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Post by Cluge of the Grey on Oct 7, 2006 9:49:51 GMT -5
Echo took in the lightsaber. IT was a double and silver, and he twirled it like he was born with it in his hand. He had to use every technique he knew to keep his face calm.
"The Republic is not a simple lie. It is the work of many individuals who are all seeking the same thing. They were able to build a government that lasted over twenty thousand years. A system built on a lie would never dream of lasting that long. You may think I am an ingnorant little runt whose got an ego the size of Yavin, but I know exactly what I serve. Democracy that allows ALL creatures to live in peace and freedom. Your government did help us in the Mandalorian wars, but that was under your late ruler."
Echo stared in shock as the female Kier bowed, begging for him to show respect and ask for mercy. If she was scared by this being, either she grew upin fear, or he was to be feared.
He looked the man in his eye. "I may have to respect your government, but don't expect me to respect you or your actions. And you can put away the glowing staff, or what ever you want to call it."
He took a breath, and explained, very vaugely, for he didnt want to explain everything, thier mission to stop the Sith that had risen with his infinite army.
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Post by sithhunter on Oct 7, 2006 9:56:13 GMT -5
Ben looked at nemo and kept his saber up "The doings of the council and the order...no matter how important you are...are none of your bissuness." Ben walked over by saba and stood besider and looked at nemo. "I dont want this to become a fight and i dont doubt you could be a very powerful ally but you cant beat the jedi here,and if you so much as touch sabba's mind you wont have a head to prattle on with. So what's it going to be? A needless blood shed or a peacefull negotation? It's your choice dark jedi."
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Post by Prince Nemo Dakkar Shashida on Oct 8, 2006 18:18:10 GMT -5
The Prince listened to what the man had to say, reluctantly. "He was not my ruler...he was my father..." He growled, "You cretin...this is no staff, it is a weapon that even jedi dream of weilding, most cannot...."
He noticed the jedi still holding his sabre. He was impressed with his gall, if he knew what he could do, he might not be so outspoken.
"I do not suggest you challenge me...the jedi here are not in danger...yet. They prove no challenge to me..." His eyes were burning, and he added, "my man..you are in no position to make threats." He signaled to his men, many of whom pulled out their own sabres, some with vibroblades. "But a powerful ally I could be...if their is such a danger to my planet that outweighs the danger that your republic poses...then I must stop it. But you have not told me who you are trying to stop..." He said, suspiciously. His masters had not mentioned a danger, except that the republic was trying to destroy the outer rim planets.
He noted his defence of the female Kier, who he heard was called "Sabaa". "Why defend that which should want to kill you?" He asked. "Why do you care what happens to her?" He asked, lowering his sabre, and putting it out.
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Post by sithhunter on Oct 9, 2006 7:39:26 GMT -5
Ben still held his saber in a defensive stance "She may have wanted to kill me like undoubtably you want to....But with your education i would hope you would have known, enemies become allies...usealy for a price. But not sabba and i promised to help her and her planet and if she wont defend herself...then i will." Ben paused for a moment to catch his breath
Then spoke up "And if you think that saber-staff impresses me or intimadates me than you might as well get two before i so much as blink." Ben knew he was the jedi's boundries by saying that but what choice did he have?
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Post by Cluge of the Grey on Oct 9, 2006 8:34:11 GMT -5
Echo saw that this was already going to the peaceful way, so he decided now would be a good time to leave. He wasn't that good in the polotics anyway.
"I can tell, no one's going to kill the other yet, so if you'll excuse me, I have to prep my ship for the journey."
Echo gave a glare at the princeling so he would know he had real buisness to go to, and he wasn't just backing out. He walked gingerly to the Hawk, realizing he needed to get off his feet, or his chest might explode with the pain. He boarded the ramp, and looked for Janice. He needed some comforting.
He stopped short in the hall to her room. His blood froze, and his heart skipped a beat.
Janice lay on the floor, blood drenching her shirt, and hear head bearing a massive bruise. Mission was unconcious next to her.
He ran down and lifted Janice into his arms. She wasn't breathing, and her skin had gone cold. He looked at the wound. It was a smoldering hole where her heart was, and it stopped bleeding from the heart stopping. Her face was locked in an eternal grimace, and her eyelids wide open. He moved his finger tips over them to smooth them down, and tried to relax her face.
Deep down, he felt the pain he felt from his past emerge, when he was in a posistion like this on Telos, holding his dead wife among the ruins of the Sith Bombardment.
He let out an agonizing howl of anger and sorrow. He felt his throat scratch, and his voice waver, but he didn't care. He continued the howl until he lost his voice. He then held her body close to his, and wept into her shoulder, ignoring the blood on his chest.
The wound re-appeared in his mind, and he knew what weapon caused it. A Mandalorian disinigrator. Only that would blow open a hole like that, and let blood go uncauterized.
He let another cry go out.
"Damn you Mandalore! Damn you to hell!"
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Post by Sabaa Kerbasi on Oct 10, 2006 13:37:09 GMT -5
Sabaa watched the whole scene play out in front of her. She was still scared of Prince Dakkar, but she could tell that if he planed to kill her, he would have done so already. She was also surprised at Ben's defense of her, from what they had been taught, and saw, members of the republic, let alone the jedi, didn't care what happened to people like them. Especially since she had just threatened his life only moments ago. She looked to Prince Dakkar, and noticed his face still frozen with anger, but still relaxed.
"Thank you, I may not exactly show but I am grateful." She said, bowing politely. "But I don't understand why you would want defend one like me...I might figure it out after spending some more time with you, and your "jedi" ways." She smiled lightly and laughed at the last part. But something felt wrong, like a loss of life. Being force sensitive, Kiers could sense this, that's why it devastated them when so many died over Malachor at once. "There's something wrong here...someone has been killed, violently..." She looked over to Ben and said quietly.
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Post by Prince Nemo Dakkar Shashida on Oct 10, 2006 15:08:59 GMT -5
Prince Dakkar stood, contemplating what he had said. He then signaled to his men, who in turn lowered their weapons, and stood at-ease. "Hmmm...honorable traits, surprising from a jedi. But a weak Kier, especially a woman, is very easy to influence with promises of salvation..." He said, before adding quickly. "But, you do not seem to pose a threat, so I will forgive your transgressions...this time."
He saw her smile, and laugh, and say "Thank you" to the one he figured out was named Ben. This was unexpected. Kier were like normal people, they celebrated often; they laughed and smiled, and joked. But warriors, especially assasins and scouts were more serious, but also more angry and quiet. He wondered how she got to become one of these. If he remembered her father and her, they weren't considered very strong willed. Mabye it made sense. Nemo's face fell suddenly, and froze in an expression of anguish. He felt something that he hadn't felt in a long time. His master's had taught him not to feel it, he was weak. After the bombardment of Telos when he was a young boy, when he was on the carrier that had commenced the attack, he was in pain, but they taught him to block it out. Telos was an enemy of the Kier, who from what he was told, was planing to bombared his own planet.
"There's something wrong here..." He heard her say, quietly as if she implied that he might have caused the disturbance. She looked at him, and back at Ben.
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Post by sithhunter on Oct 11, 2006 13:36:24 GMT -5
((Nemo plz pm me i got an idea))
Ben felt it immedeitly and ran for the ebon hawk.
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Post by Cluge of the Grey on Oct 13, 2006 13:26:04 GMT -5
When Echo ran out of tears, he just kneeled there, Janice's limp body in his arms. The blood that had spilled onto his torso was cold, and he couldn't shake off the deja vu from his past. He was just like this ten years ago. JUST like this. He heard footsteps and recognized them as Ben's. Light, energetic, and with a spring in them.
Mission began to wake, and she sat up. Her eyse went wide as she took in the scene.
"Echo... is she..."
"Dead. Yes. Janice is dead, Mission. She was shot by a Mandalorian Ripper at close range. The shot burned right through."
He was shocked at how callous he was, an he didn't know why he was like this.
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Post by Sabaa Kerbasi on Oct 16, 2006 15:06:52 GMT -5
Sabaa followed Ben to the ship, and felt pure anguish. That must be him... She stopped dropped to her knees from shock of the scene infront of her. Even for a battle hardened Kier, this was horrible. It wasn't a fair fight, she knew that. She could feel that. She immediatly looked to Ben, saying quietly, "This was not an honorable fight..." She saw the other man from earlier on his knees holding the body of a dead woman, and a young Twi'lek sitting up, looking about as horrified as she herself was.
"Did he do this?" Sabaa asked Ben, referring to Prince Dakkar, although no Kier would do such a thing like this, Kier did not become dark jedi either.
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Post by Cluge of the Grey on Oct 16, 2006 17:55:13 GMT -5
Echo nestled Janice's body closer to his, and stood, turned and showed the wound to the Kier.
"Mandalorian Distruptor discharge at close range. Based on my knowledge, someone as proud as your king would never touch such a weapon."
He spoke with no emotion, and looked no one in the eye. Echo's gaze fell upon Janice's face, completely flawless, and untouched by the weapon. Her eyes of jade looked on compassionately, as if her final breath had granted her the peace she was looking for. He rested his index and middle finger on her eyelids, and gently lowered them, putting her to sleep forever. A delicate flower that was just blooming, crushed by cruelty that held no respect for any life.
He slowly carried Janice's body to his room, and laid her across his bed. He pulled the blankets over her form, and kneeled by her head.
"Janice Lockheart, you helped me escape a certain death, and showed me that even an old man like me can trust and love again. Your life with me was an indescribable experience, and I can only blame myself for not being here to protect you. I hope you can forgive me for my inadequacy, and I hope you find peace and happiness in the next life. Until we meet again, Janice, I love you," He whispered, but the words rang in his ears like gongs on an early morning. He leaned close, and kissed her gently on the lips, the bittersweet taste of death and love lingering on them.
He backed away, and walked over to the cockpit and sat in his seat. Just sitting, not thinking, not feeling. Numb.
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Post by Prince Nemo Dakkar Shashida on Oct 16, 2006 18:24:14 GMT -5
"Mandalorian Distruptor discharge at close range. Based on my knowledge, someone as proud as your king would never touch such a weapon."
"Then you know more than I thought..." Prince Dakkar said, while walking up past Sabaa, "Definently Mandalorian, our soldiers are trained by Mandalorian mercenaries to use this...but I can garantee that none of my men carry this particular kind, we prefer blades." He said, a bit too matter-of-factly and callous. Seeing some of his own men flinch at his coldness, and listening to himself, he quickly added, "I am sorry for your loss, We all know how it feels..." He said, bowing his head to show respect.
"But we can waste no time...what was after you, and is it still? I'm sure this isnt over pazaak game debt..."
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Post by sithhunter on Oct 17, 2006 5:38:00 GMT -5
Ben was furoious at nemo "Don't you take anything serously?!? THIS WHOlE THING IS JUST A BIG JOKE TO YOU IS'NT IT?!?!" Ben walked up to him and looked him in the eye "Learn some humilty and learn your place bratty prince. You may be a lord on your planet but..." Ben leaned closer to his face. "Were not on your planet are we?" He stormed out of the ship and went out into the courtyard. He circled the area looking around, and spotted the exit of the encalve that led to the plains. He left the enclave and walked out between the merchants and settlers when he heard a not-so-far-off cath hound howl.good He tought as he unhooked his saber and followed at least the hounds will help me blow some steam
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Post by Cluge of the Grey on Oct 17, 2006 10:33:32 GMT -5
Echo didn't turn in his seat as he spoke.
"This was the work of Mandalorians, and they know about me."
He stood, turned and looked at the prince.
"My guess is that they want to rid themselves on another enemy by taking away his will to fight. I've had several encounters with this scum, Clan Frakid, and they tend to hold grudges. What I'm saying is, they don't want Echo dead, they want Carth Onasi dead. Somehow, they found out my alias, and tracked me here. I've led a blood thirsty group of them right into an undefended enclave. How could I be so stupid?!"
He struck the head of the chair.
"Janice was killed by a scout, I've seen it before. THey'll be back, and there'll be a lot more of them."
Echo cursed himself for missing something that led them here. To a village of helpless settlers.
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Post by Prince Nemo Dakkar Shashida on Oct 17, 2006 13:05:31 GMT -5
"Don't you take anything serously?!? THIS WHOlE THING IS JUST A BIG JOKE TO YOU IS'NT IT?!?!" Nemo's eyes opened wide at the sudden outburst. Some of his men began to pull out their sabres, one word and all hell would break loose. Nemo signalled for them to stop and leaned in and responded,
"Listen you jedi whelp...this "bratty prince" has just made the decision to spare your life, and the lives of this entire enclave twice now...do'nt make me change my mind..." He said, lowly and quietly while pointing to a large intimidating yet beautiful carrier which was floating in the air a distance a way, silver and covered with many engravings, before adding loudly, "And I am NOT A BRATTY PRINCE!!! Hey! Get back here!" He said, quietly spoiltly for someone claiming they weren't. I would have been comical if it were under different circumstances. He hated it when people called him that, yes he was young, but Kier are trained young to battle, especially to use the force. He stamped his feet, before begining to storm after him to argue some more before something hit him, and Echo's words confirmed it.
"Janice was killed by a scout, I've seen it before. THey'll be back, and there'll be a lot more of them." He stoped himself abruptly.
"Then it seems that we will be fighting our ancient allies again...I don't know how we can repair the alliance after this...." He said quietly before taking out some small communication device. "This is Dakkar...no I'm not hungry...gah! Train all of our guns on incoming vessals of all kinds, weed out the aggressors, don't let them reach the planets surface."
"But do we have to shoot them down?"
"If it comes to that yes, intercept all you can, if any try to rush by, shoot them."
"But..." The voice on the other side hesitated, before adding, "What if it is only a merchant or transport vessel?"
"Well the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, besides...if they aren't hiding something, then we won't have to." He said, before clicking a button. "Livia? Yes...this is...um...Nemo...contact Mandalor, take a squad of our soldiers with you. You must be careful, and try to stall or avert an attack on Dantooine, or else we'll be next." He said quickly.
"Okay, Nemo." He lowered his device, and placed it in a pocket on his belt, before turning back.
"Carth Onassi, that is who you really are? I have heard alot about you, alot of it was good, one of the only true warriors left." He bowed slightly in respect, before adding, "We have to prepare, liek you said, there will be more, I have trained my carrier on any incoming vessals to intercept or shoot down if they do not cooporate, so that should help a little."
"Do not blame yourself, even we are surprised by the apparent brutality and dishonorable conduct of some Mandaloreans. We have been concered about Clan Frakid for a while, fearing another Mandalorean war." He said, speaking truthfully, he truely did know how it felt to loose someone because of the callousness of another, he saw it first hand over Malachor.
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Post by Sabaa Kerbasi on Oct 17, 2006 19:28:28 GMT -5
"Learn some humilty and learn your place bratty prince. You may be a lord on your planet but...Were not on your planet are we?" Sabaa winced hearing that, and seeing Prince Dakkars angry face she knew he had stuck a nerve.
"He didn't mean it, he has felt the loss as well..." She said, bowing quickly in apology before running after Ben. She knew he did, she could tell that Ben's jedi mindset and her lord's seething hatred would clash. She also hoped that it would not get ugly any time soon, they didn't need this.
"This was the work of Mandalorians, and they know about me." Sabaa turned back to Echo, a bit worried after putting two and two together. She knew all too well what the Mandaloreans could do, after all, she was trained by one to fight like a true warrior. But they enjoyed the carnage they caused, and the brutality they exhibited. They didn't have to kill her, but they did, just to get to him. They wanted him to know who was responsible, and that no one he cared about was safe.
She watched his anguish, and felt her own. To die in battle, for a Kier, was the most honorable death one could have. But this wasn't a battle, it was murder. And the battle to come was not meant to be one, it was meant to be a massacre. The only race to physically defeat the Mandaloreans were the Kier, and there were only mabye a hundred here.
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Post by Cluge of the Grey on Oct 18, 2006 14:36:28 GMT -5
Echo noticed Sabaa's sorrow.
"Do not worry aobut me, Sabaa. I'll still be able to fight, and I have the Hawk, so that should give us an edge."
His head turned to the direction of his room. "I will need to grieve for Janice, but I have no time for that right now. The Enclave and settlers need us at our best." He returned his gaze at the Prince. "I know we aren't... very civilized toward each other, but I must ask you and your troops to stay and help us fight. We'll have time to argue afterwards," he said with a failed smile.
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Post by Prince Nemo Dakkar Shashida on Oct 18, 2006 20:59:14 GMT -5
"The Hawk...yes. That plus my battle-cruiser should help to even up the odds a little bit." He nodded, b
"I know we aren't... very civilized toward each other, but I must ask you and your troops to stay and help us fight. We'll have time to argue afterwards,"
Nemo hoped he wouldn't have to fight the Mandaloreans, this could really effect their planet, they are close with the Mandaloreans. If their fury turned towards Firdaus, it would devastate them. But like he said, the "Good of the many outweighs the good of the few", and right now, on this planet, the settlers were the "many" he was talking about. Even if they were only republic, the shred of humanity in him that was not tainted and twisted by his former masters believed that no one deserved to be massacred. He nodded again, through the cloth covering his mouth, you might have seen him return the smile.
"We will stay and do what we can, I must return to my carrier to grab necessary items for the defense, explosives, blades, guns, anything we can use to hold them back. My sister and leading diplomat for Firdaus is on her way to ease tensions and try to avert an all out war. Hopefully this will not consist of their main force. I will return shortly."
Nemo turned to do so, but turned back. "I must don a disguise, so must my men, they cannot know that the prince of Firdaus and his personal army were planning on defending the very place they plan to destroy. The consequences would be terrifying..."
"I will also apply our cloaking shields, to hide our presence till the right time. They have never seen my carrier, so they will not know who it belongs to..." He ran all of the necessary thoughts through his head, and decided that he would help to organize the defense as best he could, and would join his new "comerades" in the on coming battle.
"I am truely sorry for your loss, and will do all in my power to ensure that this sort of savagry does not happen again." He bowed fully, showing his respect, before turning and walking briskly to his waiting men.
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Post by Sabaa Kerbasi on Oct 18, 2006 21:10:49 GMT -5
Sabaa nodded slowly. She could feel that he was devastated, this woman was important to him. She decided that she would follow Ben, she needed to talk about him, not just about the battle at hand, but other things as well. She was glad that her future king was willing to stay and defend those who could not defend themselves. Mabye he hadn't fallen completely. This was what the Kier idea was about, the most honorable thing someone could do. If he was killed, he'd have a grand place in the afterlife. Atleast to Kiers he would. Of course to most others that would be considered a bit too morbid.
"I need to prepare..." She said, smiling sadly before running after Ben.
"Ben, what are you doing?"
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Post by Cluge of the Grey on Oct 19, 2006 7:30:34 GMT -5
Echo watched the two leave, grateful they had left on good terms. He sat back down in his seat, and pulled up a holo map of the enclave, trying to pinpoint the location of the Mandalorian army.
A wave of anguish penetrated his callousness, and he doubled over and cried into the panel. The tears slid off the laminated surface, pretected from any moisture damage, but he really didn't care. He thought of all the times he and Janice had, and realized there wasn't that many. He'd mainly seen her when they fought the Sith, or when he was passing by. Echo suddendly felt angry at himself for not spending more time with her, not showing his appreciation for her companionship.
So this is why the Jedi do not love. It can lead to this pit of anguish.
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