Lethal track down! The young Nack the Weasel
has taken the law into his own hands and
made two attempts on the life of Merlin
the Fox, the Shinobi Master who killed his
father. Nack's mentor, bounty hunter
Nicolette, has taken three Republic
officers hostage in an effort to force
Merlin to face Nack on their terms, a
tactic that does not sit well with the
young vigilante….
Nack was sitting in the cockpit with the others when he eventually stood up and went to the back of the ship where the three hostages were. He stared at them regretfully before removing the gag from Hawking "This isn't what I wanted" he gave him water. Hawking looked up to him without any fear in his eyes "You don't have to do this. You're not like them. I can tell" "What do you know, old man?" Nack angrily asked him. "I know a soldier when I see one" "I'm not a soldier. I'm not just another clone". Nack remembered admitting to his father that it wasn't just what the scientist said that day. It was hard for him to look at Mimic, they didn't have a resemblance like a real family, they had the exact same face. It constantly reminded Nack of what he was. He was snapped out of his reminiscing when he realized he was in his octopus form "What're you looking at!?" he said to the two clones who were staring at him. "Nack, what's going on!?" he heard Nicolette form the door. He composed himself, turned back to his weasel form and before putting Hawking's gag back on him "Nothing. What're we going to do with them?". She smirked and kneeled down in front of Hawking "I think our friends are about to prove their usefulness". She punched Hawking to the ground and started beating him as Nack looked away.
Shadow and Merlin were in the medical bay of the Shinobi Temple "So, what are you planning to do about Nack?" Shadow asked a he stared out of the window. Merlin was lying on his bed doing something on a data pad "I'm not planning on doing anything" "That kid destroyed an entire cruiser to get to you. Now you just want to let it go". Merlin calmly looked at him "Is there something else I should be doing?" "How about tracking him down?". Merlin sighed "So I should be acting as this child does? Seeking revenge?" "How is it revenge of you stop this kid and bring him to justice" Shadow was getting irritated. Merlin however kept his calm demeaner "In case you haven't noticed, we are fighting a war". Rob and Amy entered "We have a situation. We received a transmission from the bounty hunters. They have hostages" the former said. Rob went over to a holo-unit and inserted a disc, Merlin and Shadow both walked up to it. It showed Nack and Nicolette were standing over their hostages "Merlin, you were lucky to escape. Your friends here weren't so fortunate" Nack said pointing a pistol at Diablo's head. "Until you face Nack these men will be killed, one at a time. What's your number?" she asked Diablo, but he didn't answer. "Number!?" "My name's Diablo" he said defiantly, Nicolette rolled her eyes "Pathetic. Nack, do it". Nack pointed his pistol at Diablo but his hand trembled "Nack!" he dropped the pistol, so Nicolette shot Diablo instead. Merlin solemnly lowered his head at the loss of his Commander. Nicolette looked back up "Only two to go, Merlin. Come and find us. We'll be waiting". Merlin turned to the door "I'll go" "I thought you had bigger concerns" "That was before hostages were involved". Rob got in front of him "You're to injured and your presence would only aggravate the boy. I shall go with Amy". Merlin reluctantly nodded.
Diablo's body was thrown into the airlock and sucked out into space. Nack looked regretful but Nicolette grabbed and pinned him against the wall "Next time I tell you to pull you do it" she said angrily before leaving. Nack held his shoulder which was now sore. They entered the cockpit "It should only be a matter of time before they track us down". She noticed Diesel looking nervous "Something on your mind, Diesel?" "Yeah, I got something to say. We're in over our heads. I was hired to kill a single Shinobi. Now that kid destroyed an entire cruiser and we've taken hostages. That was not part of the plan". Nicolette glared at him "I never took you for a coward Diesel. What about you Drago? You feel the same way?" "I'm still in. I need the cash". Diesel shook his head "Yeah, well I'm done" "Well you're in luck. I was planning on making a stop. You can drag your worthless carcass off the ship when we land. Drago, set course for Mobodoon. We're gonna visit an old friend".
Amy and Rob were on a speeder heading to the lower levels of Mobotropolis "Master Rob, I don't understand. Shouldn't we head to the last place Nack was spotted" "Why head to the one place we know he not?". They headed down one of the tunnels "The other bounty hunter in the hologram is Nicolette the Weasel. A known associate of Mimic" Rob said. Amy started o understand "So were looking for other associates or places they hang out" "And to do that we must go to the underworld". They landed on a platform deep in the lower levels and they began to roam.
Cube-1 landed at the prates base on Mobodoon. Manic and a few of his men walked up to the ship as the bounty hunters exited. Manic sighed when he saw Nicolette "Oh, my dear. You never were good at asking for permission to land". She smirked "I never ask for permission to do anything" she kissed him which seemed to catch his off guard. After a few seconds he backed away trying to hide a smirk "Yes. Haha. Yes, I remember". He looked down at Nack "He's not mine, is he?" "No, he's part of my crew. Mimic's son". Manic nodded and kneeled down "Ah. I'm sorry about your father. He was a friend and an honourable man". Nack didn't say anything although he did like to think that about his father. Nicolette gestured to Diesel "This one's getting off here", Manic seemed amused "Couldn't handle her could you. Don't be ashamed. You're not the first one to bail out form her command" "He's speaking from experience" Nicolette said.
Manic laughed "Haha. Oh, you're a dangerous woman. Very dangerous. Come on. Let's discuss business over a drink like civilized people". Drago stayed with the ship while the others walked into a bar. Diesel went over to a holo-unit and started speaking to a hologram of a squid "I'm stuck out here on Mobodoon". The squid shook his head "I warned you working with that weasel was bad business" "Well you were right. This job's gone south because of that hag". Nicolette was listening as Manic handed her and Nack a drink, but she took it from him "No, Nack". Nack walked away and Manic turned to Nicolette "I hear there's downed republic cruiser on Monopole. Your handy work" "I wouldn't take credit for that. No. But I saw it. It's crawling with Republic troops. Just in case you're thinking salvaging it" she took a drink. He raised his drink "Appreciated" he then started talking to Nack while Nicolette started listening to Diesel. "I have some information that would be worth something to the right people" "Really, what kind of information?" "That's where you come in". Nicolette grinned "Excuse me" she said to Manic. She turned around and pulled out her pistol "Diesel" he turned around and she immediately shot him dead just before the holo-unit deactivated. Everyone started laughing but Manic looked annoyed "Hey. Someone scrape that guy off the floor".
Amy and Rob were walking through the run down, graffiti covered streets until coming across a bar "This is the fifth drinking hole we've been to" the former said clearly irritated, "Maybe this time try something more subtle" Rob told her. They entered the bar and nobody took notice of them "Have a look around" Rob told her before heading to the owner. Amy stood in the middle of the bar "Okay, concentrate" she closed her eyes and started listening to all the voices. "This war is killing me. My whole business has gone under. Give me another round" "I'm gonna ask her out" "A friend of mine was just killed on Mobodoon" "Killed?". Amy moved closer to a table where a squid was talking to a vulture "He was working a big job. Or at least that's what he said. But then boom. Nicolette shot him. He… must have had some good dirt!".
Amy suddenly had an arm around her throat, she elbowed the squid in the stomach but a dozen people in the bar pulled out blasters. Rob then ignited his lightsaber "Stand down!" "You can't take us all, Shinobi". Amy got next to him and ignited hers, "Would you like to prove that theory?" the two of them backed up towards the door. "Hey, nobody's shootin up my place today!" the owner yelled. Amy took a dozen rings out "Drinks on the house" she threw them forward and the bar patrons all went to get them. Once outside Rob glanced at Amy "Not very subtle" "I was being subtle. I heard about a murder. One Nicolette the weasel committed". Rob looked pleased "Where?" "Mobodoon", he put hi hand on her shoulder "Well done, Amy". They both walked away not noticing a young jackal watching them from behind a wall.
Manic was in his office with Nicolette and Nack "Well, my dear, you're in an interesting predicament once again. Getting involved with the Shinobi is never a good idea". Nicolette's commlink activated "There's a ship incoming. Shinobi by the look of it". Nack turned around "Merlin" "Finally. Took them long enough. Move Cube-1 to the outskirts and get the hostages ready". She then looked to Manic "So are you in or not" he shook his head "I won't help you, but I won't hinder you either. This is your fight. Not mine".
Manic walked outside towards the Shinobi shuttle where Rob and Amy were waiting "Hello and welcome to Mobodoon" "I assume you're walking us into a trap?" Rob asked as they headed inside. "Well, you should. They're waiting inside the bar. I have no idea what she has planned" "And why are you telling us this?". Manic stopped "So you know that I'm not involved in this". Rob cautiously walked inside alone and sat at a table opposite Nicolette "Bad move, Shinobi. This will cost you". Nack came up behind him and pulled out a pistol "I wanted Merlin. What're you doing here?", Rob remained calm "We can do this the difficult way or the simple way. The choice is yours". Nicolette smirked "Drago, execute the hostages if I give the word" "Unwise. You've already lost, and you don't even know it" Rob said calmly. Nicolette glared at him "I'm prepared to kill you, the hostages, whatever it takes to get what Nack wants!" "Sound more like what you want". Amy ran up behind Nicolette and slashed her commlink with her lightsaber before putting it to her throat.
"Let her go!" Nack said putting the pistol right to Rob's head, Nicolette smirked "She won't do it, Nack. She's not like us". "She's right. I'm not a murderer" Amy said which angered Nack "I'm not a murderer. I want justice" "We are justice. No one will be harmed if you come quietly" Rob said calmly. Nack looked nervous "I can't let you die" "You won't have to" Nicolette replied winking at him. He looked down and saw a projectile launcher on her shoe. He shot and Amy allowing Nicolette to get free. She fired her shoe weapon at Rob who dodged and rushed forward. He put his lightsaber to her throat "Surrender!". Nack threw a disc at the ground in front of them "Bomb!" Amy yelled. They got to cover allowing Nicolette to run. Nack tried to follow her but Rob grabbed him "Nicolette, help me!". She looked at him but then saw Amy rushing towards her. She sighed and ran outside "Don't leave me!". Rob turned Nack to him "The hostages. Where are they? Nack, if you don't tell us where those men are, they're going to die. Innocent men!". Nack was saddened "She left me" his lack of control turned him back into an octopus.
Amy ran outside and saw Nicolette escaping on an Extreme Gear board, Manic casually watched from a chair as Amy got on a board and chased after her. After she left Rob walked out with Nack towards Manic. "Manic, I need to know where those hostages are. Did they tell you anything?" Manic instead of answering looked to Nack "Tell the Shinobi, Nack" he said sympathetically. Nack turned angry "Why should I? I've got no one!", Manic stepped forward and put his hand on Nack's shoulder "It's the honourable thing to do. It's what your father would have wanted". The mention of his father made Nack remember something else. After a long conversation between the two of them. Mimic did something which made Nack know how important he was to him. Mimic offered to permanently stay in a different form, that way Nack's face would be only his. Nack was touched by his father' offer but he said no, he wanted his own face. Mimic spent the next year training Nack on how to control his shape shifting, he learned how to copy existing faces easily. Mimic then taught him how to make a new face out pieces of existing ones. After Nack eventually chose a weasel he slowly formed the face into one he liked. Nack knew there was good in his father, Manic was right. Without any difficulty Nack turned back to his Weasel form and turned to face Rob.
Amy was chasing Nicolette through a trench when her commlink activated "Amy, she's trying to lead you away from the hostages. Go to coordinates 1-9-9-7". Amy turned around and headed in that direction eventually spotting Drago about to execute Hawking and the walrus clone. She jumped off the board and kicked Drago to the ground before releasing the two hostages. Nicolette then appeared and threw a grenade at the trio which knocked them to the ground. She ran into Cube-1 and it started to take off but Amy managed to jump on top of it. As the ship got higher, she quickly cut of one of the wings and jumped back to the ground. They watched as the ship spiralled back down to the ground and crashed into a canyon.
Nack was taken back to Mobotropolis, he along with Drago walked out of the shuttle with cuffs over his wrist and was met with Merlin and Shadow. The fox kneeled down in front of Nack who angrily spat in his face "I'll never forgive you. Next time no one else will get I the way. It'll just be you and me". Merlin looked at him sympathetically before turning stoic and standing up "There won't be a next time. Take them away".