Throwdown on Taris

[Julian Valentine]

Julians lips curled into a malicious smile of victory when he saw Atens' dismembered arm. The flask that the Jedi tossed was at Julians feet and the bounty hunter observed the way Aten had been rejuvenated by its mysterious liquid. His eyes darted through his HUD, the huckleberry holsters targeting Aten on Julians visual and silent command. Valentine had not the strength to lean down and pick up the flask, it took all his might to stay upright through his wheezing breaths.​

His mechanical legs aided him where natural strength failed. The cybernetic legs folded and the struggling hunter knelt. His shaking hand reached for the flask and knocked the top off. With troubled hands Julian brought the flask to his lips and began to drink. He spilled some down his chin, holding in blood-filled coughs that fought to explode out. The fog that clouded his mind receded back, he felt like he could stand without struggle, and then did so. Just as Koda Fett placed the muzzle of his carbine against Aten's head, Julian was ready to give the order for his shatter gun to fire but hesitated, waiting to see what would happen.​

 

[Warchief Waddles]

Aten had gone through many things in his life, he’d faced death twice, possibly thrice by this point. The most recent threat being from the hunters, not due to their acts but them delivering him to the one who’d placed the bounty. Aten had been shown the bounty by a defunct HK droid who’d he’d first thought had come to claim it instead having offering the Jedi aid in it. This is why Aten fought, he had no intentions of simply stopping. But what the jedi felt was the force surging through him in massive proportions as the potion returned it to him. With it the taint of the darkside, the potion had been the ichor one would often find the Nightsisters controlling, bending to their will such as in the creation of the Blackroot potion. A tinge of darkness formed within Aten filling him just as much as the potion healed his wounds. A maniacal smile crossed Aten’s face, pupils dilating.

He’d never felt such strength, he felt invincible, this was what the Sith felt. That malevolent energy they constantly drew on, it was no longer Aten looking out to the universe. The universe was surrounding him, he was its center. He held the power! Eyes cutting to that T-shaped visor his arm coming up Aten’s eyes had a playful look behind them. There were many things you were taught when one first learned to wield a blaster. The first was hopefully safety, the other being the range in which to fire such a weapon. It was a lesson Adrian hadn’t learned and paid for dearly on Dubrillion. One that Koda fett must have skipped. When in such a close range to a foe, even with a carbine weapon you allowed your opponent time to act and even the most miniscule of movements could result in a missed shot. Koda’s hand began to snap up the carbine raising Aten took note of its movement his own body moving in slight increments, his knees bending slightly his left leg shifting across the ground then bracing itself. Left hand coming around, right leg lifting and bending at the knee. Aten’s remaining arm then stretched out to the barrel of the weapon intercepting the round during the time Koda was raising it. A more efficient martial artist would’ve lashed out with a strike to throw the carbines aim off, a well-placed kick to off-balance their foe achieving the same thing. The difference was Aten had a completely different plan, one that would hopefully end this drawn out confrontation. What may have in actuality not even been more than a minute felt like hours, each breath seeming to take an eternity to refill ones lungs, the rapid beating of their hearts as adrenaline kicked in. The hyper-awareness accompanying it that seemed to apply to everything but time itself.

The stun bolt met the inside of the gauntlets palm dispersing harmlessly, the fingers curling in slightly forming a claw. Aten’s own will forming into a grip around that helmet of Koda’s. That one meant to inspire fear, horror, shock in the eyes of his foes when they saw it coming. Or was it something the hunter used to protect himself? To project an image he wanted others to believe? Aten had witnessed Sith using a more violent version of such a technique to choke or snap their foes neck. While his first thought had been to do so he followed a different path. That claw raking down the grip would accelerate Koda’s head towards the duracrete pavement. The grip wasn’t on the Mandalorian’s entire body, just focused directly on his head meaning if he used his jetpack to escape he’d possibly end up killing himself due to the forces applied on his spine. If he even fired the back-missle Aten still didn't quite comprehend why anyone would use it could possibly snap the part of the spine between the base of the skull and the neck due to how sensitive an area it was.

That right foot Aten had raised? This was a martial arts maneuver, one people considered mostly for show but others used in blocking attacks. In this instance Aten had raised it for a different reason, the foot snapped down the clack of his boots on the ground audible. A strike projected at the second hunter. There had been reason Aten said the man would need aid, he’d suffered serious internal damage. The potion was enough to heal Aten’s arm and fill him with the force, completely repairing internal organs? It wouldn’t, not to the Jedi’s knowledge. Will forming into an invisible strike coming in at an angle starting where Valentine had retrieved the flask, and aiming just above the larynx, and right beneath the chin. Another “sweet spot”. Valentine had lowered himself to the ground to retrieve it placing him in the prime position for the blow.

[member="Koda Fett"], [member="Julian Valentine"]

 

[Koda Fett]

TARIS​

CANTINA​

​

The Mandalorian was never one to dwell on the past, especially his own. Yet, with that being said, it did prove to be rather advantageous within his bounty hunting career. An Advanced Recon Commando was a force to be reckoned with, their skills surpassing any other Clone Troopers within the Grand Army of the Republic all those years ago. Perhaps rivalled by the Republic Commando, but Koda was never going to admit such a thing. A victim to hubris if anything else. The training he endured, whilst harsh and unforgiving, enabled several traits within him. His reaction speed was incredible, able to act without thinking in such an innate way it was viewed similar to a Jedi's application of the force. Rather spectacular, one might admit.

Aten made the most minuscule of movements, and the keen predatory eye of Koda Fett took note. In fairness, Fett assumed that a one armed man propped up against a wall was rather defenceless for the most part. Most would, really. It wasn't everyday an arm was detonated off one's body via an exploding knife and you lived to tell the tale, but those potions seemed to serve him well.

​Fett lunged forwards with a crushgaunt adorned left fist whilst his right hand kept a firm grip upon the Blaster Carbine as it was rudely interrupted by the Padawan. It's intention was to strike across the face. A punch from Fett alone was capable of doing some serious harm, but with a crushgaunt adorned fist it was potentially lethal. Whether it struck or not, it hardly mattered. The Bounty Hunter was sent soaring into the pavement colliding with a metallic thud.

[member="Aten Ramses"] - [member="Julian Valentine"]

 

[Julian Valentine]

Julians helmet noted the movement when the hunter had gotten to a knee to retrieve the flask. He knew the stomp, Aten had tried it not moments ago. Valentine didn't get to the top because he was an idiot that overlooked his adversaries. He couldn't dive out of the way, nor could his jetpack save him. He did the only thing he was capable of doing, he tilted his head back until his eyes were looking at the sky. He felt a swish of air run up and past his neck, the telekinetic attack narrowly avoiding him, then his head turned back down, he had stood, raised his helmet and drank.

Through wheezing, a splatter of blood on his visuals and intense pain he struggled to right himself while his chest was caved in, a lung collapsed. He did so only through his indomitable will to refuse to lose. Julian Valentine was moving on in years now, but he had once been the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy. Before Fett, before he got old.

Enough of this, he thought. His eyes darted across his screen and the targeting huckleberry holsters unloaded their payload. The shatter gun in their holster had turned with the aid of magnetic locks, then the trigger pulled with further magnetic aid. The gun fired at Aten and with laser precision the holster had targeted his kneecap. The shatter gun launched the impossibly-fast but yet tiny pellet at supersonic speeds. All without Julian lifting a finger, without a hint of movement from the bounty hunter. He wasn't as ferocious as Fett but he was just as deadly.

His mechanical legs were keeping him standing despite his instinct to fall to his knees. He continued to rack up blood and it was becoming a problem to see inside the helmet. Svel was awakening and Paige was untangling herself. They realized Julian was in danger and while Fett dealt with Aten they intended on helping their leader.

 

[Warchief Waddles]

Right leg shifting to the side now parallel with his left, both slightly bent, feet pointing to the right Aten felt the air whistle by as the Mandalorian’s fist lashed out. The pain having ceased, he was fresh though missing a limb through ones balance off. This was where it was a positive as due to the missing limb Fett’s fist flew right by after Aten’s stance had shifted. The crude clang of metal on duracrete was a sign that the Mandalorian was down but not for good. Then came a sharp pain, radiating from near the Jedi’s knee. He’d never heard nor had time to react to the shattergun as it let loose a small pellet at the knee. The Asheran armorweave kept the pellet from penetrating, as it was even capable of taking a light turbolaser shot and standing up. Did nothing to stop the kinetic force, not even the band of flesh that protected the sides of the knee were capable of protecting Aten.

The only saving grace being his legs had been parallel with one another meaning the pellet could only hit the side of his right knee instead of the rear or front. The pellet bounced to the ground Aten’s knee giving out pain radiating from the limb. Knee giving out Aten began to fall, teeth gritting Aten’s left fist would come down the gauntlet switching from high to low, a strike aimed for the back of the Mandalorian’s helmet after his impact into the ground. Partially meant to deal with Fett, and on the other side of the coin keep the jedi from falling over. The vibrations and sonic waves released from the gauntlet would turn Fett’s helmet into an echo chamber to hopefully knock the Mandalorian out of the fight.

Eyes cutting to Valentine Aten’s left fist would open after throwing the strike to the back of Fett’s head. Closing again Aten released the force. It wasn’t that Sith were more powerful than Jedi it was just their willingness to commit atrocities with the mystical energy that was different. Aten wouldn’t go for some simple grip on the hunter’s neck, nor a grip flinging him away. No, his foe wore an oddly shaped helmet and Aten would use that against him. Focusing that pain radiating through his body Aten would grip onto one side of the hammerhead helmet pulling on it, twisting it, physics would do the rest. Aten was going fully for snapping the hunter’s neck, this wasn’t a holofilm where one died instantly when it happened. At worst Julian would possibly end up paralyzed and requiring bacta treatments for a few weeks. At best he’d suffer a broken neck putting him out of commission for the rest of the fight.

Aten had said “enough”, he wanted Fett to get Valentine to the nearest medical facility but both hunters stood continuing to fight. This is what made them the best in the business, they didn’t give up, they’d just keep coming till Aten either gave in himself or was pushed to commit an act that would forever stain his soul. Yet neither cared for each other, to be within the same business and despise each other. Was this how all Bounty hunters operated? Cold, calculating, unloved? It sounded like an existence not worth living but they made it work somehow. Far better men than Aten, he still loved, was loved, had something to fight for, to live for.

[member="Julian Valentine"], [member="Koda Fett"]

 

[Koda Fett]

Fett held back. Only a Padawan, perhaps he underestimated him. Rightfully so, really. None other had this level of power to throw around in his experience. Especially after losing an arm and taking up a miraculous recovery from a potion that's effects stretched over two days, but, he wasn't truly privy to that information. Yet, now, in the split second he had collided with the ground and felt the brunt of the pavement colliding with his helmet, he knew that he wasn't treating this merchandise with care. If he lived, he lived; if he died, he died. So be it.

The one-armed Padawan struck down with tremendous force in the direction of the Mandalorian's Helmet, but he didn't strike true. Instead, he missed as Fett rolled to his side, striking the ground in his place. The Bounty Hunter reached forwards with both hands, snatching for his remaining arm and squeezing as hard as he could with crushgaunts on both hands. Capable of crushing bone, throats and more. Koda was done playing games.

In that moment, his eyes went wild beneath the Visor. Moving in what appeared to be chaotic movements, but were instead commands capable of being issued to the suit of armour in which he wore. His Hard-Sound wrist blaster fired, sure to encompass the Padawan in such close proximity. It was a deadly weapon, capable of killing as much as it was incapacitating.

All the while, he moved to arrive on his feet once more. Fett had taken on Jedi Grandmasters, Sith Lords themselves, and everything in between on that force spectrum. He wasn't about to lose to some Padawan with a little fire in his soul.

[member="Aten Ramses"] - [member="Julian Valentine"]

 

[Warchief Waddles]

Aten was many things in life, a fool, naïve, idealistic, one could never say that the boy was a quitter. He’d fight defiantly to the end, the hunters were far too experienced and intelligent for him. The Mandalorian easily his match despite the abilities Aten had flung around, all in all very simple abilities, if only others studied the art of projecting their strikes. Was there more he could’ve done? Perhaps if he’d been more willing to take a life, though in this instant Aten could do nothing his right arm snatching back and away as the Mandalorian sought to grasp onto it. The padawan was too slow. The Mandalorian’s grip latching onto the Morellian’s arm the only saving grace being the gauntlet Aten wore. While it could take slugthrower rounds kinetic force was transferred though. Though transferring a grips strength through solid metal would be difficult as the phrik would not yield. This was what permitted Aten to keep his left arm.

Run! Came a voice to Aten’s mind. Too late. His mind worked in overdrive attempting to take his attention off Valentine and focus on the true threat a layer of energy forming between himself and Fett that shattered as the burst of sonic energy slammed into it explosively. Aten’s body flung back into the nearby wall. His body sliding down the wall feet splayed beneath him. The Jedi’s breathing was uneven the air snatched from him, every part of his body aching where he just sat looking up to the skies of Taris. The cool nights breeze funneling down the alley the fight had taken place in. The Jedi just sat there his only remaining hand raising, it was slightly comedic resembling a child in a classroom raising their hand.

Aten’s mouth opened as if to say something but no words came out, his vision blurred, the ground quickly rising to meet him. Blonde hair matted, to his head sweat having poured profusely from his body during the battle, right side of his body stained a crimson red from the blood. The wound oddly healed from the potion that would make it difficult for even a cloned arm to be attached. Aten had given it his all, potions that healed and restored energy, focused projected strikes, even more insidious techniques but he’d lost. Such was the will of the force.

[member="Koda Fett"], [member="Julian Valentine"]

 

[Julian Valentine]

Valentine stood there, unsure of how to act. He dare not move lest he find himself in horrible pain despite the effects of the potion. They provided him relief but not a fix. He stared down Aten and watched Fett attempt to take down the Jedi. Before the Padawan went down he sent a surge of energy at Valentine. The fins on his helmet were telekinetically grabbed and sharply turned.

The helmet twisted on his head and he was given a brief moment of discomfort as the helmet slid half-way up his head spun around, he was now looking at the back of the helm. He threw back his head and the helmet fell off the rest of his head. The helmet was not connected to the collar like many helms, nor as form fitting as some, and the act of spinning it had only annoyed and confused Valentine.

The neural connection was lost to the huckleberry holsters and suddenly both guns began to fire. The razer nets gun clicked empty over and over, while the shatter gun silently spewed out the rest of his 29 pellet cargo. Without the neural connection to Julian they had went haywire. Both guns now clicked empty and insistently continued to do so until Julian ripped the guns out of the holsters and tossed them to the ground.

Valentine coldly stared at Aten, then Koda, and with irritation he mocked the Mandalorian. "Oh, we don't need to wait for your nutrient pack, he's just a padawan, it'll be fine, don't worry, he's just a kid." Valentine watched the padawan slam unconscious to the ground, "Kid my karkin' arse, you karkin' arsehole," Julian spat at Koda, blood hitting the alleys pavement. Paige came to Valentines side and began to check his wounds, Svel putting an arm under his and holding him up. Julian Valentine was furious, "He fought like a GODDAMN JEDI MASTER!"

Valentine spat again at Koda. What little respect Valentine had for the man was now lost. Koda had put Valentine's life in danger with bad intel. "Svel, call in Boltz and we can get the Jedi transported in the Force Cage upon the Surrender." He went to move and felt horrible pressure on his chest and his ability to breathe was waning quickly. His mechanical legs allowed him a powerful stride but it hurt him all the same to move. "Get me to the medical droid," Julian ordered Paige and Svel as they guided him out of the alley and to the Paragon.

 

[Koda Fett]

The Mandalorian pressed both hands into the pavement, pressing down and pushing himself upwards. He rose to his feet, albeit rather sluggishly in comparison to how he moved before. Although, that was expected after being thrown into the cement of an alleyway by a power he could never even begin to comprehend. That was fine, however. Fett would much rather keep the 'Force' in the unknown. Mystical entities like that aren't to be trifled with, especially when you cannot wield such a thing. Even then, he had no desire to. They were nothing special in his experience.

"I'll give you something for free, even it's just good advice." Fett retorted to Valentine's verbal hostility. His tone didn't presume anything in particular, almost as if he was ready to hand him something free of charge.

His form reached downwards, tucking his metallic, helmeted head beneath the unconscious Padawan's underarm, placing a hand on his thighs before hoisting him upwards. Standing upright with the boy carried in a fireman's carry, facing Julian once more. Awaiting a reply, if one ever came.

 

[Julian Valentine]

The bounty hunter stopped, and so did his two companions, when Koda spoke up. It was a rare moment to hear the quiet hunter speak. Many individuals who were quiet with their tongue usually had something of note to say when they finally spoke, but Valentine wondered if it'd be the same with Koda. He didn't take him for a wise man, he took him for a brute. Emotionless and cold as a droid, as uncaring as a clone. There was one duty in Fetts life and that was the hunt. Pathetic. What is the point of life is there is nothing beyond the hunt, he mused. "And whats that?" Julian turned and said in response to Koda. He studied the Mandalorian for a quick moment.​

 

[Koda Fett]

Koda Fett was the Bounty Hunter.

The Mandalorian cared not for what Julian Valentine, that old dog, thought of him. He knew exactly who he was, what he had done, and where he had been. As enigmatic as he was silent, becoming the greatest Bounty Hunter the Galaxy had to offer. Tales of exploits were spoken in hushed tones, rumours of his origins had spread like wildfire. Even being noted as a 'modern legend'. His reputation was most certainly earned. They all knew his name.

And so, he cautioned, "Stop whining. Before you really get me irritated."

 

[Julian Valentine]

"Shut up, kid," Julian Valentine said coldly. He had been around the block for a long time now. He'd seen Imperial Deathtroopers on Dromuund Kaas and met with the most ruthless crime lords on Antecedent. Koda Fett didn't scare him anymore than the Nexu whose hide he now wore as a bandoleer. If Valentine had learned anything in his time in the Red Raven Syndicate it was that there was always a bigger badder wolf.

Valentine saw how sure Koda was of himself. It bordered on toxicity. Koda was competition and an uneasy alliance during hunts did not make him an ally nor a friend. Valentine didn't care for the frivolous nature of idolism. In fact, Valentine had to bite back his own tongue lest he say more, not out of fear but so that he would not have to deal with Koda for any longer than he had too. In the past two missions it was Valentine who led the way, who lifted the weight, while Koda reaped the benefits.

Valentine looked down to his chest, the blood-soaked tunic had gone from a light blue to a deep crimson. He surmised it was time and twisted his wrist and sent a ping to [member="Ghorua the Shark"] via the Cryptnet. Julian Valentine had learnt enough of Koda in his time hunting with him. Once he was given medical attention, Aten delivered to the contact, it would be Koda's turn to become the hunted.