Bounty Hunters' Creed

The Bounty Hunters' Creed is the unwritten rules of the bounty hunters.

All Bounty Hunters are required to abide by these simple guidelines. A bounty huntter who fails to uphold these rules will undergo termination of their bounty hunting license.

Contrary to popular belief, even the roughest, the 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 hunter's creed." While the exact wording of these tenants varies from planet to planet, the gist of this creed is summarized below.

While the average Republican citizen may find the codes objectionable, and even morally offensive, they serve as a loosely defined set of enforceable principles by which hunters conduct their trade and live out their lives.

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 is, after all, only an "acquisition."
 * People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties.

In keeping with the loosely defined hunter code of ethics, killing is sometimes necessary. That's 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 be better off getting killed by the hunter.
 * Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity.

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 hunter's motives or insult them for the manner in which they carry out their hunts, but no bounty hunter may ever take up arms against a fellow hunter. This law applies only to hunters who themselves follow the creed, or who themselves have a bounty posted on their head, are 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 settle with impunity.
 * No Hunter Shall Slay Another Hunter

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 the resources one's 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 follow.
 * No Hunter Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt.

In cases where the acquisition has been taken alive, that "choice" cannot 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.
 * In the Hunt One captures or Kills, Never Both.

While no hunter has the right to interfere with another's hunt, there come times when even the best of master hunters require assistance. In extreme cases, any hunter may 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 may 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.
 * No Hunter Shall Refuse Aid to Another Hunter.