They speak of my drinking, but never of my thirst.

[Setter Ryburn]

​

​

There he was, at the bar.​

Depending on how you looked at it, Setter was either at the bar for roughly half an hour, or six years. But not specifically, this one at least. This was one special bar, at least- to Setter.

​

Because the drinks were cheap and they didn't water down the liquor. Too much. That, and it was on his homeplanet. Corellia. Home of the best scoundrels, of the best stubbornness this side of Mandalore space, and the galaxy's most famous and infamous pilots, good- or bad. The duality, the dichotomy- all that never bothered Setter.

He was a shit kid, a street urchin turned killing machine for one government to the next. It was a cycle for him, ever since he was 18 years old. One bad decision, one screw-up, one damnation after the other. The governments fell, the flags burned, and the worlds were set ablaze by the enemy. Over, and over, and over again. The Republic- rest it's soul, lost it's identity and got complacent after their many victories. The Sith were reinvigorated and then took advantage of it. The New Alliance, the Alliance, the Republic Remnant- all bastard children of the original, each a more cheap imitation than the last, each lacking the soul of what made the Republic great.

He supposed it was like that for all families- rarely did something good come out of the original. Only time would tell.

But he wasn't here to drink to forget his woes, the disastrous defeats of the governments he risked life and limb, and spilled blood and dismembered for- no, Setter Ryburn was here to try and forget the one thing that he couldn't:

Her.


So like so many other men in so many other bad places, Setter downed his fourth drink- and thanks to his drinking habits, was hardly even close to being how drunk he wanted to be. But, a few more drinks-

He'd be where he wanted to be.

Unable to remember, and if he couldn't remember- he couldn't hurt.

 

[Zef Halo]

Antarian Rangers High Command had tasked him with delivering personally a subpoena to Setter Ryburn. Amon had tracked the man down to a watering hole on Corellia asking himself two questions:

One - why were they asking him to deliver the subpoena personally? Surely they had people who had that as their sole occupation.

Two - why the heck were they investigating if Ryburn and Razor Team had used excessive force against hostile targets during their mission on Irith? To a Mandalorian there was no such thing as an overkill. Double-tapping a wounded foe was standard procedure and to be fair a bit of a shame. You need to double-tap an enemy - you are not good enough for Mandalorian standards.

Guess this was Jedi for you.

Wasn't hard to spot the man at the bar drowning in alcoholic liquid. Same man who had saved Amon from being blasted to pieces on Rathis when the One Sith Remnant attacked. Vizsla had learned he had been the sniper after that mess ended.

The Mandalorian came next to the man. Not sitting down, not leaning on the bar. Purely standing upright like the soldier he was. He placed the datapad containing the subpoena in front of Ryburn.

"You are being summoned." The tone in his voice so neutral, one might mistake it for a droid's.

​

[member="Setter Ryburn"]​

 

[Setter Ryburn]

There was good reason that they chose [member="Amon Vizsla"] to deliver that subpoena. Less likely for someone to get stabbed, shot, or beaten if Setter somewhat liked them. Setter didn't even look at the datapad, much less regard it as an actual thing he needed to be concerned about. He downed the rest of his cocktail, turning to the Mandalorian who delivered it, narrowing his eyes.

"And you're leaving."

It wasn't a thinly-veiled threat. It was like he was stating that the weather outside was raining. Setter had no intention of discussing it, and he was internally debating even coming. After all- what were the Silvers gonna do to him? The Republic would've sent someone to arrest him, maybe a team. But the Silvers sent a guy and a note.

Probably wanted to avoid a fight. Maybe just a talk.

[member="Amon Vizsla"]

 

[Zef Halo]

The guy didn't even look at the datapad. He'd probably been expecting it, maybe that's why also they sent the Mandalorian here. They'd told him to just deliver the subpoena, nothing more.

"I am." Amon replied as neutrally as before taking a step in the direction of the exit.

He abruptly stopped. Something clawed inside him to speak.

"I don't understand the term 'excessive force'. We always thought their principles were their weakness." Amon explained, slightly cryptically, regarding the Silver Jedi's credo.

The Mandalorian paused carefully thinking whether he should add something more to the short-lived conversation.

"My father used to tell me stories of political games. Behind doors. Struggle for power within. They'd always result in painting someone a- what do you call it in Basic?"

"Black sheep."

[member="Setter Ryburn"]​

 

[Setter Ryburn]

"If more Jedi were on Coruscant they'd never even blink at what I do."

He rubbed his hands together, not in a guilty manner- but in a manner consistent with nervousness. The idea of a trial did not excite Setter.

"They have to justify their morals by painting me as the enemy. They want to parade as the good guys. But lemme ask you somethin' kid-" He turned to stare at Amon.

"Where the hell were those Jedi when the galaxy was on fire? What good is honor and morality if trillions of dead, innocent souls rest on it?"

[member="Amon Vizsla"]

 

[Zef Halo]

Amon turned his head to the man calling him from behind and listened intently. Eyes narrowed with each word he uttered. Before Ryburn finished the Mandalorian found himself facing the soldier.

"No one is innocent, Ryburn." The young Vizsla replied tonelessly. "Half of these are dead because of honor and morality." It is what Ronan, his father, had taught him.

But he wanted to drag himself out of that. To eagerly seek and find that 'good' Setter believed in and killed for. It is why he had exiled himself from his family and into the Silver Jedi Order.

"I will testify for you. As much as a Mandalorian's word counts in a Silver's court."

[member="Setter Ryburn"]

 

[Setter Ryburn]

"They need a villain, kid. That's all they need."

He turned his head to Amon, staring at the younger man for a while.

"You're only useful for so long, before they start calling you the bad guy."

[member="Amon Vizsla"]

 

[Garza]

"Don't run from whatever it is they want you to take the downfall for. Accept the responsibility, and show them wrong."

I may be intruding on their conversation. I may have overheard their speaking. May being used loosely as they were a fair distance apart from one another. Speaking about how the man drinking his sorrows away was going to be a scapegoat for the Silver Jedi. To be honest, I only assumed it was the Silver Jedi Order due to the courier speaking directly of a "Silver Court." Considering how I had been escaping my own demons from that same court, and my parents also dealing with them in the past, I knew of it. Dreaded it even.

Why was I here tonight? Anxiety, Fear, and Sorrow. Not having heard of my daughter in almost a year made a father question if she was still alive. Let alone, in a situation that she may have needed help with. I knew Shaun to be of a good man, and well able to care for her. But the feeling of dread always cropped up whenever I thought of the two of them. Despite this, I too had found a bad habit of drinking my sorrows away late into the night hoping that the liquid courage would steel my nerves to this thought alone.

The soldier was clearly in some other kind of situation akin to my own. Something they wanted to forget, or to keep their mind off of. So hearing the bad news of having a trial that he was going to be tried for, would likely not make his situation any better.

"Forgive me of my brash words. Just a man hiding from his own demons. Giving advice that is never followed."

[member="Setter Ryburn"], [member="Amon Vizsla"],

 

[Setter Ryburn]

Setter turned his head to the man who spoke, raising an eyebrow at him, disregarding his words, opinion, and status with a mere roll of his eyes. He turned back to the Mandalorian who was sent there to fetch him.

"If they want a monster to blame. I think it's only fitting I create one."

Translation:

Setter was going to do a lot more than what he was initially accused of.