Ask Casany Praxor's Bounty Hunting for Beginners: Book 1 | Part 1 | Chapter 2

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Casany's Journal

Hello, journal,

It has been a rough ride. I used to think I was cut out for this business and, by the flaps of a Hutt's chin, I sure as shit am, but still. It wasn't easy watching a teenage boy lose his arm. For what? I know what for. Sometimes...it's hard to remember what for...

It's hard to let these things affect me. When I see a kid like Etr, I see my sister, my brother, those vods I'll never see again since they can never see again. I see...those children who I made sure can never see again...

Today, we are back, us Mandalorians. We have business. We don't have time for anything else. We don't have time for tears. Time, though, is about to run out for three Pykes who think they own it. Time to prove them wrong.

Spoiler: Music OOC

Kodasta. It was a cold, icy planet with ice and snow. There was more to it but at least one Mandalorian had absolutely no idea or care to find out. She had not come here for the history or the geography; except, well, the latter mattered insofar as it meant finding a freight train to take it over from the inside out. She was not alone.

Super Epic Bounty Hunter Friendos, they called themselves, and boy did they need a new name. Was it Etr who had picked that one? Adenn? Casany Praxor shook her head as she hovered her Y-Wing behind a mountain. They could figure out what to name their bounty hunting posse later.

“We’re coming in cold.” The Mandalorian cleared her throat, hoping not to be judged. “Whatever that means, not sure, but here we are.”

They were behind a mountain in a mountain range called Mountain Range as far as she gave two druks. She had broadcasted her voice over comm within her Winged Pike and toward the Spooky Mistress. Zaia was in the former, Adenn and Co. in the latter.

They had gathered here today to stage a heist on a train as it traversed the mountain range. This was no ordinary train and these were no ordinary train robbers. They weren’t even that, not really, except for the fact that they had come to rob freedom from three di’kuts.

The Vonvon Brothers, they called themselves, and they were Pykes if ever there were. Ringleaders of a spice trafficking ring, they and their little army of douche canoes were aboard the freight train along with their illicit cargo.

The spice wasn’t something that Cas cared about, intact or not, as these drug barons were her cargo. They weren’t major players but would pay the way. This is the way. Cas grinned in the cockpit, suited in full armor. “Welcome back, Mandos. This is Casanvil in the Winged Pike taking on Pykes who can't fly. We’re in the pipe. Five by five.”

The Pike received signal of the Pykes and their train approaching the airborne rails on the other side of the mountain. It would soon be time to mosey.


@Sicadorito @Timmen

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia sat beside Casany in the cockpit of the Winged Pike, waiting for the train to arrive. It’s about time for some action, she thought as she twirled one of her blasters with her fingers. Still, she knew it would still be best to err on the side of patience and caution. There was no use in chasing after a train that hadn’t arrived yet.

At Cas’s comment about the Pykes being unable to fly, she grinned as she put the blaster back into the holster. “They’ll have to learn how, if they want to escape us. They won't though, obviously.” Those Vonvon brothers would soon pay the price for their illegal business, and however they decided to fight back, the Super Epic Bounty Hunter Friendos would be prepared! Zaia couldn’t think of a better way to describe their little band. They were, after all, super epic.

Speaking of their group, Zaia couldn’t wait to meet up with the crew of the Spooky Mistress. Before the last mission, she’d promised to get Etr a gift, and though the circumstances hadn’t allowed her to do so at the time, she’d brought it with her here, and decided to give it to him when the time was right. Whenever that would be.

@Timmen @Die Shize

 

[Etr Wyara]

My arm was replaced by a cybernetic one; shiny, smooth and Plated. The easy part was getting over the loss of the real one. The hard part was getting used to the replacement. All kinds of things needed to be relearned in the time frame between the last hunt and this one. I was ready this time and prepared! I wouldn't be taken by surprised.
“We’re coming in cold.”
The Comms chirped. I wondered what that meant and was about to ask when Adenn Chimed in
"Copy that, LZ is Clear, Spooky Mistress on Approach. ETA 5 minutes."
Today's menu was Spice, Jon Kabian's favorite Fix was Sasana but ryll was always around as was Glitter stim. We were planning on taking out a pair of pykes known as the Vonvon Brothers. We approached the landing sight. With a small fluff of air the Spooky Mistress touched down and we readied to exit. Walking down the Ramp, We met with our other super Epic Bounty hunter Friendos(#1) it was nice to Zaia again. It was nice to see Casany again too. But Zaia it was always nice to see.

 

[Adenn Rytt]

With Pykes, spice usually went hand in hand. As racist as that may be I rarely Ever found it wasn't true. The species had made a living off it like Mandalorians made theirs off of Bounty Hunting. On more than One occasion I'd dealt with pykes and normally they were more cowardly than not. But they would still protect their shipments. Our Friends waited for us at the bottom of the Ramp
The "Super Epic Bounty Hunter Friendos" was a moniker picked by Etr who, like any adolescent, sought to make a joke out of the whole affair. Our previous group was "The Pack" a bit more ominous sounding... at any rate Etr found it enjoyable and the others didn't complain.
"So, how many drug fishies are we killing today?"
I asked Casany

 

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music OOC [Recurring]

Pale green light glowed in a distant blizzard, the train barely detectable as both storm and metal howled against the rails. On the other side of the mountain in between, Cas found purchase on the highest peak as gunship and freighter touched rock and snow.

“As many as need to die,” she answered Adenn behind her visor. They would collect three heads one way or the other. Saluting him with a nod, she tilted her head with approval at Etr’s new look. “Your old arm is gone, Foundling, but your new one keeps you strong. Like beskar, it reflects who you are on the inside.” She crossed her chest with a fist. “Mandalorian.”

Recognizing that Adenn was the boy's father, Cas merely hoped to offer her experience alongside his.

“Okay," she moved on. "I figure we have about another five minutes before the train gets here. Our three Vonvon Brothers should be in the fortified central car.” She drew up the schematic on her vambrace.

“My ship is safe here, unless my donut of a droid mistakes it for fireworks. Ahem. We’re all going to board the Mistress. Fesseja can pilot. When the train arrives, we’ll swing around the mountain and jetpack into the rear car, catching these di’kuts by their tails. Work our way up to the Douchebag Brothers, snatch 'em up, Fess picks us up, boom, bam, back on the boat in time for vodka, vods. Questions?”

@Sicadorito @Timmen

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia was glad to be able to stretch her legs after sitting so long in the Winged Pike, and much more glad to see Adenn and Etr again. She made her way off the ramp a little behind Cas, grinning behind her helmet when she saw the two other Mandalorians waiting for them on the icy ground.

She nodded at Cas’s comment about Etr’s new arm. Her thoughts about him hadn’t changed since the last time they’d seen each other, and he was still one of the most courageous Mandalorians she knew.

After hearing their plan of attack, Zaia shook her head and gave Cas a thumbs up.

“No questions from me,” she affirmed, before glancing at Adenn and then Etr. “Before we go, I did want to give you this. I did say I was going to get you something.” She tossed the boy a blaster pistol that she’d been holding. “It’s brand new! I think it goes well with your beskar’gam too,” she added with a grin. “It’s fully loaded and it might come in handy today, who knows. I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready to blast some Pykes.”

@Timmen @Die Shize

 

[Etr Wyara]

I tried to stand straight and pointed my helmet ahead towards Cas. Truth was I was Glancing towards Zaia from time to time... most of the time... through my visor and I didn't hear most of it until Cas Asked
"Questions?”
Which brought me straight out of my head and into reality. I shook my head in response. And it seemed like everyone was starting towards the Mistress again. So I sheepishly began to follow.
“Before we go, I did want to give you this. I did say I was going to get you something.”
A gleam of Steel and a thud into my arms later and a Blaster pistol sat in my arms. A super nice westar Blaster pistol. I could help but feel embarrassment on top of my gratitude.
"Thanks! This is really awesome! I didn't even get you anything though...just a cup of Coffee."
I Don't know when I started blushing but I definitely was now.
“It’s brand new! I think it goes well with your beskar’gam too,” she added with a grin. “It’s fully loaded and it might come in handy today, who knows. I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready to blast some Pykes.”
Yep.. definitely blushing. I nodded and echoed her enthusiasm:
"Let's get some spice smugglers!"

@Sicadorito
@Die Shize

 

[Adenn Rytt]

I had to roll my eyes at the boy's stupidity and nearly groaned at his gift comment.
"We should get moving."
The call seemed to go heeded as we returned to my shopWe made our way to the Soooky Mistress and, after a quick prep check, took off into the mountainous Planet where our prey would be waiting. The Train was soon passing below us and we were keeping up in speed. The others seemed ready. I hoped we would keep our heads in the objective and not fuck up like last time.
"No fucking around this time. Let's pay attention to what we're doing and get this job done ok?"
@Die Shize
@Sicadorito

 

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music OOC

In the hold of the Spooky Mistress, Casany rapped knuckles on her helmet and saluted Adenn. “Sounds like you need a drink, vod.” He had a point though. This was one job they could not afford to mess up on. The train was a moving target and fighting would be tight.

“Shoot ‘em. Punch ‘em.” Cas shrugged Etr’s way. “You got two weapons now, friendo. I’ll keep my eye on you. Won’t want to miss your prowess.”

She was half-jesting, half-assuring. Had she allowed herself to stare at that young man any longer, well, she might have been brought back to that dark chamber where all of this was somehow her fault. No. We move, we march, we Mando along.

“Almost in position! Here we go!” Fesseja called from the cockpit.

“You bucketheads ready?” Cas had rifle and sword slung over back, dual pistols on either thigh, and more where those came from. Etr had been fitted with a jetpack if he did not have his own. Fifteen years old, sixteen, Cas couldn’t recall, but as much as she would look out for him she knew that the man was a Mandalorian just like her.

Rounding the mountain, the train came into view immediately. The hold’s door gave way just then, exposing everyone inside to the shrill, piercing wind of the outside world. “Light ‘em up!" With that, Cas breathed fire and launched herself for the rear car of the train that had just become her prey.


@Sicadorito @Timmen

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia merely grinned underneath her helmet at Etr’s flustered response. She was certain that he would put the weapon to good use, as any Mandalorian would.

“We’ll get this job done, no bumps, no hitches,” she agreed at Cas and Adenn’s words. Hearing Fesseja’s call, Zaia readied her jetpack and stepped forward eagerly as the train came into view. The wind that picked up didn’t bother her in the slightest. Instead, all she could think about were those three Pykes. Let’s get ‘em.

She propelled herself into the air after Cas, landing on the roof of the rear car. Scanning it quickly for a way to enter, Zaia took out her blaster and fired a shot at the lock of a nearby hatch. She then pulled it open to reveal a car full of boxes and a group of six very-surprised Pykes underneath. Well, she couldn’t tell if they were through their helmets, but who wouldn‘t be when a group of Mandos were attacking in the middle of a train ride?

“Well, hello. Nice to meet you too,” she said once she dropped inside. The Pykes had gotten over their hesitation and had now pulled out their blasters. Without even having the decency to say hi back, they opened fire. Zaia ducked and rolled out of the way, knocking one’s legs out from underneath him in the process and using him as a temporary shield before she got to her feet again behind a box to catch her breath. Clearly these weren’t the brothers they were looking for. Hopefully they would have better luck in the next car once they dealt with these Pykes.

@Timmen @Die Shize

 

[Adenn Rytt]

"Kad Only knows I could use one!"
The green light came and I found myself being propelled at high speeds towards a high-speed train hundreds of miles over revines and Valleys. I landed with a pretty good thud and immediately sprinted towards the open hatch following after zaia and hopped straight into the car.
"I hate heights..."
Zaia had done an excellent job clearing the first car though the brothers were not in this one. We pushed on to the next one, Another 4 waited for us and immediately opened fire. I took cover, Pulling Zaia put of the line of fire as they lit the door red. I fired at them with my Blaster pistol, Killing one and hitting another. Cover was relatively good for us but seemed to be better for them. In this location I Wasn't going to be able to use my beskad.
@Die Shize
@Sicadorito

 

[Etr Wyara]

I laughed at Casany's remark.. though I suppose she was Anvil now what with business starting up and all. I followed in after the warrior to the rear Car. Though only in the air for a second the experience was exhilarating. We hit the rear and immediately broke our way into through the rooftop hatch. The Pykes didn't even see us Coming as we dropped in on them. The one Closest to me Got a good Punch with the new arm. He took it pretty well and decided to give me a good punch to the helmet which made a pretty loud sound. This was followed by some cursing on his part because well... helmets aren't made of cotton... I gave him a Keldabe kiss with seemed to ring his bell. though he seemed to recovered with a knife hed pulled off his belt. He swiped mainly for my arm which wasnt well armored. One of these Clipped my lower arm and the whole thing stung like hell. The red blood stained the Loose fabric sleeve of my shirt. I decide to srop messing around with him and Swung my E-11 as hard as a could at his face. This knocked him over and I placed two shots in his chest and one in his head. His friends the mean time would have to deal with Anvil... those poor bastards..
@Sicadorito
@Die Shize

 

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music OOC [Recurring]

Cas exploded into the rear car of the train, not literally of course, but her WESTARS weren’t shy about it as they took down Pyke upon Pyke. Six there were in that one, four in the next, though truth be told she wasn’t counting.

Their real prize was in the central car, and it was far too armed and armored, otherwise the Mistress would have dropped the Mandalorians right upon it to begin with. No, the four would make their way forward, and no qualms with that. They had plenty of time before the next train station.

One by one, Zaia and Adenn and Etr himself took out foe after foe. If this car held four and that one six, that car five and this car ten, it didn’t matter, for car after car would open up as reinforcements came to and from and the numbers dwindled down. For Casany, for Anvil, for Casanvil or whatever the hell she felt like calling herself at the time, well, she had lost count after one.

Her shoulder slammed into cover, pistol rounding the corner, -blam!-blam!-blam!- Di’kuts be damned, down you go, one done and onto the next one. Fighting was as tight as expected, too much for a rifle and perhaps even a carbine, so her dual pistols paid off.

Taking point, Cas charged forward, only for a few Pykes to surprise her as they emerged into view from behind crates. They pointed blasters, all but smiling behind their helmets, and pulled the triggers.

A dozen bolts soared her way, pummeling into chest and helm, but bouncing off of beskar. All the while, Cas had holstered her pistols and withdrew her vibrosword, and went to town in the train.

Left, right, right, left, that blade took off that arm and this leg, this head and that head, and left behind a trail of corpses. One car done, onto the next one. Oya.


@Sicadorito @Timmen

 

[Zaia Krodas]

There was nothing left for them in the first car, so onto the second they went. Zaia was immediately met with blaster barrels as the door opened, but Adenn pulled her aside just as they began to fire and cleared a couple of them out while he was at it. Thank Kad for that.

The Mandalorians pushed their way into the next car, and the whirlwind of battle swept through it once more. At times, Zaia looked around for each of her companions to see if they were doing alright, just to make sure no one was being left behind. Etr seemed to be doing just fine, Adenn was blasting away, and Cas, well, was in full Mando mode. Seeing a couple of Pykes rush into their car with their blasters cocked, Zaia flipped on her flamethrower and watched as they crumpled to the ground. To end their misery, she shot them each once in the head. She looked up. Still no brothers.

They cut, blasted, and burned their way through another car. By now she was starting to grow impatient, and as she tossed a Pyke into another, she caught a glimpse of flowing gold-black fabric heading away from them and in the direction of the next car. Could that be one of the brothers? She doubted that he would be here in the middle of the action, but it was worth a look as the outfit certainly didn’t belong to a regular Pyke.

So she pushed her way forward, attempting to get to the escapee and shooting anyone who got in her way. Even with the growing number of enemies as they approached the central car, Zaia was determined that whoever this was would not get far.

@Timmen @Die Shize

 

[Adenn Rytt]

I charged after Zaia, More pykes closed in as the Train cars opened up. I Drew My beskad and slashed my way through one and took a shot to shoulder. It bounced off my pauldron as I Drew My Blaster with my free hand and fired it. It penetrated the Pykes Face plate and he dropped to the ground, dead. Zaia seemed to make quick work of the other Guards as well. The spice Smuggler seemed intent on Escaping from the car and moved as quickly as he could away from us. He headed towards the central car, as expected. But because of how we had boarded the train he wouldn't escape.

 

[Etr Wyara]

The spectacle of watching Cas-anvil cleave the pykes apary was a sight to see. Adenn was a good swordsman, Casany was easily his match if not his superior. I followed quickly behind her to the next car. It seemed one of our targets was waiting for us, His Blaster drawn with another 5 pykes by his his side.
"You're not likely to get off this train"
The creature threatened. He seemed to be under the impression that we hadn't been slaughtering his muscle. I Drew My New Blaster as quickly as I could and Fired on the fish. The Blaster bolt struck him, knocking the Pyke over. He yelped in pain as one of his guards began dragging him away. The others began to fire now.
@Die Shize
@Sicadorito

 

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music OOC [Recurring]

The blade of Casany’s vibrosword was pulsing, beating like a heart, and bloody because of it. She was holding her own but it was the might of more than one Mandalorian that ensured all four of them plowed through those train cars like a pike through a Pyke’s chest.

Zaia had caught onto one Pyke in particular, cluing her comrades in as they followed suit and pursued the target. Cas expected him to flee to the armored center of the train but he had a surprise for his hunters.

His, though, paled in comparison to their own, namely Etr’s. Their enemy had likely expected some profound dialogue to ensue but, nope, it was a bolt that flew. Attaboy. Pumped up even more, Cas traded hilt for handle, two pistols to be precise, and their precision pinged off Pykes.

These ones had some solid armor, no beskar, but the bolts glanced off their steel as they went into cover. Cas did too. The door at the end of the car opened as their target was dragged away, and through the doorway poured in more assailants. Dank farrik.

Back against the wall, crouching behind cover, Cas had an idea and wondered how terrible it would turn out to be. “Give ‘em hell, vods!” With that, she opened the shutter beside her head and climbed out into an entirely freezing hell.

Her outfit helped her as did her jetpack, blasting flames that propelled the Mandalorian alongside the train. Her intention was to bypass the blockade within it just as turrets emerged from the central car and turned toward her. Kark.

-PEW!-PEW!-

“You owe me one, Miss Mando!” commed Fesseja from within Miss Mando’s helm. She was keeping pace with the train in the Spooky Mistress whose cannon had just taken a couple of turrets out of commission.

“Attagirl.” Cas reached the end of the car and struggled against the wind.


@Sicadorito @Timmen

 

[Zaia Krodas]

It seemed as if for every Pyke they took down, two more would rush in to replace them. In a split second that she had to glance back, Zaia was pleased to see that the pistol she’d gotten Etr was working quite well, and in capable hands. Still, as more Pykes came pouring into the car, she backed away towards the wall, her two blasters dropping anyone who came close. There had to be a better way to get to the center car. Cas seemed to find one when she opened the shutter by her head and climbed out, though it hadn’t gone unnoticed by the Pykes. A couple of them pointed their blasters at her, but before they could use them, they’d collapsed to the ground in a flurry of bullets. Zaia would have followed after her, but the growing number of Pykes in the car would make it increasingly difficult to climb out without risking getting shot. Hopefully they would meet again soon in the center car.

Zaia didn’t know whether it was bad planning, foolishness, arrogance, or perhaps a mixture of all three that kept the Pyke she’d had her eyes on earlier from leaving the car. He was hidden in a corner behind a couple of his men standing in a defensive circle to protect him, and when Etr and Adenn took down even more of the surrounding Pykes, she saw her chance.

She blasted her way through the men until she was directly in front of the Pyke in gold and black, knocking the pistol out of his hand. It was painfully obvious that this one wasn’t a fighter like the others, as any attempt he made to resist was promptly put to an end when she pulled him in front of her and pointed her own blaster to his head. She was betting that this one was important enough for the others to lay down their arms to protect, and though it was a little risky, it was a gamble she was willing to take.

“Let us through, or this one gets shot,” she called. A few Pykes exchanged nervous glances before slowly lowering their blasters, and Zaia smiled in satisfaction. She slowly made her way over to the door to the next car, prodding the Pyke with her blaster to keep him with her. The other Pykes stepped aside quietly. This was working better than she’d expected. Once she was just about to enter the next car, she looked over at Adenn and Etr, tilting her head towards the doorway that would lead to the center car. She could see Cas just outside.

“Time to meet our friends.”

@Timmen @Die Shize

 

[Adenn Rytt]

Pointing Her Blaster at the pyke, it was obvious Zaia wasn't messing around.thr pyke seemed to shutter ad his Underling placed their blasters onto the ground and began moving towards the car. The fish alien hesitated to open the car but did so out of fear for his life. I made sure to keep an eye on his friends to keep them from trying anything stupid. The door opened, inside were two Pykes, clad in very fine clothes and guarded by a couple of sentinels Armed with electrostaffs.

"The Von Von brothers I presume."

I said, though it was a bit of a "No duh" kind of moment, Casany entered through the opposite side of the car as the guards gathered their attention on both of us.

"We've come to collect ln your hides. We can bring you in warm or cold. Your choice."

The Pyke seemed to shrug almost nonchalantly.

"Whatever the guild is paying you, we will triple it. But that is our final offer. The men who stand before you are expert martial artists, straight from the fighting pits on Nar Kanji. Theyve killed hundreds of men in endless duels."

I shook my head at

"Your hides are worth around 200,000 credits a piece. That's 400,000 in case you can't count. And that would ring up to around 1.2 million credits on your offer. And your fighters should have stayed on Nar Kanji."

On of them flew towards me while the other went at casany., his staff whurred as he approached, and as he swung it made an equally large amount of noise . I moved quickly to draw my beskad and caught it on the tail end of his swing, just before it hit my head. I pushed him off with a kick. He swung his staff again though this time I rolled and removed his leg with my blade. Blood spurted out as he fell to the ground. I rose and stabbed his heart to finish the job.
@Die Shize
@Sicadorito

 

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Reaching the end of the car, Cas kicked off for the central car's side whose turrets had since been taken out. The goal wasn't to take the train out, though, so while the Mistress backed off Cas jetpacked forward.

The four Mandalorians were on equal ground now as three appeared at one end of the central car and one at the other.

Cas raised her pistols at her bounties but said nothing. Adenn was doing the talking and handled his tongue well. Though the Brothers did not take it too well. Typical. Will they ever come without a fuss?

Evidently not. An expert martial artist lunged at Cas just then, staff sparking and menacing. One end drove toward her chest but just as quickly tilted so that the other end went for her arms. It took the Mandalorian by surprise.

The staff caught her vambrace, knocking the pistol from her grip. Her other came up just as another opponent came forward. His gauntlet of a hand squeezed the pistol before hers could squeeze the trigger.

Cas had lost her pistols but not her vambraces. A laser fired from one, drilling into the unarmed fighter’s skull. The other twirled his staff toward her, forcing her to back up. From her other vambrace flew a flame to return the favor.

Her opponent shrieked as fire found his face right before a sword found his heart, Adenn-style, though Zaia was surely making her own enemies wish they had not been born on Nar Kanji.


@Sicadorito @Timmen