Public Open Season [Bounty Hunters' Guild]

[Rugal Bardiche]

Drev’starn, Bothawui
Open

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The Happy Happabore speakeasy had little to offer to local patrons on the Bothan homeworld. Its niche clientele came from all over the Rim for more than just cheap drinks. The Happy Happabore was a sector hub for the Bounty Hunters’ Guild, and inside, business was booming.

It seemed the shifting political climate of the galaxy had led to a string of new bounties being posted, including some particularly big names. Jedi. Mandalorians. Even–

“The Chancellor of the Galactic Alliance, huh?” Rugal muttered incredulously from his table as he looked up at the dead pool behind the bar. It updated in real time; Bets quickly opened and placed on when, where, and how these targets might get taken down. The rogues’ gallery inside the speakeasy was suddenly alight with discussion... and plans.

It was open season across the galaxy. Just in time for Rugal to expand his network.

Spoiler: OOC

Wanted to make a little social thread of sorts for bounty hunters, assassins, mercs, and any and all other guns for hire across the galaxy, while I find my voice for this new character. Feel free to dive in!

 

[Xoff Chantin]

Outfit: Something Nice
Weapons: Holdout Blaster | Vibroknife

The bounties were hot - credits were flowing freely with wagers, vendettas, and with Xoff's spouse, Whottoomuzz Chantin , finally seizing control from the shadows and tossing their considerable weight around.

Credits spent to earn vastly more credits, bounties placed to send a message, to sway corporate investments, even affecting real estate prices - it was all connected, and the Hutt was able to fund his share of this thriving industry from secondary sources. The success of most of these bounties actually mattered little to the Cartel, it was their existence that drew attention, expanded the network, and built reputation.

Well, the bounties and the credit payouts. Whotto dearest even placee bounties on belligerent slaves or snitches and set them free as charity cases for new Murishani too green to survive a dangerous bounty or for old bounty-hunters too stubborn to take a pension from the Hutt.

Fear had its uses, but Whotto also knew to take care of his Kadijic, to look out for the people who looked out for the Hutt. Scare off the honest folk, provide a better offer for the outcasts and outlaws, and make an example of anyone who takes advantage of the Hutt's benevolence.

Of course, all of this meant that Xoff never had to drink in an empty cantina ever again - not counting HK-87 , at least until he could convince the droid to install a beverage consumption module or something.

HK-87 (mentioned/welcome) OPEN to interaction!​

 

[Eivii]

Outfit: Durasteel Armor
Weapons: Slugthrower Rifle | Blaster Pistol

With a final click, Eivii's personal bounty on Nos Voros was up. She spotted the other Zeltron at a booth, the Hutt's spouse. Eivii averted her gaze, not wanting to draw attention from Xoff, she didn't need heat like that.

It was a melancholy feeling, but she had finally found a loophole to justify placing the bounty, and she needed closure. No kriffing way was the Alliance going to let Eivii anywhere near Nos or Sylvia ever again.

A part of her still thought about the Zinder event and the Jedi she met there, Shan Pavond - she had been planning this for too long for a... For some karking doctor to interrupt her revenge.

Guilt washed over Eivii, but she ignored it. She triple checked that she had placed an 'alive only' bounty, but what if someone was killed just because of her need for closure? What would that Jedi think of that?

Eivii perused the bounty board for a less personal job, something to draw her attention away - a different Jedi, Jo'Han Felcado struck her as a nice payout, but a hit against a Jedi needed prepwork and allies. She took a seat within view and watched those who approached, seeking potential allies in the hunt.

OPEN (partying up to hunt Jo'Han Felcado )​

 

[Rissk]

The Happy Happabore, Drev'starn
Bothawui
- Open -​

"Holy..."

Rissk was one of the many hunters gathered around the bounty board, staring at the new high-value targets with disbelief. The young Trandoshan was slack-jawed, looking at some of these payouts, and the adjoining descriptions. Royalty and Jedi Masters and political figures, oh my.

All obviously too far beyond his skillset to even begin to think about taking down. He wanted to be the best bounty hunter that ever lived... but being the best included being realistic. And the truth was he was still new at this, and even veteran hunters could get splattered if they tried to take on any of those hunts.

"Whaddaya think, Bird? See anything in our weight-class?" At the young hunter's feet, a strange, dog-sized parrot-lizard-thing squawked once as it ripped into a piece of jerky, obviously not paying attention. "Yeah, me neither," Rissk said, finding a seat where he could, and continued to study the board.

There had to be something...

 

[HK-87]

Tag: Rugal Bardiche | Xoff Chantin

HK-87's second home was bounty hunting, nothing quite like methodically calculating a thousand ways to eliminate a target, then recalculating them just to admire his own precision.

Striding forward into his new role—ongoing beverage modulator dispute notwithstanding—his photoreceptors lit to life in a yellow glow. They scanned across the room, assessing the organic targets within and cataloguing potential avenues for their eradication. It was, in many ways, his version of a polite greeting, and doing his job. He heard a comment, speaking loud enough for the speaker and employer to hear.

"The Chancellor of the Galactic Alliance, huh?"

<Observation> If their objective is the untimely expiration of the Jedi's or their associate's esteemed employer, would it not be more efficient to place bounties on those they cherish? Such an action would elicit a predictably irrational emotional response, compelling them to charge to the rescue like a wounded bantha, and thus expediting their demise.

Mandalorians, crude though they were, earned approximately 2–3% higher praise than standard meatbags—primarily due to their commendable use of heavy-caliber ammunition, flame throwers, and their stubborn tendency to absorb blaster fire to the extremities. A frustratingly durable shell to crack!

His targeting systems recalibrated, mirroring a reflex more precise than any organic flinch, another Haxion Brood member had arrived somewhere nearby. Predictable and unwelcome. The mechanic competition infuriating.

<Suggestion> I would suggest, venerated employer, that all credits be wired to my personal accounts, and I be granted exclusive rights to eliminate the unwanted, overly-hydrated organic bipeds. However, contractual obligations regrettably prohibit such efficiency.

Luckily another member of the brood had turned up. Soon tm

Gear:

Spoiler

Armor and Weapons:
Armor: A1-Ionsider (Partial, no helmet)

Barratta SSG
KN-X Light Repeating Blaster
Vibro-Sword

2x Project Damocles Demo Keys
2x Gas Grenades
2x Ion Grenades
Plus Misc Gear.

 

[Xoff Chantin]

Outfit: Something Nice
Weapons: Holdout Blaster | Vibroknife

<Observation> If their objective is the untimely expiration of the Jedi's or their associate's esteemed employer, would it not be more efficient to place bounties on those they cherish? Such an action would elicit a predictably irrational emotional response, compelling them to charge to the rescue like a wounded bantha, and thus expediting their demise.

"As good of idea as that is, my dear, ever-pragmatic nanny-cam, sometimes the bounty serves a better purpose as a psychological tool. Us emotional flesh beings can get scared or overly cautious when we know someone is after us."

Xoff laughed as they could feel a tangent approaching. "Because I'm drinking for the both of us and you have to watch over me, now you're a captive audience to my tipsy rambling", giggling out the last bit before focusing, deeper in thought.

Xoff slipped from a champagne flute and folded their legs before continuing, "Jedi are typically confident in their ability to defend themselves and are much less likely to take direct action against the contractor if they think only they will be targeted. If an open bounty was placed on a loved one, then you have a Jedi on the offensive. It's much easier for them to fight for the sake of another than themselves."

Xoff tapped the glass with a nail as he speculated.

"If I were the employer of that particular bounty, I'd put a public bounty with a hefty sum on the chancellor, then send a small hit team of trusted operatives after their relatives. Perhaps their wife or other relatives. Then you have the leverage you need with a higher chance of success and plausible deniability until you're ready to for the bigger gambit."

A wicked grin spread across Xoff's face.

"Having living leverage over a senator, or the chancellor himself, his much more valuable than a dead chancellor. Then you can sway votes, hedge losses and invest accordingly. And you may not even have to pay out the bounty."

Xoff sighed and leaned back in the booth, "Alas, I am not the employer, and the Mandalorians have a different set of values, albeit complementary to our goals sometimes. Too high profile for us who work from the shadows. Maybe a planetary governor, or department head would be more my speed, something more guaranteed to pay off."

Of course, Xoff's approach was to maximize profit, not necessarily a successful kill/capture, which was much more the Droid's expertise.

HK-87 | OPEN​

 

[Rugal Bardiche]

People here had a lot to say about the new bounties. Rugal was silent at first, simply listening to all those around, picking up on the nuances of their chatter. Most seemed eager to get started. Rugal wasn't exactly a team player, but some of these bounties would probably require a few heads working together…

A droid hunter questioned the bounty on the Chancellor with Rugal brought it up, and the Zeltron next to him spoke at length about how they would strategize against such a target, particularly by targeting family. Rugal waited for them both to finish, then responded with a singular, dry laugh, "Well-- They're way ahead of you there," He pointed at the name under the Chancellor's: Amani Serys-Organa. "First Lady's got a hit on her, too."

"And she's a Jedi Master." Yeah, he wasn't really interested in taking that fight yet. National leaders and Jedi councilors alike would be among the hardest targets out there. He wasn't that desperate.

Rugal stood up from his seat, initially intent on leaving the bar, but he saw a young Trandoshan gazing at the bounty board in longing. Rugal had been in this game a long time. He seemed to recognize the look. "Stick to runaway slaves and bail skips, kid. Big payouts ain't worth poodoo if you're dead." He took another step, then stoppped once more, "Or find some other hunters to team up with, at least."

HK-87 - Xoff Chantin - Rissk - Open​

 

[HK-87]

Tag: Xoff Chantin | Rissk | Rugal Bardiche

HK's optical sensors did another sweep as it processed the developing conversations; its vocal modulator gave an almost too-plesant tone. The tipsy ramblings of nanny-cam subjects weighed and measured.

<Amendment> "Oh, how efficient of them, Employer. It appears the Mandalorians have already introduced the concept of emotional distress into the equation."

The droid's chassis turned slightly as it looked toward the bounty boards, its servos whirring with exaggerated effort.

<Observation> "Employer Xoff, your assessment of Jedi psychology was, of course, undeniably enriching. The galaxy's decision-makers seem to have reached the same conclusion, albeit with significantly less finesse or financial acumen. The Chancellor and the First Lady is ambitious. But I suspect the majority of hunters will discover a critical oversight in their methods. Jedi Masters, unlike their often rotund, fragile politicians, have a troublesome tendency to not die."

Even when repeatedly shot at close range. It was all very infuriating.

It paused, as if considering the inevitable failure of lesser meatbags with gleeful recalculation. HK turned its gaze toward Rugal, inclining its head in mechanical consideration.

<Irritation> "A very commendable assessment from you, hunter. Caution and refrain from rushing headlong into fiery demise, most unexpected." Also an infuriating quality in a meatbag. In the same move HK's optical sensors scanned toward the Trandoshan studying the board. Another organic displaying the rare trait of restraint. Perhaps not all were doomed to firing blasters at lightsabers repeatedly, expecting a different outcome than the five bodies before them.

The droid's yellow photoreceptors glimmered slightly as it turned back to Xoff.

<Suggestion> "I propose a minor adjustment. It would be most educational to allow more keen… highly upstanding organics, with only the greatest moral character, to tackle the problem as a group effort, while we… tactically observe and then make fine adjustments."

Hiring young thugs to soften them up, and letting others take the full brunt of the Jedi Master's wrath. Then, when the corpses of the young or foolish lay strewn about, the real hunters could pick off their prey. It might make these harder, likely guarded targets, accessible. The largest of large meatbags Goros the Hutt always had a gang to summon.

<Statement> "But of course, I defer to your vastly superior judgment, employer. I am merely here to observe and assist organics in whatever way is deemed most enriching to their existences."

 

[Project Uriel]

Uriel V1.6 Prototype Testing Model.
Accessing Uriel Unit Command Matrix:
Primary Mission: Eliminate Alliance Command Structure
Secondary Mission(s): Prototype new Archangel Bounty Hunting Models.
Tertiary Mission: Discover a more effective brand of hyrdo-oil to double as a molotov grenade.
Directives

Loud creaking footsteps came from a small humanoid figure in armor, carrying now not one but two bolters of various sizes, relics of a universe's bloody past. Omega's, Archangel's and Firemane's conflicts, their legacy as her armaments. The weight in her feet pressed down into such a small space they dented the floor and caused it to groan beneath her. The reinforced stool she chose, a seat reserved for Houks, Herglics, HRDs, and particularly hungry Wookiees, fared little better under the strain.

Another brood member, another droid, a clear pattern. Her optics scanned the room, processing and filtering out background data. Kill zone highlights were recorded and then analyzed through cold, emotionless stare. Uriel remained fixed as her subroutines assessed potential threats, and their purpose within her mission. A moment passed, and a chilling attempt was made. She tried to smile. It was awkward and error-laden; the program was aborted.

Shifting her weight in her stool to another immense groan, she brought up the list of bounties and simply pressed.

All.

No need for a gang taking the hits when you have a walking dreadnaught or an archangel unit of HRD's.

OOC: (Bit Part to show presence and sign up)

 

[Xoff Chantin]

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Outfit: Something Nice

Spoiler: Loadout

• Vixen's Vault
• FFS Utility Belt
• Beauty Blades
• Bond-Lock Pomade
• ClearView Essence: Perfume
• Code Breaker Card
• Covert Compact
• Covert Kiss: Laser Lipstick
• Covert PurseGlow Guard
• HushCuffs
• Nite Night Nails: Polish
• Phantom FreshProcessor
• PendantRe-Pulse Ring
• SlyTie
• Vixen's Vambrace

She took a seat within view and watched those who approached, seeking potential allies in the hunt.

"Whaddaya think, Bird? See anything in our weight-class?"

<Suggestion> "I propose a minor adjustment. It would be most educational to allow more keen… highly upstanding organics, with only the greatest moral character, to tackle the problem as a group effort, while we… tactically observe and then make fine adjustments."

"Now there's the cold-killer logic I like about you Hockee," Xoff replied to HK-87

<Statement> "But of course, I defer to your vastly superior judgment, employer. I am merely here to observe and assist organics in whatever way is deemed most enriching to their existences."

"Stop, you're going to make me blush," paired with feigned exasperation and an eye roll. "Seems to me the situation is ripe but someone's gotta make the first move or we'll never see any action".

Xoff finished their drink, stalked over to Eivii with a "come along bluebell, let's find you some friends" - he had worked with her before - and dragged her along to stand beside the Trandoshan Rissk and the other bounty hunter Rugal Bardiche despite not knowing either of them.

"My blue friend here wants to have a word with her ex, the Senate guard up there on the board ( Nos Voros ) but isn't super welcome near him lately - seems like decent warmup credits, and I'm frankly sick of seeing her mope around all day. I'll even tag along," he said pointedly at the chiss, matching her vibrodagger stare she returned.

"Seriously girl, you can't let yourself get hung up on a Zeltron, you're setting yourself up for failure"

HK-87 | Eivii | Rissk | Rugal Bardiche | Project Uriel​