So I'm Looking for a Mask[Completed]

[Erich Lor]

Erich stumbled through the thick forest of the Moon of Dxun. In his left hand was a large machete that he used to slice through the thick underbrush of the forest his blade slicing through vines and other thick plants. He had been doing this for almost an hour. Unfortunately for where he was heading there was no path...or at least not anymore. He was here for the same reason many others were, or had been at the very least. Dxun had once been home to a clan of Mandalorians, a very important clan.

Erich was after this home, Clan Ordo had been the family of Mandalore the Preserver also known as Canderous Ordo. The man had been the last Mandalore to carry the ancient mask of the Mandalore, and that was exactly what Erich was after.

His client, a very wealthy very deranged man had paid him quite the hefty sum to find the mask and bring it back to him. Not being one to scoff at a boatload of money Erich had complied. Dxun was his third stop. He had began his search on Mandalore of course, and then had traced the masks whereabouts to Malachor 5, then from there Erich used the records from a near ancient ruin of a Sith temple to find out that the last person to carry the mask had been Mandalore the Preserver.

Next Erich had found out who Mandalore the Preserver was before taking the mask, then knowing that the man had been an Ordo the Garhoon had made an immediate b-line for Dxun the Ordo clans ancient home.

Just as he collected his thoughts Erich finally broke through the jungle. He quite literally stumbled into a set of ancient ruins. Plants and thick moss covered almost anything, from his position however Erich managed to make out a Mythosaur skull. He grinned slightly beneath his mask, and knew he was in the right place. Now the true Search would begin.

 

[Carbon]

These ancient ruins were actually not that ancient - at least not on the inside. Before the Plague, this had been one of the more secretive bunkers of the Mandalorian people. Deep inside the ruins the hallways of ancient stone turned to corridors of durasteel, corroded by humidity and time.

Nestled within these hallowed halls was a sealed chamber, protected by a thick blast door. Inside rested a command center and a single cryotube. Power had been conserved throughout the hidden base by prioritizing only the cryopod itself. It's occupant still slumbered, fully armored and wearing the very mask that Erich was looking for.

It wouldn't take long for Erich to find his way to the prize, but it would be fairly difficult to get to considering the blast door.

 

[Erich Lor]

The Garhoon walked through the ruins, he inspected every pillar, every stone and closely watched everything he could. He knew that this was the last place the Preserver had been and by connection his mask should be here as well, or at least there should be another clue. Erich was actually quite a good detective, mostly because he reverse engineered the process of being tracked down so...well so he couldn't be tracked down. When one ate people to survive it was quite important not to be caught in the act.

Erich spotted something within the ruin, an intact building. Strange, although it didn't take a detective to see the oddness in that. Quickly the mercenary rushed over to it and inspected the outside. The Structure seemed to be entirely solid with no doors. He looked around it, sliding his gloves around on the wall and knocking on it every few feet.

After a few minutes of inspection a hollow sound erupted from him. The Garhoon grinned slightly and then inspected the spot he was in front of. He took a step back, walking backwards several feet and then raising his left hand.

The Recurve gauntlet activated and his bow appeared within his left hand, almost immediately Erich pulled back the near invisible light string. He held it in place for a few seconds, the emitter on top of the gauntlet grew hot and glowed brightly. Then Erich released the string, a massive blast of plasma flew forward and struck the wall. It exploded in a hot metal ball of gas and shattered into a million pieces.

Erich grinned, and then deactivated his Recurve Gauntlet. Stepping inside of the now new doorway Erich prepared to find the mask.

 

[Carbon]

There was little power beyond the tube, but if there was one thing that was still active, it was the sensors. Or rather, the most rudimentary of sensors - large vehicles, explosions, or anyone entering the room were about the only things that would start the automated processes to wake the sole inhabitant of this ancient place.

While Erich delved into the depths of the curious building, within it's bowels a life was being resuscitated, brought back from the curious land of darkness in which is resided during it's myriad slumbers. It was a slow process to warm up the body of the man who'd once been known as Mandalore, but it was a process that was beginning just now.

Slowly, the pod's temperature rose while the body within warmed in tandem. For now, Erich was still alone, but soon he wouldn't be. Emberli need only wake for company to be had.

 

[Erich Lor]

As Erich ventured deeper and deeper into the building the Garhoon began to feel ill at ease. He had never met a Mandalorian in person, he had never fought or even spoken to one, but he knew their reputation. All of them, from children to full grown men knew how to fight, and fight well at that. Now Erich was no slacker, He was stronger and Faster than the average organic, and he had been trained all of his life to fight and kill “lesser” beings.

However he knew that Mandalorians would be a challenge, even more him. Keeping this in mind Erich slid a palm over his WESTAR-34 blaster, he unclasped the side of the holster readying the weapon just in case he needed it.

So far as far as he could tell the facility was nearly empty, but something told him otherwise. A sort of Sixth sense dug at him, it wasn't the force, more a trait of his species. Eventually he made it to the bottom level, and what he found surprised him even more.

A massive blast door, sealed shut. The Garhoon sighed slightly, and began looking for a control pannel.

 

[Carbon]

Two crushgaunts pushed the top of pod open, and it's hinges squeaked faintly as it allowed it's inhabitant to leave. Blinking away the lingering hibernation from his eyesight, Emberli frowned, not knowing how long he'd been asleep. Unknown to Erich - although it would be clear soon enough - was that there seemed to be no way past the door save blowing it up or someone already being on the other side.

Walking to a stasis generator nearby, Emberli takes a grip on his mask, floating in place along with his cape and weapons, and begins to attach everything into place. A Mandalorian ripper and assault rifle, vibroknife, and a host of smaller gadgets common to most travelers of the galaxy.

Pulling the red cloth of his cape around his body and obscuring his armored torso from view, the man narrows his eyes and begins disengaging the locks on the blast door, which opens with the curious crawl that most massive doors of this size possess upon being opened.

Someone was in the base, of that he could be certain (his HUD told him it hadn't been long since he'd deigned to sleep again). Where they were, he didn't know, but the masked and armored figure of a very imposing Mandalorian would greet Erich once the door was opened.

 

[Erich Lor]

It was rather easy for him to figure out that there was no control switch. There was absolutely no way through the door besides explosives or maybe a very large turbo-laser. The Garhoon cursed these stupid primitive warrior cultures and then slammed his head against the bulkhead. He would have to go all the way back to his ship and grab more of the Diathium power cells to cut through the door. He hated walking through a jungle, it was a pain in the ass.

Then the door began moving. Erich's eyes open wide in shock and almost immediately the young Garhoon bounded backwards several dozen steps. As he moved back he also drew his WESTAR-34 blaster Pistol. The high powered blaster was up and in his hand in almost an instant, as the doors slid open Erich could clearly make out a figure within the diamond edged opening.

Erich pointed his pistol directly at where he guessed the figures head was and waited for the door's to open the rest of the way.

 

[Carbon]

Inside, Emberli's HUD noted movement outside the door and lit up a warning for him, but it wasn't anything he'd not anticipated. Admittedly, he was a little nervous, but at the same time... he was Mandalorian; he had nothing to fear. The stale air of the command center exchanged with the humid Dxun air, causing his cloak to billow faintly about him as a faint wind picked up.

The door continued it's slow advance, and Em simply stood and waited for it to open enough to see who was outside. "I'd suggest dropping the weapon.", he broadcasts through his mask, his voice the low rumble of a distant avalanche. There were no weapons in his hands, although that wasn't something Erich could be sure of considering they were covered.

"Who are you, and why did you feel the need to wake me."

 

[Erich Lor]

“First of all. No.” Erich said as he pointed the gun at the mans face. From this distance he was just far enough that he could get off about half a dozen shots before the man reached him. He didn't know much about Mandalorian armor but he guessed that their helmets weren't strong enough to take six high powered blaster bolts to the face without dying. Knowing this Erich felt fairly confident in his current position.

Upon closer inspection of the man however Erich realized that his face was in fact covered by the Mask of Mandalore, interesting. Okay so this man had the mask, in fact this man was wearing said mask. That led him to the conclusion that this man was claiming to be Mandalore, or at least the Garhoon was pretty sure that's how it worked with these people.

“Second of all. You're Mandalore I assume?” Erich decided to come right out and ask, there was no point in beating around the bush.

 

[Carbon]

"I am Mandalore the Stalwart.", he responds firmly, pulling his Mandalorian Ripper from its holster knowing the cloth that cascaded around his massive frame would obscure the action enough that Erich wouldn't much notice. "I'll give you one more warning to lower the weapon. You're obviously a mercenary of some sort; considering the fact you're alone."

There wasn't much movement beyond that, and nothing of apparent worth within the room that Emberil stood. So he'd either have to try and take the mask, or leave Emberli be.

 

[Erich Lor]

“Great. Then you need to come with me.” Erich said as he lowered his weapon. He was still going to shoot the man if he made the wrong move of course, but for now he was going to be the bigger man. The Garhoon needed the mask, and this man was wearing said mask. So either Erich could kill the man and take the mask, something that would be hard. Or he could ask the man to come with him and meet his benefactor.

“There's someone you should meet.” Erich said it calmly, and with no hint of a threat.

 

[Carbon]

Emberli nodded once, weapon being returned to its holster, again surreptitiously so that Erich would be none the wiser. Sighing audibly, he moves to follow the man. "Fine, I'll play along for now. Do not waste my time." It wasn't a threat, merely an advisement. The more intelligent Mandalorians didn't deal in threats, only realities, and this man was clearly ferociously intelligent.

Somewhere on this moon was another facility that housed Emberli's personal vessel... and it's crew. Keeping the crew frozen was expensive, so instead he had them housed in a self sustaining complex around the presently hidden ship. The original crewmembers were all dead, but their descendants - trained constantly by the older generations - would perform their jobs admirably.

"Am I meeting your boss?"

 

[Erich Lor]

Erich holstered his weapon as well placing it back, although not clipping it in place just in case. He moved through the facility quickly, not wanting to remain underground for too long. He also kept a peripheral eye on the man behind him being ready to turn and fire at any time. He really did not want to get caught by surprise, he was rather weary about all of this.

“It would be more accurate to call him my employer. My boss as it were Is a company, and he hired the company. So yeah...” He didn't mind making small talk, nor did he really care about any information he revealed. Omega Pyre was a well known corporation, the emblems on his jacket identified him as one of their mercs, and he hadn't mention his employers name...mostly because he didn't know it, the man had been rather creepy however. “Do you have your own ship. Or shall we take mine?”

His ship was a small transport vessel, it had almost no weapons or anything of the sort. What it did have was plenty of space and IFF frequencies for half a dozen sectors and corporations, something very handy if you needed to get around quietly.

 

[Carbon]

"We should probably take yours. Mine will... be a bit to be prepared. Speaking of...", with that, his mask broadcaster was cut as he presumably gave orders for his own vessel to be readied. But Erich didn't need to stop, the metal bootfalls of the man behind him were keeping pace easily.

Soon enough they were out of the bunker and into the ruins proper, the jungle encroaching in around them along with the clawing humidity that was lost due to his climate controlled armor. Already, the sounds of the predatory moon cascaded in upon his eardrums, reminding him that this moon was still very much hostile, no matter how much time had passed.

"Besides, mine would attract undo attention that could, perhaps, prove to be problematic."

 

[Erich Lor]

Erich simply nodded in response to the man and before any conversation could be had they were already at his ship. Luckily from Dxun it was a short jaunt to the space station where his employer had instructed him to take the mask. There would be no great amount of time for the Mandalorian and the Mercerenary to have awkward conversation.

The Garhoon stepped on his ship and with a wave of his hand invited the other man to come aboard. When both of them had situated themselves in place Erich took hold of the controls and off they went into space. It took only a mere matter of seconds and the ship jumped into hyperspace. Modern day space travel was quite fantastic in that manner, one could go from the surface to the deepest reaches of space in the course of an hour.

In no time they would be meeting his employer.

 

[Carbon]

No awkward small talk was had, and Emberli didn't say a single word or even move for the entirety of the trip. With little to no idea where they were going, many would think he was silly to come along for this. But, someone wanted his mask, and so he wanted to see who this person was.

Keeping his eyes on hyperspace - something that was said to have the possibility of driving people insane - Emberli mulled over what he would need to do now that he was finally and firmly awake.

Once they were back in realspace, he momentarily looked around to try and get a handle on where they were... but it was a bit too soon to tell, other than their destination was a space station.

 

[Erich Lor]

Erich set down the transport within the hangar bay of a somewhat sizable space station. Then he simply stood up and lowered the ramp, with a slight grin he looked at the Mandalorian. This was actually going to be quite hilarious. He was going to watch a Sith Lord and a Mandalore talk about things, or well he assumed the man was a Sith Lord. He had been eccentric and he radiated evil, not that the Garhoon was exactly...good.

He shrugged slightly to himself then motioned to the Mandalore to follow him. “Time to met him I suppose.”

The Garhoon walked off the transport first and headed straight down the ramp and out of the Hangar bay. His employer had stated he would be located at the top of the station, or at least near the top. It took only a few minutes to reach that point and when they reached the blast doors Erich simply motioned to the Mandalorian.

The Door's opened to reveal a man standing inside, watching space go by.

 

[Carbon]

Emberli noted the station wasn't exactly small, which meant it wasn't an outpost. Mentally, he pondered who the employer might be. Businessman? Retired person who collected artifacts? Certainly the last thing he'd think of would be 'Sith Lord'. With the door now open, the man once known as Mandalore stepped through the doorway and into the room.

Presumably the door shut behind him ominously or something.

"Can I help you?", Emberli asks, voice quiet but serious.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

The Dreadlord had seen Erich's shuttle return, he had been alerted to the vampires presence, and the presence of a second man. The second man had surprised him, the Mercenary had been expected to be alone with only a mask in tow. The presence of a second person meant that there had been a hitch in the plan, something that Moridin was none too pleased about. Once he saw the video footage however he felt entirely different.

As the Mandalorian walked into the observation room Moridin smirked slightly. As the man spoke his smirk grew into an all out grin. He stepped, and then turned away from the screen ahead of him and faced the Mandalorian. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the man wore the mask of the ancient Mandalore's, something that Moridin needed. He grinned at the man's question, an overly confident sadistic grin.

“Oh yes. You very much can Mandalore the....?” Moridins tone sounded condescending, the exact tone someone would expect from a Sith Lord which he so obviously was. From his tribal outfit and the long lightsaber hilt at his waist it was quite obvious that Moridin was no ordinary man. If the Mandalorian had ever seen a Sith before he could most definitely tell that The Dreadlord was exactly that.

 

[Carbon]

"Kriff off, Sith. Lord Mandalore is the title most non-Mando'ade use when addressing me; as is the galactic custom." There was no anger in Emberli's voice, nor much of anything - not even a touch of annoyance. Force Users could sense emotion, and it wouldn't take long for Moridin to figure out this man had a tight rein on his own feelings. No discernible emotion emitted from him.

With the faint scrape of cloth on cloth, the red bits of cape around his body were re-positioned slightly to better obscure his arms and legs, although the red fabric was only being moved back to it's proper position. "I assume you were after my mask. I think you know the answer you'll get from me on that."