Bounty: One Misstep Leads to Another [EA, MA, LA]

[Niall Organa]

Niall's face was grim, set, and pale as he waited for the others to arrive. He'd come in his armored Republic uniform, of course, but covered it with a heavy cloak, dark brown. It did its best to render Niall nondescript, but there was a rigidness to the way he stood, his shoulders set back, his legs straight, that hinted strongly at both noble and military background.

He tapped his fingers on his blaster as he waited for the others to arrive.

[Lt. Varra]

He was soon joined by Varra, who arrived wearing nondescript work clothes to avoid attracting attention. The lieutenant nodded silently to Niall as they gathered for the mission.

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly joined the pair dressed in a long, brown robe, and nondescript clothing ( = flat heels!).

"Greetings strangers." She greeted them with wry humor.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Having done her homework on the various bounties going around the holonet of Nar Shaddaa, there was one that caught her eye; a Mandalorian with a bounty on his head for killing an Alderaanian noble. Some more research had gone into visiting dignitaries of the Republic from Alderaan, and eventually, it led her here...

And so, a Sith clad in a concealing robe, hinting at a black armor of sorts underneath with a mask and the cowl of her cape to conceal the face, approached the trio of Republic representatives that seemed to stick out like sore thumbs in this side of town.

"You must be the Alderaanians," her voice purred with an Imperial accent. "If you seek the Mandalorian with the bounty on his head, I can be of assistance."

[Niall Organa]

The Lieutenant got a return nod. Aly got a smile, appreciation of both her support and her humor.

The third guest...

After a long moment, Niall nodded slowly. "I suppose I can credit you with finding us, at the very least. Although I expect the target won't stick out quite so well as we do." Well, he and Aly, anyway. Varra seemed to mostly be saddled with the two of them.

He gave the Sith a direct look. "I won't turn away help. Although I must wonder at your interest. Is it a share of the bounty? You're more than welcome to mine, a full third."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

The head inclined slightly and she held out her gloved hands with their palms up, to show she wasn't currently holding any weapons.

"Credits are not my motivation," she admitted in a precise tone. "My interest lies in righting this wrong committed against the noble houses of Alderaan as a... let's say a gesture to show that not all Sith are the uncivilized brutes that has recently visited your homeworld. In the honor of the sentiment that has brought both the Republic and the Empire here."

[Lt. Varra]

The smaller woman eyed Shaisha appraisingly, showing empty hands as well in response to the Sith's gesture.

"You know this person, Captain?" she asked Niall cautiously.

[Niall Organa]

"No." Niall said shortly, still looking at Shaisha. "And call me Niall while we're here. Because in an official capacity, I am not."

After a long pause, he sighed. "I can't turn away help. This is too important for that. If you're telling the truth..." His tone grew doubtful; he set his jaw. "If your motivations are as you say, than I cannot fault them. Far from it. So... I thank you." His lips twitched. "You can call me Niall as well." He offered his hand.

[Alysele Cortess]

"Greetings stranger." Her tone was more even now, as she observed the Sith, battlefield instincts of assesment kicking in.

"We appreciate the help." She said simply, her own attire a bland brown. "Perhaps this is a sign of hings to come. For all of us."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

The Sith looked at the offered hand for a moment before accepting it and giving a firm handshake. Right. No Sith protocol here. "Shaisha."

"This part of town... it's easier to get lost, but there are eyes everywhere. We will find our prey."

---

OOC: Cooperative roll for Step 1? Rolling 4 Green for Streetwise (Cunning).

[Lt. Varra]

"Call me Varra," the small woman told the others. "I have some leads from the files the Ca... I mean, that Niall gave me. Let's get started."

--
Investigate Bounty: 7 successes
I hope someone can tell me what this means:

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Let's," the Sith nodded and easily fell in with the trio.

---

D1 One Misstep Leads To Another. Survival/Cunning (+boost from assistance): 4eA+1eB+2eD 4 successes, 1 advantage

[Niall Organa]

Varra's analysis had discovered a number of likely hangouts for Melv. She'd done an excellent job. It was just a matter of legwork at that point, to go from location to location and find which one Melv was in without alerting him.

It was the Sith who managed to find him, sitting and drinking at a table, hunched over his mug, scowling. He still wore his gunbelt, one hand stroking blaster and grenades from time to time.

Niall's face paled, his lips thinning as they spotted the target.

[Alysele Cortess]

"Let me set him up." her voice was low as she stepped in, a slight limp on her right leg.

Withdrawing her hood, she sat down with a wide smile next to the armed madman. She reached to his mind through the force, to make it more pliable.... but it was not to be. The events of the morning clouded her connection, and she was still reeling from the death and the attack.

OOC: Influence roll fail:
D1 LA,Influence vs Bounty target, Confusion for Boost die o Deception roll: 1eF 1 Dark Side

[Lt. Varra]

Varra sidled up next to him at the bar, and ordered a drink. As the bartender poured the blue whiskey, she turned to their mark and smiled vacuously. "Say! Aren't you Melv, that great bounty hunter?" Varra asked in a bubbly, air-headed voice.

"Who wants to know?" Melv growled threateningly.

"Oh, I'm Varra," she replied casually. "I'm a big fan of your work, a big fan!" She took a slug of the whiskey and gave him a charming smile.

--
Convince Melv to come quietly, destiny used: 4 successes, 3 threat

I hope that worked?

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Shaisha seemed to take hints and directions well as she joined on the other side of Melv, lifting up her mask and pulling down the cowl of her cape to reveal her striking sith features. A wave to the bartender quickly saw a bottle passed onto the bar.

"Hmmm, have heard talk about you," she said with a calm purr as she refilled Velm's glass, then one for herself.

[Niall Organa]

Varra was convincing, and her plan was a good one. Between her and Shaisha, they got another drink or two into Melv, where he crossed the line from belligerent into impaired. From there, it was easy to lure him out into the alley with the promise of some work.

He didn't even have a chance to draw a weapon. He was surrounded quickly, Varra briefly engaging in a struggle with him until the rest got there. And in a few moments he was secured.

(Varra takes 3 strain)

Niall looked down at the man who killed his sister, his face even more set and pale than when we began the hunt. "Well. You have your life. We're going to take you back, where, as I understand it, you will be turned over to Repubic authorities for trial on Alderaan. Far more than my sister got." His eyes narrowed. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

[Nekoinu]

Melv, in that moment of drinking, needed the company. He told them about his removal from the guild, the mistake that he had made, and the genuine guilt he felt for it. However, that emotion was lost soon after.

The bounty hunter stared at Niall as he spoke. His eyes were still unfocused from the alcohol. But eventually, the first thing to escape him was laugh. "Trial? For what, justice? She ain't the first I killed on the job. She was just the only one important enough to matter!" He made a sudden leap towards the captain, though his restraints kept him back. "Admit it. You wouldn't have cared if your sister wasn't involved. None of you would have!"

[Niall Organa]

Niall kept his cool, his chin jerking up slightly at Melv's sudden lunge. "Perhaps I wouldn't have cared to come along personally. But believe me, if I could put you on trial for every innocent you've harmed in your pursuit of credits, I would."

He leaned closer, his lips pulling back into a sneer. "You disgust me." The words are soft but intense, spoken with entirely sincere feeling.

Niall turned suddenly, his cloak swirling as he turned his back on the killer. "Let's turn him in. The bounty on him and the closure he can bring to my family is the only thing he's worth."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

The pureblood Sith, now without her mask and cowl to hide her features, gave a curious look to Niall.

"His punishement will be death, no?" she said, looking at the restrained prisoner, before looking back to the Organa captain.

"Kill him. Kill him now." Her tone was somewhere between casually asking him, and goading him.

[Niall Organa]

Still facing away, Niall shook his head. "No. Not on Alderaan. Life imprisonment." His voice was tight with emotion.

Slowly, he turned around, his expression calmer now. "I won't deny that it burns me that he'll live, while my sister... doesn't." He took a breath. "But I swore an oath, and I have a duty, both to Alderaan and to the Republic. I can't just believe in justice when it's not personal to me. I have to believe in it even when it's hardest, or what is my oath worth?"

His lips twisted, almost into a smile. "Besides. Ranye always had a soft heart."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

How wasteful... life imprisonment for someone who wasn't even important.

Her smile widened slightly, as she at least felt she had a fairly good assessement of this Alderaanian now. But she did not go for her lightsaber to end the pitiful Mandalorian, or press the issue further.

"While I disagree with the practicality of this decision..." she looked at Melv now, "lucky for you it is not my decision to make."

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly looked at the wretched joke of a man. He was right... but she didn't care. The Jedi believe in balance, that everything matters... but that is not always the best approach.

"That is not the republic way." She said in an even tone. She looked to Niall next, her arms stiffly by her side. "She brought good into this world. That is her legacy."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

The Sith shrugged. "As you desire."

What sort of punishments did they even give out in the Republic for this sort of thing? Just left in a plush little cell to rot?

"I leave him in your capable hands. It has been.... enlightening."

[Niall Organa]

Aly's words calmed Niall further, steadied his resolve. "Yes. You're right. Thank you." He gave her a smile.

Shaisha's words got a raised eyebrow from Niall, but no further comment for the moment.

"Let's take him in. And thank you, all of you." He gave each of them a nod, lingering on Shaisha a bit longer. "I'll say more later. After we're done with him." With that, he circled around to help handle the prisoner on their way back to turn him in.