The pod cut through Garven's dusty sky and landed hard in a barren canyon. The hatch opened with a hiss, releasing a wave of hot, dry air. Tarac stepped out, stretching his arms as he looked around. The ground was reddish-brown and cracked, dotted with metal outposts and old wrecks half-buried in sand.
"Not much to look at," he muttered.
Garven was known for its mercenaries. Warriors from every corner of the galaxy came here to fight for credits or reputation. The planet's thin atmosphere gave the sky a strange orange tint, and its twin suns made the heat almost unbearable.
Tarac walked toward a small settlement visible in the distance. The closer he got, the louder the noise grew, machines whirring, voices arguing, and somewhere, music playing from an old bar speaker.
He pushed open the door to a cantina filled with aliens of all shapes and sizes. A few heads turned as he entered, but most went back to their drinks. He walked up to the counter.
The bartender, a thick-skinned reptilian with yellow eyes, gave him a suspicious look. "You lost, kid?"
"Looking for work," Tarac said.
The bartender chuckled. "You and half the planet. What can you do?"
Tarac met his gaze. "Fight."
That earned him a raised brow. "Sure you can. There's a bounty board behind you. If you really mean that, pick a job. But don't bite off more than you can chew."
Tarac turned. The board was filled with holographic images of wanted targets. He scanned through them until one caught his eye:
Target: Kaid, former pirate lieutenant.
Threat Level: Medium.
Reward: 12,000 credits.
Last seen: Garven's outer ruins.
"That one," Tarac said, pointing to it.
The bartender frowned. "Kaid? He's not your average thug. Whole crew went rogue after a deal with the Frieza Force went bad. Half the mercs who went after him never came back."
Tarac smirked. "Sounds fun."
The bartender shook his head but printed the coordinates. "If you die, don't say I didn't warn you."
Tarac took the slip and stepped outside. The twin suns were setting, painting the canyon in gold and red. He flew low over the desert, his aura faint and controlled. His scouter showed several weak power levels nearby, but one stood out that was strong and steady.
He landed quietly among the ruins of an old base. Crumbling walls, twisted metal, and the faint scent of oil. Tarac crouched behind a broken pillar and looked ahead. A group of armed thugs stood around a campfire. At their center was a tall, muscular alien with silver skin and a scar running across his face.
Kaid.
Tarac powered up slightly, enough to feel his ki flow through his veins. His tail tightened around his waist. He walked out into the open.
One of the thugs spotted him and raised his weapon. "Hey! Who are you?"
Tarac didn't answer. He raised his hand and fired a small ki blast that knocked the gun out of the thug's grip. The others shouted and charged at him. Tarac met them head-on.
He ducked under a swing, kicked one in the chest, and sent another flying with a backhand strike. His movements were sharp and precise. A punch to the gut, a knee to the chin, a blast to the shoulder. In seconds, three were down.
Kaid stood up slowly, cracking his neck. "You've got guts, kid. But you're out of your league."
"Maybe," Tarac said, smirking. "But I'll find out soon."
Kaid charged forward, moving faster than expected. His first punch sent a shockwave through the ground. Tarac blocked, sliding back a few feet. The power behind it was real. He grinned.
They clashed again, fists colliding like thunder. Kaid's strength was heavy, brute force honed from years of fighting. Tarac's was sharper, refined through training. They exchanged blows in a blur until Kaid caught him with a hit to the side, sending him crashing into a wall.
Tarac stood back up, dusting off his armor. "That all you've got?"
Kaid growled and fired a barrage of energy blasts. Tarac moved through them, his aura flaring gold-white as he powered up slightly. He closed the distance in an instant and landed a clean punch to Kaid's stomach, followed by a kick to the jaw.
Kaid staggered back, clutching his face. "You're not just some random merc."
"No," Tarac said quietly. "I'm a Saiyan."
Kaid's eyes widened, but before he could react, Tarac shot forward, his fist slamming into his chest with enough force to create a small crater beneath them. Kaid hit the ground and didn't get up.
Tarac stood over him, breathing steadily. He didn't need to finish him off. The bounty was alive only. He took out the communicator and sent the signal to confirm the capture.
Within minutes, a patrol ship arrived to retrieve the target. A small drone scanned Tarac and dropped a pouch of credits at his feet before flying off.
Tarac looked at the stars overhead. The thrill of the fight still buzzed in his veins. It wasn't much, but it reminded him what he was made for.
He picked up the pouch and turned back toward the horizon. "Not bad for a first job," he said quietly.
As he walked back through the silent ruins, the night wind carried the faint echo of his footsteps. Somewhere deep inside, his Saiyan blood stirred again, craving the next battle.