The Hunter's Gathering: The Competitors

I don't own star wars.

Not too long after being caught in the act by Urai, I was forcefully pushed by a now fully dressed Yura into a new room with a massive holo table in front of us. Urai glared at me, arms crossed across his armor.

I sighed apologetically, "What?"

"…Just making sure you're wearing pants this time…" he noted coldly, turning the holo table on. He briefly glanced at Yura but immediately blushed and coughed, "Are you joining us Yura?"

"No, I think you two have this covered…" she said, smiling innocently at him. "I need to take care of something anyway so I'll be back later." She waved us off and shut the door behind her as the holo table displayed a 'boot up' sound.

"So you've been signed up. Everything has been taken care of…" Urai said professionally, "You'll receive your tracker device once you arrive at the Gathering's private ship orbiting over Nar Shaddaa."

"A tracker device?" I asked, it was the first time I heard about it.

"Yes. When out on jobs you must be wearing it for it to count to your score." He said nodded, "It won't count if you don't. It will be activated as long as it's attached to your body." He gestured to my belt, "Just buckle it to something. And try not to have sex with anyone with it on you…" he added a little sourly, "It'll record the event and I don't think you want to share that with everyone…"

I smiled, "You are not wrong…"

"Also, if for some reason you manage to get a hold of another hunter's device. They are disqualified from the competition and depending on whether they're alive or not will vary on their scores being added to yours…"

"So I don't have to kill anyone?" I asked, pleasantly surprised.

"I didn't say that…" Urai noted, smashing my hopes, "If they're still alive you only get half the points…" he said, "I do believe I said they encouraged it…"

"Fun…" I mumbled, I wasn't against shooting anyone but it was usually a self-defense thing. Other than that asshole Geeba, he deserved a slugthrower round to the face. "Anything else?"

Urai nodded, but he smiled, apparently, it was good news. "I have a friend in the Mandalorian clan on the council…" he placed a device on the holo table and various names appeared along with gambling odds. "She's given me a list on many of the other competitors and the odds on them winning..."

"How did you manage that?" I asked, giving him a knowing smile.

He actually returned it, clearing his throat rather proudly he added with quite a bit of dignity, "I've been known to talk my way into trouble as much as out of it."

"Urai you dog…" I smirked jokingly, but then I got serious reading some of the names. I didn't really see anyone I recognized, but then again the only other bounty hunters I knew personally were Isana, Blackjaw and Ozjin Knights. Bedlem probably didn't count anymore considering how much Short-round has fiddled with his head. "So who do I need to be worried about?"

"Well lucky for you…" he began, sliding his fingers on the table as a rather flattering holo picture of a slightly younger, healthier, and more intact-looking Ozjin appeared, "The two-time champion of the Gathering Ozjin Knights has decided to pull out of the competition and will not be defending his title; that's the good news."

"There's bad news?" I asked sadly, expecting bad news of course as and he nodded.

"The two-time runner up…" Urai began, sliding the picture away as Blackjaw Gryst appeared, "Is that Blackjaw is not only favored to win, but…"

"He fucking hates me…" I finished for him and Urai nodded his agreement with the statement.

"Oh so much…" he added, sighing as he watched my expression, "And with Ozjin out of the game he's going to be hungry for the victory. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to take you out immediately."

I rolled my eyes, "I would be surprised if he didn't. Got any ideas how to deal with him?"

"Other than shoot him and hope he stays down?"

"Hope he stays down?" I asked surprised, not liking the implication. "He's been shot before?"

"Shot, blown up, set on fire; Blackjaw is a monster…" Urai noted a little impressed, "Rumor has it Blackjaw became 'Blackjaw' by crashing a burning corvette full of marks onto Mustafar and crawled out of neck-deep molten rock…"

"Not helping Urai…" is said, staring at the image of Blackjaw in a new light, "…Fuck me…" I mumbled, "Seriously Urai how do I deal with him?"

"Avoid him, keep your distance, don't be in the same sector as him altogether…" Urai said with a sheepish shrug, "Or carry a scatter gun…"

"I got one of those…" I said, thinking on my slugthrower, "Well he can't be the only problem, who else do I have to watch out for?"

Urai sniffed and spun to the next prominent hunter, revealing a rather beautiful woman with purple hair and pink skin. A zeltron from the look of it, she had a humored smile and alluring purple eyes. "This is Lacroix." Urai said, "Do not let her seduce you. Touch you or… just stay away from her really…" He added looking at me knowingly, "She's not so much a bounty hunter as an assassin. She is exceptionally good at killing her targets at a distance, preferably with a highly modified sniper rifle."

"Oh. Joy." I said sarcastically, staring at her features thoughtful as I studied them… there was something about her that bothered me, I sort of recognized her but I just couldn't place as to where, especially since I've never personally met a zeltron before. "Nothing like the constant fear of a sniper to keep me on my toes…"

"Well good news about that is she won't kill you if she's not being paid to kill you." Urai added, "So just stay out of her way too."

"You're not exactly helping me deal with my problems Urai."

"I'm not here to help you deal with them. I'm here to warn you about them." He added sternly, "Plus I am giving you as sound advice as I can, considering the situation."

"Fine… fine, next please?" I grumbled, rubbing my eyes.

"Ah…" he said as a dangerously pretty looking pale bald woman with odd black tattoos around her eyes and mouth appeared on the holo table: I was distinctly reminded of a psychotic clown I once saw on the holonet. "This is the Varlis…" Urai noted

"The Varlis?" I asked a little confused at the way he said it.

"Varli-Ichi, Varli-Zwei, and Varli-Trei…" he said scowling at the picture of the woman, "There was a Rattataki warrior who decided to clone herself on Kamino. That was Varli-Prime, and a couple of decades later we have these three. Who through a loophole are allowed to compete as a team as long as they work together…"

"How worried should I be about them?" I asked, suddenly dwelling on the idea of cloning.

"Let me put it this way…" Urai said, clearing his throat thoughtfully, "When they felt their 'mother' couldn't teach them anything new they dropped her out of their ship around the Maw."

The Maw cluster was a collection of black holes near the planet Kessal, it was not a good place to die.

"Okay this is just getting worse and worse…" I mumbled, "I don't suppose you have anything else to add about them?"

"Actually…" he said, "They might be easy to handle considering it's you…" I stared at him confused but he cleared his throat, "Try turning on the charm around them and figure out a way to tell them apart to turn them on each other. they might be sisters but they are fiercely sensitive about being clones. You might be able to get them to fight amongst themselves if you're careful. But it will definitely only work once."

I nodded, it was better than nothing really. "Anyone else?"

Urai laughed a little, "This guy…" a smug-looking togruta male appeared, "Is Alecinder Moray."

"Sounds fancy…" I mumbled, scowling at him, for some reason I knew instantly that I was not going to like him. Something about his face made me want to punch him, he had that kind of face.

"He's a low-powered jedi washout…" Urai said frowning, "He used to work for Torga until he started trying to use that mind-trick nonsense on everyone. Work, favors, women…" he sniffed disgustedly, "I heard the order kicked him out for bad behavior, good thing they at least caught it early. Will you do me a favor if you see him?"

"Sure." I replied.

"Shoot him in the balls…" he said, shifting to the next hunter, "I heard you have a talent for that."

"Well I do take requests." I said in stride, making a mental note. I did like Urai after all, he was like my only guy friend. "but any particular reason why?" I asked.

"He tried that shit on my sister Hira-ken." He said firmly, and that cemented it enough for me.

"Consider it done." One of the things Urai and I bonded on was a protective instinct when it came to our respective sisters. And while mine were older and could certainly take care of themselves; with a star destroyer or two. He was younger and could also take care of herself; with explosions and blaster fire… but that didn't mean we wouldn't exercise our rights as brothers.

"The last one I would be worried about…" he said as several other applicants went by, "Is this man…" a heavily scared and dangerous-looking Zabrak male stared intimidating at me on the table. "Never, ever, let him get close to you…" he said coolly.

"…That's kind of ominous…" I said softly, staring at how serious he was being. "Also phrasing might be necessary."

"This is Medon of Dathomir." Urai said firmly, "He's a vibro-blade master. He's killed more people with a bladed weapon than most sith warriors…"

"Oh Milky will love him…" I said sarcastically, studying the Zabrak's face intently as Urai walked around the table, "But at least shooting him is a valid…" but seeing Urai's hesitant face shook my head in disbelief, "Oh what now?" I asked with an annoying whine.

"He's a Zabrak version of Blackjaw…" Urai noted and my hands shot into the air in disbelief.

"Oh come on!" I groaned, "There can't be two living tanks in this competition! That's got to be against the rules or something!"

"Well to be fair he's not as… smart?-" he was hesitant, as if unsure that was the word he wanted to us, but he continued anyway just accepting it. "-as Blackjaw… he just does this for the killing, he's easy to trick and divert somewhere else. The problem is you have to get him confused first…"

"And he's a vibro-blade master?" I asked shaking my head in shame.

"You don't have to be smart to kill someone…" Urai said, rather sagely, "You just need to have the urge…"

I frowned as I began shifting through the competitors myself, studying their faces and burning them into my memory. "…So…" I began, shifting through the list and finding myself, letting my face show up on the table. "Going to put a bet on me?" I asked giving him a rather nervous smile.

"Torga is. A small one…" he said, ignoring my offended expression.

"What? Well thanks for the confidence Urai…" I mumbled sardonically, but in good humor, I didn't really expect him to gamble on me. Hell, I thought this was a longshot.

"Well the odds on you are 55 to one… especially since it's your first time. Nobody has won the Gathering on their first go." Urai said in a shrug, "Blackjaw is the safe bet. He might be bloodthirsty but he's a very powerful, very cunning animal when it comes to the job."

I turned off the table and sighed, "Well maybe I'll bet on him them… at least we'll win something."

"Well you won't win anything with that attitude." Urai scowled, "You at least have some backup… just try not to use them too much you'll get a penalty to your score."

We made our way out of the room just as Yura returned with a flat box under her arm. She smiled at me, "All done?" she asked, I kissed her forehead as she wrapped her arm around me.

"Yep." I replied simply and added, "We're screwed."

"Oh, so nothing new…" she said smiling, before winking at Urai. "Thanks a bunch, Urai…"

Urai seemed to have gotten over his embarrassment at seeing Yura naked and shrugged off her praise good naturedly. "What are friends for?" then adding a little pleadingly, "But seriously? Pants… please have pants on when you talk to me."

I stared at him skeptically as I squeezed Yura's waist, "You hear that? You'd think you would get a thank you for the show…"

Yura rolled her eyes as Urai cringed, "Yura is fine…" he said glaring at me, "I just don't like seeing my friends post coitus…"

Yura laughed lightly as he walked us out, "Okay Urai don't have a fit… we'll try harder. Maybe you should get a girlfriend and lighten up."

"Actually Urai is quite the lady's man." I added smugly, "Talked his way into some prime information from the Gathering's council…"

"Ooh fancy…" Yura replied teasingly, "You promise her dinner and dancing?"

"A hefty bribe…" Urai said firmly, but smiling mysteriously at us, "She is fairly open when given the right amount of credits."

"Aren't they all…" Yura nodded sagely before giggling childishly at her private joke as he waved us off from Torga's office. "See you later Urai!" we waved together and made our way back to the Rebel as I stared at her box.

"So what's in the box?" I asked, but she waved off the question.

"It's a surprise. Just wait until we're back on the ship…" frowning at that we carried on in silence, enjoying our stroll together.

We entered the Rebel to find Milky, Baleen and Scarlet hauling in supplies as Yura turned and handed me the box. "Here you go…" she said smiling happily, "You're going to like it…"

It was a new coat, and it was a scarlet red color… I tossed it on, feeling complete. I stood there feeling like a new man and held my arms out at them, presenting my completed ensemble "How do I look?"

The response was less than encouraging.

"I don't know if it works in red…" Scarlet noted thoughtfully, eyeing the coat as if it offended her.

"It does seem to be… colorful." Milky said, also sounding unsure. "I don't think it will send the right message."

"It goes with his hair!" Yura defended her choice firmly, "And when he gets shot they won't see him bleed." She added practically as if we were supposed to like that idea.

Baleen however seemed to settle the matter despite the vote of opinions being tied. "It works with the ship…" she said firmly, easily hefting a crate of food on her shoulder, "'The Scarlet Rebel', right? Now it can be referring to Aiden instead of a one-night stand…"

"Hey!" Scarlet replied, carrying her own armful of snacks after her, "I resent that!"

"Ladies love the coat…" Baleen added rather smugly.

I sighed as the girls wandered away, rigorously debating what essentially boiled down to nonsense as I wrapped my arms around Yura's waist and kissed her, "I like the coat…" I whispered, leading her to the kitchen, "Although your reasoning could use a little work… especially after I tell you who we're up against…"

End of Chapter.