A Meeting of Iron and Madness

[Muad Dib]

Keldabe ​

The new flags waved across the city. Flags bearing the symbol of Death Watch. It was a new day, and yet nothing had changed but a renewed vigor for those who rallied to Death Watch and a new sense of fear for those who didn't. The city was still in ruin. And yet life continued.

He stood on the skeletal remains of a local market. The desolation caused by Mia brought down walls. And yet the owners had rebuilt. The recent battle of the Mandalorian Civil War had seen the newly rebuilt market burned. All that remained was the frame and a small portion of the roof where Muad currently stood.

Blue eyes scanned the debris. He imagined he could still pick out the remains of the family, but perhaps it was his imagination. Gett and Hailey were mandalorians of Clan Aran. They were hard workers. Followed the tenets of the resol'nare. Gett had lost both legs in service to a prior Mand'alor, Hailey has taken a blaster bolt to the buy'ce that caused her to lose her equilibrium at larger noise, flashes of light, or generally anything outside of the norm.

They were mando'ade.

They were dead.

He frowned as he thought of the reasoning the Death Watch squad had. Their daughter, Ari, was seven years old. Even as a toddler she was able to levitate toys. She was force sensitive. And she was to be exiled for it. But ole Gett refused to leave his home, especially with Hailey being right months pregnant. But the squad didn't care. The squad pulled their guns, Gett pulled his. And this was the ending of the story.

Leaping from the roof he landed in a crouch upon the side street and began making his way through town, cloaked in the shadows of the night. Gett and his family were not unique. Many across the planet shared the same tale and fate.

Crossing the street he continued to the address given. It was a bar that was hosting a small group of families who feared they would be a target of Death Watch. Across the city Muad had outlooks, vode of Clan Farr who were keeping an eye out in case and mobilization was to be seen. If Muad had been able to get the information of the gathering, there was the possibility others could as well.

[member="HK-36"]

 

[HK-36]

[member="Muad Dib"],


HK head towards the same meeting as well, and soon enough the door the bar would swing open after Muad made his way inside, and there would be the noise of glass crunching on the ground, smashed down further by heavy footsteps placed on top of it. Large being clad in dark armor would make his way, covered in what seemed to be fleshy substance with thick chitinous plates arranged over it in traditional Mandalorian style, even the plates on his head protecting his face were arranged into a T-visor.

Some people would turn, some maybe briefly reached for weapons seeing the somewhat sinister looking dark armor and black heavy cloak trailing behind him, cascading off of his shoulders. However any fear and suspicion would probably be dismissed as those gathered saw who it was, for the droid would probably quickly gather reputation among those who were seeking to escape the city and seek refuge outside its limits, after all he just spent most of the night since the fighting started getting groups of vod refusing to take part in fighting out of the city. There were some rumors about his nature as well, the fact that he may have been a beskar'ad, a child of iron, any doubts about that would be dismissed quickly as the plates on his head shifted and moved back, with the black flesh material peeling off of his faceplate, revealing the visage of a silver-light droid beneath, fashioned to resemble a mix between the classic HK design and a Khaleesh war mask.

HK looked around the establishment, scanning over everyone with his crimson glowing eyes, looking at Muad Dib as well before in silence moving to the side of the room and picking up a chair. Turning it around with a soft scrape he would move to sit down without saying anything still and looking to others, waiting for the meeting to begin.

 

[Muad Dib]

Watching as the armored figure entered Muad lightly smoked the deathstick before plucking it from his lips and grinding the butt into an ashtray. As exhale creating a blue cloud wafted on the recycled air. Pulling the half empty mug of ale toward him he slowly turned the container as shrewd eyes pondered the figure he knew as @HK-36. Even without the recording he had received the night that Mandal Motors had fallen, Muad would know the other being. There weren't many droids as famous, or infamous, as the one who had arrived.

Rising he grabbed the back of the chair and moved to where HK sat as before sitting down once again and stretching his legs out. Curiosity colored his expression as he gazed at the other being with not only his body's natural senses but also the force. The meeting, thankfully, had several minutes before us was due to start which showed the mando'ad a chance to continue his unsubtle view of the unique droid.

"You are HK-36. There are reports of you assisting mando'ade from the city to get away from the war ... Or finding safety for those who had abilities that would mean their exile. Who are you and what side of the war are you in?"

He leaned back slightly, hands resting upon the beskar plates of his thighs and for easy reach to the Protector Revolver Mark II should the need arise.

 

[Muad Dib]

,Stupid double post'

 

[HK-36]

[member="Muad Dib"],

When Muad came closer to the droid, HK made no moves for weapons or really acknowledged his presence outside of slightly turning his head to peer at the man with one glowing red droid eye, he would not even shift his form like Muad did to make it easier grabbing his own twin Heavy Magnetic Revolvers should he need to. He would just listen to Muad's piece before finally speaking back,

"You answered your own question, I am the first model of Hunter-Killer Series 36, but if you knew that already you would also know that a Protector Revolver, Mark II, would not do much should I be hostile. I do not take life lightly, at least not anymore, so you can sincerely relax."

A list of what would not do much against the droid was long, seemingly growing longer with each year that the machine was left operational and learned more tricks, although he decided not to boast about it, reaching out to the droid with the Force to scan over him, Muad would feel mostly void. Not in the sense of a static background that droids usually were in the Force, like rocks or walls of a building, but even more elusive and blurred, getting a feel on the droid with the Force would be abnormally difficult, as if he was dead in the Force, at least, interestingly enough, from the neck down. This was one of the attributes of the armored Vong biot the droid wore, whichever parts it covered it created a Force dead bubble within its embrace, protecting him from any Force-based abilities that would affect his body directly.

"I am on Mando'ade's side, which I would consider to be neither side at the moment. I have no love for the Deathwatch and the wanton destruction they spread on vod, if Viszla would have renounced and exiled those dogs I may have had more willingness to put up with him. But I will not stand for Monroe and what she did to Mandalore after I fought besides her to protect it from the Deathwatch and the Sith when those bastards dropped a nuke on the capital city, until she answers for her crime she will be no Mand'alore of mine."

HK shook his head slightly,

"I stand on the side of reason, those who recognize both of the sides are chit and are just trying to survive this so that this war will not consume Mandalore and vod fully, otherwise by the time they are done there will be no Mandalorians to rule over."

 

[Muad Dib]

He listened to the Droid speak. It was interesting hearing the words coming from the other being. Not because he was an artificial created intelligence but rather that he voiced reasonings that rang true to himself. It was seemingly difficult for most mando'ad to grasp and reiterate the sentiment. Most flocked to one of the Mand'alor seeing the family in the other while turning a blind eye to the issues of their chosen side. But a Droid could see it and made a similar choice as he did.

"You are an interesting individual mate. I, too, feel as you do. I cannot follow a woman who had caused the deaths of millions of vode, devastated our homeworld, and caused the Extinction of hundreds of clans. But I cannot and will not join Death Watch and Ra who have expressed that they will break the resol'nare in an attempt to keep our people and culture together. I am Mandalorian and I will fight for the mando'ade, despite the enemy being domestic rather then foreign."

Pulling a deathstick from a pick he lightly tapped it against the table as he mused silently.

"This war will tear our people apart. And I will do everything I can to save as many caught in the middle or specifically persecuted. The time has come to choose a side, Ra or Mia, and many believe that there are two sides. But there is a third. I choose the mando'ade who keep the resol'nare. While I, and you, have been able to spirit those away there are many already captured and imprisoned. I cannot stand by while they await an unjust fate."

He paused as he looked to the Droid not able to read the being as he would an organic.

[member="HK-36"]

 

[HK-36]

[member="Muad Dib"],

"Well sorry but if you are looking for a butt-buddy, I do not swing that way."

That was probably not what Muad meant when he said that he found HK to be an "interesting individual" but the droid did not linger on the subject,

"What would you have the Free Vod do then, fire on both sides? That will get them killed faster than just sitting on their hands doing nothing."

HK pointed out,

"I am all up for getting as many of the Mando'ade to safety and away from the madness, but we should not stoop to the level of Liberators or Death Watch, we should avoid causalities when possible, just let them kill themselves, they are all too willing to do so anyway."

He would look to Muad then again,

"Your comment about the imprisoned ones seems awful specific however, is there a plan you were going to try and get me aboard for next?"

 

[Muad Dib]

A burst of laughter erupted from the man at the idea of being"butt buddies", especially with a Droid. Gathering his composure, such as it was, he continued to listen to the metal Lord speak. It was clear the machine thought of itself as a Mandalorian. Contemplating the idea Muad finally have a noncommittal shrug. If a former sith could be accepted by the mando'ade as a vod why couldn't a sentient machine. Of course those days of acceptance and cin vhetin, the clean slate, had ended. Which brought the man back on point.

"I don't know you, other then reputation and what my clan had seen with their own eyes. But you are helping our vode in finding a way out. I, too, wish to aid in their escape from the persecution that has already begun. Already there are several families being held in Sundari, mandalorians that have done nothing except be born different. They are mando'ad, and yet they suffer because of this decree that had been passed. Yes, I have a plan."

Leaving back his eyes scanned the room before moving back to HK. He was looking for assistance from like minded vode first. Then, if necessary, he would look elsewhere. War wasn't coming, it was already here. But there wasn't just two sides, but a third that either felt neither Mand'alor were deserving of being Sole Ruler or had the apparent misfortune to be born different.

[member="HK-36"]

 

[HK-36]

[member="Muad Dib"],


"What is your plan then? Although I doubt we would be able to execute it with just the two of us. If you are putting together a team then I have some ground rules,"

The machine would lean in closer to Muad to show that it was a serious one,

"I will not work with a practicing Sith, in fact I might do all I can to eliminate them once given a chance. If you are planning on including them in your plan, I would insist you keep their nature a secret."

At that he would lean back in his chair,

"Do you know about any planet which would accept these prisoners once we freed them? I doubt they will live for long if they will stay on the planet, especially if the Death Watch wins in the end."

Of course HK was aware of some planets that would take them, especially if those Mandalorians they freed would be greatful enough to enter military service for the powers which governed said planets, although he wanted to hear Muad's suggestion first.