VI: Bounty Unmasked

The explosion of the thermal detonator, as with the convoy, caused the bounty hunter to lose his footing and knocked Aliix off his feet. Thankfully he managed to get himself and Cass just far enough away to not be killed by the blast; and as he pulled himself up he found the battle had been won by the Marshal's force, with the militiamen having converged en masse on the scene and holding the surviving Regulator's at the point of their blaster barrels. The bounty hunter assumed he had distracted enough of the Regualtors to give the militia an edge—or so that was his working theory.

On his feet once again, Aliix glanced over to watch as Cass was being held down on her knees with one of the militiamen, Eten, making a point to tear off the helmet so they could finally get themselves a gander at her face. To see the face of the woman who had been giving them so much trouble.

It was memorable, to say the least, and far from what any of them had been expecting.

Cassca Vau was a radiant beauty. With lengthy red hair and piercing blue eyes—which felt as if they were looking into your very soul, judging you—and a face that could make your jaw hit the floor, such as Virah's. It was as if he was looking at Shae Vizsla before she received her burn scars or that Mara Jade woman who married the New Republic's hero the previous year.

She's certainly…easy on the eyes, the hunter thought to himself with some reluctance.

Make no mistake, Aliix Spir was not some infatuous fool, nor a hopeless romantic such as the Rogue Sith of the Cold War era, but by the same token he was no Boba Feet and thus the bounty hunter was still able to come close to that feeling of awe at the sight of beauty when he witnessed it and he had to admit that Cass possessed more than some breathtaking features to her visage.

He had expected someone a little more rugged and tomboyish.

The men among the militia were giving her looks but thankfully made no effort to rob the woman of her dignity. This, Aliix suspected, was more than likely because of the presence of the Marshal who seemed to possess a slight more degree of discipline than the militiamen he commanded.

Keyes walked up to clap Aliix upside the shoulder pad in a friendly gesture. "Not bad, hunter." But Aliix was quiet for a second, delaying in response.

"Did you happen to see someone throw a thermal detonator?"

Keyes shrugged with a wasn't me look on his face. Then they heard the Duros chime into the conversation. "I did."

"What?" Keyes looked a mite indignation at the admission.

"I saw an opportunity to take out a thorn and I took it. Don't like it, voice a complaint."

"As you wish." Aliix said before drawing one of his WESTARs. "How's this for a complaint, di'kuts?" Believing his was filed and registered decently, also earning him having the barrels of several blaster rifles and slugthrowers trained on himself.

"Whoa! Whoa!" the Marshal interjected. "Cool those heads, boy, 'cause it ain't worth it!" Pushing down on the barrels, waving his hands around, before he turned his focus to Aliix and the Duros. "Hunter, Jun! Both of you drop it!"

The Duros smirked arrogantly. "You heard him, bounty hunter." Thinking that Aliix wouldn't dare try anything.

"Very well." Aliix whipped his nose with the barrel of his blaster pistol. "Consider the issue resolved." Sounding almost pleased beneath his helmet/ Then holstered his pistol.

Jun looked as though he was prepared to pounce and beat the armor until his knuckles were bloody, however Keyes prevented him from doing so and pulled him away whilst the militiamen lowered their weapons. Thus leaving the hunter to contend with the Marshal's displeasure.

"Hunter," he said, "For that you're on guard duty tonight."

Aliix's head tilted slightly.

"Yes you are." he continued. Offering an explanation although the bounty hunter had made no inquiry. "Since the convoys are down I'm gonna need to send some of my people back to town to get us some speeders and more transports. Till then you'll be guardin' em." Pointing to the surviving Regulators as he said that last part.

Aliix made no signal that he accepted this. But the Marshal could tell he would not argue on this punishment.

The bounty hunter sighed as he parted company with the lawman who proceeded to order his militiamen to find a place to securely hold the Regulators. He could've argued with the Marshal but then again that would just complicate the matter further, and beyond what he was willing to contend with.

After the battle they just went through, he was in no mood for a verbal conflict—especially when it could conclude with him having more grief to deal with and obstacles between him and getting Vau back to Wisk.

So he pulled out his DC-17m and proceeded to wait until he heard something new. Unaware of what awaited him.