Log:BHG: Where Is He?!?
Bounty hunters question the known associate of an acquisition
OOC Date: May 5, 2023
Location: Theed, Naboo
Participants: Aejin Taerok as GM, Amal Jha, Kademir Taerok, and Sumi Kora
It's a truly lovely afternoon in the city of Theed. Naboo's climate this time of year is among the loveliest places to be. The hunt had been underway for three-quarters of an hour, but it was a methodical and purposeful thing. Three bounty hunters, associated with the Guild in one way or another, had identified a known associate of their actual target: Karonda Dodonna.
The Givin known as An-Ormuz Nitch had once upon a time been a partner of Dodonna's, pulling off small cons and other criminal activity that many could consider amateur. The difference was that while Dodonna had strayed into more and more illegal activity over the last decade? Nitch had gone legit. A mechanic on the planet Naboo. He is, by all rights, an innocent within the whole matter. Allegedly.
Despite his innocence in the greater situation, that doesn't mean that he's without use or even information that could lead to the directly to the apprehension of Karonda Dodonna. Therefore the Guild's hunters had set themselves a little trap. Since Nitch was an innocent legally speaking, harming him was technically out of the question. Bounty hunters could, of course, act in self defense under particular circumstances. Nitch didn't really know the specifics of it all and there lay opportunity.
Like wolves on the prowl, appearing in An-Ormuz's periphery the hunters would appear. Never interacting directly, but always seemed to loom mysteriously and without warning among pedestrians, doorways, or alleyways. It was of course the work of predators driving their prey precisely where they wished to spring their ambush. An-Ormuz Nitch had turned down an alleyway, the Givin's startled skeletal face stretched with worry and anxious while the Echani figure known as Amal Jha had followed him into the alleyway. He rushed down the alleyway, clutching his bag of tools close while the Givin trotted across the cobblestone pathway of the alleyway in the seedier back streets of Theed.
Coming to an intersection, Nitch seems to hesitate. Should he turn back he will inevitably have to go through the woman in white that follows him: Amal Jha. To his left and right lay other paths. To his horror those paths are soon blocked when a pair of Mandalorians appear to block the only other available paths through the narrow alleyway.
One Mandalorian has dropped down from above with their jetpack slowing their sudden descent, effectively barring the western path that turns left. The other Mandalorian has done similar, barring the path to the east or right. The mouth of the trap suddenly slammed shut as the three paths that Nitch could take, are now blocked by some menacing figure or another. It's then that the Givin turns in place in the center of the intersection of the alleyway. Nitch's rasping voice calling out as he turns, trying to watch each of the assailants at once while he continues to clutch his bag of tools, "W-w-who are you? What do you want? I don't have any credits... move aside, please.."
It's questions at first, but quickly he turns to rather polite pleading.
The Echani did not run, nor did she move in a way that might allow the target (for the moment) to get the sense that this was just an odd coincidence. "This is not about you," the echani offered, her tone utterly calm. "You have information that we need." The pale woman reached beneath her duster, removing a pair of blades, holding them casually, as if there was no intent to harm. But, that was the things about weapons, there was always the threat to harm. "The past has a way of catching up with all of us. Karonda Dodonna. Where is he?" She remained where she had stopped, noting the arrival of the rest of the team, despite not looking in their direction directly. Hard to miss jetpacks. "You can tell me that you don't know. I will not believe you."
Making a jetpack entrance was still exhilarating to the young Mandalorian that is Kademir. It's a viable tactic his father has been drilling him on. He's just grateful he didn't plant into a building first. He touches down to look Nitch over with a silently judging visor. He lets Amal do the talking for the time being. Watching for any foolish movements from Nitch first. He's close enough his Chain-Whip can be out to deal with any shenanigans? hopefully.
Feeling his oats, Kademir decides this is a good time to reach out and attempt to search for any electronics that will assist him in pulling information out of the subject much more rapidly than expected. He finds the odds and ends of a mechanic, tools, and not a datapad that he needed to pull this off. He feels both like he missed something, and that his Father's eyes are on his performance.
Transition from descent to landing was done so smoothly, it seemed like Sumi had practiced it. She didn't even allow time for the weight to adjust, she just landed and stepped forward. Sumi Kora's helmet was of peculiar design because its visor was unlike most, its exterior was mirror like, allowing people to see themselves when Sumi's 'gaze' rested on them.
The Givin saw themselves in her visor.
Charging the lever-action rifle, Sumi flipped it up with practiced ease and chambered a slug. The modified weapon was quietly lifted in place to rest against the pocket of her shoulder, and she trained it ahead. Stepping heavily, the jingle-jangle of spurs on her boots heralded her approach, growing in volume the closer she got. No answer was provided when questions were voiced or demands made. He wanted to get by? He could damn well try.
Suddenly there are a pair of blades in the hands of the woman in white. Then a Mandalorian is drawing closer to Nitch, resulting in the Givin shrinking back in fear. An-Ormuz seems to relax when all that happens is his bag of tools are snatched away and given a good searching. Then there's the third one with the rifle and when she chambers a slug with such a distinct sound, the Givin only seems to shrink back away from THAT Mandalorian, and toward the other. He bounces from Kademir and begins to rebound from the Shistavanen suited in his own Mandalorian armor. "I..."
Nitch gets that single sound out as he bounces from Kademir and begins to turn again, before finally coming to a halt before Amal Jha. The Givin's head turns this way and that, taking in his situation and his predicament before he looks up to the taller Echani woman and mumbles out an answer to the questions, "I-I haven't ran into Dodonna in years! We spoke three weeks ago or so? He didn't mention where he is or anything."
It's obvious that the Givin is lying, because when he speaks it his head turns to regard the Mandalorian in blue - Sumi - and the rifle that she holds. Like he's terrified his lie will result in that rifle's use. He stiffens with fear, before his focus snaps back to around to Kademir, and then finally back to Amal as he backs away. Soon he has nowhere else to back. His back presses into the flat section of wall of the three-way intersection in the lovely alleyways of Theed.
Each step the Givin took was mirrored by the Echani, the blades remaining at low ready, though, as the mechanic came to a final halt, the blades ignited, crimson light staining the white of Amal's clothing. A preview, perhaps, of things to come. "You haven't run into him in years, and yet you are close enough that you spoke to him only a few weeks ago." Amal took a moment, a settling breath. The sort one took before violence began, "What did I tell you about telling me you didn't know?" There was a slight tilt of her head, "Perhaps we should try this another way. Shall I take the left hand or the right? I will leave you one, so that you can continue your work when we've finished speaking."
The youth is forced to admit that Sumi's entrance is WAY cooler. Amal's got new shiny stabbies, which gives him a pang of both jealous? and his typical urge and desire to take things apart and see how they work! He has to blink; he has to focus here. The Guildmaster is RIGHT THERE. He cannot afford to make errors. However, his willpower vanishes a brief moment. Kademir is unable to stop himself from blurting out at the skeletal Givin. <"We do you look so SAD?">
Well. That happened. Maybe Aejin will never hear about this. Maybe Kademir will grow wings. Time for a less embarrassing tactic. In the absence of the Givin's datapad, Kademir turns to his own and starts tapping at it rapidly. A pause, and his head jerks to have the BD unit perched on his shoulder to let go of his Bilari-Hilt to drop down and plug in to help sort. <"Steady Employer. Wife. Children. Oh. GRAND-Children. Congratulations? Regardless. You know. I wonder how your family and employer will feel if they"> He gestures to both Amal and Sumi since they have been far more intimidating than he. <"-have to start asking -them- questions to confirm your story.">
Sumi turns in place, stepping away from the pair who have the Givin properly pinned between them (albeit not physically.) Observing the ends of the alleyways, Sumi sees a few people peeking in to see what the deal was, but none who seem inclined to storm an alley to save a friend. Guesstimating that the local nationals might call for royal security, given the presence of weapons, Sumi alerts the others through comms, something not conveyed aloud from her helmet. <<"Will probably see local authorities, soon. Best hurry up..">>
The question from Amal only serves to cause Nitch to retreat further. Unfortunately there's a smooth wall behind him and he presses himself against it as if he could meld into it. No longer able to freely turn in place, Nitch's head begins to turn this way and that. He looks to the silent one first: Sumi. Finding that Mandalorian still silent but no less terrifying, then it's toward Kademir that the Givin looks. The question of his face is met by only a moment of apparent offense as the Givin's saddened expression becomes ever sadder. Pitiful, even. "W-what? This is just my FACE" Nitch answers with obvious offense taken to such a rude question!
As his family and employment is brought into the mix however, Nitch's head rocks back as though he'd taken a blow to the chin in slow motion. Finally his focus turns back to Amal and the pair of blades that she holds. He glances down to his own hands, then back to Amal before he answers back holding his hands up and empty before himself, "Please, no, not my hands! What kind of monsters are you? Who did Dodonna anger? All he said was he needed some credits, didn't tell me where he was going or anything! We're barely even friends anymore, just an old pal asking an old buddy for a favor."
"The sort that want the answers they came for. I have no doubt that as worried as you are about the continued state of your employment, not to mention the continued existence of your family, any interaction you did with Karonda Dodonna was not done without knowing precisely where he was and what he was doing So. I am going to ask you one last time. And then, I am going to begin cutting." Still, Amal did not look towards the other two in the team. That singular focus has its benefits, though she did acknowledge Sumi's words with the slightest nod of her head.
Definitely. Definitely going to hear about his little slip up later. Kademir takes a moment to close his eyes and take a slow deep breath, not enough to be heard or seen from outside his armor. Just a moment to recenter. Internally the threat to take a hand was a delayed shock. Whatever works, he supposes. But it was just a threat, right? Looking at Amal he was no longer so sure. At this point, he chooses to not debate the Givin over his appearance. After all he looks weird to others himself. Sumi gives a fair warning, this would be hard to explain. Not to mention potentially warn their quarry if they all got pinched her. Likely they can scare the Givin into not warning Dodonna. He focuses on something said, building off the scary that was Amal. Glad both herself and Sumi are on his side. <"What kind of favor? What did your old buddy need and where? Look. She's serious."> Indicating Amal. He jerks a thumb at Sumi. <"...And you're costing that one there credits.">
Quiet still, and leaving the jaw-boning to the other two, Sumi attends to looking out each alleyway. Her brisk walk with the accompanied jingle-jangle serves as a ticking clock for the time that's running out for them, and the time that's running out for the Givin. Sumi hoists her weapon high for now, muzzle resting over her caped shoulder. When she's visited each opening and found no threat, yet, Sumi mutters, <<"Too quiet. Theed ain't this complacent.">>
"Listen!" the Givin answers as Amal seems to draw a step closer with her blades in hand. He looks abruptly to Sumi and then to Kademir, now pleading with the Mandalorians of all people to try to convince someone to calm down, "Can you tell your partner to settle down or something?" He looks back to Amal, both of his skeletal hands up and palms revealed still. To the Echani he asks, almost pleading, "I'll tell you where he's at. I just need some compensation for it, okay? I gave up crime a long time ago and things are harder now. I'm a mechanic, that's all. I'll tell you where Dodonna is, but you can't tell him I told you. I don't want him to know that I gave him up for credits, okay?"
Then the Givin looks to Kademir and Sumi, his back still pressed flat to the wall. He does his very best to put as much distance between himself, Amal, and Amal's blades as possible. Unfortunately the wall will not permit his retreating further. "Eight hundred credits. That's all I need. Enough to pay off some debts. Eight hundred credits and I'll tell you where Dodonna is," the Givin practically pleads now, with his hands clasping together before himself. Likely in begging for the financial assistance and the opportunity to retain direct ownership of his hands.
"You must have some very strong feelings for a friend you have not seen in years, if you are willing to give up your own life, and the lives of everyone you know and love. Is he really worth all of that? Are you willing to trade their lives for the promise of credits for a person you claim to have no real engagement with anymore?" Amal remained in position, hand tightening on the hilts in her hands, "Location first, payment after. That is how this works."
<"You want me to tell Miss Slicey McStabbity to calm down? Start answering her."> Kademir focuses his visor squarely on the Givin as he pleads his case on the credits. Doesn't want to be be found out selling out... by selling out. His eyes roll behind the visor. Amal pushes and leans on the given hard. <"She's right."> This is in regards to what Sumi had said. This is taking too long. Kademir uses his left hand to dip into a lower bandolier pouch. He rolls some credits in his fingers. Amal is also right, and just stopped him from handing over credits first. <"Credits in my hand, ready to go in your hand."> There's a brief pause and he growls at the Givin, less impressive since his fangs are hidden. <"Information. Now. You've wasted enough time.">
She walks by them again, pausing at the end of the alleyway to look outward, then turned to look out the other. Sumi isn't concerned about the Givin pleading for their life, for credits, for any sort of decency that would award him with something for his compliance. He had balls to ask, but if he wasn't careful, the Echani would take those, too. She doesn't add anything further over comms, choosing to remain silent to give the pair room to work without feeling rushed.
Nitch looks from Amal and her blades, to Kademir, and finally to Sumi. Then it's to each three in no particular order. His head twists and shifts, taking stock of his situation. Then there's the jingle of credits. Held out at first, the Givin seems ready to reach for them. Only for those same credits to be withdrawn and the stipulation spoken by Kademir. The Givin's empty eye sockets turn to regard Amal and the blades she holds tightly in her hands.
His head drops, as though in defeat and perhaps a little shame. He nods after a moment, likely convincing himself that betraying an old friend was necessary given his own circumstances.
An-Ormuz Nitch's head turns to regard Kademir and the credits that the Mandalorian holds, but then he looks back to Amal. He finally spits out the location, providing the details so that he can get paid, "Fondor. He said he was going to Fondor. Donny said that he thought if he went toward the Core, the Hutts and the Guild aren't going to follow him. He said he could the Empire as a shield. He borrowed a few credits off me to help pay his way".
It's that help provided to an old friend that's likely put Nitch into a financial bind of his own, which he's now attempting to dig himself out.
Amal nodded, snapping the two blades together into a single weapon, though moving it to one hand did not seem to make the woman any less dangerous. Perhaps she had no off-hand. The free hand she now had, she used to reach into a pocket to retrieve a pair of credit chits, holding it out so that Kademir could see she had it covered. The markings were easy enough to read. A thousand credits on each chit, in one of the easily usable, but difficult to trace denominations. The galaxy was full of a multitude of currencies. The chits were offered to the Givin. "Go home to your family. And forget you ever knew anyone named Karonda Dodonna. Let the past stay in the past."
This really is too nice a planet. Kademir's mind wandered randomly for half a moment. Thankfully he's wearing that visor, so it doesn't show. He's currently awaiting the answer from the Givin, if he's got to cough up the credits, so be it. Won't be the first time he's paid for information. It will not be the last. There is a sharp nod at the mention of Fondor. Belatedly he realizes he should have asked for the commlink used for this so he could try to scomp the frequencies and route of travel. The sentient is jumpy enough now as it is.
The visor turns towards Amal next in a little bit of surprise. The elongated helmet slowly inclines respectfully in thanks for the payment made. His own credits are slipped back away. A gesture towards the woman. <"Her suggestion is valid and wise. Follow it. You have too much family to risk to others far worse than us."> The BD unit leaps up from behind to reattach itself to his shoulder and Bilari-Hilt as he prepares to take off to split up.
As the Givin looks down, he observes the arrival of Sumi's boots (yes, she's in them!) Upon looking up, the mirrored visor shows his pathetic face. <"You dropped your credits back /there/.">> She explains, providing him a story for when security arrives. <"We returned them to you. Theed has such honest citizens, an example to all."> Pat, -- pat, pat. She's patted his arm in a cheerful manner, but Sumi's dull tone and demeanor seem anything but.
After a nod, she follows suit and exits, alerting the others that, <<"Security has arrived. Leave casually.">> True to her own advice, the rifle she carried disappeared beneath the confines of her cape as she stalked out with heavy armored steps.
The Givin looks down into his skeletal hand and the credit chits that are placed into it. He looks up and around himself at each of the bounty hunters surrounding him. He nods once at Amal's words of advice, but inevitably looks back down to the credit chits. He reaches out and carefully extracts his tool bag from Kademir, only to deposit the chits into it. The bit of advice from Amal and Kademir voicing his own support for Amal's suggestion earns a series of short nods from Nitch. He's clearly in agreement, even if he never vocalizes that agreement.
The announcement from Sumi forewarns of the arrival of the Royal Naboo security force that often acts as the policing arm of Theed. A pair of officers begin to make their way down the alleyway, their own necks craning and attempting to spy anything amiss within the gathering ahead of themselves. Even as the bounty hunters begin to disperse. "You really need to get out of here," Nitch remarks to the bounty hunters before he shoulders his way through the group as he moves off to intercept the fuzz, "Oh hey there, officers. Sorry about the false alarm," he assures them. The Givin casually waves his free hand, still clutching his tool bag to his chest as he explains freely and willingly.
It's clear that he's running interference, acting as a distraction for the bounty hunters to make their departure without questions asked. It's clear that he's got some experience in that regard at least. His criminal past no doubt aiding in his bid to show the security officers one hand, so that they don't notice the moves of the other, "I was in a rush to get home and dropped my credits somewhere between the workshop and home. Those nice people," the Givin tilts his head to the bounty hunters who disappear down other branches of the alleyway, "helped me find them again. My family would have had to miss a couple day's worth of meals if it weren't for them!"
