SWRPF Archive It's all about the credits (a bounty hunter/asassin RPG)

Tahsh sat.

"I have to tell you something. I...told Master Windu about the plan. I think he may be a bit understanding about that, but I also had to tell him what I'd promised Thane. That I'd let him go." Tahsh said, looking down.

She looked at Trella and continued. "If I could have not told him, I would not have done such. I think Thane's going to be okay, but I don't know what will become of him. If you want to kill me for that, I understand."

TK pulled up her faceplate.

"That is okay. And I hardly have a wish to kill you, for you did more than many would..the question is..."Are they willing to say that he didnt make it, if anyone else asks?..if not, it's all for nothing. And the hunt will continue."

She shrugged her shoulders..
"As to his fate.....and mine, for that matter.."

She shook her head.

She tuned, and leaned against the wall. She brought her faceplate back down. And closed her eyes.

 

Tahsh looked at Trella a moment, not sure what to say or do. She was right. If word got out that he survived, the blood pack would be on him again. This would all have been for nothing.

"Despite the wishes of the Council, I would do anything to help you and Thane." Tahsh found herself saying. She didn't know why she felt this way. Just that she did.

She turned to the door.

"And I will start by checking on how he is. I will let you know, Trella. And I hope it is good news I will be able to report."

Tahsh took another look at Trella before leaving the room.

 

Artemis Thane was conscious but his eyes were covered with bandages. "Where am I?" He asked from his bed. He was not restrained, the Jedi beleive he couldnt go anywhere when he was blind.

Thane listened to his surroundings carefully and heard someone approach his side. "Who's there?"

 

Trella leaned against the wall.

"Despite the wishes of the Council, I would do anything to help you and Thane."

Trella nodded.

Bender turned to the door.

"And I will start by checking on how he is. I will let you know, Trella. And I hope it is good news I will be able to report."

Tahsh took another look at Trella before leaving the room.

After Tahsh left, Trella closed her eyes again. She would wait for Bender to return. But if she didnt hear from anyone soon....

She sat, playing with the diffrent equipment on her. Something was still bothering her, but she couldnt quite put her finger on what.

 

Tahsh approached Thane, glad to see him alive, though his eyes were bandaged.

"Where am I?" he asked. "Who's there?"

She stepped closer to him.

"It's Bender." she said. "You're still at the Jedi Temple."

She sat in a chair next to him.

"I was so worried about you, as has Trella. I am so glad to see you alive, that what I tried to do for you wasn't waisted."

 

He nodded his thanks. "What happened?" Thane reached for the bandages over his eyes and attempted to pull them off but stopped immediately when the effort hurt his already damaged eyes. "And why do I have these blasted things over my eyes?

 

"Lay still." Tahsh told him as he tried to remove the bandages. She sighed. "The plan was going well, until you got to the roof. You were shot in the head with a blaster. Between Trella and myself, we tried to keep the other Jedi away, but things went bad. Long story made short, Trella's in a guarded room here, and I am in deep trouble with the Jedi Council." She told him.

 

"I am sorry." Thane tried to apologize, if he had not gotten Bender involved in his problems she would not be in trouble with her kind. "What will become of us now?"

"For us to decide, it is." Someone with poor grammar answered. Thane turned his head slightly to the sound of the voice. If he could still see he would have looked down upon the small green creature strangely.

Behind the green creature stood Master Windu and behind him was Trella and her two Jedi guards.

"And what have you decided?" Thane asked the darkness.

"The council has discussed what should be done with you." Mace Windu said.

"Crippled you are. Threat no more." Yoda said and Thane could hear something like a cane clicking against the floor as someone moved. "Gone your eyesight is. Days as a thief no more."

"Jedi Tahsh has told us everything and has given you her word that you would be allowed to go free." Windu continued. "We have considered your situation and believe it would be in everyone's best interest to report you dead like you no doubt originally planned."

"Blood Pack bother you they will not." Yoda picked up where Windu left off. Thane was starting to get annoyed with this backwards grammar this one Jedi was speaking. "Dead Visputin shall be. Alive Thane will be."

He chuckled. "I planned on retiring after this heist anyway."

"Oh?"

"Do you want to know why I stole from you?" He said and got no response so he continued anyway. "I didn't do it for the money or for the holocron. I did it because I wanted to see if it could be done. Now that I have done it twice, no other job will be able to match or surpass it. So why continue?"

 

Trella was following the Jedi she learned was called Master Windu. The little green guy, she met when they showed up in her room...which was a good thing, because she was two seconds from climbing out the window.
She just told her to follow them...So she did, her two Jedi guards still in tow. When they got to the medical center..it was all she could do, to contain herself. She heard Thane's and Benders voice in the background.

"What will become of us now?" Thane asked.

"For us to decide, it is." The little green being answered. Thane turned his head slightly to the sound of the voice.

"And what have you decided?" Thane asked.
Trella grew very silent. She wondered what their response would be.

"The council has discussed what should be done with you." Mace Windu said.

"Crippled you are. Threat no more." The short one said moving around on his cane. "Gone your eyesight is. Days as a thief no more."

TK was very quiet...as she listed to the short one say that Cat's eyesight was gone. She wondered how he would deal with that. She silently moved around...the back of the room, heading towards Thane.

"Jedi Tahsh has told us everything and has given you her word that you would be allowed to go free." Windu continued. "We have considered your situation and believe it would be in everyone's best interest to report you dead like you no doubt originally planned."

TK mentally sighed at relief at that remark.
She hopped the Jedi would not be in too much trouble.

The short jedi started speaking again."Blood Pack bother you they will not." Dead Visputin shall be. Alive Thane will be."

Thane chuckled. "I planned on retiring after this heist anyway."

"Oh?" responded the green one.

"Do you want to know why I stole from you?" He said and got no response so he continued anyway. "I didn't do it for the money or for the holocron. I did it because I wanted to see if it could be done. Now that I have done it twice, no other job will be able to match or surpass it. So why continue?"

Trella by that time, finally weaved her away around to Thane. She gave Bender's hand a gentle squeeze, as she passed her. She really didnt care about the other Jedi in the room at the moment. She gently laid a hand on Cat's shoulder. She didnt dare to look up right now. Her other hand, sought his.

 

Tahsh was as relieved to hear the fate of Thane as he and Trella was. The Jedi would allow him to be 'dead' as they origionally planned. And Thane would give up his days as a theif. A thought came to her.

"My Masters, if he was able to get into the Temple twice, that says to me we have a weak spot in the security system that needs to be fixed." Tahsh said to Yoda and Mace. "Who better to help plug the security holes than one who found them? Even without sight, Thane may be of use. If all concerned is willing, of course." she added on, looking between Thane and Trella and the Jedi Masters.

 

"Is that a challenge I hear, Bender?" Thane said, cocking his head slightly to the side and squeezing Trella's hand firmly.

"An interesting point, you bring, young Tahsh." Master Yoda said and looked up to Master Windu who was busily rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"It does prove to be a problem in the future. We have many enemies and word has already gotten out that the Temple has been broken into once already. If it is alright with you, Thane, we would be glad if you helped us."

Thane thought about it for a moment. "It will be difficult...but I think I can manage with the help of Trella." He squeezes her hand affectionatly, turning his head in her general direction.

 

"Is that a challenge I hear, Bender?" Thane said, cocking his head slightly to the side and squeezing Trella's hand firmly. Trella laughed softly. Bender definatelly pushed the right button.

"An interesting point, you bring, young Tahsh." Master Yoda said and looked up to Master Windu who was busily rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"It does prove to be a problem in the future. We have many enemies and word has already gotten out that the Temple has been broken into once already. If it is alright with you, Thane, we would be glad if you helped us."

Thane thought about it for a moment. "It will be difficult...but I think I can manage with the help of Trella." He squeezes her hand affectionatly, turning his head in her general direction.

Trella mind was furiously churning. In such a short time, they went from being chased..to almost killed...to the Jedi wanting their help. She then realized that they were looking in her direction.

She pulled off her headpiece. "Sure..I'll help. Besides....I... can squeeze into a few places, that YOU cant..." she teased Thane gently, bending down to plant a kiss on his forehead.

 

The assassin sighed a breath of dissapointance. Something didn't feel right... nothing felt right these last few difficult weeks. Ever since Thane came into his life, it had been nothing but trouble. From the moment he met the back stabbing thief in the dark and dreary back ally, his life had met its turning point and it turned to its minimum. What was ment to be a simple job led him through an adventure Sheen never thought possible. Yet victory tasted so bitter. Victory never tasted bitter... not to Sheen anyway, which only constitued one thing: Sheen had not won.

He slammed his fist into the console of his navigation computer. The speeder responded by jerking awkwardly in the busy sky, but quickly straightened out. Anger filled yet once again. Thane was not dead... not by a long shot. Sheen had expected this, his blaster shot would not penetrated the armor entirely... but he expected his death at the heavy fall from the Jedi roof. He had not made sure, he realised. Any worthy assasin makes sure of his prey's death. Sheen was too drawn into this entire ordeal that he had forgotten.

The speeder exited the heavily packed traffic lane and began its decent back into the underworld of the marvel that was Coruscant city.

 

The next several days were very challenging for Trella.

She tries her best, to stear clear of the Head Jedi council members, especially the short green one, who she heard was called Yoda. Every time she caught him looking at her, she felt like he was looking into her.
She also kept hearing mention of Thane being force sensative. Well heck, she knew that. She wondered what the deal was.

She also gave her Jedi 'companions' fits. Most of the time, she stayed with Cat...not leaving his side unless she absolutely HAS too. And then, she was usually somewhere close. But sometimes, they take their job a tad TOO serious..and she HAD to get some breathing room. Several times she had ditched her guards. Usually to be found asleep next to Thane again.

She had switched her gear, changing into some civilian wear. She kept her dagger on her, but her other weapons she kept... unseen, or in her room.

Every so often, she would see Bender, and she would smile and respond to her, but she usually kept near Thane, waiting to review security stuff when he was better.

At night was the worse. She kept dreaming of the meeting at the undercut...and of Sheen, puting the blaster at point blank range, and shooting Cat..... She alwasy woke up, breathing fast.

Usually, she just stayed awake, and listened to him sleep.

Revenge was a strong thought. But she pushed it away for now. It didnt help back then...and it wouldnt help now. She was just glad, that they had screwed up the Blood Pack's plans.


TAG: Anyone

 

Tahsh had spent the majority of the next few days in solitude and meditation. Occasionally she would see Trella as she walked through the halls, and she would make polite conversation, but she was distracted by her own actions that night of the plan. She had a hard time letting the past remain there. Had a hard time believing that Heracious could have died because she used every ounce of energy trying to save Thane.

Even after all the meditation she had done, it was not resolved. Not knowing what she could do about it, she thought of one thing she could do.

She went to a speeder and headed to Dex's. She had to start spreading the rumor of Thane's death, and Dex would be a good place to start. She didn't like to decieve him, but she felt she had to.

 

Jedi Temple

Artemis Thane grew irritable over the next few days as he tried to adjust to his new condition. He was not use to without sight and it aggrivated him to no extent. He had to rely more and more on Trella and he did not like it at all.

The Jedi had tried to help him but to no avail. He had heard them talking about him when they thought he couldn't hear. If there was one thing you gain when going blind are heightened senses. Everything could be heard clearly, things smelled differently and things tasted more sweeter or bitter.

The Jedi had mentioned he was Force-Sensitive and thought it explained why he was able to do the things he could do, such as break into the Jedi Temple undetected. He had ignored the blasphmous idea that he had the help of some hokey religion to pull off his heists.

But every night as he lay in bed with Trella in the room the Jedi had provided for them he thought about whether the Jedi were right. There had been things he had done he could not explain. Such as deceiving guards into thinking he was allowed access even though it was obvious he wasn't.

He sighed deeply as he stared into the eternal darkness of the blind. Sometimes if he thought hard enough he thought could almost see the details of the ceiling above as he lay there in bed staring blankly.

Thane shifted his weight in the bed until he was in a more comfortable position. He knew he now faced Trella on his side and it saddened him he could not look upon her face anymore. How he missed seeing her smile as she smirked at him or the look she gave when she thought he was insane to break back into the Temple a second time.

Gently and slowly he moved his hand to trace the contours of her face, using his sense of touch to create an image of her sleeping visage in his mind with the memories he had of her to help complete the picture.

Dex's Diner

"Ah! Tahsh!" Dex exclaimed upon seeing the young Jedi girl walk into the diner. He noticed she had not tried to sneak up on him again and wondered if perhaps something was wrong. "Everything okay?"

 

"Ah! Tahsh! Everything okay?" Dex greeted Tahsh when she got to the diner.

"I've had a difficult time since I last saw you, Dex."

"Come. Sit." Dex led her to one of the tables and nodded to his server droid, who soon returned with a drink.

"What happened?"

Tahsh took a sip of her drink.

"You recall that I was in here looking for some information. I had picked up that you knew my target, Artemis Thane Vesputin." she began.

"How did things go with that?" Dex prompted.

"Well, I did find him, but it was too late. He broke into the Temple again, and was caught. We chased after him, but he had a few tricks, and a freind with some tricks. He headed for the roof, and as I was climbing after him, he was shot in the head. He fell." Tahsh didn't like the memory of that, but she had to do this. She continued, looking down at the drink.

"I tried to use my abilities with the Force to keep him alive, but it wasn't enough."

She looked up again, looking at Dex.

"I know that you knew him. I was sorry to see that all happen to him. Even more so that I nearly lost one of my dear friends. The Force was able to save him, but I put myself at the point of exhaustion for Thane, but it wasn't enough."

What Tahsh said was the truth. She didn't want to lie to Dex, so she avoided having to.

 

Dex was shocked to hear the news. One of his street urchins had been killed? It saddened him to hear the fate of his good friend and best customer.

"Do you know who is responsible?"

 

"I'm not sure. I believe it was a member of the Blood Pack, though." Tahsh told him. "I was actually involved in a plan to get them off Thane's tail. Catching him at the Temple was part of the plan, but he wasn't supposed to be shot for real."

 

Dex narrowed his beady eyes and folded his top arms. "The Blood Pack leader will wish he had not killed one of my urtchins."

He stood. "Everything is on the house Tahsh. For Artemis." Dex disappeared into the back. He had the look of a person who was plotting something.

 

Jedi Temple

TK was deep in thought.

She felt Artemis growing irritable as he tried to adjust to his new condition. The Jedi had tried to help him but to no avail. He had blown off his 'supposed' Force abilities.

TK thought otherwise. She knew that he had an ability. To bypass one Jedi was luck..to get around a building full of them, was something more. She sat quietly, trying to think of ways to make that ability work for him again. Maybe she could somehow get him to tap into it.

As she laid silenty next to Thane, she heard him sigh deeply. She wanted to reach out, and make him able to see her again. She wanted to see him smile again. She smiled sadly. She felt his weight shift.

Thane had shifted his weight in the bed until he was comfortable. He was facing her. She kept her breathing slow and steady, closing her eyes, as he gently and slowly moved his hand to trace the contours of her face.

She thought so hard, telling him to see her in her mind. She wished she had the talent right now. She laid still until he had fallen asleep.

She laid there in the dark, with her eyes closed, thinking. Their 'work' would need to be done. And...she probably needed to check to make sure Thane's Enterprises wasnt being bothered. She would have to be careful.

And then...it would be Cat's turn.
She grinned.
This mouse wasnt going to quit. There was still too much to do.

She silenty got up..and typed in the comm unit in the room. She addressed to the name of the Jedi she had heard on the roof.

Windu.

She asked permission, to look up information on Force Sensatives. She sent the message, and then laid back down. She still had some other things to deal with.

But that would come later.



TAG: Anyone.

 

Tahsh realized that Dex may do something he might regret. She finished her drink, and before she left for the Temple, she left a note for him scribbled on a napkin.

Dex,
I am sorry to have brought you bad news. I know now how much he really meant to you. Before you go after the blood pack, though, I want you to know that I will do whatever I can to bring the man who shot Thane to Justice.
Tahsh

Tahsh got up and left the diner. She had meant every word of the note. She would be in danger of being kicked out of the Jedi Order, but this, she felt would be worth it.

When she returned to the Temple, Heracious greeted her. He didn't look happy, though.

"You're planning something, Tahsh." he stated.

"It's better you don't know about it." she told him, trying to walk pass him. He grabbed her by the arm.

"Tahsh, what's happened to you? You haven't been the same since you were given this assignment. What's going on?" he asked her.

She shook his hand off her arm.

"I see my path going a different direction right now, Heracious." she said with a bit of a sting in her voice. Then she softened.

"You know we are forbidden to follow the path we both know we are going. I nearly died when I felt you go over the side and realized I could do nothing about it. I have to do my own thing right now."

"Even if the Council forbids it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You want him dead, don't you? I can hear it in your refusal to accept the truth. You are going out for blood against the man who shot him. Why? Why would you risk your life for Thane again?"

Tahsh found she had no answer. She turned and left Heracious. She wanted to find Trella. She was certain the thief would feel the same way about the assassin who betrayed them.

 

The tick ticking sound of a blind man's cane was heard as Artemis Thane entered the quarters given to them. He had just relunctantly gone through one of the Jedi tests to test for Force Sensitives and apparently he had aced the thing. It involved him using his mind to telepathically see what one of the Jedi Masters was looking at.

He had seen everything as if he was looking at it himself and was not blind. The fact that he was blind and he was able to see it had finally convinced him he was Force Sensitive. But he did not have to like it. The Jedi Council told him to return to his quarters until they summoned him again with their decision on what to do about his ability.

"I don't want the frellin Force." He suddenly complained, sounding almost like a boy whining about something. Thane felt for the couch and sat down. He felt around him until he found the remote to the holocomm and listened to the Coruscant News Network. It was all he could do.

"Mouse?"

 

Temple


As Artemis had dissapeared off, to deal with some kind of test..Trella had been busy.

She had gotten permission from Master Windu to do some research. She had been busy looking up information on Force Sensatives.

She had finished doing quite a bit of reading. and had turned off the monitor...her head hurt. She sighed deeply.

She also keep an eye out on Thane Enterprises, making sure that no one was trying to make a against the business.

The tick ticking sound of a blind man's cane was heard as Artemis Thane entered the quarters given to them. From her room, she heard Thane.

"I don't want the frellin Force."
She heard the holonet click on. She sighed.

"Mouse?"

She exited her area and entered the room Cat was sitting in. She reached out, and gave him a gentle kiss.

"Are the Jedi stiffs giving you a hard time, Cat?" she asked smiling. She sits down next to him.

She looks over at him. "Why dont we go visit another part of the temple?....the training rooms they have here are something...." She squeezed his arm. "Or..we can find someplace else...?" she asked.

She wanted to get him out of the room.

TAG: Mitth

 

"Some place where there are no Jedi?" He inquired and stood, his eyes were looking in the general direction of Trella but not exactly at her.

On the holocomm the following could be heard as the CNN reporter reports: "CEO Zanth Novar of Zanth Industries was just arrested by Coruscant Security Forces for the countless brutal murders of several beings planet-wide, including the late-CEO Artemis Thane of Thane Enterprises. CSF liasion, Inspector Erik Riggers has informed CNN that CSF had received incriminating information of Novar's connections with the Blood Pack gang and confiscated several documents from Novar's personal files of deals made with the Blood Pack to eliminate several of his rivals..."

Thane was laughing at the news. His rival and enemy was finally going to get what was due to him. "This...we need to celebrate, my dear." He said after listening to the report for a while longer before growing tired of it.