her hand to one of the Graug who was seemingly going to charge at her, and when it got within 2 meters of touching her, the grip closed and it was frozen in time, its head now located just below her stomach. Despite this, sweat began to break from her forehead, as she was obviously a novice at concentrating this particular ability. A tiredness started to overwhelm her as she took a step backwards.

"Argh!"

The creature sounded, a sharp pain was the last thing it felt as it was defending its temple, its home. The cannon directly at the creature's head, the stun stopped and a splatter of blood emerged from its head, painting the walls a crimson read. It seemed the gun itself wasn't even that bad at killing these, things, it all depended on how you used it.

[member="Dead Eye"] I [member="Miss Blonde"]

 

[Miss Blonde]

All the horrors that Blonde spoke of were nothing compared all to the fury that she released on these Graug. The slaves wandering the halls forced to upkeep the facilities, the gore of feeding pits where Graug ate slaves that had collapsed or lost their will to live. All of it was being pushed aside in the wake of her bloody rampage. At one point she had even beat a Graug to death with the butt of her rifle. It was all very beyond PG-13 and unsuitable to describe in this setting without violating more than a few rules.

Eventually Blonde made it to the bridge of wherever the hell they were, and Serenity could assume that this was a ship that had been buried underground. Though that was an odd thing to do. Perhaps it would be explained shortly. Anyways the woman and her war dogs stuck up bridge crew and forced them into her service.

"WAKE UP THE DAMN SHIP!!! WAKE IT UP NOW!!" Blonde yelled as she smacked the butt of the rifle into a Graug engineer's face. Clearly she didn't take her student's advice on calming down.

The crew of non warrior based Graug swiftly complied and once they manned their stations there was a rumbling that started to throw some off balance. The halls moved and soon they were moving. Dirt and rubble shifted and what was revealed to be under the temple was none other than the Omen class command ship that was Blonde's prize.

With a sigh of relaxation the woman set her weapon to the side and pulled her pistol to swiftly shoot the Graug at the helm in the head in a rather swift gunslinger fashion that would make even Dead eye over there impressed. Having her droids scan the pilots work the controls they took over and Blonde was just happy this nightmare was over.

"So. Any questions?" She asked as the ship started to leave the gravity well.

[member="Dead Eye"] [member="Serenity Loveheart"]

 

[Natalie LaForte]

"You don't wake ships up." Or so she thought, "Is it that time of the month." Who knows, maybe she wasn't pregnant after all? Hearing stories about people claiming to be pregnant with the Son of God, if there even was one, made Serenity skeptical of such claims, and not even those involving carrying a 'mini-me' inside of them.

"You dragged me, onto this planet, risked my life, for this? I could understand if it was an actual battleship, this, this, thing; isn't even funct-.." Several of the being's lighting flickered on, specifically from the armor that encased its organic material. Some of the engines were just beginning to turn on, and it was clear, whatever this was, contrary to what she had just said, was indeed functional. Stomping her foot down on the carcass, it was indeed real, not some mind trick played on her nor some hallucination from the lack of food or water within the temple grounds.

Moreover in shock she was not, possibly a more genuinely surprised expression crossed her face. "So... uh, what're you planning on doing with it... ship like this could.. uh, fund m-.. our lavish expenses, if you catch my drift..." As she moved her hands behind her back, strapping the large weapon around her torso and looking up with a childish grin, knees sightly bent in, like a child asking for a new toy.

She looked around the ship, seeing the various slaves scattered and trying to bring whatever this being was back to order, a hum began to play, a symphony of pain and yet uplifting joy filled her spirit, something she had not felt for years.

[member="Miss Blonde"] I [member="Dead Eye"]

 

[Bolt]

The two women, one seemingly on the rag, the other as sarcastic as he... Gods they were just... Grand. Doc found himself thinking this as he moved forward toward their destination. Boom, another down. Bang, one more dead. Bam, bam, bam, three done next.

Then he caught an action to his side. "Did you just crumple that man like a can!?" Doc asked, his jaw hung in amazement. That was... Wow. He thought to himself. Finally he realized the amazement had knocked his accent to the side.

When they reached... Wait this thing breathes... Doc thought silently as he touched what was called a ship, but every thing he had ever been told contradicted it. When the last warrior had been dropped, Doc found his reflexes were nearly matched. The boss lady had drawn just a slight moment before him, and though he leveled damn near the same second, she slayed it.

"Wow."

[member="Serenity Loveheart"][member="Miss Blonde"]

 

[Miss Blonde]

If Miss Blonde was a smoker now would of been a great time to spark up, and sadly she was pregnant so there was no drinking either. So all she had to come down from her state of sheer and utter anger was the knowledge that selling this ship was going to get her an ass ton of money. It would be enough for her to never have to work another day in her life, no more fighting or running a criminal empire, just her. Her and her kids, and Abyss, and the crushing fear that she was a terrible mother. That she'd never be good enough or strong enough to be anything other than a criminal unable to tell her children what she did for a living.... BUT ANYWAYS.
Blonde shook the rather nasty thoughts out of her head and smiled under her mask. She'd get to any questions comments and or concerns that she was getting from Serenity.

"Well seeing how I'm not a Graug, don't own a shipyard, and have no idea how to tend to this creature, we're gonna sell it, the Graug crew, and any other items of value onboard. I'm assuming we'll get over a hundred mil for it, so I'll be sure to set you up so you don't need to worry about money if that's what you want." Though Miss Blonde had a comment about that.

"Though I must warn you. Life lesson number whatever it is. Money is great, having stupid amounts of cash is honestly the best thing ever. But it's a double edged sword. The moment you don't need to worry about money is the fastest way to stop growing as a person. I didn't make my fortune until I was like thirty or something. Anywho that's the plan and we'll be using a fair amount of money to cover past operational losses and other ventures." Blonde gave a nod then looked over to the cowboy.

"As for you, I like you despite not being able to understand you. I think I won't have you killed. So you know, welcome to the crew. If you ever need a job like this we pull heists all the time. Do you have a card?" It was an honest question.

With the ship leaving the planet they entered the dead of space and were home free.

[member="Serenity Loveheart"] [member="Dead Eye"]