Star Wars: Immortal Devotion - Short Stories (Character Intros/One Shots)

Lyonel Merrillion - "Pride and Precedence" (Full)

3 B.B.Y. - Nickel Seven (Roche Asteroid Belt)

"You won't get away with this!"

Lyonel Merrillion and his companion 'Kroe'Draba'Gechi cornered the cowering Verpine as he frantically glanced to and fro for an exit.

"That's our line," 'Kroe said pointing his blaster straight at the insectoid's chest. The spindly, green creature attempted to climb up the rocky cave wall behind him, to no avail.

Lyonel tried to calm their target down. "We hate to do this, Petryal..."

"No we don't," 'Kroe smiled, cutting his partner off and taking an aggressive step forward.

Lyonel glared at 'Kroe for a moment, who just shrugged with indifference, and Petryal nervously glanced between the two.

"Okay, yeah. I made some poor life choices. But I can change," the Verpine pleaded, trying to take a slow step towards them.

"Back up there, pal," 'Kroe said, tightening his grip on the trigger, "it's a little too late to change now."

Lyonel lowered his blaster and stood straight up, looking directly into the Verpine's bulbous, compound eyes. "We do not know what fate awaits you when we bring you back, but I've heard the Verpine take murder charges very seriously, so it will most likely not be pleasant."

The Verpine stuck his arms out in defense, "I'm telling you guys, it was self defense. She was crazy and attacked me. I was the victim."

Lyonel shook his head and raised his blaster again, "You may not have known this, but there were, in fact, multiple witnesses up on the rooftop above where the crime took place. They all testified that she was holding one of her children when you jumped her and stabbed her to death, leaving the child alone on the streets."

Lyonel knew their next course of action rode entirely upon his response to this revelation. Fortunately, Verpine were not the most intelligent beings in the galaxy.

Petryal looked down at his feet and sighed, "well shoot. Wish I had known that sooner."

He began making a loud clicking noise with his mandibles while starting to laugh, unhinged. "I was so close to getting away. So close to justifying that ungrateful witch's death. I know I checked those surrounding rooftops, they would have had to sneak up there incredibly fast, unless..."

"Unless what? Unless I lied," Lyonel grinned, revealing his large canine teeth. "Petryal, you are coming with us one way or another."

"You womp rat, I'm not going to let you take me alive! I'm going to-"

'Kroe pumped a blaster bolt straight into the Verpine's stomach. "Fine with me."

The Verpine fell on all fours, putting his segmented hand up to his stomach and looking down at the green blood oozing from his body. "You shot me?!"

Lyonel and Kroe's third team member, Muroi Von, burst into the cave. "The ship's ready to go." He glanced down at the Verpine and then at his two companions, "aww man, I missed all the fun again."

'Kroe hoisted his large blaster up onto his shoulder and patted the Shistavanen on the head as he walked out of the rocky tunnel, "you'll get em next time, boy."

Lyonel reached down and picked up the Verpine, who was still very much alive but had passed out from the pain. Their internal organs were not arranged like most living creatures, as they were just enormous, sentient insects, so as long as they bandaged him up on the ship, he should still be alive when they delivered him to the murder victim's husband.

As he and Muroi exited the cave, the wolfman turned to look at Lyonel questioningly. "Not that I care all too much, seeing as we're being paid either way, but are you sure he's actually the guilty party? I know there were definitely some discrepancies with the client and the charges before we left."