Claiming what is empty.

[Aedan Miles]

Location: Mandalore

Aedan Miles had made a call gathering many prominent Mandalorians to their capital it was time a position left empty for far to long got filled. He strode forward calmly his helmet under his arm as he strode through the halls of their home making his way to the meeting table and around it. He knew what would happen once he said what he needed to and he knew that a fight was bound to happen but someone had to get this started and why not him. Stopping at the head and staring at the seat that was empty reserved for Mand'alor he turned and smirked darkly gesturing around. "I think it is about time we do what has needed to be done for some time now. Open challenge for the title of Mand'alor I am the one who wants it who will fight against me." He calmly looked around his dark purple eyes judging and waiting the time and place could be decided if someone challenged it was past time for a change and he was here to usher it in. It was time they went back to the way they should be scourges and owners of the outer rim this was their territory and it was time they took it back.

[member="Ordo"] [member="Malcom Renolds"] [member="Ijaat Akun"] [member="Verz Horak"] [member="Basaba Willamina"] [member="Anija Betna"] [member="Zandra Tal'verda"] [member="Kezeroth the Beholder"] [member="Strider Garon"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

In the back of the room, an armored woman snickered audibly.

 

[Kadala Kotyc]

Also in the back of the room, but in a different part of the back, another armored woman could be found.
But she was not snickering. Nah, she was drinking beer. A big mug of beer. With a bendy straw.
This was one of those things that it was best to go through drunk.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Lots of Laughter erupted from my armored form. At first I wasn't sure who was doing the laughing, but I knew it was really funny this kid walked in and laid claim to the title of Mand'alor. It was hilarious he would feel the need to snatch power now that it was empty but had cowered and been a good little dog when the position was filled. Sometimes you just had to kick the dog so that it understood where it fell on the food chain. "That is a good joke. A really good joke, kid. Here's a few credits but I don't need to see your full act. Beat it before someone who is actually dangerous takes you seriously."

[member="Aedan Miles"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Somewhere far, far away from Mandalore, Siobhan was watering her orchids on the balcony of her villa. Briefly she felt a disturbance in the Force. It felt like something terribly, ridiculously silly was taking place. She shook her head, then went back to her plants.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Ever one for opportunity, Ijaat strutted about in a striped vendor costume, hawking beer and other booze in the back room, smiling as he 'accidentally' spilled on in [member="Draco Vereen"] 's lap and sent a cheerleader-esque girl in a #TeamOrdo shirt to clean him up. Life was good when you stopped worrying and realized the galaxy had basically gone insane.

 

[Eun]

Somewhere far, far away the ghost of Mikhail Shorn looked for a copyright attorney...



"Ok."

A diminutive girl in black and gold armor strode into the room, vor'cha stick on one hip, blaster on the other. A wicked smirk curved across her lips before she slid her helmet on. Her voice came out robotic and cold through the helmet's speakers.

"Empty throne, empty challenge."

Nobody else would be honoring [member="Aedan Miles"]' tossed gauntlet. So why not the 16 year old dar'manda with nothing to lose and an axe to grind?

 

[Aedan Miles]

Aedan laughed darkly when Draco spoke his dark gaze turning upon the man as he smirked darkly. "Looks like the Techno Union let you out to play." He smirked and leaned forward against the table waving his hand dismissively as his smirk darkened more. "If you don't believe me feel free to run off home." His hand gesture was followed by a suddenly pulling of the force pushing first the credits back to the man and then a much more powerful burst of a push towards the man's chest. Aedan wasn't here to play with fools who were satisfied where the Mando'ade were he was here to get them angry so someone would step up and take the position or else he would.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Eun]

Kate extended a hand and with a casual gesture ripped the credits out of [member="Aedan Miles"]' impromptu jet stream. The cred chips floated above her palm. She spoke, not remarking on the explosive display of violence toward Draco.

"Funny things, credits. We'll kill for 'em. But most people don't even take a second glance at what they're holding. Do you want a closer look, Mr. Miles?"

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lor chuckled at the exchange between the pirate king and the old Vereen man. If Zandra hadn't said she was showing up, the Chiss might've thrown his hat in the ring himself, if only to prove the point that Mandalorians and their honor meant jack chit. As he looked around the room, he seriously realized that he actually respected very few of these people.​

​

"Tsk. I'm not the person for this job... But neither are any of you three."​

​

[member="Ijaat Akun"] [member='Draco Vereen'] [member='Aedan Miles'] [member='Katya Shorn'] [member='Kadala Skirata'] [member='Zandra Tal'verda']​

 

[Eun]

She thought about asking Mr. Chiss what it was like to be a footnote on existence, but decided to wait for the reply from the other footnote.

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Zandra was gettin' too old for this crap. She streched, hands over her head as she walked in. With cigarette in her mouth, she blew smoke out through her nostrils. So this was it? The new Mand'alor. The title even her husband had refused. She scanned the area, taking in her competitors. Ooh, big, tough guys. And here she was just a little Echani. She pulled the cigarette from her lips with a smirk.

"Hey boys. I wonder. Has there ever been an Echani Mand'alor before?"

She tossed the burning stub on the ground, then snuffed it out with her toe.

 

[Verz Horak]

@Everyone

At this point the bar probably had about 8 corners with solitary Mandalorian special snowflakes drinking in them. Verz was not in one of those corners. He was where he liked to be, at the bar, drinking his nectre'gal and listening to the claims that the younger warriors were making. He usually smiled, remembering the times he would boast like them. However, the smile dropped from his face when he heard some try to claim the title of Mand'alor and he nearly choked on his drink.

The warrior in crimson armor stood up amongst the din of claims to the title and he could feel eyes on him. Many recognized the armor that had lead armies, fleets, and countless operations. The armor that protected Mia Monroe's successor. The armor of Verz Horak, Mand'alor Naast, Mandalore the Destroyer. The killer of Sith raised his voice above the crowd's.

"I will challenge all who seek to claim the title of Mand'alor! I am Verz Horak, the right hand of Mia Monroe! The killer of Sith! Conqueror of worlds, destroyer of fleets! I! Am! Mand'alor Naast! And I will lead my people once more!"

 

[Eun]

Sometimes the answer to a question is subsumed when a more important question arises. A question like:

"[member="Verz Horak"]? Didn't you get deposed after signing a treaty with a bunch of baby-killers?"

 

[Kadala Kotyc]

The woman looked up, glancing over those who had come to try and claim the title. Part of her wanted to laugh, part of her wanted to face-palm, and part of her wanted to just shoot a couple of people so that they'd shut up. But instead she waited quietly in her corner for a real competitor to stand up. Eventually... one did. Mr. [member="Verz Horak"]. Maybe he had gone out with a whimper the last time he had been Mand'alor, but he had always been a good vod. And so Kadala raised her glass in his direction, silently saying 'if I had to pick one of you...'.

That's all they were getting out of her for the time being.

 

[Doctor Azure]

The look Lor got from the Shorn girl was priceless. His smirk in return carried more of an insult than any verbal one he could think of. But that changed into a grin as Zandra walked in. One of his closest friends, and definitely a good leader, despite the sheer number of crews she'd found and lost. And then his glare was turned on the Shorn girl again. Verz Horak was a name that'd come up several times when he used to read Mandalorian history. And, not really one to be lightly thrown away, even if the end of his reign had been... questionable.​

​

"Shorn? Aren't you a brat with a big sword? The answer is yes."​

​

Now, he turned back to his friend and grinned.​

​

"Not exactly the stiffest competition, Captain."​

​

[member="Verz Horak"] [member='Zandra Tal'verda'] [member='Aedan Miles'] [member='Kadala Skirata'] [member='Katya Shorn']​

 

[Aedan Miles]

Aedan grinned when he saw the old Mand'alor stand offering him a nod in acknowledgement he stepped away from the table his piece said now all he had to do was wait. Soon things would start to change he was more than ready for this sure people saw this as a joke but Aedan was dead serious and if they didn't like that well they would get over it he was sure. For now though he would wait and watch give more people time to speak up he was fair about that. His dark eyes traversed the group that had spoken up already a young Dar'manda girl, a echani Tal'verda, and Verz now there was a good fight and one he looked forward to. He wouldn't underestimate any of them in the slightest that was a good way to end up on the short end of this pile and that was not where he wanted to be.

 

[Eun]

So he knows my name. Done a little research Red-Eyes, or was my father really so infamous that his spawn are now recognizable on sight?

"Glad to hear my reputation's still intact."

She didn't know what he was on about with the whole big sword thing. She didn't even use a laser sword. The girl missed the smirk entirely, though, since she was not looking at him. She rarely read footnotes, after all.

If the Chiss could divine expressions from a 'look' given by the blank, emotionless slab of beskar and transparisteel that was Shorn's helmet, then he deserved more credit.

Or perhaps none at all...

"Well, it looks like Captain Capitulation," she waved a hand at the ignominious Horak, "has everything under control now. So I'll leave you boys to it."

A few steps carried her to the bar. "You still serve minors? Good. I want a Bantha Blaster."

She paid with Draco's cred chips.

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Ah yes. There it was. She saw the look of contempt. How dare an Echani call herself Mandalorian? She kicked her cigarette butt at the one who was giving her that look. Didn't he know the bloody pirate Queen when he saw her? She put her hands deep in her leather jacket. Calico's jacket. She whistled a tune as she made her way to the pretty boy, [member="Aedan Miles"].

"Oi!" she shouted to him from half way across the hall, "You look familiar. Have I stolen from you before?"

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw her own son-in-law, the chiss. Fun kid. She liked him.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Archived at request of the author.

Probably for the best.