"Enter the Rogue;" The Training of Xano Mettengar [BHG]

[n2crimson]

The “Archblade’s” defense systems shut down as Xano put the computer on standby. The reflection of the display faded in his oddly colored lime-green eyes. Xano had been wandering the galaxy for around a year now and was almost 18 years old. Almost an entire year of solitude, at least, he was alone on the inside. To this day he doesn’t understand the fit of rage that had caused him to murder his own father. He guessed it was because of the response he got when he arrived …

The ship he had built with his own money would suffice for now since he only had to travel to the nearby asteroid belt. Xano was overcome with grief after the death of his mother to the hands of one of those upper class bastards. The man thinking he could simply get away with whatever he wanted to do to her now lay dead in the slums of Arkania’s dirtiest streets. Xano thought it suited him since anyone that trashy and hateful belonged there.

The asteroid belt drew closer in the cockpit’s frontal monitors. Xano had as a last resort come to find his father who had abandoned his entire family for research. While analyzing the fields Xano noticed as one of the larger asteroids turned a station appeared on its surface. Xano prepared to land and mentally noted the location. No outer defenses??? Hmmm… Xano easily entered his father’s lair.

Endless corridors awaited him but somehow Xano where his father waited. As he walked the corridors he began to wonder why his father needed this much research space all to himself, it seemed such a waste.

Then it had happened, the confrontation. Xano entered the room and saw his father, Golgi, bent over a holo-screen. “Father?” Xano asked as he entered the room. Golgi turned and lifted his eyes momentarily to gaze into his son’s face for a second then turned back to the screen saying, “I don’t have time for you right now I am in the final stage of my research.” Xano, keeping his cool said, “Father, you are all I have left… Mother is dead, murdered,” a bite of contempt at the end of the statement. Silence filled the room as Xano waited for a response.

Finally, Golgi uttered a “Hmpf…” of apathy and continued to stare into the holo-screen. By now rage had surfaced and Xano’s body began to shake. “My Mother, the only person to actually take care of me was raped and murdered and all you have to say is ‘HMPF’?” Xano began to stalk closer to his father’s unprotected backside. “You abandoned our entire family for your stupid research and you don’t even care enough that I came all the way out here to find you and ask for your help!”

Golgi once again muttered, “Please leave I need to concentrate right now.” Little did he know those would be his last words, a second later a metal bar collided into the back of his skull, crushing deep with the force behind the blow. His body twitched as he urinated on himself and the gray matter from his head splashed across the room. His body fell to the floor and revealed the computer screen he had been looking at…

Just then a notification of an incoming transmission came over the com-receptor in Xano’s helmet, awakening him from his thoughts. The Jericho appeared shortly afterwards and Xano prepared for what he was about to face.

 

[Arm514ve]

Shawn was on the bridge of the Jericho wait for the arrival of a new trainee that was supposed to be arriving soon, he was tinkering on what appeared to be a busted console that seemed to have no function what so ever when a bleep on the ships sensors picked up a incoming ship, he walked over to the com console and hailed the approaching ship. "This is the BHG ship Jericho to unknown vessel you are on an approach vector please state you’re business or you will be fired upon." Shawn said as he stared at the vesal and didn’t recognize the ship design.

 

[n2crimson]

The voice buzzed in Xano’s earpiece as he immediately replied in his cold raspy voice, “I believe I have business here, this is trainee #3472 Xano Mettengar.” Knowing he would face imminent danger if this didn’t register he prepared for evasive maneuvers, he was after all one of the best pilots on his home planet.

 

[Arm514ve]

'Ah finally' Shawn thought to himself. Waited a few seconds and then said "land in hanger three. Follow the navigation beacon and land, oh and don’t stray to far the defense turrets are a little testy." Shawn then started too headed down to the big hanger near the bottom of the ship.

It would take him fifteen minutes to reach the hangar from the bridge twenty if he decided to gear up ‘ah what the hell I’ll let the trainee stew for a bit’ Shawn thought ass he went to get his gear.

 

[n2crimson]

Listening to the voice’s instructions Xano punched the nav-points into his ship’s computer and began his decent, noting the odd change in the man’s tone. As he made his decent he also took note of just how high-tech Jericho’s defenses were. “Hmmm… not bad,” he stated looking at what appeared to be larger versions of his own auto-turrets. He powered down the photon blade at the bottom of the ship and unveiled his landing gear.

Before he could take note of anything else he was inside the bay. Eager to get out and stretch a bit, Xano hopped from the cockpit and made his way to the storage area in the back of his ship. Pulling out all of his various equipment he began to notice the stark quiet of the bay he was in. Looking around he saw that most of the area was completely empty.

Shrugging it off he continued to unpack cutting his finger on the edge of his rifle’s case. Every time he received an injury like this he always enjoyed watching his body patch itself back up. His finger’s fibers seemed to immediately rejoin and a small pink scar remained. It would disappear just like the others within a few hours.

 

[Arm514ve]

Shawn stepped off the tubolift as he just finished putting in his contact and holstered his dual custom pistols in his back holsters. He stepped out and approached the ship that just landed which looked like a bird of prey that was landed in its nest. He approached the man that was near the loading ramp of the ship. Shawn pulled out his data pad from a pocket on his waist, and looked at some of the files there till he found the training file. “Xano Mettengar, I presume, I’ll be you’re trainer this fine day, or is it evening blasted space can never tell, any way nice to meet you my names Shawn Mac’ Neal.” Shawn said extending his hand to gesture for a hand shake.

 

[n2crimson]

Turning around Xano, shook the man’s hand saying, “Hello Shawn, I can’t wait to get started.” Xano was feeling a little more excited than he usually did. As he looked into the man’s eyes he took note that the man was wearing one contact. His excellent sight could pick this oddity up immediately. Putting this in the back of his mind he asked, “So what are we doing first?” Xano was aware that there was more to this man than what he first appeared to be.

 

[Arm514ve]

"Hmm lets see first thing is the.... Paper work." Shawn said tilting his head in a thinking fashion and started walking back towareds the turbolift. "Well come on best to get the dam paper work out of the way first before we get to the fun stuff." Shawn said with a devious smile, and waited for Xano to get in the lift before pushing the button to deck five where his his office, is. when the doors opened shawn steped out and motioned Xano to follow him. "this way please," they walked down a few halls till they came to the door at the end of the hall. "Oh and sorry for the strange room configuration, always whanted an office like this." Shawn said as he opened the door, and sat down behind the desk and booted the computer console on the desk.

 

[n2crimson]

As they both stood in the small confines of the turbolift Xano began to wonder just what the BHG was truly about, he didn’t want to kill just for money, he wanted to kill the wrongdoers and help the righteous continue on their path. He wanted to use his skills to help those who needed it and any money he received from his tasks could be used to support various causes. He wished to strike fear instantaneously in the eyes of the evil ones and he wanted a name for himself.

Xano turned towards Shawn when the lift doors opened to a hallway. Shawn then led Xano to a strangly detective looking room, almost comical... “So, what’s with the getup here?” Xano asked, smiling as he scanned the room. He then spotted a nefarious looking device in the corner of the room it looked to be a micro cam, one of the ones no one is supposed to be able to see, unfortunately Xano could see almost everything…

Xano was beginning to have less and less trust with this man as he kept noticing a quick smile come to his face several times. He couldn’t hear what was being said on the intercom unit cleverly hidden in Shawn’s ear but he had spotted it. But keeping his cool, Xano swiftly sat down in the chair he presumed was his and waited for Shawn to sit at the desk in front of him.

 

[Arm514ve]

“Well like I said I always wanted an offices like this if you had shown up a little latter I would have had the fake window installed and it would have been complete, well anyways let see, here.”

Shawn brought up a file that was very descriptive information on him, “hmm let’s see here was it F four or F three..... aah there it is.” Shawn said just stalling for sometime and to see Xanos reaction to his apparent incompetence.

“Ok first question have you ever enjoyed killing people? Innocents or otherwise?"

 

[n2crimson]

Xano was growing a little impatient with the man Shawn, but he could tell there was something he was missing. He knew there was something going on behind the scenes and could tell by the slight perspiration gathering on Shawn’s face something was about to go down. Xano’s guard was up but he kept his cool for a little while longer, he didn’t intend to let Shawn know that he could feel that something was about to happen.

So, when Shawn asked, ”…have you ever enjoyed killing people?” Xano’s immediate response was, “I only enjoy killing those who have wronged me or others… innocents…and even then, enjoy is a very vague word.” Xano waited for Shawn’s response to his cold and direct answer. The harshness of his voice had filled the walls of the room and the atmosphere seemed different.

 

[Arm514ve]

“I see...... so do you feel the same for what you did to you’re father?” Shawn said putting his elbows on the table and folding his hands in front of his mouth in thinking and curious manner like watching an entertaining play. “Will I have to worry about you’re, how do I say murderous intent on a mission, that could jeopardize anyone or you’re self if you’re on a hunt?"

 

[n2crimson]

Sharply looking down after hearing Shawn's words, Xano once again was filled with regret. "I wasn't myself when I did that."

Xano waited a moment to continue, then raised his head and in a commanding harsh tone answered, “I, just like all else, have committed my sins. No, I will not jeopardize a mission due to arrogant or ‘murderous’ mistakes. All I have to say is that my father died due to his lack of compassion, the others died from their own sins, I was just the one who happened to help those who needed to atone for their sins pay their dues."

The anger in Xano's voice left as abruptly as it entered, "What is the next question sir, unless you want to continue on this one?"

 

[Arm514ve]

"Thats good to hear," shawn said leaning back in his chair and typeing in his response.
the next question is "are you or have you ever been involved with any illegal activities that could bring trouble to the guild?"

 

[n2crimson]

Xano thought for awhile then answered, “You should already know, shouldn’t you?” Smirking and turning away from Shawn to look at the bookshelf again, “You already know things that not even my own local planetary police knew.” Turning back again to face the man across from him Xano responded again in a cold authoritative undertone, “I know it isn’t my turn for questions yet but I really am curious to know how you found out about my father’s death.”

Looking deeply into Shawn’s eyes Xano waited patiently for his response knowing his question might have taken Shawn by surprise. He also studied the contact again looking for maybe a microchip hidden within its surface, he was still wondering why he was only wearing one contact.

 

[Arm514ve]

Shawn smiled, "well it’s not really me who knew, the guild leader has one hell of an information network that not even the republic can match, files on new recruits are extensive to say the least, and if you're lucky you'll meat him, though..." Shawn cringed at the remembrance of the busted ribs, and then noticed Xano was starring at him quite a bit. "What’s wrong something bothering you about me you seem to be staring into my eyes allot got a crush on me or something?" Shawn said laughing "well if not onto the next question then.”

 

[n2crimson]

Xano had lost patience on the subject of the contact and unwillingly blurted out, “I was just wondering why you were wearing only one contact, I couldn’t see a microchip in it but…” realizing he had said too much Xano said, “Yes the next question would be just fine…” Laughing nervously Xano looked down, swearing in his thoughts, You just had to mention the fact that you can see almost everything, great going genius! He doubted even the great BHG overseer had known that wonderful fact.

 

[Arm514ve]

Shawn laughed a little bit at how nervous Xano had gotten when he asked about the contact and blurted out info that wasn't on the file, the file ended on that he was enhanced by nanites but not what was enhanced. And Shawn took note of it in the file, about the increased vision. "Must be nice to be able to see everything, thanks to those nanites. Oh and sorry about that." Shawn as he took out the contact revealing his two different colored eyes. "Its a little security measure for myself when ever where near or on coruscant, because I'm listed as dead. Anyway moving on, Would you be willing to forsake a hunt to save a fellow guild member?"

 

[n2crimson]

Still a little angry at himself for giving away secret information, Xano fumed a little while before responding to the question. After calming back down again, Xano found himself actually beginning to like the man, as a friend. His nonchalance and his carefree spirit caught on quickly and created a feeling of goodwill throughout the room, but there was something else, a commanding force behind that good will, driving it and directing it.

Xano knew not to underestimate this man in battle, although now he hoped he never would have to initiate one himself. He only wanted to befriend the young man Shawn and he hoped his own anger issues never got in the way.

Musingly Xano replied, “If someone, any good person, guild member or not, needs my help… they will have it. It doesn’t matter who I am hunting down, it is always better to save good people rather than to punish those who deserve it. I suggest if you let me join your guild you don’t ever have me hunt down a good person unless absolutely necessary, you might find that they escape my grasp and my reach.”

Xano’s answer had been from the heart and he had told the whole truth on the matter, he hoped it wouldn’t jeopardize his chances at passing through the training process.

 

[Arm514ve]

"Good I think the same way though I have yet to see the guild take a bounty on families or normal civilians, were not mercinaries but some still see us that way, for targeting people for money." Shawn said with a smile, "though heres the real question for you seeing as how you're past went, I want you to be honest cause I can tell if you are lying to me. Actually there are two questions. First one what is a bounty hunters true purpose in a hunt and secound, Would you kill another hunter? Whether they did something personal to you or just got on your nerves?"