Pressures of the Underworld

[DeathToll]

[CORUSCANT]

Shimmering yellow speckles the skin. A pair of wide hazelnut brown eyes show freckled highlights with reflection, like windows into his soul; a burning determination for the future. The city world below looked so glorious. Though, what Kemp Aeschylos saw before him was nothing but the wrapped shell of an internal decay, just as the Palace was on his homeworld of Andara. So luminous were the walls, the pillars, and the statues that it was easy to forget anything outside of those walls. Well, Kemp knew what was outside of those walls. He had practically raised himself, amongst the grimy and blood-stained outcasts. Today would be no different. Today, as the sun rose over the landing pad Kemp's small transport settled on, he would seek to plummet out of reach of those magnificent rays of yellow and orange cascading off of crystal buildings.

Crystal. That was what he was here for. Having been practically given an ultimatum back on the Jedi ship 'The Will of the Force' over Tython, Kemp's Master, the Battle Master Augustus of the New Jedi Order, told Kemp that he would not train him without a real lightsaber... and that if he did not return successful within a weeks time, Kemp would not be training with him any longer.

It was obvious where to start looking, as Kemp had already been researching the treasured pieces of his prized weapons to come for some time now. Having double checked the systems in the Archives before leaving, Kemp had checked back with a vendor in the Underworld of Coruscant. The Underworld... Little was it known that a place deep below the surface of Coruscant, there was actually a market place coined 'The Underworld'. Kemp had come across it using his past criminal connections, using knowledge not circulated to even some of the dirtiest and more influential power mongers. Kemp knew about it. He'd almost missed it. But in his searches for lightsaber crystals, he had befriended an unnamed penpal who marked his messages with the name 'Ersatz'...

Ersatz was one of the creepiest types, and Kemp had yet to even hear his voice or see his face. Still, the offer was perfect for Kemp's situation. Ersatz was offering two lightsaber capable crystals as well as other hilt parts, all for a measly 2000 credits. Question after question led Kemp to believe that this vendor was offering a rare gem, and one of the hardest in the galaxy; as well as a crystal mined from an asteroid field. Kemp already had several parts, as well as something valuable to his personal life, which he intended to use for lightsaber parts. He had left them in a safe box, locked away in secret in the back of his one-manned transport; leaving it all parked on a platform high above the city, with a view of towering structures and a rising sun to warm it in Kemp's absence.

In total disguise, Kemp was not a frequent to Coruscant or its lower levels. Thinking on how fast he would be in and out gave him confidence that no one would even notice him. Wearing his usual clothes underneath: all black leather, except for a gray toned blue tank top that shown through the open-zipped chest and lifted collar, Kemp had tucked his training saber along with other blades of defense into his belts. Wearing unusual clothes over it all: two different layers of dark cloaks, wrapped scarfs and satchels, and dark thin fabric overlapped several times as a makeshift belt, he believed himself totally secretive and camouflaged to the environment coming. The only thing unusual about him would be his size, at a measly 5'4", and a yellow paper folded falcon, tucked into a pocket underneath only the first layer of cloak. He would attempt to sneak, blend, and utilize corridors to his advantage. Kemp expected this would take a good couple of hours just getting to the lower levels, he would make this happen within half a day at most. He was sure of it...

 

[Phil]

He felt the voice stop for now, but it would be back soon enough. He felt that it went away when he had slept, but he would lie to himself if his dreams had anything to say about them. LFN-452 still had some getting used to the voice that came from the helmet he wore on his head, all worth it for the high advantages it gave. When he tried to talk to the voice though, he rarely, if ever got a straight answer from it. For now, he would stroll through the under city in look for some targets that needed to be brought down.

As usual, LFN wore his black armor with glowing yellow lens and power cell in the center of his chest. His rifle and dual SMGs rested on his back and hips, and his dual wrist blades were holstered into his armored wrists. Perhaps today would be different...

His thoughts were interrupted when he emerged from the small shack he was resting in, stretching his arms some as only a few people were out and about on this street. One looked like he was dressed for winter, which did seem a bit odd. Perhaps he was hiding something?

 

[DeathToll]

Following the path of lifts and entrances, Kemp made his way towards what he believed to be the right way to the next level junction. It had been nearly a half hour of just stairs and lifts and Kemp was sweating profusely. Taking a moment to reach a wiping forearm to his well covered brow, his hood pressed against his face as he peeked over his elbow from the covered shadow at what he felt to be a pair of eyes watching him.

Kemp just now realized how little people there were around here. Each level seemed more run down than the last. But Kemp had expected this. He too knew the rot and decay of neglect. He too remembered the desperation of it, and turned his gaze away. He could not afford distraction. He could not afford failure. Kemp would reach the strip of the Underworld, now matter what.

Seeing the only path was down passed this person, Kemp lifted himself with confidence and began to walk towards him. Kemp would run if he had to. He'd make it. But he walked calmly still.

 

[Number-75]

Rosa downed another drink and looked around at the bar she found herself in. It's been quite a while since she had parted with Roran after discovering that the pirates, the one she had hoped to destroy and rend, in the name of vengeance for her squad, was a dead shadow of it's former self. Ever since leaving Guardian with Roran and picking up her new Armor, she had been wandering from planet to planet, trying to think of what to do with the rest of her life half of the time while spending the other half trying to evade capture. Sighing, she put on the hood of her cloak and put the helmet in her backpack and stood up, placing a few credits on the bar. "Keep the extra." Walking outside, she bumped into someone else who was wearing a cloak(Kemp) and stumbled backwards. "Sorry mist..... Hey, are ya ok mate? Ya seem to be wearin too much clothes for this place." She peered from under the hood, an orange lock of hair and a questioning red eye visible.

 

[DeathToll]

"Huah.."

Kemp's shoulder was forced in as he knocked right into the hooded woman. She was taller than him, but who wasn't; and he didn't have time to think. He grabbed the woman, starring at the man before him, and pulled her away into the alleyway. It was where he had intended to go anyway, seeing the old service lift sign above. Though he had stopped for a moment, he was a little paranoid and beginning to see the bugs noticing the body. He wasn't willing to wait and see what that man was like.

"That one's not right. I can feel it."

Kemp nearly shouted, his childlike voice declared fact like he was twenty years older. Kemp gestured to the lift down the way, strangely desperate.

"Come with me!"



((Sorry Phil. I'm in a bit of a hurry for this thread))

 

[Number-75]

Rosa stumbled forward as the person surprised her and dragged her into a nearby alley, her hood coming off while they were moving. As soon as they were in the alley, she pulled her right arm out of his grasp and backed up. Dusting herself off, Rosa pulled out her revolver and aimed at the person's head. "I swear, if yer one of 'em creeps, ya've gone and frakked up, cause this ain't some helpless dams" Before she could finish her sentence, the person spoke up, and immediately, Rosa snickered. That snicker soon turned into chuckling and before, long Rosa was laughing. After a few seconds, she cleared her throat and let out the last few chuckles before facing the man.......boy.......... manboy with a smile. "Well, then, I gotta say, this ain't the first time this type of stuff has happened to me. Well, don't seem like I got much to do anyways, so I'll humor ya." Hopping onto the lift she turned around and gave him a smile "Well, I don't know about ya, but where I'm from, we'd start our pardnaships ,no matta how brief and impromptu, with a handshake and an introduction. I'm Rosa Feraan, Hitman, Professional Soldier, Deserter, and now, Bounty Hunter. Pleased to meet'cha~" As she finished her introduction, Rosa stuck her hand out for a handshake, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, one that hadn't been seen or used since her last adventure with Roran.

 

[Phil]

Where Kemp went to look where LFN was no one, he had vanished from where he was. In truth he had cloaked himself using his stealth unit inside the armor, moving to another location as he sought to see what he could learn from this individual.

"No, of course not."

......

"It's just another sentient, probably something with his body heat."

......

"Fine, I'll follow for now."

......

LFN moved some in, uncloaking behind a pillar as he allowed it to recharge. He had just caught a conversation between him and a woman, another bounty hunter it seemed. Part of a guild maybe? Freelance like he was? Not his care really, but as he got closer he got more intrigued, as did The Voice.

 

[DeathToll]

"What?!?"

Kemp's head shook from beneath the large concealing hood, with a jerk of his spine at her words. Scratching the back of his head, Kemp's right hand needed to scratch harder and harder until it hurt in order to keep that hand from whipping out his training saber and attacking her.

"Hitman! Bounty Hunter!!"

But then Kemp had realized how little distance they had made from the man back on the street, and snapped a look back behind him... nothing. 'I guess maybe he wasn't as dangerous as I thought', Kemp wondered to himself before returning his attention to Rosa. Kemp reminded himself that he too had killed so that others could be free. While he stuck his story, not admitting to himself the real reasons he enjoyed the fight, Kemp pegged Rosa to be all right.

He stepped towards her with a cool warrior's strut, mostly a show he puts on, and got on the lift with her. Watching the lift doors shut, he stretched out a hand from beneath the layers of cover.

"..Sorry bout that."

Retracting his hand when the shake had concluded, and the lift doors were completely shut, Kemp dove his hands into the darkness of the hood and shoved it back off of his head. Brown hair, soft hazelnut brown eyes, tan skin, and a bit of fuzz on his chin; Kemp was a nineteen year old human, though looking more like a fifteen year old and sounding like a sixteen year old. He gritted smiled, ignoring her snickering due to his short temper and willingness to pop should he entertain those feelings.

"I'm Kemp Aeschylos."

He paused a moment, as the repetitive sound of passing levels also flashed a passing line of light across their faces, and thought about where he was going. He couldn't take her with him, could he? He was supposed to get in and out without anybody noticing he was there. If anybody realizes who he is? Kemp then decided to keep his being a Jedi a secret.

"Listen. When we reach the next levels, you can get yourself to safety from there."

Kemp turned to face the doors of the lift, then whispered under his breath.

"hows that for a brief partnership?"

 

[Johnnysaurus Rex]

If there is one thing that prospered in the seedy underbelly of ANY planet it was most definitely bars and brothels. CL1-n7 was just finishing up his latest trip to the former... with a nice right hook to a fellow patrons face that sent him flying back into the bar.

"take that you kriffing, racist! Make one more quip about my 'droid' eyes and you'll have to go to a hospital just to defecate for a week!"

Clint stormed out of the bar splashing what was left of his drink on to his mouth plate and donning his hat. Every damn place in the galaxy. He would come into an establishment with his hard earned credits and everyone would treat him with skepticism and laughs. Saying, "Someone like him didn't need to drink," or, "Quit sitting on the wooden stools." Clint could understand racism, but calling him fat?

Clint hit the call button that would stop or bring a lift to his level so he could get back to his apartment.

 

[DeathToll]

Ah. The lift finally settled. First the retracting mesh of claw-like doors slid horizontally away, and then the splitting vertical doors lifted and lowered away.

"Huh?"

Kemp was startled, paranoid to a figure standing there waiting for the doors to slide open. But then, Kemp realized what it was and sighed in relief.

"Oh.. It's just a droid."

 

[Johnnysaurus Rex]

Not a beat was missed when Clint drew his gun at the two in the elevator and he stepped in. Why?! Everywhere he went he had to be called a droid. Every day, every place, and every situation there was that one rotten bastard who would call him a droid! Sentient minds couldn't comprehend his race's existence without an identifiable heart, brain, or lungs. A sentient mind that was about to pain the walls of this lift.

Just as he was about to pull the trigger something bumped into Clint's leg. He looked down to see a utility droid that must be automated to make repairs in the area. This droid had been badly scrapped and parts stolen. Clint looked back up to the potential racist and holstered his pistol and tipped his hat in apology.

"Sorry, pardner."

 

[DeathToll]

Regardless of Rosa's reaction, Kemp had skid in front of her to try and shield her from the drawn weapon. Realizing what he had done, and possibly hinted at, he looked back at her to see what her reaction was.

"Sorry I.. WUP!"

Beginning with a whisper, he soon realized his face was in her chest and he quickly corrected himself with a lifting chin way faster than his earlier reaction to save her.

Realizing that he had not been shot, Kemp turned back to the danger; but to his surprise, it tipped its' hat and apologized. Kemp realized he did not have his hood on, and his embarrassed smile snapped into a stern readiness. Kemp relaxed and looked around the outside of the lift, then back to their greeter.

"Do you.. work here? ...I'm sorry, I need to be somewhere."

 

[Number-75]

Rosa smiled and shrugged at Kemp's proposition. "Well~ Ah've had briefer pardnaships. And quite a few that ended in gunfire~ Not that Ah've eva lost. " As soon as the conversation, she spent the rest of the lift ride chuckling.

When the lift opened and a droid stepped in, she was about to ask it for some directions when Kemp called it a droid and the droid stepped in and pulled a gun on him. Instinctively, Rosa's left arm swung forward, the blade swinging forward and the grip finding it's way into her hand. It stopped a few inches from the droid's photoreceptor. All the while, the smile never left her face, however it looked slightly more savage in comparison to the one she had before. When the droid put it's firearm away and started to apologize, Rosa smiled genuinely and let go off the blade grip and it swung back onto her armor's vambrace. "Sorry, Ah apologize for my acquaintance here's lack of manners mate." Only then did she realized that Kemp, in an incredibly stupid act of faux heroism, had decided to pull himself in front of her and when he turned around to apologize, he had somehow managed to get his head into her chest, despite the fact she was wearing a heavy cloak.

Rosa noted that he was embarrassed by his blunder and decided to tease him a bit. It'd "Well~ Ah didn't know that ya would've tried to go that far on a first date~ Hm~?" Rosa spoke in a slightly seductive tone before bursting out in laughter. "My gawd, yer almost as easy ta mess with as the last guy Ah traveled with. In any case, Ah should probably wear the chest plate instead of leavin it hangin on the backpack." Pulling a chest plate off the back of her backpack, she put the chestplate above her chest for a second before a slight hissing and clicking noise notified her that the chestplate was sealed properly. Looking at the datapad built into her left vambrace, she nodded in satisfaction when the datapad reported that the chestplate was installed properly.

Turning her attention back to Kemp, she chuckled a bit more about his constant embarrassment and slight social failings before clearing her throat to speak. "So where ya have to go in such a rush? Ya don't seem to be from round here."

 

[Phil]

((Alright, Deathtoll. I know you said you were in a hurry, but could you please wait for others to post before rushing ahead when another posts?))

Right in the corner of the elevator did LFN wait with his cloaking field on, only realizing it would not last forever for the elevator ride. Nearly as soon as the droid had called the elevator to itself and aimed it's gun at the couple, LFN's cloaking field turned off, revealing the black armored bounty hunter behind them in a corner.

"I really need to get this upgraded..."

He had nearly got his wrist blade ready before the droid had a change of heart and lowered his weapons. In return, LFN put his wrist down before he extended the blade and tilted his head.

......

"Yes, he is a bit... particular."

......

"Agreed. You look like a droid, but claim you are not."

 

[DeathToll]

((sorry Phil. you're right.))

"Hey!"

Kemp's back arched as he jerked forward at the realization of the weapon to his back. Though that too was lowered. He was running into more and more dangerous softies. This place was much different than his hometown's slums. Kemp lifted his hood over his head again, to avoid any other guest's awareness of his face, and looked back and forth to all who surrounded him.

"I.. I... HEY! You were gonna shoot me! And you were gonna attack me too!"

Kemp was ready to act at first, but realizing they were not currently threatening him, he decided to answer with a half truth.

"I guess I'm kinda lost. Any of you know where I can find the 'Underworld Strip'?"

 

[Johnnysaurus Rex]

Clint looked down to the control panel and pointed.

"You're heading to the level it's on, but beyond that I've no particular idea."

To answer everyone's question he bowed slightly.

"I am Cultural Linguistics 1 - model number 7. Its a family name. I ask you forgive my brash nature of pulling a gun on you. I thought you were insulting my proud race. To make it up to you I will escort you to your destination."

 

[Number-75]

Rosa tilted her head slightly to the side at Kemp's question and shrugged her shoulders, a look of confusion clearly on her face. "Ah don't know much bout this place either, Ah'm only here cause o' business, ya know, huntin down criminals and what not. Heck, this is ta secon time Ah've been on Coruscant. But hey, how about this, Ah help you with yer problem 'ere and all ya got to do is pay me about 500 credits. Ah need work anyways, and of all ta people on ta GA list o' wanted people, Ah only knew the whereabouts of three of 'em, two of which Ah'd rather not confront." Turning to C-L1-MN7, she tilted her head slightly as she tried to recall his full name. After a few minutes of thought, she frowned and spoke up. " 'ey, Cultural.... something....something, do'ya have a shorter name or somethin? It's kinda hard for me to remember yer full name."

 

[Johnnysaurus Rex]

OOC: Just wanted to throw it in.

"Clint will, suffice."

 

[Phil]

LFN tilted his head slightly towards Kemp, tilting his head down some, then turned back towards Clint.

"Minor details, Human. Turns out I'm in the same line of business your female friend here is in. It also turns out you are not a target that requires hunting, but it turns out that this is a... fairly interesting group that has formed."

Turning his full attention towards Clint, he gestured for him to join up.

"Very well then, Clint. Lead on, and perhaps if you are as skilled in that pistol as you say you are, I could make it worth your while."

It was almost hilarious that he was treating a droid like another person, but maybe Clint was just different.

 

[DeathToll]

Kemp's eyes shifted still, back and forth from one gunslinger to the next; and it seemed he had looked out, running into more honorable bounty hunters ...at least for as long as they were ignorant of his Jedi affiliation. Kemp sighed some relief, though his facial expression covered any doubts he had about this group as his hand secretly shuffled through his pockets. Kemp had a -lot- of credits on him in preparation for this day, and he knew it would be best kept under the radar or things could go south.

Turning to Rosa, Kemp answered with his poker face.

"I think I can manage that."

Looking back to the droid, erm.. guy, Kemp thanked him from underneath his hood with a nod; happy to hear the other bounty hunter claim incentive for Clint. Though Kemp was only planning on paying his vendor 2,000 credits for the lot, he didn't want to waste the rest that his half brother (Tristian-Ambrose) had given him. Though more out of pity and sure belief that Kemp was beneath him and to be a failure of a Jedi, Kemp would take the money of his mother's husband and use it to further his goals of becoming a full fledged Jedi.

Kemp stayed pretty silent as this irregular group began its journey to the Underworld, dwelling on his thoughts of somehow ditching them when first he could. Little did he know what dangers awaited him in the underbelly of society. Kemp was not so easily fooled, but neither was he overly suspicious. As far as he knew, this day was to be a walk in the park; and frankly, he thought it sadistic that he'd have to pay some bounty hunter to hold his hand like some child. If anybody called him a child... he'd loose it. But Ersatz was not as innocent a penpal as he seemed. The slimiest beneath the scum of the earth, Ersatz' genius paled only in comparison to his appetite; which usually was more than he could chew. Having planned something special. Though playing the ignorant, Ersatz would welcome Kemp in to do business... should they ever find their way.

Before long, if Clint knew where he was going, they would reach a barren waste land; deserted and broken, frozen in this state of poverty and despair. Of course, this was in actuality the exact place where they'd find a hidden entrance to a secluded street that spanned several blocks long and bursting with the goods of the underground and the illegal.

Of course, it was hidden. Kemp didn't know where the entrance was. He was given a bit of a description, but a written detail is nothing when faced with the real thing.