Star Wars: Darkest Hour

[Writer]

An hour and a half after a strangely demanding woman barged into his life, Chasten Niven was equipped with a security clearance of the same grade that she'd shown him. They had just sat down in a cantina not far from the Intel building, where the woman said they needed to rack Niven's brain for any additional details on 'Alec Greenwood'... and her name still hadn't come up. Abruptly, she seemed to become aware of this error.

 

"Katera... Greenwood," she said. A good soldier would recognize that she had not given him her real name. Whoever she was, she was not a trained intel agent. Seeking to explain a sudden blurted name, she added, "I just realized it hadn't been said. I'm Katera Greenwood." The second time through her lips, the name flowed as if it belonged. However, there was still the issue of the shared 'Greenwood' surname that still had to be resolved. 'Katera' didn't bother to explain.

 

"The man we're looking for used an alias the last time you saw him," she went on. "It's likely he'd have gone on to use another. Our greatest asset will be the photo. Just in case, I want you to know his real name. Devi Haalen. He's been an Imperial Intel agent for..." Her voice trailed off thoughtfully. Did she know him personally? "... thirteen years now."

 

Abruptly, she changed subjects. "So we're racking your brain, Mr. Niven. Before, you wouldn't give me details on the intelligence he brought in that enabled your mission to sail through smoothly. That was before you saw my security clearance. Now that you have, well, we'll need as much detail as we can manage if we're going to follow a year-dead trail."

[Endorenna]

(Sorry to join in so late, guys. The profile's on the casting call thread. )

 

Tala closed her eyes and dropped down onto a bed in her cheap, dim apartment with a sigh. She'd just tracked down some death stick dealer who'd accidentally killed a senator's brother-in-law's cousin twice removed, or some such rubbish. Whatever. As long as she got paid, she didn't care.

 

Tala sat up and took out one of her silver blaster pistols. She lovingly rubbed her finger up and down its barrel, thinking of how many frightened slobs had taken their first look--and their last look--at her from the business end of it. The girl smiled. Not bad for a two-bit government-owned boarding school student.

 

The teenager twirled the blaster on her finger and holstered it once more. Hopefully there wouldn't be any miscreants for her to track down anytime soon. It had taken three full days to find the death stick dealer, searching day and night. She'd finally found him in some bar or other, drinking and making a pass at a Twi'lek dancer. It hadn't taken long to disable the security systems and kill him.

 

Tala lay back down and folded her hands under her head. She closed her eyes once more and started to fall asleep.

 

Beep beep

 

Tala scowled and sat up. Stupid comm system! It would have to ring right now!

 

Beep beep

 

The young bounty huntress got to her feet and walked over to the comm system. She flipped it on and growled, "What is it?"

 

The operator droid replied in a friendly monotone, "Hello. Is this Tala Eltare?"

 

"Yea."

 

"The Imperial Security Service is sending you a private call. Do you wish to recieve it?"

 

Tala rolled her eyes. "Fine, send it on through."

 

"Very well. Lieutenant Katell speaking."

 

Tala grimaced. It would be him.

 

"Miss Eltare?" Lieutenant Aret Katell's well-groomed, slightly snobbish voice came through the comm.

 

"What do you want, Katell?"

 

"There has been an--incident."

 

"In other words, there's someone you want me to knock off."

 

"Come to my office immediately, and I'll fill you in on the situation." He lowered his voice and said in a confidential tone, "You know, Tala, I'd love to have a drink with you after you finish this hunt--"

 

"Save it, Katell! You've said it way too much!"

 

A sigh came from the other end. "I do wish you'd reconsider sometime."

 

Tala smirked. "Fat chance. The only man I ever had a drink with I shot afterwards. I'll be in front of your desk in ten minutes. Have all the info on the bounty ready. Eltare out." She flicked the 'off' switch before he could say anything.

 

Exactly nine minutes and forty-five seconds later, Tala was striding into the Imperial Security Office. She wore a deep maroon jumpsuit with an overcloak of the same color wrapped around her shoulders, its ends dropping far enough to cover the blasters hanging from her hips. There was Katell's desk. She stopped in front of it, exactly ten minutes from when she had ended the call.

 

Katell looked up and smiled at her. "Ah, Tala. Punctual, as always."

 

Tala wasn't smiling. She sat down in the chair opposite the Imperial and asked, "Who am I going after this time?"

 

"One of our ARC troopers has turned on us and must be terminated."

 

Tala reached for the datapad on the desk and asked flatly, "Designation?"

 

"Alpha 99, also known as Kando."

 

Tala switched on the datapad and frowned. "Those clones all look alike. ARC trooper, y'said?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Good. I haven't had a real challenge in a long time." She stood up, still studying the datapad. "I'll start at his apartment. He'll be going there to pick up his blaster. If I'm lucky, he'll still be there when I arrive." Tala started walking away.

 

Katell called after her, "Oh, and one more thing."

 

"What?"

 

"You don't get the bounty until I get his helmet and his ID chip."

 

"I'll have both." Tala made her way out of the security building. One of her eyebrows rose as she studied the screen. Well, well, well, look where his apartment was...

[The Betrayer]

"Sir, we regret to inform you that Alpha 06 has not reported for this mission. Instead, the Emperor sent me, Alpha 88 Krade."

"It is of no matter, I assume you've been briefed?"

"Yes, sir. Also, the Emperor wanted me to tell you that the Empire has sent a bounty hunter to terminate Alpha 99."

"Bounty hunter scum! I would like to have nothing to do with them. Wait, did you say terminate?"

"Yes, sir."

"Who briefed this bounty hunter?"

"Lieutenant Katell of-"

"For your sake, trooper, I do hope you know how to contact him."

"I do, sir."

Krade brought out a holo transmitter, and contacted Lieutenant Katell.

"Ah, Lieutenant Katell. This is Grand Admiral Yal. I would like you to tell the bounty hunter that you sent to retrieve Alpha 99 - ALIVE. Failure to comply will result in an immediate termination to be approved by the Emperor himself. Do you understand me?"

[Endorenna]

The comlink on Tala's belt vibrated. She took it off and asked, "Who is this?"

 

"Tala?" Lieutenant Katell's usually cultured voice was weak.

 

"What do you want, Katell?"

 

"There has been a slight mistake."

 

The bounty hunter asked in mock surprise, "Really?"

 

"The ARC trooper will be captured alive, not terminated."

 

Tala exploded, "What!" Several people on the street around her turned and stared at her. She cast them a glare and asked in a lower voice, "If I shoot him, do I still get my money?"

 

"If you kill him, you get nothing."

 

"I suppose it's too late to drop this job?"

 

"Of course it is! Please, Tala, do us both a favor and don't kill him!"

 

One side of her mouth twisted up into a smile. "So you're in trouble if he dies? Good thing for you you didn't wait any longer to call me." She looked up at the building beside her. "I've almost reached him."

[The Betrayer]

"With that aside, I trust we can continue our mission?", said an obviously impatient Grand Admiral Yal.

"Of course, sir. Command did further research on this Force Sensitive, sir. Her name is "Chasti Niven", a human female. Good performer in her class. That's about all Command can dig up sir."

"Ah, the one who left after my discussion. Where were her last known whereabouts?"

"Sir, she is known to have made contact with Commander Ky'ram."

"Ah. Make contact with the good Commander. Also, confirm that Lieutenant Katell has briefed our good bounty hunter."

"Yes, sir."

[Cyborg Ninja]

Kyr'am stood in the hall for a few seconds before a message went off in his HUD.

It was a message from the newly appointed Grand Admiral Yal. He scanned the message over and to his horror it was a hunt for the girl. Not wanting to see this girl be tricked or harmed Kyr'am at first rejected it. As time passed a idea grew in his head. Kyr'am left the school and contacted four of his finest men. They took a gunship to the meeting point in Coruscant. It appeared another ARC had gotten there first and was trying to take this mission from him, something he would not allow. The ship landed and he and his men walked up to the Grand Admiral. Before the ARC could say another word Kyr'am spoke.

 

"Hold that tongue trooper, Grand Admiral Yal congratulations on the promotion. I would have gotten here sooner but I had some rebellious civilians to deal with. My men and I will locate and bring this force sensitive back to you."

[The Betrayer]

"Good. However, I prefer that Commander Krade go with you, Commander Ky'ram. You know this girl, right? Bring her to me immediately. Dismissed"