Mandalorian Chance for Glory

[Soeht]

Vjun offered little in comfort. This dreary, gray planet, sitting near the edge of the Mandalorian's sphere of influence, had acid rain nearly always pouring down. It eroded the landscape and buildings much faster than on most other words. It also made the environment unsafe to traverse for long periods of time. Those bathed in the showers without protection would develop scars and discolorations from the corrosive chemicals slowly eating at their flesh.

At the appointed time and destination, Darth Apparatus stood near the edge of a cliff. A personal starshuttle of Sith design had been parked just a few meters from him. The landing ramp was open. Bast Castle could be seen in the distance beyond the outcropping. Those from Vjun might have known the ancient building as the former residence of Darth Vader.

Having called several Mandalorians to the planet, Darth Apparatus had given them the chance to hear an offer. While he did not express it in his message to the Mandalorians, it did speak of providing power and the chance to fight the most powerful beings of the galaxy. While Darth Apparatus did not seemed to have worked with Mandalorians within the 800's, his message suggested that he knew their kind craved glorious battles and wars.

With a heavy, black cloak shielding his pale skin from the acidic rain, Darth Apparatus awaited for whoever answered the call.

 

[RC 212]

@[member="Mereel Vaun"]
@[member="Darth Apparatus"]
@[member="Tyrin Ardik"]

RC stepped off the Blackfalcon on Vjun just above the residence of the Sith lord. It seemed the Sith had a hankering for drawing in Mandalorians. RC had come to sign the Deathwatch up for whatever battle he had in mind. The other reason RC came was to rub it into the Mandalorians faces. They were a coward race now, not like RC and the Deathwatch. They craved peace while Deathwatch craved war and glory.

He made his way down to the ground level where Darth Apparatus waited. Holding his rifle at the low ready RC and the Deathwatch stepped out of the shadows.

"You called Lord Sith?" RC said in an eerie icy tone.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Vjun -- a planet very strong in the Dark Side, due to the madness and massacre of its suddenly Force-sensitive population, many hundred years before. It made Rach strong but put him on edge.

And, of course, there was the Death Watch. He wasn't sure yet how to feel about them. He'd worked with RC 212 enough that he was comfortable giving the man a nod of greeting, but then again he'd attacked Alliera when she held him back from starting a war.

For the moment, the Dark Master was content to listen.

"Lord Apparatus," he said with a nod.

 

[Ori'Alor Tal'Verda]

"Lord Apparatus, while this is not a sanctioned operation by the Mandalorian Gov't..." Alliera said, walking up to stand by Rach "If your offer is sufficiently good, I will overlook the traitors in the room." With that, Alliera eyed RC and his Deathwatch troops, unconciosly thinking of all the ways she could kill them. She shook her head, and turned her attention back to the Sith Lord. "What I so important that you would risk bringing two factions of arguing mandos into close proximity too you?" Alliera asked.

 

[Soeht]

 

[RC 212]

RC drew his verpine shatterguns halfway out of their leather holsters. While he did not draw them all the way his hands stayed wrapped as battle rage overtook him. The dark energy was intoxicating, even to a non force sensitive. RC's vision was filled with red haze and his muscles twitched under the power of his held back rage.
If Alliera did not step forwards she would be exposed for the weak leader she was, but RC would not spill blood meaninglessly. The Sith was no true blooded Mandalorian and RC's quarrel was vastly cultural between leadership styles. If she fell RC would be forced to engage. If she flaked, the Sith was still not Mandalore, and that was law, Deathwatch and Mandalorian.

"You'd best be quick then Sith." RC uttered.

 

[Mereel Vaun]

Mereel started to fall over but cought himself as he felt something that he could only describe as overwhelmingly powerful flow through his veins. There was no doubt it had to deal with @[member="Darth Apparatus"]. He was surprised however, when the Darth challenged the Mandalore, and relatively,if the Mandalore failed, it would fall to the Deathwatch's Mandalore.But he was more surprised when he challenged them in their own tongue.

 

[Caulder Dune]

Tyrin edged off the Deathwatch drop ship, following behind RC. He wasn't exactly comfortable with this whole proposition. Hell, anything that put the Deathwatch and the loyalist Mandalorians in the same room left a bad taste in his mouth. Tyrin wasn't even really supposed to be here, seeing as he wasn't a Mandalorian (and a force user, at that), but he had no intention of participating. Then Darth Apparatus spoke, and as Tyrin listened, he could hear the sound of a wrench being thrown into his plans. And so the Sith Apprentice was compelled to speak.

"Quite the development, Warlord." Tyrin said, taking up position beside RC, becoming a deal more exasperated when his charge inched towards his blasters. "No, no, don't do that. It'd be the death of you and the Deathwatch. Darth Apparatus may be Sith, and thusly not a 'true' Mandalorian, but he will surely make a better leader than the one you are currently saddled with. Mandalore the Incompetent, I have taken to calling her."

Oh, man, he could feel the rage flowing off Apparatus. It was intoxicating- blissful, almost. But Tyrin wasn't one for giving in to such base pleasures when situations called for a level head. Sith or not, being pragmatic is still important. That wasn't to say he kept it from charging him, so to speak. It felt great.

"Fret not, Darth Apparatus will not have the Mandalorians stagnate and gather dust. He's a man of war and conquest, if he didn't make that clear enough. He can certainly provide what you and your people truly need." He quickly added towards Darth Apparatus, before returning to address RC. "A time will certainly come for you, Warlord. If you are to see it, you will need to be alive."

Tyrin did not support Darth Apparatus because he was a Sith. No, he did so because he wanted the Deathwatch to remain a faction. As long as RC remained alive, the Deathwatch could remain an active force in the Galaxy, whether out in the open or not. When Apparatus' endless warmongering inevitably got him killed by either the Empire, the Republic, or the Pyre, he wanted the Deathwatch to take the reigns. Letting RC challeng Apparatus if he won would be suicide for the Mandalorian, but more importantly, Tyrin's plans as well. At least, the Umbaran was convinced it was as such.

As Tyrin's mantra went, a good Sith knew when to fight, flight, or fold. Hell, any being worth their weight in Credits knew when to do those things- Mandalorians included.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

An answering rage rose in the Dark Master. He might not be Apparatus's equal, but then, few people were, by all accounts. An incantation in Ancient Sith rolled through his mind, and he murmured within the confines of his helmet.

Gathering power, but not releasing it. Figuring out what needed to happen, depending on what choice his wife made.

 

[RC 212]

Hearing his advisors words RC let his grip relax on the verpine shatter guns. The Young sith warrior was right. This was not the battle of Deathwatch, but Mandalorians. This was a good fight, but not RC's fight.
As he stepped back to watch the pretenders action RC grimaced in his helmet.
"Its all you Alliera." RC said, purposely not using her name.

"Flake now and you only validate my cause. Im not a Mandalorian I'm a true Mandalorian. The Deathwatch will conquer the galaxy. This is not that last you will see of us."

RC and his Deathwatch began to shrink back. The rage still swirled but RC fought it with pure willpower. He alone was the true Mandalore and the Deathwatch knew that. In time the galaxy itself would come to know it. Even if Allieras title was taken, it was not the true title. And her Mandalorian were not the true Mandalorians.

 

[Ori'Alor Tal'Verda]

"what right do you have to make a challenge?" Alliera said, walking over so her back was to the edge of the cliff "These are not the days of the moronic Visla, and you are not Darth Maul, I refuse your challenge on the case that you are not mandalorian, you have no honor." Alliera stayed in her position, looking at Apparatus.
"Even the traitorous 'True Mandalore' of Deathwatch, has more right to my throne than you, even my husband!" Alliera gestured to her husband with that. "Your a sith master, no one would accept you, even RC needs his Lackey to try and talk him down from shooting you!" Alliera said, looking at her challenger
"I fail to see the logic hear, hell, most of these warriors are mine, they follow my orders." As if too make a point, ALliera raised a hand to the sky, and four MMG-84S gunships raised up and pointed their weapons at Apparatus, "But if I run, I will lose whatever self respect I have along with the respect of my broth3ers and sisters." Alliera said, sighing "So in my name as Mandalore, I order all Mando'Ade who hear me to kill this piece of shabuir!"

The Gunships Imediately opened up with the their blaster guns on Apparatus', ducking and weaving in a chaotic pattern, to avoid his reprisal. "I suggest you run." ALliera said, pulling out her Sith Blade "your outnumbered and out gunned."

 

[Ashara Zavros]

Surprised would be the weakest word to describe what Ashara felt right now. She had come along with the Mandalore and her wife to this planet on the edge of their territory in order to meet a Sith. She didn't much like Sith. She didn't much like any Force user, however Rach and Alliera had grown on her, and she considered them family, aliit. Shifting her shoulder her lekku twitched underneath the dursteel plates she had fitted for them due to the planet's almost constant acid rain. "Kyr'tsad" She spat, the word like poison in her mouth.

The challenge by the Sith lord drew her attention. She instinctively moved into a fighting stance, her hand hovering over her left shoulder where the decorated hilt of her beskade was. "Who do you think you are dar'jetii?" she spat. "No one would follow you regardless of your feat. We are not wild beasts like the Kyr'tsad who follow any man to their deaths!" As if on cue Alliera began to speak. Her words were rang true with most Mandalorians, she felt.

When the gunships came into view she knew it was time to act. Drawing her own blade. "For Mandalore..." she whispered to herself as she waited for the dust to settle.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Alliera was, to put it bluntly, mercurial, and Rach had been her husband long enough to know that he had no idea what choice she would make. He tried, thus, to prepare for anything. 'Prepared for anything', of course, meant prepared for nothing -- try to cover all bases, leave all equally exposed. The Sith spell which tore through Rach's mind was the only bit of Sith magic he had ever learned, a deliberate specialization, and one at odds with the remainder of his Dark Jedi skillset. A growling hum rose in his throat, coloring the chant that rolled out from within his helmet.

As laser cannon fire filled the space between him and Apparatus, the Dark Master raised his gauntleted hands and howled the final words of the spell. Corrosive, entropic tendrils of darkness rose from the ground all around Apparatus, seeking to restrain and burn him. At the highest levels, this spell could kill instantly; Rach was not, of course, at the highest levels, but the spell occupied a large part of the Dark Master's focus and power as he twisted the fabric of reality. The dark tendrils lashed out, half trap and half weapon. Difficult terrain, at the very least.

 

[Caulder Dune]

"My, my." Tyrin tsked, mocking the actions of Mandalore. He had opted to stay, that way he could immediately report on the results of the battle to the Deathwatch. No sense finding out later what he could find out now. Besides, the way this had just developed was far to grand. This was going to be a momentous occasion, he could feel it. Tyrin would bask in being part of history later. Right now, he had taunts to make.

"I can't believe it. The self-proclaimed Mandalore, 'honorable' and 'true' leader of the Mandalorians... Just rejected a one on one challenge and called gunships to do her dirty work. Rejecting a challenge and then cheating." He folded his arms, giving a derisive laugh. "Outstanding, really. I can't imagine the folks back in Mandalorian space will think too highly of you after that move. Yes, this will be greatly publicized in due time..."

This put Tyrin in a good mood. After all, it wasn't every day someone did his job for him. He entertained the thought of helping Apparatus, but decided against it. He was probably better off handling this on his own.

 

[Mereel Vaun]

Mereel didn't want to get too involved into the fighting, he was rather depressed about his vode declining such a momentous offer. The Mandalorians could once again show the auretti that they were not mere cannon fodder, no mans mercenary. He un-slung his verpine shattergun though, and shot two rounds in the direction of the Sith. For a breif moment it had seemed that the Mandalorians could have become more than mercenaries, considered barbarians by outsiders. He decided to return to his ship, hidden in one of Vjuns valleys.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

As the Mandalorians and Darth Apparatus spoke to one another something shifted behind the Mandalorians upon one of their ships. The shadows jumped and bounded outward and then bunched together, seconds later The Dreadlord Moridin appeared standing atop one of the Mandalorian vessels. Moridin appeared holding an already drawn Sith Sword, the blade tightly gripped in his right hand.

He looked on as the Mandalorians began their attack, he scowled and then immediately set to work. He plunged his blade into the Mandalorian Vessel below him then he sent a massive charge of Force Lightning into the vessels hull itself. The Dreadlord simply blew the vessel into a thousand pieces. In an instant Moridin pulled the blade from the ship, and then jumped to the cliff's before him. He bounded directly into the group of Mandalorians, not taking a care in the world for them.

To him this was all a game, Apparatus had asked him to come for this little plot, and he had shown up just for the fun of it. He enjoyed ticking off the Mandalorians, and this would certainly help with that.

 

[Soeht]

 

[Ori'Alor Tal'Verda]

"No." Alliera said, frowning behind her visor "I was considering helping your people in this coming war, I was even ready to let bygones be bygones with the Sith Empire so we work together!" Alliera was angry now, it was clear in her tone, and in her feelings. Hell, Alliera was one step away from ordering a Turbolaser Barrage of her location, but she cared too much about her people to do that. "You don't get it doo you?" Alliera said, frowning "Noone here would support you!" Alliera sighed, and prepaired to do something she hated to do, call a retreat. "All Mandalorians Retreat." ALliera called into her Comm unit, sounding tired "All we accomplish here is satisfy them." As Alliera left, she sent another order, and the massive form of a guardian class frigate entered the atmosphere and broke through the clouds above Moridin and Apparatus' location. After the Mandalorians got to a safe distance, the Frigate opened fire on the location the sith were at. "I gotta make a call." Alliera said, as everyone got on second group of gunships, and blasted off for home.

 

[Soeht]

 

[RC 212]

@[member="Darth Apparatus"]
RC was very weary of the sith lord and his demands did not sit well with the Warlord. As much as he hated to admit it the wanton slaughter of Mandalorians was not his goal. Power and leadership over the Mandalorians was the key. RC needed warriors, and he needed live kin to start his galactic conquest. Dead kin were of no use.
"I will consent under certain terms Lord sith."

RC commented flatly. He was un afraid to let the Sith have the truth. Lies and deception were not his suit, and if he was struck down, the Deathwatch would still live on. You couldn’t kill an idea just the man.

"Mandalore and her people will fall soley under my control at the end of the Invasion. I will allow you to take riches, but her warriors are the only ones that must fall in battle. I do not desire wanton slaughter of my people. In the code of honor only warrior to warrior combat will suffice."