Familiar Faces

[Marcus Lok]

​

Umbara​

​

Sestek Correctional Facility​

​

He had never been to the shadow world and, come to think of it, not many had. It was a planet that never received sunlight, and the terrain was less than hospitable to most forms of life, save the native Umbarans who had made it their home for millennia. Places like this often bred small communities of smugglers and gangsters that outran the law and found safety in the concealment of the dense vegetation and endless darkness, but on this world, even the criminals kept away. While they could anyways...

Marcus had been on Nar Shaddaa in some seedy bar and grill when he had heard the name of his former comrade mentioned between a laughing group of hammered Gran going on about a deal they had just brought in on some wanted Hunter. He kept to his own business while they prattled on about how they had caught him after he had eluded them more times than they could count, but they all seemed to agree that revenge was sweet. He didn't know why they wanted revenge on him, but he hardly cared when he heard the name...

"Kango Fett..."

The name came through his lips as a whisper once the docking ramp had hit the soft earth. Already an armed guard was flashing a light his way, inspecting him for any kinds of weapons or other contraband that wouldn't be allowed past the ray shields, but he found nothing of interest and Marcus was content to follow him past the watchtowers. He hadn't heard the name for some time, of course. The name was a distant memory of a long lost campaign against an unimportant enemy which had fallen to time. He wasn't an old man now, feth he hadn't even left his twenties, but the way the galaxy was these days saw the rise and fall of empires in what seemed like only a few months. They had both belonged to one of the proudest... Their native Mandalorians who had called themselves the Clans at that time. Of course they'd traded glances a few times as well, but after fighting alongside one another in a fair few battles against the Republic, he had become good friends with the other man and that was his whole reason for being here.

The price wasn't cheap, and he almost felt a pain as he saw some of his hard earned credits being sent along to the Warden's account in exchange for the man's release. The charges had been all racked up over time... Murder, some theft, mostly Hunting infractions that local governments had finally become fed up with, but most of them he was sure were fabricated for one reason or another. Who knew? Perhaps this friend would turn into an ally as many of his people looked for independent work after the fall of the Clans and the Crusaders.

He stood firm as the guard stopped him and motioned to his comrade who stood high in a watchtower, clad all in black to further add to the anonymity that they all prized. It was then that he heard a sharp alert Buzz ripple through the air, and the doors to the facility begin to open.

They would have to catch up...


[member="Kango Fett"]

​

​

 

[Kangofett]

There was no sound other than that of water droplets hitting the floor. It was as quite as death. Nothing dare come to this section of the prison. This is were the worst of the worst were left to rot away. Most of the other prisoners already had. The smell of there decomposing bodies filled the air.

The guards had thrown him down here in solitary confinement to try to break him, he didn't care. He sat meditating in his cell. He focused on all the energy around him. He felt the energy in the walls, he felt it leaving the dead bodies, he felt the hope that the prisoners held onto. All of it made him think on what'd he done to place himself here.

The bounty had been poor but this had been about honor. A Gran Official had taken a Mandalorian as a slave and after much "fun" and torture the Gran Official killed the man and fed the corpse to some of the prisons guard animals. The head had been sent back to the family, as a morbid joke and a threat. The family had sought retribution, and thats where he came in.

He took the job cause of his beliefs. He would never allow a Mandalorian soul to be tarnished as such. He promised to the family and to himself that he shall inflict vengeance for the dead mans spirit and put it to rest through the blood of the killer. He dawned the armor of the fallen, painted it white, and carried the skull of the man. He raided the Officials home and tortured him for hours. He covered the armor in the mans blood.

After a time he felt a difference in the air around him. The Official started screaming and crying for forgiveness. It was the first time the man had done so. He'd ever seen someone give up so much. He'd done nothing to make the man flip out, not like this anyways. He walked behind the man and gave him the death he cried so dearly for. With one sweep he decapitated the man. He stared at the disembodied head then he looked up and saw a transparent man. It was the man who's armor he was wearing. Shocked he stood there staring and after a time he removed his helmet and said to the spirit;
"Udes o'r naak vod." «Rest in peace brother»

The spirit disappeared and he redawned the helmet. After he returned the armor and refused the credits the family offered him. Little did he know that when he had removed the hemet he'd beed recorded. He left the planet the next dat and thought he'd never return, but here he was now.

A buzz broke him from his meditation and a few stones in the room seemed to move as he opened his eye. He didn't have anytime to think about it as two guards entered the cell with stun batons on and started beating him. They continued this for a good long while. After they had there fill of hurting him they grabbed him buy the arms and dragged him from the cell.

 

[Marcus Lok]

The young slicer stood, somewhat nervous about the whole process, but he was sure that the end result would be what he expected... Or at least he hoped. He had never done much dealing of this type in earnest, and for all he knew he could have been paying for the return of a corpse instead of a breathing man. The thought shook him, and as the doors opened to reveal a dim source of light from within and two guardsmen dragging along the body of someone he could hardly recognize, he thought his fears had been realized.

They dropped him there, in the middle of what could be called some sort of courtyard, and his body was illuminated by multiple flood lights that had all been aimed purposefully in their direction. His condition, well... He had seen the man in much better shape during the war. Bruises ran up and down his crippled form and his gaze was only broken from the form of the other man once an official of the prison brought out his belongings all packaged him in some sort of thin plastic wrapping. He wouldn't open them up until they were both back on the ship, as he was instructed, lest they both find themselves locked up in this place indefinitely, but kneeling down to come more or less face to face with his friend, he smacked him a few times on the shoulder.

"You don't come cheap you know?.. Come on, lets get out of this place."

[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

"You don't come cheap you know?.. Come on, lets get out of this place." [member="Marcus Lok"]

His eye was swollen shut and his bionic one was smashed so he couldn't see who his rescuer was. He may not be able to see the man but he knew the voice. Who's was it? He couldn't remember but he knew it was a friend of some sort.

He groaned as pain shot though his wrecked body as pulled himself to the man and they slowly got up. As he did so he pulled the mysterious man down to him.
"Vor entye vod. Jorhaa'ir biaye bal o'r cuun joha. Val malyasa'yr kyr'amur mhi meh val haa'taylir solus katkrabagr nari."
«Thank you brother. Talk quietly and in our language. They will kill us if they see one wrong move. »

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus listened to his words and nodded, all too aware of the glares and sneers he was getting from the largely Weequayan staff. One thing was for certain, he didn't want to stick around longer than he had to, and with a frim grip, he helped the wounded man to his feet. He had noticed the multiple critical wounds he had about his body, the cybernetic eye being smashed until thoroughly broken. and the other a swollen mass. For a few moments, he wondered why operations like this were legal, but it was all too obvious that no government officials would be making their way out to this side of the galaxy any time soon. For now, it was all he could do to let the man lean on him and put the bag of belongings into his hand so that he might carry it on their way.

"Vi ru'kir slanar"
<<We should go.">>

And without a second glance at the now closing doors of the prison facility, he set about making his way to the Ravana which he had parked on one of the more official looking landing pads, hoping to soon be rid of this planet and its' oppressive atmosphere before too long. He could hear the man's grunts as surely each step was a bit of a challenge after the beatings he had been put through, though they would soon be on their way if they could only make it to the ship. Of course the guards would not offer help, and he certainly didn't expect any of it, though he was more than glad to see the gate closing and the familiar hum of the ray shields reactivating as they reached the landing ramp.


"Up you go..."


[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

Each step made him feel like he was going to pass out. He heard gates shut and the ray shields activate. He felt relief knowing that they were out of the prison. He kept ahold of his friend as he directed him to a ship.

"Up you go..." [member="Marcus Lok"]

Kango let go of his friend and attempted to walk up the landing ramp. He managed to take afew steps up the ramp before his right knee gave out and he landed hard against the ramp. Marcus rushed forward to help but he just waved him off and slowly stood up again. He'd barely made it inside the ship before he felt all the blood drain from his head and falling forward against something inside the ship. He was out cold and bleeding. There was nothing so dishonorable for him than being in such a horrible state in front of another battle brother.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus quickly made a move to grab his comrade as he fell down against the ramp. There was no doubt, he was in rough shape. More rough than he had ever taken in the war as these were not natural war wounds. The wounds that Kango had taken were those of undeniable torture, and he knew it. He backed off as Kango waved him away, not wanting to rip any of the man's dignity away from him as he made his way into the ship, but as he finally collapsed onto the floor, he did grab the man and carry him to the small med bay. There was little he could do other than applying a few Bacta-Bandages which would hopefully heal up the surface wounds enough for his internals to begin repairing the many bruised areas of his body. He set about this task until he was satisfied with the care. All he needed now was rest.

After his friend was stable, Marcus ran back to the cockpit and began the takeoff procedure before the prison guards would even have a chance to change their minds, figuring it wouldn't be in their best interests to wait around on their pad. He was cleared, and before long the engines fired up and they were off into the Umbaran atmosphere.

Hopefully, his friend would come around later on in their journey.


[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

Kango Fett awake hours later in the medical bay. Unable to see still he listened and focused on the area around him. The humming throughout the place told him he was on a ship, tough he couldn't tell what kind it was. He also felt that there was at least one person on the ship. It was the same person who'd helped him he could just tell.

He attempted to sit up but was stopped by the immense pain.
"ARHG!"

He growled and tried again but was still unable to move. He gave up trying to move, instead he called out for the man who'd helped him.

"HeyO! Anyone there?!" [member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus felt his ear flinch as a sharp shout came through the air. It was familiar and before his eyes even opened he knew that his patient had been woken up. Be it through sudden pain or a jolt in the engine, he hardly cared, he was only glad that his friend hadn't slipped into a coma due to his wounds. For a second, he had no idea where HE was himself. The last thing that he could remember was going to set the ships autopilot to a random Nebula, though as he opened his eyes, he realized he had fallen asleep on the sofa in the lounge. Well... At east it wasn't the engine room.

The young slicer stood up quickly and did a half jog to the small medical bay where a simple IV hung from his friends arm rather haphazardly, and with the drowsy cloud of sleep still around him, he went to go remove the implant from the man's arm.

"Welcome aboard, Buddy. Long time no see."

[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

He heard whoever it was jog into the medical bay. He muttered a bit as the IV was removed from his arm.

"Welcome aboard, Buddy. Long time no see."

There was only one man that voice could belong to. Fething [member="Marcus Lok"]

"Feth you Marcus. Making jokes about how I can't see."
He laughed a bit as he spoke only in Mando'a.
"How the hell did you even find me?"

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus smiled brightly at his friend once he was certain that he was feeling somewhat better after having rested for most of the journey. Kango was still injured pretty badly, though it seemed as though he was recovering at the very least, and that is more than he could have asked for from a prison like that.

"Well, I heard some guys gloating about bringing you in. Thought I might come looking for you before you bit the dust!"

The young slicer too spoke in their native tongue, and for some reason he almost found it odd, being away from the dialect for so long, though it quickly came back to him. At the mention of his eyes, Marcus could only shrug and look on at the swollen tissue, preparing another bandage, though unsure if it would do much.


"They beat you up pretty bad here, buddy."


[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

"Haha. Ya feels like I just went riding with a angry Zillo. But don't cha worry this is nothing compared to what Ems put me through. She used to be a interrogator for the big old Empire." [member="Marcus Lok"]

He paused thinking of all the nasty torture his copilot/girlfriend could put him through. The Empire really held nothing back in those days. Speaking of which he should contact her to let her know he's ok.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus nodded at his friend, quite satisfied that his recovery was coming along enough to where they could hold actual conversations, and when he mentioned the girl's name, he could only shrug as he didn't rightly know her.

"Well, we're well out into space now, so if you just want me to drop you at a spaceport, let me know which one, 'eh?"

[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

"Well, we're well out into space now, so if you just want me to drop you at a spaceport, let me know which one, 'eh?" [member="Marcus Lok"]

Kango looked in the direction of his friend and smiled.

"Is it common for you to pay for chicks, show 'em around your ship, then ditch 'em at the nearest spaceport?"

Laughed and coughed at his joke. Blood and spit came up as he doubled up in pain. He coughed for a while before continuing.

"How about I invite you to my house? You know meet the family, have some dinner, talk about all the stuff I missed while in prison? In all seriousness, I owe you a lot vod."

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus laughed at his friend as he questioned him about dropping him at a spaceport. Of course he hadn't meant it. Not in his condition at least. In earnest, he was a bit surprised that the man still remembered him, it could be easy to know nothing but pain after being locked away in a prison on Umbara for so long, but he had retained it well.

"Well, y'know I don't like keeping 'em around that often!"

The young spacer approached his friend and sat next to him, smiling up until the point that he mentioned his home and then his face became solemn. Had the guards in the prison told him of the fate of Mandalore?.. Clearly they hadn't if he was still this jovial...


"Listen... Kango there's something you should know..."


[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

"Listen... Kango there's something you should know..." [member="Marcus Lok"]

He could feel the seriousness and sorrow in the mans voice he knew something horrible had happened. He sat up, the playful smile vanishing from his face. He readied himself for whatever the man might say. Never could he have imagined how bad the news could be.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus shrugged. The news would shock him, and he certainly didn't want to put him back into another dark place just after he got out of prison, but he had to be told. The young slicer took a seat on a table within the small med-bay and spoke solemnly.

"A large seismic event destroyed Mandalore. Tore up mountains, rivers, ton of people dead... It's the whole works."

[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

"A large seismic event destroyed Mandalore. Tore up mountains, rivers, ton of people dead... It's the whole works." [member="Marcus Lok"]

He sat in silence as his friend told him that his homeworld had been destroyed. He knew what such an event would do to the Mandalorian Empire. It meant he was one of the last Mandalorians born on the dead homeworld.

He had to find out if Em made it off Mandalore and hopefully she fell back to there other house. His sister and mother were probably dead but he would find out what happened to them no matter what.

"Hand me my armor and set a course for Netaleon."

His homeworld, his people, his culture, all of them gone. He'd missed all of it. Now he was just a warrior of a dead society.

Would he loose his purpose and because just another gun for hire or die upholding the beliefs of the Mandalorians.
Only time will tell.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus raised a cautionary hand as his friend requested the armor that had been given to him by the prison guards. It would not serve either of them to grieve over the fact that the planet had been decimated, but perhaps they could rebuild his life, if only one step at a time.

"Steady man, steady. You still have a lot of time to heal up yet, and I really should take you to some station for med's. This patch up job won't keep you walkin' forever, y'know? When the disaster occurred, thousands of ships came to the system to get people off world, and the clans live on in some other sector of space."

Marcus patted him on the shoulder to instill some confidence in his shocked features, but soon after he handed him the armor that was still bagged up and began to walk back into the hallway to head for the cockpit.

"I'll head set it in the navi-computer. You got family there or something?"

[member="Kango Fett"]

 

[Kangofett]

Marcus patted him on the shoulder and boy did it hurt but he didn't show it. The man was trying his best to comfort him. Yes it was possible to rebuild but would it still have the same heart as he was taught growing up? Thousands of years of history and culture were gone and could never be replaced.

His friend handed him his armor that was bagged up and headed to the cockpit.

"I'll head set it in the navi-computer. You got family there or something?" [member="Marcus Lok"]

He pulled out his helmet as he replied.

"Or something. Em and a few friends should be there along with a hundred or so soldiers."

Turning the helmets power on and with a little force and quite a bit of pain slid it onto his head. All the custom and personal data had been wiped. Someone had messed with his armor and tried accessing his systems. He chuckled to himself. Whoever it was got a nasty little surprise as he'd set a Data Bomb that'd wipe all sensitive data and fry the systems of the attacker.

He pulled the helmet off and set it next to him. Then he reached up with his right hand and grabbed his left shoulder. Pressing the releases he detached his arm and set it down. Reaching into his shoulder socket he fished around a bit till he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a small little chip that had the basic backup to his armor systems. He plugged it into his helmet and started the security and download process, that would take a hour or two to finish up.

He reached into the bag again and pulled out his med pouch. He reached in grabbing a flash-sterilizer, irrigation bulb, stimpacks and one of his few Pydyrian healing sticks. Popping the top on some of the stimpacks then injected them into himself. He them cleaned his wounds as best as he could with his one arm and then applied the Pydyrian healing stick to his face and bady. Within a few minutes the swelling had reduced significantly and he was able to see again. Kark did he look ruff.