RIPE & DRAGGERS

CHAPTER 8

Kyoto is originally Maltice.

Since her clan dictates that cunning and stealth is a necessary way of life, having several injuries in the past proved to be advantageous for hardware upgrades in her cybernetic implants.

Kyoto is Maltice assassin.

The old Maltice clan of bodyguards is gone. The elite clan of silent warriors that pledged to protect Brahm royalty is now diminished to two digit counts. It was inevitable for a clan reaping of battles that has a much slower rate of reproduction than the normal species of the known galaxy. Simply put, the deaths outnumbered the births of their kind.

At the collapse of the Brahm empire, the once proud elite clan of the Maltice stealth warriors are now reduced to legends as the royalties of the old republic diminished. Now they are isolated in their ancient monasteries. Only a few who wish to continue the tradition of the silent-arms became either hired mercenaries or bounty hunters like her.

And for a renowned bounty hunter, Kyoto had her fill of difficult targets. From a Scoltice fighter to a Rikish-Gakuran, she had it all, except this one.

She has no recollection of a Runkan ever been targeted for extermination bounty. More over a ripe-warrior class Runkan. As hunters would say it, 'the profession ends at that attempt.'

But being a true silent-arms master, this is somewhat a primary. This is truly a treat for her. A real challenge.

A success hit such as this will surely put her on the annals of history of the silent-arms.

The only clincher is how to isolate the ripe-warrior as they are messy in the battlefield. If she indulge him directly in the open, it may definitely turn into a brawl and she will loose the upper-hand. Ripe Runkan are not known for letting their guard down at any given moment. Aside from a speed next that of a dragger, you cannot simply strike a ripe-warrior. That is how you die.

What she needs is an even playing field, where his reflexes and speed will be under the mercy of her cybernetics. However, such an opportunity may not come at all. And so, you must create it yourself.

Kyoto flew her freighter past the capital security as a merchant of spices from the outer regions.

The capital is a center for expensive trade, probably the most luxurious in the universe. One thing that the Runkans adore, aside from their grand taste for extravagant architecture is their passion for food. She almost chuckled to the idea that the Runkans and the Brahms had many things in common, and that they have similar cravings for the excessive.

While the rest of the species of the known galaxy may focus on functionality, the Runkan capital explodes on grandeur. This is only the second time for her to enter this city and so it astounds her once again.

As she entered the planet's atmosphere she told herself that the Runkans could have never chosen any better planet to colonize. This huge rock of lush fertile green, blue waters and mild creatures is a perfect symbiote for any aspiring dweller. The Circle City of the capital as seen in outer space is quite beautiful but nothing compares when you see it up close as you approach to land.

Much the same as last time, the overwhelming scenery made her wonder how such specie capable of wondrous structures and science could be so dangerous and unforgiving in battle. She told herself, this is where the comparison to the Brahm ends. Her old masters may be gigantic warriors of old, but they have managed peace with nearby species for centuries. Only when the Runkans came did war erupted. And this city she's seeing right now is grand proof of how the Runkans can savage the rest of the universe but keep their great city unharmed and untarnished.