Flashbacks and Fatal Blows

[Andorreth Vikar]

"Timer is set Andorreth. In 5...4...3...2...1 Begin." My hands moved mechanically I'd done this so many times it was second nature by now. Disassembling and reassembling weapons, now it was a sniper rifle. Verpine by the feel of it... By memory my hands flew and broke down the rifle. Spreading the pieces out I began the task of reassembling the rifle and then pulling the bolt EM chamber open. I knew I was done and heard the beep of the stopped timer. "Blinders off Andorreth..." Pulling the blindfold off I looked at my family or at least the woman who'd adopted me formally as her family. Seras Prudii'kad, Dar'manda and more of a ridiculously lethal cousin than anything else.

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"Congratulations are in order Andorreth, you managed to beat my time by a full two minutes. The rifle is yours please remember it wasn't cheap though...and use it well and with honor." Looking at the rifle I realized what it was Seras had truly given me.... this rifle had been hers and now it was mine....

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Seras was beautiful, in a predatory sort of way and today she looked anxious about something. I knew she was Dar'manda but she'd said that she may be hunted because of that and as a result so would I. "Seras, you look like we're being hunted... what's wrong?" She snapped her head back to look at me and motioned for me to drop flat as she went prone. Moving back towards my left she said "We are being hunted, and we're going to need to take the two that are coming our way out together. Synced shots Andorreth, you understand?" Looking at her I nodded. She grabbed a second rifle that'd been laying on the ground and a small rock motioning for me to do the same. I knew what was expected, Verpine rifles had the ability to fire rocks at incredible speed and we were using what we had around us.

Loading a small pebble into the EM chamber I moved along Seras to the ridge and breathing in I held my breath and then counted. One, two, three....hold and with a nod from Seras a synchronized trigger pull. Both men dropped and Seras went mobile pulling her helm on as she did. Speaking into the comms she said "Cyar'ika grab the weapons and meet me back at the cabin, go now." I did as instructed and grabbed the weapons she'd brought with as stuffing them into a bag that I threw over my shoulders. I began running smoothly and quietly, Seras had called me Cyar'ika though..... The dynamic had changed between us and odds were we'd be dealing with that too soon enough...

[member="Jae Jordan "](Give ya some backstory on Andorreth and a character we'll be meeting soon enough)

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

As I'd been running I'd made it a point to engage traps Seras and I had set up. Why now? Why only now was anyone coming after her? Clearing my mind I cleared another treeline and after ensuring the bag of weapons was sealed I tossed it into the lake behind the cabin then dove in behind it. Breath held I dragged the bag of weapons beside me and entered the code onto the underwater hatch then as it opened I moved through it and into the cabin's underground workshop. Even knowing Seras was taking care of whoever else had come after us I began stripping out of my clothes and grabbing a spare set I began pulling them on and prepping the droids to load the dropship Seras had "acquired"

Grabbing my training armor I pulled it on and secured various weapons to the magnetic points on my armor. Sword sheathe inverted across my shoulders I grabbed my bow and locked the quiver against my right thigh. I truly looked like an assassin right now. Looking towards the droids I said "Make sure when I'm back that the Seraph protocol has been completed." They nodded and I recalled the first time Seras had shared the Seraph protocol with me. To be enacted upon confirmed hard contact, complete sterilization protocols the whole house would be glass upon completion and detonation control would be transferred to the ship the droids were loading up. Supplies for a solid week everything weapon or clothes wise we owned anything in a bang out bag. I stood looking at a mirror in the workshop and saw myself I looked like....a reaper....Grabbing the Verpine rifle I locked it against my chestplate.

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Looking at the droids I headed to the ladder that led to the roof odds were Seras would be bringing back at least a few people. As I reached the roof I smiled when I saw the controls to countermeasures and a variety of long range weapons. Going prone I drew my bow and nocked an arrow to the string then simply listened. There, I heard them before they'd even crested the ridge. Too much clinking, I'd been taught better they hadn't. As the first man crested the ridge I drew back my bowstring and fired. I watched for the brief few seconds the arrow was in flight shortly before hitting him in the throat. He fell clutching his neck and I drew another arrow as a second crested the ridge he began making his way to the house and I fired again. Center mass and saw him drop as well, clean hit. Off to the left I saw movement and instinctively drew another arrow and fired dropping another. Same on the other side moving into a slide on the roof I drew, nocked and fired another arrow again through the throat.

Turning back I saw Seras cresting the hill with people behind her. Well that wouldn't do.....nocking another arrow I fired again at one of the men on Seras' back. He dropped and once more drawing back my bow I fired this shot went directly parallel to Seras' neck passing her and nailing the man behind her in the throat. She dove through the surface of the water headed in the same way I had. Sliding back to my original position I activated the shielding unit that'd cover the surface of the water. Then I activated the mines and various other party surprises for our guests before wrapping the rest of the weapons on the roof and sliding back down the ladder to the workshop below. Seras was waiting for me and said "You've been practicing Andorreth excellent shooting, that last shot was fantastic too. Disguising the shot to seem like you were aiming for me you have a knack for this Andorreth. Seems my lessons sunk in better than I could've hoped...Where are we on the Seraph protocol Andorreth?"

She began stripping out of her armor and I avoided looking at her directly. Still wasn't sure about being called cyar'ika.... "Seraph protocol has been enacted Master we're in the final stages. The droids are loading everything into the Basilisk as we speak." Seras nodded and began heading to the cockpit of the Basilisk....."Seras! I deserve an explanation why call me cyar'ika?" Turning to me she said "Because Andorreth, when Mandalorians adopt someone as family there's different context. I'm Dar'manda you know this Andorreth, when Dar'manda adopt into their family it is more as having a companion. I promise more answers later but realize Andorreth my rules are far different than most Mando'ade. I wouldn't have trained you in the ways I did if you weren't precious to me if you remember nothing else, remember that cyar'ika." Then pulling her helm off she kissed my cheek and continued towards the cockpit of the Basilisk.

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

The kiss on my cheek further unsettled me but I could understand to a degree. Seras had been exiled by her people, anyone who she had loved was lost to her until such a time as she was forgiven. Following her to the Basilisk I mounted up inside and as the droids finished loading what we had the Seraph protocol took full effect and the droids were turned into explosives. "Andorreth take the helm we'll need to fly evasively and hit hard." Nodding I powered the engines on and began over-riding the auto takeoff sequence. Overcharging the powercells I diverted power from sensors to shields and weapons. Triggering the bay doors closed I remotely triggered the hangar bay open and simply launched us up in the air with the maneuvering thrusters then slammed the throttle forward. As the breaching team entered our cabin I triggered the detonators on the droids below destroying the cabin and completely sterilizing the area.

Seras looked at the plume of cleansing fire and asked "What'd you use for that Andorreth?" Glancing over I said "aerosolized spare fuel for the Basilisk, plasma coolant, and a remote charge in each of the droids. Better to erase everything right Seras?" She nodded slowly as if evaluating my performance. I saw dropships on the horizon and simply put the Basilisk into a roll as I fired at the first and saw it burst into flame, rocketing through the fiery plume I triggered the rear laser cannons and blew the other dropship away as I pulled into a steep climb for the upper atmosphere. I felt everything else melt away as I began plotting a random jump to FTL. breaking atmo I saw fighters angling towards us "Seras who is after us? Hit squad, dropships, and now fighters. Who exactly wants you dead this a lot of cost for a simple hit." She looked troubled and I said "Seras you proclaimed me as family. Family doesn't lie to each other who wants you dead this badly?"

Softly she said "A senator, I was hired a year ago to discredit him and ensure his family wanted nothing to do with him. I acted the part of an escort of high class, I was to ensure that video and photo evidence was circulated concerning the activities. He must have found out...." As I flew the squad of fighters was gaining quickly so I began racing towards open space. Just before we made it out of orbit I put the Basilisk into a spin then reversed the thrusters jerking us back behind the first two fighters. Firing in twin bursts I saw the fighters turn to shrapnel then sent us into a horizontal spin bringing the other two fighters into a line of fire and again I fired twice destroying them both. Jerking the yoke back into manual control I hit the FTL jump sequence and looked towards Seras. "We run then Seras and you continue teaching me."

She looked at me open mouthed "Andorreth....that....your flying I never taught you those kind of maneuvers. I couldn't even if I wanted to, that was....instinctual. You....you're Force sensitive Andorreth, I....we'll discuss what's next when we reach our destination."