The King is Dead. Long Live the Queen (Mandalorian Empire)

[Subject 37]

Sel continued to stalk his way through the belly of Sundari palace, blissfully unaware of the commotion that was happening in the Throne room above him. Everyone was squabbling around this throne or that, claiming rights that weren't theirs or demanding a voice when before they had been nothing but silent. The Mandalorian Doctor cared nothing for any of them. They were pawns in a game that no one really understood, a simple factor in a very large equation that had yet to be solved.

Matters of politics concerned him not at all.

Part of it was because he didn't really understand them. It had hardly ever mattered who was in charge, who called for direction, it was always the people that decided in the end. They would rally or they would not, who sat on the Throne only mattered insofar as who stood around them.

He for one did not intend to stand, or sit, anywhere near the throne. No, with that throne came the light, and him and his ilk were best served within the dark. Sel had no illusions about what he was or what his purpose would always be within the Mandalorians. His people could be stubborn, they clung to their ways and grasped at their history despite the ages passing them by. Mandalorians were a proud people, honorable and grand, but they so often lacked...vision.

That was Sel's purpose. He was here to provide his people with sight.

The Butcher continued his creeping through the tunnels of the palace, weaving his way as the serpent beneath his cloak slithered across his armor. He smiled as he looked up, reading the brief label above the door as he moved into a small, dimly lit room.

His kin could argue and fight. He would work.

 

[Lemon]

A conclusion had already been drawn in the Bounty Hunter's mind. She was to take this claim unless someone challenged her, defeated her. Would it be him? No. No it would not, at least not now. This Empire would crumble under the leadership of a child, for she wasn't a rallying point that was Mand'alor. Just a child, as he had said so many times before. Her sycophantic followers would cling to her coat-tails and go down with her. Of that he was certain. Mandalorians had always risen before falling, and it was now he sensed a plunge. Would he go down with the flaming wreck for find a better footing, only to return later to pick up the pieces?

"Do you know who you mock?" He called out to Yasha, his voice muffled by the helmet to a certain extent. "The Netherworld means nothing here, know that much. The Liberator "could not kill" you, as she couldn't kill anyone else here. If I recall correctly the saying goes, 'We do not care who your father was, only who you will be.' You are not worthy because your father is Preliat. You have the sanction of a dead man, and the whims of a missing one. You are nothing, Yasha Mantis."

That was it, however. He turned in place and walked towards the exit. Koda Fett was done with the Mandalorian Empire, but he would keep his ears open as he always had. Perhaps he would find his way here every once in a while. It didn't matter. And it was likely no one would stop him.

[member="Yasha Mantis"] | [member="Caius Fett"] | [member="Ronan Vizsla"] | [member="Kalad Shysa"] | [member="Kyra"] | [member="Kaden Mantis"] | [member="Shia Kryze"] | @Amanda Kryze

 

[Laira Darkhold]

It took no time at all for Rach to have a knife in his hand and a fierce look at the Clan Munin warrior who approached those of Clan Vizsla. He was more than ready to kill and die in this throne room, and no random guard was about to kick him from his rightful place alongside his cousin and chieftain. "I'm ashamed that I lived through a time when you were Mand'alor, Munin. Ashamed we let someone as weak as you call yourself that. The only solace I gain from that time is that you were so piss poor at the job, half the clans didn't even pay you lip service. You are a coward, Munin, who hides behind your people instead of leading them. Your mere presence at Kid Mantis's side discredits her."

The Old Man turned to Yasha, who had a lot to say about things that the old man didn't much care about. She was right, and she was diplomatic, but that wasn't what was needed right now. If she wanted to lead she needed to lead. She needed to show them, not tell them how great she was. She needed to beat someone to a pulp and ask who's next otherwise, with all this talk and bickering between her supporters and those with doubts there would only be another Civil War. One light on his vambrace began blinking more rapidly, and the old warrior shuffled his uncomfortable breastplate. Part of him wanted to goad Munin into a clan war, but he knew that would only endanger his brothers in sisters against the inflated ego of the Lap Dog of the Sith.

"No one in here cares who all had to die to leave you as the last possible choice, or the circumstances. We only care that you aren't fighting for it. Stop giving speeches and get up and beat the upstarts to a bloody mess yourself, or hop off that chair and find your place beneath it." It was more than a little arrogant of the old man, who stood little chance of defeating the woman in his advanced age. A shame that one could grow so old that even the young and the foolish could best him, but he was an old war dog, blind in one eye with a mean streak he'd fostered across his time with Ra's Death Watch and the one before Mand'alor the Undying.

Sometimes an old dog wanted to bite something so bad he picked on the whole pack of wolves just to prove he could.

[member="Ronan Vizsla"] [member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Caius Fett"] [member="Kalad Shysa"] [member="Shia Kryze"]

 

[Baiko no Kaho]

“You could call her a hypocrite, if she knew what I was. The moment Yasha discovers the truth of me, I will submit to her justice.” A slender woman, dressed in white hakama and navy blue hori coat appeared in the tapcaf, and took a prim seat across from [member="Ember Rekali"]. Hands folded in her lap, Baiko looked the very opposite of a Mandalorian. The White Current fluctuated around her, a Master in her own right, who had remained hidden for decades.

“Give her time, she cannot make good on the Mando’ade until she has control. You know this. You know the first step in any Mand’alor’s reign is to seize the Clans and settle the inevitable angst which comes with it. Zambrano stands with a son to claim her, and she must tread carefully upon her way. Must we add more to her taking of control? Must we turn this day to anarchy, when we could, with reason and patience, create the homeland we want for your people? What is it you wish to accomplish today, Ember? And in your eyes, how can I help aide and guide Mand’alor the Hell Wolf, with the time I have left?”

 

[Ember Rekali]

[member="Baiko no Kaho"]

Despite her sudden appearance, Ember continued sipping his tea.

"You've read the Clans wrong. They're not hers to seize. Their respect is hers to win or lose. I've been through literally dozens of Mando leadership bids. Most go wrong. Yasha's fine day won't be an exception. I led a clan for a long time, stood alongside good-bad-and-average clan chiefs, and I can tell you what most of them are saying right now. I don't need the Force for that.

"They won't care about pretty words. They'll care that she demands their obedience without anything to back it up. Between you and me, I like Yasha. I think she could make a fine Mandalore... eventually. That's not about growing up, it's about knowing what the clans respect.

"They respect a plan. They respect demonstrated commitment to that plan. To their eyes, Yasha brings nothing to the table but ambition, and they've seen all that a hundred times. Right now her sense of certainty is splitting her people in half, and she'll just bluster louder. She pulled the trigger too early. The clans will see through her. They'll bleed or they'll shrug and leave, maybe to another claimant, maybe just to wait for someone they can respect.

"Can that be fixed? Maybe. If she can keep Munin on a short leash, and if she can learn to say something beyond 'look how wonderful and angry I am.'"

 

[Vilaz Munin]

He simply snorted at Rach's comments. He may not have done an excellent job as Mand'alor, but he worked hard for the Mandalorians during that time. He had rallied few of the clans that wished to follow, started rebuilding them on Onderon's moon, and repelled an invasion of Mandalore of the Dominion. All he did this, with his followers, without the help of this irrelevant Rach.

"I'm more ashamed of you calling yourself a Mandalorian. Where were you when I rallied the clans to rebuild our people, hmm? I've led my clan and our people in many battles and events at the front lines, earning me their respect. Tell me, when have I cowered? When have I hid? But you? Oh, you've been hiding and cowering in your cave until this moment."

Was the old man senile? Who knew, but he was bickering and muttering nonsense and delusional things from his tongue.

But now it was time to sweep up the mess and if Ronan and his clan wanted a fight, then they'd get one. And not just Clan Vizsla, but Shysa and maybe Fett.

His warriors saw the body language and posture of those that they faced, and they were ready.

"Attack," the warrior said in the Concordian dialect and his clansmen attacked their opposition. Some had charged at their adversaries with their beskad or melee weapons, and others fired at them. The Concordian would fire his wrist rocket at the crowd that opposed him before marching towards them with a beskad in hand, ready to slay anyone that stood against him. He could have shot them down with the pistols he holstered, but he liked to get in close and do it in a very, very personal way.

[member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Baiko no Kaho"] [member="Rach Vizla"] [member="Koda Fett"] [member="Sel Wyrick"] [member="Amanda Kryze "][member="Ronan Vizsla"] [member="Briika Tor-Munin"] [member="Kalad Shysa"] [member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Shia Kryze"] [member="Silas Mantis"] [member="Karsan Calnov"] [member="Caius Fett"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Kyra"]

 

[Baiko no Kaho]

"Then perhaps a little less brooding skies and a little more advice are in order to keep the globe from burning down, Alor?” Baiko dipped her head, a woman in humility giving where she could and staying quietly firm elsewhere.

“I am but the childhood nanny who has never left. I have no stock in the warrior’s way, but I too dislike the Sith. It is but an alliance not of ideal but survival. I wonder if Mandalore had other options, would the alliance survive?” A cup of tea was brought to her, and she sipped it with a relieved sigh.

“She wanted to wait. Someone pushed her hand, and from the sounds of Carnifex’s blathering a… [member="Calina Ovmar"] and some Merrill woman are implicated. Yasha had every intention of waiting until the best time came… yet intent is only one piece of action. Rest assured she has a plan, however the bellowing Kloo Horns inside natter on. Where were they, when Mandalore had naught but a teenaged girl and Munin to guide them, hmm?”

A good natured smile pursed Baiko’s lips, and she chuckled behind her hand at [member="Ember Rekali"]. “‘Look at me, I am angry’… ah, you Mandalorians and your hot blood. As if anger is the precursor to all good action. I fully admit, she shall temper with age, yet she will temper faster with good council she can trust by her side, Ember Rekali. Munin will be kept in line. Yasha’s diction will improve. I for one am proud she’s yet to stutter. That alone relieves my angst… that and ensuring she wore clean socks.”

 

[Silas Mantis]

Silas stepped forward, breaking away from [member="Karsan Calnov"] and the others and standing firmly between the Munin and Vizla warriors. He outstretched a hand for the Munin's to cease their charge. The warriors would comply unless Vilaz ordered them to continue on, Silas and Akaan had a mutual respect.

"Enough."

His voice boomed throughout the chamber, over the sound of beskads being drawn and war cries. Today was always going to end in blood, that much had been evident from the second people started talking, but it didn't need to result in an all out brawl. "Akaan versus the old hut'uun, Mandalore needs as many sons and daughters as it can muster to conduct our raids, we need not spill more blood than needed." Silas felt no need to hide who he favored between the two.

So many would come to dispute claims, and sling mud, call people like Munin a coward. They had their old wars they spoke of so often, their old Mand'alors, their old ways of doing things, and none of it meant a damn thing. When Mandalore needed them most they were nowhere to be found. Their past meant nothing to Mandalore's future, so to hell with them.

All of them.

Had [member="Rach Vizla"] called on him for whatever reason, Silas would've more than happily taken him on, but he had confidence in Vilaz to do the job.

Old men with no spine had no place here.

​

[member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Baiko no Kaho"] [member="Koda Fett"] [member="Sel Wyrick"] @Amanda Kryze [member="Kyra"] [member="Kalad Shysa"] [member="Ronan Vizsla"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Kaden Mantis"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Yasha Mantis"]​

 

[Laira Darkhold]

And thus, Rach was proven right. Unable to risk one on one combat with an old and decrepit warrior who wasn't even known for being a swordsmen, Munin had ordered his dogs into the fray first. He couldn't risk doing it alone, at least that's how Rach and everyone like him would see such an act. They would see their mighty Akaan atop a dais unwilling to silence an old pilot without first ensuring he was wounded. But they would get their wish. All The Old Man had really wanted was for someone to be a Man and fight him solo without needing guards, and so far, he wasn't getting his wish.

Oh no, the Mantis warriors trying to insert themselves in the way were only putting themselves at risk. Those not up on the dais with the royalty were all at risk suddenly as a missile erupted from the Akaan aimed not at the Old Fang, but at the crowd. Mantis footmen trying to keep the peace, Munin warriors attacking their opposition with beskad and gunfire, Viszla men and women holding their own and likely returning fire, and the Dark Lord of the Sith who was present in the room. It was a small missile, certainly not a threat to the entire room, but fired so indiscriminately it was a threat to any small cluster of men and women from any clan as was the gun fire beginning to erupt from both sides. Mantis would have to stop talking and start fighting or end up in a crossfire with enemies on both sides.

Rach wasn't fast, he wasn't solid steely muscle and rock hard bone anymore, and he wasn't strong like a warrior in their prime. What he was, was smart. He had wanted to goad Munin into manning up, but had planned and expected it to go awry. Hoped it would in fact. He hoped that sheer rabidness would show like it had, and now there was an explosion in the middle of the Mand'alor's throne room turning the Alor'ultai into a fire fight. Rach was thrown to the ground by the force of the missile as it detonated, shaken but not down. Bullets and ripper blasts whizzed through the throne room suddenly as it became the bloodbath Rach wanted deep in his heart. His bones creaked and ached, his knees weak from eighty years and numerous crashes when he was a young pilot, but still he managed to stand.

His armor was ill-fitting eukgar'gam designed to be light rather than defensive, its breastplate several sizes too large for him and protruding his chest much larger than it should have been for a man his size and build. It was time. One finger depressed a light on his vambrace, leaving only the rapidly blinking light active as he joined the fray. The Vambraces didn't have any fancy weaponry or tools. Everything in the armor had been stripped to make space for one thing to give him an edge. He wasn't even wearing crushgaunts or a jump pack. All Rach could hope for was that he didn't get killed by the Alor's goons before the team-killing Alor decided to kill-steal a wounded old man from them.

His arms stretched open beckoning the pup to come into the jaws of the old dog, just a knife in his left hand. Over the roar of the battle, Rach started towards the man he had played so well, "Take your time, I can wait till you get some more guys."

[member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Ronan Vizsla"] [member="Silas Mantis"] [member="Caius Fett"] @therestofyall

Spoiler

 

[Yasha Cadera]

“ORDER.”​

Yasha bellowed, as members of the Yalilyr, the elite Death Watch guard snapped in, separating all of the warring factions inside the Throne Room before an attack could take place. “Thank you, Uncle but Akaan is not the one to fight this day. I am. If you all must settle this before we can move on to Sith lackeys attempting to throw us wholesale into our collective bone piles, then by Manda I will settle it.”

Yasha pushed past the growing crowd to the troublesome Rach and the Vizslas who wanted nothing more than a world burning.

“Who challenges me for the Mantle? You, [member="Rach Vizla"], who run your mouth and do nothing for our people? Whose bones are as brittle as bricks made of ash? Do you challenge Akaan for his service to Manda’yaim? He is my advisor, and I will not have my people disrespected in my Hall. [member="Koda Fett"], you’re so quick to leave, when I would gladly challenge you for this right! The best bounty hunter in the galaxy turning around, when the throne is right here… just one girl between you. [member="Ronan Vizsla"], you who fight so well, when it suits you, would you take this seat or would you rather watch it all burn down? Will [member="Vilaz Munin"] challenge the one he helped put forward? Perhaps, Uncle [member="Silas Mantis"], you would like this right? You are mighty. [member="Shia Kryze"], my loyal sister, you are strong and wise. Would you challenge me for Mand’alor? I will battle whomever comes to challenge me for this chair, as is our way… All I see are men and women willing to talk, when few are given to appropriate action, and those whose actions are noble stay for the most part silent. My people, we must not be consumed by nipping at each other. This is my right by strength of will and I will defend it. I will prove why I claim that chair. I will continue to prove my place on the throne by saving all of you from destruction in a useless and manipulated war.”

Yasha turned her gaze momentarily behind her, to [member="Kaden Mantis"] and [member="Gray Raxis"]… wait… wasn’t [member="Baiko no Kaho"] there at the start?

“Kaden! Keep the Dark Lord and Ancius from leaving. Ambrose, give this [member="Calina Ovmar"] an escort to the surface. Bring her to the throne room under guard.[member="Kyra"]! Ronan Vizsla is your target. No wonder Ra banished the lot of the Alor’e… couldn’t get anything done between the squawking beaks.” Yasha ordered her cyborg bodyguard to the side.

“Chaos upon chaos. Forces are at our Keep ready and very willing to tear us limbs akimbo and leave our bits in the vacuum. I will prove myself with every breath to Mother Manda’yaim, and yes, to all of you. Stop griping on semantics, and Vivi… you will get your war soon enough, we’ve spilled enough Mandalorian blood for several lifetimes already. So tell me, who challenges for Mand’alor?Let us be done with this so we can return to the devils at our gates.”

Standing in the middle of the throne room, Yasha kept her eyes wary for the attack which would inevitably come.

 

[Amz]

Situated towards the back was Merrax, just one among the many in a congregation of beskar, answering to the summons.

Seeing Yasha Manits situated on the throne was a bold statement of her intention, and unsurprising were those already crawling out from whatever woodpile they lived under to challenge the would-be Mand’alor.

Her shoulder found purchase on an adjacent wall, head cocking to one side and watching the scene of chaos unfold.

The woman’s hammer came striking down, but not even the crack of her weapon seemed to still the disgruntled dogs from growling and snapping their teeth.

Tensions and voices rose to a boiling point.

Then, the first shot fired. Violence rang through the air.

“Ah, for the love of...karking hell, here we go.” she grouched, ducking her head.

The blaster at her side was felt for, hand gripping the familiar hilt in anticipation of a blood bath. The reality for any who challenged to take the seat of Mand’alor.

Though, after a few minutes the smoke and haze of blaster fire broke, the intervening voice of Yasha Mantis tearing through it all.

Mandalorians needed a heavy hand to unite. For they were, more times than not...how did that old saying go? Ah, right. ‘Ori’buyce, Kih’kovid.’

Laying out a challenge was the right thing for Yasha to do, and to that end, Merrax had none. She knew which side her loyalties would fall on. Her own ba'vodu had declared loyalty to Ra, who’d chosen and groomed the Hell Wolf for his vision of this very task.

Thus she would stand with Yasha Mantis, throw in her lot with Mand’alor the Hell Wolf.

 

[Ember Rekali]

[member="Baiko no Kaho"]

Far overhead, visible through the mechanisms that let Sundari see the sky, the storm churned. Ember set the teacup aside, disdaining the dregs.

"You have no idea what I'm doing or why it's needed," he said evenly. "You can feel I'm gathering power, and have been for some time. You don't know what I intend to do with it, so don't be quick to warn me off.

"You make two points: that I can do more as Yasha's advisor, and that I should help her secure better allies than the Sith. The first might be true. The second is the same fallacy she gave me when we spoke last. If she wants allies, she should learn to make friends." He waved vaguely at the nearby palace. Sounds of violence percolated through the air. "If she'd spoken or gone raiding with some of these clan chiefs before her bid, we'd see the evidence. I could go out to every government and sell her as the best possible ally. They'd shrug and ask what her plans are, how strong her support is, and how long she's likely to last. What answers would you give, him? If you were asked that by someone who would know if you lied? I'd imagine you'd try to find another way to achieve your goals."

Ember gestured down the street, between the skyscrapers of Sundari. “You know, I thought for a long time on the best way to crack that pyramid open and release the prisoners. I came.up with only one plan that had a decent chance of not getting them killed. It exploits a fundamental flaw in the builders’ assumptions. That flaw runs right through the security precautions from end to end.

“Imagine someone discovered a way to overcome the cure. They could sign in, reject treatment, mingle with the prisoners, spread the word, accept the cure, and leave. Or they could bend the minds of guards on their way in, compel them to share certain phrases and then forget. Soon enough the TSAC would see a modest uptick in prisoners caving and accepting the cure. And those bitter holdouts would walk out free men and women - a TSAC is explicitly designed to allow that. Then imagine they received a cure for the cure and left Sundari for a better place.

“It wouldn't be hard, would it. No harder than watching the entrances and exits to make sure no children are coming through to get the cure. No harder than using insects and birds to chart the limits of the ysalamiri fields. Not hard at all.”

 

[Ronan Vizsla]

From the moment that Ronan Vizsla stepped into the throne room and saw the whelp sitting in a throne several sizes too big for her this moment had been coming.

Every word, every push, every threat and promise only further serving them along to the natural conclusion of things.

Death.

That was the only truth and the only constant in this Galaxy of theirs. It was possible that today would be the day of his last breath, he was comfortable with that. He had left a message to [member="Tamara Wren"] and rescinded the kill order on her head before coming here. His daughter would know peace, wherever she was, no matter the result of today. Some tried to stay the tide, but then Vilaz Munin made the last gesture that would seal the fate of this throne room.

His hand cut clear through the air and chaos took over.

No words could stop the wrist missile careening through the air, erupting amidst the crowd of vod fighting vod. No words could stop Ronan from shifting slightly in his stance and stepping in to the embrace of the cyborg assassin come to silence him.

No words would stop the hilt-wrapped-in-fist from bouncing past his cheek, leaving rough cut and blood in its wake.

And no words would stop the Firrerreo from retorting in kind. Gauntled balled fist launching out like a piston as the Vizsla used Kyra's fast momentum against her, throwing in a punch just south of her chin. First step, collapse the throat, second step. Beskad rearing up and gutting her. They always forgot that Ronan Vizsla was no human, no matter what he looked like. He was faster than he ought to be, stronger, more durable, rather than a cyborg meeting a mere man?

Kyra met an equal in her skills for perhaps the first time.

Around them the peace collapsed as words became irrelevant. Vizsla died, Shysa, Fett, they all stood against the tide of Munin and Mantis and the honor-guard. The latter's attempt to try and stop the fight was ill-advised, because all they did was step into the firefight already raging.

There would be blood.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Calina Ovmar"] [member="Gray Raxis"] [member="Preliat Mantis"] [member="Karsan Calnov"] [member="Silas Mantis"] [member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Kyra"] [member="Adora Namadi"] [member="Teagan Stoirm"] [member="Koda Fett"] [member="Sel Wyrick"] [member="Jor Kvall"] [member="Strider Garon"] [member="Liset Vereen"] [member="Joanes Quez"] [member="Tal Vizsla"] [member="Amanda Kryze "][member="Atin Alo'ran"] [member="Beskadala Ordo"] [member="Briika Tor-Munin"] [member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Caius Fett"] [member="Dorn Skirata"] [member="Kervo Namadi"] [member="Baiko no Kaho"] [member="Kaden Mantis"] [member="Quoron Viszla"] [member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Darth Metus"] [member="Draco Vereen"] [member="Lady Kay"]​

 

[Lemon]

The Bounty Hunter began his departure, his brown eyes beneath the t-shaped blackness of his visor focused solely on the large open doors that lead to a storm above Sundari. Like a sea the Mandalorians parted. He indeed was the greatest Bounty Hunter in the Galaxy, and such a thing commanded respect from a people who oh so often found themselves in such careers. As the Leader of Clan Fett, it too aided in their decision to step aside. For Fett knew best, you could not order a Mandalorian - only make suggestions, ones that made sense, and any Mandalorian knew sense when they saw it.

His helmeted head turned over his shoulder, and then his body followed. Perhaps Fett should of challenged her, given her the right to prove herself, only to cast her aside in the dirt and take said title for himself. He already knew what he would do if he were to be Mand'alor. Destroy the throne, destroy the palace. A Mand'alor was an equal, not royalty. The marble beneath his feet and the throne opposite him only proved to him that Yasha Mantis had no true concept of it meant to be Mand'alor.

"A Mand'alor takes command with reluctance, lives as an equal; holds no authority. You yearn for that throne, live within a palace and dare command a Mandalorian. You are the dirt beneath my boot, and you deserve no challenge from me." Though that is when the chaos began. He tilted his head with carbine in hand, the reflection of two Munin Clansmen barreling towards him appeared upon his visor. He couldn't be to blame; it was self-defense after all.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Calina Ovmar"] | [member="Gray Raxis"] | [member="Preliat Mantis"] | [member="Karsan Calnov"] | [member="Silas Mantis"] | [member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Kyra"] | [member="Adora Namadi"] | [member="Teagan Stoirm"] | [member="Ronan Vizsla"] | [member="Sel Wyrick"] | [member="Jor Kvall"] | [member="Strider Garon"] | [member="Liset Vereen"] | [member="Joanes Quez"] | [member="Tal Vizsla"] | [member="Amanda Kryze "]| [member="Atin Alo'ran"] | @Beskadla Ordo | [member="Briika Tor-Munin"] | [member="Yasha Mantis"] | [member="Caius Fett"] | [member="Dorn Skirata"] | [member="Kervo Namadi"] | [member="Baiko no Kaho"] | [member="Kaden Mantis"] | [member="Quoron"] Vizsla | [member="Ember Rekali"] | [member="Darth Metus"] | [member="Draco Vereen"]​

 

[Zef Halo]

The old Vizla wasn't shutting up. He was biting verbally with no remorse. Even after the explosion of the rocket tore through vod and sent Caius flying into a nearby wall almost knocking him out.

The time for talk was over.

Adrenaline rushed in and the Fett entered a state of combat readiness Mandalorians were renown for. The curtain had fallen. Vod or not. Those who acted their hand, those who threatened his life had sealed their deal. They had rolled their dice. Caius did not need more to react. Words were empty, just noise.

Actions spoke above them all.

Give them no quarter, son. His father's words echoed through his mind as the repulsor pack thrusted him forward at the nearest Munin warrior. Beskad materializing in his hand and thrusting it through the man's hardened plates. Blood flashed through his visor covering a quarter of it and limiting his sight. The claimant's opposition did not hold back. Ronan, Rach, Caius and the rest of the group entered a bloody deadlock in the throne room.

Chaos took over.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Calina Ovmar"] [member="Gray Raxis"] [member="Kyra"] [member="Adora Namadi"] [member="Koda Fett"] [member="Sel Wyrick"] [member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Ronan Vizsla"] [member="Dorn Skirata"] [member="Baiko no Kaho"] [member="Kaden Mantis"] [member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Rach Vizla"] [member="Kalad Shysa"] [member="Merrax Quez"] [member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Silas Mantis"] @Anyoneelse​

 

[Silas Mantis]

And so it all fell into chaos again, vod fell on the blades of vod once again, and he was powerless to stop it. Now it was about survival, nothing more and nothing less. A Vizsla descended onto him, beskad in hand, and Silas reacted. His prosthetic shot skyward, wrapping around the wrist of the warrior and stopping the attempt to cut his throat in its tracks. In a flash he had buried a tomahawk in the man's neck.

Morality, and any sense of unity was shattered as he drew his second hand-axe and made his way through the horde. Everything had fallen apart so quickly, Spar was dead, Preliat was gone, Munin was as trigger happy as ever, and now what was supposed to have been a moment of triumph, was a bloodbath.

Quickly he laid eyes on one man soaring forward on repulsor pack, and shot forward on his own to meet [member="Caius Fett"], a tomahawk in either hand. He'd fough alongside the warrior, had trusted him with his life, but now Silas had to protect his family, and that meant old bonds had to be severed. Closing the gap Silas lashed out at Caius' shoulder with one axe, and kept the other back to counter.

In his mind, Silas felt nothing but sorrow, he had honestly fooled himself that the streets of Sundari had been the last time he would have to kill another Mandalorian. How foolish of him.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

It would seem that Kaine's speech had fallen on deaf ears, at least temporarily. The investigation was shelved for a later date as the various elements of the Mandalorian Clans present in the throne room just went... stark... raving... mad.

Carnifex had seen his fair share of squabbling in the day, put down a few would-be coups, and even lead some of his own against a leader he felt was inadequate. This was madness, mostly because the Dark Lord couldn't rightfully tell one Mandalorian Clan from another unless he got a good look at some sort of crest or other indicator. Feelingly a little naked without his lightsaber, the Dark Lord decided that this was definitely not his brawl to participate in and did what any sensible onlooker would do in a situation like this.

Linger at the edge of the fight and just watch.

And so he did.

​

​

But not before he finally answered [member="Calina Ovmar"]'s call. "Sorry for the delay, apprentice. What started as a celebration quickly turned into a fight over who should rule Mandalore, I'm currently on the front lines as a bewildered spectator, but I've managed to grant you access to land. An escort should be waiting to take you to me, in case one of these bucketheads gets a little too touchy feely with the cure." The sound of fighting and shouting could be heard in the background of Kaine's transmission, but nothing concrete could be discerned over the noise and stark immediacy of the Dark Lord's voice.

 

[Tamara Wren]

Going back was the hardest thing she'd ever done. She hadn't meant to run that day, that hadn't been her intention. She had just needed time, space to sort out just how to bend the knee to her father's order- to Ra Vizsla's order.

And then a different one had come through.

Death.

For disobedience. For risking the clan. For betrayal.

Ordered by her own father for the perception of flight, for a refusal to accept the 'cure' as instructed. It had turned the need for space, for reflection into flight indeed because if she had been reluctant to accept being severed from the Force then what possible chance was there that she would simply and meekly go back and offer her neck to the block?

It had taken time. Contemplation. It had taken hardship.... and loneliness. But eventually, Tamara Wren, daughter of [member="Ronan Vizsla"], had realized something.

To go back and accept her punishment, even if that meant her death, was not meek. It was the strongest thing she could possibly do. The only correct thing, to accept the laws of her people when they were so strained already. The Mandalorians hung on a knife's edge, and as they bled in single drops by single drops, she realized just how precious every single one of those drops was. Perhaps no one alone would make a difference, but there would be a tipping point where only one more could be tolerated before darkness came. She was no naive or self important enough to think that she was that final drop of red on the sand. But if she did not go back, was she not complicit in that final moment?

It was the hardest thing. And yet..... the only thing.

She had stayed to the background, unsure of how to proceed at first. With a hood over her face she certainly wasn't going to interrupt her father as he approached the throne. She watched, frowning slightly because all of this was..... wrong. Deeply and intrinsically wrong. The air was tense from the beginning, this was no united Mandalore, no strength in allegiance, in clan, in blood. She swallowed, hard, deformed hand curling into the fabric of the cloak as everything spiraled. Against her hip, her comm link trilled softly, but she ignored it.

Because nothing could be as important as the moment unfurling in front of her.

Chaos.

Violence erupted, her father near the center of it, and Tamara didn't wait any longer. Head down, she started pushing through the crowd. Some surged forward, some shied back. But for now Tamara moved toward the conflict, shouldering her way through. What she planned to do when she got there, she had no idea.

This isn't why she'd come back.

But now she was here and just like the choice to return, it seemed like no choice at all.

 

[Lina Djo]

Calina let out a small bark of laughter at Kaine’s response. “Typical Mandalorians. There’s a nasty storm brewing over Sundari, it may slow my arrival. Try not to get caught in the crossfire, I’d hate to have to start a war with these fools.” She didn’t even bother hiding the sarcasm in that statement before cutting the connection and composing another short message.

Spoiler

////. There’s a fight for who should rule. Confirmation Ra really has gone. Permission granted to land, storm over Sundari so won’t be able to land direct. If you do not hear from me within 12 hours, assume they know..\\\\\\\
[member="Mara"] d’lessio Merrill

She kicked the thrusters into gear and headed for the planets surface. If they knew, she was dead, there was no way around it. Not unless she could find a miraculous way to escape. They’d not throw her in a prison this time. They’d execute her, probably as publically as the mandalorian they had murdered.

Hard winds buffeted the shuttle, lightening cracked across the sky reflecting off the hull of the Deceiver, she angled away from the coordinates she’d been given, bringing the shuttle to land at the storms edge. Even from here, the powerful winds kicked up dust from the desert about Sundari’s dome and threw it against the ship, she powered the engines down to listen to it pepper against the hull.

Calina leaned forward, gazing up and the dark mass with a frown. This was not natural, not by any means, it had a dark energy to it that seemed to crackle along her skin, raising goosebumps. The teenager closed her eyes and extended her senses looking for a source. Hunting the throb of dark energy that stirred the power above them.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Ember Rekali"]

 

[Kaden Farr]

”[member="Vilaz Munin"] I told you to shut up...” but it was too late. Yasha had told him to stand down, but he fired a wrist rocket instead. She had uncovered potential Sith interference in their Empire, that this is what the Sith wanted, and the didn’t care. They cared more about who would claim to unite them.

Dar’manda, all of them.

Kaden didn’t survive a bloody Civil War as a child to see his people break down again. None of these men who dared to oppose [member="Yasha Mantis"] without actually challenging her outright had fought in the Civil War. None of them were there when Ra Vizsla called for them to come. Aruetti and Dar’manda the lot of them. If death is what they had entered the room for, then it would be what they got. Kaden did not doubt that Yasha would be as merciless as Ra with those who would dare oppose her.

She could have ended this, but Munin was a blood thirsty fool. Perhaps he was not fit to stand at her side as Warmaster. His arrogance would be the end of her.

”Enough of this arrogant squabble,” but no one was going to listen anymore.

Yasha would put them down then it would be over. There would always be an element that didn’t want to follow, Kaden had always thought it best to ignore. This display gave them power they didn’t deserve. Fett wanted to talk about authority, but his inaction didn’t prove Yasha didn’t have it. If anything it only showed he was a man that refused to be under any authority. He did not serve Ra after all.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] moved to the shadows. Kaden followed. Whether he was responsible or not, the truth needed to be found. If Kaine would not kill Calina, then he would. Ambrose would provide the escort.

”Take Ysalamiri with you.” The guards nodded.

Kaden watched. Today he was not proud to be a Mandalorian.

Tag: on my phone sorry [member="Silas Mantis"] [member="Ronan Vizsla"] @Rach Viszla @Cacius Fett [member="Koda Fett"] [member="Yasha Mantis"]