Death of the Clans | Death Watch

[Ra Vizsla]

Ra's eyes opened.​

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Life, still, breathed into the Undying.​

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Oh, Ra thought. I know that feeling.​

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Pain.​

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Searing, wretched, terrible pain.​

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His eyes looked to his left shoulder. The armor's pauldron was torn to shreds.​

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An exit wound.​

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Ra had been shot in the back.​

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Cowards.​

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Ra's hand deliriously went up to hold his shoulder, until a Vizsla man pushed it back down. There were many surrounding him, and even a one [member="Briika Tor"] who had immediately begun tending his wounds.​

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Someone else had throw bacta at the Mandalorian.​

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Emerald eyes shot up to the night's sky.​

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"Ale," Ra gasped between heavy breaths. "Ale!"​

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Buir! Daddy I'm stuck!" Yasha clawed at [member="Joanes Quez"]' boot, kicking up and burbling out a huff. "This little mando went to a merc market. This little mando stayed home. This little mando ate roast bantha! This little mando missed his shot. And this little mando went KABOOM! FWOOM! KABOOM 'cause HE HAD HIS GRENADE BELT ON AND HE PULLED THE PIN BY ACCIDENT AND BAM! WAM! KABAM!!!" Yasha flailed and shouted. Oh how prophetic the adika had been.





"Yay! Freedom!" Yasha yelped, hopping to her feet and unsheathing her tomahawk. A new threat presented itself! A new threat to conquer! "Ba'vodu Silas?! But I would make a merciless and good ruler! I would give later bedtimes and make dar'manda sit in the naughty box until they could fight to their deaths for the glory of Mand'alor!"





She sheathed her tomahawk along her back and fished in her pocket, pulling out a piece of turkey jerky. "You want some turkey jerky? Ooo! Upsies! I wanna see the fight! Why are people talkin' about Manda'yaim being destroyed? Ba'vodu Silas? Where's Mama? I didn't mean to run away so long, but I thought Daddy would find me and we could all go home."





The shot rang out and the girl didn't flinch. She watched her Buir move, saw the way [member="Ra Vizsla"]'s body hit the ground. "Someone call a Mommy! Mommy's kiss boo boos better! Oo! They called a Mommy!" Yasha shouted, seeing [member="Briika Tor"]. Yasha held her arms around [member="Silas Mantis"]' neck. If she held on tight, then her uncle wouldn't get scared. Mantis men took such looking after.





"Ba'vodu! We've gotta get to [member="Preliat Mantis"]! I gotta protect his six! Wait... where's Mama? Why isn't Mama here helping!?" Yasha Mantis struggled in her uncle's arms. The girl'd run away from the Mantis Estate on Keldabe as a sort of game. Extraction and tracking! Another one of the games her Mama [member="Aditya Mantis"] played with her in Hell. The Atrisian nannies flowed in and ran out from the hell child. Yasha got too tired of waiting for Mama and Buir to wrestle it out alone in their bedroom like they always inevitably did. So she was going to bring Buir and Mama back, if she was going to be Mand'alor by age 13, she'd have to start with her Aliit at age 8.


Little did she know of the burning of Manda'yaim. Little did she know that the mother she loved, her entire world until she was rescued at age six, was dead. [member="Aditya Mantis"] indeed fell to [member="Mia Monroe"]. Preliat's wife, the ballerina-come-engineer who battled her way through pirates to become a member of Atrisian nobility on her own gumption hadn't survived the cataclysm. Yasha was all Preliat had left of his beloved wife.





"We gotta save the Mand'alor! I can do it! I'm not too little! He's thirsty! We gotta save him!"

 

[Briika Munin]

[ I need more light, and help me get this armor off. ] Bree called out as she worked quickly to save the Sole Ruler's life.

The entrance wound was in the back; the live round hitting the sweet spot right between where the edges of the beskar plates meet most likely. Another inch and [member="Ra Vizsla"]'s spinal column would have been severed. The blaster bolt then traveled under the left scapula, puncturing the lung and nicking the subclavian artery running under the collarbone before exiting through his meaty shoulder. He was a lucky man; his body angled just right at the impact. It could have been worse. At least the bolt didn't explode inside. The shot was clean through by the scan.

As the Mand'alor began to regain consciousness after initial treatment, of course the first thing he asked for was alcohol.

[ Don't move so much. You'll pull a stitch and start bleeding again, ner vod.... and only a little ale. I already gave you drugs, and don't want you to mess up my handy work. I'm not in the mood to redo it. ] she said dryly looking down upon Ra through her red T-visor. [ For now you will live, but to heal fully you'll need time in suspended bacta. ]

 

[Not Ordo]

Kal lunged forward to his transport and bounded up the ramp. He could hear foot falls behind him. They had covered the 500 meters much faster than he would have guessed.

"Forcies." He grumbled as he hit the button to close the hatch. He thought again about how he should have taken more shots to increase the confusion but it was too late for that. He hastily entered a route into the auto-pilot and then dropped to a maintenance hatch as the ship began to move. They would mark the ship in no time and the city would be on lockdown soon. That's what he would do.

He ripped of his heavy armor with the quick release catches and went into the maintenance area. The ship would skim the surface for a moment before heading for an exit and then back to Concord Dawn. The security lasers would be pounding him soon.




[member="Ra Vizsla"] [member="Aryn Spar"] [member="Xyloxan"] [member="Preliat Mantis"] [member="Joanes Quez"] [member="Scourge"] [member="Cato Fett"] [member="Lyanie Quez"] [member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Kad Tor"] [member="Muad Dib"] [member="Bloodshot"] [member="Briika Tor"] [member="Darth Metus"] [member="Strider Garon"] [member="Marev Priest"] [member="Yasha Mantis"]

 

[Subject 37]

[member="Kal Ordo"]

Aryn came to a skidding stop just below where the ship had taken off, a scowl pulling at his lips and his claws still bared. He had been prepared to jump towards the vessel and hang on, but the take off had been too fast for even him to catch up with.

A low growl of frustration filled his throat. He had been fast, but not fast enough to catch up with the man. A part of Aryn felt disgusted with himself. The distance had been far, and he'd barely managed to catch the scent of the man in the first place, but still. His eye tracked the glowing orbs of the vessels engines for a moment, but he knew the ship would get away. The others might be able to get a target lock of drive signature, but that was far beyond Aryn's skills.

The Togorian shifted, his scowl plain as he slowly turned and began to walk away.

It was an unfortunate fact that the assassin had escaped this time, but Aryn had his scent now. Would the two ever meet again the Togorian would ensure the encounter did not end pleasantly. The claws on his hands slowly retracted, his shoulders drawing up as he moved to return to the Mand'alor and the others.

He was still unaware that Ra had been the one struck.

 

[Strider Garon]

"Marshal Garon!" The monotoned voice of the security office running the control center commed.

"Garon here! Go ahead!"

"One transport shuttle was able to escape before we could fully lock Sandari down!" The mandalorian reported.

Strider took a deep breath, calming his anger and disappointment the best he could. "I want all security holos sifted through.......... Find me who this assassin is!" The old man's voice hissed the commands, pained by his throat injury from long ago. "Sandari is to stay locked down till further notice!" Who knew if this was the only threat, who knew who was loyal and who was not. This was civil war in the making. Brother on brother, neighbor on neighbor, Mando on Mando.... this was nothing less then Titans of war clashing.

Mand'alor was alive, the undying was certainly a well earned named. He would walk over to the gaggle of medics working on the beast of man. "The assassin has escaped!" He reported dutiful to his new found leader. " I put Sandari on lock down, security holos being sifted through to find his Identity and if he worked alone"

Strider's eyes looked at the gruesome wound, phantom pains of his own etched some nerve tingles from various locations. " What are your orders, Mand'alor?"

[member="Kal Ordo"] [member="Briika Tor"] [member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Ra Vizsla"]

 

[Silas Mantis]

"I am sure you would make a fine Mand'alor ad'ika, the galaxy would tremble in fear, but not today." Silas replied to his niece, an amused smirk on his face. Shots had quit coming, so he could only assume that the shooting was over.

Of course [member="Yasha Mantis"] had asked him about her mother, where she was and such. He felt his stomach turn in discomfort, he wasn't sure if it was expected of uncles to bear such bad news, and while facing down armies meant little to him, this scared Silas. As he looked at the little girl he couldn't help but wonder if he was being played, if this was some kind of trick, some kind of sick karking joke. There would be hell to pay if it was.

But the girl had a fire to her, something that screamed 'Mantis' to him, aside from the tomahawk and her overall appearance. "Don't worry about being away so long, what matters is that you are back now." He reassured her, avoiding the question of her mother altogether. As it became clear his assumption was correct and that the assault was over, now came the time for reunions.

Silas fething hoped this went well.

"Let's go see your buir, shall we?" Silas asked after he overheard that [member="Ra Vizsla"] wasn't dead and was demanding ale, which in and of itself sent a wave of relief throughout his body. They would find the assassin, and he would suffer for his transgressions, of that he was certain. Carrying the girl with him, with her against his chest so that on the off chance someone shot again the round would have to go through two plates of beskar and his entire torso to so much as singe the girl, he approached [member="Preliat Mantis"]. "Someone is here to see you vod, it seems today is a good day to come back from the dead." He said, holding up Yasha with oone arm and cradling his helmet with the other.

 

[Tal Vizsla]

For the moment, Bloodshot ignored the clamor around the fallen mand'alor. If the man had been killed, those around would have known by now.

Instead, he turned his gaze in the direction of the shot, donned his helm, and barked a single command.

Moments later, his besalisk had crashed down beside him, and even before he was fully seated had risen once again into the skies. It took him only seconds more to cover the distance to the assassin's ascending ship, war droid screaming through the skies above [member="Aryn Spar"].

A target lock chimed in his helm, and a brace of missiles shrieked their terrible cry as they descended upon the unfortunate vessel.

[member="Kal Ordo"]

 

[Kad Tor]

Kad ran off toward the direction the shot cam from and spotted the feline [member="Aryn Spar"] racing ahead. That's when the call came over the comms that a ship had managed to escape before Kad's team could reach their lockdown point. The feline had gotten ahead of him and managed to not be quick enough either. Whatever this was, it was an act of war. An attempt had been made on Mia and now an attempt had been made on Ra. War was upon their people, and this was the first of many confrontations. It was time to organize and mobilize, but first they had a genocidal traitor to kill.

[ "The ship that took off, pretty sure it was the sniper. I believe the Sniper nest was found, but no clear evidence of who the shooter was," ] he said over the comms to Strider. [ "We are returning to main." ]

With a wave of his hand Kad called his group back. There would be further orders and instructions at the main assembly. Strider was taking charge and this would be the return of his commandos. Kad was keen to join as the Hound would find himself in the middle of every conflict between now and whatever end they would all find.

[member="Strider Garon"] [member="Ra Vizsla"]

 

[Not Ordo]

Kal's ship made it's way through the city on it's route and rocked violently as it was struck by the concussion missiles from the war droid. The ship continued as sparks flew from it's hull. It's shields blinked into existence far too late as it continued on auto-pilot. The sounds of ripping metal and warning klaxon's blared inside the ship as auto-fire suppression systems blasted a brace of wires with foam.

Kal didn't particularly care one way or another. The galaxy would balance out, live or die, the galaxy got its due. Fires continued to flare into existence as the ship moved out into the sky. They would bring it down before it got a kilometer at this rate. The ship bucked and sparked but stayed on a direct path toward space. It might make it.

[member="Ra Vizsla"] [member="Aryn Spar"] [member="Xyloxan"] [member="Preliat Mantis"] [member="Joanes Quez"] [member="Scourge"] [member="Cato Fett"] [member="Lyanie Quez"] [member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Kad Tor"] [member="Muad Dib"] [member="Bloodshot"] [member="Briika Tor"] [member="Darth Metus"] [member="Strider Garon"] [member="Marev Priest"] [member="Yasha Mantis"]

 

[Ra Vizsla]

"The assassin has escaped!"​

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Ra poured ale down his gullet as his torn shoulder was wrapped and his armor removed. He nodded his thanks to Briika, and placed the bottle by his side.​

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He began to push one of the Vizsla attendents away, his entire body beginning to groan as he moved. One attendent dared to try and speak, but Ra ran his fingers down the man's face, shhing him.​

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"I'm getting up, now."​

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Ra winced with intense pain. The bullet was still fresh, but had made a clean exit.​

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A shirtless, bandaged Ra made his way back over to the group, of those who hadn't already scattered.​

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His voice creaked and groaned with shards of glass.​

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"Monroe makes her move, in the silence of night, far from where her supporters can see.​

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Myself, I thought it'd be poison," Ra cracked a smile. A few men laughed.​

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"She wishes no challenge,​

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only my death by any means necessary.​

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It has been denied of her.​

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As our people deny her.​

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As Mandalore itself denies her."​

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Ra staggered, slightly, gripping onto the nearest Mandalorian's shoulder so he could continue to stand on his own two feet.​

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"Madness and betrayal has taken her mind.​

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And only a Mandalorian's vengeance can right her wrongs.​

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Go, now.​

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Muster every man, woman, and child. Tell them, ​

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Ra lives​

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and Death Watch has claimed control of Mandalore."​

 

[Listralli Namadi]

Blood called for blood.

For most of the growing spectacle, I watched. There was a quiet fire in brewing in my gut, the kind that seemed to pour from everyone here. Their world had burned. How many had paid the price for the Alor Council's sins? How many who's only crime was obeying the people who claimed to protect them? Too many. Too many friends, too many brothers, too many Mandalorians killed. For what? For this idea of being reborn? The very thought brought a twisting to my gut. We all lost things that day. It only stood to reason that rage would be acted upon.

As the Manda'lor spoke, I listened. As he fought, I studied him. As he won, I watched him. It was not my place to act. I had lost my home, my family. No living clan claimed me as their own. I had lost that. All I had now was the will to continue. And I refused to let those countless deaths be in vain. I was no tried and true warrior, nor was I some mighty god of mystical power. It would take time, and there was no doubt that I would not be the one to deliver the killing blow. But I would try.

And then the shatter round struck.

I didn't hear it. Not until it was slamming into the ground before the Mandalore. Wide eyed, jaw agape, I froze. Shock overtook my rational brain. I was frozen as the others acted. But only for a moment. And for that moment, I was useless. Seasoned warriors rushed to the Mandalore's side. Others moved after the assassin. It was precious moments after the others had already sprung into action that I moved. Wide eyes masked by the helmet scanned the rooftops. Nothing. Maybe I should upgrade the scanners. By the time I knew what was going on, there was calls back that they had let the man escape. Almost as if on cue, there was a stirring from where Ra had fallen. There was no way he could get up after that. The injury was to severe. But there he was.

"Death Watch has claimed control of Mandalore."

There was little else to be said. A roar arose from those of us still there. I could not tell if I began it or if I was merely one of the first.

"Oya!"

[member="Ra Vizsla"]

 

[Riggs]

The duel lead to the assassination attempt. Then the rapid response as mandalorians ran to Ra, ran to the shooter, or just ran in general. Staying where he was Marev slipped his buy'ce on and recorded it all. He didn't just watch a single mando'ad but all of them. Later he would be asked why he didn't assist the Mand'alor or pursue the would be Assassin. He would shrug and state, "I'm no medic and there was an army already on the trail."

But it was what he was doing that he felt was of most import. Later he would run facial recognition and match with the identification per set of armor confirming their identities. Once that was done he would carefully pour over the mannerisms, tics, and tells to see if any were preparing for a shot, looking at where the shot would come from, or anything else suspicious.

Marev felt that surely there were coconspirators or, at the very least if no others were involved, parallel attempts planned that may have been derailed by the incident.

He would check and delve deep. And if he found anything he would make a report to his Mand'alor before arming and eliminating the threat personally.

 

[Aedan Miles]

Aedan had watched stoically from his place atop a rock watched and listened as his apprentice challenged the man and was thus beaten into a pulp he had fought well but that meant nothing when he lost. He had seen the man who claimed to be Mand'alor get shot and still had not moved there were plenty of people playing guard for the leader of the warrior race known as the Mando'ade. His silver eyes took in everything calmly black hair falling lose around his head as he stayed silent he would follow those whose ideals he could believe in and for some reason he found that this man was correct not all but most of the Alors on the Alor council had turned apathetic as the man stated Aedan didn't expect special treatment for the mere reason of leading his family that was a duty that one took with humility not boasted about to everyone. He couldn't swear himself to the man now for his clan operated on the well being of the whole and he was not sure this was for the well being of the clan. He would need to speak to the clan before approaching the man known as [member="Ra Vizsla"] and following him. First the pirate king must get his house in order though and for that he needed to speak to Maud and his clan standing up from the shadows he turned to look at this present his eyes falling on The Wolf and his clan nodding his head as he remembered how they had never fully seen eye to eye but he could respect [member="Preliat Mantis"] for his beliefs and combat abilities. He saw the Garons there, with [member="Strider Garon"] being the most notable, as well they were long time friends of his that he had not heard from in some time other people he recognized and silently acknowledged before he stepped farther into the shadows pulling out a data pad he sent a simple message out to all of Clan Akaata they needed to make a choice and make it quickly. War was coming and it would not wait for them surely even Mia would not stand by after whispers of this event reached her which they would easily do. He also sent a message to Isley Verd to see what stand point his clan would have in this as Aedan also owed allegiance to the man who had helped him protect his people over the long years with bad or missing leadership. Aedan was not foolish enough to think that he or his clan were necessary to either side more than likely both sides would view him as little concern. Someone to keep at arms distance if a friend and someone to destroy if an enemy he had no delusions that he was surrounded by friends here.
[member="Darth Metus"]

 

[Atiniir Starrider]

[member="Ra Vizsla"]

Atiniir had watched the fight with a mixture of fear and resignation. This was something he'd seen before. He'd grown up amongst the Shadowrunners, one of the few pirate fleets possessing honor. He had picked up many of their ways, including showing honor to his opponents. To him, that usually meant only fighting when the battle was worth it, and trying not to kill your opponent if you could help it. Over the span of the past few months, however, he had learned a very important fact:

Mandalorians never did anything by halves.

He didn't have to like it, he could hate it if he wanted too, but it was a fact: Mandalorians were forged in battle. When a Mando wanted to start a fight, you either got on his side or got the **** out of the way. Atiniir did not agree with this battle, but there was nothing the seventeen year old warrior could do about it, except watch, and learn. The Vizsla, of course, emerged victorious, and made his speech to those assembled. Atiniir listened in silence. When the shatter round struck, and Vizsla shook it off like so much bee sting, Atiniir was thankful that he was here. This, he knew, was a true Mand'alor, a warrior of strength, courage, and honor. When the cheer rose among Death Watch, Atiniir's voice joined with gusto.

When the cheer was over, Atiniir sought out [member="Silas Mantis"]. He remembered the warrior from Keldabe; he was the one who had stabbed Atiniir in the stomach, shocking reason into his reckless mind. Atiniir approached him, [member="Preliat Mantis"], and the young child, [member="Yasha Mantis"]. He stood, his black and red beskar'gam still sporting dust.

"I just wanted to thank you," he said to his vod, "For the bacta. And for knocking some sense into me." Atiniir looked down at the child.

"Who's this now?"

 

[Tal Vizsla]

The chase continued on into the atmosphere, Bloodshot engaging the escaping ship with salvos of laser-fire as it blasted toward space.​

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When it finally reached the upper atmosphere, the Umbaran was forced to break off his pursuit and return from his attempt without his prey in tow or in tatters. Though in truth, he had not genuinely wanted either. A dead assassin could tell you nothing, and even a living one in custody could only be so useful.​

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Much better that they be left to roam free and lead you to their masters.​

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As the war droid set down on the edge of the crowd of mandalorians, the ping of a homing beacon illuminated his HUD as the ship made the jump to hyperspace.​

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Soon, it would be time to go hunting.​

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"RA!"​

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The word was bellowed as he pushed his way through those gathered around the Mand'alor.​

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"We can track the ship, but that won't help us for long. Whoever you send after this assassin needs to leave now."​

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[member="Ra Vizsla"] - [member="Kal Ordo"]​

 

[Davon Karr]

They crowded around Ra even as he struggled to stand. Yet even wounded he still stood and that was important. There was a crusade coming and a new Mand'alor. The young, up and coming warriors would vie for his attention and seek glory in the campaign that would inevitably follow. There was no glory to come for Davon now, no titles needed for his service. He would do right by his clan, his family and that was all.

The destruction on their spiritual home had sent waves through the people. Davon knew war, had lived and breathed it, but he didn't know how to fight an enemy he couldn't see or track. Keeping the agriworld of Agamar - safe - had been the most important task for him when so many had lost their homes and been left without food.

But none of this mattered. Ra was standing. But ale was a piss poor choice for a bullet would. With helmet in one hand and a flask of whiskey held in the other he moved close enough that something strong was within his reach if he wanted it. It wasn't good whiskey. There wasn't enough left after Corellia was destroyed.

 

[Jor Kvall]

It seemed somehow fitting for the self-proclaimed Mandalore, [member="Ra Vizsla"], to undertake not one, but two challenges today. The first was honorable, while the second was not. If indeed the would-be assassin had been sent by Mia Monroe - as Vizsla claimed - then Jor Kvall would be even more resolute in his decision to journey to Sundari today to support him, against his clan's wishes.

Clan Kvall was little more than a lost clan, having sunk back to the world of Kalevala several generations ago. While they could once boast of having a martial history that spanned centuries, time, and the absence of battle, had not been kind to their fortunes. They had slipped into complacency, and eventually the degeneracy that inevitably followed. Clan Kvall had grown more fond of words and less fond of actions, and so their breed had quietly degenerated. The destruction of Mandalore had further persuaded them away from taking any decisive action - everyone except Jor.

Now, he was nearly an outcast of his own clan, and one of the few here who had not yet earned his beskar. The absence of beskar broadcasted his youth even more than the scarless, smooth skin of his face. But there was a radiant, silent determination in his eyes that lingered throughout each chaotic event that unfolded. Soon, he would no longer be jealous for honor.