Private Bloody Roots

[Trajan Fett]

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Krieg​

Sons of Mandalore Enclave​

New Imperial Order​

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No fate had been more precarious than that of the Mandalorian. Its identity, its creed. It had once seen united hosts of several stalwart clans, marauding crusades and even vast empires. And now, they were a people scattered to the wind. Trajan and his fledgling clan, Kurze were nearly wiped out to a person when the Sith Empire took hold of the mother world of Manda'yaim and her moon Concordia. Jaded, he abandoned any hope of reclaiming a simpler life. His love. His son. Both murdered within an ashen cloud of gruesome details best left unspoken. It was such an emotionally impactful event that his mind instant traversed well over and past the planes of rage and anguish into pure forlorn hopelessness.

He was a hunter, chasing down the lowest of the low in their holes in hopes of wringing the credit chit value that their misdeeds had wrought them from their necks. A life of no substance, no greater visage of nobility that the old ways had. Useless pursuit for-love-of-money that left him turning the wheel. Each spoke threatening to give in and break as the journey continued. Something had to change. Each attempt to strike at the heart of the great demon in the Sith Empire, or even merely maraud their way past the violet curtain had been violently snuffed out. The Mandalorians were pathetic.

The conditions of this enclave showed no better. The Sons of Mandalore were a bond of sons and daughters under the scattered clans who'd escaped internment of a collection of Sith-Imperial labour camps in a violent uprising. Looking to the traitor regime in the New Imperial Outlands, the Sons of Mandalore had brokered an alliance. They would join the ranks of the Order side by side in their crusade against the Sith Empire. They would fight on the field, risk their lives and likely die. But should they triumph, they would be given Mandalore, Concordia and Concord Dawn to rule beneath the Sovereign Imperator. It was a far call from the Neo Crusaders of old, but it was deal worthwhile. After all, no one had produced anything better. It was still subjugation, one they didn't go into lightly, but the New Imperials were intent on letting them retain their identity, as Mandalorians. Not like the plucky sympathizers who'd sworn their swords to other banners.

It wasn't any grandiose fortress, but it served its purpose. A large military compound with the living space needed to comfortably accommodate the exiled Mandalorians. Though Kurze had not taken residence here, nor anywhere for that matter. His ship was often seen in idle rest in the enclave's hangar bay. Within the structure, he awaited Munin. The two men had never mean't before but even still, if the prospect the Sons of Mandalore set on was to carry any measure of success, they would need more in their ranks. Offering little in his message buried in the encryption to evade any Sith-Imperial tracking or apprehension he only transmitted.

< I was once jaded as you were. Break your chains. > Accompanying it an encrypted set of coordinates to the very venue to which he'd hoped Vilaz would answer his summons.

Vilaz Munin

 

[Vilaz Munin]

He had forgotten what it was like to converse with a warrior from a different clan, but he still remembered their names from a memory that brought him a short time of happiness only for sorrow to sink in later. Clans such as Ordo, Fett, Betna, Skirata, Vizsla, and so many more. They each had their own political agendas to enhance the way of life for their clans as well as contribute to the common good of the Mandalorians as a whole. Their ideals clashed leading to chieftains bickering with each other. It was tiring and exhausting, but no blood was shed; no one was subjugated by another force. Eventually a man or woman sworn as their Sole Ruler would conclude those discussions before a civil war occurred.

Though that all changed somehow, someway. Was it one of the gods of old punishing them? It was evident they had always fell and scattered throughout history, whether by the blade of an enemy or by their own sword. The subjugation of Mandalore happened by both parties. The Sith invaded a weak Mandalore, and those wanting to uproot that weakness marched together with the Sith. The Munin found himself fighting alongside with the Sith, killing Mandalorians that supported the regime that hollowed them. His hands had always been stained, but never brethren that followed the same creed as him. Vilaz thought it would be worth it, after all. Committing a sin like that, playing with fire, and dealing with the devil would show a pathway to a Mandalore of glory and prosperity.

The Munin could never be so wrong in his entire life.

He was compensated for the insidious acts he committed against the planet many of his kin could indeed call home, but at a terrible cost. Mandalore was raped and pillaged, and still to this day. Labor camps were established with Mandalorians chained to perform exhausting tasks with no ounce of sympathy. Vilaz and his clan were granted immunity by the Empire for being loyal allies and honoring their pact. Ironically it was the only good to come out of it. His family and clan were the only beacon of light that granted him some sort of happiness as they could practice and continue their ancient traditions without being oppressed by the Empire. Only they were oppressed as they allowed the Sith to carve Mandalore and humiliate it with everyday.

Break my chains?
​

Contact from the outside. No name, just a set of coordinates. Coordinates that led to a space of traitors that were former members of the Sith Empire. An Imperial wanting to win him over and have his warriors commit to their goals? The Warrior had never heard of a Mandalorian enclave either, but still he went to this summoning. He had never ventured out to this system before, nor heard of it. Upon arriving it was some sort of military outpost by its appearance. All he could assume it was some Imperial Warlord as he didn't know anything about this planet. But an Imperial being jaded as him? What a joke.

Arriving the hangar Vilaz made no haste in descending down the landing ramp, finding himself in a hangar. A hangar full of vessels that were Mandalorian design. He was confused as to why these ships were here. There was no one else, or at least he thought so. There was someone waiting for him and upon seeing him Vilaz's hand went to his heavy pistol, but didn't drew it out from its holster.

"I should've known who it was when the message said 'jaded'," breaking the ice, the greeting was very much Mandalorian as it could get. Both men didn't knew each other and typically strangers in their culture were generally rough when greeting one another. "I take it you got some pals of yours surrounding us to prevent my escape?" More assumptions from him. He was a wanted man by the Mandalorians after what he did. What made this one any different from the rest?

Trajan Fett ​

 

[Trajan Fett]

"I should've known who it was when the message said 'jaded',"

"I take it you got some pals of yours surrounding us to prevent my escape?"

<"No."> Was all Trajan offered, slowly standing himself up from the storage crate set beside his ship before he slowly approached Vilaz. Secured beneath his Beskar'gam, yes. But there was little more than a pistol at his hip and his vambraces, the base minimum for what a Mandalorian might consider 'self defense' weaponry.

<"If I wanted to kill you I would've gone to your homestead and met you on level ground."> Trajan iterated. To drag him here only to betray and slay the Munin Alor would've been a slight to any traditions of their creed that he held as high virtue. He wanted to talk, in the end however, he couldn't blame Vilaz for being so innately distrustful. If he wasn't on the run, he was under subjugation by the Sith. The Sith being an inherently untrustworthy lot. Who was he to wave his finger? To scowl at his hostility. Trajan likely would've postured himself the exact same way were the men mirrored in dynamic.

<"The meaning of my message was genuine...I understand that it was...enigmatic, regardless. I wanted to talk."> Trajan stated outright.

<"How are things back home? Manda'yaim."> Trajan asked immediately. He had to know. The news and holovids that came from Mandalore following the attempt by Clan Australis to liberate it was grim. All of it graphic, none of it reassuring. Not only would his answer be enlightening, but it might very well set the tone for the rest of the conversation. If Vilaz was willing to take the risk and traverse into rebel space, then Kurze could only assume the very worst.

Vilaz Munin

 

[Vilaz Munin]

What wouldn’t be a meeting of strangers belonging to the same culture without some threats? Pretty bold, tough words, especially on his homestead. But these were empty words. If Vilaz wanted a man dead, he’d have his blaster do the talking. No words required. Only time he’d utter that was when drunk with warriors he bonded with. He expected this man to have those same values, or maybe he the type to let someone know they were coming to instill some fear in them. As long as the person they were after was dead that's all that matter.

Mandalore? What kind of question was that? Was he ignorant and under a rock from the current events in the Mandalorian community? Or was he new to the culture?

"The hell is that kind of question," the Mandalorian retorted with an angry tone in his voice. He was angry because of the current state of Mandalore and this man bothered asking him? Did he ask to mock him? Mock him for the wrongdoings in his past and let him know that he was at fault for Mandalore being raped and berated. Vilaz already knew the heavy consequences and effects of his actions, and regretted for those actions he committed. He wished for penance; the only thing he could do was to turn a blind, painful eye from Mandalore and continue his operations on Concord Dawn which has allowed his clan to survive and prosper and able to continue the ways of their culture.

"You invited me here to mock me? To rub it in my face of what's been going on? 'Cause I wake up every fething day with that feeling in my guts, damn surprised I haven't drowned myself in liquor and intoxicate myself. You should know; everyone should know unless you're new here. It's...unrecognizable, and even more with that stunt Australis did. Whadya know, pure boldness does lead to stupidity."

"If you wanted to ask me that question, you could've asked that in the message. I guess you've been living in some fantasy that everything back on Mandalore ain't as bad as you think it is, I hope I didn't destroy your peaceful delusion of things."

Trajan Fett ​

 

[Trajan Fett]

What else could he have expected? It was as bad as he could've imagined. The Sith were capable of imposing existential nightmares unto its subjects. It seemed Mandalore was no exception, but in fact the very worst of it. Perhaps the greatest slight past the Sith betrayal to begin with but again, what could they ever possibly expect.

<"No. No I wouldn't waste either of our time with childish shit like that. I wasn't aiming to agitate you, brother. I asked you here because I need you and the rest of our creed that are willing to fight."> Trajan says genuinely, his voice dipped in shades of solemn and forlorn as he speaks.

<"I know it was bad, after Hammerfall when they finally came to take it but...I can't imagine what its all like now. I'd spent far too long running from it, ignoring it. Thinking the hunt, the love for money might do good to distract me from it all. But I can't run anymore. We can't run anymore, Munin. I didn't tell you to come here over some cruel joke. I summoned you here because we're at that moment again. Maybe not us personally but...our people. We're at the brink of annihilation. Sure there are a few of us in enclaves, secluded in foreign space but...if we don't reclaim home soon...I don't know much longer we'll last." > Trajan stated bluntly, sternly.

<"Imperials...I know."> They could claim to be cut from a different cloth all they wanted. When they marched under the Imperial Sun they had a certain way about them. All the same, the Sovereign Imperator was there to seal the fate of Manda'yaim and abandoned the Empire because of what they did. The slightest glimpse of hope.

<"But Kestus Bralor , Careena Fett and the others have brokered a deal. We fight together, against the Sith...Mandalore returns under autonomous governance. The clan Alors rule as they see fit, little to no oversight. We just have to help them get it back. And we need you, you and the rest of Munin, whoever you can pull. You tell me if theres a better option and I'm all ears, but this seems to be it for me."> Trajan stated to the fellow Mandalorian.

Vilaz Munin

 

[Vilaz Munin]

He sounded like a dreamer, a man full of confidence and resolute to get what needed to be done. Those who are children of Mandalore made their dreams come true, or damn they tried until it was fulfilled or led to their fate. Vilaz was also a dreamer and did anything in his power to accomplish his goals. His dreams were always to see his people thriving and prospering, being a force of menace the Galaxy would fear and respect; a force that would conquer the stars and make sure every rock was not left unturned. The same force their ancestors were thousands of years ago depicted by the ancient texts they could recover after the Dark Harvest.

But his dreams turn into nightmares as he made decisions that would come to haunt him. His need to rid of Cadera and Australis from their hold on Mandalore made him look towards the Sith, offering his services to them in exchange for wealth and favors. Vilaz got what he wanted, but that came at the cost of the Sith raping Mandalore; exploiting it at every hour.

A dream that led to a terrible fate to Mandalore and her warriors. Vilaz and his clan were immune from any persecutions, but he also mourned. His family and clan mourned. This was not life.

"Your words remind me of me some years ago. Do you even know my full story other than the ramblings of folks cursing my name and wishing to see my head on a pike?"

"I remember when Mandalore was ruled by an illegitimate Sole Ruler. A child in the body of a woman who sought to rule. With what right did she have? But everyone ate the lies and pledged themselves to her, except me and few other Alors that refused to acknowledge her claim. Since that day I've fought tooth and nail to remove her from power and cleanse our culture from her disgraces...which led me to make deals with the Sith. Just like you, I made deals with them. I thought my actions were just and right, saving our culture and Mandalore. Look where that got me...I helped the Sith invade Mandalore with dreams of correcting things, but we all don't get what we want eh? All for chasing a dream...I didn't realize how lost I was until shit hit the fan."

A moment of silence followed, letting that sink in.

"You think these Imperials care about our struggles and tribulations, brother? It don't matter if some Sith or someone regular leads them, they all forget the promises they make to their allies and exploit them. They're all the same to me. Sounds like you're setting yourself up to be let down and betrayed, just like me."

Trajan Fett ​

 

[Trajan Fett]

There wasn't a lot of ground Trajan had to stand on in pointing out the flaws to Vilaz's argument. In all Kurze's time spent away, on the hunt, distracting himself from any greater purpose or mission with capped marks and cash rewards, Vilaz had been fighting the good fight, or so he thought and believed for a time anyway.

<"Yeah...maybe. I mean...listen, brother. What- what choice do we have? Stick around in the shadows, do hit and runs unto a monolithic war machine? It just...it just won't work. The Imperials, they're not ideal, I know. But between them and the Sith, I'll throw my lot in with them. They've offered us this, a place of refuge. They haven't disturbed us, we've governed ourselves and observed our creed as we see fit. What do they want in return? To fight the very parasites who've sucked our mother Manda'yaim dry. Once its claimed...they've at least told us we'll be the ones who control its fate. As much autonomy as we have here. I know...I get it, we've been stabbed in the back too many times before."> Trajan stated outright, his placidity never leaving the inflection of his tone.

<"I just know this'll probably be my last ride. Hell, even if they fuck us over in the end...I had the right intent, right goal. That's all I give a fuck about. They could shoot me in the back for all I care. Whatever it happens, I'll be going out fighting. For the home they took, for my love they'd slain, the son they took. I don't care any more. I just want it on my terms. How much worse could it get? Might as well leave our mark now."> Trajan states sternly.

Vilaz Munin

 

[Vilaz Munin]

One last ride, huh?

Both men lost something with Mandalore occupied, but Trajan lost more than Vilaz. He lost his own family; his wife and son murdered. Vilaz at least still had his wife and his children. Something that still held him together before breaking and shattered into pieces. The Munin may have involuntarily killed Trajan's family and other families by the orders he gave to his warriors when they stood with the Sith and invaded Mandalore. Perhaps what kept Vilaz restrained was the fear to lose his family. It was every father's dream, within their culture, to see the sons and daughters grow and continue the ancient, deadly legacy and traditions of their people. It would be a crime if he raised his own in a Galaxy where Mandalore was torn and raped by foreigners.

"Alright...I'll hop in on this ride with you, but I'm also gonna set my own terms as well." Trajan wouldn't have to worry about whatever conditions Vilaz would impose, the man wasn't seeking for power or any honorary titles or positions. He had his own clan to lead and manage, already enough on his plate to lead other Mandalorians not part of his clan.

"Don't worry, I don't want power or anything like that. They're pretty simple, or to me at least. The first one is this: we ain't nobody's queen, got it? I'll dirty my hands for these Imperials once we get Mandalore back, and that's it. I am done fighting other's people's fight and not fight for ours."

He had one more.

"Another thing, I'll have to relocate a majority of my clan outside Sith-Imperial space, so I will need a place for them and there'll be a great many of my warriors." His clan was one of the wealthiest and largest Mandalorian clans which was all thanks to their mercenary services to the Sith for many years. They also did not suffer any persecution whatsoever for being valued allies.

"We'll take back what is ours and fix things right. I don't give two shits if these Imperials promised us autonomy to rule Mandalore, we take what is ours and not ask permission. I want an independent, self-sufficient Mandalore that needs no allies whatsoever. That means we cut off these Imperials once we get back Mandalore and reclaim Mandalorian Space."

"Think you can agree with that?"

Trajan Fett ​