FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"I tell ya, Fox-boy- this has gotta be one of the most boring assignments I've ever been a part of."

A cold wind whipped around Rook and caused her cloak to flutter as she scanned the horizon, a digital readout tracing along the edges of visible landmass just below the sky ahead. Hindo Tel was certainly an impressive planet in terms of appearance, from its high peaks capped white with ice and snow, to its deep canyons filled with clean rushing rapids. It was a place where any number of Force cultures might have wanted to call it home, and was fortunate enough to house at least one in addition to its peaceful, serpent-like population. Ourob City's people had welcomed the off-worlders openly when they had arrived, and had treated the Mandalorian Selonian with nothing but respect and kindness, even going so far as to offer her food and drink as she stood guard along the city's wall. In the day and a half since they'd met with the local temple's representatives, the Selonian had resigned herself to being a vigilant (if bored) sentinel on the lookout for any trouble, while her partner did all the diplomatic work. Part of her wished her boss Kajex had been present to handle things, to free up Talrik for the purposes of keeping her company, but the wolf had been called to handle a previous engagement, leaving the pair to handle things themselves.

Her earpiece crackled shortly before she got a response. "I know,cyar'ika. But believe me, you don't really want to be in here either. I get that these folks have tradition they have to uphold, I just wish it would happen faster. Don't worry, I'll treat you after this."

The otter leaned against a pillar and pulled her lower mask off, revealing a calm smile as she breathed in the pleasantly cool mountain air. After a moment she pulled her visor off and tucked it under an arm, rubbing the magnetic bolt implants buried under the fur next to her temples. "Don't mind me, love. I'm just a little antsy with all the peace. Good on these folks for keepin' their house clean, it just leaves me with less to do."

"You don't have to man the wall. Go take a walk around, buy some pointless crap you don't need but want for a change. Or better yet, find someplace we can eat so I can grab a bite once I'm done here- however long that takes."

She nodded and stood upright again with a sigh. "Think I will, yeah. Let me know when you're done and I'll use the visor to get you back here."

"How's your gear working?"

"As good as my skin should be working," she replied, sliding the visor back on her face- the apparatus clicked against her face, secured by the magnetic implants as it started to feed her data again. Deciding it was better to leave her lower mask off to keep the locals at ease, she crossed the wall to the nearest staircase. "I'll get us some ale and we'll heat up some of the boss's noodles when you get back."

A pause. "... You took some of Kajex's noodles without telling him?"

"I won't tell him if you don't," she snickered. "Help me out tonight and we'll have eaten all the evidence. I'm heading back to the ship, call me if you need anything. Love you, Fox-boy."

"Will do," the fox chuckled. "Love you too."

In another part of the city, unseen eyes behind a mask and beneath a hood were watching.

To wear a mask, hood, or cloak in a city for the purposes of remaining anonymous was foolish, unless such attire were common on that planet. Yet the air was clean and clear, with no need to filter through cloth or instrument; the sun was not so oppressive as to merit the need for a hood; and no cloak was needed to protect against the chill in the air. The Selonian now being watched bore two of these three, although she had made no efforts to hide herself. Her Mandalorian armor was easy to see in the brief moments she shuffled through the city, and the slight bulk in the cloak at her back suggested the presence of her weapons. The watcher smirked, silently commending on the hunter's willingness to remain in the open- although, she thought, the hunter was not on the hunt either. There was no need to hide.

Unless she were now being hunted.

She peered down at the Selonian as she reached a sparsely-populated corner, looking around as if to figure out the quickest route to her destination. The watcher's eyes narrowed and she stared at the otter with deep focus.

"North."

The Selonian stiffened slightly, a slight haze passing through her eyes before she turned smoothly to her right and started heading down an alleyway towards the older parts of the city, where the din of the population was lessened and the stonework was littered with dust, rubble, and various overgrowth. Despite the reduction in ambient noise, the watcher's footfalls were as silent as death itself, lending no clue to her presence as both she and the Selonian reached a wide, empty courtyard. As she drew a pair of lightsabers from her belt and leaped from the rooftops down at the otter, she took satisfaction in knowing one thing for certain-

Nobody would hear Sesh Kazse's prey scream.

At the last possible moment, Rook reacted.

Were she a civilian it would have made sense for her to raise her arms in defense of an attack she knew was coming; but Rook was a hunter, trained to analyze her targets before engaging, to know their weaknesses and strengths before striking. She was fully aware the most exposed parts of her body were her tail and legs, her motions smooth as she leapt and twisted in the air just as her assailant landed behind her and swept her pair of lightsabers through the space where she'd been standing only half a moment ago. She landed cleanly, raising her left arm as an intense jet of flame burst from her wrist at the ebony-clad attacker.

At the same moment, the attacker swiftly deactivated her left blade and holstered it, raising a grayish-blue arm just in time to intercept the otter's flamethrower; the gout of flame seemed to splash against an invisible barrier, parts of it siphoning into nothing against her palm. Two seconds of this heated counterattack passed before the Selonian pulled away, regarding the shadowy figure without a trace a fear.

The figure stood and finally faced her, her visage masked beneath a dark gray helmet bearing two slim eyeslits. She was adorned with cloak stained with ash and blood, a worn light breastplate over a dark grey tabard, and a sleeveless tunic beneath it; her arms and legs were armored in ridged, dark-metallic greaves and vambraces; and across her torso, a bandolier with four small but deadly-looking daggers of cultist design.

"Impressive, hunter. I can count the number of victims who have survived my initial ambush on one hand- to have avoided it completely with such reflex shows you're a cut above the rest."

"It's not that hard when you use the Force as your bait," Rook replied coldly, her brow furrowed as she circled the figure. "You gave yourself away with that."

"You resisted?"

The Selonian brought her right finger to the back of her neck, while her left paw reached beneath her cloak. "Neural implants, mental conditioning. You learn a few tricks when half your clan is made up of Jedi Sentinels." The left paw returned, bringing up a telescoped, wide-bladed glaive- a simple press at the switch extended it to its full length, standing at her height as she planted it into the cobblestone then fitted her maskpiece over her muzzle. At once, her voice was filtered through the mask, giving her voice a more ominous tone. "That's your warning, lady- back the fuck off. I've spent years training with my pack, and just as long fighting dark-side scum with them at my side. I doubt there's anything you have in your kit I haven't already seen."

"You will not walk away until I have answers for my questions," the dark-sider hissed, igniting her second lightsaber again. "If I must remove your legs to keep you in place, so be it."

"I don't gotta answer shit, bitch," Rook growled, flourishing her Mandalorian weapon and getting into a combat stance. "Y'wanna go, then stop wasting words and fight me already!"

She expected her words to spur the cloaked assassin into action, and with years of experience she could see the opening move. With her polearm held forward she leaned towards the assassin just as she raised her arm and launched a burst of Force energy from her hand. Rook grunted as she took the blow head on, her boots digging into the stone as she slid a few feet back; the cloak that had kept much of her body concealed tore away from her shoulders and revealed her blood-red armor plating, fused into the black energy-resistant mesh. On her hips were a pair of blaster pistols; on her back, a blaster rifle. For a moment the assassin hesitated, her eyes taking in the sight of the armor's scars and holes; a testament to the trials and struggles the otter had overcome even at such a young age. It gave Rook enough time to regain her balance and dash in to meet the assassin directly.

With a war cry the otter slashed at her assailant, the deadly blade cutting through the air as easily as the assassin's lightsabers. A crash erupted between them as the energy blades intercepted her weapon and blocked the blow, yet Rook's momentum didn't cease. A streak of dark satisfaction grew in her as she saw the assassin backpedal two steps, clearly alarmed that her weapon was forged from beskar, and thus resistant to lightsaber strikes. Spurred on by her assailant's fear and intent on showing the assassin her mistake in picking a fight with a Mandalorian, she pressed the attack, alternating her strikes between furious jabs, head-level slashes, and sudden swings of the opposite end of her weapon. The deadly cadence followed the rhythm of their strikes as Rook forced her opponent back, the otter's style a mix of finesse and energy born from decades of experience and training, years of it among Jedi.

The assassin jabbed at an opening during a flourish and the otter kicked out, a crack echoing through the courtyard as her armored boot caught the blade- rather than lopping off her foot, the lightsaber was knocked aside and out of her hand, leaving her open as Rook thrust her weapon in return. A sidestep prevented her from being run through, but with a twist the otter slammed the flat of her weapon against the assassin's sternum and staggered her back; she swung wildly, missing as Rook ducked beneath the blade and lunged in, grabbing the assassin's shoulder and arm as she sank her knee into her gut.

A choked gasp sounded from beneath the mask and helmet as the assassin staggered back, now on the back foot with her remaining lightsaber pointed at her defensively. With a snort Rook turned her back and circled the assassin with a look of disdain.

"Why... aren't you ending... my life yet?" she wheezed, trying to get back to her feet.

"Chalk it up to hanging around Jedi for so long," Rook grunted, folding her arms. "I don't gotta kill you. Besides, I didn't even hit you that hard, yet you're acting like I stabbed you in the gut and tore out your innards." She paused, peering at the assassin's bandolier and noticing a folded bow strapped to her back. "A plasma bow," she muttered. "Former Nightsister, I take it- you wouldn't be using a lightsaber otherwise."

The assassin's head jerked up at that, her body tense and her labored breathing gone. Although unable to see any part of her face, Rook was almost certain she was being regarded with a glare of hatred and alarm. "How do you know that name?"

"You guys ain't exactly secret," Rook pointed out. "I've met a couple of you. I figure a Nightsister would be tougher than you are, they wouldn't get the fight taken out of them just from a gut shot."

"I've only just started!" the assassin hissed.

A snap rang through the air, giving the otter only a half-second to dart to the side as a crimson-red energy blade soared passed her; she cried out as the tip of the weapon sliced a shallow cut against her left arm before landing in assassin's open palm. The otter was forced to stagger back as her shadowed foe launched a fresh assault.

Within seconds, she was forced to admit that the darksider had some legitimate fighting skill; her footwork was elegant and sure, jabs and cut precise as she darted and feinted with considerable agility. With the tide shifted, Rook found herself warily backing from her assailant's attacks; but almost immediately her foe rushed in with her pair of crimson blades rending through the air. With a challenging snarl Rook smacked them away and rushed her enemy again. A swipe toward her head; the assassin ducked. A thrust to her chest; the assassin caught between her blades and slipped away, spinning to swipe the otter's legs again.

This time she was ready for it, leaping into the air and swinging her right boot out, aimed at the assassin's head. It was an inch away from her temple when she raised her arm with blinding speed and blocked the blow with her ridged vambrace. Rook's heart skipped in alarm as she found herself landing awkwardly on her other leg, off balance and open.

"Got you!" the assassin shouted, as she slashed.

In the space of a thought, the scene blurred. A hot explosion tore through the air both behind and beneath Rook as a burst of flame erupted from her back and calves. The assassin's lightsaber swept cleanly through the space where the Selonian warrior had been standing only an instant earlier; now that same Selonian was sailing through the air, propelled and held aloft in the air by her integrated jump-packs. The assassin peered up at her form, then looked down at her feet- her glaive had been dropped upon escaping.

Rook glared down at her, her words clear over the rumble of her boosters. "Don't you fucking dare. You touch my fightin' stick, you'll only _wish_that I'd kill you when I'm done with you."

"Like I'd be scared by a Mandalorian coward that runs out of range in a fight?" the assassin spat. "Fine, I'll give it back to you!"

The glaive followed the movements of her left hand, floating into the air; it followed her movement as she telekinetically tossed the polearm at the airborn otter. With a hard curse Rook twisted and spun out of the way, turning briefly to watch as it embedded into the wall of one of the abandoned buildings, leaving a crack in the stonework.

With a snarl of anger Rook reacted to the insult, drawing both her pistols from her hip and opening fire on the assassin with a barrage of blasterbolts. The assailant ducked the first volley before countering with a series of blocks, intercepting the storm of bolts with her lightsabers. Explosions rang through the courtyard as the deflected shots ricocheted off her blade and into the stonework, though every few moments Rook would shift through the air and dodge a bolt the assassin sent back. With a curse, the otter cut her jump packs and fell to the courtyard, still keeping her aim on the assassin.

It was the break the dark figure needed, darting into a nearby alley and turning briefly to block a view bolts before running off; Rook hesitated, landing in the courtyard and bringing a paw up to her visor.

"Talrik, do you read me? I've got eyes on a Sith-trained assassin, I think this bitch is targeting me."

No response. The otter frowned.

"Scan for comm lines."

Her visor complied, hanging for several seconds as it checked for Talrik's comm unit. The text in her readout flashed a red warning briefly.

COMMS NOT FOUND - TRANSMISSION JAMMER DETECTED

"Haar'chak," she cursed through grit teeth, peering down the corridor with a feeling of slight hesitation. After a few moments she holstered her pistols and drew her blaster rifle instead, before trotting down the alley- knowing full well that whatever battle she was walking into, she was walking into alone.

She's good, Sesh thought to herself as she sprinted easily through the alleyways. But not good enough.

More than two minutes of chase had been given, and in that entire time her prey had not fired her weapons; Sesh had sprinted so far ahead of her, aided by the Force, that the otter simply had no other opportunity to take a shot. It was to her benefit, as engaging in melee combat had become a mistake she was not eager to repeat, the sting of her pained nerves still tingling in her stomach. With a groan she slowed down, panting slightly and turning in place as she planned her next move- it was vital she knew where her prey was at the moment.

In seconds, she zeroed in on her target, feeling the Selonian Mandolorian's presence as it slowed and patrolled the alleyways behind her. Though unable to read her thoughts, Sesh was certain the hunter had lost track, alert and on edge from having lost what was clearly a personal weapon; one she had not wasted time to retrieve, the assassin noticed with a smirk. The advantage was hers once again.

With a deep breath she steadied herself, disengaging her lightsabers and holstering them again, suspicious that their ambient noise had given her away when she'd tried to ambush the Selonian. Instead, she drew a pair of the dangerous-looking daggers on her bandolier and surveyed her surroundings. The abandoned parts of the city were not strictly bereft of life, with vermin scurrying across the alleys and some tired, impoverished souls snoozing in the darker nooks that lined each corridor; overhead, strings of drying clothing partially obscured the sun, casting much of the area in shadow, the hour late enough that little sign of the sun could be seen.

Sesh could think of no more a perfect place to end her prey, deep in the shadows where nobody would hear her interrogation nor find the body before it was too late. She nodded to herself and hid behind a nearby crate just as the Selonian rounded a corner at the other end of the alley, her rifle held at the ready. Sesh felt the Force around her, sensing the cautious approach of her prey as her bootsteps fell upon the stone. One step splashed a small puddle of water; a few seconds later, another step crushed a piece of garbage with a sharp crinkle, signaling how close she was getting. Sesh ducked lower, daggers held low as the Selonian's movements grew louder; yet in her ear, the thumping of her heart seemed louder still, a thrill running through her as she saw the barrel of the otter's blaster rifle appear just over the crate.

In a flash, she was on her, flipping over the warrior and kicking the back of her knee to ground her. When she tried to turn her weapon to the assassin she knocked the rifle out of her grip with a pair of swift, accurate kicks, planting a third in the otter's chest. Before she could roll back up to her feet Sesh had flipped over her again, grabbing the hunter from behind as the otter yelped in surprise. The next moment, her arm was around the Selonian's throat with the dagger in plain view; the other dagger was jabbed firmly against her kidney, ready to penetrate in the space of a moment.

"Get... offa me!" the hunter growled.

"I have questions- stay your life a little longer and answer them!" Sesh hissed. "Twenty years ago, your people found something on your planet; something that wasn't a part of the world originally!" The otter struggled, but a slight bit of pressure on the lower dagger kept her still. "You found a new alien species once, and even hunted them- what do you know about them?!"

"Kanj... 'isha?" Rook grunted. "They're Force-sensitive wolves, they... ain't got shit to do with my people! They only started finding more of 'em a few years back!"

"I'm not speaking of the wolves! What did you find on Mandalore!?" Sesh repeated.

"I don't even know what the fuck you're talking about!" Rook snarled back. "You got more details than 'something from two decades back?' I was still a pup back then!"

Sesh's anger surged. "Give me more than that, or I'll--"

But the Selonian had had enough, and with a growl of frustration she lashed out, leaning forward slightly before bucking her head back and slamming it against the visor. Sesh gasped and staggered back, giving the otter enough room to throw off her grip and lunge at the Sith Assassin.

Sesh had only barely regained her balance when Rook reached her, stabbing towards the Selonian and scoring a hit on her armor- but the blow failed to even leave a mark, glancing off the durable plating and giving the otter the opportunity to swing and strike at her inner arm. A slap across the dagger flung it out of her grip. The second blade swung down from overhead; now Rook was in too close, shouldering into the assassin and grabbing her arm. With a snarl the Selonian leaned forward, carrying Sesh with her. A loud thud carried through the corridor as the otter finished performing a solid hip throw, flooring Sesh as her dagger clattered away.

Dizzy though she was, Sesh's first impulse was to reach for another dagger and get back in the fight. So when she brought up a hand and groped at nothing, alarm shot through her. Within a moment she was sitting upright, feeling around for her bandolier only to find it missing. A rustling behind her drew her attention and rage surged within her as she saw Rook holding the stolen armor piece with its remaining knives and still-folded bow, leveling a hot glare of her own as she tossed it several meters behind her.

Sesh took a step forward. "Give that back you bi--"

But Rook had drawn and raised a pistol up to her, stopping the assassin short. "You lodged my fightin' stick in a wall, so takin' your knives is only fair- and I'm through playing fair. I'm sick of this bullshit. It's one thing to have my friends assaulted by Sith assholes, but this is the first time one has targeted me personally. My family has had enough of them for a lifetime. I'm putting you down now."

"You don't have it in you," Sesh spat. "You'd have done it by now if you could!"

"Bitch, you really don't get when someone is taking it easy on you," Rook scoffed, aiming for the assassin's head. "Goodnight." She squeezed the trigger.

For a brief moment, the alley was bathed in red light, a sharp crack echoing against the narrow corridor. It was as if Sesh's reflexes had made the sound, an explosion of nerves and sinew that brought her hand up with impossible speed. The bolt was halfway to her face when her hand was in position, the bolt of lethal energy exploding against her palm, leaving a smoking black mark against it.

Rook stared at her for several seconds in shocked silence, the sound of the blaster bolt still ringing in their ears. The otter's brow furrowed.

"... Are you fucking serious? Tutaminis?"

Before Sesh could answer the otter fired another bolt, this one angled lower. It was a trivial defense, a moment of intense precognition that allowed her to see the bolt's trajectory, intercepting it again. Now Rook was firing repeatedly, her shots wild and unfocused; and yet Sesh's defense remained steadfast, the assassin backing away slowly as her hand shielded the assault, intercepting every bolt that threatened her until she was a few meters away.

The firing stopped, yet Sesh kept her hands up, ready to catch another bolt as she peered from around her hand. "You know this technique?"

"Like I said, you got nothin' I ain't seen before," Rook sighed in frustration, holstering her pistol. "Well, that explains how you stopped the flamethrower. That's fucking annoying."

"I'm no pushover," Sesh informed her gravely. "I've killed many soldiers, mercenaries, and bodyguards. You just happen to have information I need; you'd be dead otherwise."

"Yeah, whatever," the otter snorted derisively. "I used to be as brash and stupid as you were, kid, I know what it's like. So you can use the Force and stop blaster bolts, and now you're claiming you've got a death count. Big fucking deal, it means you're strong- but it doesn't mean you're skilled. You still haven't even maimed_me to get your answers. If you weren't so good at _pissing me off, I probably would've walked away by now- not like I have answers for you anyway." She brought her fist to her palm and cracked her knuckles. "But like I said, you pissed me off. So now I'm gonna have to bust your ass for ruining what could've been a great day."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Sesh shot back, drawing one of her lightsabers. "I could cut you down in a second."

"You_think_ could you, but then you'd be like every other Sith wannabe, trying to prove their something by taking the easy route," the otter scowled. "And I'd still end up kicking your ass. You talk a big game- why don't you try proving it to me? Show me what you can do, hand-to-hand, without a weapon. Give me a good enough show, and I might actually take you seriously."

Sesh frowned, considering the enemy. It would be so easy to step forward and carve her blade through the otter's armor and flesh without a second thought, now that she was no longer armed with her lightsaber-resistant glaive. And yet for all the fighting she had not yet scored a sufficient hit. The prey had been a considerable challenge, meeting the fight bravely and fighting with tenacity and reflexes that would make any warrior proud. The exhilaration of the struggle, the core of Sith teaching, felt empowering; a rush of excitement she had seldom felt as an assassin.

She smirked, deactivating her Sith weapon and sliding it back into place, before taking up a fighting stance. The prospect of humoring her prey with a test of martial art skill was tempting- she would get her answers later.

"Fine, bitch. Maybe you'll give me the answers I need if I beat you to a pulp first."

The two approached carefully, muscles tensed as they studied each other. Neither needed to see the other's eyes to know they were being watched closely, analyzing stances and ready to strike at a moment's notice. To Sesh, the tension itself was a thrill like no other, surpassed only by combat- neither of which lasted long enough for her to savor, as weak and incompetent as her prey often was. And as she made the first move, dipping in and dashing towards her foe, she hoped her current prey's strength meant that the thrill would last- that the challenge would stimulate her more than any other target.

So excited to meet in fisticuffs, the assassin overextended and lunged too far, swinging wide and striking the stone wall behind Rook as she sidestepped; the stone gave way a centimeter, leaving cracks as she pulled away to begin again. The Selonian's stance was cautious, her footwork agile as she backstepped away; the assassin rushed again, this time aiming true with a jab. The otter leaned, her head dodging the blow just as she struck back, using one paw to slap the assassin's out of the way and forming the other into a fist that slammed into her chest and knocked her back a step. Knocked off balance, the otter rushed in; a grab at her arm and Sesh struggled, pulled forward as Rook twisted and slammed her elbow into the assassin's helmet, sending her to the floor.

There was no time to linger on the pain, Sesh sensing the next blow and blocking the otter's boot with her arms. A kick to the side knocked the otter back long enough for her to flip up to her feet, meeting the next fist without fear and blocking it expertly. The space of a moment was all she had, but she took it. Before the otter could strike Sesh's fist was already out, cuffing her chin and stunning her briefly. She lunged again with a kick; Sesh twisted out of the way and brought her elbow against the otter's mouthpiece, knocking it loose as she staggered back, her muzzle now uncovered.

The otter regained her footing, nose bleeding and a streak of red trickling from the corner of her mouth as she smirked. With a spit to the side, she regarded the assassin with interest, gesturing her to continue. "That it?"

With a battlecry the assassin engaged again, hands slicing the air like daggers as she cut and jabbed at her prey with a series of rapid strikes; yet what few Rook failed to block were not significant enough to damage her, armor sturdy enough to take the blows even with the Force amplifying her strength. She initiated another kata, focused on penetrating the otters defenses. Without warning, Rook countered with an attack of her own, a palm strike disrupting the cadence and allowing her to shift the tide of battle again.

The Selonian's fists felt like steel clubs as they battered against the assassin's midsection, leaving Sesh open to be grabbed; a choke tore through her as Rook buried her knee into her gut, winding her. Despite the agonizing blow she grit her teeth, steeling herself as the otter grabbed her again and slammed her into the wall. In mere moments the otter began subjecting her to a brutal series of elbow strikes, shoulder checks, and knee strikes, keeping her pinned in place. She attempted to dodge to the side, only to staggered when the otter planted a boot against her knee, following up with a heel to the other side of her helmet- the only thing, Sesh dimly realized, that protected her enough to keep her conscious.

Rook stooped to grab her; another opening to Sesh, as she backed into the otter and twisted, backhanding her. The otter grunted, bringing her paws in for a double-fisted strike; Sesh anticipated, her wrists deflecting the blows as she swung outwards, reared back, and slammed her palms into the Mandalorian's breastplate, sending her sliding back several feet as she wheezed.

"No," Sesh panted, tensing herself up as she approached. "I've got more."

In heart, in blood, and in spirit, Rook was Mando'ade, a Child of Mandalore. Since her struggles as an infant, fighting against tides and currents to keep from drowning, to her epic battles against Sith pretenders and soldiers, she had demonstrated her strength, skill, and tenacity dozens of times; whether it was to defend herself, her family, or those who paid well enough. Whether as a group or by herself, shootout or brawl, win or lose, she always survived to fight again.

This was no different- save that she was enjoying herself more than usual.

They did not do battle unnoticed, a few eyes watching them from the fringes of the alley, their combat a massive change to their impoverished day-to-day lives, though it could not be plainer that they regarded the battle as something to spectate rather than fear. To the uneducated it simply looked like two alien women battering each other into submission with fancy moves; but to Rook, their fighting styles could not be more different, the ebb and flow of the battle's direction highlighting the contrast in approaches and attacks. Sesh's Echani_was smooth, flowing, yet deployed with strength and precision; counters that moved in tandem with Rook's blows to strike and defend at once. Rook's _Teräs Käsi, meanwhile, was vicious and brutal, a nearly unstoppable force that transitioned from grabbing and throwing, to rapid elbow strikes along the back or knee strikes to the gut; fists and palm strikes to intercept blows and knock them away, or powerful heel strikes to the leg to stagger Sesh and limit her mobility. The former style was graceful; the latter, kinetic. One was the dagger, agile and deadly, stabbing and cutting at the foe, always seeking an opening in her defenses; the other was a club, unyielding and relentless, battering the opponent and threatening to break her, intent on smashing her defenses apart.

If Rook was forced to be honest, she could feel the sting and agony of their fight with great clarity, her breathing ragged as she uppercut Sesh away before stepping back. Nevertheless, satisfaction overshadowed her pain, as the assassin struggled to get back to her feet, doing so unsteadily. However powerful her opponent was, the dark side was burning her out too quickly; by now, little more than determination and grit was keeping her on her feet.

"Alright..." the otter panted, "ya got spunk and a bit o' skill, kid. You managed to get me to work my anger out, and that ain't easy." She straightened up, getting back in a fighting stance. "You work out your inner demons yet? You made me put my back into it, but you're hurtin' now. Give up, and I'll tell people I fought a badass, if you want me to."

The assassin braced herself against the wall, pulling a lightsaber from her belt as she fought to regain control of her breathing. "Right, because a good fight was all I was looking for," she managed to bite back as the crimson blade sprang from the hilt. "I told you, I'm not leaving without answers- you better give them up, before I knock every tooth out of your skull."

"Oh for fuck's sake, come off it!" Rook snarled with no shortage of exhaustion, turning and pacing away a few steps. "Y'know, my pack says I'm stubborn as fuck, and they're right- but I'd bet every credit in my name you outdo me by a long shot! I already told you I don't have a fuckin' clue about your species or this thing you said my people found!" She glared at the assassin, still breathing hard. "Shit, I ain't even seen your face yet, how the hell am I supposed to know what the fuck you are!?"

For a few moments the assassin said nothing, her gaze directed at the otters as her breathing slowed. Then, with what was clearly an enormous amount of hesitance and restraint, she brought her left hand up to her helmet. A slight hiss escaped from beneath it as it unsealed, allowing her to lift the piece off her head and revealing her face.

She was humanoid, the otter noted, but not one she had ever seen before. Her ridged, sloped forehead and pointed ears gave her a wild, rugged look; added against her lack of a formed nose, her face was almost skull-like, though still retaining a hint of feminine attractiveness with her pointed cheeks and chin. In stark contrast to the cold steel-blue of her skin and short, bone-white hair, her fire-orange eyes seem to smolder with hatred and rage. And as she wiped a trickle of jet-black blood from the corner of her mouth, that glare didn't change.

"None who see my face live to tell of it. But for your skill and tenacity, prey, I'll grant you the honor of knowing who your hunter is," she told the otter in a calm, venom-laced voice. "Sesh Kazse is my name. If you wish to live longer, you'll tell me what you know of my race."

Rook folded her arms, staring at her for a few moments more before shaking her head and sighing.

"I got nothing. Never seen your race, don't know a thing about them."

"You lie!" Sesh shouted, the air around them charging with Force energy- bits of litter whipped through the air away from her, eyes glowing with animosity.

"You don't know a damn thing about Mandalorian warriors if you're accusin' me of lying," Rook snapped, standing up straight with her head held high. "I am Rriyan Be'Surnahm, Rook to my family, and I am not a raider or a thief. I deal with everyone- my family, my marks, and my enemies- with integrity and honor. If I knew a damn thing about your race, I would have told you- even with you tryin' to kill me." The otter's red eyes matched her foes' glare. "Now if you're gonna go again, then let's go. You ain't gettin' any answers, so you might as well try to finish it."

She had expected the words to trigger a reaction, and was not disappointed when the assassin donned her helmet again and drew her second lightsaber, igniting the blade and charging the otter with a snarl. Rook waited, watching as the assassin sprang high into the air with her blades overhead. She was only five feet away when the otter made her move.

The slash started the same moment her jump-packs did, sweeping the area she'd been standing in half an instant earlier while she flipped through the air. She swung her leg out as she finished the flip, her heel finding the back of the assassin's head with a dull crack and sending her sprawling to the alleyway's filthy concrete. She was back up in an instant, slashing away, but Rook was ready and better equipped than most- all it took was her raising a gauntlet to stop the blades outright, her beskar armor holding up against the lethal energy long enough for her free paw to snap out and palm-strike Sesh in the chest. With honed reflexes she grabbed the assassin's right wrist, holding her long enough to elbow strike her again- only this time when she drew away, it was with one of the assassin's own lightsabers.

Sesh staggered back, staring at her disarmed hand for a moment before realizing the Selonian was holding her Sith weapon. She scoffed skeptically. "Do you even know how to use that thing, prey?"

Rook smirked. "My family taught me a few tricks."

It was just another weapon, and she treated it as one as she lunged in and met the assassin with a ferocious slash, the crash of the Sith weapons ringing through the corridor. Using every ounce of knowledge she'd picked up from her clan, every moment of training she'd spent with them, she assaulted her foe with a series of brutal, straightforward attacks that Sesh struggled to defend against. Thought simplistic, each blow was deliberate and powerful, rattling the assassin's defenses as she backed up and blocked. Now the few impoverished souls that lingered in sight did react, scurrying or slithering away in fright.

She poured her effort into executing Shii-Cho, the first form of lightsaber combat, the Selonian having spent more than enough time with her Jedi packmates to learn it; raw in intensity and as direct as a turbolaser, it was as relentless and unforgiving as her unarmed skill had been, hammering away at Sesh's guard. It was clear just from the opening seconds of the duel that assassin was not expecting her foe to be talented enough to wield a lightsaber with any modicum of skill, and after perhaps a minute of being on the backfoot she disengaged, backpedaling away from a neck-level swipe. The brief retreat caused Rook to smirk and force her way in, letting out a snarl as she swung hard. A deafening crash erupted between them as Rook's blade tore her foe's weapon out of her grip and over her shoulder. Before she could capitalize on the opening Sesh leapt back and thrust both her hands out; a burst of Force energy knocked the Selonian back a few paces, just as the Sith weapon curved around in midair and flew back into the assassin's open hand.

"How the hell did you manage to learn that without the Force to aid you?" Sesh asked, sounding genuinely impressed. "Even with Jedi to teach you, you shouldn't be this proficient."

"It's just Form I," Rook said smugly, flourishing with her borrowed blade. "It's a warrior's form at heart, so I took every effort to learn it."

"Then I know how to counter it," the assassin replied, her footwork shifting into an elegant step, her free hand on her hip as she closed the distance swiftly.

Rook grunted and backpedaled away just in time to narrowly avoid the first jab towards her head, recognizing the shift into Makashi right away; a lightsaber form better-suited to dueling, and a specialty of one of her packmates. She slid into position with an elegance matched only by her precision, handling her weapon with finesse as she jabbed and cut at the otter. No movement was wasted as she controlled the blade with simple flicks of her wrist and subtle movements of her arm, conquering the space with her blade held out, intercepting the otter's attacks as they came.

A strike to the leg and Sesh caught it, twisting her blade into an upward sweep with the same movement and scoring a hit against the otter's breastplate, nearly nicking her chin and throwing off her footing. With Rook unbalanced the assassin lunged in with a thrust, nearly impaling her and forcing her to slash wildly to deflect the attack; yet Sesh was quick to recover, her footwork unaffected as she pressed the assault. As the duel wore on, Rook could feel her nerves tingling as her body struggled to keep up with the assassin's feints, cuts, and shallow jabs, only able to find breathing room when she found an opening to slash- yet every time she did, her blade was blocked and Sesh would renew her attack.

She stabbed forward and Sesh slid back, catching the blade and twisting it around ferociously, the weapon slipping out of the otter's grip. A boot to the stomach prevent Rook from catching the weapon, letting out a harsh cough and giving the assassin the time to reclaim her second lightsaber and shift back into her dual-wielding stance.

"This match is mine," Sesh hissed, prowling towards the otter. "You handle a lightsaber well for someone lacking the Force, but you were never going to beat me. Yield now, and I'll make your death painless."

"I haven't quit yet," Rook shot back. "Why quit now?"

She didn't allow the assassin to respond, her draw quick and precise- in the next moment, the space between them was filled with lethal energy, the hunter's pistols spewing a barrage at her assailant. Sesh was clumsy to respond, reversing step hastily as she struggled to block the incoming volley, her form too open to efficiently deflect. As a desperate resolution she channeled the Force and send a burst of it into the otter, but though she was blasted backwards she regained her balance, her jump-packs activating as she transitioned into a hover and ascended high above, pistols trained on Sesh.

She noticed too late that the assassin's attention was no longer on her, and that her lightsabers had been holstered- the change in the situation caused Rook to hesitate in confusion, until she saw why. Sesh's bandolier, which had been forgotten during their intense round of fisticuffs, was already in her hands and being fitted around her body by the time the otter had noticed. The brief hesitation gave the assassin enough time to pull another weapon from her bandolier- this one not a dagger, but an energy bow concealed in the bandolier's back-sheath. A string of violet energy phased into the weapon as she drew it back expertly, a lethal-looking arrow constructed from the same energy manifesting with it. She released the projectile just as Rook fired.

The otter's shots only barely missed as Sesh shifted subtly to dodge; the same could not be said for Rook, who took the arrow directly to the chest. The otter let out a strangled choke as the bolt exploded against her breastplate, feeling several cracks along her ribs as she was thrown higher into the air with a shallow, smoking divot in her armor where the shot had landed. The force of the shot knocked the pistols out of her grip, leaving her unarmed as she struggled to get back upright; but even through her disorientation and pain, she did not fail to notice the assassin drawing her string back a second time.

She managed to get herself upright again just as Sesh released another arrow; with a twist that made her body protest in agony, the otter managed to avoid the bolt, looking for a means to trade fire again- her pistols were too close to Sesh to risk grabbing, but her discarded rifle was farther away. As she saw Sesh nocking a third arrow, she made her move.

She darted through the air, descending a few feet and ducking beneath the assassin's bolt as she grabbed a stun grenade from her belt and tossed it. Sesh reacted immediately, shielding her face and eyes with her free arm and giving Rook the opportunity she needed as she twisted around, her visor's targeting system locking on to her rifle as she raised her right hand. A sharp snap and hiss range through the air as a length of cord shot out of her gauntlet, a claw-like aperture extending and latching on to the rifle's handgrip. A half-moment later the cord tightened and whipped back into her armor, dragging her weapon through the air and right into her waiting arms as she turned again and dropped, avoiding a fourth bolt as she hit the ground and rolled into a kneeling firing stance. Her visor's rangefinder locked on the assassin, guiding her aim as she cut loose and filled the corridor with hot energy.

It was a mismatch, and Sesh seemed to know it- as lethal and accurate as her bow was, Rook could take the hits, and it could not match the blaster rifle in terms of consistent shooting. At once, the assassin withdrew, ducking through the alley and sprinting in the other direction. A couple of bolts found their target, glancing off her armor and scorching the pieces, yet she reached the far end of the corridor relatively unscathed, rounding the corner and disappearing out of sight.

The otter lowered her rifle smoking and groaned, holding her midsection gingerly as she got back to her feet. As much a relief as it was to have briefly driven off her assailant, her visor's readout was less a relief as it alerted her to several fractured ribs, a malfunction in her pain threshold implant, and ninety-five percent fuel loss from overreliance on her jump-pack; and try as she might, she still could not reach Talrik- Sesh's communications jammer kept her locked out.

She drew in a deep breath, fighting against the pain and began to make her way back to the courtyard, hoping she'd see Sesh before Sesh could see her.

It had not escaped Sesh's notice that Rook had taken a bad hit when her arrow had struck her chest, cluing the assassin to the fact that the Mandalorian armor could be overcome. That she had managed to hit at all was enough to assure the assassin that victory was still within reach- for although she was certain now that her prey had no clue to the origins of her race, she was still prey.

And the hunt was still on.

She could still see through the Force, watching as the otter scanned the rooftops for Sesh with her rifle at the ready for several minutes, circling around the edge of the space a few times before turning her gaze upwards. Sesh followed the gaze up, catching sight of the war glaive still embedded in a building wall on the side opposite where she was hiding. Her hand pulled back the string for a brief moment, before relaxing as she sighed.

"No..." she murmured calmly, staring at her own bow fondly. "Let her reclaim it. Let her die a warrior's death, with her weapon at her side."

She waited, the burst of Rook's jump-packs echoing off the buildings as she launched into the air and grabbed the shaft, planting a boot against the wall and wrenching it free with a snarl, before descending again. The otter gazed at the weapon carefully before leaning her head forward and touching her head against the shaft with a look of pain on her features.

Sesh breathed in and nodded to herself, then rounded the wall she'd been hiding behind and stood at the lip of the roof, looking down at her prey. She drew her bowstring back, the arrow manifesting and aimed right at the warrior. Rook perked up and turned, looking directly at Sesh, completely vulnerable.

The assassin smiled. "You fought hard, Rook. Die well."

With a sharp twang, she released the arrow.

It was halfway to the Mandalorian when it suddenly exploded in a pink flash.

Sesh blinked.

A sharp jolt assaulted her senses, a warning- she turned in place, her free hand whipping out and snatching into the air. Her fingers wrapped around a thin, telescopic metal shaft and stopped short of impaling her bow-arm, the assassin peering at the arrow briefly before turning her eyes forward at the shooter.

Roughly twenty meters away stood a russet-red Amaran male, clothed in a brown, sleeveless, vest-like overcoat and a comfortable white tunic underneath. His face was passive, almost serene, as his lime-green eyes regarded Sesh with a steady stare. In his left hand was an expertly-crafted wooden bow, its limbs plated with metal and its riser wrapped in leather; angled on his back was a sporting quiver.

Sesh scowled at him. "Shall we go two on one, then? Should be even odds with your friend injured; but I'll beat you in archery, whelp!"

The fox said nothing. He merely smiled and raised a pair of fingers to his head in salute- before squeezing the trigger in his paw.

Her scowl disappeared as the arrow in her hand started to beep, drawing her attention- it was not a normal arrow, but tipped with an arrowhead designed for shallow penetration, a pair of electrodes jutting from the side, and lined with a inlaid conductive copper.

It was as much as she was able to discern before the electrical current shot through her body, and turned the world white.

"That looks like her ship," Talrik said, pointing to the readout.

Rook nodded, slowing her ship to a crawl as they passed over the ridge. Their eyes fell upon a small Imperial Star Wing gunboat. "Any life signs?"

Talrik peered at the ship a few moments, then shook his head. "It's clear. Put her down, and we can walk our guest out."

Sesh snorted behind them, shaking her helmeted head as she remained knelt in the ship's holding cell. "You're acting pretty decent to me, flying me to my ship after I tried killing your ladyfriend here. I could've just fought the entire ride here."

Talrik turned his seat, smiling and cocking his head as the ship landed. "Perhaps. But I don't think you would have. Rook doesn't think so, either. And with you in cuffs, locked in an energy cage, and your gear in the hold, I don't think you would have gotten far trying."

The assassin scoffed. "I've been in worse situations." She paused, then looked up at both him and Rook from behind the containment field. "But... no. I wouldn't have tried."

"Conceding defeat, eh?" Rook smirked.

"Careful, prey," the assassin warned her as she got to her feet. "Or I may consider hunting you again."

"I'll be ready for a rematch anytime," the otter replied confidently- yet she smiled. "You fought bloody well. Can't say I have much respect for assassins, it's a dark profession, but you ever take up bounty hunting and you'll make a killing from it."

"Hmph. Maybe," Sesh acknowledged.

With a tap on the cage's panel, the containment field phased out, letting Sesh exit as Talrik triggered the ship's ramp. He took the first steps down, motioning the assassin to follow out into the chilly plains around them, while Rook grabbed Sesh's gear. Sesh turned, watching as the Mandalorian otter set the crate down.

"One moment," the assassin said abruptly, sounding troubled. "Look, you... you really don't know anything about my race? It was on Mandalore, around twenty years ago. Maybe I tracked the wrong clan, but if you know_anything_..."

Rook shook her head. "Woulda been long before my time, Sesh. If you want a suggestion, you might want to find a Death Watch cell- they were in bed with the Empire, who were controlling the planet at the time, so they might've learned what the Empire did and covered it up. Other than that, you could always scour the Unknown Regions."

"Death Watch," Sesh repeated, sighing. "Alright, I'll check there."

"Good on ya. If you do track those fuckers, be sure to kill 'em slow- and tell them Rriyan Be'Surnahm sends her regards," the otter added with a grin.

"I'll be sure to," Sesh nodded. "And... thank you."

Rook nodded, backing away. "Don't mention it." She hesitated for a moment, wrapping an arm around Talrik's waist and giving her a genuine smile.

"After all... everyone has a place in the universe, and deserves to find it. Even Sith."