Collan, Niil and Nightshade: Seekers

[GM Craig]

A moment later, the shimmering field vanishes, and you see a humanoid figure covered head to foot in black fabric that seems to suck in all light nearby. The figure wears a full face mask with protruding goggles.

The figure bows to Niil with some sort of odd hand salute. The figure carries a vibroblade on their back, and you can see several other weapons close at hand, but the figure is careful to keep hands away from anything that even remotely looks like a weapon.

At the figure's feet, the bounty hunter is still breathing, but clearly unconscious.

[Niil Spaar]

The sudden appearance of the blurry figure had Niil diving for his weapons.  Even though the newcomer had taken the bounty hunter out, there was no guarantee that he - or she - was a friend.

As he rose to his feet, blasters in hand, he saw the shimmering field that surrounded the newcomer vanish.  The figure gave Niil a bow and some kind of salute, and despite the fact that the figure's gear screamed assassin!, Niil found himself holstering his blasters.  Returning the bow, he turned to Collan and said, "All clear, Wez.  Maybe truss up the hunters we downed and secure their weapons before they wake up?  This shouldn't take long."

With that, he walked over to where the newcomer stood.  When he was about ten feet away, he stopped and gave the black-clad figure a slight grin and looked down at Vimell's unconscious form.  "Nice take-down.  And my thanks for helping us out and leaving her alive in the process."  A short laugh, then he added, "Not that I'm grateful, but I have to ask . . . why help us out?  Are you a friend of Jeremy here?  Or working for our . . . bosses?"

[Collan]

Collan took a tumble towards his own weapons with the blurry man's appearance.

"I think a tight but workable knot should suffice. We don't want to leave them to die out here..."

[Nightshade]

"I am Nigtshade of the Shinobi, and I need Niil Spaar. I require assistance with a matter of honor."

The man watches the other to see if his words spark any type of reaction.

ooc: will let our GM decide if you've heard of us.

[Niil Spaar]

"No, no, we don't want that.  Tie them well, Wez,"  Niil replied to Collan half-distractedly.  He didn't take his eyes off of the man that called himself Nightshade.  He felt the hackles on the back of his neck rise, and his blood seemed to cool by a dozen degrees.  Nightshade was kitted out in a stealth suit that Trax or Jex would likely drool over, and he didn't doubt that the man was very, very adept with the vibroblade he had scabbarded across his back.   A 'matter of honor' could mean that he required Niil's assistance . . . or it could mean that he required Niil's head on a platter.  Was this "Shinobi" the man spoke of a clan or family?  Or some sort of order, like the Mandalorian warriors?

Suddenly the ten feet of distance between them seemed woefully inadequate.

Niil nodded slowly, and felt every nerve in his body tingling.  He had no idea what was going to happen next.  "I am Niil Spaar.  What would you have of me, Nightshade of the Shinobi?"

[Collan]

"Where's Wilton at?" 'Wez' asked suddenly, "We still need to talk to him."

He then went about tying up Vimel and her hunters. They'd be doubly angry now. It was bad to leave unnecessary enemies behind but they were alive and sound count for something at least. It might be wise to leave a note that let them know they would be able to wriggle out eventually, but that might be seen as arrogance too. Best to let them think whatever they wanted.

[GM Craig]

[OOC: Nill has never heard of this "Shinobi" term before.]

[Nightshade]

Seeing no flicker of recognition in the eyes of this Niil Spaar, the man says, "My clan was contracted to perform a service for the Royal Family of Karvis. My sources say you may be the only way to find them now, and I need to find them to see if I can still perform the required contract or be released from the debt of honor."

[Niil Spaar]

Niil's eyes narrowed, and he involuntarily found himself taking a few steps backward.  "There's a lot of people that would be very interested to learn the whereabouts of the royal family, and not all of them wish the royals well, if you get my meaning.  Please understand that I'm not trying to insult you or your honor, Nightshade, but you must see it from my perspective.  Despite the help you've given us here, I know nothing about you.  And, more importantly, I don't know for certain where the royals' haven is now.  It's a matter of security, you see; they're moved around.  I can do my best to have a message passed on to them, but I'll not lead you directly to them unless they agree to meet with you."

Glancing at Jeremy and the prone form of Vimell, he shrugged.  "In any event, before any of that can happen, we still have . . . well, a mission of sorts to complete here before the Imperials arrive.  One that our good friend Mr. Wilton here might be able to help us with.  Out of his sense of gratitude, of course, since we just saved his ass from a very lingering and painful end.  Isn't that right, Jeremy?"

[Nightshade]

"That is acceptable. For now, let us be companions if only out of a common purpose while we seek mutual understanding and trust?"

Nightshade did not seem put off in the slightest, but rather pleased as if he was hoping for this reaction.  In his world, blind trust of an outsider was at least stupid if not fatal.

[Collan]

'Wez' spoke at this point while tying up Vimell's team, "And where can we get camo suits like yours? We know some people who work for the people you are seeking that could use such things."

[GM Craig]

Wilton, with a groan, staggers to his feet. "Look, whoever you are, thanks for getting me out of that and all. Don't think I'm not appreciative. But who the hell are you?"

[Collan]

[Can I assume I'm done tying our new 'friends' up.]

"We're your best friends, today, Mr. Wilton," Collan said, "And friends do their friends a solid, right?" Collan gestured towards the tied up, knocked out bounty hunters.

"But since they're not our enemies either, I've only tied them up enough to hold them for a hour...maybe two. In that time, you can get a new hideout and tell us where to find a mutual friend of ours...maybe even take us there. We think he attracted the wrong kind of attention and need to make sure he's okay and knows about the trouble."

[Niil Spaar]

While Collan spoke with Jeremy, Niil listened to Nightshade's proposal and nodded with a slight smile.  "That works for me.  As you might have overheard, we're looking for a friend of ours.  We have a strong suspicion that the Imperials are coming to this region to find him, and we'd rather not see him get captured.  Or killed."

[Nightshade]

"My clan has some that might be for sale, if I can conclude my business here and they allow me to return." He says in response to the question about his suit.

Turning back to Niil, he acknowledges the nod and smile, and returns them with one of his own. "Excellent.  What may I do to assist you in your task?"