^Bounty Hunter

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Clarke emerged into the empty back alley that ran behind the cantina. The lack of people around did nothing to diminish the unease that she felt in doing this. 

No witnesses, no crime. That was the unsaid motto on the lower levels of Coruscant. It was just how things worked in such a lawless place. 

It was rare for her to be apprehensive in the face of danger but in this circumstance, with no weapons on hand, it would be foolish to ignore the odds of a successful encounter with the bounty hunter. 

She did not have the Jedi's ability to sense the hunters position and had to rely solely on her own instincts to guide her. 

Upon reaching the end of the alley she found herself at an intersection of smaller streets, all seemingly abandoned, and swiftly took the one on the right as if she had an intended route to follow. It was the motion of turning the corner that allowed her to glimpse the figure emerging from the cantina to pursue their target. 

By all accounts they were not being subtle about their intentions, believing an easy victory to be at hand. Little did they know how wrong they were. Clarke turned down another street, this one on her left, and turned to make a stand. It would be pointless to run. 

The hunter appeared around the side of the old building a few seconds later, a wry smile lifting his lips when he saw what awaited him. 

'Do you think yourself brave human?' he hissed with a dark sneer, stopping a few metres away where he pulled free the double edged blade from its sheath. 

Clarke did not recognise the reptilian species, but he appeared to be humanoid in a sense. The thick, leathery, brown skin almost appeared to blend with the dark tinted eyes that receded into its skull. The lipless face was adorned with a frill on either cheek, a ragged scar ripping it's way from the left cheek bone beyond the curvature of his chin. 

This was clearly an individual who had seen more than his share of action. 

'Nothing to say?' he went on, tipping his head to the side to observe the bounty. 'How tedious. At least make it entertaining and try to run.'

Clarke had no intention of doing such a thing. 

'It's not me you should be concerned with,' she hinted, looking pointedly at something over his shoulder. He glanced back cautiously to see the Jedi standing ominously at the end of the street and it was in that moment of hesitation that Clarke made her move. 

She launched herself forward with a powerful leap and slammed the unsuspecting hunter to the ground, taking possession of the weapon in a single motion as she positioned one knee firmly on his chest whilst bringing the blade up to press against his unprotected throat. It was over with such speed that he had no time to make a sound, choosing wisely to lie still when it became clear that he had been bested. 

'How was that for entertaining?'

The Weequay stared up in disgust, furious that he had allowed himself to be distracted by the presence of the Jedi. The blonde woman had not been as defenceless as she had first appeared. 

'Thanks for all your help,' Clarke directed at the Jedi, glancing up momentarily as Lexa approached. 

'I would have stepped in had you needed any assistance, not that you had any trouble,' she insisted, taking note of the woman's ability to take care of herself. Not just anyone would tackle an armed bounty hunter in such a manner.

The Jedi cast her gaze around the streets, reaching out with the force as she sensed that the danger had not yet passed. Clarke could see the concentration on the woman's face and kept her grip tight on the bounty hunter as she prepared to ask what was wrong. 

'Who are you talking to?' Lexa inquired suddenly, looking down at the silent humanoid. Far too quiet Clarke now understood, and not struggling half as much as she would have expected. 

Any normal human would have no idea that anything was amiss, but Lexa was in tune with the force and could sense the pheromones that he was emitting in way of communication with others of his species. 

'You're not the only ones to travel as a pair,' he sneered, almost gleeful that his companion had not yet been noticed by the duo. He gave no more warning about what was to take place as Clarke looked up with concern at the Jedi, having no time to speak when a soft pop could be heard from nearby. 

Lexa could sense what was taking place as the rifle was discharged and time seemed to slow as she felt the trajectory of the projectile as it cut through the air towards the oblivious blonde who was still holding the smirking hunter in place. 

Unable to force push the woman out of the way without releasing the bounty hunter, Lexa threw out a hand and used the force to bring the dart to a halt just short of a metre from its intended target. 

Clarke's question was abandoned as she stared at the dart with shock, suspended in mid air rather than burying itself in her neck. The Jedi's movement had been too rapid to track and it seemed that the unknown shooter was also fast to act as a volley of darts followed in quick succession. 

The Jedi was able to sway easily around a large majority of them but, due to the small confines of the back street and the close proximity of each shot, one of them found its target and sliced through the thin sleeve of her robe to pierce her skin without any trouble. 

Lexa paused for an instant, glancing down at the insignificant injury which proved to be more of annoyance than anything else and resolved to end this debacle before any more time could be wasted in such a pointless conflict. 

With a simple twist and flick of her wrist, the dart suspended in mid air seemed to come alive, rotating to face away from the blonde and sped straight and true into the shadows of the closest building where the shooter was positioned. 

A grunt was heard from one of the lower windows before another reptilian humanoid tumbled forwards and fell with a crash to the concrete floor below, knocked unconscious by the powerful drug contained within the dart. 

The bounty hunters smug attitude soon faded as his companion was taken down, replaced with a grimace as his fate was sealed. Clarke was not about to take any chances with him and used the hilt of the sword to knock him out whilst she checked on the Jedi. 

'Are you okay?' she asked, rising to her feet as she watched Lexa attempting to dig the dart out from where it had become embedded in her arm. It was soon free and dropped to the ground with a light clink as the Jedi nodded in assurance. 

'I'll be fine.'

She could already feel the drug working its way around her system as she focused on counteracting the effects so that she didn't end up on the ground with the two Weequay. 

'Will he?' Clarke asked, looking over at the unconscious reptilian shooter who lay unconscious beside his rifle. 

'The drug wasn't intended to kill, merely incapacitate. Someone must want you alive,' the Jedi mused. 'The question is who.'

'I think I know the answer to that,' Clarke offered, having recognised the two reptilian hunters from a previous encounter. 'But first we need answers from him.'

Without another word she reached down and gripped the humanoids limp arm to heave him upright until she was supporting his full weight. He was about the same height as her so it wasn't an impossible feat, but tricky nonetheless. 

Lexa stepped forwards and did the same on his other side. The two of them proceeded to drag him back to the cantina, leaving his partner with the rifle in the street after rendering his weapon useless. Only one of them was needed to provide them with the information they needed. The other would just have to wonder what had happened when he finally awoke. 

The bartender was understandably grouchy when they returned with the unconscious Weequay in tow, crossing his arms over his chest as he observed the unusual trio. Glances from other customers were becoming lengthier as whispers amongst the tables began and Lexa knew they had to get out of the spotlight before people started asking questions. 

'Jedi business my friend,' Clarke insisted, taking on a confident appearance so as to convince the man that it would be in his best interest to do what they said. 'This guy isn't feeling too good, so we'll get out of your way if you'll kindly let us take one of your private rooms for a short time.'

The bartender stared back with an icy glare, looking at each of them individually before reluctantly motioning them through to the private rooms which were conveniently located away from the bustling bar scene. 

Clarke nodded in thanks and they hurried to drag the unconscious Weequay away from prying eyes, choosing the room as far from the bar as they could find, shutting the door firmly at their backs to shut out the hovering bartender who had followed them cautiously at a distance. 

'He won't last long in a place like this if he doesn't mind his own business,' Clarke commented, sighing in relief when they deposited the reptilian male into a booth and the weight on her shoulder disappeared.

It was a rather large room for a back alley cantina, with a collection of tables and chairs gathered around the holoprojector in the centre. If dancers could not be purchased for live entertainment then a projection of such an individual suited most people just as well. 

A well stocked bar lined the back wall and Clarke took a moment to browse the wide selection of uncommon beverages that were available for any customer with unusually high standards for such a place. 

Jargridian brandy, one of the cheapest, appeared to be the most common drink to purchase in this cantina but she had noted a bottle of Dentarian Ripple which was a strong drink that she had always wanted to try on the right occasion. It would have to save for another day. 

'How long do you think our new friend will be out for?' Clarke asked, turning away from the alcohol to watch the Jedi take a seat in the booth opposite the Weequay who was slumped over the table between them. 

'Its hard to tell, though certainly long enough for you to explain exactly what's going on,' Lexa replied, waiting patiently as the blonde joined her in the booth, taking a seat beside the unconscious male. 

'Fine, but shouldn't you be in a similar state to this guy?'

Clarke had almost forgotten the Jedi's injury, suddenly reminded when she caught sight of the ripped material on her arm. 

'I'm working on that as we speak. Don't you worry, I can multitask,' she replied, not letting the other escape without an explanation this time. 

Settling back in the padded seat, Clarke fell silent for a moment as she considered where to start. Certainly not from the beginning, they didn't have a whole day to sit here and discuss her past. 

'A man called Janos Karr sent the bounty hunters after me, I glimpsed them once when I had the displeasure of seeing the man at a meeting.'

Janos Karr was one of the leaders of the Migrant Merchants Guild. Some would argue that they were a legitimate organisation that only took part in non-violent activities for the good of the people. On the other hand, a larger majority would choose to describe them as a highly organised crime syndicate who worked for their own gain without thought or mercy for those that got in the way. 

The guild was subject to bribery and extortion, with all sorts of criminals using it as a front for their money laundering or smuggling schemes. Hardly the innocent, non-violent morals that many individuals would claim it possessed. 

'What exactly led you to be in a meeting with one of the heads of a criminal organisation?' Lexa asked, not wanting the blonde to think she was jumping to conclusions and shut down again. 

'When I left my home planet, I fell into the company of a group of individuals who were transporting goods across the galaxy.'

Lexa quirked an eyebrow at the vague description. 

'This group of individuals you refer to, I assume you mean smugglers?'  

Clarke shrugged dismissively and settled back into the seat. 

'Smugglers, mercenaries, freelancers, call it what you like,' she continued, dropping her eyes down to the table. The story of why she had left her planet and how she had ended up with this group was a story for another day, it was certainly a long one. 

'What matters is that I've spent the past few years with them, taking on whatever jobs came our way. We weren't working for the Empire if that's what you were thinking,' Clarke elaborated, wanting to make it clear that there were no ties to Imperial forces. 'That's how we ended up in a deal with Janos.'

Lexa wasn't surprised to hear that Clarke had been in the company of smugglers for the last few years. She had certainly learnt their knack of surviving through even the most dire of situations. Her ability to fight and refusal to back down against all odds were certainly traits that were common amongst such people. 

'What deal was made?' the Jedi asked, knowing it could be anything from simply transporting a shipment of spice to a planet on the far side of the galaxy, all the way to assassinating an important figure in the political world. 

'We each had different...,' Clarke paused, pursing her lips as she searched for the right word. 'Rewards, shall we say, for carrying out the mission. I requested that my records be erased from the holonet. I'd managed to pick up quite the misleading set of offences that were getting me too much attention.'

It made sense. With that kind of lifestyle you found yourself on the wrong side of both the Empire and the Republic more than you'd like and it made travelling between planets a hassle. It still didn't explain why he had sent a bounty after her though. 

'Did the mission fail?' 

Clarke shook her head and sighed as she recalled the event. 

'No, everything went smoothly and we got out without any trouble. The mission was to extract one of their men from a slaver who had taken them prisoner. Turns out they had already done half the job for us and managed to escape, so all we had to do was pick them up and get the hell out of there.' 

It wasn't necessarily a morally questionable task to accept. The slavers were just as bad as any criminal that worked within the Guild so it was a far cry from turning against any innocent people. 

'The trouble started when the ungrateful scum took advantage of the extraction. We landed on an outer rim planet to drop of a spice delivery when he stole the ship along with the valuable cargo that was destined for the Guild.'

Lexa nodded slowly, understanding why one of the leaders might be somewhat displeased by the outcome. He had not only lost the cargo and the slave who had been freed, but he had done his part for the smugglers and received nothing but more trouble in return. 

Clarke had of course contacted him and explained the situation but it hadn't been good enough and she had been avoiding him ever since. The clean record provided by the slicer was certainly useful in staying under the radar and so far she had managed to evade his attempts at capture.

'He could easily return your record to it's previous status,' Lexa began, wondering what was stopping him from retracting his side of the deal. 'But he lost a member of his crew and a shipment in the process, and you would have no negative repercussions.'

'Exactly,' Clarke agreed, knowing that Janos was not one who could overlook the bad business and move on without getting even. He wouldn't leave her be until she had repaid her debt. 'So here we have the money grabbing hunter who was sent to drag me back to the Guild and complete some suicide mission that he would most likely send me on for revenge.'

They fell into silence as Lexa processed everything that she had been told. It was not as bad as she had been expecting, and she was more than a little relieved to hear that the woman was not some criminal minion who was carrying out the orders of some overlord without question. 

Smugglers were not the most highly viewed of individuals, but they weren't necessarily criminals. Lexa had known of many decent smugglers who worked to provide aid to those who needed it most on distant war torn planets.

Their lives were always at risk as they dared to do what no one else would think possible under the most dire of circumstances. It was a risky existence and with so many enemies that were created with each transaction there was never a shortage of people out to end their lives. Each mission was a coin toss which could either result in more wealth than one could imagine, or an uninspiring death in the empty depths of space. 

'When you crashed on Hoth you were alone. What happened?' Lexa inquired, not sure how their meeting on Hoth and the business with the holocron fitted into the story. 

'When our ship was stolen we managed to smuggle ourselves on board a freighter that was bound for the core worlds,' Clarke explained, 'we hopped between planets for quite some time aboard different ships as we evaded Janos and decided what our next move was.'

They had been discovered however and the captain had been far from pleased to find the stowaways onboard, demanding their capture. Clarke had fled and managed to escape on one of the shuttles but she had been followed and a few lucky shots had hit the engine, causing her to crash on Hoth. 

'What happened to the others?' 

Clarke shrugged, running her hand along the table edge to give her something to do other than look at the Jedi. 

'I don't know. They're a plucky bunch though so I'm sure they're fine.'

Lexa could sense the woman's guilt at abandoning her friends to escape the ship. She knew well that the people you travelled with became close like a family, a strong bond to say the least, and it must have been difficult to not know if they were even still alive. 

'The holocron was just an unfortunate coincidence,' Clarke continued, taking the focus away from her friends. 'I was in the base waiting for the next shuttle when I saw the signal it was emitting and I couldn't help but investigate.'

'Why didn't you just tell me all this from the beginning?' Lexa asked. It would have saved the time in confinement on the Helldiver and all of the mistrust that had followed on from that. 

'Tell a Jedi that I've been exporting goods around the galaxy with smugglers and have a bounty on my head after working for a criminal leader of the Migrant Merchants Guild?' Clarke scoffed, amused by the prospect. 'That would have gone down well.'

Lexa could see her point but was certain that she would have understood once everything had been explained in full. She could tell that there were certain details the blonde had missed out of the story, possibly due to lack of time or because mentioning her smuggler friends was not a topic she enjoyed discussing, but