Bounty Hunter Mike

Mike took the pen and began signing the papers, being careful to read each of the contracts carefully. Once he had finished the paperwork, he handed Ganelon a large sum of high denomination credit vouchers, more than enough to cover the price of the ship. He was now the proud owner of a new ship. He had talked to Rane, and he agreed to buy the Shadow Rider for a reasonable price, so his new ship, the Shadow Strike. The custom ship lifted off, the bounty hunter pilot relaxing in the pilot couch and manuevering it up through the atmosphere. The sleek beauty moving with speed and grace. Mike punched the throttle, flooring it. Within moments, the ship had cleared the gravity well and kicked into hyperspace.

An unregistered transport descended through the atmosphere and came to rest in Coronet City. Mike walked casually out of the ship, carrying a duffel of weaponry over his right shoulder, the only weapon on his person was his lightsaber, a weapon which was not yet tested in battle, and his custom made vibro katana, a weapon which had killed more than it's fair share of people. He flagged down a small air taxi, and rode it to the Correli Ship Yards. He got out and immediately saw it, his new ship. The sleek black craft glittering in the afternoon sun. The soon to be christened Shadow Strike. The sight of the ship brought a smile to Mike's face.

An intergalactic information network, used for entertainment, advertisements and Current Events.

Mike heard Rane's words, and immediately went to the cockpit, finishing his drink with a single gulp. "Okay, one small thing first." He walked over to the computer console, which was linked to the comm equipment. He sliced into the hangar computers quite easily. These sort of places didn't usually have any proper protection from this sort of thing. He checked through the landing records over the past few days, and found where Impede's ship was berthed, verifying it with the visual data of a hooded man leaving the ship, which was supplied via the security holocams. The whole operation had taken him all but a few minutes, but time was short. He wouldn't have time to get out and walk to the landing pad. He engage the repulsorlifts of the Shadow Rider and zoomed over Mos Eisley. When he reached the landing pad, he engaged the auto-hover function and raced to the weapons closet, grabbing a detonation pack. He then sprinted to the ship egress, leaping from it, and right onto the Night Shade. He hid the det-pack under the port wing, close to the ship power plant. This particular model was very sensitive, and would go off with any tampering, even from the Force. The only way to disable it was via a code, which Mike set as a 256 character code. He didn't even think he could disarm it, if he had to. He engaged the mag-lock and armed the explosive. Ten minutes to kaboom time. He then used the force to propel him back up onto the ramp of his ship, and raced back into the cockpit. Rane looked at him quizzically. "Just a little surprise for our friend back at the bar." Mike then gunned the engines and headed for space. Once they were clear of the gravity well, the ship leapt into Hyperspace, leaving the desert planet of Tatooine behind.

Mike saw the chandelier coming down towards him. Who the hell would put a chandelier in a dive like this? He thought. He braced his feet against the bar, and used the muscles in his legs, along with the Force, to propel himself along the floor, out of the path of the falling object, then using his momentum to roll backwards onto his feet, his vibroblade still in his hand. He hears Impede's ultimatum, Mike just laughed. "Wow, rather sporting of you. Most Sith would actually fight, but you just knock me down, using the force, and then just toss a det-pack on the table and tell us to bugger off. I expected more from a Sith. Luckily for you, I have a bounty to take in." Mike turned on his heel and walked out the door, as he did so, he reached out with his mind, connecting with Rane. He implanted the thought in his long time friend's head. Meet me at my ship Then, almost as an afterthought, he grasped the mind of the head Hutt trooper, adding a bit of aggression to him, and a bit more of an itch to his trigger finger. The Sith would have even more trouble escaping what ever the Hutt's had in mind for him, now. With that final thought in his mind, Mike stepped over the ruins of the door and into the cooling twilight of the twin suns setting. He made his way through the streets to his ship, the Shadow Rider He went inside and poured himself a drink, waiting for Rane to show up.

Mike launched himself off the ground and to his feet. His vibrokatana leapt into his hand. It would not be a good idea to engage a fully trained Sith with his new lightsaber, which he hadn't had a chance to fully train with it. Instead, he fell back on his katana, which he had mastered. The weapon could come against a lightsaber and hold it's own, due to a blend of Cortosis and Mandalorian iron. He looked the Sith in the eye, as the guards surrounded him. He knew that the Sith could dispatch the Hutt troopers with minimal effort. Should this happen, Rane and Mike would have to take on the Sith Lord. This has the potential to be messy

In a nearby landing pad, the Shadow Rider touched down. A handful of minutes later, a truly intimidating figure stepped through the doorway. He was clad in Arelik Armour, a blast dampening jumpsuit and a black shadowsilk/armourweave trenchcoat. Holstered on his person were many weapons, but three stood out in particular. A throwing glaive was holstered on his belt, a custom made vibro-katana on his back, and a lightsaber, given to him by the Hermit upon completion of Force training, hanging from his belt. His head was encased in a black modified clone trooper helmet, which gazed placidly at the scum of the universe, which had assembled at the cantina. He noticed his ally, Rane Scando, standing there, waiting for him. However, instead of going to him, Mike went to the bar instead. "Give me a Randoni Yellow Plague", Mike said, his voice filtered and unemotional. When the drink came, he took off his helmet, revealing a face which was feared by many across the galaxy. He took a long drink from the glass and waited for his ally to approach him.

I officially declare this thread to be seperate from Current RP. It is now set in the past.

In a small chamber in his ship, Mike sat, meditating, using the techniques taught to him so long ago by the hermit. He quieted his mind, and searched inside himself for the answers to his recent actions. Why was he so drawn to the Dark side? Why was the grey line he had walked along all this time suddenly become darker? All of a sudden, he realised. The answer was coarsing through his veins, whispering messages to him. The new midichlorians. The had fed on the Dark side all this time, they were like spice addicts, trying to use him to get their fix. He had seen what the Dark side could do to a person. It would grant them power, but it would ravage their physical form, which was something he didn't want. He had made his living from being neutral, being neither good nor evil. And now, these beings in him were trying to tip the scales. He needed help, and there was only one person who could provide it. The Hermit. But, last he heard, the hermit had become one with the force. Yet, somehow, when the thought of the old man had conjured up an image of a mountain on a planet, followed by a string of numbers, almost too fast to follow. It had appeared with the sudden brilliance of a lightning bolt in a dark, starless night, and faded within a second, however, it had showed him something important. The Hermit lived. Mike got to his feet and walked through the Shadow Rider to the cockpit, once reaching it, he disengaged the hyperdrive, typing in the numbers that had appeared to him in his vision. After his navicomputer had finished calculating a course, Mike hit the hyperspace lever, sending his ship into hyperspace with a flicker of psuedomotion.

Tired of waiting, Mike hopped back into his speeder and took off, heading for his ship. He knew something great would happen with this being, so he dispatched a remote to keep an eye on him. When Mike reached his ship, he fired it up and lifted off, heading for Coruscant, and the Galactic Gunshop.

The Shadow Rider came out of hyperspace above the planet of Rattatak. As the ship glided down through the atmosphere and into the cauldron, Mike got an overwhelming sense of something that he needed to do. His newly enhanced force sense already starting to show through. After landing the ship, Mike took his airspeeder out of storage in the cargo bay and flew it out. He followed his feelings and soon came upon a young Trianii, who looked to be meditating. He powered down the speeder, and stood to the side to watch inconspicuously.

A reply came, If not his body, then at least sell me a few pints of his blood.

A comm was recieved on several Sith Frequencies in an old Sith Encrypt. I am Mike Attard, bounty hunter. It has come to my attention that you have a Jedi prisoner in your custody. I wish to purchase him off you, after you have had your fun, of course.

Uh, Belay that. Mods are human too.

Uh, no, you won't. It is already affiliated with the Hutts.

Mike glanced down at the dead pirate, the rudimentary patch he had quickly applied to his face already containing the bleeding. This man had managed to earn Mike's respect during their short encounter. He was a warrior, and he deserved a warrior's funeral. Mike activated his comm, ordering his pilot droid to move the Shadow Rider closer to his position. During the short time it took the ship to reach it's new landing place, he had retrieved his vibroblade, and had commed for E522 to join him where he was, and to bring a cryo-box. When the droid arrived, he found Mike standing there, in his hands the head of Ronin Wartide. Without a word, he moved forward and placed it in the box. He then signalled for the droid to carry Wartide, and they moved off towards the ship. ********** About an hour later, the Shadow Rider was high in space, at the minimum safe distance from Corel, the main star of the system. With a hiss of escaping gas, the body of the pirate king was expelled from the ship, and floated at speed towards the star. A Warrior's Funeral. In the cockpit, Mike ran his fingers over the bacta patch on his cheek. He would have a scar that would remind him of this encounter. With no words, Mike rotated the ship on it's axis, and kicked into hyperspace, heading towards Tatooine.

Mike watched as the pirate struggled up to one knee, his left side drooping terribly, and his right hand hidden beneath his left arm. "So, what are you going to do now, kill me and claim your precious bounty?" he asked, defiant to the end. "Ah, but you are already dead. You died the moment I began pursuing you. You just didn't know it." As Mike set forward to finish the job, the downed man sprang forth, a piece of broken transparisteel in his hand, the shard aiming for his face. Mike barely had enough time to move, dodging sideways, but not fast enough. The makeshift weapon grazing, cutting into his cheek and carving a gully into the bone. But, as this was happening, Mike was also moving, his fist moving up with incredible speed and power, striking into the Pirate King's throat as the transparisteel cut. The strike collapsed his windpipe, sealing his fate. Mike moved backward and covered his cheek with his hand, the glove coming away soaked with blood.

Mike labouriously pulled himself upright, spitting out a several teeth and a mouthful of blood as he did so. He felt the pain from countless bruises on his body throbbing, but rather than tune out the pain, he used it. He tapped into the anger at his adversary and used it to grasp the Dark Side. His limited power didn't allow much, but it allowed him a physical strength and speed that he wouldn't have otherwise had with his injuries. No more mercy. Now, it's time to end this. The pirate was approaching him, and when in range, he threw another hook. This time, however, it was stopped short by a block. The hunter calmly buried a punch into Ronin's solar plexus, drawing back, he hit again with a rounded elbow strike to the side of the head, causing Ronin to stumble back. He threw his right leg up high above his head, and thundered it down onto Ronin's shoulder, the axe kick affecting it much the same way a turbolaser blast would a TIE fighter. The falling foot pulverised the pirate king's collarbone, shattering it. As Ronin fell face first onto the cold duracrete, Mike dropped to one knee and buried a lightning quick jab into the base of Ronin's skull, further injuring him.

Mike hit the ground, rolling backwards and landing on his feet, in a stance ready to fend off any of Ronin's further fisticuffs. Mike threw a right hook at the pirate, which was easily blocked, leaving his torso open, which recieved a quick left jab from Mike. The jab turned into a rising uppercut, which struck Ronin's jaw, dazing him for a second. Mike then executed a pushing kick, landing it on the pirate's upper chest. The kick sent him sprawling back in the confined space, bouncing off a wall. As his momentum carried him back forward, Mike leapt from the ground, performing a mid air back kick, which slammed into his nose, breaking it with a wet snapping sound. Ronin dropped to one knee, blood streaming down his face.

Mike growled in pain as the blade bit into his shoulder, but pain was a luxury he couldn't afford right now. Using his limited Force ability, along with his sword, he managed to wrestle the Pirates blade away from his shoulder. Mike then went on the offensive, slashing and hacking, attacking from all angles in a mad frenzy. The surrounding air being filled with slashes, parries and the angry clang of the swords meeting eachother in mid air. He managed to slip the blade in and cut into Ronin's knee as part of a low horizontal arc, but the cut was stopped by Ronin's blade before any real damage could be done. I need to get that thing away from him Midway through his swing, he turned the blade backwards, and the serrated edge caught onto Ronin's katana, refusing to let go. Mike reefed the blades sidewards, pulling the katana from Ronin's grip, sending it clattering along the tunnel, landing in one of the many puddles in the darkness surrounding them. He went for the kill shot, his blade aimed at the pirates heart. But he was surprised by a kick to the wrist, putting more strain on his injured shoulder and sending his blade spinning into the dark.

"I had a feeling that you were going to be a challenge, thank you for proving me right" He held the sword in one hand, the blade pointing towards Ronin. His quickly brought his sword up and over his head, still pointed at it's target. Settling into a back stance, Mike lunged forward, which was easily blocked. That was okay though. It was merely to test his opponents reactions. They were good. He slashed across, aiming at Ronin's midsection, the parry sounding a clang of metal against metal. Mike's next move, however, took Ronin completely by surprise, reversing direction and performing a full rotation, slashing at his knees. Ronin's jump clearing the blade by only a few centimetres. Mike moved back gracefully, settling into a practiced fighting stance. "Not bad, Pirate."

Mike saw the newcomer out of the side of his eye, and his hand dipped down to his holster with lightning speed, the Enforcer lines up with the leftmost of the man's pistol, and the bullet fired from it hit with the barrel, exploding as soon as it connected. His aim shifted and the second blaster also went up in a small shower of flames, burning both of the man's hands. "Believe me, buddy. You don't want any of what I'm selling. Now, why don't you take that little ship of yours back into town, and stay out of trouble" The menacing tone in Mike's voice, combined with the smoking gun and vibroblade held in a practiced grip was more than enough to discourage even the most foolhardy of potential opponents. ((OOC: I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but Ronin and I agreed that we would prefer for this fight to be kept between the two of us. No outside interference, please))

Mike looked at Ronin's swoop, which was rapidly pulling away from him, swearing under his breath, he swung his swoop into action, taking off after the pirate. The Overracer's superior engines roared along the road, and instead of wasting prescious time swerving around the obstacles which became more and more frequent the further they went, Mike simply tweaked the flight ceiling controls, jumping over them. He gained quickly on the Pirate King, and soon pulled up alongside him. By this time, they were in the slums of Coronet, weapon shops and many other less reputable businesses surrounding them. The rain beat down on the pursuer and prey as they became neck and neck. Mike decellerated slightly, so that the nose of his craft was right near the repulsor unit of the other swoop. Bracing himself, he swerved, the ship colliding with the unit, and causing a shudder to hit both swoops, as Ronin's vehicle dropped to the ground and began skidding along the ground, throwing up a wash of sparks. Ronin was thrown from his vehicle but, by some miracle of luck, landed relatively safely, but shredding his coat on the road. Mike's swoop faired only slightly better, as he emulated the manuever which had saved his life earlier that night. As he got off his vehicle, he walked calmly toward his quarry, unsheathing his sword as he approached him. "You have been lucky so far, punk, but that luck has just expired. As will you"

Mike swore visciously as his quarry zoomed away, but the pirate wasn't out of the woods yet. Looking around at the vehicles surrounding him, Mike saw one that would do very nicely, a Mobquet Overracer. He jumped on, the floating vehicle bobbing slightly under his weight. Instead of choosing to damage the swoop, he reaching into his belt and withdrew an inciter, usually used amongst the less reputable types. He inserted the inciter into the ignition and pressed a small button. The swoop roared to life, and the hunter took off after his prey. But, about a thirty metres down the road, a blaster bolt whizzed past Mike's head. He adjusted the rear view mirror to see the owner of the Overracer lining up a second shot. The bolt was released from the blaster, and missed Mike by a shorter distance this time. Mike held the handlebar tightly with one hand, and swung his pistol up behind him, tracing fire over the swoop located close to his attacker. The swoop exploded, as it's battery was breached. The man was thrown sideways, injured and unable to continue to keep harrassing Mike. As Mike turned his attention back to the chase, he saw he was slowly gaining on Ronin. He could practically feel the cash in his hands.

The Shadow Rider glided downward through the clouds of Correllia, into the gloom of the evening. The ship put down in a landing pad not 100 metres from the pad where Wartide's ship was berthed, Mike disembarked from the ship, dressed in a Shell Spider Silk gi, armed with his katana and an enforcer. He was met by his informant. "He was last spotted on Treasure Chest Row, outside the Fel Swoop." she said, dispensing with pleasantries. "Thanks," Mike replied, handing her several credit vouchers. "Always a pleasure" she replied, spinning on her heel and exitting the landing pad. Mike made his way quite swiftly to the swoopers bar, and noticed a man dress in a long red coat. Wartide. He lifted his enforcer, a red dot appearing on Wartide's throat. His finger was on the trigger