Private Burdens of Brothers

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Bonadan - Vergeworks

Equipment:
Apprentice Attire | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm

The Vergeworks stretched endlessly beneath the afternoon haze. Factories belched smoke high into the sky while cargo traffic drifted between refinery towers and elevated shipping lanes overhead. The district moved with relentless momentum; cranes turning, assembly lines roaring, freighters descending toward overcrowded docking platforms. Everything here was built for production, survival, and exhaustion. Nothing more.

But compared to what it used to be, the Vergeworks felt different now. The random gang wars that once bled through entire sectors had mostly vanished. Smuggling routes operated with structure instead of constant territorial conflict. Entire districts that used to erupt over shipments or protection rackets had gone quiet beneath a heavier hand. All by Ace's hand.

He stood near the edge of a rooftop overlooking Sector 9G, one hand resting lightly against the railing as the wind tugged faintly at the fabric of his coat. From here he could see the old residential blocks wedged between industrial zones and starport infrastructure. The scrapyards stretched endlessly in the distance beneath layers of smoke and machinery.

The same skyline he'd grown up staring at as a kid. Just from a different position now. His gaze shifted briefly toward one of the eastern shipping sectors where today's operation was unfolding below. One of the distribution crews moving through Vergeworks territory had been siphoning medical shipments and reselling them off-world for profit. It destabilized the system and invited attention from people far worse than local gangs.

So Ace came personally, lately he'd found himself trusting fewer and fewer things from a distance. Coruscant, the Covenant, the cold war. Even himself sometimes. His prosthetic fingers flexed once against the railing before settling again. Brown eyes drifted back across the skyline as the weight of recent weeks lingered quietly at the back of his mind.

The Trinity. Balmorra. Jedha. The thoughts came whether he wanted them to or not. Sibylla looking at him differently on the Trinity. Lorn trying to stop him. The growing realization that more and more of the people dying around Covenant operations weren't monsters, just obstacles. And beneath Jedha's ruins... children made of light looking at him with recognition instead of fear.

Ace exhaled slowly through his nose. For the first time in a long while, the certainty underneath everything had started to crack. Not enough to stop or walk away, but enough to feel it.

Below him, the Vergeworks continued forward without pause. Workers crossing catwalks. Freighters lifting into polluted skies. People surviving because survival was the only thing this place had ever truly taught them.

Ace watched the city in silence, shoulders still beneath the afternoon wind.

Aether Verd​

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Armor - Darksaber - Mask of Mandalore
.​

THE VERGEWORKS

The Vergeworks were a sight to behold.

From above, the sector appeared similar to Yaga Minor. The structures were brutal in terms of architecture. The air was thick with industry. Everything about the Vergeworks said this is the engine for something greater. It was fitting, then, that the one on top was Ace. After all, if Aether had anything to say about it, the young warrior was something greater.

Upon arriving on Bonadan, Ace was kind enough to provide his sibling with his location. It was a small hop, skip, and jump away from the starport where the Mand'alor had landed. But Aether had no intention of walking or taking the usual transit to their meeting place. He wanted to see the Vergeworks from above - and thus he soared via jetpack for a few moments. His helm darting to and fro to take in the sights of the world Ace called home.

After his bought of tourism, the Mand'alor changed course and made for Ace's locale. He found his sibling overlooking the view. It may have been a touch dramatic, but Aether came to a halt before his sibling by hovering in the air before him.

"What's up, Ace?" he said, clearly amused with himself, before landing properly on the balcony beside him.

It was then that Aether had a chance to take in the sight of his younger brother. And at a glance...he was a changed man. Just by the way he stood, Aether could tell that he had been through quite a bit. But what exactly had transpired was a mystery. Ace wasn't alone in change. Ever since the war with the Diarchy, there was an edge to the Mand'alor that was not present before. It was if his patience had been cut in half.

As if driving nails through flesh was easier each time he did so.

Nonetheless. It mattered not how much each man changed, for they were brothers. And here, in the presence of one another, they could truly be themselves.

Acier Moonbound

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Bonadan - Vergeworks

Equipment:
Apprentice Attire | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm

Ace felt him before he saw him. The sensation brushed faintly against the edges of his awareness through the Force long before the sound of jet engines ever reached the rooftop. Familiar, steady, and heavy in a way that didn't feel oppressive, but grounding. Like something old and unshakable moving through the noise surrounding his life. His brother.

Ace's gaze remained on the skyline for another moment as the distant sound of a jetpack finally cut through the industrial haze overhead. Cargo freighters continued drifting between refinery towers while smoke rolled endlessly across the Vergeworks beneath the afternoon sun. Then the sound grew closer.

Ace turned just in time to see Aether hovering several feet above the balcony. The faintest smirk tugged briefly at the corner of his mouth at the ridiculousness of the entrance, especially after the greeting that followed it. The expression softened some of the tension sitting across his features, though not enough to fully reach his eyes.

"Aether." The name left him quieter than intended.

It had been months since they'd last seen each other face to face. Too many months. The galaxy had a habit of pulling people apart lately. Aether had his war with the Diarchy and everything that came with carrying Mandalore on his shoulders. Ace had... everything else.

As Aether landed properly on the balcony, Ace finally got a better look at him and immediately noticed the change. Not physical, but something beneath it. Sharper edges, more than before. Aether seemed exhausted, and it wasn't the kind that came from lack of sleep. It was responsibility, violence, and repeated hard decisions. He knew the look all too well, because Ace had seen it every time he looked in the mirror.

Part of him felt quietly guilty then. He'd been so consumed lately with his own trials and tribulations, that he hadn't really stopped to think about what Aether himself must've been carrying through all of this.

Ace exhaled slowly through his nose before leaning back lightly against the railing beside him.

"It's..." He paused briefly, like the words needed a second to settle properly. "I'm glad you're here, vod."

A faint smile touched his face then. A little smaller this time, but nonetheless real.

"How've you been holding up?"

Strangely... for the first time in weeks, maybe longer, some of the pressure sitting across his chest loosened slightly just from standing there with him. Similar to the rare quiet moments he'd found lately with Fatine, being around Aether again pulled him briefly out of the constant noise in his own head.

The war was still there. The Covenant was still there. Everything waiting for him on Coruscant was still there. But for now, at least? It felt a little farther away.

Aether Verd​

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Armor - Darksaber - Mask of Mandalore
.​

VERGEWORKS

For a moment, there was only the sound of the Vergeworks churning around them.

The brothers took measure of one another wordlessly, each understanding the toll life had taken upon them. Then, brief words were exchanged, with Ace sharing the same sentiment that Aether felt for himself. He was glad to be here, standing before his younger sibling. Though the Galaxy and responsibilities piled upon their shoulders, at the very least they had each other. Thus, Aether didn't respond to the man's greeting or question with words.

He simply strode across the small distance between them and tugged the man into a brief, yet powerful, embrace. It concluded with a firm squeeze - the sort that only an elder sibling fething with his younger brother could give, before he relinquished Ace once more.

"It's good to be here Ace." he began. "I've been holding up well enough. The Diarchy has fallen - but with their demise comes a wave of cockroaches to clean up. But in all, Mandalore is well. I'm..."

A sigh fell from his lips. If he couldn't be straight with his sibling, who could he be straight with?

"I'm tired Ace. But more than that? I'm...angry. Angrier than I ever have been. I thought victory over the Diarchy would fix this fire in me, but if anything it made it worse. I just..." He shook his head and motioned towards Ace, changing the subject almost immediately.

"How are you? What's new in your world?"

Acier Moonbound

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Bonadan - Vergeworks

Equipment:
Apprentice Attire | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm

Ace stiffened instinctively the moment Aether pulled him into the embrace. The reaction came the same way it had on Ryloth all that time ago, his body locking for half a second like it no longer fully remembered what to do with that kind of affection anymore. Somewhere along the line, warmth had become unfamiliar. Dangerous, even. Something easier kept at arm's length than held onto.​

​

Still, after a brief hesitation, Ace returned it. Awkwardly at first, then properly. The squeeze from Aether grounded something in him he hadn't realized had been drifting. By the time they separated again, Ace exhaled quietly through his nose, the faintest smile pulling at his mouth as Aether mentioned the Diarchy's fall.​

​

Good. After everything Aether had told him the last time they'd spoken, there was no part of Ace that believed the Diarchy deserved survival. Some things didn't need reforming. They needed ending.​

​

The smile faded slowly as Aether continued. Ace listened without interruption while his brother spoke about anger, exhaustion, and the fire that victory hadn't extinguished. His gaze stayed on Aether the entire time, steady and attentive, present in a way Ace rarely allowed himself to be with people anymore. An unspoken acknowledgment that Aether didn't need to carry the weight alone for at least these few minutes.​

​

Then the question turned back toward him. Ace's eyes lowered briefly and for a moment, he said nothing. Then:​

​

"I..." His jaw shifted slightly. "I know how you feel. All I feel is anger and hatred these days. Like there's no room for anything else."​

​

That admission lingered between them longer than Ace intended it to. Eventually, his gaze lifted back to Aether's.​

​

"But I remembered what you said. I used it. To fuel me."​

​

Ace gestured outward toward the sprawling industrial district beneath them, the city churning endlessly below.​

​

"And now... I'm running this city. Brought order and stability here."​

​

There was no pride in the statement, just factual. Ace turned back toward him, adjusting the cuffs of his black leather coat over his wrists.​

​

"I'm... with the Sith Covenant now." He paused after admitting it "Not because I agree with them. But I've seen what they can do. How effective they are." His expression hardened slightly. "I watched them take the Empire apart in a single campaign."​

​

His hand moved to the back of his neck, rubbing at the tension there before he started pacing slowly across the overlook.​

​

"It's why I asked you to come here."​

​

Ace rarely paced anymore. The movement alone betrayed the pressure sitting beneath his composure.​

​

"I..." He exhaled sharply. "I need your advice, Aether."​

​

The words sounded strange coming from him. Ace trusted himself almost to a fault. Whether it was survival, combat, mechanics, infiltration, or strategy, he relied on his own judgment before anyone else's. Even when seeking guidance from people like Lorn or Pisti, it had usually been practical. Technical. Training. Something tangible.​

​

This was different. This wasn't about how to fight something, and the fact Ace was willingly placing that uncertainty in Aether's hands said more than the confession itself ever could.​

​

Aether Verd​

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Armor - Darksaber - Mask of Mandalore
.​

VERGEWORKS

The hesitation wasn't lost on Aether.

Yet, the Mandalorian wasn't surprised in the slightest. Life had been unkind to the point where an embrace warranted a silent question first. Despite this, Aether felt his brother relax in his arms for a moment and noted the faint smile on his face when they separated. Good. If the day ever came when Aether couldn't embrace his sibling and feel that he was okay? That was when he would worry.

That is when he'd burn the Galaxy down.

When Aether shared how he was doing - truly doing - it felt...good to be heard. He saw that Ace was fully attentive, truly understanding the weight laced into each and every syllable. And when it came time for Ace to paint a picture of his world, he'd find the same understanding. The way Aether looked upon his younger brother said to the cosmos that nothing and no one mattered other than him.

And as he listened, his eyebrow raised ever so slightly. Ace had went on quite the journey since they discovered one another. Where once he was the understudy of the Jedi, he now walked along the Sith Covenant. Now, he even ruled.

"Anger and hatred are powerful motivators. Just don't lose who you are in the conquest - remember why you fight." came his eventual thoughts. He then looked past Ace, nodding at the Vergeworks around them. He then looked back upon Ace before continuing.

"You have...chosen powerful allies, brother. But with said choice, you also invite blades into your spine. Never forget the nature of the Sith. They are scorpions and they will sting. Just as the Jedi are serpents who will bite. You must always be aware and always be many steps ahead."

He motioned towards the Vergeworks with his offhand. "If you falter, all you have wrought will fall to ruin. But if you stand firm? No one can stop you." Aether then nodded when Ace's request for advice reached his ears.

"I'm happy to advise, Ace. Though, be warned, relationship advice is off the table. Of the two of us, you'd be the expert."

Acier Moonbound

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Bonadan - Vergeworks

Equipment:
Apprentice Attire | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm

Ace listened quietly as Aether spoke, his eyes drifting in contemplation. His brother's words lingered heavier than Ace wanted them to. Don't lose who you are in the conquest, but that was the problem, wasn't it?

There were moments lately where he felt hollowed out entirely. Detached from himself and from other people, like he was moving through conversations and battles on instinct alone while something deeper inside him watched from far away. Then there were other moments where the opposite happened and all he could do was question every decision he'd made since stepping into the Covenant.

Whether he'd crossed a line already. Or whether he'd stopped caring that he had.

Aether continued speaking, warning him about the Sith, about vigilance, betrayal, and survival. Ace's gaze remained fixed on the distance, but his expression showed he was listening intently. Truthfully, none of it was new, he'd already told himself the exact same things countless times.

That was why he was so exhausted. Living every conversation like a layered game of dejarik where one mistake could get him exposed, killed, or worse, turned into something he wouldn't recognize anymore.

Then Aether mentioned relationships. That finally pulled Ace's attention back toward him and a dry huff escaped through his nose, the closest thing to a laugh he could manage.

"You know about that?" Ace asked before immediately shaking his head once. "Of course you do."

A small smirk tugged briefly at the corner of his mouth.

"It's about time you find someone. Mandalore needs an heir."

He knew full well that wasn't really how Mandalorian succession worked, but if he couldn't take a shot at Aether every now and then, what was even the point of having an older brother?

Then Ace exhaled slowly and looked down for a moment before speaking again.

"I infiltrated them at first." He admitted quietly. "I wanted to help the High Republic. Help Sibylla. She and... another friend were my outside contacts. I fed them information while I worked my way up. Working to dismantle the Covenant from the inside."

His gloved hand dragged back through his white locs as he leaned against the railing slightly.

"I wanted to keep everyone safe. The people I care about. I still do. So when I saw how proactive the Covenant was and how... slow the Republic were to everything... I started thinking maybe I could use it instead."

His eyes drifted back over the Vergeworks again.

"The Covenant. Their reach. Their power. I thought maybe if I climbed high enough, took control eventually, I could direct it toward something useful. Destroy threats like the Empire or the Diarchy before they could do any real damage."

The industrial glow reflected faintly across his features as he stared out across the district he'd once escaped from and now ruled from the shadows.

"I know it can work. Me in control. Because I've already done it here."

His eyes shifted back toward Aether then, and for the first time since the conversation began, the certainty in him weakened visibly.

"But Sibylla..." He exhaled quietly. "She couldn't get behind it. Said I was losing myself. Haven't spoken to her since."

Silence lingered briefly between them before Ace finally continued.

"I know loyalty matters to you. Bonds. Family." He glanced toward him fully now. "But you're also responsible for an entire people."

A faint crease formed between his brows.

"I just..." He hesitated. "I wanna know if I'm actually doing the right thing if it means losing the people I'm doing it for."

Aether Verd ​

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Armor - Darksaber - Mask of Mandalore
.​

VERGEWORKS

After Aether had shared his thoughts, on survival and the nature of things, Ace's gaze remained on the Vergeworks horizon. The Mand'alor could tell his sibling was listening intently and simply using the view to process his words. It wasn't until he mentioned relationships that the young Hero huffed and turned to his elder brother. And the question Ace posed then caused an eyebrow to skyrocket.

"Know about what?" Aether began, arms folding inquisitively. "I was more referring to my crippling inability to tell the pretty blonde in my life that I'd like to hold her hand on a regular basis..." The absurdity of the statement was not inaccurate in the slightest. It had literally taken a physician spelling it out to Aether that he had a crush on the woman in question. To say the Mand'alor was hopeless in the romance department was the understatement of the century.

"And as much as I would love to settle down and have a wife and children...The Galax-" he began, excuse fresh on his tongue. Aether was going to say that the Galaxy needed to calm the hell down for five minutes for him to consider it. But then again...when was the Galaxy ever calm? When was there ever sufficient peace to pursue such things? If Ace was asking him when to find love, he'd say do it now because you might never get the chance. Surely, Aether would follow his own advice, right?

The Mand'alor shrugged. "I've got to grow a pair is all. Can't have my little brother getting married before me, eh?"

It was then Aether's time to listen. Ace shared why he had infiltrated the Covenant to begin with. He shared just how his perspective had changed over time and how Sibylla Abrantes couldn't get behind where he now stood. And finally, Ace posed the question of the hour. It earned a strong, contemplative huff from his sibling. Aether fell silent for a moment, carefully choosing his words...before a light chuckle escaped him.

"Try as we might, we all end up just like Dad, eh?" he began. His tone was alive with amusement as he continued. "He was in an identical situation as the one you find yourself in. He built his Confederacy a lifetime ago, hoping that if he ruled a stable nation that was strong enough, he could protect everyone he loved. He could keep the multitude of our siblings safe. He could tame the stupidity of our Mandalorian forebears. He could do it all."

"And in the end, he succeeded. The Confederacy conquered, what, an eighth of the Galaxy - give or take? Beat Mandalore into submission. Liberated Eshan. Protected the Silver Jedi for ages - all while publicly going by Darth Metus mind. On paper, you'd think that he achieved his goal right?"

Aether shook his head.

"In the process, damn near most of our siblings who were alive at the time died. The ones who survived are scattered all over. His apprentice? The woman he plucked from nothing on Coruscant and raised to practically be his daughter? She went through Hell at his side. Sure, they had each other and still do. But the woman he described knowing back then and the literal Sith Empress of today? Two wildly different people."

The Mand'alor motioned towards his sibling. "I tell you all this because you're about to build your own Confederacy. You're hoping that by building something mighty, that by being in control, you'll be able to protect what you care about. Truth is? You'll have the power to avenge them, but they'll be hurt, guaranteed. There's a reason I don't force House Verd to serve in the Mandalorian Empire. A reason why I don't force Mandalorians to kneel before me."

"Because no matter what I tell myself, about what I'm building or who I'll protect with my armies and fleets...people I love will still die. Mandalorians will still die."

He paused for a moment, letting the words settle.

"So are you doing the right thing? That's the wrong question. You have to decide if the power to destroy the 'big bad' is worth losing people you love. Because try as you might, they will get hurt or they will be lost. And when the Covenant someday falls - as all nations do - you'll have to live with the man standing atop the ashes."

Aether smiled mirthlessly for just a moment before putting the cherry on top. "That all being said, what is your name?"

Acier Moonbound

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Bonadan - Vergeworks

Equipment:
Apprentice Attire | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm

Ace closed his eyes and exhaled quietly through his nose. Somehow he'd managed to accidentally reveal he was romantically involved with someone without actually meaning to. The realization alone made him want to launch himself off the balcony.

Still, hearing that Aether had someone in his life drew a faint smile from him. Good. For all the burdens his brother carried, Ace had always hoped there would be room in his life for something beyond duty, war, and responsibility. But, the fact Aether was apparently just as hopeless around women as he was only made the smile linger slightly longer.

It was comforting, but also deeply amusing. The irony wasn't lost on him either, that somehow Isley Verd had managed to father two sons who were catastrophically bad at this sort of thing.

Then Aether began answering his actual question and the very first comparison immediately sank like a stone into his stomach. Dad. Ace listened in silence as Aether spoke of the Confederacy, of Isley's intentions, of all the people he'd wanted to protect. The similarities became harder and harder to ignore with every sentence. Building something powerful. Creating stability. Taking control. Protecting the people he loved through strength.

And yet despite everything their father had built... People still suffered, died, were still lost. Metus had succeeded in the end. But at what cost? That was the part that frightened Ace most. Because if Isley had achieved everything he'd set out to do and still couldn't protect the people he loved from pain, what did that say about the path Ace was walking now?

Ace released a slow breath and rested both hands against the railing, leaning forward slightly with his head lowered. Everything Aether said made sense. And of all people in the galaxy, Aether was probably qualified to speak on this better than anyone. He carried the weight of Mandalore now himself. He understood both sides of the equation far better than Ace ever could.

When Aether finally reached the real question, whether the power was worth losing the people he loved, Ace didn't answer. Because he didn't have one.

Then Aether asked his final question, and a small smirk pulled at the corner of Ace's mouth despite himself.

"You're gonna have to be more specific. I have three."

The answer was dry, but there was unmistakable teasing beneath it. Vayun. Acier Moonbound. Acier Verd. Three names and three different people depending on who was asking.

Then the smirk faded slowly. "I met Kenji a few months back. Real nerfherder. But he said something that's stuck with me."

Ace stared out across the Vergeworks.

"He said as Verds, our lives are mostly pain and sorrow with occasional moments of happiness before we lose it all. I'm..." His jaw shifted slightly. "I'm willing to lose everyone as long as they're safe."

The words left him before he could stop them. Then he shook his head.

"But I'm not willing for them to die, or get hurt."

That was the line. The one thing he couldn't accept. It's what he'd been fighting against this entire time.

And yet... Another uncomfortable thought lingered beneath everything Aether had said. Ace had sacrificed so much to get where he was. Months of deception, relationships, pieces of himself. He had influence within the Covenant that most people could never dream of obtaining. Would walking away now make all of that meaningless? Or... was that just another lie he'd been telling himself?

Maybe there was another option. Mistakes he could avoid. Lessons he could learn. Maybe... it was finally time to reach out to their father.

Eventually Ace pushed himself upright and glanced toward Aether again. A faint smile returned to his face, smaller than before, but genuine.

"Anyway..." He shook his head. "Thanks, Aether."

For the first time since the conversation began, some of the weight seemed lighter.

"But I'm tired of talking about me." A mischievous glint briefly surfaced in his eyes. "Tell me about this woman that's caught your attention."

Aether Verd ​

 

[Aether Verd]

Wearing:
Armor - Darksaber - Mask of Mandalore
.​

VERGEWORKS

Hearing the truth was never easy.

The Mand'alor watched as his sibling rested both hands upon the railing, with head lowered. And what Aether saw was a young man grappling with the reality of his world. The path that Ace walked seemed to be certain: he could have the power to protect all he loved. But the tale of their sire was a cautionary one, where building a nation had all but cost him everything.

There was a moment of quiet between the brothers as Ace contemplated, finally broken by the slightly amused answer given by the Vergeworks' new liege. The words were dry, but Aether shook his head.

"You stand with the Covenant, yes? When our father briefly stood with the One Sith, he was named Darth Metus by their Dark Lord of the Sith. He and Srina had even chosen the name Kivuli for me, but I decided to wear a buy'ce instead." Aether chuckled at the memory and how Srina Talon 's ever-graceful face showed a modicum of dissatisfaction at her godson's choice.

Her eyes narrowed. Scariest moment of Aether's life up until that point.

"So I'll ask again, what is your name? For being a Sith...wearing the title Darth...it's a challenge to the Galaxy. It says 'I can take the best you have and survive. Challenge me and meet your end.'"

He paused before nodding as Ace recounted the words of their elder sibling Kenji. To date, Aether hadn't met the elusive sibling, but knew of him by reputation...and nerfherder was an accurate depiction.

"Kenji is quite the character, isn't he?" Aether began, contemplating his words as he spoke. "I'd say I mostly agree with him. Mostly. And that I'm with you on willing to lose who I love if they're safe...And if you're not willing for them to die or get hurt? You need to be stronger than anyone else. And I'm not talking armies or fleets or politics. I'm talking you."

"The Galaxy should hear the name Ace and shit their pants enough that your date nights are never interrupted, ya hear?" His concluding words were absurd by design. An attempt to lighten the weightiness of the conversation shared between them.

There was one thing Aether knew for certain looking upon his brother now. No matter how much they both balk against the shadow cast by their father...they were indeed they daddy's sons.

When Ace pushed himself upright and thanked his sibling, Aether simply nodded at first. There wasn't any need to thank him for being present, nor for his words. He'd always support his younger brother, 'til his last breath...and speaking of breaths, Ace's final question made the Mand'alor's stop.

"Ah...Ahem...Uh..." he stammered lightly, before bracing himself upon the railing. Now it was his turn to grapple with the truth it seemed. "Her name is Persephone. She's...don'tjudgeme...she's like seeing the morning light after the darkest, shittiest evening you've ever lived. She's like a mug of hot tea when you're feeling ill. She's so kind and wise and funny."

He faced his brother for a moment. "She even has this adorable catch phrase: Oh-ee-no-ee. It's rare when I hear it but...man when she does it makes my brain shut down. And don't get me started on looks, brother. I've never seen a woman make beskar'gam look that good. And her hair? Brother. When she walks by, you can sme-"

Aether caught himself mid ramble and literally clamped a hand over his mouth.

"...Yeah, she's great. What about you? I'm assuming it's a brunette, right? You have a type."

Acier Moonbound

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Bonadan - Vergeworks

Equipment:
Apprentice Attire | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm

Aether reiterated. He was talking about a Darth title and asking Ace what his was. Realization settled quickly.

"I'm not standing with them. I'm using them." He said, correcting Aether. "But..." He shrugged lightly. "I don't have one. Wasn't given one. Don't know if I'd want one."

What interested him more was the idea that Aether had almost been given one. Honestly, he couldn't imagine it. Aether as a Sith Lord, wearing a Darth title, and doing anything other than being the most aggressively Mandalorian person in the galaxy.

His attention returned as Aether spoke about Kenji. Then came the advice about becoming stronger. Ace didn't answer immediately, he simply thought about it, he realized Aether wasn't wrong.

Right now, Ace was stronger than he'd ever been. He knew it. The Covenant knew it. His enemies certainly knew it. Yet despite everything he'd accomplished, despite everything he'd become, he wasn't even close to his full potential. He was the Final Weave and the son of Darth Metus after all.

And if protecting the people he loved was truly impossible through systems, armies, politics, and institutions... Then maybe the answer really was simpler. Maybe he needed to become stronger. Strong enough that nobody could threaten them in the first place.

The thought lingered quietly before eventually giving way to something far less existential. Aether's love life. As his brother began describing Persephone, Ace found himself staring. Not rudely, he was just... processing.

This was Aether Verd. Mand'alor the Iron. The man who commanded fleets, armies, and entire star systems. And yet here he was rambling like a teenager with his first crush.

Ace blinked once, then a faint smirk pulled at his mouth. By the time Aether threw the question back at him, the smirk had softened into something smaller and warmer.

"Brunette. Curly hair. Noble." He answered, and the realization hit him halfway through the list.

His expression twitched.

"...Guess I do have a type."

Ace looked down toward the durasteel beneath his boots for a moment as he searched for the words. Describing Fatine felt strangely harder than discussing Sith philosophy.

"Her name's Fatine." The smile returned without permission. "She's from Ukatis. She's..."

He paused. How did you explain someone like Fatine?

"She's one of the few people I've met who doesn't seem interested in what I can do." His voice softened slightly. "Doesn't care about the Force, or wars, or reputations. She asks questions about everything. Half the time she wanders into situations with absolutely no survival instincts whatsoever. But she sees people.... actually sees them."

He then lifted his head, looking up at the sky. Or, more like the sky traffic.

"Most people look at what you are. Jedi. Sith. Mand'alor. Noble. Criminal. Hero. Fatine just... looks at you."

For a moment the industrial noise of the Vergeworks seemed farther away.

"I don't know what we are yet. But... it's something."

The words lingered between them before Ace finally lowered his gaze toward Aether. The softness remained there.

"Persephone." A faint glimmer of amusement returned. "Does she like you too?"

Aether Verd ​