"A Forked Path, a Forged Past."(Invite/ Ask arm514ve)

[T.J]

" I....keep tabs on alot of things Ashes. But this is a new development to me too....." Ares paused to try and collect his thoughts, there were just some things he wanted to keep from his daughter.

"Corellia is where I was born darlin, I like to know what goes on if I can. I caught wind of someone fitting the description of Mirta about a week ago, but I wasnt gonig to make a move until Shawn was informed.....Unfortunately I dont think we can tell him under these circumstances...." Deep down Ares wanted to tell Shawn his daughter was alive, but if what the doctors had told him was true.... Mirta might not come out of the encounter mentally sound, if she was alive at all.

 

[Arm514ve]

The doctor listened in on the hunter’s conversation through the thin fabric of the medical tent. Her form shifted into a different woman as she walked away with a devious smile on her face. 'thats right you don't know everything hunter.'
-------------------

Mirta took the time the doctor had talking to the new armored arrival and the girl named Ashes. She slipped out the tents entrance, and ran at full speed though a little dizzy she was able to keep her pace up and head away from the accident site, and head for the residential area she was at turning a corner and running into a man around the corner.

“Ow ow ow, I’m sorry…. oh mister Kartel I’m sorry I was in a hurry, and I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you ok I didn’t hurt you or anything?”

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

In the path stood a Zeltron, A smile crept across his mouth as a familiar face found itself buried in his shoulder.

Clumsy little, Mirta.

He had always favored the Mac'Neals.

They had a rag doll composition that intrigued him- tear them apart and they fit back together from all angles. Mismatched eyes and all...

The arrival or Ares and his....daughter had marked the occasion.

"Quite alright!" Said Kartel, his rosy complexion alight with joy as he patted the shoulders of the tall human.

"My My Mirta," he began with the warm tone of a familiar.

"You look as through you're running from death!"

Offering his arm he tipped the brim of his hat.


It was a feud 20 years in the making, Mirta was just a puzzle piece and her corners had become so ravaged with time she hardly fit into the greater scale of his original plans. She ruined the image she had once been a key to form.

An obvious pawn set against a king - a game she didn’t even understand was reaching its climax.

The crime king had spent too many years seeking to snuff out the bounty hunter’s guild to be foiled by her existence…It had all be so delicately arranged…he wondered how it had reached such a boiling point…how what had once seemed like a pivotal point was now a liability…a crack in his shield.



“what have you gotten yourself into, child?” he asked.


-------------------------------------------------------------


"We have to tell him!" Ashes argued.

She was nearly overcome with the thought of Shawn being uninformed. She doubted her own capacity for guilt -whether she could handle the weight of keeping such a secret from him...though the circumstances were...dire.

"We have to take her back," Said the Twi'lek approaching Mirta's bed and throwing open the tent with determination

"She doesn't belong here we at least-"

She was gone...

 

[T.J]

Ares simply sighed as Mirta bolted out of the makeshift medical facility and into the busy streets, he had a feeling something similar would happen some time or another during there little run in. For a breif moment his attention was turned back to his daughter, who had ben trying to convince him to tell Shawn about his living daughter.

" Ashes.... If we told Shawn and he found her. The shock due to her condition might kill her, or leave her perminantly brain damaged." Ares stated bluntly as he stepped past his daughter and out of the tent. Seeing ahead of the situation, Ares had placed a tracking device on Shawn's deluded daughter. He walked with a somewhat calm pace, but was able to stay close to Mirta.

Unfortunately, Ares hadnt planned on feeling a certain someone talking to Shawn's daughter. In fact, he was completely stunned to see none other than Kartel having what seemed like pleasent conversation with the once lost child. The buring buzzing feeling in his head had been dull almost the entire time he had been on Corellia, but once he got within a certain range of Kartel it skyrocketed to horendous levels. It instantly made Ares blood boil, and before he even thought about it his assualt rifle was up and aimed at the shapeshifters chest.

He fired a single shot without a fore thought, hoping the crime lord hadnt spotted him in the crowd yet. It was precise and collective, the armored bounty hunter was totally focused on the shape shifters smug look.

 

[Arm514ve]

"Nothing really the usual, running from weirdo’s and such. Nothing I can't......"
A wired feeling of danger was building from where she couldn't tell she looked behind, and around, spotting the armored man raise a rifle.

"Get down" she yelled at Kartel as she tackled him to the floor and the bullet imbedding itself into the wall behind them. Mirta got up as fast as she hit Kartel to the ground with one of her pistols drawn and moveing to use herself as a shield between the armored man and Kartel. "Get out of here mister Kartel I think he’s aiming for you, I don't know why but that’s what I feel and besides I don't think my brother would be happy in his grave if I let his friend die." Mirta said with a smile charging at the armored man firing at his joints, in the armor.

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

Her father was right and she knew it. There was no argument that Mirta’s condition was…grave, perhaps if there was a word stronger…

Ashes was a simple girl, when she felt joy it reflected in her every action, but when she felt scorn she was in sardonic ruin. Torn by the logical need to protect Mirta’s existence but the emotion demands of the endeavor she followed after Ares to seek out their missing person.

What she did not expect to find, standing and conversing as if her shared an opinion on the weather was….

Kartel himself.

“Get….Away from her!” cried the Twi’lek enraged.

Her fathers gun went off in his hand like an echo.



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If Ares was shocked to spot the Clawdite’s favored Zeltron visage- which he no doubt was, the feeling was very mutual.

Not to Say the crime lord had not expected an appearance from his favorite cripple, but Mirta’s suddenly bolt of action knocked him to the floor in more ways then one.

If didn’t take much of his acting expertise to seem shaken as he adjusted his top hat and sat upon his propped elbows with a wide eyed look of astonishment across his face as she spoke. It was truly a work of ironic ….almost sardonic beauty that the very person- the sweet, sick girl that she was…- he sought to snuff out had just secured both their fates in one leap.

She had saved his life out of loyalty- loyalty gained under false pretenses which left his belly sour with concealed laughter.

Scrambling to his feet the Zeltron fled.

“Do Be careful my girl!” he called over his shoulder, his sincerity was sinisterly mimicked to perfection.

“I shall get help!”

 

[T.J]

Due to the fact that Mirta was running at almost full speed and shooting at the same time, her shots went wild. Any trained marksman would have known that shooting accuratetly required a steady and firm stance, sprinting threw shots way off their originally intended targets on numerous occasions. The bonuty hunter didnt even need to dodge, not that he would have really needed to anyway.

" Just as I thought, no disicpline. Were you even taught to use a firearm?" Ares said in a somewhat bored tone as he simultaniously put his assualt rifle back on its magnetic clap on his back and pulled out both his heavy blaster pistols, setting them to stun as they came to bare on the charging girl.

Without a second thought Ares fired, wanting to get Mirta out of the way as soon as possible so he could chase down Kartel and throttle the life out of his smug eyes.

 

[Arm514ve]

Mirta dodged the shot with a quick duck and into a slide. She went for Ares left leg, trying to trip him up.

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

Ashes acted with the obediance of a trained hound and sprung upon Mirta in response, attempting to seize the girl as she went for her father.

"Mirta Stop! We're on your side!" she cried.

though the option for her to leave Ares to deal with Mirta was her initial thought, she knew through experience kartel was not someone to chase down alone. She let him get a head start, Ares was better suited to his pursuit and she wanted to give him an opening, she just hoped Mirta was a match for her skill level.

 

[T.J]

Ares simply moved his left leg so that Mirta's legs were going on either side of it. It was a simply move that took little forethought, being that alot of people had tried to trip Ares up for some reason throughout his years as a bounty hunter. Without turning his head he spoke to his daughter, wanting to give her very precise instructions before he parted ways with her for a time.

" Ashes, I want you to keep Mirta sedated as much as you can without killing her while im gone. If I dont come back within the day take off with my ship, but dont go back to Coruscant, just drift and wait for guild assistance."

In another practiced movement, Ares brought both his heavy blaster pistols straight down at the now very close Mirta, using his leg as a brace to keep her from rolling away. He pulled the triggers in unison, sneding twin waves of his blasters stun setting twards the young girl before looking back up towards the crowd beyond. He scanned it for any sign of Kartel, but knew simply catching him with his eyes was impossible, the clawdite had probably already shifted to another form.

 

[Arm514ve]

The two stun shots nailed Mirta square in the chest, causeing her to fall unconcious emedatly 'I hope I bought enough time....' She thought as she passed out.

((I have something to add here but am takeing a while to type up.))

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

Ashes silently obeyed with a nod and knelt beside the limp body of her friend. As Ares prepared to depart she offered her gaze to th skies and wrinkled her brow with stress.

Just another set back…

Just another day’s wait for the uniform…

Just another tough break along the fractures and fault lines of her life.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Kartel quickly maneuvered through the masses, He had not yet chosen a form- he knew it unwise but wished to meet with one of his nearest accomplices in the area before his shift- he would need a decoy who could imitate his current look without flaw if he hoped to make a clean escape.

“I’m on my way to-” he trailed off as he lowered his voice to give coordinates to his distant changeling associate.

“Find me.” he said with finality, two voices on opposite ends said the affirmative.

 

[T.J]

Without a word Ares was gone, melting into the same crowd as Kartel had. He knew finding the shape-shifter would be simple enough, the bounty hunter didnt use his natural sight to track the crimelord. It was the buzzing feeling he got when close to the clawdite that enabled Ares to successfully track him.

Unfortunately though for Ares, the crowd the shap-shifter had disappeared into was quite massive, making locating the buzzing feeling somwhat difficult. Sorting it out from the ambiant feeling was sometimes harder depending on the planet and the people Ares was around. He resported to simply standing still and scanning with his eyes while trying to focus, hopefully Kartel hadnt changed shape by that point.

Thankfully he found kartel with his eyes before his sense, the scum had a finger to what probably was a comm. unit in his ear. Meaning help, or some other kind of support, was on its way. The armored hunter knew full well that trying to hit the shape-shifter from such a distance in a crowd meant almsot certainly that he would hit an innocent by accident. Ares would wait, blending into the crowd and moving only slightly closer to his target. He wanted to see what, or who, Kartel would shift into before striking.

 

[Arm514ve]

"Can't let the princes fall into the knights hands she’s to valuable to mister Kartle."

the supposed doctor from earlier snuck up behind Ashes, with a heavy metal pipe in her hand.

"Say good night officer."

the shifter said as she brought the pipe down at the back of Ashes head. Knocking her out, the shifter pulled out a comm. unit and sent a call to Ares.

"Mister Varga I would stop chasseing mister Kartel if you Value both miss. Mac’ Neal and your precious daughter’s life."

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

The distinctly curt voice of a female sent Ashes internal alarm system on red alert- as metal met the tender crest of her cranium she fell, unconscious with a cry of agony. Her lekku curled around her neck like a protective scarf as she lay in heap upon the ground.

She had sensed the action but it was too late, the woman had acted in such an abrupt and cunning manner the twi’lek might as well have attempted to grasp wind.

 

[T.J]

Ares was so close to Kartel when he got the comm. message he could have touched him, having to back down while being so close ripped him apart inside, it took everything he had to simply walk away. Ares wouldnt leave without a parting gift though, with a flick of his knife, the bounty hunter cut a large gash in the back of Kartel's clothing. It wasnt ot hurt or main the shap-shifter, jsut to make the scum know how close he was to death. With the stroke done, Ares was gone, on his way back to his daughter and Mirta.


When he reached the outskirts of the crowd just outside the medical facility, Ares already had his blaster pistols out and was shooting at the one who had comm. messaged him. The hate that he felt for the particular individual for not only harming his daughter, but also taking his vengeance away out weighed any moral boundaries. She would die by his hand that day, for that brief moment the imposter doctor's death out grew even Kartel's death.

 

[Arm514ve]

Ares shots hit the figure standing there but, it wasn't the impostor doctor. it was the real doctor tied up and made to look like she was standing over Ashes unconscious body.

The impostor doctor had already left with Mirta in tow. "You know Ares you really shouldn't Shoot first." she let out a cackle of triumph over the hunter. "we Shall be keeping the princes a little longer, and good luck explaining your actions to C-Sec."

 

[T.J]

Thankfully for the doctor, Ares had a taste for strangling the life out of those who diserved death with his bare hands, the shots he had fired were only stun rounds, and so were not lethal. The doctor fell to the ground unconcious much like Mirta had been.

Ares was at his daughters side in an instant, her well being out weighed anything Kartel could throw at him. Gently he lifted her head up by her neck, checking the impact area where the imposter had hit her. He sighed deeply in relief to see it had missed her lekku, an impact of such force on them would have meant certain death to the young twi'lek. She would still probably have a killer headache and bruising later, luckey for Ashes though her skin color would hide most of it. Ares began to speek to his child, seeing that she was already starting to come to.

" Darlin? How're you feeling?"

The armored hunter wasnt concered about finding Mirta again. The tracking beacon he had placed on her would be near impossible to find, and since there was no indication she had been tagged he doubted Kartel's goons would look for one. Most of them didnt even come close to the criminal masterminds intelect anyway. All it would take was time to find her again, though Ares doubted they had alot of it left. Kartel would problably cut Mirta loose, now knowing at the guild knew of her whereabouts, it meant almost certain death for the young girl if they didnt get her back, and soon.

 

[Thecomicbookbroad]

Kartel sped on, sprinting with new found incentive. On he ran, past his destination and finally coming to a stop, falling to his knees and tearing off his jacket with labored breaths. His brow wept as he examined the slash where Ares’ blade had nearly stuck him through.

His limbs shook and he came to rest with an uneasy sigh -- shifting eyes as wide as saucers.


Too close.

It was too close.

“Someone come and get me” he comm’d, using his hat to fan himself.

When a reply was not instantaneous his tone grew harsh.

“Someone get me now!” He shouted.

And again

“Get me out of this trash heap!”

The reply came with a weary affirmative.

The brush with his mortality had left the Clawdite shaken, for the first time he was aware of his foes fury and the likely hood of his own demise in the process of seeking it out.



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Ashes awoke with the throbbing ring of agony muffling her senses. Blinking her way to the closest thing to clarity she would have for several hours, a small whine escaped her throat. With a grumble of low twi’lek she attempted to sit up, flinching as her fingers ran over the soft swell of her head’s base and found a welt.

 

[T.J]

" Atta girl! " Ares said as his daughter came to. He suddenly realized that loud noises would probably hurt her now bruised brain, so from them on he kept his voice as low as possible.

" We gotta go Ashi, I gotta get you back to the Pride so you can rest. "