Bounty Hunter's Log - 2803

I attended the ball wearing my best and only suit. I expected some problems over it, but nothing I can't talk my way out of.

Unfortunately, I didn't expect security to be manned completely by droids. All basic at that. Unfeeling machines are harder to intimidate your way past.

I said I was a Bounty Hunter in pursuit. They wanted to know my mark. I wasn't willing to divulge that just yet, as I wasn't quite sure if I was going to turn this Zaragoza in. I did know that I needed to get to her before the competition did, or it would be out of my hands.

They weren't willing to let me by without identifying my target. So I asked about entering as a civilian. They wanted my weapons and armor. Fat chance.

So I IDed the Denovian, and they settled for taking my weapons. That was fine with me.

I won't lie, the place is impressive. Even the lower tier where we were was something you won't see on any hick backworld goverment's party. The inverted view of Ardor shined above us, with stars twinkling below our feet. It was downright romantic, if you don't happen to be a professional manhunter permanently trapped in a metal suit.

Humans thronged everywhere, with the occasional near human and the rare demi-human cropping up. I was curious about the segregation, but my suit stole any trouble I would have there, providing its own brand of gawkers and nosey socialites who wanted to take it up with the guard as if I'd stood over their mothers with a bloody knife.

Apparently hoping that she'd stand out in this crowd was too much. It was taking far too long to find her, I'd have to try a change of tactics.

Centering myself, I called upon the Force and reached out to touch her mind. You're in danger, I thought, Come with me if you want to live.

I noticed her just after that...I don't know if she believed me or not. Unfortunately that became the least of my worries.

Everything goes dim, and I felt a pointed disturbance in the Force. In retrospect, I'd like to say it felt as if an entire city ship's audience cried out 'Oh Shit', and went silent.

On a side note, Huttese is a wonderful language for expressing yourself in the most vulgar way possible. Basic really doesn't do it justice at all.

The man of honor came on stage in the dim lighting. He was ancient for a human, but he had an aura of command about him. Some nagging thing tells me I really should bone up more on the local knowledge when I fly into a new system.

He began to speak, and a cold chill trickled down my spine.

“Thank you everyone for attending. For the past 1000 years the Moffs have presided over the galaxy and have done our noble best to preserve honor and nobility among all sentients. It has not been a peaceful 1000 years but we have done our best and I believe that we are able to govern the galaxy with strength and determination and are ultimately able to bring justice to all life.”

Only near the end of his speech did I notice the security droids landing and powering down. I was too wrapped up in my search to see the trap spring all around me. If I survive this, I'm going to chew my own ass out later.

"There is but one true empire."

I hear the familiar hum of lightsabers igniting all around. And here I am, weaponless and standing out in a crowd. Something tells me this is going to get interesting.

-Naveed Stryker

Bounty Hunter's Log - 2802

Shit.

Baraqq is dead, he popped some sort of suicide device. Pointless, needless death. I'm really sick of it. And I know there's going to be more, I think thats the worst part.

The Denovian (the furry chick) was questioning Baraqq while I fought off the thugs. If I got a chance, I'd like to talk to her to see what she found out.

On a bad to worse note, the bounty was only good alive, so I did all of this for nothing.

Putting up with the interigation from security was just icing on the cake. By the time I got back, the Stargaze Cantina was popping like nothing had happened. A little astromech was even popping tiles back into place in the corner. I ordered a drink and started paging through the local net for work. You'd think after all this time, I'd be used to drinking through the built in straw in my glove. It still amuses me when I stop to think about it.

Just my luck, the station seemed dead. No murderers, no thieves...not even a missing pet poster. I was on my third virgin daquiri when a notice popped up on my display. The Denovian from before just had a bounty posted on her head. It didn't take a Cerean to figure that one out.

A little creative webwork and I found her apartment. I rang, but nobody was home.

This happens more often than you might think, given my profession and attire.

I pulled out my splicer kit and hacked the door in short order. It slid open, to reveal that no one was actually home. I checked the place out, but she wasn't hiding under the bed, and most of her effects were still there. A comms system on the table had recently been used, and I hacked it to get a playback of the recording.

She was going to meet her employer at a major shindig happening tonight, and planned to ask him about a mysterious and unnamed object. Bingo.

It's been years since I dropped in on a party. Guess I'm about due.

- Naveed Stryker

Bounty Hunter's Log - 2801

The Galaxy is in turmoil, I can feel it in my skin.

Not that I've seen my skin in recent times.

Sigh. As always, I'm leaving this microlog in the event that I perish in my journey, so that the Kor'ti-Sho know that I took their agreement to my grave.

And also in the vain hope that my bastard of a father gets this some day. Just knowing that if he knew what I was up to, his skin would crawl and his throat would fill with bile keeps me warm on these lonely nights.

Today wasn't one of my better ones. I'd chased a sewer rat by the name of Baraqq to the Arbor system. Baraqq made the mistake of snarking data files from more than one galatic organization, and they were willing to pay for him and the information he stole. Naturally, thats where I come in.

I'd caught him mining data in the lower level of the city ship. I gave a heads up to the local security before I closed. Mistake 1, somehow he put 2 and 2 together, and I ended up chasing him for what felt like two kliks. The chase drew to a close as he zigged when he should have zagged, and ended up in a rather classy cantina called the Stargaze Cantina (natch).

Turns out the little six armed bugger was armed, and I took a shot in the shoulder. My shield took the brunt of it, but it still stung. I fired back on stun, but its a lot harder to hit a being made almost completely of arms than you'd think.

We let a few shots exchange, Baraqq taking cover behind a table just to make things more difficult. That was when the local shallow end of the genepool decided to intervene. A couple of bald nasties got in both of our faces. I ignored mine, but Baraqq didn't have such good luck, and his pulled a vibro and started getting nasty. My last shot at the alien went wild as the thug got in my face, and a civilian was stunned, but at least I managed to fry one of the turbolift controls. If I could get the other, he'd have to go through me to get out.

I needed Baraqq alive for the bounty, and he didn't need to die today anyway. I really wish I knew what was wrong with people. Though at other times, I'm glad I don't know, I don't think I could handle absolutely knowing the truth. It's bad enough just suspecting it.

I caught the thug attacking Baraqq with a solid stun, but not before the thug got in a nasty cut across his back. Baraqq crawled to the turbolift, but was stopped by some furry chick with a vidcorder. She was questioning him like crazy. Hopefully it would buy me some time, as I found myself with my hands full.

The thug that had been in my face pulled his own vibroblade, and the one I had stunned hadn't been quite as out of it as I'd have liked.

The three of us danced for a bit before one of the tatooed bald people decided to let fly with a Force Power. Dunno what the odds are that I'd run into a couple of Dark Siders, but they weren't low enough. I felt myself starting to be pushed back, and I dug in. We struggled for a minute, but it became obvious that I wouldn't budge, and he finally let up.

I replied with my own take on how one properly channels the Force, leaving the one I stunned in a ruined heap on the floor, and the other one badly battered. He wasn't interested in me any more. Which is good, because Station securty picked right then to show up.


- Naveed Stryker