Bounty Hunter Anon II

by Sunny Solaire

Hey, Haven't We Done This Before?

The control console beeps loudly as Shining Armor's cruiser hails you.

You take a deep breath and stay calm as you answer his call. He doesn't have any concrete evidence against you, it's just a hunch, if anything.

Shining Armor's face comes onscreen and he glares at you.

You smile at him. "Captain, what a pleasant surprise! You know, you don't need to roll out a big Republic escort just to say hi to little old me. I do also like getting mail."

"Mind your tongue, Mandalorian." Shining Armor barks. "You know exactly why I'm here."

Sunset looks at a different screen. "Anon, we've got a few ships coming in."

You take a quick glance at her screen. She's not wrong.

You clear your throat. "Look Cap, I'm doing my best to find Discord. He's a lot harder to find than I expected. I was not aware that I had a time limit. I could be persuaded to try harder if you offered me a bit more-"

"Quiet!"

Out of nowhere, the cruiser fires a warning shot directly across the nose of your ship, catching both you and Sunset off-guard. Sunset instinctively takes evasive action, but is cut off by a small fighter, firing warning shots as well.

You growl and hang on to the back of Sunset's chair for support. "Pinkie, get to the gun turrets!" You shout.

"Anonymous!" Shining Armor yells.

You ignore Shining Armor and sit down in the co-pilot's seat. "Sunset, find us a way out of here."

"I'm looking!"

Sunset maneuvers the ship around in space, turning around and away from the cruisers to prepare the jump to hyperspace.

The screen in front of her lights up, showing that one of the fighters behind you had fired. A second later, you feel the impact of the fighter's guns hit your ship's rear, lurching you forward.

Then, you hear your ship's engine's power down.

"What the-?" Sunset presses a few more buttons in front of her, but the engines don't respond.

"Anonymous, stop!" Shining Armor shouts again.

You glare at the blue Twi'lek, growling at him angrily. "You're playing with fire here, Captain."

He growls back at you. "Believe me, Mandalorian. This time, I know exactly who I'm after."

You feel another lurch forward as one of the fighters takes another shot at you. The lights begin to flicker on and off.

"He's hitting us with ion blasters! I'm losing the ship!" Sunset starts to hit buttons in front of her until they all begin to flicker off.

Another few jolts forward and the entire ship dies. Everything goes dark. You feel yourself being pulled backwards toward the cruiser. You're locked in its tractor beam.

The two of you stand up, getting your helmets back on and running back into the main hold.

Rainbow is holding onto the wall for support and looking around. "What's going on?!"

"We've been found!" You reply.

You and Sunset run into the armory. They're not going to get you without a fight. Not this time.

Rainbow comes running into the armory a moment later, followed by Pinkie.

"Anon, we're almost in the cruiser!" Pinkie shouts.

"Gear up then! Both of you!" You command.

Pinkie hands Rainbow her blasters back before running back into the ship. Rainbow pauses for a moment before joining you in grabbing another weapon. You grab a heavy blaster rifle, another tank of fuel for your flamethrower, and a sidearm. Sunset grabs her vibroswords and a rifle of her own.

You feel the ship rumble a little as it starts to slow down. "We're inside. Hurry."

The three of you head outside to the exit ramp and wait for it to drop. It should drop any second now, and when it does, you're going to blast anyone and anything you see out there. In the back of your head, you're thinking that what you're about to do is incredibly foolish, but you can't bring yourself to listen to reason right now. You're running on instinct.

The ship rumbles once again before settling. You've landed.

You and Sunset cover either side of the ramp. Rainbow stays hunkered down behind you. Pinkie is nowhere to be found.

About ten seconds pass before the ramp lowers and light begins spilling into the ship.

"NOW!"

Before you can even see who's out there, all three of you open fire into the open area below your ship. The ramp continues to lower, but once it's fully extended, you notice that no one is outside.

The three of you cease fire and wait a moment.

Everything is deafeningly quiet for a few seconds before you hear the sounds of footsteps approach the ship. The voice that follows is familiar.

"Anonymous. Sunset Shimmer. Lower your weapons and come with us. You are under arrest."

"Jedi..." You hiss.

You growl and stand up straight, holstering your rifle and taking one of Sunset's vibroswords. Being placed under arrest is something you can't have happen right now. You need to collect Ahuizotl's bounty and learn more about the Sith's plans from Flim and Flam. If what Adagio said was accurate, and the Sith really are planning something bad, then every second wasted is another win for them.

You step down the ramp a little bit, your blaster in one hand, Sunset's vibrosword in the other. In front of you stands Jedi Master Maud Pie, all alone.

About 20 feet behind her is a platoon of Republic personnel. You can see Applejack's trademark hat among them.

"Drop your weapons, Anonymous." Maud repeats.

Sunset and Rainbow are right behind you.

"You're not going to arrest me today, Jedi." You point your blaster pistol at her and pause.

Maud simply steps forward, never taking her eyes off you. "Yes I am."

She continues toward you.

You growl under your breath and pull the trigger.

Just before you did, Maud pulled out her lightsaber and activated it, deflecting your blaster bolt back at you. Thankfully, you were expecting her to do that.

You twist to the side and the blaster bolt smacks directly onto your shoulder, hitting your armor. It feels like you got punched, but that's it. You're not stupid enough to rely entirely on a blaster when fighting a Jedi.

You throw the blaster backwards before charging towards Maud with your vibrosword. You take a swing at her, but she blocks your feral attacks. Her eyes pierce your soul with her constant look of focus and determination, while you look at her with anger and fury beneath your helmet.

With seemingly little to no effort on her part, she blocks and parries your attacks while the crowd of Republic soldiers watch behind her, and Sunset and Rainbow watch behind you. Vibrosword on saber strike after strike and neither of you back down.

Then, with one quick move, she grabs the hilt of your sword and shoves her elbow into your face, impacting your helmet. It doesn't hurt, but it does knock you back a few steps. She had to have used the Force to enhance her strength.

While you stumble backwards, she presses her hand against your chest, shoving you backwards into Sunset and Rainbow with the Force. The girls exclaim and fall down behind you.

You're about to get up and fight again when the blue, humming tip of Maud's lightsaber rests mere inches from your face. You stare at the blade and stay perfectly still.

"You are beaten, Mandalorian. Yield." She commands.

You stare daggers into her eyes but do nothing else. She's won.

Behind her, the Republic troopers all run up to you, their weapons raised and pointed at you all.

"Lieutenant, place them under arrest." She commands.

Applejack comes up to you. "Sure thing, Master Jedi." The look on her face says that she's conflicted about arresting you, but despite that, she's still determined to do her job. "C'mon, Anon. Don't be difficult this time."

You don't reply to her, but you're going to do what she says.

You can't promise the same for Rainbow Dash though.

Behind you, a pair of Republic soldiers struggle to restrain her. "Lemme go! I don't even know these guys! Just- Stop it! Hey! Anon, tell them!"

"We're all in this together now, Dash..." You stay.

As you're being stood up and restrained by the Republic, she's still fighting and grunting and kicking as best as she can. It's all in vain though.

Maud keeps staring at you for a moment before looking up at your ship.

At the top of the exit ramp, you see Pinkie standing there. She's unarmed and looking at Maud. "Maud? Is that you?"

That's right, they're sisters.

A small, hopeful smile comes on her face and she runs down the exit ramp toward her. "Maud! It's really you!"

Maud shifts her stance and points the tip of her blade at Pinkie, making her stop in her tracks and freeze, her smile fading immediately.

"Hello, Pinkie." She replies.

Pinkie looks at Maud, confused and absolutely crushed. "M-Maud? I-I..."

"I'm sorry, but you're under arrest too..." Maud replies. "Please cooperate."

Pinkie says nothing, but her entire countenance drops immediately as she's taken into custody by the Republic. The blatant act of betrayal by her sister puts her into a speechless shock like you've never seen before.

You swear you see a hint of sadness on Maud's face as Pinkie looks at her, pleading with her eyes to be released.

Maud finally deactivates her lightsaber and puts it away. Now that your wrists are in binders, you stand up straight next to Sunset. She's silent, just like you are. Rainbow is still struggling with her restraints and trying to release them. Pinkie is silent as well, but she looks like she's on the verge of crying.

Applejack stands in front of the four of you and clears her throat. "Alright, everyone stand down. Y'all follow me now."

Around you, the Republic troopers lower their weapons and you begin to walk with Sunset at your side behind Applejack. Pinkie and Rainbow walk as well, with Maud tailing behind you.

Applejack activates a communicator on her wrist. "Cap'n, it's me. I got 'em." She pauses for a moment longer before shutting off communications and looking back at you. "Alright, ya'll. We've got some questions for you."

You look at her. "We don't have time for this, Applejack. I'm in the middle of an investigation here."

Applejack scoffs slightly. "Yeah, I'm sure you are, Anon."

"Listen to me!" You snap. "The Sith are planning something! The entire galaxy is at stake!"

Applejack doesn't look at you. "And I'm sure killing a senator was the best way to prevent that, right?"

Sunset speaks up at that. "Hoity Toity was corrupt and a traitor to your Republic! He was working for the Sith by selling slaves!"

Maud replies to her. "We have yet to find any proof of that."

You look at Maud. "I have proof, Jedi! Hard evidence, and an eyewitness!"

She looks back at you. "And where might your evidence and eyewitness be, Anonymous?"

You're not about to sell out Rarity.

"They're... They're not here right now." You reply.

Maud huffs softly. "I see."

She doesn't believe you.

Pinkie looks back at the Jedi, a somber look on her face. "He's not lying, Maud... I saw it too."

Maud merely looks ahead, saying nothing.

Pinkie deflates a bit more and looks forward once again.

Applejack leads your group through a hallway and into a corridor with windows looking outside towards Kessel. That's where your reward and your information on the Sith plot is right now.

You notice that Big Macintosh has joined his sister in escorting you and your party toward the interrogation room.

Gathered up ahead are more armed Republic guards, as well as a few technicians, civilians, and scientists. Among them are Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. They both are staring at you in confusion and worry.

Applejack clears her throat. "Until we see any of that evidence to back up your story, I'm afraid I can't let you off the hook, Anon. You're stuck here."

Rainbow starts yelling. "Well what about me?! I don't even know these jerks!"

Applejack looks back at her. "Who are you?"

"My name's Rainbow Dash!" She shouts. "I was in the middle of capturing a bounty when HE got in my way and messed everything up! I've never seen him or any of these people before in my life! You're all talking about the Sith and this big plan they have to take over the galaxy or whatever! What else is new?! It's the Sith!"

"Wasn't the bounty you were looking to collect on an incarcerated prisoner?" Maud asks.

Rainbow looks back at her. "Yes! It was!"

Maud hums. "So you were the one who set off the explosives in the prison and started the riots?"

"Yeah, I did that! It was all me! These guys are-" Rainbow stops talking as she realizes exactly what she just admitted to the Jedi. "Uh..."

Maud nods and looks forward again. "In that case, you're under arrest for infiltrating and destroying a maximum security prison."

Rainbow grits her teeth. She looks like she's about to explode.

"I told you we were all in this together, Dash..." You repeat.

She growls and pants angrily through her nose. She's absolutely livid right now.

Behind your group a little, you notice Twilight has started following you. Fluttershy and her albino Wookie are behind her.

She catches up to your group and watches you all. "Applejack, what's going on?"

Applejack looks at her. "Twilight, I need you to step back, please. We got questions for 'em."

Sunset interjects. "We're under arrest."

Applejack gives an annoyed sigh while Twilight gasps. "W-Why? What did they do?"

Applejack sighs, she's obviously getting annoyed. "They're the prime suspects in Hoity Toity's assassination. They also destroyed a Republic prison."

Twilight covers her mouth.

Fluttershy gasps behind her. "Oh my."

Twilight looks at you, appalled. "Anon, how could you?!"

You groan. "I was working! I'm trying to tell you people why I did what I did. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this plan that the Sith have for you all."

The Twi'lek stammers a little. "Wh-What Sith plan?"

Applejack groans and stops walking before turning to Twilight and grabbing her shoulder. She's clenching her fist and taking a deep breath. She looks like she's just about to lose it as well.

"Twilight... Please." She breathes. "Just stay out of this. Okay? This ain't your business, I'm sorry. Please."

Twilight looks back at you and exhales after a moment. "Alright, Applejack... I'm sorry, it's just..."

"I know, Twilight. I know." She cuts her off. "Just-Just let me handle this, okay?"

Twilight nods and looks back at you, obviously disappointed. She's judging you. The look on her face says it all. You're willing to bet that she regrets building this arm of yours.

A moment later, Maud grunts softly and rubs her forehead. Her eyes are closed and she looks like she's thinking about something.

"Anonymous..." She says. "When we took you into custody before, how did you say you retrieved that lightsaber?"

You pause for a moment.

Why does she want to know?

"The Sith sent one of their apprentices after me and tracked me to Tatooine." You reply. "I killed him and took his lightsaber from him."

You want that lightsaber back.

"How did they track you?" She asks.

You shake your head. "I don't know."

Applejack looks back at Maud and walks over to her. "Master Jedi? Is everything okay?"

Maud stammers a little bit for a moment. "There's... Something is coming..."

She opens her eyes and looks out the window at Kessel. She approaches the window and stares out into space for a long moment.

"Lieutenant... Who was it that told us to wait for Anonymous to arrive at Kessel?"

Someone tipped the Republic off?

Applejack pauses for a moment. "I-I don't know. I was told that they wanted to stay nameless."

Maud stays silent for another long moment. "The Sith were able to find Anonymous on Tatooine..." She gasps slightly. "They set a trap for us..."

Everyone around you goes silent as you all stare out into space.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, an entire armada of cruisers come out of hyperspace directly in front of you. Their sleek, silver colors, their attack formations, the shape of their Star Destroyers, everything about them is obvious.

It's the Sith.

Author's Note:

Maud Pie.

Pinkie Pie.

Applejack.

Rainbow Dash is not happy.

The Sith have made their move.