Grudges

[Revenchent]

Corin set a comforting hand upon Lord Cabur's head, and tsked. The creature lowered onto its haunches, its defensive posture replaced with a more relaxed stare. Its eyes never strayed from Saran, but they did not hold the malice they did previously. The Mandalorian smiled, and rose up to his feet. He folded his arms about his chest as he leaned against the side of Saran's doorframe, Lord Cabur trotting up to his side.

"Long enough," he replied, a hint of a snicker teasing into his words. Lord Cabur trotted forward, its head dipping at Saran. The Strill sniffed once, then again, and made a low whine. Its reptilian tongued flickered out to poke at Saran's hand, and its black eyes looked up to see the sockets of Saran's own. It had never seen a Miraluka before, and so it was curious, sitting back on its haunches to observe her.

Corin waved Cabur off.

"This is Lord Cabur, my strill. He won't do you any harm," he promise, "So, who is this Sith you're asking about?"

Corin gestured toward her micro-datapad. "Someone to worry about? Friend of yours?"

[member="Astrid"], [member="Saran Drast"], [member="Tyris Hayes"]

 

[Tyris Hayes]

Tyris gave the woman a stern look before moving into the back of the ship. He could tell he and that woman would not get along well. She seemed to feel she had some sort of entitlement, he expected this sort of thing from nobility, not murderers. Tyris did not like her attitude, her perceived lack of wrongdoing on her part. This was not a good attitude to have among a group of criminals, everyone except the jedi had done something wrong, but the young woman acted as if she were a saint.

The ship was about 20 meters long, so it did not take long to make it back to the bunks. There he found the Jedi and the mandalorian, both discussing something, but he had no idea. He walked in with his cane, and sat down on a bunk.

"I have no idea how you guys are getting along, but our pilot just threatened to kill me for asking for her name.... anyways how are you all settling in?"

[member="Astrid"]
[member="Saran Drast"]
[member="Corin Tal'verda"]

 

[Saran Drast]

Saran was quiet for a moment, her focus on the man. The strill seemed content to watch her, as it sat watching her. Part of her wanted to try and pet it, but she figured that would end with her missing a hand. Why the beast was so curious was beyond her. Surely it had been around the galaxy. Still, she was glad that it seemed to like him. "He's kinda cute" she commented, returning her focus to Corin. "In his way."

A sigh escaped her lips as the question of what she was looking up was asked. "May be something to worry about. May not be." She paused, setting the datapad down and taking off the earpiece. "I don't know yet." She considered elaborating, but then again, this was a man barely there in the Force. Why that was, she didn't know. Still, it bothered her. He could very well be a Sith Lord who was very good at hiding it. Still, sitting on the trail of a long-dead Sith wasn't something that took most to this sort of business. She was going to be an anomaly here anyways.

"I have no idea how you guys are getting along, but our pilot just threatened to kill me for asking for her name.... anyways how are you all settling in?"

A frown crossed her face, and her features hardened. "I was doing alright." The steel in her voice was unmistakable. The woman was not happy with the newcomer. "I'm getting tired. If you to wouldn't mind, would you allow me to take a nap?"

[member=Astrid] [member="Corin Tal'verda"] [member="Tyris Hayes"]

 

[Revenchent]

"No one seems particularly pleased with you," Corin pointed out as Tyris moved down the corridor. Despite that, he turned to clap a hand on the older man's shoulder, Lord Cabur trotting up to sniff at his heels. "Just leave her be. She's probably still coiled up, given you lot just stole this ship and all." The Mandalorian grinned, and snapped his fingers. Lord Cabur sat up on his haunches, his predatory gaze sweeping over the bulkheads for something to pounce on. Corin grinned.

"Go to bed, Cabur. Sleepytime." Corin cooed. The Strill's ears perked up, and it tilted its head forward as if it were nodding. The intelligent little beast trotted down the halls of the vessel, and Corin mused that his constant companion had already built a nest for himself. Snickering, he turned back to Saran. "We'll leave you be, bathrobe."

Corin squeezed Tyris' shoulder. "Go pick a room. I'll go negotiate with our erstwhile pilot. See what's going on in her head. We should come out of hyperspace in a few hours," the hand fell from Tyris' shoulder. "Get some rest while you can."

Without another word, Corin reached up to draw his cowl up over his face, and left the duo to themselves. He'd go and speak with 'Highlights', see what was eating at her, and get some shut-eye himself. Gods knew he needed it.

[member="Saran Drast"], [member="Tyris Hayes"], [member="Astrid"]

 

[Astrid]

The highlight of Astrid's day had been that the old man had left, defeated. Whether or not he understood where she was coming from, she found she didn't particularly care. Soon enough, they'd reach their destination and all would be well; they'd all go their separate paths, more than likely. In the least, that was the plan for herself, she decided. What they did from that point really didn't concern her and as long as they didn't make any attempt to murder her, her future plans didn't concern or involve them. As she leaned back in the chair once more, she found she doubted they'd let her get off so easily. Tyris had committed murder in front of her, Corin had as well. Even the Jedi had a reason to make sure she kept silent, perhaps even for good.

With a deliberately slow inhale, Astrid tipped her head back and closed visual contact with the space around her. The dull ache of a headache had begun to make itself known, drawing forth a groan. With ask that had transpired, she deserved to take a moment and sleep. But the fact that she was in bad company alone was enough to prevent that. Not to mention that she was going to be missing out on the job she'd been hired for, the one that had found her on the planet in the first place. Dreading the territory of the necessity, she knew she'd have to get in contact with her contract and hash out a different method of payment.

When she finally began to relax, she felt the tension in her shoulders subside and she had not realized just how tense she'd been until that moment. Opening her eyes to the view beyond the ship, Astrid frowned. There was no point in denying it, she'd bitten off more than she could chew. She'd knew she needed to be more careful. Particularly if she was going to avoid another situation like the one in hand.

Lifting one leg, she rested her ankle over one knee. It was going to be a long few hours. All she had to do was stay awake until she could get away. She could do it; she knew she could slip away, vanish within the masses. Or...

Astrid broke out into a grin, leaned forward, and her fingers began to fly over there controls.

[member="Corin Tal'verda"]
[member="Saran Drast"]
[member="Tyris Hayes"]

 

[Revenchent]

A hand fell to the Westar hanging at Corin's side. It was an old habit, and he truly did not expect malpractice from Highlights, but he was no fool. The company he now kept was not friendly, and Lord Cabur had not had the chance to sniff the pilot. Corin trusted the Strill's judgement more than his own, for the creature had never been wrong before. Silently, he cursed himself for not bringing the hunting animal up to the cockpit.

With a shift of his coat, Corin hid the Westar at his side. To most, he looked like he simply had his hands in his pockets. He drew in a deep breath and stopped at the doors, his eyes travelling over the cockpit. This shuttle was his by right, though he would not tell the others that just yet. It had belonged to his late uncle during the great war, and was property of the Tal'verda by lines of blood. He would not hesitate to take the vessel by force, but he wasn't going to start drawing on people if he did not have to. At the very least, he would wait until they had arrived at port to do so.

Satisfied that nothing ill awaited him, Corin stepped inside. He clapped his hand on the wall console behind him, and the door slid shut with a hiss.

"You can't fool me," he murmured, stepping up closer to the pilot's seat. He folded his arms about his chest, his eyes seemingly on the blue light of hyperspace beyond the viewport. "Whom are you? Answer quickly."

[member="Astrid"], [member="Saran Drast"], [member="Tyris Hayes"]

 

[Astrid]

It had not taken her long to complete the unexplained task that she had committed herself to and she was in the middle of rising from beneath the console when Corin entered and shut the cockpit door. The sound of the door closing had alarmed her, and in her surprise Astrid's skull connected with the underside of the main panel. A string of unholy words flew from her lips from behind the veil as she rose, quickly with one hand rubbing the point of contact. She glowered at Corin, pointedly ignoring his inquiry. After planting a knee into the seat of the chair, she closed her eyes and shook her head in an attempt to clear her aching head. Muttering under her breath, she slipped away from the chair, and opened her eyes to keep grey eyes upon him.

With intent she put distance between them, and when she pressed her back against the side wall that framed the enclosed space Astrid mirrored his stance. Still, she did not say anything, but it was evident by her keen focus, he had her attention. A thought seemed to cross her mind after a moment, and the woman unwound one arm to peel down the fabric from her face and arch a brow.

"You know, I really don't feel obligated to answer to a man who killed someone in front of me. If you ran into the old man, I think that's been made pretty clear by now," stated the woman, patting the weapon she'd obtained and attached to her thigh. "So. How about instead, you respond to a couple questions. Answer quickly."


[member="Corin Tal'verda"]
[member="Saran Drast"]
[member="Tyris Hayes"]

 

[Revenchent]

His father would have said something about this woman being a suitable candidate for marriage by her attitude alone. Corin did not find it as admirable as his old man, however. Annoyed, the young warrior's brow furrowed, and he breathed a heavy sigh. "I don't care if you feel obligated or not. You're on my ship. I'm going to know your name, or you're going to find yourself off of it rather quickly."

There was no point veiling the threat. He was dealing with criminals here. Who was to say she wasn't actually in kahoots with the older man? Why should he give her the benefit of the doubt. "This ship is the Tart-Cart IV, and it belonged to my uncle. That Zabrak, Toldir, he stole it. It belongs to my clan." His expression was calm, but if his words could yield physical effects, Highlights would have been frozen by now.

Inwardly, Corin counted the ticks between moments in his head. Cal'buir had always told him to watch for the breaks in conversation, because that was when you could really gauge someone's intentions. "Answer my question, and I answer yours."

[member="Astrid"]

 

[Astrid]

With a deliberately slow blink, Astrid smiled even though she said nothing. She did not doubt the threat, nor the weight that anchored his words; she had been on the receiving end or promised threats before. The figuratively line in which she toed was a delicate one, one in which she had been raised and molded to. For half of her life, she had been raised in the hope that she would one day achieve a political standing that would better her progenitor's line. Resentment had steeled her against her teachings and lessons, but as she remained against the wall she could not help but feel thankful for the skills she had been taught. She knew very well that he was studied her, and she could not but assume he knew she was studying him in return. If anything, the man before her was not stupid. He at least knew the value of compromise.

"If this is indeed your ship, than you would be delighted to know there are a few things in order for it's upkeep. It's a shame, really. For all it's working glory, it could use a few tweaks and fixes," Astrid stated, nonchalantly. Rolling her shoulders back, seeking out a more comfortable position, the woman's smile did not waiver. "Very well, we'll trade. My name is Astrid. You can leave it at that."

The name rolled from her tongue with such ease that it was akin to silken fabric. While not, in truth, her given birth name Astrid had been the name selected by her mother. Or so her uncle always used to say. She had always loved it and it had always felt more familiar to her than her given one.

"So, here's mine. Other than my name, what do you want from me?"
[member="Corin Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

"Just your body." Corin deadpanned.

Silence hung in the air for a moment, and then came the laughter. It was low and rumbling: good-natured and pleasant. With a shake of his head, Corin pushed himself up off the wall. "I'm not sure. I wasn't intending to travel with a crew. There are some bad people I'm out to take care of. Not the loan-shark kind of bad, but the planet-killing kind."

The Mandalorian waved a hand about as if he were talking about the weather. His humor died away as he settled into the co-pilot's chair, his eyes darting over display screen. So far as he could tell, everything was running well enough, but then he'd never had the most technical mind. He offered the woman a slight shrug, and shook his head.

"I wanted to make sure you weren't going to try and shoot me in the back. Lord Cabur wouldn't have let that happen, but I never appreciate the attempts," he continued, his fingers dancing over the control terminal. "That, and I needed to make sure we were actually headed toward Bothuwai. Good job."

He paused.

"Why were you following him? The traitor?"

[member="Astrid"]

 

[Astrid]

Astrid snorted, a sound rather unladylike-- Not that she particularly cared if it was or not. While her father might have beat her for such an unbecoming action, her uncle would not have. With a shake of her head, she too dropped herself in a chair, the one she'd taken up previously. The casual way in which he spoke of distasteful slaughter was not missed, but something she honed in on. To be able to speak so lightly of people with the capability of planet-wide massacres in such a way was not of common way. In fact, she could not recall a single individual she'd come across that could.

"Lord Cabur?" she repeated, thoughtfully. So, the supposed owner of the ship was not alone. That was cause for alarm, but she made not indication to outwardly express it. What she did, however, was recross her arms loosely. If she had to reach for the weapon quickly, it would manageable relatively easy. If it came to that, and if she were assaulted from the side and behind, she would have no way to bank out of it. It was a precarious position to be in, but a necessary one. Best to play the situation as calmly as possible, give no reason for retaliation.

Once more, Astrid snorted, this time accompanied with a roll of her gray eyes. "You really think that I would set us on course for a different destination? Please. I suppose I can't particularly blame you. Trust is something none of us really have in excess at the moment. Considering two of us are murderers, one is a Jedi, and one is apparently far to curious for her own good."

Turning her face away from Corin, Astrid centered her focus upon the animated lights that zipped around them. Momentarily, she let herself give into the childish fascination she had with hyperspace and travel as a whole. Absently, she commented, "Traitor? Oh, you mean mystery man? I've always been told I've been far to curious for my own good."

[member="Corin Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

"Oh par te sake be... I am Mando'ade, Astrid. I'm a soldier, and I only kill other soldiers. That man was no innocent, and I am no murderer." He retorted, his nose scrunching up in displeasure at the thought of being viewed so lowly. Whatever he killed, be it beast or man, was never innocent. Corin had been raised better than that. He did not indulge in the mindless brutality that some of his more base brethren reveled in. Life was precious in its own way, and only the gravest of malcontents deserved to lose it.

That, and Corin preferred his opponents to put up a fight before they stopped breathing. A battle without challenge was no battle at all, and it brought neither him nor his clan any honor.

Her mention of Lord Cabur made him grin. She had no way of knowing that the creature he spoke of was a Strill. For all she knew, Cabur could be a particularly noble Wookie, or a Sith Lord. The thought made him snicker as he typed in a comm message to be sent once they exited hyperspace.

"He's a close friend of mine. I've known him since I was born -- he served with my father and uncle when they were only boys." Corin explained. He took a moment to look up from his datapad and meet Astrid's gaze. "The man I killed was dangerous. He was dar'manda, one without a soul. He sold out his own people so that he might consort with would-be gods. He betrayed us, and so I betrayed him in kind."

His smile faded. "I never expected him to be wielding a Jedi's weapon."

[member="Astrid"]

 

[Astrid]

The language was a foreign one to her, one she did not know, but it was not crude on the ears. "Ah, but you killed a man, did you not? Taking a life, soulless or not, is murder. Even if you find some justification in it," the woman mused, turning back to face him with a bemused look. Then, Astrid turned her chair and propped her knee against the side of the center console. It gave her peripheral vision of the cockpit door, even if it was minor in truth.

If such a man was as connected to the family of the man opposite her, she did not find comfort in its truth. A man so dedicated to a group of people as to serve father and son was a man to be given respect, but also distrust when upon the receiving end of the bargaining stick. The whine of worn leather sounded as she unwound an arm from her chest to settle her hand upon her knee.

With a cock of her head, she pursed her lips. "Perhaps," she began, thoughtfully. "I have bitten of far more than I can chew. So dangerous a man would have done me no good to follow. However, he did seem to have a heart, even if it had no soul behind it. He seemed sincere enough in his attempt to get me to leave him be, but I am but a blood hound upon the trail of a hunt. I knew he was up to something, so I followed him. Against his best efforts, I managed to keep up."

Pausing, Astrid straightened her neck and leaned forward. Toying casually with her braid, she narrowed her eyes and frowned. Casually, speaking in a wistful tone, Astrid continued. "It was a rather unexpected turn of events to find him in possession of one. Never mind the fact that I didn't expect to run into a legitimate Jedi, nor so an employee murder his boss in cold blood... Nor... Nor did I expect to see anyone die at all tonight. Really unfortunate, considering the festival and all."

[member="Corin Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Corin couldn't keep the laughter at bay. To his credit, he kept it short and pure, but it was most certainly at Astrid's expense. Her views were so black and white, it was as if he were speaking to a child who still lived on stories of noble heroes saving princesses, rather than a full grown woman. Perhaps it was simply how she was raised. Perhaps it was because she was an outsider.

"That is the soul of the aruetiise speaking through you, cyar."

"I was born on Mandalore, raised in its frozen north. We could not afford to house thieves, murderers, or rapists in prison cells. We didn't have enough food, so we shot them. It was a mercy. They didn't need to suffer physically, nor did their spirits." He began to tap rhythmically along his forearm. "Do you understand now?" Corin turned to level his gaze at Astrid. "His spirit suffered, and there can be no greater agony. He sold out his people in search of power, and in doing so ensured his own demise. Whatever compassion he might have shown you was a fleeting thing, and you know that."

Surprised at his own display of wisdom, Corin leaned back in his chair, a quiet sigh falling from his lips. "You should leave when you get the chance. I can secure you passage back to Naboo, if you want. I've got my own mandate, and a demon to kill. It's no place for the undecided," he paused, "I doubt the Jedi will remain either, but the criminal will. I know his type. He's looking for a profit; maybe looking for a cause. I can get him both, so he won't go anywhere. I doubt he has anywhere to go, really."

It was a miserable thought, to be so deathly alone in the galaxy. Was that how his father had felt when the demons took him? Corin visibly shuddered at the thought.

"The Jedi worries me. They always have a hidden agenda."

[member="Astrid"]

 

[Astrid]

"Cyar? Aruetiise?" Astrid repeated, curiously toying with the word. "What does it mean?" He was Mandalorian. She'd heard and done research upon them when she had been younger. In such a harsh, hard location she found she could not fault the custom. With a nod of understanding, she provided a shrug of one shoulder. Unwinding the leather thong that kept the length of her braid bound, nimble gloved fingers began to work at black and dyed hair.

"Don't get me wrong. I do understand, but I have my own beliefs. We can agree to disagree on that, I think," came her reply to the topic at hand. "I'm certain his concern for my wellbeing was fleeting, as you said. If he were so black as you assume, I think he would have shot the Zabrak on the spot and the rest of us along with him. He did not, however. All the same, he is no longer with us and no longer a concern for anyone. As for Naboo..."

Her voice trailed off as she reached the end of the braid that framed her face, cutting off her voice to focus on shaking out her long hair, wavy from the tight style in which she preferred. After shaking her head gently from side to side, followed up by a sigh of relief, she proceeded.

"Nooo, thank you. My task there is compromised and as such, going back would be more trouble than it's worth. Best to keep on the move. I have demons of my own to kill. However, none so heinous as yours seem to be. You may well be right about our Jedi friend, but answer this. Who doesn't have a hidden agenda? You seem to be justified in your ways, by whatever means you feel are reasonable, but why would you keep the old man around? He did, after all, kill in cold blood. We may not really know his reasoning behind it, but I guarantee you that he had a personal agenda behind it. You don't convince a large amount of people to turn against the individual that employs them with ease."


[member="Corin Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

The girl had a point.

Keeping the old man around would be a security risk. Most would have tossed him out the airlock by now, but not Corin. His parents had taught him a great many things during his youth in Kurs'taylir. All the lessons they had imparted with him were important, but the foremost rung in the front of his mind now. They had taught him to care, to love, and to forgive. If a man were to repent for his crimes, then he could be allowed to redeem himself. If he saw the demons he had consorted with and banished them, then he was no longer that man. It was purely a Mandalorian concept, but one Corin held near and dear to his heart.

"Cin vhetin," he spoke quietly, "A fresh field of snow. When you become Mando'ade, you're reborn as anew. You leave your sins behind you in hopes of becoming a better person. Whether that means being a better father, warrior, politician or otherwise, we must all learn to forgive. The old man is aruetiise -- an outsider, but I can forgive him for what he has done. I feel that I can see into his heart. He is tired and spent, and the man he worked for dealt in the vilest of acts. I can't blame him for what he did; I've never been him."

Corin hoped he'd explained the concept well enough. He fancied himself a bit more than inept when it came to the traditions of the people he had been born into.

He smiled. "Where will you go, Highlights? Who are you?"

[member="Astrid"]

 

[Astrid]

Staring at Corin through narrowed gray eyes, Astrid did not immediately respond. Even now, it was habit to mull over her words before she spoke them, and she did just that. Slowly, she leaned back into the whole of the chair, crossed a knee over it's twin, and lifted a thumb to her lips. She bit down upon the tip of her glove, studying the man in the other chair.

"I am not in a position to do anything with him, nor make a decision for him. If this is, as you have said, your ship than you have full rights to who remains and who goes. I will leave him to you," she said from behind her hand. Clamping her jaw, she held the glove and drew her hand from it. With more manners, she removed the other and folded them into one another. In to the pack upon her hip, she deposited the pair for safe keeping and made a face, one that seemed to dismiss the topic of Tyris and his precarious position.

"Highlights, hm? That's a new one. I think I like it," Astrid said, breaking out into a grin as she gathered a clump of her hair in one hand and stole a glance at it. Instead of releasing it, she toyed with it, combing through it idly.

"Well, as I said... My name is Astrid, you can leave it at that. I'm a wanderer, to say the least. I go from one destination to another, work an odd job and, well. Well, I did have a ship that I fueled with the proceeds, but it seems it's far behind us now. Probably for the best, at any rate."


[member="Corin Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

To his credit, Corin listened to her opinions on Tyris. He wasn't going to be getting rid of the man. He was big, strong, and knew which end of a blaster to point at the bad guys. More importantly, he had nothing now. the man would be useful in Corin's quest, and he might even help Tyris find a place where he belonged along the way.

That, however, was no longer the subject of the conversation. He gazed at her curiously, his lips curling into a thin smile as she spoke her approval of the nickname. He liked it more than Astrid. It had more character. Grinning, Corin spun in his chair to look at one of the adjacent datascreens. He checked the chrono, and was surprised to see that almost two hours had gone by since he'd left Saran to her rest. Time went by quickly with good conversation.

"Right then, Astrid, wanderer." He turned back to face the woman. "Are you going to be staying, or getting off at the next stop?"

Corin steeped his fingers and rested his chin upon the knuckles. His brow quirked up to accentuate the question. "If so, I'm going to need to clear a bunk for you. There are only so many, and I'm afraid I'm not in the mood to share."

[member="Astrid"]

 

[Astrid]

"Contrary to what you said earlier, it seems. You did say that you wanted 'just my body'. A shame, considering sharing is a fundamental part of your civilization... Is it not, in a way?" Her fingers tangled in her hair as she laughed, the easiest one she'd had all day. Not even the ones she had shared with her old friend before the festival had been so light. The grin that crept over her features was unmistakably genuine.

"I'll think about what I will do, in any case. You're just as intriguing as the dead man is. Was," she quickly corrected herself, flicking one erect finger vertical. "As I said, I am a bloodhound upon the trail. While the path may have ended with his death, it has certainly left me with a couple of options before me. You can rest assured that I will consider each one with utmost care."

There certainly was a great many pros and cons to weigh out, and time was of the essence. According to the chrono, which she spared her own glance, time etched away at a far more rapid pace than she had anticipated, quite contrary to the slow and dragging expectation she had steeled herself for.

"For the rest of the trip, don't concern yourself with my well-being. I'm a big girl and I can care for myself. I would like to ask for some form of a blanket, however. I find I always get cold when enduring hyperspace. Can't really say why."

[member="Corin Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Because it's hyperspace, and hyperspace is cold.

Corin did not reply to her final remark. He simply rose up to his feet, and strolled back down the hall. A turn to the right left him in front of the work-closet, and supplies awaited within just as he'd left it. The blanket was a myriad of dark browns and electric greens. The emblem of an eagle rising over a lightning storm was emblazoned in the greens, the bolts themselves made of gold. It wasn't a pretty thing to look at, but it most certainly served its purpose. Corin drew it about himself, pleased with the familiar texture of the Nerf fur, and walked back into the cockpit.

"Here," he tossed it up over her chair. "Don't lose it. It's an old heirloom of sorts," Corin paused as he began to turn, his own thoughts shifting to the promise of rest. "Were you flirting with me?" He asked quietly, more confused than anything else. Such notions were foreign to him, as the Tal'verda had always been rather blunt about their cordial relations. That, and he'd inherited his father's ignorance when it came to the opposite sex.

Corin sighed. "We should be at Bothuwai soon. You should rest before we arrive. Something tells me it's going to be a very busy day."

[member="Astrid"]