บท 249: Caged Kane
I don't own Star Wars
Unidentified transmission.
"Sir. Reporting."
"Report."
"We followed the ship to Coruscant, but naturally we made no approach, however it stayed only for a few hours before taking off again, we followed it's coordinates and after an anonymous tip from our usual underworld sources… I found him. Sir."
"…Elaborate."
"Kallus Kane. He is on Nar Shaddaa."
"…He is just… there? Doing what?!"
"Fighting… sir. A lot… several days worth."
"…Send for the assassins."
"Sir. If I may make a suggestion?"
"Does it involve KILLING Kallus Kane?"
"Yes sir. With far more subtly then just sending very obvious assassins."
"…I better LIKE this suggestions soldier, or I'll send them after you first."
Oriana
CRASH!!
"OOOOOOOOH!" the crowd roared as Kal hurled the Zabrak brawled through the cage door. It crashed open as he roared after him raising my arms in the air to the crowd as Rykkr entered the cage. Grinning broadly, as he glanced around at the packed warehouse.
"…How many is that now today?" Lidia asked reluctantly as Lala and Nerri raked in the bets.
"5…" Kal howled in the ring as Rykkr slapped him across the arm to calm him down.
"Okay. Maybe having Kal fight in an arena was not the best way to help with his rage issues." I watched Kal for a minute, that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach getting worse and worse with each win. Aida's imperial raid on our own ships, going berserk on Sawtooth twice, that attack on Master Gren… it's getting worse. I don't know how much longer I can keep Kal on his leash.
"Who thinks he can stand against the Red Wolf!" Rykkr roared as Kal paced in the far wall of the arena cage, his green eyes darting around the room. He was shirtless, glistening with sweat, I could make out every scar on his body… and… I need to stop admiring Kal right now and focus on the task at hand now. Not what I'll want to do later… stupid sexy Kal.
"Red Wolf! RED WOLF! RED WOLF!!" cheered the crowd, all eager for a new opponent. Lidia's idea to get Kal's desire to fight out of his system first sounded like a good idea on a datapad, but practice? Lala was certainly enjoying the influx of credits with her newfound bookie work and Nerri acting as her muscle. Rykkr was putting on a good show and a good fight.
But I wouldn't say Kal's any less angry, or vicious. Rykkr spoke to Kal in the ring as the chants grew louder, everybody wanted somebody to fight, but they didn't want it to be them. Especially after watching the previous fights.
"We should get him out of there and get back to the ship." I said, stiffly, "Try tomorrow?"
"Why do it tomorrow when we can tire him out today?" Lidia asked casually. I can think of other things to tire Kal out… stupid sexy Kal. "We unleash his aggression now to clear his head, then we can start meditating."
Like that will actually work…
"Alright! I suppose I'll have to sweeten the pot!" declared Rykkr, reaching into his apron pocket and producing a fistful of credit chips. "I have 5000 credits here!" he declared to the crowd, "Any volunteer that can walk out of this ring on his own two feet will get 5000 credits no questioned asked!" he turned to Kal grinning, "What do you think? 5 rounds?"
Kal sniffed, and he got that look in his eye. And he made that stupid cute cocky smile he makes but I don't think he knows he makes. "3."
"3 ROUNDS! You walk out of the ring after three rounds you get 5000 credits! Taking all bets! Come on! Come on! Let's give this crowd a show!"
A rhodian pushed his way down the crowd to the door of the cage, entering the arena to raise his hands high to the crowd as Rykkr eyed Kal curiously, Kal seemed unconcerned. Before Rykkr could even get out of the ring to hit the bell the rodian ran across the mat and swung at Kal. It looked like it didn't hurt more then a wet slap.
Kal turned his head with the punch, letting the rodian make a direct hit. The Rodian blinked as Kal slowly turned his head back to the rodian, and delivered a heavy uppercut to the Rodian's snout. The idiot got about a foot in the air before crashing unconscious to the mat.
"…Do we count that one?" I asked, trying not to laugh as Rykkr checked the Rodian before waving for some droids to drag him out.
"No I don't think so…" Lidia sighed as a burly Duros walked into the cage, flexing his muscles for the crowd. The guy was pretty ripped… "Well that looks promising." She noted as Kal seemed to agree, stretching his neck as Rykkr got out for the cage… the Duros spreading his hands apart in a wrestling stance.
I rolled my eyes, glancing down at Lala, then blinked… I rubbed my eyes and shook my head. But as Lala scrapped in another unlucky schmuck with her cleavage I could've sworn I just saw two of her…
Kal
The Durosian is tough, tougher than I expected… I could feel his muscles fighting against mine as we braced at the center of the arena with our hands interlocked. Our biceps rippling as I felt my feet slide backward, he was VERY tough. Suddenly his huge forehead raised back and slammed against mine I stumbled backward as he soaked in the cheers of drawing first blood.
I took a breath… normally at this point in time, and in the heat of combat I'd rip his arms off, but I was tired. Not to mention I've gone through 5 matches and that brief example of what NOT to do in a fight against me with the Rodian. I marched right up to the Duros as he turned around just in time to feel my own headbutt…
He stumbled… then crumbled to the floor of the arena, groaning painfully but unlike the rodian he was at least still conscious. I… waited… for him to get up, but not anxiously. Glaring imposingly down at him as his red eyes refocused on me. It's a weird sensation to not finish him off, to give him a chance to get back up and try…
But as soon as Rykkr reached 6 and the Duros got back to his feet he shamefully walked out of the arena, stumbling awkwardly as I sighed… shrugging at Rykkr as he rolled his eyes and brushed his mustache with his hand. As the Duros was booed out of sight. "Well I can't say that wasn't disappointing…" he grumbled, "How about I up the offer!? 6000!?" he glanced around to the cheering crowd. "7?!" the crowd only got loud, "Twist my Aaarm!" he laughed, "8000 credits to the lucky idiot who can last a round with my fighter!"
"Really?" I asked thoughtfully as the crowd roared and Rykkr chuckled, covering his vocal enhancer.
"Don't think you can do it?"
"Do you want me to kill them?" I asked surprised as he laughed.
"Fair enough but come on you're on a hotstreak and there's nobody with the balls…" he said dismissively as suddenly the crowd ROARED with approval.
The gate to the arena shut and a shapely, exotic zeltron body wrapped in a tight purple catsuit showing of every sensuously shapely curve. She strutted towards the center of the arena letting us get a clear look at her. "Hello boys." Purred Lala.
"Lala?" I replied curiously as the crowd continue to roar, "What are you-" but I sniffed the air… there was something different about her. It was subtly but it was there… and now that I think about it she was fuller in figure, and a little more aged but not by much… she could've passed for Lala's sister or-
"Lacroix Lacine in the HOOOOOOOUSE!!" she yelled right in Rykkr's face and by proxy vocal enhancer as the declaration vibrated around the room. "Stealing hearts…" she winked at me, "…And shooting them…" she pointed her index finger at me before mouthing, 'boom'.
Rykkr grabbed my wrist and pulled me away as I stared at her. She was the SPITTING image of Lala. I knew she was a clone but seeing another… 'her' right before me was rather off putting. Not to mention that this woman was technically my aunt. I glanced into the crowd, and made eye-contact with Lala…
Who too her credit seemed to be taking the appearance of her mother rather well… by running as fast as she could towards the exits. I'm sure that is a good sign.
"Son. This isn't good." Rykkr noted, "She's an assassin not a brawl…" he eyed Lacroix Lacine up and down for a moment, "…And I can't exactly ask her to take off her clothes to make sure she's not carrying a weapon!"
"Don't tell me the handsome Red Wolf's afraid of getting close and personally with little old me, is he?" she cooed pleasantly. Now thinking about that 'old' snark she must have been at least in her early 60s… she looks barely older than her clone. Must be that Zeltron Physiology…
…My Uncle Aiden's going to be a damn silver fox forever isn't he?
"Come come now… I promise to be gentle…" Lacroix declared sensually as the wolf whistles and cat calls rose from the crowd. "…Don't tell me the mighty Kallus Kane is afraid of his auntie?" she whispered so only I would hear…"
She smelled really good, she was wearing perfume… like honey and milk. That's a weird smell. I sniffed again.
"Fine… 3 rounds."
"That a booooy!" cheered Lacroix, pinching my cheek playfully before giving it me a light smack across the cheek. "Let me show you the mother is better then the daughter…" she purred confidently, turning around to strut away as Rykkr tugged at his collar.
"…Well if you say so Kal." He eyed Lacroix, and her rear, thoughtfully before she twirled around watching me expectantly. "…Watch her hands." He advised before playing up the crowd again, but I couldn't hear them… I focused only on the attractive older Zeltron woman before me…
She taught Lala everything she knew, probably more. She's an agile fighter and will probably try to get me into a sleeper hold like Lala did so many fights ago…
"Ready…" Rykkr began slowly. "FIGHT!"
I need to get ahold of her quick. I rushed across the arena towards her and-"UGH!"
…I am a man… I can take a lot of things… but a shot to the nuts is crippling…
"Haaaaaaaah!" I groaned, clutching at my crotch as my knees hit the mat, the crowd, apart from a sympathetically felt 'ooooh' from the males, went silent. "Haaaaaaaah…" I breathed heavily as I felt a heavy hunched over but as long as I don't fully lie on the ground it doesn't count as a 'down'.
"Hmm-hmm-Hmmm…" she hummed cheerfully standing on my right, she draped her left leg over the back of my neck. "MMmn… Hup!" her right knee suddenly rose up, ramming into my face as she let her left leg drag me down towards it. it was a HEAVY hit, she twisted and threw me against the fence of the arena. I crashed against it as she posed sultrily on the mat, "Mwah! Then spun flexibly back to her feet, it seems age hasn't affected her in the least.
And she informed me that I am NOT fighting Lala again.
I snorted out the blood from my nose, grabbing the fence and yanked myself easily back to my feet, "Hmph…" I grunted as I licked blood from my upper lip and spat it out. "Okay." I declared, clenching my fists as she placed her hands on her curvy waist, wiggling it side to side in a shimmying dance.
"Little Kallus Kane! All Muscle and no brains!" she taunted in song as I let it go over my head. She fully turned around, bent over to moon me with her rather impressively sized posterior and gave it a taunting wag. "Kiss my ass! No really!" she winked at me as the crowd began to laugh. "Guys have offered my credits to, you should feel lucky!" she rested her hands on her thighs and slid down to her ankles, almost bending in half to the crowds delight. "Whoop-whoop!" she wiggled her rear at me.
"It is a BIG target." I replied as she 'gasped'
"Huh!? Shots fired!" she declared mockingly. While she was distracted, I rushed forward to sweep her legs. "Whoa!" she pressed her hands to the floor and she was on a handstand. Just narrowly missing my leg before her own swung down towards my head in a flurry that I quickly blocked. Feeling her high-heeled boots dig into my arms.
But I got her ankles.
"Wha-oh." She smiled as I planted one foot back and SWUNG! "WHOOO!"
With enough momentum I had no doubt she would've recovered, however in the arena she had no time and crashed into the fence before hitting the ground. Now we both had a 'down'. She grinned up at me, "Okay handsome. Round 2."
"It's not round two yet." Mumbled Rykkr as she got up and I quickly approached her.
"Shut up round two." I 'corrected' him as he sighed.
Just as she got to her feet I threw a cross that she ducked and slammed her fist into my sigh, I growled it off before bringing my elbow down into her shoulder. "Oof!" she was stunned long enough for me to grab her around the waist, lift her up, spinning her head over heels…
However she slipped somehow from my grip, slamming her legs onto my shoulders and pushing her crotch into my face… "Frisky!" she declared grinning as she SQUEEZED her legs around my head. "Ha-ha-ha that tickles!" I pawed at her ass as my air was quickly cut off, HOW was she smothering me!?
"Whaa! WHoo!" she yelped as I swung her around.
"MMgnh! MMN!!!" I caught my balance, adjusted for her weight, then rushed forward slamming her back into the fence.
"Guh!" she loosened up just enough to give me air but quickly sealed back shut around my head before grabbing at my red hair and yanking me this way and that like I was a puppet on strings. Stumbling around the ring to the laughter of the crowd.
"Getting the ride of your life Kal?!" she giggled yanking at my hair particularly hard. "Did you ever see a doggy, a doggy, a DOGGY! Did you ever see a doggy go this way and that!" she sang cheerfully as I finally had enough and caught my balance. "I got you tight in my-oh shit.
I jumped, and swung myself forward.
BOOM!
I slammed her onto the floor as she groaned, dizzy, lacking air, and distinctly annoyed that I might now I a bald spot I threw myself out of her legs, gasping as she rolled onto her hands and knees. Her ass facing me as she wiggled her hips slowly. "So rough…" she whined as I took a step forward only to feel a heel slam into my gut.
"GAH!" I coughed, she threw out her right leg and kicked me. "Ngh!" I grabbed at her ankle…
"Ah-shit." She mumbled again, more annoyed than anything as I spun her, around and around. "Whaa-aaaahh-oooooh-I'm gonnnnaaaaaa HUUURL!
"RAAAGH!" I hurled her into the fence of the arena. She hit it so hard there was a dent in the fence and a pattern of the links in her ass cheeks. She crashed to the floor, her eyes whirling in her head as I stumbled a little… shaking off the damage… until I felt myself gag. "Urp!" I hesitated, took a breath, and swallowed whatever was trying to cum back up but that gave her enough time to get back to her high-heeled feet.
"You need to stop tossing a lady around like that Kally baby…" she cooed, but the damage I've done to her was clear. She wasn't a brawler, like I predicted, she was light and agile, relying on choke holds and dirty tricks. "If your to rough with women nobody is going to like you."
I raised my fists… but my body was sore… and tired… I caught myself as I stumbled, glancing at how weak I suddenly felt. "Nngh…" I dropped to one knee. "W-waaah…" I pushed myself back to my feet as Lacroix raised a purple eyebrow.
"…Now that's just impressive." She whispered, approaching me as I tried to swing but couldn't move. "I pumped you with enough paralytic to stop an angry rancor and you're STILL going!" she smiled as Rykkr's eyes narrowed angrily.
I managed to glance down, my stomach… there was an odd purple vein growing from when she kicked me earlier! She poisoned me!"
"Match is canceled." Declared Rykkr, and before I knew it he swung his fist so HARD at Lacroix he left and imprint of it on her face… and he didn't hit her. She backed away just in time, and in clear fear as Rykkr took off his apron and practically burst from his shirt before he just tore it off, revealing heavy muscles and a scarred body like mine. "Out."
"No Rykkr it's all in good fun he'll be fine in a few minutes." I fell forward, hitting the floor. "…Hours." She admitted as my vision began to go blurry and I heard her voice… Lala's.
"I KNEW you'd try and poison him! I KNEW!-" And I remember nothing more…
Lala.
"Force damn it MOM!" I declared at my distinctly bruised mother. Rykkr went to town on her flabby ass before I could get the antidote to call. I knew the moment I saw my mother that she'd cheat. So I went to the nearest poisoner to get the antidote to her favorite paralytic poison…
…I'm her clone. I know all her tricks.
"I come in peace…" Mom replied as the girls surrounded her on the ship, Kal was resting in his room.
"You poisoned Kallus." Oriana said furiously, drawing a blaster on my mother who sat in a chair, her lip and eye puffy from when Rykkr wrecked her.
"It was all harmless fun! He'll be fine!" she replied, "…Besides rather me than some other weirdo…" she reached into her pocket and we all drew weapons on her, even Lidia's glowstick. "You'll want to see this." She pulled a non-distinct puck, that revealed… Kal.
"…That's not a bounty." Oriana breathed staring at it.
"No. This is a straight up hit." Mom dabbed at her bleeding lip. "It's a Nar Shaddaa open market. Not alive. Just DEAD… and it's gone out to all the big wig assassins on Nar Shaddaa. From Tulba, to the Guild to the Exchange and any two credit greaser with a blaster." Mom looked at me, "…It's got Imperial origins. Came from an imperial contact, paying with imperial credits."
"…Why are you telling us this and not just collecting?" asked Lidia suspiciously.
Mom sighed, then eyed me knowingly. "…My half-brother keeps getting on me to 'socialize with the family!' she said sarcastically, "…And since you're banging your cousin." She said to me as Lidia cringed and asked a flat.
"What?" and the droid mumbled a disturbed.
"Bwoo?" Nerri and Oriana however seemed unaffected.
"I figured I should socialize with HIM because we are having sex…" she added with a lazy, half crooked smile.
"…Shut up mom." I mumbled as she raised an eyebrow warningly and I subconsciously swallow my fear. "Please."
"Great. So we have to get off Nar Shaddaa." Nerri noted, "Rykkr's going to be disappointed."
"Not necessarily." Mom declared, "…The hits want Kallus dead, but to collect you need to bring a piece of him for payment." Mom noted, "…Which means there is a place to meet and get paid."
"...What are you suggesting?" Oriana asked suspiciously as Mom stood up from the chair.
"I'm saying this has all the hallmarks of 'if he's dead, prove it, if he's not I want to kill him myself.' It's classic!" Mom noted. "Trust me I've been killing people for YEARS I know when somethings personal.
"Obviously it's personal it's probably that Stricker guy." I said.
"Critcher." Oriana corrected. "You just… Know these things?"
Lacroix stared at Oriana for a minute, then added rather smugly. "That… and one of my 'sisters-in-law' told me. She's pretty smart when it comes to Imperial politicking." She shrugged again as a look of understanding crossed Oriana's face. "Now. I've done my good deed for the day…"
"Wait… if you were going to tell us about this… why did you fight Kal?" asked Nerri as my mother pointed to me… expecting me to answer. So, I did.
"…8000 credits for lasting three rounds." I said with a smile and a shrug. My mother imitated my movements perfectly. Or perhaps I've imitated hers.
"I couldn't resist." Mom added. "Bye bye, Tralala you tell me when you're done with our handsome boytoy cousin."
"Mom that's not how it is and you know it!" I replied irately. Following her out of the ship as she winked at me.
"Please… we're ZELTRONS…" she added. "Watch out for traps. Maintain your gun." She brushed my shoulders, in an almost motherly way. "Don't embarrass me." She added seriously.
"…Yes Mom." She smiled at me. "Sometimes I forget you can be nice." I snarked as she laughed, and together we said.
"What can I say. I love me." And we laughed together, echoing in the hanger.
…
Elsewhere on Nar Shaddaa… An old spaceship landed in a nearby hanger. Humming to himself as he walked down the ramp, checked the hit contract his wife gave him showing a picture of a scowling, red-haired, green-eyed man. He shut it off, his boots clopping on the steel of the hanger bay as he casually walked through Nar Shaddaa…
The scum, and the villainy, the lustful and the lecherous, he ignored it all going deeper and deeper into Imperial propaganda until he entered the Imperial district, ignoring more propaganda as he walked deeper and deeper into increasingly hostile territory, seemingly unconcerned.
He was barely noticed, there were a lot of 'his type' around. Hunters, hitters, assassins… eventually he entered a bar, where an imperial officer was handing out the same thing he had to every single piece of SHIT in the bar, each of them reading the hit job on Kallus Kane.
"You here for work?" asked a greasy looking human hunter.
"…Something like that." he replied with a charming smile.
"Yeah. Not me." He said, "Nah too many on the job for my taste." He sat at a nearby booth but kept talking as he ordered a drink. "To many hunters get to messy, especially on Imperial credits."
"I know right?" smiled the man. "You hear about any groups?"
"Oh yeah…" the man nodded, "A BIG one is going to try and ambush their ship at Hanger 56BT later tonight, they got eyes on it and everything but if you ask ME." He didn't but hey, if he was just going to toss information out why not get it for free? "Too many hunters and they all get greedy. A big group of 20 something for just one guy? Whoever wants him that dead is dishing out a pretty credit for it."
"Hmmn. Must be personal." He replied. "It's always personal."
The greasy human hunter nodded in agreement. "And not only that but you know what I REALLY think?"
"Oooh tell me I'm all a quiver." He replied charmingly.
"I think? Them Imps are just using us hunters as bait. Tire him out or draw him out" He whispered suspiciously. "They left a damn address for a meet-up after a hit job? Who does that? Nuh-uh. This guy must be a jedi or something and they want to lure him into a trap after he's done cutting them all down."
"…You're pretty smart for your own good." He smiled, handing the guy some credits for a drink. "A Brain like that should be used more often."
The greasy hunter toasted him. "I have my moments." He said with a slimy mostly toothless grin.
He adjusted his blood red coat, put on his wide brim hat and turned around to walk out of the imperial tavern. Newt already gave him a copy of the contract. He was just going to go to the meeting place and shoot everyone up, but… he might as well make sure Kal was safe first.
Sure, the kid could handle himself but he WAS family. Kavilla would have kittens if he didn't help… and she's already had a puppy… and yes, he's made that joke more than once to her face.
End of chapter
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