Bounty Hunters Creed

Overview

Contrary to popular belief, even the roughest, seediest, and the most dispassionate of hunters are far from being the unprincipled villains many would make them out to be. Most hunters adhere, to some degree, to an unwritten code of ethics which, when spoken of at all, is referred to as "The Bounty Hunters' Creed." While the exact wording of these tenets varies from planet to planet, the gist of this creed is summarized below.



No Bounty Is Worth Dying For
This rule emphasizes that, no matter how great a reward, the hunter should never take any undue risks to his or her life in order to make a capture. They should also consider how much of a risk the bounty is going to be and to plan accordingly. (Of course, how much effort a hunter has put into pursuing a mark, how great the reward, and if it is worth the risk are all open to interpretation in the middle of a hunt.) A reward, even if enormous, can not be spent if the hunter is dead.


People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties.
This single, cardinal rule, more than any other, defines the way in which bounty hunters' approach their chosen profession. It reflects the idea that sapient beings, to some degree, must be accorded respect. If, however, an individual has a bounty placed on them, he or she ceases to be an individual with rights. No longer a member of the galactic community, the "acquisition" becomes fair game. Tears should never be shed over the fate of someone that was, after all, only an "acquisition."


Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity.
In keeping with the loosely defined hunter code of ethics, killing is sometimes necessary. That is business, pure and simple. However, unnecessary killing is still murder. The hunter, unless otherwise directed by those leveling the bounty, must attempt to deliver the acquisition alive. Often, those leveling the bounty have a vested interest in a live target. (and the target might have been better off getting killed by the hunter.)


No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter
Simply put, whatever their origin, bounty hunters' see themselves as a special breed. They take their lives (and those of others) into their hands each time they hunt. One may agree with another hunters' motives or insult them for the manner in which they carried out their hunts, but no bounty hunter would ever take up arms against a fellow hunter. This law applies only to hunters who follow the creed, not to those who have a bounty posted on their head becoming merely acquisitions. In such cases, the ex-hunter is no longer seen as a member of the common fellowship and old scores can now be settled with impunity.


No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt.
While it is not unheard of for hunters to work as a team, the hunt for a given acquisition is most often seen as a form of personal duel between two sapient creatures. In such a deal, the hunter matches skill and courage against all of the resources that the opponent can bring to bear. If the hunter wins, it is a personal triumph denoting superior skill and intellect, and not simply a question of luck. To interfere with another's hunt, unless first invited, is to leave the question of "who is better" open and, perhaps forever, unresolved. Of course, competition between hunters is often fierce and there is often a very thin line between "competition" and "interference". This being true, while a hunter is constrained against taking direct action against another hunter, there is nothing to constrain a hunter from hiring others to do the dirty work. Of course, if such an action, successful or not, can be traced back to the original perpetrator, serious consequences inevitably will follow.


In the Hunt One Captures or Kills, Never Both.
In cases where the acquisition has been taken alive, that "choice" can not be altered. To kill an acquisition in the course of the hunt is one thing, but to purposely kill an unarmed, helpless being already subdued and unable to resist is seen as simple slaughter and wanton butchery. An acquisition "killed while attempting to escape" however, would be an entirely different matter altogether.


No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter.
While no hunter has the right to interfere with another's hunt, there comes a time when even the best of master hunters requires assistance. In extreme cases, any hunter can ask for and expect aid and assistance from another hunter, even if it means that the latter must temporarily suspend his or her own hunt in the meantime to render such aid. Whatever personal grievances or animosities that would be involved between the two parties, it is known and understood that hunters take care of their own. Of course, such assistance is not without its price tag, and the arbitration of payment after the fact can often put a substantial dent in any expected profit.