*TEASER* Star Wars: A Forged Alliance - Week[e]man

Prologue

It wasn't a simple task.

But these days, it never is.

"Steal this Jedi power source," they say. "It should be a pinch for you," they say.

The bounty hunter sees now, running down the halls of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, that was only a ploy to further convince him to accept the assignment. Of course, upon looking in the briefcase provided, the glimmering credit served as even more motivation for yet another flawless execution, but...

Well, there's truly no rest for the wicked, is there?

He didn't earn this infamous reputation for no reason.

His coat flaps behind him, the wide-brimmed hat concealing his face following its example as he bolts down the halls, boots pounding into the floor and rattling in his ears. Clone Troopers are on his tail after the turn of every corner. And maybe if they could land a shot, they would've had him by now. But alas, a clone is only a worthless copy of flesh and nothing more. Imagine having to fight a war that's not even yours, that you have no part, no say in. What happens to them when--if-- it comes to an end? The Republic, never asking the important questions.

Here's an important question: when the hell did this Jedi get in front of him?

He stands at the end of the hall, staring him down as if he were any other flimsy battle droid to be effortlessly sliced in two. "Let's end this little charade, shall we?" The Jedi activates his lightsaber, the violet hue of it illuminating the dim halls and bringing light to his face. Tired, squinting eyes and the occasional wrinkle. Young, but a victim to the telltale symptoms of stress, the signature markings of a Jedi Knight these days. "Think we can do it peacefully?"

If the bounty hunter were scared by a measly Jedi, he'd be out of the job by now.

"Says the guy cowering behind his little glow stick." Instinctively, the bounty hunter reaches for the pistol on his belt. "No thanks, pal. Though I appreciate your kindness."

The Jedi sighs, readying himself for the bounty hunter's attack. "Have it your way."

Quickdraw. The bounty hunter's aiming and firing his gun in the next bat of the eyelid. It would've been a direct shot between the eyes, but if experience has told him anything, Jedi never make it that easy. Unfortunate, really.

The Jedi deflects the shot into the nearby wall, beginning his barrage. Swipe! Swipe! The lightsaber whizzes through the air, buzzing in the bounty hunter's ears as he dodges. They flip and dance, trading punches and exchanging blows, though the Jedi does deliver a successful kick to his stomach. Grunting, the bounty hunter backs away as he draws his second pistol and opens fire, the red bolts flying down the hall for the Jedi scum.

Like classic Jedi scum, he dances about the bolts with a cocky grace to him, batting them away and sending the shots flying back at him. The bounty hunter dives out of the way.

"I can do this all day, y'know," The Jedi says with a coy smirk, whirling his lightsaber around before putting it up before him, guarding.

"Can you now?" The bounty hunter returns the expression, even with Clone Troopers rounding the corner and positioned behind him. With a smile on his face, he sneaks a creeping hand into his back pocket and grips his escape ticket. "Well, I'm deeply flattered you'd love to continue this dance... but I really must be going."

He throws the smoke bomb to the ground, the dark wisps quickly ascending into the air and filling the lungs of his foes, clouding his figure and hiding him from the naked eye. Good attempt by the Jedi, however. He rushes forward through the smog and swings.

Only for him to swipe through absolutely nothing.

That is because the bounty hunter escaped into a nearby vent. Incredible timing, isn't it? He smiles smugly to himself as he hears the Jedi cough and splutter out an order to "Find that son of a bitch!" hacking away to catch his breath before retreating elsewhere, the stomping feet of the clones dwindling into nothing.

Unfortunately for the Jedi, the bounty hunter can't be found unless he wants to be.

Which is practically never.

He mentally wishes the Jedi a sarcastic "Happy hunting" before carrying along on his way, pulling the red tinted goggles from around his neck over his eyes.

These must be the moments the Jedi say shit like "The force was on my side." Nonsense, really. Archaic, insane, dated nonsense. The force isn't helping him crawl through these vents, take out these Troopers or steal this item in particular. This is all him, himself, and he. That's the only thing a person can really rely on. Those who put their faith in the Republic, well... For lack of a better term, may the force be with them all.

He fiddles with the devices scaling his forearm, pulling up a hologram of the Jedi Temple. According to the visual schematics, his escape route should be the next vent. Good thing too. The bounty hunter isn't particularly a small person, and the vents were beginning to feel a little cramped.

He spots the vent, and with the idea of being free from the confining shafts, shoves it open, dropping into yet another hallway. With much fewer enemies to worry about this time.

Huh, maybe this wasn't so difficult after--

The whooshing of a lightsaber sizzles from behind. He can feel its heat creeping along his neck.

"Gotcha."

"You're making this much harder than it has to be, Jedi." The bounty hunter eyes the Jedi from over his shoulder, the same wrinkly-eyed one from before. He clicks his tongue. "I'm sure we can work something out, can't we?"

The Jedi slowly stalks around him, the end of his saber just hovering in front of his chin. How easy it would be for him to end his life, and yet, the Jedi never seemed to possess the guts to do so. "I could say the same to you, couldn't I?"

"I suppose..." The bounty hunter concedes, backing himself closer to the wall. "But I'm afraid you won't be saying much more of anything to me."

Before the Jedi can question him further, he triggers a configuration on his arm.

A high shrill beeping echoes through the halls.

"Better watch out, Jedi!" The bounty hunter lunges for the side as an explosion shakes and rattles the foundations, reducing the wall behind him to chunks and crumbling away to reveal a ship, placed in the perfect position. And the poor poor Jedi just hadn't been ready to react. He was blasted backward, having slid across the ground to a stop.

And by the time the Jedi limped to the gaping hole in the wall, the bounty hunter was already aboard his vessel and lifting off the ground.

With a hand clamped around his torso, the Jedi grimaces, knowing he could do nothing but stare. Stare as the bounty hunter blows him a kiss goodbye, stare as he flies away from the Jedi Temple, off Coruscant, to who knows where.

The bounty hunter eats it up, chuckling at the pathetic look of disappointment and failure plastered on his face. That signature pout of the Republic. And all it took was a leap of faith out a hole in the wall.

Just another day in the life.

He pulls the device out of his pocket.

This little yellow power cell pinched between his fingers was worth all the credit in that briefcase? As a bounty hunter, he's not one the question, nor does he desire to, but he must admit: It's a bit of a steal.

But no matter. Who is he to question his income? To bite the hand that so graciously feeds him? Nosiness has no place in his career (if you could call it that). You listen, you nod your head, you don't get killed.

And you willingly throw yourself into the affairs of the Jedi and the Republic. If not for the sake of completing the assignment, then for your own personal entertainment and pure spite.