Pressures of the Underworld

[Number-75]

Rosa let out a low whistle and let the hammer drop beside her as the men surrounded the group. "Well, Ah gotta say, this is a pretty bad match up. Us 3 against the twelve of 'em. Well, Ah've faced worse odds and kicked more ass~ Four for each! Act quick!"

With that, Rosa spun around, pulled out her shotgun, flipped the fire selector to full auto, and fired at the guard closest to the entrance. The armor that was meant to stop so many different types of weapons crumpled like tinfoil before four 8 gauge slugs. Jumping back as a man with a very, very sharp looking sword made a slash at where she stood a few moments ago, she fired the last four shots in the magazines at the man. The first two missed him, flying off course and slamming into the wall of a building. The other two smashed into the man, one of them tearing the man's arm off while the other hit the man in the side.

Slinging her shotgun, she was about to pull out her revolver when an helmetless Wookiee smashed into her. She was sent flying and she landed a few good meters outside the tent. Coughing she looked up as she thanked the fact that the armor took most of the impact. She watched as the Wookiee slowly made it's way towards her. After taking a few breathers, she pulled out her revolver and emptied an entire cylinders worth of bullets into the wookiee and watched as the bullets penetrated the armor and the wookiee feel to the ground like a puppet with cut ropes. Coughing she reloaded the revolver and started to make her way back to the tent. Spotting another guard, she shot four bullets into the man's chest and yelled out. "Come on! Ah still got plenty o' bullets!"

 

[Phil]

LFN looked as two of the armored guards advanced towards him, backing up to a wall and raised is hands in alarm.

"Now now... we don't have to do this, please!"

He pleaded, thought it never worked on the guards and when they reached for LFN, he quickly ducked and rolled right inbetween them. Both his wrist blades shot out and he slammed them right into the exposed neck areas of the guards, then with a great pull yanked them out through the side. Blood splatted out over him and to the ground as the two fell to the ground, gasping and slowly died as LFN looked to two others, one going in behind Rosa.

Acting quick, he pulled out his sniper rifle, loading in a clip of anti armor rounds. He took aim at the one behind Rosa and fired a round that slammed right through the back of his neck and made it's way out of his mouth and out the helmet, dropping him to the ground as he saw one more guard coming at him. He did not have time to put up his guard though and received a blow with a sword that knocked the bounty hunter off his feet and into a wall. He was thankful for such strong armor, but he still felt the blow like anyone as he went to get to his feet.

"Ah... Rosa, My Darling, where have you been my whole life?"

LFN said, staggering some as the guard came towards. He had a surprise for him if he got close enough, one that he was for sure would make him want to jump out of his armor.

 

[Number-75]

Rosa let out a pretty audible 'Meep!' as the bullet fired by LFN cut the troublesome lock of hair on her head in half. Spinning around to yell at him, she noted the dead body that was now in front of her and another guard rapidly approaching LFN.

Sighing, she holstered her revolver as her right vambrace blade swung forward and she gripped the handle. Taking a breath, she dashed forward, headed straight towards the guard. As she got close, she dropped down into a slide, and went right through the man's leg, swinging her arm blade as she passed. The blade sliced through the armor, bodysuit, and castrated the man while more or less chopping off his right leg. The man began screaming a strangely high pitch scream as he dropped to the ground while Rosa stood up and stabbed the man through the visor. The blade penetrated the visor near instantly and it continued on through the eye, brain, and the back of the skull and helmet. After twisting the knife a bit, the man fell silent and Rosa pulled the blade out.

Flicking her wrist to clean the blade, she let go of the handle and the blade swung back into place. Rosa turned to LFN, a smile on her face, and she offered him a hand. "Well, it wasn't like he was gonna need 'em anyways~ So 'Darlin ~' do ya need a hand?"

 

[DeathToll]

Chaos had envoloped the street. The people in lines and the main street walkway were choked to a standstill. With no where to go, the mob was a shifting wall of screaming bodies around this one tent. And Kemp had frozen.

He didn't understand. He just wanted to give them their money and go. Sure, he'd seen corrupt men, evil men do such things for a greater cause or greater benefits.... but this was simply mad. And Kemp wasn't some all powerful Jedi either. He didn't even have a real lightsaber yet...

Kemp turned slowly as the men had begun swarming them. Rosa and LFN did their parts well, but in the heart of the tent Kemp had been surrounded. Two guards violently grabbed him. One ripped his credits away and the other tugged at his arm. They both grabbed hold of him astheir prisoner and held him before the Kaggle, who just sat there on his throne laughing.

Kemp had always thought himself a loner, one who coluld take care of himself. He'd always thought he could take on the world, no matter the obstacle. He hadn't realized the state of some things, how insainly lost some people were. What he beleived to have been gray was actually black and cold.

Just standing there with his two arms held on either side by the guards, another armored Trandoshian guard stepped around behind Kemp with a metal vibro-axe. Looking to the Kaggle, he was given the nod, and the Trandoshian lifted the axe to bring it down hard.

 

[Phil]

LFN looked ahead as Rosa brutally eliminated the one who had knocked the wind out of him, smirking as much as a Rodian could under his helmet at the sight. Looking to the hand extended to him, LFN quickly grabbed it and pulled himself to his feet fully as he patted Rosa on the shoulder.

"Much appreciated, though apologies on the hair, I'm fairly certain it'll grow... back..."

He said, stopping almost mid sentence when he saw Kemp had already lost and was about to be attacked by a trandoshan. Figuring they should step in, he looked towards Rosa.

"I'll take the one on the left, the right is yours."

LFN said, turning to the guard on Kemp's left, he used his jets to boost over to where he was, tackling the guard from behind to the ground. Slamming his wrist blade into his spine as he heard the scream, LFN used his free hand to aim his palm at where the helmet was and immediately fired the jet from there, keeping it steady as it quickly heated up the helmet the guard was wearing to the point he was being cooked alive inside it.

 

[Number-75]

Rosa nodded, a mad grin on her face. "Time ta roll Ah guess." Without saying another word, she pulled her knife off the chestpiece of the armor, flipped it into her right hand in a backwards grip, and she dashed forward.

As the Trandoshan lifted the axe, Rosa jumped up, grabbed it with her left hand, and dragged it down, causing the Trandoshan to bend backwards, with it's head ending up behind Rosa's back and above her arm. Without turning around, her right arm shot back and plunged the knife into the Trando's eye and twisted it 2 full rotations.

Without missing a beat, she preformed a spin kick, kicking the body forward and over Kemp, ripping the axe from the body's grip while leaving the knife in the body. As she finished her spin, she used the momentum gathered to let the axe fly forward. The axe flew, singing and spinning as it flew through the air, and neatly sliced the guard on the right.

As the axe embedded itself in a wall and the two halves of the guard hit the ground, Rosa dusted her gauntlets off, reached down and pulled the knife out of the eye, stabbed the Trando in the head a few more times before jumping on it's head. Finally, after turning the Trando's head to fine mush, Rosa turned her attention to Kemp, standing so that she could still see Ersatz from the corner of her vision. She stuck her hand out for Kemp to pull himself up, a disturbingly large smile that revealed way too much teeth on her face."Well Kemp, buddy, still think the 500 credits weren't worth it fer protection from us? "

 

[DeathToll]

Kemp ducked down as the body flew overhead. The axe swung around and Kemp fell over as the blood spattered and rained around him. Looking up, there was Rosa's hand and a crazed bloodthirsty look on her face... Oh wait. She was smiling. Kemp looked around to see the guards all but dealt with, then her words called out to him and he grasped her hand to help pull himself to a stand.

"YOU FOOLS!!! CAN'T YOU DEAL WITH TWO STUPID MERCENARIES?!? THIS IS MY WORLD! MY UNDERWORLD!!! I'LL SHOW YOU ...HOW ...TO DEAL ...WITH VERMINE..."

Mid sentence, the Kaggle began to show his true form; shredding the confining clothes of refinement and high class society, showing his rage form with glaring red eyes and and a beastial nature. The further he came to full rage form, the further gone his mind was ini the moment of a bloodlust. The little thing had ripped and torn into a throbbing mammoth of an animal, unable to tame or even focus his wild and murderous state. The tent fell over them, over those who still stood within the tent's reach, and what remained was the outline of a ten foot horned monster. It clawed and swung at the material, easily shredding it and roaring with nashing teeth. The Kaggle frantically looked for one of the remaining mercenaries and as soon as he made first sight of LFN, he charged forth with a tackling killer instinct and an intent to mutilate and impale the Rodian.

 

[Phil]

Once the guard was dead, LFN felt the tent had fallen over all four of them as he tried to get out. That's when he heard the thudding of something large, and he saw the small something from before was now a large something with the intent on killing LFN and anyone else. Thinking fast, he used one blade to cut open a large enough tear for him to get out and yelled to Rosa and Kemp.

"I suggest using your blades to cut yourself a way out, then get the hell off this as fast as you can!"

He spoke as he finished his cut. Then when the hulking mass was near, he activated his jets, first focusing one of his palms at the tent to catch the tarp on fire, then used the jets to fully jettison out of the fallen tent altogether and into the air where he would land outside the tent area. However, he hoped that Rosa had gotten the message to get out before the fire quickly spread to them, and eventually the kaggle in hopes of burning it in it's own tent.

 

[Number-75]

Rosa sighed as she watched the Kaggle changed into a beast. Pulling the axe off the wall of the booth, she held the axe in her right hand, her left hand grabbing onto Kemp's hand. As she passed the throne, she noted how the servant had since fled, leaving the chest behind. However, she didn't have the hands to grab it with her, so she ran straight towards the entrance, slashing at whatever debris got in her way while dragging Kemp behind her like a rag doll.

After a few very,very close calls, Rosa managed to get the two of them out of the tent with minimal scratches and burns. Taking a few breathers, she looked up and watched the tent burn, a slightly saddened look on her face. "Ya know, if my fourteen or so years at killin people has taught me anythin, that guy ain't dead yet. He's probably waitin for a bad moment to attack us." Rosa pulled her helmet off the backpack and put it on, taking a breath as it sealed. After making sure the suit was sealed, she took out her shotgun, pulled out the empty magazine, and slapped in a fresh magazine with solid AP slugs. Rosa motioned for Kemp to get out of the way as she hid in a door. "Ah suggest ya hide. Things just might get a lil ugly."

 

[DeathToll]

The Kaggle had desparately launched after LFN, to be consumed by flaming tarp and melting temperatures. It roared with enflamed and unfocused rage, only seen as a mass of tarp sparking and warping beneath the dancing fire. With no where to jump to, the fire began to burn itself out; and soon the struggling and crying Kaggle fell motionless beneath the tent.

Kemp struggled behind Rosa like a child, unnable to see much beneath the commotion. Though they were safe, Kemp's mind was on one thing. Only too late, he noticed the chest as they neared safety; and just for that instant he saw it, as the crinkling tarp fell over the chest and still burnt out.

"NO!!!"

Kemp yanked his arm free just as Rosa was reaching for her helmet and ran out the door for the burning tent. He had come all this way and couldn't think to wait until the fire burnt out. He feared for the chest's contents, the merchandise he needed to fullfil his promise to his Master. If he didn't create the lightsabers, he'd be a failure to the Jedi. In Kemp's eyes there was no other way than to succeed one hundred percent of the time, and right now that meant getting those goods within the chest.

Having blasted out of the doorway and into the still yet slowly burning out tent, Kemp landed just before the mound he believed to be the chest. Just as his feet impacted with the ground, the tent errupted with an unnatural scream. Kemp was sent flying and knocked the back of his head against a wall and collapsed there on his back, completely unconscious.

The Kaggle tore itself free of the tarp, screaming in enraged pain as some of the tent's material tore its furry skin with it. Spinning with his grip on the tent, the Kaggle through the tent aimlessly up into the air and went missing. Not a moment later, the still searing flesh of the Kaggle's melting skin went flying through the doorway to Rosa in a loud attempt to tackle her and begin wildly pounding her to a bloody mush.

 

[Phil]

Having landed on a lamp post and hung there as he gained his energy back, he saw Kemp run back to where he assumed the loot chest was. He watched as he was thrown back by the still alive, but burnt kaggle as it growled and ran straight towards Rosa. She helped him now it was his turn as he lept off the post, using his jets to propell him towards the kaggle as he stopped, flying until he landed in it's back. He had activated his blades, digging into it's back as he went to get a grip.

"Don't stand there! Pull off another of those headshots like before!"

He yelled, trying to get the kaggle's attention as he tried to remain on it's back.

 

[Number-75]

Rosa sighed as the beast tried to tackle her. "Y just won't die when we want ya ta, will ya?" Hearing LFN's warning, she ignored it and watched as LFN landed on it's back. Rosa picked up the axe in her left hand, held her shotgun in her right hand, and continued to wait.

As the beast charged forward, now only four or so meters away, she sprang into action. Rosa spun to the side, dodging the beast as it's charge continued to move due to inertia. As the beast passed her, Rosa used the momentum gathered to smash the axe into the beast's back, hopefully severing the spinal cord and placing the axe slightly below LFN's foot. Letting go she dashed backward as the beast spun around and smashed the ground she was standing on a few seconds ago. Stopping three meters in front of it, Rosa pulled her shotgun, flipped it to semi auto, and pulled the trigger three times in rapid succession. The three slugs found their mark, and tore the knee apart, destroying the joint completely. As the beast fell onto it's stump, roaring in pain, she flipped the fire selector to full auto and pumped the last 5 slugs into the beast's head, blowing it apart, and painting the walls, streets, and both LFN and Rosa's armor with blood and brain matter. The beast fell forward onto the ground, landing with a loud thud.

Rosa wiped the blood off the cameras on the helmet and took it off, letting out a whistle at the sight. "Make note, solid AP slugs work on midget werewolves. However, headshots ain't a good idea." She wiped the blood off her armor with her cloak before throwing it aside. Rosa peered over her shoulder at the crumpled tent and swore. " 'ey Len, Ah think we hafta dig pretty boy out o' the flamin ruin rubble an' ruin."

(OOC: If you don't want me to kill the Kaggle, then PM me and I'll edit/remove the message accordingly.)

 

[DeathToll]

The Kaggle slowly morphed back into its dormant form, showing off the wounds inflicted by the two all the clearer. It had been burnt alive, skewered, hacked, shot apart, and blasted to death. It wouldn't be known whether its final movements were due to its shrinking size or if he still had some rage left in him, but the body curled into a hunch on its side against the wall there; and moaned a final wheeze, even then sounding as a curse against his enemies. Its flesh was a mixture of torn skin and crisp melted tarp, all bloodied and peeled open. It lay facing away from Rosa, and probably for the best, for its face froze in a horrific state.

By now, the outside building's small springkler set had gone off over Kemp, waking him up. He blinked rapidly, still dazed with some blood trailed off the side of his left ear from the back of his small head wound. The tarp had been pulled away by the tapping of water droplets and settled over the chest before him. Kemp immediately shot up to his feet and darted forward, though also immediately falling to his face. Standing back up, he staggered over to the chest and dropped to his knees there before it.

His fingers lightly tested the metal casing as he recoiled sharply. It was still a little hot. Quickly opeing it, he saw everything inside was untouched by the happenings here. Lifting it close to him, Kemp looked up at the almost fizzled crowd. The strip was almost empty. All the tents remained, though much was looted or trampled, and much valuable items remained. Both credit boxes and items for sale lay out in their positions of business. Different and unique weapons lay out in their casing, valuable trinkets hang from their lines, and other rare things all wait there so lonely. But Kemp only wanted this one chest.

 

[Phil]

Once the beast staggered some, LFN disengaged after he felt he did enough damage in the back, releasing his grip as he came into a roll into the ground and onto his feet. Once he looked at the beast finally die from all the damage done to it, LFN cracked his neck as he felt the water dripple down onto him.

Turning around to face Rosa, he noticed Kemp rising in the back, then back to Rosa.

"I think he might be fine, though It may be interesting to see what he came back for. I myself am curious on what is in that chest he was eyeing."

He said, walking towards Kemp, over the burnt and damaged tent remains, dead bodies that had the expensive armor, gadgets and weapons and towards Kemp.

"Tell me, what did you expect coming here? You kids shouldn't come here if you can't even stand your own in these fights. What would you have done if you never ran into me or Rosa?"

It was obvious what would have happened LFN thought, but he had to wonder just what this whole damn trip was for that Kemp cared for.

 

[Number-75]

Rosa turned around and noticed how Kemp had risen from the ashes like a phoenix and she shrugged. "Well, at least he ain't dead. Anyways, Ah'll be, uh, liberating stuff. Be back in a sec~!" Rosa walked over to the dead Kaggle, picked up the Vibro Axe, brought it up above her, and smashed it downwards, decapitating the body and embedding the head into the ground. The head rolled away, exposing the face, but Rosa failed to react to it at all.

Rosa smiled her 'too much teeth' smile as she pulled the axe out of the ground. "Ah like this thing! Ah think Ah'll keep it! An' it's MUCH lighta then da hamma!" Taking off her backpack, she jury rigged a makeshift axe sling and made sure it was secure before looking around the abandoned street.

After securing a fair amount of credits, she made her way back to tent and managed to catch LFN speaking to Kemp, but only managed to hear the last part. She made her way over to the pair with a questioning look on her face. "So, Kemp, what's so important about this here place dat required us ta fight a giant beast an' about a dozen guards?"

 

[DeathToll]

"I'm not a kid!"

Kemp snapped back at one of the two who had saved his life more than once. Kemp clutched at the chest like it was his life, and it was. Though, he held on to it with a bit more lustful envy than he should've, and noticed then how he must have looked. Relaxing his stance and loosening his grip on the chest, he looked down at it and wondered how to answer back.

"I could've handled ...everything myself, if-if I knew this guy was gonna cheat me like this!! I can't believe this ...would turn out like ...all this?!?"

Kemp kind of rambled, realizing now how overwhelming this all had become. It was a lot more than he had expected things to be, and he wished he had looked a little more badass than he had. Really he didn't look badass at all. Really he had looked like a fool, some rookie kid that didn't know anything. He should've known better. Kemp berated himself, really blaming his time with the Jedi for making him so soft. But truthfully, Kemp had just been caught off guard.

"Never again. I'll be prepared -next- time..."

Kemp spoke with a hint of foreboding and impending doom, almost more of a promise that there would be a next time rather than a promise to be prepared -should- something like this ever happen again. Kemp patted the chest, trying to ignore any explanation about the chest's contents. He looked around and saw his pouch containing the credits he had intended to use for barter. Apparently it was torn away from the flames and kicked around, but never picked up. He looked back to the two body guards he had aquired.

"Well, -there's- all my credits. You're welcome to them for all your help. Between that pouch and all the stuff lyin' around here, I'm sure you'll be more than satisfied, but I should really get going. Thanks for all your help and all..."

Kemp had just about turned around to make a b-line for the nearest lift and get back to Tython's orbit. Creating his lightsabers was the only thing on his mind. As a young-minded Jedi, Kemp believed he'd be a force to be reckoned with once he had some real lightsabers; but today had instilled some insight for him. It was clear, though he'd never admit it, that it is a valuable thing to have friends to bail you out once in a while. He also, though in this moment was too excited about his soon to be created lightsabers to realize it just yet, had come to value the art of unarmed combat and would seek to focus more on that once he returned to the Jedi's teachings. There was so much on his plate and he couldn't wait to get started, whether or not he was done here. Somehow, even though he was saved by these two, he still felt that they were lawless beings that would one day have to face judgement; but it would not be him who would pass it. Kemp felt a bit of friendship with their company, but as he was he would never admit such things.

Catching his step, Kemp had nearly tripped. Stretching his eyes open, his surroundings became blurry then soon returned to normal. He winced and jerked his head left, almost shaking it outright. But he didn't realize the severity of his head trama, though he'd be fine. Kemp turned around to double check where he was, then saw he hadn't taken more than a single step.

"Thanks again!"

 

[Number-75]

Rosa watched amused as Kemp raved and ranted about his life and how he was prepared. She waited for Kemp to leave before she walked over to the ruins and picked the bag up, and removed 500 credits. After making sure it was only 500 credits, she threw the bag to LFN and stuffed the bills into one of her various pouches, took off her backpack, and sat down on a nearby bench.

Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out a large metal flask, two Thermoses, a spoon, a box, and a large metal mug. She poured whiskey and stimcaf into the mug. Opening the box, it revealed that it only contained sugar. She mixed it in with the whiskey and coffee mixture and then poured cream over the top. Taking a sip, she smiled sadly and sighed melancholically. She packed up the rest of the drink mixing equipment and handed the flask to LFN. "Whiskey? It's Corellian."

 

[Phil]

LFN watched as Kemp got what he came for and left, giving his thanks to him and Rosa before taking off in excitement. LFN only gave a nod to him as he gave a simple shrug and looked about the ruins he and Rosa were in. Once Rosa had got what she needed he caught the pouch and took what he needed in the rest, mostly to cover ammo spent, repairs and other expenses that he used during the mission.

Spotting what appeared to be a bag of sort near the chest, he took it and went to stuff anything that would not weigh him down but looked like it would fetch a fine price into the bag. Considering the circumstances, LFN would not be coming back down here for awhile, if at all and he would take what he wanted. Once he had what he needed, he tied and locked a noose around the top and put it in back of his armor next to his sniper rifle as he approached Rosa for the offer she had.

"Corellian, you say?"

LFN asked, selecting a setting in his helmet as the face plate lifted upwards to reveal his face while the lower part also lowered so the translator was just below his snout. When he spoke next it was in rodese, but the translator in his helmet was close enough so it came out in basic louder.

"Don't mind if I do."

He spoke, taking the flask he was offered and took a swing of it. Just the way he liked it too, right after the heat of battle at that.

"So what do you intend to do with your cut?"

 

[Number-75]

Rosa shrugged and kicked back, using the backpack as a foot rest, drinking from the mug occasionally. "Ah don't know. Ah'm pretty sure that Ah can get a fair amount o' loot from da abandoned stores an' what not." Rosa took another sip as she looked at the destruction of the street, the tent, and the blood still staining the streets. Something told her that she wouldn't be coming back here anytime in the foreseeable future. Finishing off the rest of her drink, Rosa washed the cup out with water coming from a sprinkler and put the mug back into the backpack, turning her attention to LFN after the mug was secure. "So, what are ya gonna do with yer share?"

 

[Phil]

Taking a last swing, LFN handed the flask back to his companion in this interesting journey to Underworld as the front of his helmet collapsed back to the way it was.

"First, I'll take my leave of this place before whatever enforcers are left decide to detain or execute anyone left. Once I'm topside I'll drop this loot off to someone who will pay good and look at the local bounty board."

He spoke, looking around as slowly the sprinklers started to die off as the fires were soon extinguished. Now there was just puddles of water under his feet, soon to be dirty from the burnt debris around them.

"I could not find anyone here with a price on their head, and that's my main income."