Rise of a Bounty Hunter
Chapter 1: Shots Fired
Senguu studied the star map in disbelief. "Either that is one hell of a prank, or ol' glowy-eyes had better connections than I thought."
A cold feminine voice intoned, "Arrived at destination Sarvchii. Atmospheric conditions: unknown. Population: unknown. Affiliation: unknown."
"Affiliation: Chiss Ascendancy," Senguu muttered, then winced when the voice responded.
"Updating Sarvchii – affiliation 'Chiss Ascendancy'. Awaiting details of new affiliation."
"I dunno, I just heard of it myself."
"Replacing 'affiliation: unknown' with 'affiliation: Chiss Ascendancy'."
"What? That's not what I... abort. Abort!"
"Aborting replacement. Wiping destination: Sarvchii."
Senguu growled and slammed his palm on the navicomputer. He had a practice of maintaining a seperate datapad just for all navigation coordinates he'd picked up, and he had only begun that practice soon after a buddy of his in Vo-tech convinced him to try the companies' newest innovation: a voice-activated navicomputer. The guy was convinced it was the next big thing, and Senguu had spent the last year of his life learning why they had never caught on. Vo-tech as a company no longer existed - it went under less than a galactic standard month after releasing their "vo-navis" to the public, and Senguu was never able to reach his buddy to express his displeasure. Clearly Senguu was not the only person operating outside galactic law that the guy suckered into trying the flawed product. With any luck, this new secret planet he'd been tipped on would give him enough profit to get a new navicomputer. One that acutally worked.
Val'sritt'chalinya glanced up, pausing in mid-stride to stare at the beautiful face the news holos were displaying all over the city. Soft features, high cheekbones, full red lips and wide, seemingly innocent bright red eyes framed by long black hair done up in elaborate cascading curls stared out at the largest city on Sarvchii. It was not unusual for Sritt'cha to see herself featured in the news, but it did startle her that the cameras captured her smiling for once. Usually the report was about another public meltdown – screaming at a stranger for an imagined insult, throwing things around a crowded shop, or knocking some other woman out of her way in the streets. Sritt'cha was not tall for a Chiss, but her many curves added something extra when she chose to throw her weight around, figuratively or otherwise.
She was vaguely aware that most other Chiss societies considered such behavior appalling, and even that new Empire everyone was whispering about seemed quite reserved. On Sarvchii, however, the trophy wife of a prominent politician was expected to attract publicity. The public loved keeping up with each scandalous outburst, each rumored infidelity, and Sritt'cha was only too happy to accommodate her adoring fans and play her role to the hilt.
Today Sritt'cha was on the prowl in one of the seedier districts of her city. Like any good Chiss politician, her husband had strong ties to the underground markets, and Sarvchii's criminal elements were positively buzzing with news of some outlanders arriving. Sritt'cha knew where the Ascendancy's negotiations with the strange Empire were heading, and she very much wanted to meet some of these alien creatures while buying highly illegal and outrageously scandalous things in a very public setting.
Senguu had heard that these people had been isolated, but he still was not prepared for all the stares as he tried to scope out the local cantina – or whatever they called it here. He managed to spot a Devaronian and two Humans attracting similar attention at the spaceport, but he allowed himself a small triumphant smirk as he observed that they were all from the Sith Empire. Little blue children reached out to poke him, then ran away with annoying little squeals. Still, Senguu managed to learn quite a bit from chatting with curious locals and merchants eager for foreign credits. The fact that Sarvchii was the only planet in the Chiss Ascendancy to be "discovered" by smugglers and merchants was no accident – the place was the trading and finance center of Chiss space. One stiff and formal Chiss after another assured Senguu that the rest of their culture was not nearly so chaotic and decadent, and the smuggler was forced to stifle laughter every time. If this is what they consider out of control, he was just fine never seeing the rest of their society.
Senguu did admit that the finery on display could rival Alderaan or even Coruscant itself. But amid all the flashy clothing, gaudy jewelry and overly made-up faces, there was one individual who stood out. Her towering arrangement of curls adorned with jewels of every kind was visible long before anything else of her, and when she finally emerged from the crowds what he saw did not disappoint. The blue-skinned beauty wore a long purple gown, her jewelry flashing in the planet's red sun with even her smallest movements. Even as an experienced rogue, Senguu found himself searching for the perfect remark as she approached.
She came quite close, a wicked grin appearing as it became clear he was not going to step back. "What are your people called, if I may ask?" Her voice was low but expressive, and Senguu did not hesitate returning the grin. "In the Republic we're called Twi'leks, madam."
A black eyebrow rose as the Chiss woman boldly ran her finger down his arm. "Republic? You must be full of surprises." She turned her back to him, inspecting the spice and rare foods he had hastily arranged. "What are those things on your head?"
Senguu had to wonder who this was who'd wandered up to him. It had to be someone important to care so little about possibly offending him. She could even be connected to whatever the Chiss had as law enforcement – he would have to be careful. Then again, he was always careful. Why not have some fun with her? "They're called lekku, and they're used to read other species' thoughts and desires."
The Chiss woman turned her head to look at him out of the corner of her eye. "What am I thinking?"
"How lucky you are such a charming and handsome representative found his way to your planet, of course."
"Citizens of the Republic have a sense of humor, at least." She turned back to him with a skeptical frown. "Are you going to show me what you've really got?"
It was such an open-ended invitation, Senguu had to let his eyes wander from the alien's dazzling eyes for a moment to summon the most suggestive reply he could offer.
That was when he spotted the figure pulling a blaster from its long coat. Senguu lifted his arms to begin a warning, preparing to move the stunning female out of the way, but there was no time. It seemed like a slow-motion holovid to the smuggler as he saw the blaster aim straight for his customer and fire from right across the street straight into her back. Another shot hit home, and one final blaster bolt went wide as the woman slammed into him, her voluptous body already dead weight as the slender smuggler was knocked to the ground.