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“Hunter,” Mako waved her hand in front of her. “Kaas to Hunter? You alive?”
She nodded. ”Yes, what’d I miss?”
Mako opened her datapad and scrolled through her information, trying to remember when her friend spaced out. She simply glared at the supposed “Grand Champion” when she realised she wasn’t listening from the start. The Mandalorian pointed at herself to confirm she was who Mako was looking at.
”Yes, you! Pay attention! This is a huge bounty!” Mako turned her datapad. “Look! See?! Half a million credits! Oh, you’re listening now?! Why don’t I just —“
She froze as a piece of steel suddenly fell. Next to it stands Gault, a Devaronian with more blasters than sense. He shot his hands up immediately. “I know what this looks like! It wasn’t me! It..it was the short thing in the tunic! Yellow eyes! Little rascal tried to run off with my loot and I was just taking it back! Miss Rize, surely you believe me?”
Rize analysed the broken steel. On it, her hand-painted insignia. She stared at Gault with an eyebrow raised. “Oh absolutely. I believe you about as much as I believe Blizz when he says he doesn’t steal things. Not. At. All.”
He looked at Mako. “Gekko! Sorry, what’s your name, my dear? Oh, Mako! Right! You believe me, don’t you? Talk some sense into our…best…friend here! She looks like she wants me dead!”
”You broke something that took fifteen hours to make,” Mako’s eyes dulled. “I wouldn’t put it past her to be angry with you. Although, do you want something to do to make it up to her?” He nodded frantically. Rize stayed quiet.
”You could convince her to take this job.” She walks over and hands him her datapad. Within ten seconds, his eyes light up. Rize facepalmed.
Oh no….
“Hunter! This is free money! I mean look at the guy, he looks like he can’t even play Sabacc with his eyes closed!” Gault pauses. “Well I can’t either, but you get the point! Half a million credits would surely be enough to split between…I mean, enough to purchase ship upgrades! Which we desperately need…” He stands closer to Mako. “Do you think she’s convinced?”
She shook her head. “Not in the slightest. Amazing job, stowaway. I think she hates you just a little more now,” Mako snatched her datapad back, standing next to Rize. “I think you should take this. He’s right, we do need new enhancements and this would cover it. Plus, all the other bounties are so much extra work for the minuscule reward. This one’s just a get in, pummel the guy, get out.”
Rize carefully read through her datapad. After a while of silence, she defeatedly sighs. “Fine, fine, I’ll do it. Where are we headed? It doesn’t say.”
Mako points below the last paragraph. “Corellia. You look like you have a billion questions.”
”Something like that. I just wonder who’s also after this bounty considering its reward. Do we know of any active hunters near Corellia?”
Gault looked Rize and Mako quickly. “Uh, everyone and their poor mothers?! Doesn’t matter! Get in there, hunter! What’re you waiting for, an armor polisher?!”
“Okay, okay. Mako, please chart course for Corellia. Gault, you have until I get back to fix my ship.” She watches him nod then run into Blizz’s quarters. Laughing to herself, she makes her way into her room and seals her door. She changes from her comfortable, warm cotton clothes into her most strikingly sharp armor.
Clad in a purple-red colour scheme, sharp ends and reinforced Beskar - it stuck out like a Moff in a mess hall. She fastened on her belt, holstered her blaster then spent the rest of her time organising her thoughts and fastening on her medical gear.
It’s worth half a million. This is either someone sending hunters on a wild chase for fun, or it’s someone who crossed some high Imperial leader. Whatever it is, I need to remember his name and face. Roy Kayvish. Brown eyes, short black hair, five foot ten, somewhere in Government district. Should be wearing some kind of red suit. Guess I’ll find out.
Mako taps on her door, she comes out. “We’re here. Corellian Spaceport. Know where you’re going?” Rize nodded while securing her helmet. She left after a light smile to Mako, walking through a basic Imperial spaceport. She was almost immediately recognised. People backed away from her, others held their children closer while the rest nodded at her. It really makes you wonder: what stories have people spread about her this time?
Nevertheless, she strolls into Corellia. It’s ragged, war-torn, teeming with Imperial soldiers and worry fills its air. She sees craters in roads, a row of fallen soldiers being assessed by medical personnel, bland tall buildings and she hears violent arguing. Her helmet filters out alot of horrible things but Corellia’s vile smell of death is never one of them.
It almost felt like routine. Catch a speeder, head to the nearby metro system, punch in where she wanted to go then wait. She stood away from everyone else, hell, she wanted nothing to do with these people. She can’t help them even if she tried. Besides, she’s here for a bounty - not relief work. Her train arrived swiftly. For the next while, she’d stand hoping stray artillery didn’t hit her track like it has to so many others.
When her stop came around she quickly departed from the metro area. She unlatched her holster while scanning her environment - spotting various enemies that could cause trouble if they see her. Most have their backs turned or are powered down, however some patrols still roam. She patiently waits for them to pass before making her move, heading for the building described in Mako’s datapad. Tall with a hole in it near the metro.
Wait, if it’s near the metro, how is the bounty still up? It’s literally right here and nobody has-
Her thoughts vanished when she watched someone be electrocuted upon trying to enter. They looked like a bounty hunter, and on second glance, that theory is correct. However leaving her with no time to think was an explosion, catapulting her backwards and into a metal pillar. Every droid and person would come running to this place to find out what happened, she’d be caught right in the middle if she didn’t move. Fast.
She got to her feet as fast as she could before hearing another explosion. Looking back, she finds a lone hunter engaging scores of enemies with just her detonators, flame-throwers and iron will. Rize cursed herself, turned on her heel and headed straight for this mysterious fighter. From a distance, she heard loud yelling.
She gripped her pistol - picking off multiple foes with astonishing precision. Her red blaster bolts flew straight by the other hunter who, after killing the rest, shot her a knowing look. She took a second to catch her breath before extending her hand.
”Thanks for your help, as late as it was,” Rize shook her hand. “Firm grip. I like that. Mandalorian too, even better. From which clan?”
”Hikaru. Name’s Rize,” She knew this hunter. Unmistakably so, she was a galactic legend. “I know you. Clan Vizla, right?”
”I see the explosion didn’t hurt your memory,” she nodded. “Shae Vizla. I’d been scouting this target for a while, couldn’t seem to find any flaws in his defences. Although, it looks like both his defences and our bounty are now gone.”
Shae Vizla? The same Shae Vizla from Coruscant’s Sacking? She’s so much taller in person. And she seems more friendly than I thought she’d be.
Shae paused. “Rize, you said? The reckless gunslinger who won the Great Hunt a little while ago? If the armor didn’t give you away, your name sure did. Pleased to meet you.”
”You as well,” Her voice sounds so..hurt. “Is there someplace else we can chat? I don’t like standing on open ground.”
Her new friend nodded and winced as she turned. “Right this way. I’m on a solo mission right now so I could use some extra company.” Shae leads them to an entrance, punches in a code then gestures at Rize to enter. Both women holstered their weapons upon hearing the door seal.
Inside was a rather bland interior. Walls covered in digital maps, scouted locations, targets and a corner of weapons. What used to be windows are now isolated with steel adorned with a Mandalorian crest. Shae slowly removes her helmet revealing bruised skin, a bloody forehead and a prideful glare.
“You seem worried. Don’t be, this is normal. Though what isn’t normal is our interaction, which I’m sure you have questions about?”
Rize leaned against a wall, her helmet clasped onto her breastplate. “Several. I thought you would’ve been more harsh.”
”I’ve heard of you. You’re honourable and loyal, but also recognise when those traits should fly away. And you’ve helped my people before. I have no reason to act harsh to you,” Shae wiped her head with a clean cloth. “And you just helped me.”
The champion folded her arms. “Just what have you heard? You seem quite confident.”
”A little bit of this and a little bit of that. It doesn’t matter. What does is a certain rumour that you’re great at patching people up. Is that true?”
Oh, I get it. She’s weak right now. Trying to play friend.
“Quite so,” Rize removes her belt and lays her equipment on the floor. “Sit. No, not like that. Against the wall. Yes. Thank you. Don’t move.”
She took the cloth Shae was holding to clean her wounds. Then, she analysed. A minor burn, several cuts and alot of bruising. Rize nods and fetches her kolto pack, carefully wiping it on Shae’s new imperfections. In no time - they begin healing. Shae appears thankful yet beyond repair at the same time. Heir hair was incredibly messy, face riddled with hurt at the slightest movement.
There’s something else. Hm.
She picks up a bottle of kolto. “This is a special blend my team and I use. I know there’s wounds you aren’t showing me. You don’t have to, but take this. I also know you’re only being this kind because you’ve heard about me and how I don’t like attacking my fellow hunters. That’s mostly true,” Shae takes her bottle. “You don’t have to act like that. I’m not here to hurt anyone and frankly, my team made me do this bounty. I didn’t want to.”
”That makes one of us. I needed the credits. When you become known for raiding Coruscant, surprisingly not many people want to associate with you,” Shae explained with a low laugh. “Word spreads like wildfire in our job. Nothing stays secret. I know more about you than I bet your crew does.”
Rize re-organised her equipment onto her belt, taking a seat next to Shae. “I’d love to know,” she opens her holo. “Here’s my private contact. Tell me about it when we’re not in a warzone?”
The legend nodded while sporting a smile and inputting Rize’s info into her own holo. “Sure thing, kid. You seem ready to leave. I won’t keep you any longer. Hunt well and don’t mention this meeting.”
Rize nodded and quickly left. On her way back, her mind raced with images of Shae. I hope this isn’t our last meeting. You aren’t nearly as bad as people say.
* * *
The champion unlocked her ship - walking inside wearing a light smile. She sees her wall fixed with Mako waiting inside her ship’s main area. Mako looks at Rize who calmly walks into her quarters. The second she leaves, her friend is standing right at her door.
”How are you so giddy after disabling your comm and after an explosion?!” She crossed her arms.
Rize laughed amusedly. ”First of all, that explosion was fun. Second of all, I met someone. Not saying who. You don’t get to know.”
”Well whoever they are, better be important. Just don’t do that again, okay? We were really worried about you. Blizz nearly came looking.”
”I won’t, don’t worry. I mean it. I won’t do it again.” She reassured.
”That’s all I ask. And Gault fixed your wall,” she wiped her eyes. “No, I’m okay. I was just very worried. Without you I don’t know where in the galaxy I’d be, and that explosion just…really scared me.”
Rize pulled her into a warm embrace. “Now what kind of adopted sister would I be if I died in some explosion? A bad one, that’s what. And I’m still here, aren’t I?”
”Yes..and I’m so glad you are.”