Private The Madness of Circumstance

[Severus Barran]

TAGS
Yuri Maji

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
I

​

Corporate Sector, Imperial Central,
Coruscant, Deep Core Territories (903 ABY)

<"Any word yet?">
<"Nothing yet, Lion. Best to presume he's being held at another blacksite.">
<"Alright, then I guess we should check activity around the nearest public squares.">
<"Copy.... Warmask - out!">
​

'For feth's sake.', the young Dantooinan muttered behind a coffee-cup, upturned towards his lips at the time, approaching just in time for the outburst to conclude. Yet despite the rising desperation in his gaze, not a single interruption to his cover-pattern behaviours had been expressed, and not a single passer-by would notice; neither the rising irritation, nor the fact he was relaying to boost the signal-strength of the young Novanian's scanner, and to an extent so oblivious that not even the diners at the tables around him even cared to notice. Barran could help but feel like a raging inferno beneath the surface, regardless of the calm and collected front he was putting forth publicly, but his uncle had taught him enough about fitting into the background to know he was perfectly fine, making no sudden movements as he meshed into the setting itself.

'Huh?'

But something, or rather, some-one was bringing the young Lion close to snap his head to one side, to make sudden movements he was not advised to make, not even in exfiltration back to the Little Outpost. Human high-culture had prevailed too much by then, and far too much for such an individual to fit in for very long, a good thing then that the distant presence was sticking to the crowd like glue, on the underclass side of the speeder express-lane at that. Whoever this was, they were certainly the farthest thing separated from the greenhorn majority, and just like Barran's growing clique, this fellow was also every part the consummate professional.

Its not every day you see his sort in Coruscant these days.
Shame, perhaps I might have come to work with a few of them otherwise.​

Having caught a glimpse of the unexpected presence in transit, Severus was lucky enough to catch the direction in which the young Shistavanen warrior was headed, and much to the young Half-Goidel's surprise, he noticed that the direction was leading directly toward the Protectorate safehouse. As much as the young Lion wished to let it slide on grounds of paranoia, and as much as he knew that the safehouse's proximity would help to answer whatever questions arose from this impending counter, he knew this matter could not be left to anyone else, made acutely apparent with a gut instinct that urged him forward in the spirit of curiosity.

Slow and steady, stick to subtlety.
​

Stepping out after carefully pushing his chair in, leaving more than enough for the bill and checque alike, Severus sauntered over to the crossing-lights with periphery kept firmly on his walking commute, keeping his posture and breathing alike in check. Hopes had previously met with outcomes of mistaken identity, but Barran's gut was urging him to commit this time, promising reward for the risks incurred in the endeavour, but the crossing was the easiest part. Severus had to appear like he belonged, but the only way he could continue to do so, as much as he disliked it, was to appear like he was already off for the day, making a shortcut to a condominium that others imagined to be somewhere beyond the near-vicinity of the safehouse.

Thus the cover-image would need to be seen doing things he would never do on duty, but not so extreme that it broke his cover, and not something that hindered his attempt to reach the one he suspected he aleady knew. However, fortunately for the face beneath the plain-sight cover, he knew that lighting up a cigarra would fulfill exactly that, closing the gap between himself and the suspected ally as he reached into his coat's inner-pocket and that of his formal-dress trousers, lighting up accordingly with one spare kept tucked in above his ear. Only then did the nearing man ahead slightly turn his head to get a closer look at the one tailing him, but Severus, in his polite, though direct manner of instruction, had to mutter,'Eyes front, please. Friendly gestures await, though. You're in good company now.', in the hopes it offered at least some modicum of reassurance.

'Straight ahead, we have a two minute walk - purple door enters to safety.... Its good to finally meet you, Mr. Maji.'

 

[Yuri Maji]

Walking along the upper levels of Coruscant wasn't something Yuri generally did, especially when clad in full armour. Luckily his poncho helped to hide most of his kit, and his helmet dangled loosely from his belt to help keep his profile low. But even then, someone like him wasn't a common sight in the upper levels. He chose to stick to the lesser traffic as he attempted to find his ship.

Normally he would have hopped a taxi or organized some kind of transport to avoid notice... but normally, he would also be several levels below the surface. It just so happened that the delivery job landed him higher than he was used to, and the curiosity of the enormous cloudcutters won him over. Despite the odd looks he received, it was a quite pleasant walk.

Or would have been, were it not for the feeling of someone watching him. He kept his eyes forward and played it off. Cops wouldn't be on him so quickly, neither would any bounty hunters. His modest bounty was relegated more to the Outer Rim than the Deep Core. Regardless, he was in no mood for a tail. A spare glance at a nearby diner's window gave him a fleeting image of who he suspected. Human, neatly dressed, looking like just about every other pretentious schutta one would find so high up on Coruscant. It was only when he heard a faint, metallic click that he turned his head to look at the man, hand already hovering over War's grip.

'Eyes front, please. Friendly gestures await, though. You're in good company now.'

"In my experience, that's a lie." He remarked, bringing two fingers to his lips in gesture to a cigarette. His posture relaxed somewhat, though he was still on guard with the overly friendly stranger. Once he received a smoke, his vambrace's flamethrower sparked a flame to light it, though it allowed his other hand to come underneath and hold his wrist blaster at the ready on the man.

'Straight ahead, we have a two minute walk - purple door enters to safety.... Its good to finally meet you, Mr. Maji.'

Yuri let the smoke roll from his nostrils as he glanced at the man. How the hell did he know his name? "Ya don't smell like a bounty hunter. So you better start talkin'." He muttered, the distinct 'hiss-and-click' of his wrist blaster echoed as it primed. Just loud enough for the stranger to hear it.

Severus Barran

 

[Severus Barran]

TAGS
Yuri Maji

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
II

​

Corporate Sector, Imperial Central,
Coruscant, Deep Core Territories (903 ABY)

'Heh! Fair enough... Just let the Trandoshans pass us by first-alright.... Here goes-'
​

Inhaling with full awareness as to how things ended up with the legends of their families, the young Lion was fully aware of the dangers that went with ripping off that particular bandaid, but Severus was sure enough time had passed to lend both families their fair deal of closure, thus remained confident in his choice to reveal himself. By then, the safehouse was but a minute away, but Barran smirked to know the ones inside would not be needed, almost too happy to reveal,'Before I explain my reason for approaching, I'll just start with a name I'm sure you'll know.... I'm Severus Barran, and history binds our paths together.', safely assuming Maji would know (at least enough of-) the intricate lore of yesteryear.

The only factor that would ring as uncanny in Maji's ears was the fact something distinct was missing, and with Goidels having left their lasting mark on the Galaxy already, the lack of Woadish or Tuathan accent would be quite glaring indeed. One downside to being raised on the matrilineal homeworld, as much as Barran quite preferred it that way, was the surprise in learning of half-Goidelic ancestry in his blood, made all the worse when impersonations spewed forth in imitation of an accent that seemed alien to his ears. But despite the difficulties it was likely to present, both in assuring proper self-identification and calming tensions, the young Lion had already passed that point of no-return, thus all that remained was commitment to the whim and prompt of his own destiny.

'Now, as for the reason, you won't believe this, but our AOs have seemingly overlapped. For you, it would appear you're here hunting, though for me, I'm here rescuing - and I'm willing to bet that our targets' identities are entirely different too.'

 

[Yuri Maji]

A soft snort escaped Yuri as he cast a glance at the Trandoshans walking past them. Another curious sight on these levels. The man went on to explain who he was, and he was entirely correct with his presumption. Yuri's gaze turned back to him with a curious look as he took another long pull of his cigarette. "Barran, huh? Funny... ya don't sound like one. If I remember correctly, y'all are supposed to have that funky accent." He remarked with a smirk.

Severus went on to explain his reason for approaching Yuri out of the blue while also trying to be as vague as possible. Clearly he was "on the job" if his appearance and mannerisms were the case. Luckily for him, he had guessed wrong on Yuri's reason for being there. If there were credits to be made, and possibly some friends in high places, Yuri wouldn't mind tagging along. He knew the stories of the Barrans, and those other Gowrie characters. His mother often spoke fondly of their shenanigans and even a few operations that she didn't mind sharing. He even managed to scrounge up some old helmet footage in his mother's personal files on the freighter's terminal.

She refused to talk about the later years, though. Something about Ilum she didn't want to talk about.

"Well, I probably got some good news for you..." He began, taking one last drag before stomping the bud under his armoured boot. "Ya caught me at a damn good time. Just finished a job and the schuttas shafted my pay. So, if you're needin' an extra gun, I wouldn't mind rolling with you. See why Ma couldn't shut up about you lot." He remarked with a chuckle, deciding to slide his helmet back on. "So, where's this purple door you were braggin' about?" He continued with a synthesized voice.

Severus Barran

 

[Severus Barran]

TAGS
Yuri Maji

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
III

​

Corporate Sector, Imperial Central,
Coruscant, Deep Core Territories (903 ABY)

'Dark-grey building up yonder, the three-story on the left there. Stone's throw now.'
​

After pointing out the safehouse, the young Lion signalled desire to take their time, to enjoy their cigarras a little longer, especially after being given much to think about in the nature of the Wardog's response; previously believing that there was no transference of legends and lore between the clans, that the stories would have long-since died down within Maji's culture, hearing specific expectations such as those already told of stories still prevalent on the voices of Yuri's kin. Severus could help but ponder aloud, even going so far as to admit,'I always did wonder what permeated down through the generations, and on what that would mean for otherwise-deified ancestors.... It seems that Barrans always enjoyed partying the night away.', with a polite, smirkingly quiet snort of pride.

Is- is Anthemious- onto something here?
Well, I'll be damned....

Little brother was right about that after all.​

'In any case, perhaps we can dissuade your employer's goons while you go to work on the man himself, no cut needed, so every credit will be yours. I suppose we can call that a gesture of good faith before grander plans are made, but it does no harm - we build cohesion as we help you fnish the veggies on your plate.... You see two birds now, and with the sudden good fortune of merging with the killing stone - this means you'll be partying with us on Terraris when we're done.'

​

It had been nearly two years since Severus was last on Terrarian soil, and he was only there visiting to ascertain the overall welfare (and spiritual contentment) of the family's so-called tearaway son, thus the last time he truly unwound was as far back as five years before the day he met Yuri. However, and much to Barran's consternation throughout that preceding timeline, it was not for the lack of trying, nor was it for the lack of need to unwind either, as circumstances alone were having their way with his destined path at the time. But if the young Lion could orchestrate a resounding success on Coruscant, snatching victory from the claws of an executioner's blade, then perhaps the need would intensify, and enough that not even the prodigal son could stem the tide of absolute, unbridled revelry.

Even with Lilianna still in captivity, Severus knew he could unwind with half the battle already won, for where there is smoke...

[Hssss]
[Flick]​

'Lets go.'

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri stared ahead at their destination as he walked alongside the man, it was certainly a strange sight to see someone as sharply dressed as Severus walking with what would likely look like some dirty Underworld criminal. The thought was rather amusing. Severus went on to comment on their families' past relationships, earning a chuckle from Yuri. He did use one word, however, that Yuri wasn't used to hearing about his mother.

"Deified, huh?" He remarked. People had used many words to describe both him and the rest of his family. But 'deified' was never one of them. An old bitterness crept up, though the Hound quickly shut it down and instead focused on Severus' remark about Yuri's previous business dealing. He simply shook his head and waved it off. "Don't worry about my business. Those kriffers ain't worth my time or ammunition. I ain't flyin' a single pound of cargo for them ever again." He looked back at Severus with a daring grin. "Besides. You're sittin' on the Imperial piggy bank. Helpin' ya rescue some friends of yours will probably cover some decent credits." He still was a gun for hire, at the end of the day.

Their families might have been good friends, but the mutt still wanted to see what this Barran was made of. At the moment, he had Yuri at a complete disadvantage. "But, hey... Terraris ain't half bad." He quipped with a shrug.

The finally reached their destination and Severus urged them forward. "Ladies first." Yuri joked, waiting for Severus to enter before falling in behind him. He couldn't help but grip the side of his holster as a precaution as he entered the unknown. There was no telling of what to expect with an undercover Imperial, or any location he suggested. All he had to go on was Severus' insistence that it would be safe.

Severus Barran

 

[Severus Barran]

TAGS
Yuri Maji

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
IV

​

Corporate Sector, Imperial Central,
Coruscant, Deep Core Territories (903 ABY)

'Fair enough.... Ha! My poor luck for having to rely on retinal scans to get in, I walked right into that one.'
​

Ever appreciative of laddish humour, the young Lion graciously took the joke in stride as he approached the purple-door, explaining,'I - uh - can't with the thumb-print scanners, techniques passed down have a certain.... Bite to them.'. revealing the lack of prints on thumb, index and middle finger on the right hand whilst the scanner whirred with activity. Then after a few authentication bleeps, the purple door slid open to reveal two others, both still sharing a Hookah by the time Severus reassured,'Relax, lads.... This one's a friendly,', motioning downward with both hands to signal for weapons to be kept down. Not an easy ask for men who were waiting for the door to shut, but tensions calmed when they quickly recognised Maji, just as Severus himself had, just minutes before, but tensions calmed all the same.

'Shut the fething door, Sev! For feth's sake!'

[Shhhmmm]​

'OPSEC, Barran! I'm getting sick of looking over your shoulder!.... Sorry about that, Mr. Maji. Its Barran's first op, seen?'

​

To this, both men at the Hookah table turned sidelong glances at the Dantooinan, laughing until Severus shushed them for a moment, though this was only to reveal,'That one is Michael of Karidim, princeling son of Novania's deposed Priest-King, the great Yorunarr.... He wears those,"Sunglasses", to keep the rest of us from going sunblind.', to which the young Arkanian-blooded shaman answered by tilting his shades down toward the bridge of his nose for effect. Turning then to the quiet human in the room, both Severus and Michael would be looking to the shrouded smoker when the former continued,'And this one, and by the grace of that piggy-bank, was contracted to me when his commander's PMC signed to become my personal guard-detail. Strong history to this one too.', as the new arrivals approached the Hookah table together.

'This one might come to delight you most, as this man, here, is none other than-'

 

[Raymond J. Senée]

TAGS
Yuri Maji

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
I

​

PROTECTORATE SAFEHOUSE, IMPERIAL CENTRAL,
CORUSCANT, DEEP CORE TERRITORIES (903 ABY)

'This one might come to delight you most, as this man, here, is none other than-'
'The last son of a brood I failed years ago, a spice smuggler - a Reaver.... But still a Gowrie.'
​

Far had the Tuath fallen in life to rise back to the end-result that Maji could see, rolling down his sleeves to draw wandering focuses away from the faded prison-markings on his forearm, but his training, duelling prowess, and service with Les Chacals PMC had coincidentally made him the seniormost of Protectorate-Imperials in the room at the time. It was obvious in his eyes that he was still recovering from a recent trauma, though that fortunately softened enough to appear sociable, and when Agent Serval continued,'An' just when I find myself feelin' proud o' my name again, the very nature o' my service to the company means I can only answer to,"Raymond J. Senée", though only until I complete my contract.', flashing a brief, though-hopeful grin as he trailed off.

'Now, as for Mr. Barran, here.... Aye, this is, indeed, his first op - but he still shows promise in the midst of a shaky start. Give 'im time, he'll soon become the Barran we need him t'be.... But enough wae that caper - let us meet the proper way, eh?'

It was then that Gowrie started the first in a chain of handshake offers on the spot, realising then that stars were finally beginning to align, and perhaps to achieve what previous generations attempted too late in life, thus all of yesteryear's gripes and longings would need to be eradicated in the only way this new generation knew how. Using the insight he had picked up when Martin S. Senée saved him from the hell that was penal service with Scavengers PMC, the mercy of common respect had made a life-changing impact since the day his service was bought out, turning a doomed existence into something far more remedial in contrast, thus Serval would practice what he preached in passing that folkish respect down the line.

Offered as if the handshake itself contained a magazine full of Vanguard slug shells, helping battle-brothers with ammunition in the trenches.

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri watched with an amused smirk as Severus fiddled with the retinal scanner for the door, quickly answering a question the Hound was silently asking himself about why he wasn't simply using the fingerprint system just underneath. Apparently there wasn't much of a fingerprint to scan in the first place, if the Barran's word was true.

After a brief pause, the two finally gained access to the fabled purple door... only to reveal two other individuals in an otherwise small safehouse. Why the hell did the Imps need a safehouse on their capital? He would likely get an answer for his other silent question in due time, but first he had to meet the two characters ahead of them. One looked pale as hell, likely Arkanian if he had to guess. The other looked human enough, though a few marks and scents gave Yuri an impression that he wasn't as straightforward as he seemed. What unnerved him, however, was the fact that everyone simply knew his name, or at least his family's name.

What the hell did his mother do to be this famous?

Severus introduced the Arkanian first, and the man went on to remark that it was Severus' first operation. Yuri couldn't help but shoot a concerned glance at the Barran for a brief second before turning his attention to the other individual in the room with them.

'The last son of a brood I failed years ago, a spice smuggler - a Reaver.... But still a Gowrie.'

A faint chuckle rumbled from the mutt's throat at the introduction. Yet another name that sounded familiar to Yuri. Also likely the most relatable individual in the room for him. The man, Raymond, proceeded to calm Yuri's doubt and give some background for Severus, albeit with one of the most Manda-forsaken accents to ever grace Yuri's sharp ears. Regardless, the man outstretched his hand and Yuri responded in kind to greet him with a firm handshake. "Su cuy'gar." He greeted the man before stretching his hand out to the Arkanian as well.

"Before I ask why a bunch of Imps are hiding on their own capital, I gotta find out first why all of you know my family." The Hound enquired as his golden eyes scanned the three men. He thought that this would be a simple contract job. But with how things were shaping up, he found himself having more and more questions, with dwindling answers.

Yuri proceeded to pull a cigarette from a pouch on his belt and, once again, use the spark of his flamethrower to light it as he studied the men. "Last I checked, Ma didn't include any of your families in her testament. And my snout ain't nearly as pretty as hers was." He commented further as a hand idly rested on the grip of Peace.

Severus Barran

 

[Severus Barran]

TAGS
Yuri Maji

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
V​

Corporate Sector, Imperial Central,
Coruscant, Deep Core Territories (903 ABY)

'A damn good question, Mr. Maji.... And fortunately for all our sakes, I have a fitting answer.'
'Worry not, Mr. Maji. He's telling the truth.'
​

'Mikey, behave yourself. Let the man make his own mind up, please.', the young Lion interjected, biting back on all the venom toward behaviour he saw as weakness, for none in their present company would benefit from softening the blow, from lessening impacts they deserved for failing to tell the truth in it's entirety. None could grow that way, and certainly not in a Galaxy that would need them at their strongest, and quickly; thus Barran would not hide behind the kind words of his peers, respect would be needed for such things to take hold, and Severus knew this would need to be earned. Turning then to Yuri, Severus knew this was his one and only chance, taking note of the hand hovering over pistol-grip as he finally answered,'Three perspectives tell three different accounts on your mother's duel against my grandfather, three vastly different tellings.', looking Maji in the eye all the way.

'We're talking about New-Imperial, New-Jedi, and Mandalorian perspectives, all telling of a duel on a frozen lake, a duel of which your mother won, by the way. But all three takes on the encounter, detailed though these archives might be - are complete and utter bantha chit! All three, and in equal measure.... For I have been shown the very truth that none would dare to have written down, for that very secret was sealed within the sword my grandfather wielded that night.'

Still not breaking eye-contact by then, Barran then smirked, but ruefully; fully aware of the heartache he was forced to see when he held the Silken Lion for the first time, feeling the agony of the blaster wound inflicted on old Erskine's stomach, along with the torture that was the immediate healing-treatment that followed eventual divine intervention. Shaking his head with dismay, the young Lion could only continue,'They weren't enemies, Yuri.... Far from it, but higher, hidden powers forced them to clash swords all the same.', still very much a thrall to the truth of the matter. By then, it was life-or-death, and for a man who was choosing to live or die by the merit of his words, the very precipice itself was made painstakingly apparent by the coldness of Maji's glare.

'I've never known enemies to weep for the loss of their respective counterparts, but your mother did.... I've never known a mortal foe to bequeath a legacy to a nemesis, not with smile nor scowl - but my grandfather did, and proudly at that. It was like a father with his favourite, most-diligent daughter.... I've never known foes to celebrate the revival of people they're supposed to hate, but it happened - right there on Ilum, of all places.'

The confidence in his own words was beginning to show by then, but fortunately not to hubristic degree, only insofar as the beliefs Severus held towards the visions he was granted, as even then the young Lion felt it impossible to lie about something so vivid. Recalling that night on Dantooine as a boy, just a little too young at the time to know that the Silken Lion was in the process of being transferred from Serenno to Nirauan, (to the Hand of Thrawn with the encased remains of his grandfather) remembering it all and all the tears that followed as Barran's adamant tone argued,'I know what I saw, Yuri. I can recall every last moment, and all as if I had lived it from my grandfather's perspective.', venting with words his own soul was demanding him to say.

'Its enough that I cannot hate your mother, I cannot despise that kind of pain - for it pained me just to see it.... Paining me enough that I subconsciously magnetised toward her very own son, seeking reconciliation as if it was my life's purpose! And yet, deep down, within the farthest depths of my soul - I can no longer deny that it just might be.

​

It was no secret among the Protectorate majority that the Lord Imperator's son had grand aspirations, but would ever truly know how beneficial they could be for the task of achieving stability in the Galaxy, nor of the hours he had spent labouring over means of finding true, secure peacetime conditions in the early decades of the Tenth Century ABY. The mere rumour of his bloodless aspirations was enough for the Protectorate's citizens to know the young Lion's time was being spent wisely behind closed doors, and with no scandals of decadence or violent tendencies to note, the realm would soon be glad that Severus was left alone to find a way for all, and not just the shrinking borders of the IMPAF remnant.

Despite the occasional overthinking, despite the suppressed mulishness, young Barran had revealed something more measured, more empathetic in contrast, revealing, perhaps, the heart he had on his sleeve throughout his historical studies. But most of all would be the showing of how strongly Severus had felt about the visions specifically, as such things always transcended mere belief, faith and whimsy, especially whenever the Force was involved; and with so much still being left open to mortal, corporeal interpretation, and to a young generation that lacked the proper instruction, it would only be an eventuality that things such as these would be left to men like the young Lion.

A burden of prophecy, and of peace that Barran neither foresaw nor wanted before, not with the goal of survival taking precedence for too long already - too many had perished to assure that survival, but change was needed.

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri's head turned with curiosity as Severus very confidently reassured him that he had an answer for the mutt. He leaned against a wall and puffed his smoke as he listened to the Barran's story. He had to admit that he was taken by surprise at the choice of backstory. He never knew of what happened, his mother refused to speak of Ilum or the engagements after that.

From what he could gather, Severus somehow got to see a duel between his grandfather and Yuri's mother through a sword the old Barran wielded. It didn't make a lick of sense to Yuri, but Severus seemed far too sincere and confident in what he was telling to be lying. Yuri was fairly good at catching when someone tried to swindle him, they tended to smell funny. No, this imp was telling the truth with his heart on his sleeve.

"Vode an." Yuri muttered as he looked away, thinking over everything he had learned. It was a phrase reserved for their own people, but from the stories told and what he learned from his mother's own words... it sounded like Severus' grandfather truly was a family member to his mother. The dead cigarette was crushed beneath his boot as he looked at the three men before him. "Well..." A shadow of a smile took form. "If my Ma trusted your old man, I probably don't got a reason not to trust you too." He quipped with a shrug.

But there was still the matter of his first question.

"Y'all still didn't answer my first question, though. Why's a bunch of imps hidin' on their own capital?" He asked again, watching the three men with a renewed glimmer in his eyes.

This was a fascinating interaction for the Hound. His mother hid a lot from him about some parts of her life, and the rest of their people didn't know the whole story either. Severus' explanation shone a new light on what he thought he already assumed he knew.

Severus Barran

 

[Raymond J. Senée]

TAGS
Yuri Maji

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
II

​

PROTECTORATE SAFEHOUSE, IMPERIAL CENTRAL,
CORUSCANT, DEEP CORE TERRITORIES (903 ABY)

'Y'all still didn't answer my first question, though. Why's a bunch of imps hidin' on their own capital?'
'Well, I think it best to show the answer, to give you a point o' reference afore we elaborate.'
​

With a cursory nod given toward the Novanian, the Tuath's gaze would follow his friend's movement toward one of the safehouse's inner walls, thumping then across the center to reveal a clicking mechanism built into the drywall; and beyond the threshold, awaiting the four young warriors was an another room, hidden behind what seemed to be the back wall of the property. Yet after defining a new boundary to the safehouse itself, the emblem on the back would quickly render the building's true purpose quite unimportant to the conversation after that, and when Raymond finally prefaced by admitting,'Truth be told, we're not,"Imps", of the local sort. We have no affiliation with Coruscant, or the Sith'ari, for that matter.... We never did.', setting the tone before Yuri caught sight of the insignia.

'Not while our hearts still beat for Nirauan, for the Protectorate - those who remain of IMPAF!'
​

With each familiar entry into the room came a fist-over-heart salute, and to each a Protectorate-Imperial there, came a fittingly-ardent tribute for a remnant to which many still clung, a miracle, in and of itself. To unaffiliated eyes, (and to those of people who had long-since left the realm behind them in their thoughts) it would have appeared as though Barran's lot were monk-devoted guardians of an abandoned temple, safekeeping wisdom and philosophies that time had forgotten, though men like Agent Serval were always given reason to smile in the midst of suchlike thought-patterns. The honour had been his father's to serve and die for IMPAF, and in turn, for the New Imperial Order, as such was the only thing that ever made sense to men like Raymond.

'Reclaim your homelands.'

'Oppress your oppressors!'
'Oppress your oppressors!'
​

With secret entrance closed up behind them, the trio turned to their new friend with welcoming smiles, instinctively pulling shutters upward to give Yuri an exhibit of their tactical loadouts, right down to the last throwing-knife. All racked and mounted onto shelves and wall-mounted holsters, railings and hangers, with each section marked out by their names in Aurebesh, and with a subtle, pale-blue tone for lighting behind the shutters, all their chosen Tier-1 solutions were there for Yuri to see. Oddly enough, however, the trio would note that there was also (and abundant-) room for a certain Warhound's loadout, opening the last set of shutters on their row to reveal this storage location was open to Yuri's utilisation, but there was one more shutter to pull up - and Severus was already moving to open it.

​

'Open offer, so feel free to drop yer gear on location when its needed. But for now, let my friend reveal the best display here.', the Tuath quietly announced, pointing to the centerpiece as it revealed all the scabbard-covered swords that were previously hidden from view, with two lightsabre hilts clipped in just above. All three of the original trio would stop in their tracks, sighing with wonder at the luck of being bequeathed with swords their fathers once wielded, but when Raymond turned to Yuri to suggest,'Maybe a Warhound's Beskad would have pride o' place here, eh?', the excitement only seemed to amplify itself around them.

'She would be welcome among kindred sisters, as you are now welcome among brothers.'

<"Enemy forces inbound, bearing Sith Covenant and Sith Order markings on their ships. Prepare defensive positions.">
<"You serious?">
<"Get busy, and mobilise like you intend to live, understand?">
<"Yes, sir.... Long live Solipsis.">
<"Long live the Empire.">
​

'Oh..... You all heard that too?'
'We'd be deaf if we didn't.... Looks like we jus' became third-parties.'

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri's golden eyes studied the trio for a moment as they shuffled about. The first to speak up was Raymond. The Gowrie, as he understood it correctly. He watched the man as he moved closer to a wall in the back of the safehouse. The revelation finally came when Raymond admitted that they held no love for the current empire and its rather controversial overlords, and before Yuri could even make a remark, he revealed an insignia that Yuri recognized all too well.

The imperial cog and fist. He couldn't help but stare in surprise as the trio chanted a declaration that felt as if it had a lot more history behind it than Yuri could imagine. Words that stirred something in the mutt's heart. "We do not forget..." The words muttered softly in response, decades of lessons and training swirled in his mind as he stared at the emblem before him. He had never faced a Sith before, let alone met one. But years of stories and lessons taught him well that there was a reason his mother, and her friends in the Empire, fought against them for literal decades. Raymond eventually drew him out of his thoughts as he boasted about the main attraction of the trio's little safehouse.

The wall separated, and behind it rested four armoury slots with names above them. Yuri was shocked to see "Maji" above an empty segment.

His feet drew him closer to the armoury. But not for a part dedicated to him. The part that had his interest was the center of the display, adorned with a variety of swords and lightsabers stored with far more care and respect than the rest of it all. Once again, a spot remained open in between the custom blades and swords. "Beautiful..." He muttered to himself. Raymond answered his question when he mentioned hanging his own weapon up against the wall. A silent, private shrine dedicated to warriors long since past. Decades, if not centuries, of history stored within those blades. A hand subtly grasped at his right hip in search for the hilt of his blade, but no such weapon was present. He rarely carried it on him, only when he truly went to war, did he elect to carry the sword of his people with him.

"Why do this? Why offer me this kindness? He asked them gently, his eyes unmoving from the blades on display. He felt out of place among them. They were soldiers, he was... nothing. A criminal, a scoundrel and a coward. Too afraid to face his people and help them in ways that meant something. Why would a bunch of strangers, living on the memories of battles long since past, welcome him into their fold with open arms?

His concentration only broke when a commlink came to life with a report on an attack. The Hound glanced at them before bringing his vambrace to his maw. :: Baby, gear up. Bogies incoming. :: He spoke over his commlink. A series of binary beeps answered a few seconds later. "I take it this wasn't in your itinerary for the day?" He asked them with a chuckle.

Raymond J. Senée

 

[Raymond J. Senée]

TAGS
Yuri Maji

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
III

​

PROTECTORATE SAFEHOUSE, IMPERIAL CENTER,
CORUSCANT, DEEP CORE TERRITORIES (904 ABY)

'I take it this wasn't in your itinerary for the day?'
'Ha! Sadly not, as it seems the siege-force respect their own OPSEC.'
'Coruscant didn't see it coming anyways, we would've known otherwise.'
'A rare ISB fumble.... Wait - Ray, I thought you said unicorns don't exist.'
​

'Shut up, Mikey!', Serval shot back, before promptly punching the Novanian on his shoulder, though it was reason enough to join in with the laughter as his knuckles clashed with the Shaman's right deltoid, par for the course with this particular group of misfits. All of whom, it seemed, were still in laddish, rambunctious mood, even despite the advent of total war impending, made all the more apparent when Raymond chose to mention,'But while we're on the subject of itineraries, I must admit, Yuri - you weren't exactly penned in for today either. But like oor circumstances now, oor trust for you was quite an automatic process, for it was not for bravery, nor legacies, for that matter.', seemingly making a point of ignoring the approaching danger to prioritize the new inclusion to the clique,

'We know a,"One of us", when we see one, Brother. You're family, an' it seems ye ay'ways have been.... I also must admit.... I took a gamble in marking you a friendly on entry, even afore the Dantooinan started vouchin'. The rest was a mere matter o' member-group authentication, an' we handled that afore we even put down the Hookah pipe.'

Severus would show sudden, though-delighted surprise, but Michael would not be surprised in the slightest, a sign that all three had been in accordance with the new arrival from the start, though judging by the predicament they were in when they found Yuri, fate was verging on deciding whether this encounter was woven to Maji's good fortune that day. After all, bad luck had not only struck them in their rescue operation, but also in the massed arrival of their sworn enemies, and in the Mandalorian's shoes, many a wiser man would have kept on walking. But for those who always felt that magnetizing call to adventure, the young Protectors would have presented quite the convincing case for following gut-instinct, above all-things in the heat of the moment.

'Then,"Voila!", that in-built Holoplaque puts yer name above yer new locker - one o' many benefits to befriending a nepo baby.'
'BAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-'

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri's golden eyes shifted between the three men, a smirk eventually turning into a snicker at their banter and quips. It was going to take a long while to adjust to such blind trust, something he rarely experienced in his journeys. Their sincerity in their words, the gestures of faith they had in simply adding him to their security system, it instilled a sense of loyalty within his heart. The vision they had of him was not one he shared with himself. In his eyes, he was nothing but a scoundrel and a coward.

In theirs, though, they saw something different.

"Helps to make friends with the rich ones." He joked with a glance at Severus. Raymond's accent had him blinking and processing his words a little slower, but the general meaning wasn't lost on him. He didn't want to know what the man sounded like under pressure.

Something occurred to him, however. If they weren't planning on working with the greater Imperial army... what the hell were they going to be able to do against the Sith's onslaught? A hand gently brushed the fluff of his chin as he thought his proposition over. He had a ballsy proposal that could badly backfire if the wrong people answered, but to Yuri it was worth the risk.

"If y'all are willing... I'd like to send out a distress signal. If we're lucky, I can get some old friends to help us fight the Sith off... at least, more effectively than four guys with blasters." He met the gaze of the three soldiers for a brief second. "Can't guarantee they'll be friends of Imperials, but they'll definitely hate the sith more than you lot." He continued. If they allowed him, he would dial in an old Enclave signal few in the galaxy still had access to. People Yuri knew he could trust.

But as he explained to them, there was no telling of who would be arriving from the far reaches of the Galaxy.

Raymond J. Senée

 

[Severus Barran]

TAGS
Yuri Maji Vara Rasha

THE MADNESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE
VI​

Corporate Sector, Imperial Central,
Coruscant, Deep Core Territories (903 ABY)

'If we have to force the issue head-on after all, I think your distress signal will prove vital.'
'And then some. Champ for that one, Yuri.'
'Motion seconded.... Terraris feels closer than ever now.'
​

In light of the latest development, the Holomap scrawlings would need to begin soon, sending up surveillance droids through the chimney in the front lounge, working to insulate the others from harm whilst the conversation continued in the hidden armoury. The Dantooinan trusted the Shistavanen enough to let his eyes wander without redirection, and a whole lot more than he ever could offer the Coruscantines and the Covenant, lacking the ego required to avoid answering consequent queries on the issue. With this in mind, Barran kept the hidden doorway open to outward peeking from within, peering then on the droid feed as he continued,'If we're quick enough, instigating early routs in both endeavours, there is a chance yet to escape unscathed - for all of us.', though he could not help but consider the consequences of their actions that night.

'And with the accumulated gamble considered, I say,"The more the merrier". We need all the help we can get.... Hatred of the Sith, bonus though it might be, still counts for something - even these days.'

​

Scrolling between all twelve feeds at the time, the young Lion then felt the eye-burn of a mild migraine, instinctively reaching for a little case in a drawer nearby, only to pull sunglasses from the one he was seeking, completely unaware he was enacting the first of many repetitions. This choice of relief would become a near-constant requirement for combat, and though the young Lion was still unaware, there was the nagging feeling that this would not be the last time he wore shades for combat, making a form of public discretion into a vital part of his tactical loadout. However, while Barran was still appreciating his designer frames, he had missed the nearing approach of another Shistavanen, and within moments of the droid's detection, that individual was only a stone's throw away by the time Severus noticed.

'Eerrrmmmm....'

​

Unlike the strolling, calmly-approached motion of Barran and Maji, this individual was closing in on the safehouse as if the occupants owed money to someone important, almost as if the impending arrival was putting in work as an enforcer for someone much angrier. At first, it was contrast enough that Severus found himself unsure on how to respond, but soon remembered his inescapable trait as an inherent gambler in life-or-death situations; making his mind up on the spot, and with time enough to spare, though the confusion would only continue to intensify as soon as another Shistavanen appeared on the retinal-scanner feed.

Even behind the red-lit,"UNIDENTIFIED", notifications, there was no mistaking the new arrival's heritage, but when the purple side-door finally slid open, the confusion quickly became incredulity. The new arrival, as it happened, would end up being a woman all along, and despite curveball-circumstances already throwing Barran for a loop, that incredulity would reach an entirely new plateau when he finally saw that she had been pointing a blaster at his chest from the start. In time, the young Lion would go on to admit this was the first time he was truly at someone else's mercy, but still carried himself with dignity as he kicked his feet up and greeted,'Welcome.... You'll get no sudden movements from me, rest assured.', with hands clasped behind his head.

Did I-
Did I just make a mistake?

 

[Vara Rasha]

Tags: Yuri Maji Severus Barran
​

Click.

Chrrk.

The zippo barked flame. The fiery orange light catched on her clean whites as she leaned in. A faint plume of smoke poured from her lips in the same breath as she lit the tip of her joint and toked the flames with a pull. Its lid snapped shut with a clack after a smooth, familiar flick of the wrist.

Watch the ship, he said.

Hours had passed since then, with not a peep from him since.

The harpy couldn’t help but wonder, as she sat atop a stack of crates some dozen yards out from his freighter, what in the kark he was up to. Whether Yuri was safe or in danger, she didn’t have a reliable way of finding out; her commlink was for short range comms.

She had considered drawing on Baby’s comms suite to get in touch with him early on, but her gut feeling brushed it all off, even as she sat at the ready to go and find him if need be; atop her white flannel shirt and a pair of ripstop, dark green tactical pants, Vara wore the armor of her People. Durasteel plates wrapped her forearms and shins, protected her knees and elbows, and covered her upper thorax and flanks. Straps of her chest rig bearing a dozen pouches ran down her shoulders, snugly fit.

With how she carried herself, the harpy certainly looked the part, even when she didn’t have a proper buy’ce to wear. A durasteel helmet with a faceshield was clipped to her hip instead. A temporary solution to her problem. Her damn snout. Hailing from a species on the rarer side of the spectrum, she didn’t fit standard issue for a helmet.

She’d need something custom for that…

Grey tendrils of smoke snaked out from her snout with a sigh. Her shoulders dropped as her core began to relax. She was worrying too much about his brother from another mother; he was the most capable fleabag she knew, with herself a very good second at her short list. There wasn’t a damned thing in this galaxy that could put him down and out for good. She refused to believe that.

The matter sharply concluded in her mind, with the prospect of raising him over Baby’s comms suite kept at the back of her mind should she continue to hear nothing from him for another few hours. Calmed, she went on to turn the volume up to her datapad; the singsong rhythm of a song, psychedelic rock, began to fill her ears in the same breath. The young foundling swayed to the gentle, easy rhythm as she got high with each toke of smoke.

She began to sing along to the lyrics after a few moments.

♫ ”...Plastic faces, cannot hide their-.. Teeeeeears…”♫ Vara took a quick drag. ♫“Though they’re ageless, moments are their-... Yeeeears…”♫ The young foundling bobbed her head to the picking up rhythm. ♫“Walking faster! To disaster! Children follow, beat the hollow-... Drummm!”♫

The girl’s sway slowed, and her eyes closed. ♫“We’re just the wiiiind-up toys for wiiiind-up girls and wiiiiind-up boys, in a wiiiiind-up world, that knows we are not-..”♫

Her commlink crackled.

Her ears perked up immediately as she scrambled to mute her tunes and listen up; it was Baby. Her dreamy, doped up crimson eyes found instant clarity and focus, as sharp as her vibroknife, at the mention of “Danger” and “Yuri” in the same sentence, relayed to her in binary.

Without a second thought she tossed her joint away with a flick, and swiped up her multiple grenade launcher beside her, and sprinted for the ship as Baby -the resident Mandalorian wardroid- rolled out from its confines and down the ramp. Vara fished out a remote fob, pointing it at the ship as she ran. She raised the ramp with the press of a button after Baby was clear.

Yuri would kill her if she left the ship unbarred!

Baby’s cockpit slid open before she reached him; with a near olympian jump, she hopped up and sat down at the backseat in one smooth motion, and took to the skies.

The great, mechanical steed’s roar split the air as Baby steered itself towards Yuri’s coordinates. Vara’s eyes read ‘Corporate Sector’ as Baby changed its course and altitude to home in on it. What in the kark are you doing there? The harpy mused in silence. She reached for her throat mic when they reached Coruscant’s surface, and the sun warmed her bones. “Yuri, you copy?” She tried to raise him, but was met with nothing but static. “We’re on the way. Sit tight,” The woman tried again, hoping something went through.

Sliding the cockpit open, she hopped out the moment the wardroid touched down on the streets, its death dealing magnificence scaring away what little worried onlooker there was even after the air raid sirens tore in the air.

What in the kark was going on?

“Baby, take up overwatch in the skies please?” Vara asked of him. The wardroid seemed to agree with the girl’s tactical acumen. Without much persuasion required, the beast took to the skies once more. Although out of sight, he was close as ever.

In the same heartbeat as he took off, the foundling brought her grenade launcher to bear towards the purple door as she swiftly began to close the distance to the target building. Tilting the barrel slightly upwards before she’d fire off a shot for a dynamic breach, the woman scrapped her idea in an instant as she witnessed the door open.

Her sharp gaze caught the scanner; she was being watched.

Faltering for but a heartbeat, she concluded she’d be too close quarters for her grenade launcher; holding onto its handguard as she let go of its pistol grip, she drew her sidearm from her thigh holster and resumed her advance; the barrel leveled and its sighting visible only through the head-mounted display she wore over one eye, Vara moved in.

The barrel of her pistol followed her gaze, before the latter settled back on the younger man amongst them, as she looked from one unfamiliar face to another. She saw Yuri. Unharmed. In his armor and his armament accounted for. Not under threat or held hostage. With him stood three human men, all dressed smartly in suits. One after the other they clasped their hands together at the back of their heads as they stared down the barrel of her blaster.

He kicked his feet up and greeted,'Welcome.... You'll get no sudden movements from me, rest assured.', with hands clasped behind his head.

Silence lingered in the wake of his words, as the cogs in the harpy’s head visibly turned as she kept him at gunpoint. In but a moment, her posture began to relax, as she brought the barrel of her sidearm to face the ceiling, with her elbow poking into her pushed out hip. “A grand ol’ smoke sesh,” she began as she nodded towards the hookah, her gaze locked with Yuri’s. “And you didn’t invite me?” she shook her head in a joking disapproval, looking absolutely unimpressed. “Unbelievable, dude…”

A quip, intended to de-escalate. She looked to the men, before looking back at Yuri; she concluded that, if they weren’t his enemies, then they had to be his friends.

The harpy wasted no time in addressing the bantha in the room after they all settled down a bit. “Baby said you were in danger. Air raid sirens are blarin’ outside. The kark’s going on?”