For Your Own Good

[Vilaz Munin]

ECHOY'LA - MUNIN COMMAND CENTRE​

1:59 AM LOCAL TIME​

​

It was a long fight and chase with many bruises, scars, cuts, some broken bones here and there. Some minor civilian casualties and collateral damage were at hand, but he did not care. Not a single damn was given, showing his cruel personality out towards others. They weren't his people or someone that he was familiar with that would be treated with respect. Some deemed him as a monster, or a rabid animal with destructive rage that needed to be put down. What did Vilazz Munin, Alor of Clan Munin, think of these comments? He took them as a compliments. It was true what they said about him and he accepted that. He couldn't remember the last time what outsiders and foreigners thought of him? He never did. He was a Mandalorian and trained differently that most of the others that were part of his culture. They had grown soft and cared what the Galaxy thought of them.

A behavior he thought as pathetic since no one had done anything for them or gave a feth about them. Their true nature was covered in masks to appease those outside of their ranks. It disgusted him. A warrior that seek to please those that were not their brethren was not a true warrior in his eyes, and it was a weakness.

An old friend of his, one that somewhat shared (in his eyes and opinion) these philosophical values that opposed his and consumed by the Force, was here with him in front of him. He last saw her on Myrkr when some daring dar'manda and their allies attacked a high security prison that incarcerated dangerous outlaws that were Mandalorian and others. Some had escaped unfortunately, but few in number. The Munin was no longer part of the Mandalorian Empire which declared him an enemy of the state and a dishonorable dar'manda, but they were just insignificant words with no value to them. Just words to the wind.

So while he was on his own with the the support of his family and clan, he prioritized in building up his clan more, helping the Sith Empire against the likes of the Galactic Alliance and such, raiding, and plotting for the collapse of the current "Sole Ruler". But he had also took up the hobby of hunting Mandalorians with the Force, and try to save them from the curse. The outcome was...low as many of them were stubborn to accept the cure and found themselves dead.

[member="Keira Ticon"] was one of his targets, and a high rated one too. He fought to the teeth to subdue her when they encountered some time ago in which he was successful. And here she was carefully detained so that she wouldn't try to escape and barred from the Force in a containment field. She was unconscious, but would awake any moment now. He stood with armor and helmet hiding his face while she simply wore a bodyglove.

"Wakey, wakey...Ticon."​

​

[member="Alkor Centaris"]​

 

[Keira Priest]

It hadn't taken more than a few weeks of her venturing back out into the larger galaxy for her to become a target, and maybe she should have seen it coming. After all, she'd never been the greatest at making friends through the years, and that was bound to have accumulated to some sort of price on her head in the long run. What solace she could take manifested in the fact that she'd made the fight as difficult as possible and then some, never knowing when to back down even when it best suited her. In the end she'd still wound up unconscious, which unfortunately wasn't anything particularly new, but she'd been half-conscious for the past few minutes as she tried to discern just what had happened.

When she did stir it was slowly, a dull ache washing across her entire form. A headache pounded behind her eyes, but she didn't let the pain stop her, though any fight to move was met with heavy resistance from the containment field she hovered within. All armor and weaponry had been stripped from her, leaving her in a bodyglove that did little in the way of actual protection. In all this was the worst position someone like her could imagine to be in, and Keira wasn't fond of it in the least. Vulnerability had never suited her, and from the first time she was captured she'd made it a point to never appear as such again. Except this time she had no choice, and that started a thrum of anger brewing within her. And that was a state no one wanted to catch her in.

The armored figure before her was unfamiliar, recognizable only as Mandalorian due to the unmistakable T-visor. Methodically she sifted through her memory for any instance of one of the people that disliked her enough to go to these lengths, but came up empty. Sure, she had had plenty of unfriendly disagreements with the other vode, but they had never ended in anything resembling violence. That brought to mind the reputation her clan had gained thanks to its disgraced scion, and she figured if anything this could be thanks to that, not that things were ever so simple. Another part of her wondered exactly when her brother would come looking.

"Who the hell are you?"

[member="Vilaz Munin"]

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Humbarine System, High Orbit aboard a Patrol Ship
2300 Galactic Standard​

The world was desolate just after the Clone Wars, its crust reduced to slag by a vicious orbital bombardment by General Greivous of the Separatist movement. With time, new life was reintroduced to the planet by the Galactic Empire, and by 25 BBY, the population had rocketed to nearly one hundred million. When the Gulag Plague swept across the galaxy, things changed. The history of Humbarine, seeped in mass genocide, darkened. Those people who managed to survive became even more reclusive than they had been on the Galactic scene after their first brush with extinction. Darkness shrouded the indigenous peoples, and their xenophobia was rivaled only by their strict customs laws.

Tasked with removing an item from the planet and seeing it to a buyer, Alkor hung back from the sector's field of scanners and waited for contact. He sat reclined in the living quarters, buy'ce rested on the cushion next to him. There had been no call from Keira to check in over the past few days, and despite himself, Alkor began to wonder about her condition when she neglected to return his call or messages.

"Keira," he spoke into the communicator again, for what must have been the fifth time in two days. "If you've gone on a bender again and you forgot to invite me, there's going to be hell to pay."

It was lighthearted, but the worry in his voice would have been evident. Since they reunited, [member="Keira Ticon"] began to notice things that never showed before in her adoptive brother. Emotions slipped through the cracks in his hardened exterior. Sentiments he kept buried before now escaped in normal conversation- regardless of how rare, she had remarked on what a feat it was.

Keira called it 'growth.' His whole life, the Corellian Exile had been instilled with the idea that it was 'weakness.' Now, he simply called it 'life.' It was his reality, and he was done reasoning with or fighting against it. It was time he finally started living.

The moment he swore off the Force and willingly submitted himself to the stripping process, everything changed. His perceptions, his thinking, and even his demeanor. The once cold, calculating monster of a man had changed into a complex, reserved thinker. He was still, of course, no stranger to violence.

Alkor laid the comm out on the Dejarik board in front of him and folded his hands, then buried his face in them. "I doubt she keeps the tracer in her 'gam online," he muttered. "If she doesn't want to be found, it'll never happen. You better be alive, Ticon."

[member="Vilaz Munin"]​

 

[Vilaz Munin]

The Warlord simply observed her as she began to stir. He knew how'd she react when Keira finds out being held captive and stripped of everything except bodyglove. He didn't blame her because that's how he would react in a scenario like this. He could take the insults and death threats that would sure come from her mouth, but there was something that would hurt for the two of them.

Betrayal.​

​

He had changed since they last met. In those days Vilaz was somewhat rational, tolerant of Mandalorian Force Users, and not completely hellbent on destruction and death. But now, he had grown out from that shell. That mask, shattered and free of, that hid away his true nature. One that Keira probably couldn't see eye to eye with. It was from that fire why he had to act like this. Why he had to attack her, beat her a bit in order to submit, and held against her own will. To some other random Mandalorian he wasn't familiar with, he wouldn't care that much. But now? There was some emotions mixing in. Emotions he had to suppress and bury.

"I'm surprised you've forgotten about me," the Munin said with his voice annunciator concealing his own natural one, and making him sound cold, harsh, and somewhat robotic, "I thought you would've at least remember me by my fighting style and philosophy." Every child of Mandalore was unique in life, thus had their own philosophy and style to everything. Even the way one fought. Some were aggressive and always on the offense. Others were cautious and favored a defensive attire. For Vilaz? He mostly was on the offense and brutal when charging for an attack. Of course, he'd take some moments to breathe while observing his opponent and try to learn something of their pattern while on a solid defensive attitude until he attacked again. Complex to describe, but only he knew it when in combat.

"Now I'm not here to kill you. I would've done that instead of having you here. I just want information on your...blasphemous, disgusting band of dar'manda. Talk and things will go smooth for both of us."

He really didn't want to harm her, but he would in order to get what he wanted.

[member="Alkor Centaris"] | [member="Keira Ticon"]​

 

[Keira Priest]

Dark eyes squinted at the T-visor that observed her apathetically, and Keira fought through the pain to glean some sense of familiarity from the voice. "Munin?" Her voice betrayed equal parts confusion and anger, and again she struggled against her restraints to no avail. Her jaw was taut, a newfound fire burning behind her eyes when she looked at him. The two had fought before, certainly, but never had it come to something so drastic. The rivalry between Verd and Munin was a well-established one, but she didn't think it had passed anything beyond that: a simple rivalry. Except apparently it had, because last she checked they hadn't strayed into enemy territory. Not until now, at least.

"You mean the Empire? Verd are hardly their friends, after what Isley did. We're still earning our way back. You think they told us anything important?" And for once she wasn't lying. The only claim to power she had was being the leader of a now defamed clan, and in the eyes of the people that meant little and less. "You can do whatever you want, but I can guarantee you that there'll be hell to pay. If my brother doesn't kill you, I'll make up for it. Let me go, and maybe I'll be persuaded not to put one between your eyes."

If it was as easy to get under his skin as he remembered, words would be her best bet until he saw fit to release her. "Drop the containment field and we'll talk, unless you're too afraid to face down a single unarmed warrior, hu'tuun."

[member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Alkor Centaris"]

 

[Briika Munin]

Echoy'la
Munin Command Center - Control Room
___

Briika stifled a yawn as she sat in the control room observing on a holocam feed her husband waiting patiently to have his little chat with [member="Keira Ticon"], a long time friend-enemy of the Warlord's going way back. The prisoner was still out cold from the rambunctious capture that took place, but should wake soon as the sedation drug given would be nearing its half-life.

"Why do you always have to do this kind of stuff in the middle of everyone else's sleep cycle, huh cyar'ika?" she mumbled to herself as a pair of tired blue-green orbs looked at the wall chrono, then back to the holoscreen. It was two o'clock in the morning for Force sake.

[member="Vilaz Munin"] was going to know his wife's displeasure when this was all said and done especially if the former Akaan didn't get the info he sought on the Mandalorian Empire. The exile from Mandalorian space had been hard on both of them after the events that took place at the Red Coronation, but the Munin's would not look back only forward to better times and rewards. Together they were stronger and that is exactly what they were... especially now as another child was on the way. The proud warrior was sure it would be a boy. Only time would tell if a son would bless Vilaz and his aliit.

The blonde flicked a switch on the control panel to check on their daughter as she slept in the Munin's quarters. Kayra looked so peaceful slumbering there with her two protectors curled up at the foot of the young girl's bed. Paak and Sikr, or commonly called Salt and Pepper due to their coloring, were pups of Vilaz's vornskr, Dalso, who was laying presently on the floor at Bree's booted feet ever vigilant.

A few moments passed, then the Baar'ur toggled back over to the interrogation room feed where the Dark Jedi was suspended in a containment field. She was coming to finally. Hopefully all would go as planned, though one never knew with the Concordian. His off scripted moments made things interesting to say the least.


[member="Alkor Centaris"]

 

[Alkor Centaris]

The transmission came as predicted, several hours after schedule. It was to be coded and encrypted on a secure channel, but the contact was obviously not the technologically savvy being that his buyer thought them to be. Classic. What was it with aruteiise and not living up to expectations?

Granted, Mandalorians lived near the cutting edge of tech and often moved into realms far beyond what was considered galactic Standard. It was their answer to a galaxy where war was ever present, and enemies waited around every turn. So when he was met with one of the most garbled sounding communications ever heard, he could only sigh.

"This could take much, much longer than I anticipated," he lamented. It did give him more time to wait for a response from [member="Keira Ticon"], but... "this is going to be very, very boring."

He played the staticy recording again, listening for any hints of intelligible speech. Sometimes that was the key. One small bit that he could cling to and stretch. Was that it?

Maybe?

Ah, nope. Just a hiccup in the channel, probably.

"Alright, well, while this decrypts..." Alkor pulled up the navicomputer again and started playing with the dials, keying in Keira's code and letting the scanner run its course. It was the best he had, for now.

"Well, you might not want to go for a drink," he muttered to himself, "but I'm still an alcoholic. Cheers, sis."

He cracked open a can and the acrid, sticky sweet smell of tihaar jumped out at him.

Alkor drained the booze promptly.

[member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Briika Tor-Munin"]

 

[Vilaz Munin]

She caught up. Not that he cared if she figured out who he was under the helmet or not, he was going to reveal who he was later. The Warlord saw her reaction with no emotion from this betrayal. She struggled against her restraints, her face mixed with confusion and anger which would surely evolve to hatred. Another bridge that would probably be burned down, but he could live with that if it that was bound to happen. He had other associates that were more important to his and his clan's own convenience.

"Your threats and challenges do not concern me, Keira. I already beat you and you're here, I've faced worse than threats on my life," Vilaz countered back to her and then grabbed a phrik electrostaff. The warrior would make her talk if she wouldn't. There had to be some information. Hardened fortresses, fleets, blockades, and even low secured outposts. Anything would work.

"I don't want to hurt you, Keira, so I'll give you another chance. Give me any kind of information you have, and even on those infidels that raided the Myrkr prison. Or else I will act," and awaited for her response.

Don't make me.​

Meanwhile the cure was being ready by Munin clansmen that were skilled and adept in medicine and science and would be delivered when the time came. It was his newfound duty and mission to save Mandalorians from the plague of the Force. Either by medical treatments or death. He knew his beloved wife Bree was watching the interrogation from somewhere and felt some guilt in her having awake during these times. Especially when the golden blonde was carrying another child of theirs in her womb. Not to mention he too would like this to end, but duty calls first.

[member="Alkor Centaris"] | [member="Briika Tor-Munin"] | [member="Keira Ticon"]​

 

[Keira Priest]

Keira eyed the electrostaff warily, considering her odds. In her life she'd certainly faced worse than electrocution, and she was no stranger to torture. Still, just because she was used to it didn't mean she was willing to invite it. "I told you, I don't know anything. The most I can offer you is the coordinates for Manda'yaim, in case you've forgotten. Otherwise I don't have anything. I was on Myrkr for no one." She'd been on the planet at her own accord, fighting for nothing and no one but her own ideals when it came to the people.

"You wanna hurt me, go ahead. I've had worse than a dar'manda who thinks he knows best. I beat you in a challenge for the title then, I can kill you now." She'd stood beside him until the very end, and that made this at once expected and a surprise. He'd always been the more radical of all the vode, but she never thought he'd take it this far. By all accounts, even his own, this was excessive. They both knew that. Unfortunately, she'd never been the greatest at talking people down from extremes.

"What happened to talking things out, Munin? I was your Warmaster. You can trust me." They'd always had each other's backs. There had been a time when she had supported his claim to rule, but that seemed years ago in comparison to where he stood now. Once again the title had changed hands, and with it new enemies had been made. This was just another consequence of war.

[member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Alkor Centaris"] | [member="Briika Tor-Munin"]

 

[Vilaz Munin]

"LIAR!"​

​

He shouted from the top of his lungs as he thought Keira had told him a lie. Simultaneously he lunged forward with the electrostaff in his hands at the Ticon where it would make contact with her and unleash a deadly volt for a few seconds. Vilaz had enough of lies. He had dealt too much these past few months after the Red Coronation, and was sick of it.

"Everyday, more lies. More lies...when will we all muster the courage and say the truth?!"

You could call Vilaz a murdered, a sociopath, or anything you'd like but he was honest at least. Sometimes he was blunt and hurtful with it; however, he did lie when it was for the better good for him, his family, and his clan. He could relate with Keira as she was his prisoner after that clash they had, but he knew she was telling deceitful lies.

Or was she?​

​

"You know something that I do not! Not spit whatever information you have unless you don't want to see the very thing you love and hold dear to," he said to her with angry tone of voice. The warrior didn't know anything of her life. He didn't if she had a family or not, but he could guess she did love someone or something.

He took a couple of slow inhales and exhales to calm himself. The Concordian had to be professional and not let his temper get to him.

"You don't understand, Keira, nor would you if I explained to you. Hell, most people wouldn't but just know at the end of this I will save you. You'll finally be free." His dialogue was cryptic and mysterious no doubt, but he didn't want to explain it. People were right of him being the most radical man of the Mandalorians, but the problem was was that most people wouldn't understand radical thinking. He thought beyond the norm and what was "acceptable" to most societies. Even Mandalorians had their own limits, but not him when it came to thinking and acting.

[member="Keira Ticon"] | [member="Alkor Centaris"] | [member="Briika Tor-Munin"]​

 

[Keira Priest]

A scream tore itself from her throat, her body seizing unnaturally as all of her muscles tensed at once in response to the electricity coursing through her. For a few moments she remained motionless, her chest rising and falling visibly. Slowly she regained control of her extremities, flexing her fingers and rolling her neck before looking up at him. "You want the truth? Fine." She swallowed hard, forcing her breathing to steady, still working through the remnants of pain.

"I think you're a goddamned cowardly son of a queen who doesn't know how to get his way unless he has all the power. I don't think you'd know what to do if we settled this through an honor duel, because you've forgotten what that means." There was venom on her tongue when she spoke, and she no longer exercised better judgment when speaking to him. This was her truth, plain and simple, whether he wanted to hear it or not. "There's nothing you can do to me that hasn't already been done before. You're playing at something you've already lost."

With a slow, careful movement of her left hand she activated the emergency beacon built into the cybernetic, a last ditch failsafe that she'd never had to use before now. Hopefully her brother would get the message and realize just how urgent the situation was. Until then, she would make do.

"Unless freeing me means you eating a bullet, then I'm not interested."

[member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Alkor Centaris"] | [member="Briika Tor-Munin"]

 

[Vilaz Munin]

Some would find torture satisfying except for Vilaz. This didn't fulfill him. Only his family, his beloved wife, and crusading did appease him and it made him content, happy. This? Absolutely not, but perhaps a man like Kaine or of his caliber would enjoy torturing someone until they were broken. Although if it was someone that offended him, his family, his clan, or any of his assets then maybe he'd find it sating before giving them a death they begged desperately for.

To be said, his emotions on the present matter were neutral with a mix of impatience. This was a huge waste of his time, and now needed to use his next instrument.

Her words were simply brushed off as he knew this wasn't the truth. Just a subjective opinion of hers that didn't reflect the man he is, but her lack of cooperation would have consequences.

"Mouth off as much as you want, Ticon. I know who and what I am. The word 'honor' has been thrown around too loosely. Honor belongs to a friend and family, and I honor my clan, my family, and my friends."

Were they friends? Hopefully, but he needed to save her. Another two claps from his hands were produced and out came two Munin clansmen, cladded with armor and pushing a tray with the cure, and besides them a Sith that was covered in dark robes from head to toe, even covering his face with a mask. As soon as the two Mandalorians came, they retreated behind the blast door that entered to this chamber. The Sith was someone that he loaned from Kaine with promises of returning him back as soon as possible.

"Have you ever heard the art of mentalism, Keira? I'm not plagued by the Force unlike you, but from what I know is that the user invades the mind of their target whether to extract information, or torture them with illusions and whatnot."

He even shuddered to think about someone invading his mind and playing with him from the inside. He could endure physical pain, but mental? No defenses and little tolerance.

"You forced this on yourself, Keira. Don't blame me for not working with me."

Vilaz would not at his Sith associate and the being would now breach her mind, and do what he must.

[member="Keira Verd"] | [member="Briika Munin"] | [member="Alkor Centaris"]​

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Luckily for Keira, Alkor was waiting out in hopes of a signal from the moment he made Humbarine airspace. When the light flickered into view, he almost fell out of his seat in an attempt to grab the communicator. He managed to get a grip on it as he fell to one knee, and clicked the button that activiated the voice recording and play function.

This was Keira's failsafe frequency, he instantly realized, when he heard the muffled sound of a helmeted speaker come across the airwaves. "...forced this on... elf... Don't blame ... with me..."

Alkor calmly placed the communicator back on the dash and linked it up to the navicomputer. The ship seemed to respond instantly, narrowing down the location through space and time as it tore through the HoloNet and pinpointed the location of [member="Keira Verd"] . He didn't know the speaker, nor did he concern himself with learning their identity.

If he didn't die, he would wish he were dead.

Alkor set the course and prepared for the jump to hyperspace. There would be enough time to mentally prepare for the encounter along the way, as well as physically- but he wanted to understand. Who had any cause to seek harm against his family?

Who would he have to prepare for?

[member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Briika Munin"]

 

[Keira Priest]

"Of course you work with the Sith." Keira couldn't sense the darkness that no doubt emanated from the cloaked figure, but just knowing it was there was enough. "I should have killed you during the challenge. It would have been merciful." Brother didn't slay brother unless the situation called, and if she'd known who he was making friends with back then she wouldn't have stopped at wounding him. The Sith had no place in the galaxy, nor did those that deliberately and knowingly cooperated with them. He'd all but guaranteed his fate, and she would see to that personally.

There was no fear in her eyes when she finally looked to the second figure. She'd faced down their kind on the battlefield too many times to truly fear them anymore. This was just another target, someone else she'd have to hunt down when this was over. Already she was setting aside the time necessary, and she was sure the rest of her clan would understand. More like than not a few would accompany her, and that was the one real mistake that he'd made, making this a family affair.

No emotion was immediately discernable on her face when she first felt those tendrils of the Force in her head, but if one looked closely enough they would see the tautness of her muscles and the strain in her eyes. It was a silent struggle, an invisible battle of the wills that she didn't intend to lose, at least not without a fight. With or without the Force she was still infamously stubborn, and just because she had no real information to give didn't mean that she was willing to let him have the rest of it. This was about more than just protecting her people, it was a matter of pride.

That, and she was buying time for her brother to get here and kick the door in.

[member="Alkor Centaris"] | [member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Briika Munin"]