Act 02: Obligations to the Clan

[Captain Larraq]

“Are you aware that Rave Merrill is a Sith?” The chief asked.

“She- What?” Larraq said before stuttering. Rave was a Sith? The feth!? He thought she was just some sector warlord operating in the Fringe...

“Did you seriously not notice the darkside markings on her face?” The chief asked, the unmistakable tone of humor slipping through the automated filter.

“I thought she had just gotten in a fight...” Larraq started before realizing how obviously dumb the statement sounded.

“What is your current knowledge of Rave Merrill's whereabouts?” The chief asked.

<What? Did she run off with Jasper Ordo?> Larraq wondered. For the life of him, he couldn't make sense of the line of questioning. “Somewhere in the Fringe?" Larraq answered honestly. "I don't keep tabs on her. She simply contacts me from time to time.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“What is your involvement with the Countess Calum Teramo of Serenno?” The chief asked.

“She runs my mining subsidiary." Larraq answered, not seeing the reason behind the new line of questioning. <What? Are you going to ask me about every woman I do business with?> Larraq wanted to ask. Instead, he answered the question. "I hired her shortly after the clans annexed the planet.”

“What do you know of her former dealings with the Sith Empire?” The chief asked.

“I never asked." Larraq said calmly, glancing towards the door. He really wanted a coffee... or a cigarette... or his clothes. It was frelling cold in here. "The Sith Empire had been formally annulled and billions of lives freed from their tyranny.”

“Why was she placed in charge of Hyperion Mining?” The chief asked.

“Because Mandal Hypernautics was growing too large for me to keep tabs on by myself." Larraq said a little hastily. He was beginning to lose patience with the whole situation. "I needed skilled managers and owners to push every corner of my company to keep it operating a peak efficiency.”

“Why her?” The chief asked, being short for once. But sounding oddly genuine in being confused by his previous answer.

“Because she had financial and political resources to exploit." Larraq said as he let his eyes trace the room behind him. "And she appeared weak... If I had to, I could rip my company back from her hands.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“What was your involvement with the annexation of Serenno?” The chief asked.

“I observed the meetings between the nobles and the clans." Larraq answered, momentarily missing the time when his talks with the person behind the glass were more focused on his involvement with others and less about himself and his previous dealings, shady and otherwise. "While the clans fumbled about and the nobles openly spoke of rebellion for their vanity's sake, I had my agents locating and targeting key military and strategic targets to remove in the event of armed conflict.”

“Did you or did you not communicate directly with the nobles of Serenno?” The chief asked, apparently sticking to the subject of Serenno.

“I did." Larraq said, trying to recall the incident in more detail. "The meeting was on the verge of collapsing entirely. I had my employee deploy a hologram projector so I could intervene. I reminded the nobles that their duty was to protect their people and that fighting the clans would not benefit their citizens.”

“What was your involvement during the annexation of Muunilist?” The chief asked.

“I spoke with a few key figureheads on the planet and convinced them to join the clans..." Larraq said, liking this line of questioning even less than the previous one in which he had participated in the preemptive planning for a nuclear attack on Serenno. "To protect themselves from becoming the puppets of another Empire. At the time, the Fel Empire was attempting to hold together that corner of the former Sith Empire.”

“Did you or did you not order the assassination of politically opposed figureheads during the annexation of Muunilist?” The chief asked.

<Feeeeeeeeth.> Larraq thought for a moment before answering. “Yes." He said at last. "I had an assassin take out businessmen and politicians suspected of having strong ties to the Sith or Fel Empire.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“What was your involvement in the annexation of Adumar?” The chief asked, going even further back in time with his questions.

“I felt that the tactics used by the former Mand'alor were strong-handed and a waste of time and resources." Larraq said. "I traveled the planet and attempted to form political and business ties with figureheads on the planet. I knew that a political win would be better in the long-term than a military win.”

"And you just happened to negotiate a sizable number of business deals in the process?" The chief asked with a hint of sarcasm making its way through the digital filter.

"Yes, that was an added bonus." Larraq said. "But on a highly corporate world like Adumar, winning the wallets of the local business owners goes a lot further than willing the trust of local politicians."

“And what was your involvement with the annexation of Ord Mantell?” The chief asked.

“Not much." Larraq said with as much of a shrug as he was able. "I showed up to help blockade the planet and keep the Republic forces out.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“And your involvement with the Mandalorian acquisition of The Wheel?” The chief asked.

“To be honest, I don't remember much of that operation." Larraq said with a quiet chuckle. "I got pretty drunk.”

"Did you, or did you not meet with him personally to negotiate the acquisition?" The chief asked.

"Like I said," Larraq began. "I don't remember."

“What is your relationship to Popo the Hutt?” The chief asked.
“I have no relationship to him. " Larraq said. "We met briefly while he still ran Tenloss out of The Wheel. And we had a single conversation after he took the office of Supreme Chancellor of the Republic.”

“Did you or did you not sell Top Secret hardware to the Republic?” The chief asked.
<Frell.> Larraq thought to himself. “I did." Larraq said slowly, after a moment's pause. This was a conversation he had been dreading since he had made that particular deal. "With severe restrictions on quantity, operation parameters, crew composition, a non-compete and non-disclosure agreement, and a few other nasty pieces of legal work.”

“Why did you sell the Republic the twelve Frigates?” The chief asked.

“Popo offered me a lucrative deal." Larraq said hesitantly. It was not a contract he was particularly proud of. "Access to the Roche Asteroids with full mining rights. With the justification that the Republic was desperate for anything that would help them contend with the Sith at their doorstep.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“What was your involvement during the prison escape on Myrkr?” The chief asked.

“I don't..." Larraq said, momentarily forgetting the event in question. "I was brought in to blockade the planet.” He said at last, as he remembered. "Apparently a prisoner escaped during the chaos... in spite of the sizable fleet in orbit and my direct involvement, and after being engaged by advanced anti-corvette weaponry."

“Why was the blockade unsuccessful?” The chief asked, with what sounded like genuine interest slipping through the filter.

“I was anticipating a larger force." Larraq said as he tried to recall the event in better detail. "Not a single fleeing starfighter. I was also not made aware that the prisoner had escaped already.”

"So you are to blame for the escape of a major Sith War Criminal?" The chief accused.

"In part." Larraq admitted. "We all failed to contain the situation that day."

“What is your involvement with Circe Savan?” The chief asked.

“Who?” Larraq asked in return.

“Circe Savan. Sith Lady of the Maw Irregular Fleet." The chief asked, sounding very annoyed in spite of the digital filter on his or her voice. "The woman who escaped Myrkr and opposed your fleet at Dromund Kaas.”

“Oh... her." Larraq said as the familiarity of the name clicked with him. "I have no involvement with her.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“Why did you broadcast her name over the -entire- holonet, televising the Mandalorian destruction of Dromund Kaas?” The chief asked.

“There were children on that planet." Larraq said, his face darkening slightly as his mind brought him back to that day. "She abandoned them to their fate... Left them to die to save herself and her fleet. I couldn't let her get away with that, Sith world or not. So I shotgunned her name over the 'net knowing that someone, somewhere, would take vengeance on her for what she had done.”

“Why did you destroy Dromund Kaas?" The chief asked. "You had no such orders.”

Larraq looked at the floor. At his bare feet upon it. It was not a question he wanted to answer. Never mind that only a handful of people in the galaxy knew that he had not been ordered to destroy the planet... and that this chief was either one of them, or was an associate of one of them... "It was an accident of circumstance." He said at last. "I was anticipating a massive defensive fleet and had limited naval assets of my own. The asteroids were to help me contend with the naval defenses and bring down the planetary shield as ordered. I hadn't anticipated the Sith Fleet to flee the battlefield. And, to be fair, I got the math wrong. The devastation was hundreds of times larger than I had intended. I killed billions... Because I made a mistake.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“What is your political connection to the Lords of the Fringe?” The chief asked after a few moments of silence.

“What?" Larraq asked. In part, he was caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. In part, he didn't feel it was a... logical question to ask. "I have no political connections outside of the Clans. I've taken a few jobs from them, but that's it.”

“Why did you attack the Omega Protectorate at Eriadu?” The chief asked, following up from the last question.
<Oh... That's why.> Larraq thought to himself as the followup question was asked. “Because Hyperion Security was contracted to assist the Fringe Lord's fleet in that assault. It was strictly business.”

“Why did you escalate matters at Coruscant?” The chief asked. At this point, Larraq just assumed there was a list somewhere with his every action compiled from over the last few years. The random changing of topics was probably just the chief going through that list and gathering information as he could.

“What?” Larraq asked, unsure of which event in his history the chief of some Mandalorian clan was referring to.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“When you and Mia Monroe took the Mythosaur to Coruscant, why did you antagonize the Jedi and arm warheads?” The chief asked.
<Oh. That.> Larraq though to himself as he tried to recall the event in question. “Because we needed to show resolve." Larraq said. "We needed to show strength of arms and a will to use them, but the wisdom and benevolence to know when to restrain ourselves. Even if they had engaged us over Coruscant, I would have been able to withdraw safely without firing at the planet.”

“You had no intention of firing upon Coruscant.” The chief asked, a not of disbelief working its way past the filter.
“No." Larraq said. "What kind of monster do you think I am?”

“Moving on..." The chief said, clearly implying his or her opinion of Larraq. "What is your relationship with Mia Monroe, Mand'alor the Liberator?”

“Other than being an avid admirer of her backside, I've no political, professional, or private relationship with Mia Monroe." Larraq said, finally losing patience with the current line of questioning. "This is getting silly, can I go now?”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“You will answer the questions." The chief said, an icy tone working its way past the filter. "What was your last known interaction with Mia Monroe?”

“I don't know..." Larraq said as before sighing and slouching against the chair as best he could while tied to it. "It could have been aboard the Mythosaur at Coruscant... It could have been in the meeting of the clans that Gilamar hosted. I'm not sure.”

Larraq sat in silence for a few moments. He could have almost sworn he heard the rustling of papers through the room's speakers. After a few moments, the voice of the unknown chief returned and asked another question, a hint of weight and importance finding its way through the filter. “What do you know about Empress Teta?" The chief asked.

Larraq waited a few moments before answering. He could tell that something about this question was important to the chief, but he couldn't place what it was. “That the Republic lost it a few months ago, then tried to take it back.” Larraq answered after a few moments of racking his brain.

“What do you know about public and political affairs over the past six months?” The chief asked.

“Nothing really." Larraq said, eying the two-way mirror that stood between himself and his interrogator. "I've been on a beach for six months. I was about to get back to work when you... drugged me at that club.”

“What do you know about Gilamar Skirate?” The chief asked in a short, clipped tone that sounded oddly familiar despite the filter.

“Well..." Larraq began, working hard to supress the impulse to be sarcastic. "He's the Mand'alor. He owns MandalMotors. He's old... And his grasp of military tactics is questionable. Anything else I should know?”

 

[Captain Larraq]

The chief waited only a fraction of a second before asking the next question. It was delivered sharp, final, and demanding. “Do you now, or have you ever had any intentions of defecting to the Sith?” The chief asked.

“I..." Larraq began automatically. "The frell kind of question is that?” He asked, a look of unabashed indignation dominating his face.

“Answer the question." The unseen chief demanded. "Do you plan to betray the clans and join the Sith?”

“I am a Mandalorian of Clan Dem'adas." Larraq proclaimed sharply, instinctively trying to stand in spite of the chains that bound him. "I've fought and sacrificed for the Clans. For my clan. I've committed atrocities for my clan. I murdered a planet for the good of my people, for the future of the clans and the children that have yet to learn the horrors of war and murder. I will always put the clans first. I will always put Clan Dem'adas first. I would do anything for my family, but even I would put them aside if I had to choose between helping the Sith and betraying my family. The Sith are monsters and I would never join them.” He proclaimed and spat on the floor in disgust at the idea of abandoning his people for the Sith.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Several moments of silence rang out through the room and Larraq was left to feel silly for his patriotic outburst. He leaned back into the chair again and waited for the next question to come. Instead, a rattling at the door broke the room's silence. Larraq turned his head from the mirror and stared at the door as it slid open and a body slid into view. Blue uniform. Long blond hair. Female. Saber on her hip.

“You would do anything for your family?” The woman asked.

“Olivia?” Larraq asked, incredulous as he recognized the woman and her voice as Olivia Dem'adas, chief of clan Dem'adas... and his sister.

A pair of young women entered the room with his clothes and what Larraq could only assume were the keys to the cuffs that were restraining him to the chair. He couldn't help but to recognize them as two of the women that had drugged him at the club. The recognition must have shown on his face, as one of the two women winked at him as she began undoing the manacles at his feet.

“I have a job for you.” Olivia said calmly as her two women released Larraq from his chains.