Another Bounty?!

[La_Reina]

Closed for SnowLeopard

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/MalaBruja/jack1.jpg​

Jack took 6 running steps before planting her feet on the wall and used the momentum to carry her over the small beams that activated the alarm on the small patch of floor. Gravity was starting to pull her down and she didn't think she was going to make it. She tried to run faster and at the last moment she jumped and dove the rest of the way. Her back barely clearing the last beam. She stood up and smiled at that small feat a small smirk on her face.

She went past all the safes, all the jewelry, all the way to the back where sat an ordinary looking cup. She smiled at her prize. Most people would see the slightly rustic looking thing as nothing more than someone's water cup than a billion credit cup. That's Billion with a B. This cup was believed to be the Holy Grail and now it was hers. Finders keepers. She looped her belt through one of the handles and cinched it close to her.

Jack was home free until she heard a small, "Hey," just to her left. She turned. The new night guard didn't have set habits like the old one. The old one was supposed to be here tonight, but a last minute change had this one guarding the prize possessions and meant more risk for Jack.

"Shit," Jack said before she ran forward taking her alternate escape route. She would get a small headstart as the guard had to deactivate the laser beams before he could come after her. She jumped at the 2nd vent pulling the cover off. She threw it behind her hearing a curse as it almost hit the guard. She jumped, barely caught the edge, and pulled herself up. She heard a muffled, 'How the f-' before she made a turn and was racing to get to her ship that was idling nearby.

She kicked at a grate and came tumbling out onto the roof. She could hear footsteps on the nearby stair case and she turned to run just as the door slammed open. She was almost to the edge. The guard would never have enough time to raise his gun. She planted her foot as far to the edge as she could and jumped!

Jack was flying. Okay she was falling. At a rapid speed. Just when her stomach was getting that crazy butterfly feeling her feet touched her plane and she rolled with the momentum. She stood up and looked at the guard who had a look of mixed disbelief, awe, and something else she wasn't quite sure of. She smiled and raised her chin to him before sliding into a side door and activating the auto pilot. The plane took off with a sonic boom and she didn't care what windows or people she blew by as she hit warped speed out of the atmosphere.

Jack laughed as she sent a beacon that she got the cup and expected the 2.4 billion credits. As soon as she verified they were in her account she'll drop off the cup. She knew it would take a day or two so she was going to lay low for a bit. She went to a seedy world in the 4th quadrant and slept for a day never leaving her room. It was the 2nd day and Jack was in a bar drinking hearing a fantastic tale that actual Galactic Police had come landside and two actually made it out with their lives. She laughed at the tales on how they were slowly killed or spoke to the wrong 'innocent' looking person. She was still laughing when someone slapped a wanted bulletin in front of her. She glanced at it seeing her picture.

Wanted. Jackilyn Stone. Alive. 1.7 billion credits. Information that leads to her arrest 50 million credits.​

"It doesn't even state what you have done or why. Just knowin if I called this here number I could live nice for awhile. Well, that's pretty tempting, Jack."

Jack looked up to see Bill glaring at her. Greedy bastard. But a die hard friend. "I think I should go shack up at home." Bill nodded and left. Having felt he warned her. Hell, if he had found her yesterday she would have gotten the warning already. As it was he may have been too late and Jack knew it. She paid for her drinks and left the bar.

4 hours later she was home. By home she meant her home world Entropy. The most brutal place in the 2 galaxies. This is where mothers have twins and hope that one of them survives to adult hood. This is where you learn how to shoot and kill before you learn to walk. Babies have been known to shoot. This was not a place for the faint of heart or the weak. This place was rumored to be Hell and Satan's playground, his creation, and love. People would take their chances floating in a vessel without food or water until they could help than land on Entropy; knowing that on Entropy their chances of survival was less than 1%. Children were the worst, old grannies were just as bad. They didn't get old by cooking cookies.

Jack was home. She landed her plane and immediately activated the electric barrier. She wasn't more than 5 steps before she heard someone wheezing as they were almost fried to death. She smiled. Oh yeah she was home. Entropy housed billions upon billions of people (think China times 5) she would never be found here. Having more than dozen homes she could be anywhere. And if that wasn't hard enough, the parts that didn't form some sort of crude city was the wildest wildlife. That roamed free and rampant. Bigger and scarier than anything imagined. Cities were known to be destroyed when the wildlife got hungry and wasn't afraid of the city anymore. The worst part was that Jack's home only had a 3 day window of entry every 4 months. That's when you can come or go. Otherwise the weather made travelling suicidal. No one ever survived. You waited for the atmosphere to clear enough to allow in ships which was the 3 day window. Otherwise you were fucked.

Jack went to one of her many homes and settled down. She sent a signal out to the buyer, but they weren't responding. Things had gotten too hot for them. She grounded her teeth. If she didn't have her money soon she would find them and slowly dismember them and everyone they love and know. Her reputation was built on that promise. She hadn't become of the top 10 wanted people in the 3 galaxies for nothing. She prided herself on that. She logged off the signal and settled in to wait. The bastard had 1 day to send her the money and she could ship the cup or she was going to have to wait 4 months to exact her revenge.

 

[sombrablanca]

Silver likes Entropy. He has grown up in this wild land. Predators abound, and most are prey as well. His ship sits on his private air field inside a well defended perimeter. No one is stupid enough to mess with Silver's things, even in one of the worst neighborhoods in one of the worst cities of Entropy. They do not know who lives there but they know every hacker, cutpurse, gangster and other criminal that has tried to enter has become so much charred, bullet-riddled, or incinerated refuse in the street. Since it is legal to defend yourself and your property with any means necessary, and he didn't call the local authorities, they're just further fodder for the world.

Silver was born in 2893 Standard to a heavily genemodded merc mother, sired by an unknown father. All the records said was humanoid. He'd never known his mother. After five years of dragging a child around his mother put him in an orphanage. He quickly realized that being in an orphanage or a two cred world wasn't going to get him anywhere far. By the age of ten the extraordinarily bright, talented young man found employment with a smuggling crew from a nearby system. He was lucky. The combination of wits, talent, a knack for avoiding traps and troubles, slavery, drug addiction, or worse.

The wiry mercenary now sits at the top of his field. He is a mercenary, bounty hunter, all around man good with his hands and open to the highest bidder. His rules are simple and absolute. Payment upfront. You screw him, you disappear suddenly with no trace. He is loyal to a T once his name is on the dotted line. He does not hide who he is, but does not flaunt himself either. Few know his name, fewer know his face. Those seeking his service, including law enforcement, know him only by codename. He is a bit of a myth, a ghost, treading through life all alone. No one knows Silver Banyon, and that is just the way he likes it.

He looks through the updates and job offers on his very expensive, top of the line implant as he moves around the manor on a large hill that just into the surrounding wilderness juts out at the edge of the field that keeps the worst of the wildlife at bay. He notes updates on information from wellpaid, deeply afraid people that pass for officials on Entropy. Much like the feudal barons of ancient Europe, the top crust of Entropy are thieves, murderers, corporate raiders, intergalactic mobsters and all the others that can survive to reach the top of the rat heap. There is little concrete proof, but the signs point to one of the galaxy's best thieves being somewhere on planet. Not even his influence can get specifics but when multiple sources' hints add up he can see a very interesting picture. He is bored. There hasn't been a really challenging job in far too long and money like that offered is almost triple what she was worth before her latest heist went sideways. He also likes how much more challenging tracking one such as her on a planet like Entropy. He ponders, numbers and dates running through his head as he scans logs. While a thousand ships or more enter Entropy's orbit in a given day there are far fewer that would fit the profile of someone like Jack, and none of those that've entered that'd fit have left.

He isn't surprised to not find anything blatant as a registered landing with her name attached. Such records are notoriously illkept on Entropy, but the jumps out of the area she was last known to be in keep far better. The file transferred from the Galactic Police give some basic information gleaned as she tore outsystem, her need for immediate speed ruining any attempts at stealth her ship might've been capable of, as well as priors, and any scraps of info they've gleaned. What he is more relying on it the network that has built over the years. Those same doubledealing children and grandmothers they have both fried know they are paid well for depositing information about high value targets and spottings in certain message boards on the hypernet, and dissappear if they leave bad information. He sits back waiting, a small gleam in his winter grey eyes, a soft smile forming as information scrolls behind his eyelids. He sorts through all known information about his quarry, both confirmed and speculated.

 

[La_Reina]

Jack was slowly getting angry. The bastard hadn't sent the credits yet. That wasn't good. Especially if he wanted to keep his life. Jack cracked her neck and stood up looking at the numbers on her bank account. She stood up and walked over to her closet pulling out a small black case. Inside would be different weapons and gadgets that would help her get inside a building, kill an army, and back out again. She would need this case to get at ... Jack's head whipped around when she heard the beep from her console and then the funds deposited in her account. She smiled. Bastard paid. Now she didn't have to kill him. Before anyone could get a lock on her account the funds were immediately dispersed to various other accounts across the known (and a few unknown) galaxies and planets. She put back her case.

25 minutes later, wanted or not, Jack was at the last shipping ship giving a package containing the cup. It would get to her employer by tomorrow. Her job was done. She laughed and saw a few people look at her a little too long and be a little too interested in her. She didn't care. It would be 4 months before anyone could come and get her and by that time she was sure the cup would be 'found' somewhere else or in some other gallery. She would be wanted, sure, but not a priority. She should lay low, but she wouldn't be a thief and a pirate if she played by the rules.

Jack made her way to the dingiest and dirtiest bar and was sure feeling nothing, but good feelings. She had made a few friends and she was sure one or more than one thought to take her home. She snorted. They were sadly mistaken. Still she drank and had a merry fine time. It was when the bartender was telling them he was giving a last call. Last call meaning everyone get out, he gets more beer in, and then opens in an hour and a half. Jack wasn't going to wait that long. She was going to go home. She wobbled from her chair knocking it over, but standing on sure feet. She was looking at double, laughing too loud, and was very much so drunk.

As she made her way home it wasn't long before she realized she was being followed. She snickered. If her pursuers were smart they would have noticed that even though she leaned and swayed when she walked she never stumbled. Her footing was sure. She didn't fall seemingly to catch herself; small minute corrections. Oh she may be drunk, but she was much deadlier. She would be more reaction than thinking.

Purposely she went down a dead end alley. She blinked at the wall as though she was confused why it was there. At first she was. She turned slowly not seeing anyone behind her and forgetting why she had made the decision to block herself in. Than she saw a head and remembered what she was doing. She started to walk forward as though she could just walk out of the alley. Than a second person appeared and then a third. She stopped. Any idiot would recognize the trouble she was in.

"Hey, Jack. We were just making sure you get home safe," said one of the guys. She didn't know or remember his name and she sure as hell didn't know his face. She decided to call him fatman for his big gut. She laughed at her own inward joke.

"What's so funny, girly," the skinny one said. Jack laughed harder skinny and fatty. What a combination.

The other didn't say anything. She decided to call him .. Retard. She laughed and leaned against the wall. Retard! She was too funny.

"I don't need your help. Go away," she told them as she pushed herself off the wall and wobbled towards them.

"Don't be like that," fatty said.

"Yeah, don't be," skinny repeated.

Jack stopped walking as they walked closer to her and into the alley. "Go fuck yourselves," she spat at them. She was very much aware that Retard was on her left and slightly behind her and skinny was on her right; fatty was just in front of her almost taking up the whole alleyway.

Nothing was said. She didn't even hear anything. It was that sixth sense and a slight change in the atmosphere that alerted her that Retard was moving. She took a step back and brought her right hand up slamming it into his throat. He gurgled and went to his knees trying to suck in air through his crushed windpipe. Skinny was at her back and she turned seeing something coming at her. She blocked the punch and came back with her own to his gut and face. She finished him by slamming his face into the brick wall. She heard a sickening crunch and he dropped like a sack of rocks. She turned and Fatty was looking at his two accomplishes and staring at her. He looked like he was thinking of running.

"Don't run, Fatty. I want to play," she said sexily as she slowly sashayed towards him. He took a step back. "Don't." She warned him. She took another step he turned and she was already running. He took 3 steps before she had skidded to him locking her legs around his and bringing him to the ground. "I told you not to run!" She unwrapped her legs and he got on his hands and knees. She stood up and slammed her foot down into the middle of his back. She heard it snap and smiled down at him.

"Do you know why I chose this alley," She said to him leaning over him and slamming her foot down on his back again hearing another snap. "Because this is where the strays live."

She could tell Fatty didn't understand. She shook her head and walked towards the opening of the alley. "They're so hungry. And mean. People can be so cruel." She heard the growls the frightened sound of Fatty. "You should really get your nose check or get one of those augs (augmentations) like me. You can smell all sorts of things to the minute." As she walked out of the alley she heard the sounds of claws on the pavement going towards the 3 wounded but not quite dead men. She heard the growls and as she turned the corner she heard the screams of the dogs eating alive their first warm meal in a long time.

 

[sombrablanca]

By the end of his first two days of searching for information two things became very obvious to him. One, the woman he is thinking about pursuing is dangerous as hell, and two, information is hard to come by when it is a well known fact that she really is not a very nice person. Especially on a planet like Entropy there are fish you just don't try to fry, because if the people who paid you fail, it is likely you will disappear too if it is found out you gave them up. So it is understandable people are not flooding the nets he has set up, but there are threads that slowly seem to be coming together.

He is sitting in a seemingly hole in the wall joint when he gets his first bit of real information. The place is one of the few havens of sorts of Entropy. The bouncers pack some serious artillery. The walls are bug proofed and deals can be made in quiet corners as credits and merchandise trade hands. He happens to be lucky enough to have acute natural hearing and there is a quiet buzz. Apparently three idiots tried to ambush "Jack" after she left The Wet Bitch, talking about how they were gonna "escort" her home. She led them to, and left them in Stray Alley, where the feral, twisted, often mutated or gengineered strays have congregated for a few decades for reasons unknown. The reason its known? A mutt ran out with one of their heads. While that area of the city is bad for screams, the ones heard were particularly long and loud that night. The overheard woman's tone is wry, chuckling quietly, as she says "Jack is a brutal one, but she did always have a soft spot for the strays."

He continues to sip his bulb quietly, not bringing any attention to himself. He mulls things over. He now has four months to collar her. Few people who'd turn anyone in to the authorities should be on planet. He can think of a few professionals who might be able to take someone of her caliber out, but none have reason to even for that kind of money. Besides which she's already escaped the Galactics a few times, and the few people that burned her ended up dead in very public ways with no traces found. He will have to keep her alive til he can transport her off world as well. He decides to wait and watch. He now knows at least one place to focus on.

He actually finds himself having fun over the next few weeks. Were dead an option it'd be simple to just kill her and freeze her body til it was time to deliver. Alive... Cryo might work, but you stay in cryo too long, things go wrong, and as a general rule contractors mean fully functional when they say alive, not vegetables from cryopoisoning. Cryo can save an all but dead person for a few months, but after about 3 the chemicals used start to do something to the brain, turning it to mush. Alive means they want to penta her for information and braindead might as well be a corpse. That means he does some sleuthing, lying low, hiding out in that area of the city. His distinctive features re frequently hidden with basic guises. In a world like Entropy, everything from fashion, body armor, ritualistic garments, and a dozen other things. Within the day he changes it up a bit trying to find and keep a discreet eye on her. He couldn't begin to count the attempt of attacks, attempted robberies, what looked like a kidnapping or two, and a few other things people have tried when he isn't his usual blatantly deadly self. His favorite had to be the bawd trying to get him to fuck her, rob him, and kill him at the same time.

 

[La_Reina]

Jack went back to the bar nursing a drink. Stories of what she had done had gotten out and she had pretty much gotten tired of it all. She was ecstatic, though no one could tell, that a new story had cropped up about someone asking for information on people on Entropy and giving big money. Money was always tight on Entropy and this person was offering just the right amount to make people think twice. All you had to do was give just a little bit of information. Jack laughed. The weaker ones might do it than again they were the ones who died early in their lives.

A hand came down on her shoulder. Jack had the knife out before she could stop herself. She quickly put it back seeing it was just Bill. She raised her glass in greeting. "What are you doing here. I thought you were hiding out," Bill asked her.

"Transaction complete. Even if they find me it'll be 4 months and by that time I'm either old news or long gone."

"Is that right, princess," Bill said. He was the only one who could get away with calling her that. Jack arched a brow in warning. "Well, that guy giving money for information is mostly asking about ... you."

"Is that right?"

"And he's here."

"On Entropy?!" Jack couldn't believe it.

Bill nodded. "And you have some habits or routines."

"Bullshit!"

"I found you didin't I." Jack blinked surprise. Fuck, he was right. "Twice."

"Fucking A." Jack tossed back her drink and got up. Bill was right. She wasn't coming back to this bar.

 

[sombrablanca]

Silver curses the unknown man that tips Jack off. He got lucky. She came back to the true dive repeatedly. He has found at least two of her homes and thinks he has teased out a little bit more from what he gathers from what he has seen and the financials attached through the houses. There were a few fronts, a few acronyms, a few word plays involved, but she really is cocky. Or she just doesn't care? One property was even directly in the name of Jack The Ripper. He can not figure out if this lady is smart or stupid. The story of Stray Alley at least suggests cunning and dangerousness.

He trails her slowly, giving her just enough lead time that she should not notice the lightly body armored figure that follows her out the door of The Wet Bitch and into the flow of the slum. He releases a Snitch, a very small, very discreet drone into the air with her profile already in it's memory bank. Even here it should not be noticed. He is lucky she always seemed to sit in the same area, and he has had a lil time before her buddy twigged her to her pursuer. How he found out Silver was on planet Silver does not know. When he finds out someone or some people are going to die. He could just be smart. The drop is coded to Entropy. He could've just assumed as well since the place is inaccessible for months. Either way Silver is irked. His quarry is now spooked. He memorizes her friend, and what she called him, for later reference. One way or another he will find out what happened. More importantly for now though is finding out what she does. She might get cautious now that she at least believes she has someone after her.

He does mental calculations as he walks. He knows no one got to the final information of who set up the drops. She should not be able to backtrack him but he knows anything go wrong. He has several caches set up all over the planet for just such a quick need to move. At least she can not get off the planet. His mental inventory continues. He has his usual complement of self defense items hidden about his person. His spacer armor is a mix that should not attract much attention. It looks just shabby and hodgepodge enough that no one will mark him as a high value target, or a real danger but it is far better than anyone might expect. He blends in. He does what he does best, just becoming a face in the crowd without the usual distinctive markings showing his true nature, but remains just as deadly and focused as ever.