"Hunted"

[Mei]

"Hunted"

The Oasis Lounge
Dune Sea, Tatooine

Evening shadows were starting to cast over the courtyard of The Oasis Lounge, and Keiko’li Ogasawara had spent her day lounging around the pool, listening to music, and browsing the Holonet. At just nineteen year of age, she was just now reaching her rebellious stage in her life, and was glad her father, Ke’rii Ogasawara, was off playing hero to the Empire. For starters, he’d probably give her grief for wearing a bikini. But that was the least of their arguments.

The last time they spoke, they had a huge disagreement about Keiko’s boyfriend. Naturally, her father hated him. And that was part of the reason Keiko was still with “Tank”. Yes, he called himself “Tank” and when Ke had asked her if she even knew his real name, she had stormed out of the house and flew off to Rishi.

The truth was, she actually didn't know Tank’s real name, but, like her father, she was too stubborn to admit it. The fact was, Tank was the “bad boy”, the boyfriend that would give her father grey hair and stress lines. Keiko didn't necessarily think Tank was all that bright, but he was cute for the bad boy that he was, and she was more than happy to make out with him when she knew her father would find out.

Tank was jobless, for the most part, but he had a crummy ship, and sort of knew how to fly it. Keiko was a far superior pilot than Tank. She was better at a lot of things compared to him. Slicing, managing money, engines, even handling a blaster.

Of course, Keiko neglected to tell him that she had been at Fixer status with Sith Intelligence awhile back. In her alone moments, she felt guilty for falling out of the job. Perhaps another reflection of her father in her, though she did have a lot more, open, respect for Moff Heermann than her father first displayed.

She sighed at her thoughts. How did she let stupid, teenage, rebellion get her so far removed from Sith Intelligence? For all she knew, she could be off at Iokath too.

But alas, she was travelling the galaxy with Tank.

A soft beep on her datapad caught her attention and she reached over to the table, moving her glass of Ogasawara Blossom wine to the side. She looked at the incoming message…. It was from Ke’rii, and it started by addressing her as “daughter”.

“Shit,” she mumbled, sitting up to read the message in its entirety. It was never good when her dad simply addressed her as ‘daughter'.

Daughter-
In no way is it appropriate or acceptable to treat patrons of the Oasis Lounge as unequal to any other client. Be they: Sith Purebloods, Humans, Chiss, Twi’leks, and even ‘snotty Zygerrian princesses’. All are to be served and treated with respect and equality. I don't care what you think of them, they will be welcomed at the Lounge. It is a great disappointment that I even have to tell you that. Whether your message was meant as sarcasm or not, you know better.

Additionally, and effective immediately, we are no longer offering free samples in drinks. There was an incident that nearly put me in the hole. Alara knows all about this as well, and I've informed Tutix.

Speaking of Tut, he is on his way back with the ship. Given the delay in correspondence, he should already be there. Tut is to resume his duties as Operations Manager upon his arrival. If anyone has an issue with this, please have them send their complaints to me directly and I will handle it when I can.

I want you to know that I, and your aunt Mei, are safe, and we don't want you to worry about anything. I love you and miss you, and hope you take care of yourself while I am away. You are a smart and brave young woman, and despite our recent arguments, I am proud of you.

Love,
Dad

“Message from daddy dearest?” came the snide voice of Tank as he hovered over her shoulder.

Keiko quickly shut down her datapad and looked up at him. He was dressed as usual, in worn out leather jacket that hung open to show off his ripped up shirt. He had knifes and a blaster strapped to his belt, and heavy, durasteel plated boots. His hair was dyed an almost orangeish brown and appeared to have just woken up. He took a swig from a bottle of Mantellian brandy and smelled of deathsticks.

Keiko smiled at him, but she was starting to see why her father hated him. “Have you even eaten anything yet?” her eye went to the bottle.

Tank plopped down in the lounge chair next to her and appraised the young woman’s exposed body. He grinned at her.

“Nope,” he took another drink.

“Did you pay for that?” she doubted it as she asked.

“Pfft!” Tank snorted. “I thought your old man was rich as shit, and ‘sides, aren't samples free?”

Keiko frowned. “Not anymore,” she reached across the table and took the bottle mid-swig. “And this isn't a ‘sample’.”

“Aw, c’mon Keik,” Tank whined. “We're livin’ the dream.”

By “dream”, Keiko thought, he meant leeching off her and her father's profits.

“You know, when Tut gets here, you won't be able to act this way--”

Tank laughed, again. “Right, like some jawa’s gonna tell me what to do.”

Keiko stared at him, reality sinking in. Dammit, she hated when Ke was right.

“But,” Tank continued and grinned at her. It was a sly grin, the same one that she was first attracted to, but now…. “... we're gonna be rich,” he finished and handed her a printout of a bounty alert.

Keiko watched him as she took the alert. She froze when she saw her father’s picture.

“Guy’s offerin’ 500 big ones for him,” Tank smirked. “And wanted alive, so it ain't like you gotta kill ‘im,” he ignited a deathstick and leaned back in the lounge chair.

“This is my dad,” she said, and looked to him.

“And for 500,000 credits,” Tank pointed out again. “Easy money. Alls you gotta do is call him here, and we take him in. Wham, bam, and we got ourselves some cha-cha-ching.”

“He's my dad…” was all she could think to say.

“Don't flake out on me, Keik,” Tank had the audacity to even speak of this idea further. “We take his ship, his whole little thing here, and we rule the underworld. Do you know how much one of those D5-Mantis ships run for in the black market? Shit, we’d never have to take a job again.”

“We're not doing that,” she said firmly. “He's my dad. We may argue, but he's a good man, and I'm starting to see why he doesn't like you.”

Tank rolled his eyes. “You are such a tool,” he mumbled, then looked at her. “A good man doesn't ditch his little girl for five years. A good man doesn't wait ‘til you're ten years old to finally start trying to be a father to you. A good man doesn't hightail it and run to hide under the Empire’s skirt when he knows there's a bounty on him. A good man doesn't-”

Keiko got up from her seat and walked away. If she had her blaster in her person, she felt she could've shot him. Her dad wasn't perfect, but he had tried to be the best dad he could once he found out she even existed. It wasn't his fault her un-loving mother didn't tell him about her until she no longer wanted her,

Ugh! Keiko could scream she was so mad.

It wasn't her dad's fault he got stranded out in wild space for five years. The quest for that ‘abandoned' fleet had gone south.

Keiko stormed into her father's office and locked the door. For a moment she stood there, looking at the room. Everything was as Ke had left it when he and Tutix left to aid the Empire.

If only Tutix were here. He’s certainly have Tank thrown out…

...Tut… he should be here by now, but he wasn't…. where in the galaxy was he…?

[Mei]

The Shengli
Zareca String, Wild Space
En route to Rishi
 
Tutix Kuwix sat in the pilot’s seat of The Shengli, which was usually reserved for his boss, Ke’rii Ogasawara. The seat had been adjusted to accommodate the jawa’s short legs and arms, by adding extensions and pulleys so the jawa could pilot the ship almost as well as the owner himself.
 
Not that Tut was anything like Ke, but the jawa loved the ship just as much as Boss. And what had Boss told him? Love keeps her flying. Tutix take care of Shengli, and Shengli take care of Tutix.
 
The jawa was working diligently. Constantly checking every monitor. Boss had given him a great responsibility to take care of the ship, and Tut was not going to let him down. He did everything Boss had asked of him. He ran the course Ke’rii had set for him that set him through several trade routes so he could pick up shipments along the way. An now, Tutix was on his favorite, the Zareca String which traveled straight to Rishi. It meant, he was almost home to Tatooine, but first he had the list Boss gave him of items to buy to replenish the stock at The Oasis Lounge.
 
A soft beeping sound caught Tut’s attention. He wasn't alarmed. When the ship was in trouble the lights usually went red and the alarms would scream. They liked to joke that it was Ke’rii’s “wake up” call. Tut thought of Boss for a moment, and how many times he had caught him sleeping in the very chair in which the jawa sat now.
 
Tut hit the green button that was slowly blinking. It was a bounty notification. Tut prepared, as usual, to forward the notice to Boss, but… his glowing amber eyes widened…. Wait a minute! The bounty alert was Boss!!
 
“Hrmm….” Tut hummed in thought. This hasn’t happened before. This was bad. This was very bad. In fact, it was super bad! And he was stuck in hyperspace! What if Boss was in trouble now!?
 
Quickly, the little jawa turned to the nav console and saw that he was maybe a standard hour out from Rishi. Once there, he would holocall Boss right away! Yes, Boss would know exactly what to do!
 
Tut looked again at the bounty alert, noting the name… Goruba Denk…
 
His eyes widened. “No-ooo…..” Tut whimpered softly in Jawaese.
 
Tutix remembered the meeting he and Boss had with Denk, and it wasn't very fun at all. Denk was a cybernut, quite literally. The guy had so many cybernetic implants in his brain he would often short circuit! Which could be both good and bad. For them, it was bad. And Dent was mean, cheated everyone, dealt spice, wanted to sell Tutix off, and Boss had decided to pull out of the deal.
 
Rightfully so.
 
Boss had a good head on his shoulders, though he didn’t always want people to know that, and had a very simple code in which he followed: Never leave your blaster at home, and never deal with short-circuiting cybernuts and spice dealers.
 
He had other codes, but there were the most important in this moment.
 
But Tut also knew that Boss had taken off with technology he had been hired to develop. After learning what Dent planned to use it for, Boss decided it was safer in his hands than in Goruba Dent’s.
 
And he was right.
 
A rapid, high pitched alarm sounded and Tut snapped a look at the console. The last time he heard that was at the Battle for Iokath! And that ended with them stranded in space before the Ziost Avenger heroically rescued them. Boss had been there at the battle, and now Tutix Kuwix was all alone. All by himself. Just Tut and no Boss! And no Bigger Boss to come to the rescue!!
 
Tut’s eyes bugged, and he nearly had to crawl on the console to get a closer look… yep… he was being targeted, and in hyperspace!! Was that even possible? He didn’t have time to think because it was happening! Panic was setting in and he couldn’t just run and hide under the stairs like last time.
 
Boss would know what to do, but not Tut!! So… what would Boss do?
 
The jawa thought quickly, and immediately turned on additional sensors that scanned the area. Strangely enough, the ship was alone.
 
Tut blinked.
 
But how could that be when there was an alarm?
 
Then the alarm started to beep more rapidly, and suddenly, The Shengli was ripped out of hyperspace! Tutix went tumbling and the entire ship shuddered and strained. For a moment, Tutix was certain the sheer force of being ripped from hyperspace would tear the ship to pieces!
 
But she held together.
 
Tutix scrambled to his feet and hopped into Boss’s chair. He peered out the window and saw a larger transport ship in front of them. He hit the switch to engage the ship’s shields, readying the ion torpedoes.
 
The ship before him was not Imperial, nor was it Republic. Tut ran an identification scan on the ship, and the ID came back scrambled, but Tut had been around Ke’rii long enough to recognize the signal as belonging to the Crimson Dread pirates.
 
More “friends” of Ke’rii’s.
 
Crimson because they painted their faces and clothing with the blood of their victims… and Dread because… well… everyone dreaded them.
 
If the Crimson Dread boarded the ship, Tut would be finished and they would be dripping in his blood.
 
But then… a thought… a memory resurfaced…
 
Ke’rii Ogasawara had more enemies than friends, and when the odds were often against you, you had “backup plans”. You embedded these plans everywhere. Your home, your office, yourself and your ship.
 
The comm crackled and a gruff voice came over the intercom.
 
“Ke’rii Oga-sa-wara…” the pirate said Boss’s name slowly. “Looks like there's a bounty on your head… at last,” the man chuckled.
 
Tutix frowned, eyed the comm and tightened his jaw. He recognized the voice as Kenneth Ogel, Boss Pirate of the Crimson Dread. He and Ke’rii went way back, back to when Tutix first met Boss.
 
“It's time I get my payday you lousy, dirty scum.”
 
A single, smaller ship could be seen leaving the Crimson Dread’s transporter ship. Tutix watched it for a moment, then ran to the door of the cockpit. He sealed the door shut, then went back to the console and pulled up feed from a security camera that was positioned in the hull.
 
He felt the Crimson Dread’s “capture” vessel latch onto The Shengli.
 
“You can't run,” came the gruff voice once again. “You can't hide, all you can do is die…”
 
Tutix strapped himself into the pilot's seat, his tongue slightly sticking out of the side of his mouth as he pulled out a smaller computer that was packed inside the armrest of the chair. He looked at the security feed and switched the view to a camera on the exterior airlock of the ship.
 
Patiently, Tutix waited, and lifted the security latch that was protecting a little yellow button from being accidently pushed.
 
“I've waited my life for this moment,” the Ogel spoke again.
 
Tut looked to the ship's sequencing and tapped a few buttons before looking back at the airlock.
 
“I think I'll start with ripping those cybernetics right off your pretty little face,” the pirate continued. “Bounty just said alive… didn’ say nothin’ ‘bout what condition I bring ya in,” he chuckled.
 
Five men were loading into the airlock between the smaller pirate ship and The Shengli.
 
Tut checked the sequence he had started, then looked back at the airlock. The men were starting their attempt to breach the ship.
 
Again, yellow eyes check the sequence. It was at 85%.
 
Back to the airlock. The warm light glowing from the attempting breach…
 
“Then,” Ogel continued, sounding all too thrilled to slowly torture Ke’rii. “I’ll take your ears… scorch your hair and burn an eye.”
 
97%...
 
Tut put his finger over the yellow button….
 
99.75%...
 
Tut’s tongue stuck out in anticipation. He eyes the button.
 
Then the pirates… they were almost there…
 
Glowing eyes on the sequence… 99.99%....
 
99.99%....
 
99.99%....
 
Tutix glared at the sequence…
 
99.99%...
 
99.99%...
 
Are you kidding me? Tut’s face scrunched.
 
99.99%...
 
... and finally 100%!
 
Tutix slammed his little finger on the yellow button and disengaged The Shengli from the smaller pirate ship, sending all five pirates to their death as the ship broke away.
 
“THAT WAS MY BROTHER! YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Ogel screamed over the comm as he watched his men fly out into the vacuum of space. “I’LL GET YOU--”
 
Tutix reached across the console and punched a large button just as the Crimson Dread’s ship began firing at him.
 
Tutix held on, and then...
 
SWOOSH!!
 
The stars turn to starlines as Tutix Kuwix made the jump back into hyperspace, escaping immediate danger.
 

[Mei]

Blood Hound
Crimson Dread Flagship
Zareca String, Wild Space

Kenneth “Kenny” Ogel, better known as “Bloodthirst”, slammed his fist on the console as he watched The Shengli detach from his smaller, capture’n’take vessel. He roared, screamed and turned blood red as he watched his little brother, Lenny, fly out into the vacuum of space. He punched the comm he had linked to the other ship’s communications.

“THAT WAS MY BROTHER! YOU SON OF A BITCH!” the boss pirate screamed. “I’LL GET YOU--” he closed the link with the punch of his fist. “KILL ‘IM!” he barked at his men who started to open fire at the D5-Mantis vessel.

Shots swiped the ship’s shields before The Shengli flashed out of sight and back into hyperspace.

Bloodthirst swung around and screamed at his men. “PUT A BOUNTY ON ‘IM!” he growled. “Five million--,” his blood boiled as he thought of Ke’rii Ogasawara. Ever since Tatooine and the sarlaac… “Make it eight!” he barked.

“Eight million, boss?” questioned one the pirate’s men, his voice hesitant. No one ever questioned Bloodthirst.

The pirate boss was right in the weakling’s face.

“Eight million!” Bloodthirst growled, his spit flying into the other's face. He held his glare before snarling as he turned and left the bridge.



Ziost Avenger
In orbit over Iokath

Captain Ke’rii Ogasawara was competitive, and even more so when he had a lot to prove. The other officers aboard the Harrow-Class Imperial Dreadnaught were years ahead of him. They had the constant training and conditioning that was required of the Imperial Military and they had the respect of Moff Heermann--which was something Ke’rii wished he could have.

He felt miles behind them. Yes, he was smart, he could pilot almost any ship, and he could handle a blaster like second nature. But he was known as a slacker, a dropout… a disappointment. He had a lot to prove. Not just to Heermann, but especially to himself.

So he woke early every morning. He ate his rations, ran his preferred route, worked out, sharpened his weapons skills, and arrived back in time as the others began their morning. Whether anyone knew he did this, he didn't care. His extra efforts were for himself, not for attention. He planned to earn his reputation honestly.

He showered, shaved, combed his hair and for a moment he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He wasn't about to get lost in the rank and file. His whole life had been selfish and a waste of his talents. His father, Hoban’ji, had been right all along. If only the man were still around, Ke thought as he buttoned his uniform. He ran his hand through his hair and gave himself a nod before heading back to his bunk.

A yellow light was blinking in his datapad. At first he was going to ignore it, but Tutix was on The Shengli and all alone. Who knew what situation the Jawa could find himself in. Not that he expected problems from Tut. In fact, he didn't expect any incidents. Tutix Kuwix was a trusted business partner and had run solo jobs for him before.

He sat on the edge of his bed and opened the notification. It was a bounty notice, of which he really had no interest in any more… until… the bounty was for him. Five-hundred thousand credits. Ke'rii wasn't even phased, especially when he saw the name: Goruba Denk. But 500,000... that was a lot... however... he could easily negotiate a payoff to any hunter who may come looking for him. After all, he had been known to bribe.

He deleted the notification as another one popped up.

His brow furrowed when he saw his face again and read the bounty. Eight million. Eight kriffin’ million credits for his head! He blinked.

This had to be a mistake!

“Kriffin’...” he mumbled. And by the Crimson Dread?! He re-read the notice…last seen.... Zareca String… “Zareca--” his eyes widened. “Tut…” shit, shit, shit. He sat in silence a moment. Should he call him?

“Ogasawara,” one of the officers called his attention and signaled for him to follow. “Don't get left behind,” he said and walked out of the quarters.

Ke nodded, but pulled out his holocom. “Tut, it's me. Call me when you are safe,” he clicked his comm off and looked again at the bounty.

He didn't like this. Not just the high price on his head, but naming his daughter, Keiko’li; listing his home, the Oasis Lounge, and his ship. He may be safe behind the lines of the Imperial Military, but what of the ones he loved? He knew Bloodthirst; knew him before he came up with his stupid pirate name. The guy was psychotic and would go to any lengths to get his head.

What the hell had happened out there on the Zareca String?

He tossed his things into his footlocker and forced his mind to focus on the job he had to do with the Fourteenth.

Be sure to read: "The Hunter" by Kremon

[Mei]

The Shengli
Abrion Sector
Planet: Kowak
 
Tutix Kuwix landed The Shengli off her initial course Boss had pre-set. It happened rarely, but there were protocols in place for instances where a high credit bounty was placed on Ke’s head, or if the ship was in trouble. Usually, Boss would have made three different hyperspace jumps, but Tut was terrified and not as clear headed as him. He made one jump, but it was enough to make a quick escape from the Crimson Dread Pirates.
 
The Jawa skipped Rishi entirely. In fact, he would not be going there at all. Ke’rii frequented Rishi, it was well known he did business there for The Oasis Lounge, and there was no way in all the stars Tutix Kuwix was going to get stuck in the crossfires again!
 
Instead, Tut made his way to Kowak. It was still close to Rishi, and still close to Tatooine, but it was the only place the jawa could think to make his escape. If anything, it would buy him time to do what he needed to do.
 
First things first, scan the area of any possible life forms. Readings came back with the expected jungle life forms, including a good handful of Kowakian monkey-lizards. Tut cringed. He hated those monkey-lizards. He had one too many encounters in the past with them. They were bullies. Nothing more than mean bullies.
 
But Tut could take them if he had to, and he shouldn’t have to.
 
Next…
 
Tut blinked. What was the next step?! His glowing amber eyes widened as he hopped out of the captain’s chair. He crawled under the console and unfastened a compartment that dropped a thin, handwritten, manuel. The jawa flipped through the pages, his tongue peeking out the side of his mouth as he searched for…
 
Ah ha! He grinned, and his eyes brightened.
 
Step two: RECODE THE SHENGLI
 
The Shengli had an identifying signature and code to her that was her very own unique identifier. This was standard on all ships, and usually not on Ke’s. However, Boss was more ‘grounded’ these days and was playing the part of being respectable and honest. His jobs were clean so if he were boarded by Imperials, his cargo was legit. And if it weren’t for Boss’s honest ways… well… certainly Bigger Boss would not have known it was them out at that battle and they would be dead.
 
Tutix smiled and nodded. Yep, Boss was playing it straight and it was paying off.
 
But now was a different story, and there were new protocols to follow. The Shengli needed a new identity… at least in her signature and digital footprint.
 
With a determined sigh and a quick glance out the window at the jungle, Tutix sat down on the floor near the console and began to read Boss’s instructions. With each bullet point and step, Tut tapped his finger to his lip and nodded. Yes, he got this. He knew how to do this. The instructions were plain and simple. Even an akk dog pup could do this!, Tut determined and crawled underneath the console.
 
Sparks flew and the little Jawa got zapped a couple times, but eventually he was able to retrieve the identifier. He held the dataslate in his hands and sighed.
 
“Tutix keep you save,” the jawa spoke softly to The Shengli’s identity. He opened a metal case and carefully set the slate inside. He opened another metal case and sifted through the other dataslates. To choose an identity for the ship, it had to legitimately match her… and a D5-Mantis was pretty rare… but… Tut squinted his yellow eyes and read the print, then nodded. “Bye-bye Shengli,” Tutix said and slide the new identity into place with a snap.
 
He turned back to Boss’s book and read the next step:
 
Step Three: MAKE SURE IT WORKS
 
Tutix laughed, knowing step three was always a step he missed.
 
Crawling back into the captain’s chair, Tutix switched on the console and watched the screens. It was as if the ship was going through an entire reboot. He punched a few commands and sure enough… there it was… the ship’s new identity was in place: Pathfinder 6.
 
The jawa looked down at the manuel. He read the next line, following the words with his pointer finger. “Step four: call me using proper encryption protocols,” the little creature read aloud and nodded as he picked up his holocom.
 
To his surprise, there was already a message waiting for him. He hit the button and a holoimage of Boss appeared: “Tut, it's me. Call me when you are safe.”
 
Tut nodded, and called back, using proper encryption. And not the usual encryption he used, the ‘special’ encryption for matters such as these. This message would not be going to a holocom, it would be transmitted directly to Ke’rii’s cybernetics. After a moment, a ‘dead line’ would tone, go silent, and then…
 
Tutix spoke slowly and clearly: “System Safe 05: 21-5-25-13-11-15-19-9-10-23-B STOP. 23-10-9-16-10-19-19-3 STOP. D-18-15-17 STOP.”
 
Then the transmission was terminated and Tutix Kuwix prepared to leave Kowak.

[Mei]

The Oasis Lounge
Homestead
Dune Sea, Tatooine

The bounty notice shook in her hands as Keiko’li Ogasawara re-read it over and over again. Eight million credits for her father's head. Wanted dead. The letters, big, bold, red. No one could miss that. But to add personal details for every piece of scum, blood lusting bounty hunter in the galaxy to read. Her home. Her name. This was a serious bounty.

Her eyes drifted to the gang responsible: The Crimson Dread Pirates.

They were myths, legends, part of the tales her father had told her about on long travels. She believed they were long gone. Out of her dad's life, but… but now she held their bounty notice in her hand.

She wasn't in her own room tonight. She was too scared and only wanted her father back. Was he safe where he was? Would the Imperial Military turn on him? Was the price that good? Her only hope was believing in Moff Heermann. He had become a good friend of their family, not so much Ke, but... certainly he wouldn't fall for this pirate charade and succumb to greed.

“He's safe,” she said aloud, and looked down to Juju, her father's pet gannifari. The animal had a way of sensing when she was bothered, and he hunched himself on his hind legs and rested his forepaws on her leg. “He's all right, isn't he?” she asked the little pup and rubbed the stub that remained of the little guy's right foot.

Juju mewed at her quietly and Keiko leaned over to pick him up, resting him next to her in Ke’s bed.

How could anyone want her father dead? She wondered as she looked at Juju’s half-foot. Her dad had rescued the creature on Balmorra an explosion nearly killed him. He rescued little, adorable creatures and nursed them back to health. This was who he was deep down.

Yes, Ke’rii had a way of making bad first impressions. He knew how to push just the right buttons. He made no secret he didn't like Sith. There were two he liked in total: his sister Mei’li and her husband Kaatulf, “The Oathbreaker”. That was it. And yet… never had a bounty come out for him that wanted him dead so desperately and for this much.

Keiko wanted to cry. At least Alara was here. She met dad when they were stationed together on Taris before he left the Republic military. But could Lara handle whatever may come their way? She wasn't sure.

Uncle Oath was on Yavin IV, but that was so far away and she didn't exactly have the best ship like The Shengli.

She sighed and rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. She felt Juju rest his chin in her abdomen.

“Lara will keep us safe,” she said to the animal as she rubbed his head.

She tensed when she heard the door slide open. She swore she locked it.

“Keiko?”

It was Alara Slate, dad's girlfriend. Or ex-girlfriend… no one really knew.

“I'm in here,” Keiko replied, sitting up and moving Juju off her as she got out of bed.

Alara stood, hovering, in the door frame between her father's room and the living room. It was a non-committal stance that didn't sit well with Keiko.

“I was looking for you,” the woman was having trouble with eye contact.

Keiko's heart sunk. She was leaving.

“I uh,” Lara finally looked at her. “I've got to leave for a bit. I'm sorry, kid, but sometimes there are things you have to do.”

It hurt.

It stung.

And this was becoming routine.

Keiko didn't hide how she felt and let out a frustrated sigh as she turned back to crawl back into her father's bed.

“Be safe, Lara,” she said, her tone defeated. She meant it. She liked Alara and kriff, she even understood why she would want to get out of dodge. Being the lover or ex-lover, or what-ever-the-hell they were probably meant you could be used as leverage to lure out Ke.

Sure. Whatever. Every one for themselves. That's all this blasted galaxy ever was, and ever would be.

She rolled onto her side, her back to the door and to Lara. She felt Juju struggle to climb over her torso with his short stubby legs as he came to rest next to her.

“I'm sorry,” Lara said again. “Look, you're safe here. There's security… and I'm sure Tut is in his way.”

“It'll be safer to leave while it's dark. Less likely to be seen,” Keiko suggested. There was nothing worse than someone lingering around to make themselves feel better before abandoning her. She was so over this.

“You know how to reach me if you need me,” Lara said again.

“Uh-huh,” she didn't care. They never come when you call.

“Be safe, kid, all right?”
 
Keiko didn't turn to watch Alara leave. It was easier not to watch them abandon you. She held back her tears when she heard the door slide shut and lock.

Tutix should be here by now, and the fact that he wasn't only meant the Crimson Dread had caught him and killed him. And she was next… if she was lucky. If she was unlucky, they would come for her, kidnap her and use her to bait her father “out of hiding”.

She didn't know it, her mind was too scared to honestly understand the Crimson Dread Pirates, but being used as bait would be lucky in comparison to what else they could do to her. Their vendetta with Ke’rii was personal. It was family. He had, supposedly, killed Bloodthirst’s brother. Taking Ke’s daughter and returning the “favor” would only be justified… but she wasn't yet the target.... Their blood lust was set for Ke'rii, but if he didn't show....

“What should I do?” Keiko asked the gannifari, who was falling asleep. “We're so exposed here…” she began to cry softly until she was too exhausted to stay awake.

She would think of this tomorrow.

[Mei]

PTS402-F56, Public Transporter Ship
Tatooine to Nar Shaddaa
Mis Ila Spaceport
Early morning

The twin suns were rising slowly over the spaceport, but the hangar was still darkened by shadows. Keiko held tightly to her little pack as she filed into the transporter ship. She attempted to conceal her face with a pair of dark sunglasses as she sought out the furthest seat. She found it, in the back corner of the cramped vessel. She hugged her pack to her chest and waited to leave Tatooine.

It had been ages since she traveled by public transportation and she had forgotten the smell, the cramped seating, and the lack of comfort. A Devorian and his droid companion situated themselves across from her, and she found them staring at her.

At least it felt like they were staring.

She pushed her dark glasses closer to her face. They probably thought she was a runaway. Or a kid crashing from a spice hangover.

The transport ship shifted and jolted. From the sound of the engine, it was in need of a good tune up. This was no Shengli. Another bump, and the Devorian was still watching her as he casually popped a handful of nuts into mouth.

This was going to be a long trip…

“You want somethin’?” Keiko snapped at the man, her attitude vibrant. Dammit, he was not going to stare at her the entire time.

The other smirked and huffed a laugh as he appraised her figure.

“If you're lookin’ for work when you get there,” he pulled out his datacard and held it out for her. She didn't take it. “Look me up at the Red Light Sector. I help plenty of runaways.”

Keiko glared at him. Sure he did, her thoughts were snide and she did not even attempt to look at his business card. His kind ought to be locked away.

“Usen’ye, tahla’ada,” she said and looked away, holding her bag closer to her.

The Devorian glanced as his droid companion, then back to Keiko. “Mando bitch,” he sneered and got up to find another seat.

She had hoped her basic knowledge of the Mando’a language would be enough for them to think she was Mandalorian. Whether they thought it or not, she was just glad they found somewhere else to sit.

Keiko relaxed as a pair of Jawas took up the seat across from her. She listened to them as they chattered away. She picked up words here and there, but the content of their discussion was lost in her as they spoke natively with each other and not in the trade language.

She turned to her bag and rummaged through it, finding her datapad. It was going to be a long trip, and she really hoped she was doing the right thing.

Tatooine was open, especially her home. If she could get to Dromund Kaas, she would be safer. And maybe, just maybe, she might get into a better position to contact her father.

But unfortunately, she had no ship of her own. She left Tank without a word. He was a useless ship owner anyway, and the ship itself was rust in space. Useless.

Besides, she would be less likely to be detected by bounty hunters, or even the Crimson Dread this way. She was not known to travel by public transportation.

She switched on her datapad and began a search for pilots, affordable ones, on Nar Shaddaa. A large list pulled up on her screen. It would take her awhile to cross reference all the names, not to mention actually meeting them and affording their price.

She’d need a safe place to lay low… safe, secure… She knew of one place, and actually sighed with relief. The Dancer’s Palace. Top of the line security, and her Aunt Mei and Uncle Oath used to frequent it quite often. Certainly they could let her lay low… she hoped.

As the transport made the jump to hyperspace, she sifted through the names of all the pilots, hoping to find a small handful she might seek out...

[Mei]

The Lazy Luck Cantina
Ord Mantell City, Ord Mantell
Night
 
Alara Slate sighed heavily as she stared into the near empty glass of her Corellian brandy. She didn’t come here to get lectured, she came here to see if she could get some kriffin’ help. Her dark eyes looked up at Milo, who stood behind the bar, just shaking his head.
 
“She’s a damn kid, Lara, an’ ya just left her?” Milo knew Lara liked to play up a ‘cold side’, but this was… what the kriff was she thinking?
 
“Milo, can you or can you not help me?”
 
Milo stared at his friend. “What is she? Fifteen?” he wasn’t over this.
 
Lara sighed and downed the rest of her brandy. She reached for the bottle and poured herself another glass. “Nineteen, and I’m not the one who abandoned her,” she stressed. “Ke’s the one that did that to go play hero for the kriffin’ Empire.”
 
Milo leaned on the counter. “Then why’re you still messin’ with him? He ain’t ever gonna come around, Lara. He’s a traitor.”
 
Lara drank. “Because his kid’s a good kid and deserves a chance at a good life.”
 
“And you left her.”
 
“Because I thought maybe I could find someone who could help--”
 
Milo shook his head. He wasn’t buying it. “You left her ‘cuz you’re scared.”
 
She snorted. “Please, I’m not scared of bounty hunters.”
 
“Not of bounty hunters,” Milo interrupted. “You’re scared that you care too damn much for him. You got too close… again,” he paused before stating directly: “You still love him.”
 
“Kriff! Like hell I don’t!” she denied quickly, drank her brandy down in a large gulp, then poured herself a third glass. She didn’t have to look at her friend to know he was staring her down with doubt. “Milo, we just need to get this bounty off him. Do you or do you not know how to reach the Crimson Dread?”
 
Milo laughed, as if she were crazy to ask him. “You think I’m stupid enough to get messed up with those pirates? I am NOT Ke’rii Ogasawara. An’ besides, how’re you going to convince them to lift an eight million bounty on his head? That notice was posted everywhere. How are you going to...” it was impossible, and she was crazy.
 
Lara was so frustrated she could scream. “I don’t know,” she sighed heavily and rubbed her forehead. “It… just… they want him dead, Milo?” she looked up. “Don’t you even care?”
 
Milo was good at giving her hell and griefing her, but his expression turned serious as he shook his head. “No, Lara, I don’t. I mean…” he sighed. “I did, okay? The guy had moments where you think ‘all right, he’s on track’, but... he--everywhere he goes, trouble follows him. There comes a point in your life where you have to reevaluate that friendship. He’s not worth risking my life, my future. And you shouldn’t risk your’s either. He was a good guy, but what do we really know about him now?”
 
Lara stared into her glass. She hated Milo right now. “He’s loyal--”
 
“--To the Empire,” Milo pointed out.
 
“--To his family,” Lara corrected, angry, and looked up. “You saw what he did last year when he was here. That wasn’t a man working for the Empire, that was a man trying to save his father--his family. He’s a man who when he puts his mind to something, he’ll get the job done.”
 
“His father died, Lara--”
 
“Because he was too late to save him, but what he found here.. in that lab…” she even wondered if Milo cared. Kriff him! She sighed. “He found a way to save his little niece. You know she got attacked by those terrorist too, right? She’s still sick, and he’s--Do you even care?”
 
“About the Sith and their Empire? No, Lara, I don’t.”
 
She hated that he was so black and white.
 
Milo let out a sigh. He didn’t want this to tear their friendship apart. “Look, I don’t put myself in a position to know anyone who would be in contact with the Crimson Dread Pirates, and for whatever it is worth, I don’t think you should even intervene, okay? If I could help you, I would; simply for his kid, not for him.”
 
Lara looked down.
 
“You want my advice?” Milo continued, leaning in to speak quietly to her. “If you really, honestly do love this guy, care for him, then look out for that kid of his. Go back to Tatooine. Poor kid’s been abandoned her whole life, and now she’s got these pirates hunting the only father--as lousy as he is--he’s all she has. You care about Ke, look after his kid because she deserves stability in her life, and truth be told… a bounty this large isn’t just going to go away. You’ll be all she has in the end.”
 
Lara took another sip of her drink, setting the glass down on the countertop. Her eyes met his.
 
“Stay out of it, and don’t get dead,” he stressed. “Cooperate with anyone that may come around asking about him, because his problems are not worth your life or that of his daughter.”
 
Alara hated this. She hated this so completely. “These pirates are more criminal than anything illegal Ke’rii may have done. We don’t even know the legitimacy of this.”
 
Milo shook his head, that didn’t change his mind. In a kill or be killed world, it was best to look the other other way and look after yourself.
 
“Be smart,” he said, holding his gaze on her before he left to help another customer.

[Mei]

The Dancer’s Palace
Nar Shaddaa
Night
 
Keiko left the ballroom at The Dancer’s Palace, the place was still hopping and who knew how many others were bounty hunters. She was still shaking from her encounter with just the one. He was a terrifying, huge, man beast of a bounty hunter, Keiko thought. How did he track her there? Her eyes scanned the casino room and she was glad that bounty hunter was gone. Whoever he was she never wanted to see him again. She was still shaking from the encounter, still on the verge of breaking down and crying.  How could people be so greedy and heartless to want to track down her father and kill him.
 
Her holocom beeped, indicating a new message. She headed up the stairs into the dining area as she opened it. It was from Krylari, that wonderful Sith Pureblood who had ‘rescued’ her from interrogation earlier. As she read the note, she realised just how serious the woman had been about being able to let her father disappear. Eagerly, she forwarded the message to her father. She did all the property security encryptions he had taught her, and a few things she knew herself.
 
But really, all she wanted to do was talk to him. But was it even safe? No. At least not via his holocom… but maybe his direct line… the secure one he had implanted into his cybernetics. She looked both ways before leaving the dining room and heading out onto the balcony. She found a corner to hide in and placed the call from her holocom.
 
It dialed, taking longer for him to pick up than she had liked. Maybe if she got her own cybernetics equipped with encrypted calling it would work quicker. The more it rang and he didn’t pick up right away, the more distraught she became.
 
They had found him. They had him. He was dead. He wasn’t able to pick up because someone had his head! She started to cry just as she heard her father’s voice.
 
“Hey sweet--”
 
“Daddy,” she cried, “I’m so sorry. This bounty hunter at the Palace found me,” she was frantic. “An’ I told--”
 
“--whoa. Slow down. Calm… down, Keiko,” Ke’rii spoke calmly over the transmission. “Excuse me, Major, I have to take this,” he said to someone.
 
Keiko waited, trying to control her sobs. She didn’t even feel bad for interrupting whatever her father was doing. This was far more important to her.
 
“Sweetheart,” came her father’s voice again. He spoke softly and quietly, as if to make sure no one else could hear. Silverware could be heard in the background, along with the casual chatter of other Imperial soldiers. “It’s okay. Tell me what has happened.”
 
Keiko sighed, her breath shaky. “I left home, daddy,” she was still crying, but more composed. “I came to Nar Shaddaa. I didn’t tell anybody, not even Matt or Julie. Lara left me, daddy,” she was becoming more upset. “She just left and I couldn’t--” she broke down.
 
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” her father’s voice tried to comfort her from afar. “You mentioned the Palace? Dancer’s Palace?”
 
Keiko nodded. “Uh-huh. I remember… auntie Mei-mei said they had the best security an-and Karmic… and… she’s here, so I’m okay, but daddy,” she started to cry harder again.
 
“Shhh…” he soothed. “Take a deep breath.”
 
And she took several deep breaths, her eyes looking out over the Nar Shaddaa skyline. They could be anywhere. They could be watching her even now. “A bounty hunter found me,” she finally said. “I don’t know how, but daddy, he was asking me about you,” again, tears. “And I spoke to him because I saw scared. Ms. Karmic,” she had never called Karmic ‘Ms. Karmic’ before, but it came out. “She said I didn’t have to tell him anything. An’ I didn’t. I told him you were a good man. And daddy, I’m scared. I was so upset that I yelled at him--I yelled at the bounty hunter that if he came after you he would feel the full might and power of the Imperial Military. Daddy,” she sobbed. “He knows you’re with the military.”
 
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Ke’rii spoke calm and even through the holocommunication. “Are you able to stay at the Dancer’s Palace?”
 
“I-I don’t know,” she cried. “I’m just gonna hide here ‘til they close and maybe they won’t know.”
 
“I’ll try an’ see if I can get a message to someone there, see if they will help you,” his tone remained calm, probably too calm.
 
“Okay, daddy,” Keiko agreed, though she still felt lost and afraid. “I love you, daddy and I’m sorry..”
 
“I love you too, sweetheart,” Ke soothed. “And you did nothing wrong, okay? Cooperating as much as you could was smart, okay? You are very brave and I’m proud of you.”
 
Again, she broke into a sob. “I don’t wanna lose you again, daddy.”
 
“You won’t,” he said, firm. “I will fix this.”
 
“I sent you some information, and I really want you to look at it, okay?” Keiko said, her voice starting to become muffled as she tucked her knees to her chest and rested her head forward. “She said she can help you, daddy.”
 
“I will look at it,” he assured her. “I want you to go find some tea, relax and know that I will fix this.”
 
Keiko nodded, her breath quivering as she tried to stop crying. “I love you, daddy.”
 
“I love you too, Keiko,” her father replied.
 
Keiko ended the call. She wasn’t going to say ‘good-bye’, that was a jinx. She looked up and rested her chin on her knees as she stared at the skyline. She didn’t bother to wipe away her tears.

[Mei]

Ziost Avenger
Mess Hall, Crew Deck
In orbit over Iokath
 
Ke’rii ended his call with his daughter and glanced around the mess hall to see how many of the soldiers may have been listening. He was satisfied when none seemed to take an interest in him. He gave a final look back at Major Vasilla Alo, whom he had just been having a conversation with. She was back to cleaning his weapon. He didn’t return to his seat at the table, but instead left the mess hall.
 
He had to fix this. Or at least lessen the sentence.
 
He crossed the corridor to the crew quarters and headed to the back of the room to change out of his Imperial uniform. Yeah, it was probably obvious that was back in service, but just in case, he didn’t want to make it easy. He opened his foot locker and pulled out a ‘typical’, ‘neutral’ outfit he often wore, then glanced around the quarters for a ‘blank’ wall.
 
No one was in the room, and he went to stand where there were no identifying markers and he dialed a number on his holocom and waited. His jaw was tense and rolled his shoulder to loosen himself up before the other picked up.
 
“You murdering bastard!” yelled Bloodthrist, the boss pirate of the Crimson Dread Pirates, his ugly, snarling face coming closer to the holocam.
 
Ke’rii flashed a friendly grin. “Kenny, my ol’ pal!” he exclaimed, as if unphased by the large price on his head the other had set.
 
“You are not sweet talkin’ me this time, boy!” the pirate growled.
 
“Aw, c’mon man… talk to me, Kenny. We go waaaay back,” Ke was letting his arrogance and cocky attitude out. It was what he was known for. “What’s this little bounty doin’ on my head, huh?”
 
“You killed my brother, you scum sucking, son-of-a-Tusken whore!”
 
Ke furrowed his brow. “Aw c’mon… now I like Lenny just as much as I like you. And I’d like to see him dead, just as much as I’d like to see you,” he grinned a moment, had the audacity to chuckle, then frowned. His expression turning to straight-talk business. “But I didn’t kill him,” he stated, firm.
 
“THE SHENGLI WAS THERE, YOU BASTARD!” the pirate screamed. “I KNOW IT’WAS YOU!”
 
Ke’rii didn’t blink. “And how do you know it was me? Did you actually talk to me?” his glare hardened. “No, you didn’t,” he stated. “And I know that because I. Wasn’t. There.”
 
“It was your crew!” the Crimson Dread pirate shouted. “Which means it was YOU!”
 
“Impossible,” Ke stated. “I haven’t seen my ship in months.”
 
“Bantha shit!” the pirate called his bluff. “You tellin’ me that you let your ship get stolen an’ I ain’t never hear of it ‘til now? Bantha. Shit.”
 
Ke shrugged. “It happens… even to the best of us. You could say I’ve been out of dodge for a while...” he pulled out the bounty notice he had folded up in his pocket. “And it looks like you last saw her at the uh… Zareca String?” he looked back at the pirate.
 
“And I knows you fly that route! Don’t you dare try an’ play me, boy.”
 
Ke nodded, as if offering his respect to the pirate. “I understand your doubt, I do,” he assured him. “I do run that route, and I do conduct business on Rishi, but I’m tellin’ ya, that wasn’t me or my crew. Shengli was stolen back a few months ago when I was cruisin’ around--”
 
Bloodthirst glared at him. “You can’t swindle me, Ogasawara. I ain’t a fool, and I ain’t droppin’ the price on your head. I wants you dead.”
 
Ke’rii kept his cool.
 
“Guilty until proven innocent, I get it. I respect that, but…” he looked again at the bounty. “Wanted dead? C’mon, Kenny.”
 
“You killed Lenny!” the other remained firm.
 
“If I had killed your brother, and I’m not sayin’ I did…” he held a pause as he looked at the other across the holocom. “Wouldn’t you want to avenge your brother’s death yourself?” Another pause. “You’re the boss of the Crimson Dread, you’re the Bloodthirst... now… I remember you tellin’ me why you took that name… because you wore the blood of your kills, and…” he gulped, the only sign he hated this. He felt sick even talking to this psycho, but kept his cool. “... drank their blood.”
 
Kenny, “Bloodthirst”, shifted in his seat.
 
“Wouldn’t you,” Ke continued carefully. “...want to take my blood yourself? Or are you just gonna let someone random, chump, bounty hunter spill it for you?” Ke questioned, hoping he was getting through to this maniac. “Lift the death sentence, Kenny.”
 
Bloodthirst swallowed and looked back at Ke’rii. He leaned in. “Fine. Only ‘cuz I wanna taste your blood fresh as I kill you.”
 
The pirate closed the communication.
 
Ke’rii let out an uneasy breath. The price remained, but at least he stood a fighting chance… well only if Bloodthirst actually removed the death warrant…
 
Slowly, he put his holocom in his pocket and went to sit on his bunk to compose himself.

[Mei]

Ziost Avenger
In orbit over Iokath
Reclamation Laboratory

The laboratory was quiet except for the gentle hum of the monitors. Mei’li Bluedark sat at her desk, paperwork disheveled before her. She propped her head up with two fingers pressing against her temple. She stared at her work, but her mind had become absent to it as the overwhelming feeling she was receiving from Ke’rii dominated her.

Mei’li was an empath, and it worked best with those she knew best. It was how she knew her husband, Kaatulf, and their two children were all right and safe in Yavin IV. It was how she was able to focus on her work, but now… now her older brother, her oldest friend in the galaxy was scared.

Her whole life she never knew her brother to be scared. He feared things, yes, but this… this feeling was new from him.

She sighed and for up from her desk. She felt where he was on the ship, and sought him out, finding him in the archives on the Command Deck. He was staring out the window at the deep vastness of space. She could feel his trouble, but not read his thoughts.

“What's happened?” she asked.

Ke’rii turned around, and didn't bother to pretend. He knew her ability and he knew it was how she was able to find him.

“Remember Red Kenny?” he simply asked, unsure if she ever really paid attention to his tales of misfortune and misadventure.

Mei’s brow creased with recognition. “You mean that guy from your first piloting job?”

Ke nodded. “Yeah, that guy.” He returned his gaze out towards space. “His little brother, Lenny, died. Tut said he was ambushed by them on his way back home.”

“Is he okay?”

Ke nodded. “He's doin’ what I told him to do,” the answer was vague. “But uh… yeah, now there's an eight million price on my head. Still calling for my head, though I hope I convinced him to lessen it to be taken in alive.”

Mei felt through his ‘tough guy’ exterior and came up beside him and wrapped her arm around his waist, sneaking underneath his arm to give him a hug.

“I don't need a hug,” he laughed softly.

“Everyone needs hugs,” she replied and stared out the window.

“You keep actin’ like this an’ ain't nobody gonna believe you're a Sith,” he shook his head, still baffled how she ever made it to Lord status.

“Please,” She smiled and looked up at him. “Nobody listens to me anyway. I don't have your usual Sithness that is expected. Cruelty outweighs kindness. Always has in my world.”

“Do I have to call your husband? He would hate to hear you talk so low about yourself and your status.”

Mei was silent and knew he was right. It was a constant struggle she had.

“Have you told your superiors about your bounty troubles?” she switched the topic back to why she sought him out.

Ke was quiet and she could imagine the guilty look in his eyes.

“No.”

“Why?”

Ke sighed. “Because let's face it, I'm not the most likeable guy. Heermann hates me, always has, and I-I just don't see what good bringing my problems to the forefront would do.”

Mei left his side and came to stand in front of him. “You're distracted, Ke. A distracted soldier is a dead soldier, right? Isn't that what uncle Gung’chul always said?”

Ke ran his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, but…”

“But what?” why was he so stubborn to ask for help?

His eyes met his little sister's and he gave in. “I'm so close to being clean, to playing it straight, Mei-mei. I'm-- I even got an award,” he said, pulling it off his person and putting it in her hand. He had shown it to her before, but just had to again. He was proud dammit, for once in his life. “For unrivaled skill and bravery. I won't lie. I almost cried when Nic gave it to me.”

Mei couldn't help but smile. He was almost like a little boy. But her frown disappeared with his.

“And now…” he continued, “it's like I'm a screw up all over again. Two steps forward, three steps back. Every chance, every break I get, just… is it karma?”

Mei shook her head.

“I can't lose this, Mei-mei,” he tapped his uniform. “I just…”

“You won't lose anything, Ke… Informing your superiors is the responsible thing to do. You're not in this alone and you don't have to be. If they know, if they understand why you may be distracted, they can help. It's not just you anymore. That uniform means you are a part of something, there are people who are relying on you. You have their back, and they have yours.”

Ke was silent, but nodded.

“Now, how is Keiko? Does she know?”

ke swallowed with difficulty. “She knows.”

“Alara is still there, right?”

She felt his anger.

“Lara left her,” his jaw tightened, and he was so upset and mad he was barely breathing. He looked at her and ran his hand through his hair again as he took a deep breath. “But uh, Keiko called me earlier today. She went to Nar Shaddaa… Dancer's Palace.”

Mei nodded. “They have the best security.”

“I-I need to call there, speak to uh… whoever is in charge there and see if they can put her up somewhere safe.”

“I know Karmic is there…”

Ke nodded, but Mei could feel his distress over this. She placed her hand in his arm.

“She'll be fine, Ke. Trust that.”

He just shook his head. Which was more upsetting? The price on his head or that Kenny had put his little girl's name on that notice.

“I’m gonna kill him,” he stated, jaw tight, fist clenching momentarily. “If anything happens to her, I'll kill him with my bare fucking hands.”

Mei watched him, felt him, and knew he was a man of his word. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Nothing could be said to alleviate the situation. But her eyes, her expression let him know she had his back no matter what came.

[Mei]

Ziost Avenger
Operations Center
In orbit over Iokath
 
Captain Ke’rii Ogasawara was still tense through every muscle in his body after confronting Moff Heermann. He hated himself. He hated his past. He hated every stupid decision he had ever made. So much for livin’ a clean frickin’ life. So much for trying to be the outstanding Imperial Officer.

He replayed the encounter in his head.
 
Had he actually told the Moff he would pay off pirates? Yes, because that’s what he always did! Ugh! He could scream at himself, he thought as he slid into the desk chair in front of the computer terminal and pulled up a blank screen to send a transmission to the Diplomatic Service on Dromund Kaas.
 
For a moment, Ke’rii just sat there. He’d never had to write this kind of message. He handled his problems himself. But he wasn’t stupid enough to defy the Moff’s orders. Hell, he was lucky to still be in uniform.
 
“Should’ve hit me,” he mumbled to himself. He had sensed that Heermann wanted to punch him a good one, and well… he would’ve let him without a fight back. He sighed and began to compose the transmission. He stopped mid sentence and just sank into the chair, staring at the screen.
 
How the hell did this happen?
 
His mind went back to the Battle for Iokath, the award… the only award he ever received. Probably should just take that away from him now. And his captain rank. The uniform. The whole damn thing.
 
“Damn you, Tut,” he mumbled sharply under his breath.

Dammit, it wasn’t Tut’s fault he was ambushed! He immediately felt guilty for blaming the little guy. He only acted in defense, following every step and instinct Ke had ever taught him.
 
He let out a long sigh and looked back at the transmission that was only partly composed. This was the hardest damn thing he had ever written. Hell, it was harder than coming face to face with his own father after he sliced into the SIS database when he was just eighteen years old.
 
He wanted to die. Maybe he should just hand himself over to the Crimson Dread and let Kenny drink his blood. Was he actually considering that? And for a moment he felt that itch to run. The same itch he had when he deserted the Republic Military on Taris twenty years ago.
 
He looked up, pensive. He had a pattern. A bad pattern of avoiding his problem by running away. No wonder he was a screw up. His whole life had been paved by mistakes and cowardly acts. And now… Hell, he couldn’t even get the death sentence off him.. And he had been checking the bounty notices all day. Negotiating himself out of problems was ‘his thing’. It was what he was good at.
 
He was a dead man. If not by the hand of Bloodthirst, or some bounty hunter, then for sure he’d die out here in the black because of some stupid mistake. He just hoped he didn’t take anyone else with him. He couldn’t handle that again.
 
He was worthless. He was useless. He was a disgrace to the entire Imperial Navy.
 
Why the hell didn’t Moff Heermann give him a dishonorable discharge?
 
Ke closed his eyes and just listened to the hum of the room.
 
No. No, no, no… Ke started to shake his head as he opened his eyes. The hell this wasn’t going to be the end of him. He was good, dammit. A damn good pilot. A damn good strategist, slicer, mechanic. That had to be why he was still here. That had to be why Moff Heermann still tolerated him.
 
Tolerate, he sighed at his thoughts. “He shouldn’t have to tolerate me,” he said aloud.
 
The soft beep of his datapad grabbed his attention. He glanced at the transmission he was attempting to write, then retrieved his device. It was a bounty notice and he sat up. No, it was a bounty update… and he smiled when he read “wanted alive”.
 
Quickly he closed down his datapad and sat up straighter. He stared a short moment at the screen before finally composing his transmission to the Diplomatic Service. He was an Imperial officer dammit, and as much as it pained him to use the Empire to ‘clean up this misunderstanding’, it was his only honest option.
 
If the Crimson Dread Pirates were stupid enough to challenge the Empire then they finally had what was coming to them.

Be sure to read: "The Hunter; Part 2" by Kremon

[Mei]

Ziost Avenger
Mess Hall, Crew Deck

Ke'rii sat alone at the table nearest the window. He wasn't in the mood for company, and he was certain company didn't want him. In fact, he knew the others cared little for him. If Moff Heermann didn't like him, certainly the others felt the same. The Imperial Captain wasn't phased by this, in fact, he had grown accustomed to it.

His gaze shifted to his datapad and he smiled at the incoming message from Heermann just as Mei'li sat down next to him. His eyes went straight to her food, which was far better than the slop he was eating.

“You're still here, Mr. ‘Heermann’s-Gonna-Terminate-Me’,” she smiled at her brother as he gave her a sly look.

“Oh he was pissed,” Ke commented. “Pretty sure he wanted to give me a proper beating, an’ I would've let him.” He stole a fresh piece of fruit from her tray. “He actually gave me permission to go to Nar Shaddaa too.”

Mei raised a brow and smiled. “And you thought he’d toss you out the airlock.”

“Should've,” he mumbled and drank his glass of water. “He says,” he read directly from his datapad. “Do not return to Iokath until your personal security affairs are in order.”

Mei smiled again. “See, he's not so bad.”

She was too chipper and Ke gave her a look.

“Says the girl who officiated his wedding,” he nudged her, and stole another piece of fruit from her. “So yeah, you know, I'll probably never be back here because my life is so screwed up.”

He was being Mr. Negative again.

“You going to see Keiko?”

Ke nodded, and noticed a couple corporals looking in his direction. He didn't care much for the looks on their faces, but whatever.

“I haven't told her yet,” his attention returned to his sister, “I sent a message to one of the owners. Want to make sure my presence won't be an issue.”

Mei nodded and ate her salad.

“You taking leave too?” he questioned.

“You looking for a ride?” she eyed him and he shrugged. “I can take you and drop you off at the Palace. They shouldn't have an issue with you being there. But I'm actually going back home to see my babies and Kaatulf.”

“Babies? Mei-mei, they're six. They are hardly babies.”

She gave him a playfully, pouty look. “They will always be my babies. Even when they are all grown up.”

Ke gave her a lopsided grin. “Seriously, how did you ever become Sith?”

She ignored him and sipped her drink. “Any word from Tut?”

Ke shook his head, “He's pullin’ the ol’ Five Step.”

“The what?”

Ke waved his hand and took a bite of his meal. “It's a thing I came up with…. algorithms, jumps, you know… the usual when you want to outrun pirates.”

He sighed heavily and Mei felt his distress.

“You have real help now, Ke,” his sister tried to help. “I mean, I assume Nic told you to contact someone of importance, right?”

“Yeah, an’ I did,” it was still awkward for him to accept help in his personal problems. “The good news is,” he pulled out the updated bounty notice. “Kenny wants to drink my blood himself,” He said it with sarcastic glee as he showed her the update that he was wanted alive.

Mei looked at it, and forced a smile. “Well… that's… good…?”

Ke'rii shrugged and gave her another lopsided grin.



Across the galaxy…

The Shengli... err, I mean… Pathfinder 6
In orbit over Rendili

Ke'rii Ogasawara had contingency plans that he taught to his most trusted associates. In this case, Tutix knew to implement The 5 Point Maneuver, also known as “the ol’ Five Step”. The plan contained five random hyperspace jumps that were calculated based on an algorithm Ke had pre-configured. The start of the sequence took into account the ship's current location, but one had to input the final destination desired. In this case, Tutix had to get from Kowak to Rendili.

The trip had been long: to Eiradu, Mimban, Kubindi, Illum, and finally Rendili.

Rendili was the last place Tut thought he would ever be told to go. It was way too close to the Republic, but Tut never disobeyed Boss. Boss always had a reason for everything.

The Jawa started the landing sequence as he made his way to the spaceport. Hangar 37 was his hangar and he was meeting an unnamed contact.

All of this was per Ke’s instructions.

Raindrops started hitting the windshield as the D5-Mantis touched down. Tutix strained his neck to see out the window. He squinted his glowing eyes when he saw a heavy-set male human figure standing just outside the storm.

Tut hummed aloud, voicing his worry to no one.

Boss had said this man would help, and Tut trusted Boss.

He grabbed his belt, equipped with tools, niknaks, and his little blaster hung at his hip. He didn't expect trouble, but Boss always told him to be ready and never let your guard down.

He lowered the ramp and descended down into the rain. The man approached, meeting halfway.

“Tutix Kuwix,” the baritone voice chuckled.

Tut's eyes enlarged and he hopped in place, excited and relieved as he recognized the voice and the laugh!

“Gung’chul!” the Jawa exclaimed and actually went to hug the man.

Gung’chul Areum was a General with the Galactic Republic, but his blood was thicker than any political affiliation, and he left his home for the Empire and his family nearly a year ago. And like his nephew, Ke'rii, he too had many contacts and contingency plans that allowed him safe passage here on Rendili.

Gung’chul laughed as the little Jawa hugged him, then gave him a pat on the head. The alien was rambling so fast, the former general was only able to make out a few words.

“Okay, okay,” Gung said, taking Tutix by the shoulders and moving him out of the hug. He knelt down, coming face to face with the other. “Slow down, Tutty and let’s get back on the ship before we both catch cold.”

Tut nodded. Oh how he felt better knowing Boss had brought him to Gung’chul. Boss’s Uncle would know just what to do.

The two got situated inside the ship, Gung’chul taking over the the captain's chair, and Tut to the co-pilot’s. Tutix watched as Boss's Uncle readied for departure and began entering a sequence, as if he already knew where to go.

“Boss contact you with plan?” Tut asked, speaking Jawaese, the trade language dialect so the other could understand him.

Gung’chul nodded. “We’re takin’ The Shengli somewhere to lay low while we do a ship swap.”

Tutix squinted his eyes. “Ship swap?”

“That's what he said,” Gung'chul shrugged. “You know how he is… he's always got a plan,” he flashed the little Jawa a big grin as he lifted The Shengli through the rain and out into space before punching it to hyperspace.

[Mei]

Dancer's Palace
Solange’s Apartment
Afternoon
 
Tools surrounded Keiko'li as she sat on the floor of the upstairs apartment at the Dancer's Palace. She had, as Solange had instructed, made herself at home. Her comm was nearby, blinking, but she was too involved with her current project to give it any attention.
 
An astromech droid that was programmed to dance? Her curious nature got the best of her and she had spoken in depth with little Wheelie about discovering how to give such a skill to her own droids back home on Tatooine.
 
Wheelie, who quickly grew to like her, had agreed. And now his compartments were open, some of his innards were on the floor, yet he remained functional and aware. It was a strange situation the droid found himself in, but Keiko spoke to him as an equal as she worked, explaining every little thing she was doing. She was peculiar, and Wheelie liked her.
 
“Alright,” the young mechanical engineer spoke as she examined his computing. The little droid had been enhanced by a pure pro… the skill was far better than her’s. “Hm,” she mused, not wanting to go too far for fear of messing him up. “Looks like this bit here is the piece to the puzzle, but I don’t think I should tear into it. All my good tools and sensors are back at home and I don’t want to mess anything up.”
 
The astromech chirped and rolled back and forth slightly, making Keiko smile.
 
“You are so cute, Wheelie,” she started putting him back together again. “I wish I could take you home with me, but…” she tightened a screw. “I don’t even know when I’m going back home to be honest.”
 
Wheelie chirped a reply, the beep was drawn and low.
 
“Yeah,” Keiko agreed. “But my dad is in trouble and it just isn’t safe right now. Especially after Lara left me.” She sighed and remained quiet with her thoughts as she closed up the astromech. She sat back and looked at Wheelie. He looked just as good as when she met him, but of course she knew exactly where all his pieces went.
 
Wheelie’s head moved back and forth a moment, as if curious what she was thinking. He chirped again, as if asking her a question.
 
She looked into the eye of his blue sensor.
 
“People always leave me,” she started and picked up a rag to clean the droid. “My dad doesn’t mean to, just… things happen to him that he can’t control. Like when his salvage mission to what he thought was an abandoned fleet actually turned out to be the Eternal Fleet. I lost him for five years,” she looked at Wheelie, who let out a low beep. She wiped down his blue sensor and kept talking. “I had only known him for a few years at that time…”
 
Wheelie jerked his head, the calculations of when Zakuul invaded didn’t match the biological age the young lady appeared to be.
 
Keiko smiled. “Met him when I was ten years old,” she explained. “My mother… if you can even call her that… didn’t want me any more. Don’t think she much wanted me at all to begin with, so she dumped me off with dad. I used to call him Ke’rii all the time. You know, like I didn’t want to get close because I knew he’s just give me up too. But he didn’t. He was nothing like my mother. Even taught me how to fly The Shengli--that’s his ship.” She wiped down his metal rollers. “I wish I had grown up with him. With my mother, I spent my childhood alone, locked in my room, and basically ignored.”
 
The astromech let out a soft, low, sorrowful chirp.
 
The mechanic shrugged. “It’s okay,” she said and smiled at Wheelie. “It’s what got me into making little droids just like you… well… smaller actually. And they don’t dance…” she looked at the droid in thought and stopped wiping him clean. “Okay, Wheelie, gotta make sure I put you back together right. Can you show me your little dance?”
 
Wheelie chirped excitedly and rolled back away from her. He twirled, spun, and showed her his dance. Keiko giggled.
 
“Perfect!” she exclaimed, as if the droid’s own excitement had projected onto her. “You are so perfect, Wheelie!” She went over and hugged the astromech, then looked into his blue sensor. “Has anyone told you how special you are?” She giggled and the droid chirped excitedly again and hobbled back and forth in place.
 
Making friends had been difficult for Keiko growing up. She was different than the other children. Smarter than those her age, but mostly… isolated and unloved. Finding companionship in the droid’s she made was the majority of her social interaction as a child. She found it easy to confide in them and to trust them.
 
She had grown up, but at the core of who she was… she preferred the company of the droids she had made… and now Wheelie. They were loyal and never abandoned you.
 
With a sigh and a smile she left Wheelie to pick up her mess of tools from the floor. And finally, she noticed her datapad blinking at her. She sat on the ground again and opened the message. She smiled and looked to the droid.
 
“It’s from dad,” she said, her voice hopeful as she went to read his message. “He’s coming here!” she exclaimed.
 
Across the room, Wheelie rolled back and forth excitedly.
 
“He has leave, and he’s coming here!” she looked at Wheelie, beaming. “And he’ll be safe here!” she went back to her datapad. “Said Stellange,” looked up at the droid again. “That was Solange’s sister,” she reminded, as if the droid didn’t already know, then returned to the message. “Said he would be safe and could stay here and even…” her caramel eyes brightened… “They could take me back to Tatooine to stay with them…. similar security to the Palace… dudah-dudah-duh… He says we can talk about that when he gets here.”
 
She lowered her datapad and smiled at Wheelie.
 
“Moff Heermann gave him leave so he can see me!” she stood up, skipped a little and went over to Wheelie. The astromech twirled again and Keiko gave him another hug. She pulled away and looked into the blue sensor eye. “Can you do me a favor? I’d like to thank Mr. Heermann, but I can’t get to where he is. Could you help me send him a message?”
 
Wheelie let out a series of beeps and boops, twirled and rolled back and forth.
 
Keiko smiled. “Thanks Wheelie.”

[Mei]

The Larel Guerfel
Anchorhead Spaceport
Tatooine

Captain Slate carefully set her XS Freighter class starship down in the hangar of the Anchorhead Spaceport. It was a long travel back to The Oasis Lounge, and though she had Ke’s permission to store her ship there, she just preferred not to at this point.

She sat a moment in her seat. She knew Ke'rii wasn't stupid enough to come to this rock, not with that bounty on his head, but was he stupid enough to leave the security of the military?... even if it was the Empire and not the Republic?

Alara sighed. She had to know. Dammit, she just had to know that he was okay and pulled out her holocom. She sighed again as she connected the encryption device he had given her.

There was a definite red flag when the guy you like gives you encryption devices to use when contacting him.

She was a fool, and she knew it as she dialed his direct line that would go straight to his cybernetics.

“You have the audacity,” Ke’s angry voice crackled through her holocom.

Alara froze. He must know she had left Tatooine.

“It wasn't safe there,” she knew what he’d say and sighed quietly.

“Well I'm glad you realize that, Captain, after you left my daughter,” if she could see him, she knew he would be red with rage. “What the kriff were you thinking? You promised me you would look after her if she came back. You promised. Kriffin’ jian ta de gui, Lara!”

“I'm sorry!” ugh, why did she call him?! “Look, I'm back now, all right?”

“A little too late. She's elsewhere, and safe, no thanks to you,” Ke informed her. Wherever he was, he was alone enough to yell at her. “For cryin’ out loud, she trusted you. Kriff! She even liked you and then you go and pull some bantha shit like this. I-I don't even know what to say to you.” he sounded like he was pacing.

Lara sighed. Okay, he had every right to be mad at her.

“Where are you? Are you at least safe?” she tried to keep a calm voice, and was glad she couldn't actually see him and that he couldn't see her.

“I'm a bundle of kriffin’ millaflowers!” he shouted, and was anything except calm.

Lara huffed and wanted to bite her tongue, but kriffin’ hell this wasn't her fault!

“You know!” she shot back. “This is your mess. This is your fault. You have always been a screw up and finally it has come back to bite you in the ass. So don't take this kriffin’ shit out on me, okay? It's not my fault blood sucking pirates are after you, and it's not my fault you are kriffin’ up Keiko’s life. I have half the mind to take her back to the Republic and put her in the care of the government--” and she knew she went a little too far.

Ke was silent and she could imagine the vein popping out on his forehead, his lockjaw expression, and his blue eyes narrowing into such a deadly glare it could kill.

“I…” she spoke cautiously and evenly. “I didn't mean that, Ke.”

A long silence, and for a moment she thought she lost connection with him.

“Ke?” she asked quietly.

“Keiko’li is not yours to make life choices for,” he was too calm. “But if you so much as even think of taking her back to one of the core planet's in the Republic, you will know what it's like to truly feel the full force of the Empire up your ass.”

She was silent and could tell he was speaking through gritted teeth.

“Alara,” he continued, tense. “You've never seen me upset, and I suggest you keep it that way.”

Ke'rii Ogasawara was not a killer, but when it came to his family, there were no limitations to what he was capable of doing.

“I understand,” was all Lara could think to say. She hesitated before inquiring further. “I take it I'm no longer welcomed at the Lounge?”

She cringed. How was that even appropriate to ask?

The silence was too long.

“Go back to Ord Mantell,” Ke said, tense. “I'm sure you and Milo will have plenty nonsense and theories to talk about.”

He abruptly ended the call.

Out on the edge of wild space….

Ziost Avenger
Crew Quarters

Ke'rii abruptly tapped the upper blue button on his cybernetics and turned to see a group of men staring at him. He stared back for a moment.

Who kriffin’ cared if they overheard him? Who kriffin’ cared if they saw him pissed off? And really, who kriffin’ cared if they saw the officer lose his cool? They all seemed to know he was a screw up.

Kriff them, he thought and rolled his eyes. He grabbed his duffle bag off his bunk, slung it over his shoulder and went to meet up with his sister to head to Nar Shaddaa.

[Mei]

Blood Hound
Kol Darin Shipyard
In orbit over Riflor

Bloodthirst stared out the cockpit window of his flagship. Fresh blood was smeared down the middle of his face, as was Crimson Dread tradition to do with your fresh kill. He set his meal down, unsatisfied with the taste of Advozse. Their skin was tougher and thicker than he preferred. He mumbled a curse about the sentient being’s harsh planet as he tossed the remains to the floor.

The rest of the Crimson Dread pirates could be heard celebrating elsewhere on the ship. Their cackles mixing with the screams of their victims. Any other time it would have been music to him as he watched the other ships in his fleet rip apart the burning space station before him.

But Bloodthirst found little to celebrate about. Yes, the Kol Darin Shipyard was destroyed, and was being pulled apart as he sat by watching, but it wasn't the blood of the Advozse that he wanted, and it wasn't their measly shipyard station either. His thirst craved another. His face twitched in anger with each celebratory whoop his crew made.

Ke’rii Ogasawara was known to frequent the shipyard. It had a reputation of offering itself up as a sanctuary to him, his crew, and his ship. But he had not been aboard the station, and neither had his ship. The only comfort Bloodthirst had was knowing he took out one safe haven for the bastard to retreat to.

More cackles. More whoops.

More mindless celebration.

He let out a low, guttural growl and contemplated killing half his crew just to show them this was not a success. Were they really this stupid to think that pillaging a shipyard space station was his priority? He snarled, and picked up his knife from the console, scraping the blade against the metal, just as he heard footsteps behind him.

“What is it?!” he growled, turning around.

“Uh cap’n?”

It was, Rankin, one of his idiot crew members. His new second in command since that bastard Ogasawara murdered his brother Lenny.

“Spit it out!”

Rankin gulped. “Uh, we just got’a priority in’nerception from uh…” how did he say this without getting killed? “Well…” he held out the message to Bloodthirst, his hand shaking.

The boss pirate snatched it from the other’s hand and gave him a glare before reading it. It was a priority call to ‘correct this misunderstanding with Ke’rii Ogasawara’. And it was from the Empire. He let out a low snarl and Rankin took a careful step backwards.

“What is this?” Bloodthirst asked, his tone accusing the messenger.

“I-it’s legit, cap’n,” Rankin said, scratching the side of his face to hide the fact his voice was trembling. He watched the captain drop the datapad to the ground. “Th-the Empire wants to sort out--”

Bloodthirst tossed his blade through the datapad, pinning the device to the floor. Sparks shot up briefly before it died. He came face to face with Rankin.

“Ogasawara ain’t hidin’ frum me!” he shouted, spittle hitting the other in the face. “They try’n contact us ag’in, you ignore it. Don’t waste m’time with anyone tryin’ to ‘clear his name’. I want his blood, and I won’t be satisfied ‘til I drink him.” He looked Rankin up and down. “You understand?”

Rankin nodded, gulped. “Ye-yes, cap’n.”

Bloodthirst gave another snarl and left the cockpit.


Pathfinder 6
In orbit over Riflor

Gung’chul pulled The Shengli out of hyperspace closer to Riflor than was typical. Tutix let out a gasp! What was it about Boss and his Uncle that made them risk-taking pilots?!

The former Republic general looked over at Tutix and smiled.

“Riflor,” he said, “One of your boss's safe havens. We should be safe here until--”

A loud thump caught both of their attentions, and at the same time, they both looked out the viewport to see a body roll up the window.

Gung’chul leaned forward and Tutix quickly unbuckled and went to the scanner.

“Kriff…” Gung mumbled as he looked out across the black. There were hundreds of bodies floating, and further out he saw the Kol Darin Shipyard station… destroyed. “Tutty.... what’d ya see?”

He looked back at Tutix, who was scanning the area. The Shengli had an impressive scanner with a very wide range, wider than was typical for a D5-Mantis. She may be at a safe distance, but Gung’chul still felt the urge to hightail it out of there.

Tut was staring at the scanner.

“Tutty?”

Tutix turned, his yellow eyes glowing brightly out of fear.

“Run!” he exclaimed. “Red Kenny! Over there!”

The little jawa ran across the cockpit and crawled up on the console to look out the window. He yelped when another Advozse body hit the window and looked back at Boss's Uncle. His little finger was pointing.

“Red Kenny! Red Kenny!” he scurried down from the console and into his chair, buckling himself in.

Gung’chul looked again out the window… at the shipyard, and beyond…. then saw them… the entire fleet of the Crimson Dread.

“Son of a bitch…” they had grown in numbers over the years. “Buckle in, Tutty,” he warned as he set a new course into the ship's navicomputer.

Be sure to read: "The Hunter: Part 3" by Kremon