First Reply Ringing Out From The Sand

[Kel Qyr Savuk]

Dunes, as far as the eye could see. The sand could well up, swallow you whole if you weren't careful. It was a wonder that people lived here, choosing this place to be their home. It was a dry, barren wasteland. Kel knew for certain he wouldn't have opted for this, but he doubted many of the people living here even had a choice. He dug his feet into the sand, looking down from his mound across the dunes. Reaching for a flask, he drank deeply of the little water he had. Quiet, all was quiet. The universe stood still like it was waiting for him to act. His eyes drifted to the Trandoshan, five hundred meters in the distance. He hadn't noticed the Kaleesh, not at all. But Kel noticed him, it was his job to notice him.

Slowly, the Kaleesh lifted his rifle, holding it tightly. His reptilian eye focused down on the Trandoshan, looking through the scope. There it was again, the universe stood still. This time, that moment of pause was a lot more noticeable, a lot more in the clear. It was a simple shot, yet it seemed so fulfilling. Hunting different prey now, he thought, somberly. Then the universe picked back up, and he pulled the trigger just as soon.

A bolt fairly ripped through the dune sea, ringing out. For a split second, the Trandoshan jumped in confusion but all potential actions were quickly dashed as the spear of blue energy pierced his chest, and he fell to the floor. After a moment, Kel rose from his small bit of high ground, walking down to the other. He examined the man, it was a clean shot. For that, Kel was happy. He grabbed hold of both the dead one's arms, and began dragging him back to his Bantha, stashed not too far away.

Tatooine
An Unknown Tradeport
​

Kel heaved the dead Trandoshan onto the market stall's counter. He moved back a bit, letting the Devaronian opposite take a closer look. He grabbed the dead one's face, examining it, nodding to himself. "You did a good job."

"I do my best, Cras." Kel said, tiredly. He wasn't in the mood for small talk, frankly.

The trader looked up at him, smiling. "Well, I like your best." He snickered. With a swift hand, he reached into his pocket and tossed the Kaleesh a pouch. Kel caught it, shaking it soon as he did.

"I assume it's enough?" He questioned, wanting o well compensated for his work.

"As always." Cras confirmed, giving a bow.

With that, Kel turned, making his way to the cantina. It had been a long, and the dual suns were beginning to set. Walking into the dingy bar and bed, Kel slid into one of the many booths, putting his rifle on the table. It was hard, living job by job, but this was the profession he choose, for now at least. It didn't take a genius to figure the young man out.

 

[John Jewl]

John liked the emptiness of this place. The long barren stretch of nothingness that went from one end of the world to the other. It was heaven for people like him, festering like an infected wound with every ambitious bastard that wanted to score, a haven for criminals and infamous for being the birthplace of some of the worst monsters the galaxy has known.

He and his gang never lacked for work, if it isn't the Hutt cartels then it's the locals. He enjoyed fighting the Tuskans, he enjoyed scalping them more. He enjoyed setting their camps ablaze and massacring them, the people here seemed to like that too. There was always someone to fight and kill in this place, and he couldn't get enough of it.

His gang bouldered their way into the settlement from their latest fight, drunk off their righteousness and savagery, along with plain old whisky.

The quiet of the outside was disturbed by the occasional loose discharge of a slugthrower or a blaster, along with boisterous jeers aimed to antagonize the locals. They swarmed and staggered into the cantina, about a dozen of them, maybe slightly more. They were a diverse breed of degenerates ranging from every species, wearing scalps around their necks that had dried in the sun like old apricots and teeth torn from sentients. They smelt of gunpowder and oil and blood and whisky, they smelt of war.


John was at their helm. He was wearing tattered old leather of several animals stitched together like some off-world savage, donning a cowboy hat that he refused to take off. His expression was cold like stone but had the etchings of hate engraved into every feature. He didn't bear the markings of a pleasant man. More whisky was given to the already intoxicated contingent of his gang, as they smeared themselves across the cantina, harassing people in their booths and being a general nuisance.

John locked eyes with the war mask of the Kaleesh, he didn't know anything of them or their culture, but already this man screamed of war. He didn't say anything and he made sure his gang didn't go near his booth. He just stared into him.
Kel Qyr Savuk

 

[Kel Qyr Savuk]

Briefly, Kel found himself staring dead center at a newcomer to the bar. While it may not have been blatantly obvious at first, he was staring. The man seemed interesting at the least. Even Kel, who often misinterpreted or misunderstood things, could tell that this other man was the head of a pack. More specifically, the pack that had just entered the cantina that he was sitting in. He laid his hand across the barrel of his rifle. He made sure that the action looked played out, deliberate. He wanted them to see that.

Although, it didn't seem to matter all that much. Most of the harassers avoided him. They were smart to avoid the Kaleesh. But Kel didn't think it was a choice of their own, he sensed... well, his instincts told him otherwise. He dove deeper into thought, all the while trying to avoid attention from the newcomers, despite them not wanting to give any. But then came a greater disturbance.

"Kaleesh!" The reptilian rattle sounded out from the entrance of the cantina. There, standing tall, was a Trandoshan. His eyes locked onto Kel, with a fierce haze rolling over him. He pointed, accusatorial. "You! You killed Taka! You're a murderer!"

Almost on cue, Kel recognized the Trandoshan. For he looked similar, if not exactly like the other Trandoshan he'd just killed. Before he could complete the connection between the two lizards, the one in front of him had begun stomping toward him. This was going to be a rather interesting day, he thought to himself. His eyes locked with the man he had before, for no particular reason though. It just seemed to happen. Quickly, he grabbed up a glass that sat on his table and chucked it at the Trandoshan. It shattered over his head, but that was far from harmful to him.

John Jewl

 

[John Jewl]

He studied the Kaleesh as his alien eyes poured right back into him. John wasn't indulging in the petty cruelties of the other patrons, instead choosing to slowly drink a shot of whisky. He was about to confront the warrior, but a Trandoshan barged in confronting the Kaleesh for what he was.


As the glass was thrown, the gang began to form a loose-fitting circle around the pair. Shouting encouragements of murder and insulting jeers, egging the other one to spill the other's blood. Every one of John's gang rushed at the sight, relenting their harassment of the patrons. Though they all hand their hands tightly around their waists, holding onto blasters and blades, like predators licking their lips, begging for the slightest excuse to escalate this duel between two men to a brawl between everyone.

John didn't leave his seat, spectating.

Kel Qyr Savuk

 

[Kel Qyr Savuk]

Kel had to admit, the 'encouraging words' of the gang were not very helpful. Quick as he could, Kel grabbed his rifle and aimed at the lizard. But before a shot could ring out, the beast grabbed it from his hands then Kel himself. He slung the other reptilian into the crowd around them, knocking two of the men to the floor and sending the Kaleesh into a wall.

The Trandoshan examined the rifle. "Small weapon, small man." He hissed, snickering at Kel. "Hard to think such a weakling could kill my brother." With those words, it clicked in the nomad's head. That's why they looked so similar, he thought.

"To be fair," he got to his feet, still a bit staggered, "He didn't see me." Kel smiled under his war mask, getting into a wide stance.

With a snarl, the lizard threw the rifle at him with enough force to knock a man unconscious. Kel, hands raised, caught the weapon, getting knocked back into the wall as he did. His head hit the wall, dazing him, luckily his headwrap offered somewhat of a cushion to soften the blow. "You're putting up a better fight than your brother." Kel grunted.

The Trandoshan roared and charged the Kaleesh. While still dazed, Kel could certainly see the 300 pounds of lizard coming at him. He jumped to the side, falling onto the ground, just then the other man crashed into the wall, falling back onto the floor as he did. Thinking fast, Kel aimed his rifle at the other, switching it to stun. A final roar came from him, but it was quickly silenced as his neural senses were overloaded, and he was sent into a sleep.

Kel lifted himself from the ground, using his blaster as a crutch. He looked on at the men before him, witnesses to the fight. Then his eyes found those of the one he had before, "Entertained? I'm not." He poked at the body of his assaulter. "Nope, not entertained at all."

John Jewl

 

[John Jewl]

The small crowd roared out and laughed as the Kaleesh was tossed around. Though they weren't half as amused when the Trandoshan crashed into them. They were hoping for a fun fight, at least for someone to die, but when the Kaleesh rushed for his rifle only to stun the lizard, the atmosphere almost slumped in disappointment. There was still a chance for a bit of fun. One of the men who had been shoved down by the lizard ripped out his vibroknife and charged at the Kaleesh.


He drew a knife that vibrated so fast it seemed to flicker in and out of sight. Suddenly he was silenced by a shot to the back of the head, his skull splintering apart, gore rushing out from the large hole in his head. The gang hushed as John rose from the seat, the smoke still drifting from the barrel of his slugthrower pistol.

"You should've killed him. You killed his brother, he ain't gonna stop." John said, holstering his pistol as he looked down at the dead gang member. "We're takin' a bounty huntin' Tuskens, 'bout a hundred credits a sclap, you in?" John said, straight to the point.

Kel Qyr Savuk

 

[Kel Qyr Savuk]

He looked at John, suspiciously. That was unexpected, cold-blooded, and something Kel could respect. "Maybe you're right, but I'd rather be paid to kill him." Kel replied, commenting on the stunned lizard. He kicked at the dead gang member on the floor, looking at the hole in his cranium.

"Good shot." He muttered.

Then came questions, one involving Tuskens and scalps. Still propped on his rifle, Kel thought about it. He'd hunted Tuskens before, killing them paid well. The Kaleesh respected them as well, being some of the best marksmen he'd seen in a long time. But like every being in the galaxy, he needed money, and killing tribals would do nicely. Besides, he was from a tribe too, one that hunted plenty of game. This was no different.

"I think I'm am, in, that is." He kept his distance from the man. "Kel Qyr Savuk," He said, thumping his fist on his chest, "What do call yourself, hunter?"

The man had Kel's respect, he'd saved his life, and that was certainly worth something to him. Besides, it looked like he needed a replacement, even if only temporarily.

John Jewl

 

[John Jewl]

He looked at him with a stone face, and his gang shifted uncomfortably at their dead comrade, but it wasn't long till they were picking apart his corpse for his things. "John." He said, whistling over as he summoned his gang to move out. "We're just here to resupply, had a run-in with 'em a few clicks back. They got the jump on us, they've followed us here but they ain't stupid enough to attack a settlement."

He left the cantina, assuming the Kaleesh was following him. There were several Orbak mounts waiting for them, as he and his gang mounted up. The deceased ganger's mount was led over to the Kaleesh. "We got a camp up ahead, a couple of miles out."

"We know they're gonna come for us when we're 'sleeping', we're counting on it."

Kel Qyr Savuk

 

[Kel Qyr Savuk]

Following the other man, Kel thought about what he had said. Noticing the Orbak in front of him, he grabbed hold of it and saddled up. He still didn't know what to call these things, he'd seen them about in the galaxy, and he'd eaten a few. None of that mattered though, just the plan that John had laid out. But there was a key part of it that worried the Kaleesh, something that might make this whole plan null and void.

"The Tuskens, they attack from a distance on most occasions. Even at night, they can shoot a hair off your head." He said, looking down at the animal he sat on, it'd take a moment to get used to it, but he imagined that the creature would follow the gang anyhow.

He looked at John, "I guess that's why I'm here, right? I saw you eyeing me in the bar, makes sense, to have a sniper against a sniper."

He didn't know the exact plan, but he imagined that's why he was here. Still, it could have just been a coincidence that fell right onto the Kaleesh.

John Jewl

 

[John Jewl]

John had a nasty smirk from ear to ear, as they rode along to the rugged camp a few miles up from the settlement. The camp was a collection of many different species, none had a defined uniform or coherent appearance, looking ragged and weatherworn like the desert had chewed them to pieces.

A stink of filth and blood and booze latched around the camp. There was a mob of around fifty, some half-drunk while others tended to their tools of war, preparing for the next battle. More important there were a circle of Tusken women and children, small puddles of blood dripped from several, some slouched forward like they were dead, while others cried out in pain. The gang seemed to take a sadistic delight in tormenting them, occasionally smacking them across the face with the butt of their rifles or pouring whisky down on their turbans and rags. John shifted his mount to the small circle of suffering before them. "That's why I know they're gonna come."

Kel Qyr Savuk

 

[Kel Qyr Savuk]

There was something that clicked in Kel upon seeing the Tuskens and the way they were treated. He turned, looking at John, his face portraying nothing on the surface, but under the mask, his lips tightened. The sand people were a fierce species, and as long as Kel had stayed on Tatooine, they'd gained his respect. They were hunters, they were honorable in many ways. Of course, they savage as well, taking lives without remorse.

From atop the orbak, he narrowed his eyes at the mob of Tuskens. He said nothing, eyes occasionally shifting from them, to John, to his gang. Inside him, there was a deep conflict, one he didn't quite understand. He felt halfway upholden towards John for saving him, but he didn't agree with what these people were doing.

He would keep his true feelings hidden under the mask but knew what he felt. This wasn't his way, it wasn't how he did things. He looked off into the dune sea. "I suppose we should prepare then."

John Jewl