Ask Tatooine Raiding the Raiders

[Kliedden Raxx]

Klied worked his jaw uncomfortably, looking out across the crowded street of Mos Espa as he stood in a shaded corner. He was wrapped head-to-toe in Bantha hide and Dewback leather, all but his eyes concealed. His cycler rifle was slung over his shoulder and his arms crossed in a disgruntled manner. Were it not for the lack of a mask he might have been mistaken for a Tusken Raider himself. He squinted as he looked up at the twin suns overhead. It had been an hour already. He grumbled angrily and began to consider just leaving. He hated being in the city any longer than necessay. But then again, it wasn't exactly smart to decline when the Hutts offered you a job.

Thankfully it was only a few more minutes before a Weequay grunt emerged from the building behind him and bid him enter. The hunter followed him inside, finding himself in a darkened room, with rays of sunlight coming in through shaded windows several feet above them. It was cooler inside, but not much. The room was too crowded as well, with dozens of the Hutt's lackeys milling about. The Hutt himself hadn't deigned to show up. Instead a rough looking Zabrak stepped forward and spoke up.

"So you're the big game hunter?" He asked in a gruff voice, inspecting the hunter with a menacing glare. Klied was unimpressed.

"I am." He replied curtly.

"Ever hunt Sandpeople?" The Zabrak asked, still trying to scare him. Klied just blinked.

"When they make it necessary..." He answered. He'd had run-ins with the Raiders in previous trips to Tatooine. They never made things easy on him when he was out in the wild. Even the Wraids were more hospitable.

"One of the tribes has gotten bold, started attacking our skiffs." The Zabrak explained. "Killed a dozen of our men already. We can't have that..."

"You want me to remove them." Klied cut him off, eager to be out of here. "I don't need the details. Just point me in their direction and I'll get it done." The Zabrak scowled, not appreciating being interrupted.

"You're damn right you'll get it done. We're going to make sure of that..." He said. Klied raised an eyebrow inquisitively. The Zabrak grinned. "You'll be taking one of our boys with you." Klied rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"I don't need-" He started to protest.

"The boss insists," The Zabrak cut him off this time. "We need to make sure you're worth what we're paying you Raxx." Klied glowered at the Zabrak a few moments but then sighed in defeat.

"Fine, who is he?" He asked. The zabrak looked into the crowd of people and made a gesture with his head for one of them to come forward.


@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

Wearing simpler clothes on top of his blast vest, Crossac had been standing among a few friends in the open area of their base for a while. He was expected to go along with some hunter or tracker to take out some Sandpeople. The details were a little fuzzy and the task was unusual, but he didn't mind it much. For once, it sounded like they wouldn't have him collect debt or make a hit against a rival group but something which might actually help normal people. It would be a nice change.

Once the hunter entered, a crowd started gathering, like it so often would when an outsider entered. For one, there might have been a factor of intimidation, with all attention suddenly being turned towards someone new, but more importantly, it worked as a form of entertainment. Their local leader, the Zabrak, liked to play hard ball with their guests, at least the first time around. After that, he often warmed up to them more and often times treated them like a friend. In this instance, it would allow Armand to create some contrast. He watched the hunter along with the others with the man's curt way of speaking quickly being noted by the young scoundrel. He made a mental note not to take offence if conversation would be tough with this one.

Once called upon, Crossac brushed past a couple of his friends and took two larger steps towards his new ally, quickly closing the distance between them. Extending his arm towards the hunter, Armand expected to have it shook. His grip was firm and he would give the man a nod "Armand Terrance Crossac. The others just call me Crossac" he said, introducing himself with a friendly smile. "I see that you are dressed for the occasion. Me? I just hope we won't have to roll around in the sand too much" he continued, trying to establish some form of report with the man.

The Zabrak had an amused smile form on his lips "Best buds already! We have already prepared your payment as agreed. I can throw in 20% in advance if you'd like. The boss was feeling generous today." he said, resting his hands on his hips, expecting the two to leave soon. Knowing that he had little to do with the hunter's payment, Crossac stayed out of the dealings for now and simply remained silent by his temporary companion's side for the time being. Once all was said and done, the two headed out "We have a landspeeder in the hangar and a pretty good idea of where their outpost is. It should help us close most of the distance. If we're lucky, they'll be home too" he said as the two walked. Armand took a deep breath before shrugging "If you've got better travelling options, I'm all for it. As long as I won't have to drive." he added, choosing to omit how terrible he was at driving for the moment.

Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

Klied eyed the young scoundrel warily as he approached, hesitantly raising his hand to shake the other man's. He didn't remark on anything Crossac said, responding with a very simple "Right..." As the man finished speaking before turning back to the Zabrak.

"That won't be necessary," He answered his offer. "Just have my credits ready for me when I-" He glanced at Crossac. "When we get back." The Zabrak chuckled in response.

"Confident. That's good." He nodded to Crossac. "Crossac'll give you your heading. Be careful out there Raxx, Dune Sea's a dangerous place."

"If you thought you had to tell me that you shouldn't have hired me." Klied responded bluntly before turning to leave the building. "Come on kid." He called for the scoundrel to follow. As they walked through the crammed streets of the city Klied listened quietly to Crossac's words before replying.

"Too loud." He said coolly in regards to the speeder. "The Raiders will hear us coming a mile away out in the desert. I have an Eopie stabled by the city's outskirts. She can take us there." He quickened his pace as he moved through the crowd, making an obvious effort not to brush up against any of the passersby. He didn't bother asking Crossac's opinion either. It would be abundantly clear to the scoundrel that Klied was very intent on carrying out their mission his way, and had no interest in negotiating that point. A ride on an Eopie wouldn't exactly be pleasant. They were infamously stubborn and smelled terrible. Not to mention it would turn a very quick journey by speeder into a day-long affair, or longer.


@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

Crossac was a little disappointed that his new companion didn't introduce himself when they shook hands. But then, there were a lot of stimuli in the room they were in. Rowdy scoundrels cheering, talking and perhaps even having a little brawl in the background, it was understandable if the less important stuff got filtered out. "Raxx" he whispered as his boss and the hunter finished the details on the payment. At least he had a name now, albeit not the first one.

Armand went silent for a bit as his mind tried to process what Raxx had just said. An Eopie? Wasn't that one of those four legged creatures poor moisture farmers used? As seconds turned into a minute, the scoundrel became more and more sure of it, an Eopie was indeed an animal "Please tell me that the Eopie is the name of your favourite speeder." he said, looking at his companion with a small hint of dread creeping into his eyes. It soon became clear that the Eopie was an actual Eopie upon which the young scoundrel shrugged lightly "At least I won't have to drive" he said but soon added "I hope you can keep it under control. Tatooinian beasts don't tend to like me much" with an awkward smile. Awful memories of trying to ride a bantha started flashing back - he remembered the beast being unwilling to move until he dismounted which meant that, instead of riding a bantha, Crossac had just sat on a bantha and then walked next to one. As they walked, Crossac made an attempt to keep it from falling too silent "Soooo" he began, trying to think of something to speak of. "Do you usually go by Raxx? If you've got a first name, I could call you that too."

The two soon reached the stables where the Eopie was kept. It was no big building but there were a small corridor with three rooms on each side, every room containing an Eopie but the one at the very end which currently stood empty. Armand brought out a hand and allowed one of the animals to sniff on it whilst he walked past it, stopping by the one in the middle. Turning to Raxx whilst allowing the four legged beast to sniff on his hand, he spoke "So, how do we do this? Do I sit in front of you or behind you? And how do I keep it from trying to get rid of me?" he asked, revealing how poor his knowledge of the Eopie riding arts were.

@Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

"Nope." Klied replied bluntly to Crossac's question as he continued weaving through the crowd, keeping a quick pace. He glanced at the younger man as he voiced his reservations, mustering up the strength to offer a short but reassuring, "You'll be fine." At least he hoped that was reassuring.

There was another awkward silence after that before Crossac made another earnest attempt at conversation. Klied sighed heavily in response. "Klied." He answered with his first name. "I don't care what you call me." He clarified. The stable stunk horribly, much as was to be expected. "Hey Mena." He said warmly as he reached the creature that was his, patting the side of her head before moving into the stall to saddle her. The animal was less receptive of Crossac, seeing as he was a stranger. It trumpeted in displeasure and stepped back as he offered his hand. Klied watched this silently, his expression unreadable with his face covered. As Crossac expressed his lack of experience Klied sighed again and walked forward, pulling down his hide mask to reveal the whole of his face, unshaven and weather-worn.

"Relax," He offered some advice in a firm voice. "If you're on edge, she'll be on edge." He reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like some kind of grain, offering it to the scoundrel. "Give her this, but don't crowd her, give her some space. Let her take a moment to get accustomed to your presence. I'll ride in front, you behind me." Once Crossac took the grain from him he would start to turn back to the animal, pausing for a moment before glancing back. "Also, if you've got a bandanna or something now's the time to use it." He tapped a finger on his nose. "That smell ain't getting any better." With that he turned back to the beast of burden and continued his preparations for the journey ahead, keeping one eye on Crossac to see if he could manage to gain the animal's trust.


@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

Upon being told to relax, Armand quickly let out a heavy breath and allowed his shoulders to slouch. His lungs soon filled up with air again and he started regaining his straight posture from before. Still, it was clear that he got the point. Receiving the grain, the scoundrel looked at it for a while, even raising it to his nose to smell it. Grimacing, he determined that it didn't smell very nice, at least when combined with the odor of the stables in general. "She likes this?" he asked with a surprised voice. Upon receiving confirmation, Crossac walked closer to the beast with confident, yet relatively casual steps.

"Alright friendo, let's have a few, uh, grain-snacks" he said with a friendly tone. While at first, he received only a skeptical or puzzled look, the Eopie soon saw what he held in his palm and approached him with an air of reserved curiosity. "Yeah, I've heard you like this" he continued encouragingly. The four legged creature didn't seem to pay him much heed but had a laser focus on the food. As he and the beast got closer, a bad smell hit him "Oof, buddy! You're quite the smelly one, aren't you?" he asked with a smile. Braving the smell, he kept coming closer to the beast but stopped when they were half a meter away, allowing the animal to close the last stretch.

While at first careful, smelling the grain and tasting a few corns, the eating soon became more greedy and familiar. With a bright smile, Crossac turned to Klied "I think she likes me!" he exclaimed with a voice much lower than the excitement he displayed - apparently not wanting to frighten the beast or even cause any alarm. Once it had finished eating, Crossac smiled at it and petted it on the nose "We're mates now, right?" he asked, receiving only a snort in response "Yeah, I can even tolerate your smell" he continued and took a deep breath. Instant regret started spreading from his nose and semi-violent coughing soon ensued. When recovered, the scoundrel waved a hand "Okay, maybe we haven't reached that level yet" he admitted. If interpreted generously, the Eopie could be heard laughing at him in a series of snorts.

Not having a bandana on his person, Crossac walked towards Klied with a slightly disgusted grimace on his face. "Okay then, chief. Let's get started. I think we're as good friends now as we'll ever be" he said, pointing back at the animal. With that, he was ready to follow the hunter's lead and take off.

@Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

Klied continued to watch Crossac while he tightened the saddle straps and adjusted the saddlebags, a small grin forming on his face as he watched the scoundrel flounder a bit before seeming to become more comfortable with the beast. He laughed when the young man made the mistake of taking a deep inhale before reaching into one of the bags and pulling out a white desert veil to offer to him.

"Here, won't do to have you pass out on me from the stench." He said with a much friendlier smile. He would toss a canteen in the scoundrel's direction next before inclining his head towards the man's blaster rifle.

"That'll stand out, out there." He warned, and extended a hand expectantly. "We'll keep it concealed under the bedroll. You won't need it until we get to where we're going anyway." It seemed Klied wanted to create an image that they were simple moisture farmers or frontiersmen, probably so as not to draw the attention of the Sandpeople or rouse suspicion as to what they were doing. Two travelers wouldn't be seen as a worthwhile target to the Raiders anyway. Once Crossac had handed over his weapon Klied would stow it under the bedroll strapped to the back of the saddle. Once that was done he'd practically leap up into the saddle with practiced ease before offering a hand to the scoundrel, using the other to pull his mask up again to cover his face. "Just point the way kid." He said as they prepared to head out.


@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

"Thanks" he said, before eagerly putting on the veil. While he refrained from taking another deep breath, he did start breathing more normally as the cloth shielded him from some of the stench. Soon, the scoundrel noticed his new ally eyeing his blaster rifle and was not just a little surprised as the man seemed to want to confiscate it. Not putting up much resistance, Armand took off the leather band which held the rifle and handed it to Klied as he raised his hand to take it. Whilst it was happening, he spoke "You know, usually we don't conceal our weapons. In fact we tend to wave them around a bit" It was mostly a way to strike up conversation as Klied stowed his weapon away.

Once the rifle was hidden, the scoundrel patted his sides with his blaster on one side and his stun baton on the other "Want these two too?" he offered, prepared to completely disarm himself if the hunter so desired. When those preparations were all done, he would watch as his temporary ally leaped up onto the Eopie. It was quite the relief that the man was willing to help him get up as he was certain that trying to repeat the move would be a thoroughly bad idea. Once up, Crossac's legs hugged the animal's sides tight whilst his hands were gripping the saddle behind him hard "Alright, buddy, I think I'm ready to go" he said, apparently talking to the animal, rather than the hunter.

"Their outpost is supposed to be by the bantha shaped rock formation out in the dunes. It's west north-west of here." he said but soon added "We aren't completely sure where it is, but the boss said that you could probably find it once we get to the Bantha-rock." As the two rode, Crossac eventually asked "What is it that you do, anyways? Usually, we just hire a local for this kinds of jobs, with a slightly bigger force accompanying them than just me."

@Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

"That's why the Sandpeople like to shoot at you," Klied responded to Crossac's statement as he took his blaster rifle and stowed it away. "Go out into the desert looking for trouble and you'll find it right quick." He glanced at the scoundrel as he indicated his pistol and stun baton. "Those ought to be fine," He answered. "Just try to keep them out of sight." After getting up onto the Eopie and helping Crossac up as well he tugged on the beast's reins, bidding it to move forward and leave the stable. "See the trick is to look like you've got nothing worth stealing." He explained. "Unless of course they're looking for slaves, in which case a show of force is necessary. But the Raiders seem to have a preference for Jawas. I guess they're easier to manage."

Klied listened to Crossac's directions and promptly directed Mena westward, heading towards the outskirts of Mos Espa and into the Dune Sea. The hunter seemed to be getting visibly more comfortable in the scoundrel's presence as they rode on, and answered his questions in a more easy going tone.

"Well I've lived on this planet for a time and I've been on hunts in the deserts and canyons so I may as well be a local." He explained. "I've got something of a reputation for knowing my way around the wilder parts of the galaxy. I've got a lot of experience tracking and hunting." He paused, considering if it would be worth saying more to the scoundrel considering the young man's line of work but figured it wouldn't offend him. He seemed a friendly sort after all. "To be honest I don't make a habit of hunting sentients, if you can call the Sandpeople that... I'm no bounty hunter. But a wise man doesn't say no to the Hutts. And I figure there are less desirable jobs they could have roped me into." He glanced over his shoulder at Crossac. "And you? You have a lot of experience with this type of stuff or is it your first time outside civilization?" He hadn't read the young man as the frontiersman type, especially with his earlier comments on dressing for the occasion, seeing as not dressing properly for the occasion out here could see one die from exposure. But he'd been surprised before. He hoped that would be the case this time. He needed someone he could rely on for a job like this.

@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

What the hunter said mostly made sense and as the two started to leave town, Armand got a pretty good idea of what Klied wanted - to travel peacefully and act only on their initiative, not react to somebody else's. It seemed like a good strategy, much better than anything the scoundrel would have thought of on his own. "Poor little critters, the Jawas" he said. "Don't get me wrong, I hate it when they scavenge a perfectly working speeder as much as the next guy, but you can't help but to feel for them when they're picked on just because they're little, you know" he continued, apparently showing more sympathy towards them than many a local.

It seemed like Klied as getting more comfortable the further away from civilisation they got. Crossac was quite the opposite - not in the sense that he had something against leaving civilisation, but rather that he did it on the back of an Eopie. Still, the situation seemed manageable and his Hunter companion seemed to know what he was doing. Almost as if capable of reading his mind, Klied soon explained why he was working for the Hutts which was precisely the question which Crossac had planned on asking after. "Me?" he asked, almost sounding a bit surprised that the hunter wanted to know anything about him. "A few times, yeah. Usually, I'm just part of the security on one of the skiffs" he said in a rather plain manner before lighting up "But I was part of the group that tried to track them down last time" The renewed enthusiasm in the scoundrel's voice was palpable. The enthusiasm faded just as quickly as it was produced, however "It was quite the disastrous expedition. All the locals died and half of our own crew didn't make it either. But hey, I must have done something right, right? Otherwise, they would have picked someone else to go with you" he said, hoping that he was indeed correct.

Klied's comment about hunting sentient beings flashed through the scoundrel's mind for some time. Although he would hardly call his own work hunting, he did often find himself in scuffles with other people. Worried about what his new partner would think of him, Crossac decided to not speak on the matter for now. After a while, they started nearing the Bantha-shaped rock formation "There it is, the Bantha-rocks!" he exclaimed, forgetting for a moment that Klied was sitting right in front of him. "I guess this is where your tracking skills come in handy. They should be in this area, but we don't really know where, exactly. If we're lucky, they'll all be at their outpost."

@Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

Klied himself didn't have any real animosity towards Jawas, although he supposed he never found himself in a position to fall victim to their infamous swindling trade deals. The little scavengers always provided him and his uncle with good information on the movements of their quarry in exchange for credits, and even made for good companions around the campfire while on a hunt. He'd heard many an interesting story from traveling Jawas.

Crossac's explanation of the previous hunt for the Sandpeople was about what he expected. The locals may have had a fair amount of experience dealing with the Raiders but that didn't make them good fighters. They were settlers first and soldiers second after all. The destruction of half a crew of Syndicate enforcers was more concerning. They may not have been as organized as formal militaries but they were usually competent enough to deal with mere Sandpeople. This tribe must have been particularly vicious. He didn't bother answering Crossac's question looking for validation, instead falling into deep thought as they continued on their way.

Once they reached the Bantha-rocks Klied gracefully dismounted and took a few steps forward, pulling down his mask as he glared across the blazing landscape, eyes scanning the area for any sign of their prey. As Crossac started talking he walked forward, kneeling down to inspect the earth.

"Did you actually get a good look at the Raiders or did they catch you in ambush?" He asked for details as he worked, eventually getting down on his hands and knees as he closely inspected the area. "Do you have any idea of their numbers? Are they armed with slugthrowers or have they gotten ahold of blasters?" As Crossac answered him he would continue to move about in this strange quadrupedal manner, almost behaving like a dog sniffing for a scent. Eventually he would find the Bantha prints he was looking for, a sure sign of Raider activity. "Hello there..." He said under his breath with a small grin. He looked up and forward, following the tracks by sight into a canyon in the distance. "We've got a lead." He said, and started moving, taking his cycler rifle from his arm and whistling sharply to call Mena to them. He looked back at Crossac. "You're gonna want that rifle now..."

@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

Slowly getting off of the beast, Crossac held of on answering. At least until he got down to the ground again. "I mean, we saw them, I guess" he said, not sounding as sure as he could have. "There were six or eight of them coming to meet us in a valley. At first, we tried to fight back but their positioning was superior and they were quite ferocious too. By the time we got out of the valley, there were only two of us left." he said. Considering how well he remembered most of the events, the Scoundrel had omitted much in his retelling of the story. Upon being asked of the weapons, he let out a low hum as he thought back of that day. "Mostly blasters. A couple of them rushed forth with gaderffii sticks. We didn't really expect those clubs to be very efficient, but then they got close" he said before trailing off.

Allowing his gaze to switch between the hunter's work and the horizon, Armand tried to learn as much as possible from his companion whilst also keeping an eye out for trouble. "What did you find?" he asked, still oblivious to the track which Klied had found. A slight smile grew on his lips as the Eopie neared. Not only was he happy to see the beast return to them like a faithful pet hound, but he was also looking forward to carrying his rifle again. When up against sand people, it was highly appreciated.

Soon, Crossac carried his E-11 by the leather band again. At this point, he could see the canyon which his temporary ally had set his sights on "Do you want to go there by foot or shall we let Mena take us? I'm not very excited about the prospect of being shot at whilst riding on her back" he noted whilst petting the beast on its neck. Regardless of how they traveled, the scoundrel would keep a hand near his rifle, ready to fire it if trouble sought them out.

@Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

Klied listened silently to Crossac's story as he worked, then turned to him as the scoundrel rearmed himself. "That's a damn shame..." He said thoughtfully in regards to the Raiders having blasters at their disposal. It was uncommon but not unheard of. When Sandpeople got ahold of more advanced weaponry they always were quick to test it out against hapless outsiders. No wonder they had become bold enough to attack the Syndicates. He looked towards the canyon and pointed to a ridge above. "We'll use the high ground to make sure they can't do the same to us," He offered in counter to the Raiders' superior positioning. Taking Mena by the reins he started to lead her into the canyon.

"It'll be too dangerous for her up ahead. We'll find a spot out of the way to hobble her and then move in on foot." Walking down into the canyon Klied searched around for several minutes before finding an alcove that was mostly out of view from the main path. He promptly lead Mena there before kneeling down to tie a rope between two of the Eopie's legs to keep her from wandering off. Mena snorted in protest, but didn't make too much of a fuss, seeming quite tame for an Eopie. He took the time to dig out a small hole for the beast and fill it with some water, to further entice her to stay around while they were gone. Then he stood and turned back to Crossac. "Let's get moving. Stay on alert, we're in their territory now." With that he headed for a small path up the canyon wall so that they could move in from the ridge above.

@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

Following along, Crossac watched as his new, albeit temporary, partner tied the beasts legs together. He had never seen anything like it since they were usually tied to something instead of just being set up to fall if they tried to leave. A small and satisfied smile spread across his lips once he saw the hunter fill a hole with water, knowing that it was to make Mena want to stay instead of being forced to stay. While the scoundrel was not very good with animals and more often than not had trouble keeping them friendly, he liked seeing them happy. Besides, he had taken a liking to Mena, seeing as they had had a chance to bond earlier and how nice she had been whist he was riding her back. "You sure seem to have a way with animals" he noted as the two started to move again.

With rifle in hand, the scoundrel were on the lookout for potential threats, whether they were beasts or sandpeople, not that the distinction was very large to begin with. It was a good idea to walk on top of the canyon, seeing as they could hardly be caught off guard now. The disadvantage was that they didn't get to enjoy the shadowy coolness of traveling down in the canyon and at their current position, they wouldn't be very hard to spot if anyone happened to be up there with them.

The canyon made a snake-like pattern in the sand, forcing anyone in it and anyone walking along its top to walk in a series of S-shaped patterns. Thankfully, a few of the larger rocks on the upper level made it impossible to watch over the entire canyon with a single glance. Mostly keeping his eyes set on the upper level, Armand trusted his ally to watch below. Suddenly, just as the two rounded a corner, the scoundrel stretched out an arm in Klied's path whilst his eyes were fixed on a camp up ahead. Starting to back down in behind the rock, the scoundrel ensured to maintain his arm out-stretched, gently pushing the other back if he didn't move backwards own his own accord already.

"We've found something" he said in a whisper. "I think I saw three of them, two by the benches in the middle and one by the tent to the side." he reported, still with a low voice, only loud enough for Klied to hear. "We could try to take them out from here, but the entire canyon will probably hear if we fire any shots in a place like this" he whispered, clapping his stun baton suggestively before letting the hand return back up to his rifle.

@Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

Klied laughed lightly at Crossac's remark. "Well I figure I ought to, been around them my entire life." He replied. He moved cautiously with his ally across the ridge, keeping his focus below them to see if there were any Sandpeople moving through the canyon. It was a little past noon now, with the heat at about the worst it would be all day. Shouldering his rifle Klied pulled down his mask to take a drink of water, only to be interrupted by Crossac sticking out an arm and pushing him back. The hunter complied without protest, kneeling down behind cover and listening closely to the scoundrel's report.

After Crossac had finished speaking Klied nodded silently before moving forward to peek around the corner, getting a look at the camp himself. They had made their position on a wide part of the ledge overlooking a bend in the canyon. From where they were travelers moving through the path below wouldn't be able to notice them until they were already in range. The one sitting by the tent had a blaster rifle resting against his shoulder, likely their lookout. But he appeared to be dozing off. The two by the benches were arguing in their harsh guttural language over a datapad. There were a number of advanced pieces of technology at their feet, and the legs of what was most likely an unfortunate settler poking out from the other side of one of their tents. With a scowl Klied backed up and turned to Crossac.

"Good idea," He said as he pulled out his hunting knife, the durasteel gleaming in the sunlight. He pointed it at the scoundrel. "Your rifle is better at close range so you can watch my back while I take out the one near the tent. Then we can move on the two by the benches at the same time." After waiting for the go-ahead from Crossac he pulled his mask back up, turned and began sneaking around the ledge, moving slowly so as not to draw the Raider's attention. Once he was close enough he bounded forward the last few steps, brandishing his knife expertly. The Raider roused but too late, looking up just as Klied grabbed his shoulder and pulled him onto his knife, driving it deep into his chest. The lookout made a grunt before Klied could cover his mouth though, and the other two whipped around, alert. The moment they spotted the human they screeched and scrambled for their blasters, but they were sitting a few feet away. Without saying a word Klied rushed towards one of the remaining Raiders, leaving the other for Crossac. They would need to move fast to prevent them from sounding the alarm.

@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

Going along with Klied's plan, Crossac followed close in his tracks with both hands holding his rifle tight. If they were discovered too early, he would be able to shoot the sandpeople in order to minimise the risk of either himself or his ally getting hurt. Still, it would be preferable if he could avoid using the blaster, seeing as it would most likely attract the attention of any other sandpeople in the vicinity. Once the Hunter leapt at the unsuspecting Tusken, Crossac let go of his rifle, letting it dangle loosely on the leather band and brought out his stun baton whilst charging at the remaining two. Seeing as he was already rather close when their sentry let out his grunt, the two remaining raiders wouldn't have any time to fire their weapons. Instead, the had to hop out of the way in order to dodge a sweeping swing from the scoundrel's baton.

While he was happy with the distraction he had been able to cause, Armand knew that he would do good to stay careful. Sandpeople were often times capable warriors. Focusing on the one to the left, he trusted Klied to take care of the one to the right. Just as he was about to swing at the Tusken in front of him who was laying on the ground from having dodged his first attack, the foe found a gaderffii stick on the ground and raised it. The two weapons clashed against each other as Crossac brought down his own weapon in a might swing.

Upon hearing the Tusken make one of those sandpeople war cries, Crossac's forehead furrowed "Shut up" he said before making another swing. This time, the Tusken rolled out of the way, apparently being rather quick and agile. What's more is that he directed a thrust at the scoundrel as he was still recovering from having made an attack of his own. Whether it was sheer luck or skill, Armand managed to bring up his baton to redirect the attack in the last second. Keeping his momentum, the scoundrel released the baton with his right hand - now only holding it with his left - and grabbed the gaderffii stick with it. The Tusken now found himself at a tricky position as he would remain quite immobile as long as he held onto his weapon but if he let go of it, he would be defenceless. At the same time, Crossac knew that he could only maintain his grip of the stick for so long until the raider would be able to take it back. Making the most out of his momentary advantage, Crossac pressed forth, bringing both weapons with him until he could plant a foot on top of the raider's chest.

Pressing down, Armand looked on as he saw his foe loose his breath and the grip of his weapon. With that, Crossac threw his baton to the side before making a final blow against the Tusken's head, promptly ending the struggle which had gone on for a bit longer than he had first hoped. He then turned to see if his ally needed any assistance. If not, he would start moving towards the tents to check on if there were any survivors.

@Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

Seeing Crossac engaging the other Raider out of the corner of his eye, Klied ran at full speed towards the one in front of him. Leaping over the bench between them he tackled the Raider just as he was reaching for his blaster rifle, sending them both tumbling across the ledge. Klied came out of the role on top of his enemy and immediately brought his knife down to try and stab him. The Raider caught him by the wrist though and the two were locked in a battle of strength.

Klied mouthed a silent curse as he put the whole of his weight on the knife, trying to push it down into his enemy. The Raider's arms shook as he held the hunter off, babbling angrily in his strange language. Seeing that the knife was slowly getting closer and closer to his chest the Raider panicked, looking around for anything he could use to defend himself. Seeing a rock within his reach the Raider quickly reached out and grabbed it, bashing it against the side of Klied's head.

The hunter grunted as he fell off to the side, the Raider quickly rolling on top of him and preparing to bash his head in with the stone. Noticing they were nearing the ledge Klied brought his knee up between the Raider's legs, receiving a pained howl for his effort. He then grabbed the Raider by the throat and shoved him to the side with all his strength, sending him tumbling off the side of the cliff. The Raider attempted to grab Klied, but only managed to tear off a piece of his tunic as he fell screaming into the canyon below.

Klied sat up with a pained groan, pulling his mask down to show a line of blood trickling down from his temple. Looking to his side he saw Crossac had bested his own opponent and was now looking towards him with concern. Brushing off his injury Klied waved him away. "I'm good," He panted, trying to regain his breath after the struggle. "Check the tents, see what they've got..." After taking a minute to catch his breath Klied raised an arm to wipe the blood from his brow. He then wiped his knife off on his knee before returning it to it's sheath and standing up. Walking over to the unconscious Raider he looked over the savage briefly before turning towards his partner. "What do you want to do with him?" He asked neutrally. He certainly hadn't been hired to subdue the Sandpeople, he'd been hired to kill them. He was curious what the scoundrel's intent was, not that it would bug him terribly either way.

@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

Still holding the gaderffii stick in hand, Armand looked over to his friend. He had been injured and bleeding from the head was never a good sign. "Are you...?" he asked, trailing off - it was obvious that Klied knew what he was asking and he replied quickly. Deciding that the hunter was much better equipped to assess his own injuries than the scoundrel was, Crossac simply nodded. Thinking that his ally had a rather good idea, he picked up and holstered his stun baton whilst keeping the gaderffii stick at hand before starting to walk towards one of the three tents.

Right as he peeked in, he saw a Tusken laying on a bed, seemingly either asleep or knocked out. Considering the little commotion outside, the scoundrel guessed that he was rather used to loud noises whilst sleeping. Still, preferring to say on the safe side, he refrained from increasing his voice and simply looked out from the tent "Klied, can you come here for a minute?" he asked before returning into the tent with a tight grip around the weapon he took from the raider he faced earlier. The Hunter was quick to ask what he wanted to do with the savage. Crossac was a little surprised, seeing as the other had been calling most of the shots so far. But then, Klied was more hired for his skills to track beasts and people, rather than his strong representation of Cartel interests.

"Raiders can't be reasoned with" he said whilst walking closer to the one in the bed. "And if we show mercy, they will return the favour by raiding our settlements. Destroying our stuff and killing our friends" he said, finishing just as he arrived at the side of the bed. Just as he did with the previous foe, Crossac raised the gaderffii stick and smashed it down on the Tusken's head, promptly killing the victim. Glancing back at the Hunter, the scoundrel let out a "I hope you didn't mind" before brushing past the man on his way out of the tent. Rarely, if ever, did he enjoy killing someone. While it was easier to justify when it came to sandpeople, it still stung, especially considering the fact that this one was sleeping and hadn't personally done anything to provoke an attack.

Having a quick glance in the other tent, it was soon determined that the valuables laid in the heap outside. Marking down the location on a map. Crossac prepared to be on the move again. Whilst cleaning the Tusken's weapon which he had decided to keep for a while, the scoundrel looked to his temporary companion "Do you think we'll find their main outpost if we continue following this canyon or should we start heading in another direction?" he asked. Nevertheless, the young man would go in whatever direction he was pointed to, granted Klied thought that that was where the outpost laid.

@Reyn

 

[Kliedden Raxx]

Klied pulled up his mask again just as Crossac killed the sleeping Raider, hoping to hide his cringing expression. While killing Sandpeople was something he had resolved was acceptable and necessary, it still felt wrong to kill someone in their sleep. Thankfully with only his eyes visible now it was unlikely the scoundrel would notice the distaste in his expression. Friendly as Crossac had been, Klied had to remind himself he was a Syndicate man first and foremost.

He followed the scoundrel back outside, taking some time to inspect the camp himself while his ally looked over the stolen items. "They didn't bring much supplies with them," He answered Crossac's question as he inspected their food stores. "Which means their main camp can't be too far." He walked to the ledge and looked down into the canyon. From where they were there was a thin path leading down into the rocks below. "That seems the most likely." He agreed with Crossac. "If we follow this path I'll wager it'll take us right to them. And with this forward outpost dealt with we won't have to worry about another." He glanced at the bodies, thoughtful, before looking back to the scoundrel. "If you're not too opposed to wearing bloodstained clothes, we could disguise ourselves as Sandpeople. We won't be able to pass as them if they start talking to us obviously, but it will help us get close without the need for stealth. What's your call?" He waited patiently for the scoundrel's reply. Personally he'd be fine taking either route, but he thought he might as well offer an alternative strategy.

@Pyrenees

 

[Armand T Crossac]

Listening to the hunter's analysis, Crossac crossed his arms. While absorbing the information, he looked out over the canyon and followed to the ledge where he threw an eye at the path Klied had found. "Sounds like a good deal to me" he said, commenting on the guess that the path would take them to the main outpost.

The scoundrel raised an eyebrow upon hearing the suggestion. Not only would they have to loot from the dead - they would have to strip them of their clothes. He was skeptical of the idea and his facial expression revealed as much. He remembered the two which he had dealt with himself rather clearly and took a few steps to the side, casting his view upon the one who had been thrown down the cliff and then at the one who the hunter had been able to stab. Slowly, Crossac started to realise that he might have trouble finding Sandpeople garb, seeing as his rather heavily muscled frame appeared to be larger than that of the killed Raiders. Pondering on the matter further, the scoundrel finally shook his head. While one factor might not have been enough to make him decline the idea, both of them combined tipped him over the scale "I don't want to go there in a disguise." he said rather simply. "This time, we will be attacking them. If we keep the initiative, I think we'll be fine regardless" he continued, trying to sound as sure as he possibly could.

With that, he dropped the gaderffii stick to the ground, creating a blunt thud-sound and prepared to descend down the path. Looking up at Klied, he spoke "Would you like to take the lead? Maybe you could read the land better and find hints at stuff or something?" The question was open and his tone fair. The last thing he wanted was to make his ally feel like being forced to lead the charge into a Tusken outpost.

Once Klied had responded, the two would walk down the path, either with Crossac at the front, or at the back. He would now be holding his rifle tight, ready to either fire or drop it and pull out his stun baton if they encountered trouble. Whilst they were near the base, it was still prudent not to fire any weapons, seeing as an early warning was undesirable to say the least.

@Reyn