Private Dropping the Torch

[Cyrus Predor]

// Knight Predor //
// Dubrillion //
// Focus // Aoki-Barran Mira //

---

He karked it up royally.

At the very least that's what Cyrus knew Boram wanted to say in their holocall. He could tell as much from his father's tone and the fact that he refused to even look his son in the eye, not that Cyrus would have met his gaze anyways. The best cast scenario for looking up after a failure like this would be just another scar., the worst case would be his disownment from the family. Boram was smart enough to use the internment of the Chiss as a ploy to gain their brightest minds, the near vicinity of Veroleem had allowed for a quick response from the Moff to extend an open hand to the Chiss.

A hand that could quickly tighten it's grip.

All Cyrus had to do was ensure the transport and relocation of the Chiss scientists to Veroleem, he assumed it to be a simple task despite his father's warnings. The Imperial Knight had assumed the Chiss spirits broken after the destruction of their world, just another people to be torn and disseminated across the Empire. But some of them found their love for chains fleeting. It had happened quickly,. A single bullet among Imperial loyalists had struck the chief scientist's neck. A quick, cold death.

An act of blatant sabotage by Chiss rebels in the eyes of Cyrus, yet the other Chiss in the area hadn't seen it that way. In their eyes, the Empire had taken action to remove their leaders and their brightest minds to make way for a new form of thinking to indoctrinate them. Their anger Cyrus could deal with, he had the might of the Empire behind him to quell their wrath. The voice of his father was a much less ravenous beast.

"Of course father, I'll make sure I find those responsible."

The flickering vision of his fathered disappeared, the Knight's face bright red as the embarrassment caught up to him. Every time he thought he could gain the respect of his father like his siblings had, something had to come along and ruin it. He did what he was asked, he did his best. And despite it all he couldn't even capture the assassin. Boram had no kind words for his son, instead reminding Cyrus he was lucky to bear the name Predor at all with how much of a screw-up he was. If it wasn't for his ability to wield the force and gain a position in the Imperial knights, Cyrus knew he would just be another stain of blood beneath his father's boot.

What angered Boram the most was the fact that news of this failure had reached the Empire's higher echelon, a rumour that Veroleem was failing to control it's Chiss populace had managed to surface. And despite the good Moff's protestations, they had elected to send their own representative from the Imperial Knights to ensure the discovery and capture of the assassin. As he swallowed his pride and made his way to greet the new arrival, Cyrus could feel the heavy hand of his father around his throat as he tried to figure out how to improve his family's standing.

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

Sensei Demici, Sensei Barran, father, I hate this...

The rebellion of the Chiss was one that Mira could not condone. She could understand it, but in the end, it was not the right course. This especially was not right for the Empire, after everything they had gone through the protect the Chiss. And yet, the moff's responses were gruesome. Punishing the rebellion was desirable, but punishing all Chiss? Regardless of previous loyalty? Including citizens who had nothing to do with it?

It was yet another strike against the vile Tarkinist regime, and so soon after Ilum was defiled. She constantly questioned, constantly wondered. What would her late father think of Mira being in the Empire? Even as a Pellaeonist?

Serenno had been happy to open its doors for the dislocated Chiss civilians forced out of their homes. Indeed, many Chiss flocked in, desperate for just some peace and security. The tale of the Chiss was a tragic one, one of a broken and exiled people. One of the locations on Serenno that offered immediate aid to the Chiss was the estate of the Predor family. A prominent and wealthy family neck deep in politics, they offered their own feild as a temporary camp for newly arrived Chiss, offering food and shelter until they could find lodging. This group included a party of skilled and experienced scientists.

It was only all the more tragic that in these camps, more terror struck. An assassin on the head scientists left everything reeling even more. Despite the family's innocence in the matter, the Chiss were quick to blame the Predor family for punishing them even more, and they feared for their lives.

This simply could not stand.

Outside help had been ordered by the Imperial Knight Order, and newly knighted Aoki Mira was the chosen aid. As much as she knew that the Predor family only wanted to clear its name and stop further insurrection, Mira genuinely wanted to help the Chiss here too. They would not have to be here if the rebellion had never happened. They would not have to be here if the Empire had not retaliated so bitterly.

As the Tie Fighter touched down upon the hanger bay, smoke swirled around like a curtain of mist. The ramp lowered, and the figure of the assistant stood at the entrance. Noticeably, the light imperial armor was not the standard design. Even through the smoke, the Atrisian design was apparent. Furthermore, traditional blades hung on her belt, and a pole arm was hung over the woman's back. Her head was crowned with an Atrisian hat. As she ascended the ramp, she was graceful and light as a ghost.

The woman approached her new partner. She not only was Atrisian, but the green skin and facial tattoos showed she was Mirialan as well. Her black hair was let down, yet delightfully so, and a bandage attempted to cover the right side of her face. Despite this, deep cutting scars could be seen where the bandage failed to hide them. It was the one blight on an otherwise beautiful woman's face.

As she stood before Cyrus Predor , one could expect someone arrogant and puffed up for the circumstances regarding the arrival. However, she was far from it. Instead, she bowed elegantly and earnestly, like a humble queen. "Greetings, fellow knight Predor. I am knight Aoki Mira, your new assistant on this mission."

As she rose, her brown eyes gazed into Cyrus' in a calm and stoic hue, "I believe you know more than I. Please, fill me in."
​

 

[Cyrus Predor]

// Knight Predor //
// Dubrillion //
// Focus // Aoki-Barran Mira //

---

The young knight examined his comrade, eyes piqued at the bandage covering her face before he heard his mother's voice ringing in his ear that it wasn't polite to stare. The girl carried herself well, a picturesque example of how one should. It only tightened his stomach more. Abuse from his father he could handle, he had done so most of his life, but as others talked down to him he knew it would only compound in Boram's words later on. As if the insults were directed at the patriarch himself and compounded onto his children.

Relief washed across him however, as the woman humbly introduced herself. Cyrus' clenched jaw loosened into a smirk before he addressed her.

"Well before we formally begin our investigation I must say, on behalf of the Predor family, that we appreciate your assistance and that of the Imperial Knights as a whole in this matter." One arm crossed the young man's abdomen as he bent down before her in a slight bow, returning the girl's own. Prostrating humility was something his father had beaten into the man whether intentionally or not, but it was much easier to do when the person he had to talk to was pleasant. "My father is besides himself that this was allowed this to happen to the Chiss people that the Empire has entrusted us to look after."

A lie.

Boram hadn't cared even slightly about the lives of the Chiss that were at risk. He'd almost had Cyrus' head when he heard of the demise of the scientist, the shared blood between them all that prevented the Knights' from being spilt.

"And please, we are equals in knighthood. I would much prefer an advisor on this matter to an assistant." A soft chuckle passed his lips, barely guising the nerves behind it.

"Well truth be told, we were all a little caught off guard. Our relations with our minority alien populations have always been one of the most valued parts of Veroleem." Sure Cyrus had never really interacted with any of the alien populations, but he had been told by his father that they were loved by all the people of Veroleem. "Chief Scientist Orem'erlwy'bden was the elder of the Chiss group that had come along with us, and to my knowledge had been having good discussions with my father about the future of his people. But not two nights ago one of them took it into their own hands to eliminate any hopes of a peaceful transition."

"We have already rounded up many suspects, as the overseer of this transportation I was able to quickly organize groups to round up insurrectionist elements and bring them here. If you would like, we can go talk to them now."

The orange haired knight offered a patient smile to his fellow knight, proud in what he had put together, though his ignorance and blindness prevented him from seeing many of the facts that others could offer.