Sympathy for Mister [Vengeance]

[Runi Verin]

​

Colonies Region; Jagga II
The Janeris Hangers
Early Evening
[member="Vengeance"]

______________________________________________________​

The Kiffar grunted softly as she hauled herself out from beneath the bucket of bolts that was the Boracyk, features smeared beneath a thick coating of engine grease and blackened coolant. As much as the vessel was her pride and joy, the only honest to ashlan good thing in her life, it definitely was also the biggest bane where her cash flow was concerned. It seemed there wasn’t a day that went by that some part of it wasn’t threatening to fall off or break down, with the salvagers’ meagre funds barely managing to keep to together through a series of creative jury-rigs and bypasses. The shattered converter in her hand was just another prime example that proved the point.

Ordinarily such a development would’ve elicited a choice curse, perhaps something particularly vulgar in Huttese, but she honestly didn’t have it in her anymore. After the first dozen or so times she had just become numb to the Boracyk’s near constant failings, accepting it as just another unavoidable part of her life. Instead she just tossed the part into the pile of components she’d already overhauled, snatching a towel off the top of her tool kit to wipe the grime free from her face, only managing to smear it instead.

“You’re late.” Ru chided out loud, not even bothering to turn around to face the newcomer. She might not have heard the hanger doors open, but she could pick them out clearly enough in the force to know they were standing a few feet behind her. “The job said you wanted to get off this planet in a hurry; turning up a few hours late ain’t exactly what I’d call a hurry. Gonna take me a few minutes to get his mess cleared up.” Tossing the rag into the box as she spoke, she turned to get the first glance of her prospective client, having only dealt with an intermediary until now. “There’s also a matter of payment to sort out. Getting you off this dump without anyone noticing ain’t a job that comes cheap, especially this close to Sith space.”

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance laughed heartily standing a few feet away in dark Sith robes his hood pulled up over his head.

"On the contrary I arrived at the exact moment I intended to." "Hasn't anyone ever told you the client is always right?" "Besides from the look of it even if a had shown up a few hours earlier you wouldn't be ready to lift off anyway."

He smirked crossing his arms.

"So I guess it was a good thing I got stuck in traffic on the way here from Ziost."


[member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Runi Verin]

A soft snort of amusement escaped the Kiffar at the man’s words, earning him a small roll of her eyes and a dismissive shake of her head that almost caused her brown locks to spill from their hastily secured ponytail. “Whoever said that rubbish was probably a Toydarian. Or worse, a Neimoidian. Either way, they clearly didn’t know what they were talking about. ‘The client is always right.’ Hah!”

Runi scoffed again as she threw the last of her tools back into her kit, slapping the automated function that sent it whirring back up the Boracyk’s landing ramp. She trusted that Buyca, her droid, would square them away while she dealt with her tardy client. “I was ready all right, but I wasn’t about to stand around and do nothing if you weren’t going to turn up. Figured I’d at least get some maintenance done.” She cast the robed figure of [member="Vengeance"] a challenging look as she added, “You’re paying that wasted time, incidentally. I don’t want to be on this backwater planet any longer than I need to. Not when the darjetii are breathing down our necks. I take it from all the secrecy that they’re no friends of yours either, ‘lek?”

 

[Kenrath]

He made no indication of moving from his spot as she spoke though he did chuckle at most of what she said.

"Am I going to pay?" "Do you really think you can make me?"

There was a playfully challenging tone to his voice.

"I have no idea what a darjetti is but I have yet to meet anyone that caused me any concern." "Friends I have no need for anyways."

He stood a bit straighter only to lower his hood his pale skin and yellow eyes visible to the woman.

"I also have no need for transportation off the planet.........my ship is in the next hanger over ready whenever I want it."

He smirked.

"So the question you should be asking at this point is why am I here and why did I hire you if I don't need your services."

[member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Runi Verin]

Her lip curled in sync with the hood being drawn back, a searing flash of anger surging through her veins. If [member="Vengeance"] had truly been looking to learn what Darjetti were, he need only to direct those venomous yellow eyes to a mirror. Darjetti. Jedi that no longer were. Force users twisted in heart and mind by a lust for power. Sith. Officially she held no quarrel with them, but in her experience they rarely shared the same opinion.

“No,” Runi ground out, eyes flashing and her jaw set with a purpose. If the man was trying to intimidate her, he would need to try a damn sight harder. She cocked her head to the side, “I think my next question is why shouldn’t I take my payment out of your karkin’ hide, here and now, and let the custodian droids clean up what’s left.”

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance smirked a glint in his eyes.

"Well aren't you just a treat......I would be intimidated if you were well intimidating."

The his stuck his tongue out at her..........yes actually stuck his tongue out at her.

"Pick your weapon little girl and let's see if your skill match's your attitude."

He cocked his head to the side with a smirk.

"Or you can get down on your knees, beg forgiveness, and learn why I would waist my time with common rabble like you."

Vengeance removed his outer robe revealing a saber and a sheathed vibroknife on his belt.

"Otherwise it is a pound of flesh from a location of my choosing for that little threat.

[member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Runi Verin]

Ru scowled back in response as the darjetti stuck his tongue out at her, taking it as a silent confirmation that the man was just as insane as he sounded. It was hardly a comfort; those touched in the head were always the worst opponents to face off against in her experience. You never knew what they were going to do.

Unhooking the heavy wrench from her belt, she let it fall low to her side as she squared off against the man, never once letting her gaze waiver from his. The knife didn’t phase her even for a second, but she didn’t fancy her chances against that lightsaber should it come to it. Not that she could afford to back down. Assuming she could swallow her pride, and even if she’d wanted to, she doubted [member="Vengeance"] would let things go so easily even if she fell on bended knee.

“Ne shab'rud'ni, darjetii.” She growled, “You want to pick your next words carefully, because I might just make you eat then and that kriffin’ jetii’kad, one blistering inch at a time.”

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance looked at the wrench giving a nod of confirmation assuming she had chosen her weapon. He removed the knife from it's sheath leaving the saber clipped to his belt.

"Sorry I already ate.......besides your kind never satisfy my appetite anyway."

He reversed his grip on the knife the blade facing her the tip pointed towards the ground. His right foot slid slightly back instead of squaring off facing her. The wrench was a nice touch but he doubted she had the skill to wield it gracefully. His eyes locked on hers for a long minute before he spoke again.

"Do your worst kid and I promise to make your defeat as painful as possible."

He smirked at her giving her a wink. The young ones were always quick to anger assuming it made them better, stronger, and faster even though the opposite was true. Vengeance himself was a picture of serenity like such a fight was an every day occurrence to him. It was close enough to true.

[member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Runi Verin]

[member="Vengeance"]

The man was underestimating her. A mistake he wouldn’t be able to make twice, she would make sure of that. Runi might have grown up fighting on the back streets of Kol Atorn, but it was in docking bays such as this one that she truly honed her skills. Such places were the closest a Warden of the Sky had to a dojo or a home outside of their vessels. She would be damned if she was going to lose on her home turf.

“And what exactly is my kind?” She slowly walked a wide half circle as she spoke, eyes intently assessing the man’s stance for openings or weaknesses that she could exploit, finding not as many as she would have liked. The man obviously knew more than just the basics. “I can’t tell if you think you know a kriff about me, dar’jetii, or if you're just plain crazy and like the sound of your own voice.”

Not waiting for a witty response, the Kiffar was already moving forward before the last word tumbled past her mouth, coming in low and to the side, wrench leading the charge in a vicious diagonal swing. A probing attack to test the waters.

 

[Kenrath]

As she circled he turned keeping her in front of him dropping into a low crouch as he did. When she charged he leaped into a roll to the side turning as he landed him would quickly bring the knife up in a slicing motion towards her bicep just as fast bring it back to the guard position it had started in.

"I prefer my women as Deadly as they are beautiful." "You're cute but not nearly smart enough to be deadly."

He smirked at her.

"And using words people don't know the meaning of lessens their impact.............whatever a darjetti is."

Not a second after he finished speaking Vengeance made a kissing motion at her just to piss her off more. What could he say he liked playing mind games and she was such a willing victim whether she realized it or not.

[member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Runi Verin]

The Kiffar dropped low and pivoted away from the counterattack, utilising a deft display of force inertia to retain her footing. That definitely proved the man knew what he was doing. A second slower and she would’ve come away with another lovely scar. The corners of the frown turned upwards into a grim, mirthless approximation of a smile. He might actually be worth taking seriously.

“Darjetti. No longer a Jedi.” She explained, rolling her shoulder as she resumed observing her opponent. The opening gambit had been hers, granting a glimpse of his form and defensive capabilities, now she was interested in seeing what [member="Vengeance"] was like on the attack. Then she could wipe that kriffin', poodoo eating smirk of his face. “Sith. Jetii’kad, lightsaber. Are you gettin' this or do you need me to go a little slower so you can write it down?”

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance broke out into a laugh so hard he had stop to hold onto to his sides.

"Sweetheart I have never been a Jedi."

He was almost hyperventilating his was laughing so hard. He leaned against a nearby crate holding up a hand.

"Please no more jokes.........this is supposed to be a serious fight...........and these jokes are killing me."

[member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Runi Verin]

“Never for a minute thought you were.” Runi responded dryly as she watched on hawkishly, having the distinct impression that attacking now, even in his apparently distracted state, would have been a mistake. [member="Vengeance"] might indeed be as crazy as sunbaked Mon Calamari on Tatooine, but that didn’t make him any less deadly. “Jetii generally introduce themselves before trying to kill you. Adds an element of civility to the proceedings. ”

She spun the wrench idly in her hand, palming the grip over and over. “Probably wouldn’t stoop to lurin’ me out here with the promise of a job, neither. The former I could probably let slide, but the latter… That’s just downright wrong.”

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance laughed even harder.

"Met a lot of Jedi have you?" "Never had a single one ever introduce themselves before trying to kill me."

He sucked in a deep breath his side feeling like it was going to split open.

"For the record I didn't lure you out with the promise of a job.............but a job offer." "Which you decided to threat than hear out." "So who is the wrong one here?"

Vengeance took another deep breath before he raised up a hand focusing through the Force to not only try and pick her up but slowly crush her from the outside in, and then sling her clear across the hanger.

[member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Runi Verin]

“Maybe they take exception to your winning personality.” She gave another spin of the wrench before lowering it to her side, turning it from view behind her leg as she readied herself for the next attack. “Sorry, but I don’t take jobs from darjetii. I know exactly what happens when it comes time to settle accou---”

The rest of what she had was lost in a winded grunt, her teeth flashing dangerously as [member="Vengeance"] sought to assault her telekinetically. Stupid, she chided herself as her expression turned strained, she should’ve seen this coming. Using her own fledgling talent to ward off being crushed like a cheap can, she realised the full extent of his plan too late to properly counter, feet vanishing from out beneath her as she was sent hurtling across the docking bay.

A set of discarded power converters broke her impromptu flight, clipping her hard on the shoulder and sending her sprawling to a rolling stop. Stunned and disorientated, she lay there for several heartbeats while her head tried to regain its bearings. “An’… that… That proves my karkin’ point.”

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance smirked jumping up on one of the crates looking at her from the distance.

"My name is Marcus.............and you chose this not me." "I gave you two options.......apologize for the insult and find out why an insignificant human wind sock would matter to me or back up your threats."

He tucked the knife into it's sheath and crossed his arms.

"I admire your spirit but you can't beat me, you are wasting my time and missing out on some potential work."

He drew is saber and ignited it as if to prove his point.

"Your choice but I have other potential clients to meet up with."

[member="Runi Verin"]