Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Through the main entrance Gaan could see filth, debris and sand that had been tracked inside that was allowed to remain. A light flickered, white and sterile. As it disappeared the hall was left red. The colour came from old food and drink dispensers that lined one wall.
To his right. An empty room, filled with scrap components and junk. To his left. A darkened hall, with illumination peering from more doorways. Far to the back of the hall was a darkened room beckoning him.
His blaster pistol was holstered. He wasn't afraid of this place. He didn't fear his target.
One step. His boot landed firm on the steel floor. Each step there after fell just as heavy as his first. The clank of his armour with each stride. The cling of armaments sang to his bounty. His position was known the moment he stepped inside. He was watched before even entering, he knew. The cameras, hidden as they may have been were sure to be tracking his progress. Now, he was here, and the target could only listen to his approach.
"You can make this easy," Gaan called to the hall as he continued to walk down it.
There was no response.
An electrical hum sang from the first room. Fans spinning on over time to keep the computers cool. Any machinery was forced to battle against the heat of this world.
Holo-projections flickered showing multiple key locations around the compound. Mainly outdoors.
A familiar hum rang out followed by a rumble. Through one of the projections Gaan could see his ship landing in the centre of yard. An old Doshan merchant vessel with some key modifications. Miss-matched engines. Asymmetrical design. Old. Worn. Fast.
"Your ship has arrived." Klennu said.
"Our transporter is outside." Gaan called into the hall as he continued past the monitor room.
As he took another step he could hear the bolt of a magna lock coming from the room at the end. He picked up the pace slightly and stepped into the darkened room at the end of hall.
"Hah, you're too late, hunter," the Triskani taunted through an intercom at the end of the darkened room. His voice was filled with venom.
The lights came on, revealing it to be a mess of a lounge. Worn seating strewn throughout, old food containers with a heavy layer of mold growing, and entertainment units half destroyed an damaged.
"I'd say a biological research team could find some new species of fungus in this room," Gaan said, as he stared down the large steel door ahead of him. "Do you enjoy living in this filth, reptile?"
"Your words are as a stiff breeze, hunter. Forget the bounty and leave." The Triskani responded. "I'm watching you. You don't look so tough. Maybe I'll come out and dispose of you and take that ship of yours."
"Maybe you should," Gaan replied as he reached for something on his belt. "You see this?" He held it up a gi'don-charge.
"Explosives won't work against doors this thick, you idiot." The Triskani laughed.
The jeering echoed around the room as Gaan walked to the side of the door and placed the charge on the wall.
"I don't know if you've though this through," Klennu spoke in a distant tone.
Gaan stepped back out of the room and leaned against a wall.
"What are you doing, don't be an idiot, it won't work. Take your explosive and leave!" The Triskani shouted, clear panic in his tone. "You're crazy, the whole building will come down!"
Gaan held the detonator in his right hand, playfully tossing it in the air. "At least you'll be safe in your panic room. Last chance, come out now, or back away from the wall."
The Triskani was silent. "Wait, wait! Don't, I, you're insane, Human. I'm worth more alive!"
Gaan pressed the detonator. Concrete pinging off his armour, he watched as all that was once clear was now taken up by a plume of smoke and dust. It was so thick he couldn't see more than a foot in front of him.
He walked through the cloud toward where the charge went off and could see cones of light guiding him through the breach. The Triskani scrambled on the floor covering his ears. Gaan unholstered his pistol, set it to stun, and let off a shot with hit his target directly. The scrambling turned to writhing as the Triskani tried to helplessly fight the shock.
Tied down, Gaan dragged the Triskani through the cloud of dust and outside into the clear night air. The engines were active, and were blowing sand in all directions. He dragged the target into the ships cargo hold and threw him into a pod.
"Wait, wait! Lets make a deal. I can give you tokens."
"I don't think you could match the price on your head," Gaan said as he closed the transparent cocoon.
The Trisknai tried to struggle, but tubes came to light and found their way to his mouth and other orifices. The Triskani could only glare at him as he was gagged.
"Don't worry, you won't go hungry, all waste is recycled and is enough to sustain you for the rest of our journey." Gaan said coldly.
The pod filled with fluid once all tubes found their mark, and the Triskani's once rage filled gaze turned to a sedated stare as he looked off into space.
"I'll get the others," Gaan said as he turned to exit the ship.
"I have our co-ordinates set. We're ready to launch on your return." Klennu replied.
Gaan passed the other occupied pods, calculating the value as he did. His account was going to explode upon dropping them all off. The tokens were already spent, in his mind.