Lie To Me

[Jairus Starvald]

​

K O W A K​

​

Everything had changed a couple of months ago.

Suddenly Vulgrim Blackwell was no longer simply ranching out and ensuring everything sailed smoothly on Ukio. No, suddenly he had been sent to Rishi to sort out business with the Zareca Cartel - one thing turned into another turned into a third and suddenly he was at the head of the fledgling criminal organization. The Maelibus still wasn't sure how it had happened.

Almost like a blink of an eye and suddenly everything fell into places.

But such was the way of his Lord Fa.

From nothing the Thirriken had build up his corporate empire and instead of simply enjoying himself, resting and finding comfort in his success the avian decided it was time to expand in new circles. It all started with the Imperial Remnant, with a rainy forest and the muck clinging to his claws, to the endless whine of the dying and the overhead blaster shots raining.

Months had passed and still Vulgrim wasn't sure how he had gone from rescuing the Rishi plantations to leading the entire gig.

"Where did your name come from, if I may ask?" The Maelibus asked politely to the little mouse sitting next to him. "It is quite elaborate."

Equally he did not know how Tai had gained the allegiance of [member="Tabigarashu Madara"] and his family, but they were slowly becoming invaluable to Zareca. Where the big people could not come, the little ones could creep and find out just what was necessary. Good fighters too... in their own little way. They were currently sitting in a cloaked shuttle heading towards the surface of Kowak.

The destination? Sclavos, the capital of the world.

It was cramped, but they were making it work.

Vulgrim was mostly concerned he would accidentally crush Hirou if the shuttle suddenly had to swing about or something. That wouldn't be pleasant, he was already imagining the conversation with Lord Fa.... and it didn't go well, not even in his head.

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

Hirou didn't particularly care about business. Or of vast empires and such. At their core, Hirou was a simple Nezumi. They liked discovering new places, tinkering, and of course, family.

Now, family usually only extended as far as their race. After all, the Too-Bigs were not to be trusted, yes? At least, that's what Hirou had always been taught. And for good reason! It wasn't safe to be a little Nezumi in a big galaxy, and history told them that was compounded by the mere existence of the larger, clumsier, and less thoughtful races.

That had all changed with [member="Tai Fa"]. Perhaps it helped that the birb was not quite so big as the other Too-Bigs. Perhaps it was the feathers (Hirou liked the feathers). Mostly, it was the fact that beyond saving Hirou's life, Tai Fa had also offered the Nezumi everything they had ever hoped for. Not simply the materials necessary to build a Nest-Ship for their Clan, but a place with which to build a city.

While the rest of the Tabigarashu clan was already situated and building, Hirou and several of their cousins were more than happy to help out with certain tasks as they arose. Which led to today.

Truth be told, Hirou had been afraid of [member="Vulgrim Blackwell"] at first. But that quickly passed once his soft spoken, gentile manners came to the forefront. With a bandoleer of tiny tools slung over their shoulder, Hirou was perfectly content and safe, sitting beside the much larger creature. It was a source of some consternation to the older members of the clan- those without the ability to change their minds or their habits. But Hirou was coming to see the galaxy, well, a little differently.

Those same elders would have an absolute fit if they heard Hirou's reply to Vulgrim now.

"Names are important to the Nezumi," Hirou squeaked, craning their neck to look up their companion. "Tabigarashu is my Clan's name. Ten generations ago, my Clan separated from the Shugenja Clan, and took a name that suited their goals. It means 'Wanderer.'"

Nezumi, as a group, were eager and happy to talk about their family history, seeking connections- usually with other Nezumi. The fact that Hirou was sharing this with someone else showed the extreme level of trust they had for him.

"We address each other by Clan name, until we know each other well," they explained, small feet swinging back and forth at the edge of the bench. "Which is why most people out here call me 'Tabi.' But then we have a given name. The one our parents give us when we are born. Mine is Madara, because of my fur! I was the only one in my litter with spots," Hirou continued with a touch of pride, resisting the urge to preen a little. They were very proud of their fur.

"But Hirou is the name *I* chose. It means 'to find,' which, well, that's what I'm best at. Nezumi sometimes change their chosen names over a life time, but I don't think I will."

As the ship shifted, Hirou's ears flicked slightly. Bounding up, they grasped onto Vulgrim's sleeve. With a hop and a flick of their tail, the little Nezumi scurried up the fabric to his shoulder before looking around sheepishly.

"Not used to ships this big," Hirou admitted before settling back down on their haunches.

"What does your name mean?"

Clearly, Hirou just assumed everyone's names meant something like their own did.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

He listened with quite some interest and was mentally writing it down.

It was an unique trait that Vulgrim possessed and that made him stand out amidst his siblings and brethren.

Whilst all Maelibus were long-lived to an exceptional degree, most of them did not bother to go out there in the Galaxy, to experience what life had to offer. It simply did not arrive within their mental faculties for the most part and they were quite content to live out their days digging amidst the rocks and hunting for prey. Vulgrim did not judge, of course, his family should find pleasure and happiness in what they enjoyed after all.

But Vulgrim had always been looking for more and it was quite late in his journeys that the demon realized that he never actually forgot anything. It was almost as if his mind was a well-decorated and organized library, from which he could simply read back to find out again what had happened at one stage or another.

Quite a surprise to find out that this was a special thing and that not everyone had a similar experience.

"Strictly speaking it's not my name." Vulgrim offered after committing the Nezumi's tale to... brain. "Maelibus do not typically form societies advanced enough to truly care about individual identities really."

A frown appeared to smear his expression, before he shrugged.

"​I am an anomaly, but not an unique one." One of his cousins had apparently become a Sith Lord. Raising himself high amidst the hierarchy of the One Sith. "At any rate. I have traveled for a long time and during one of my travels I encountered a spirit." Now a joyful expression flitted past.

"To honor him, I took his name with his permission. The spirit seemed to like that a lot."

Now a frown followed the joy.

"I never thought of asking what it meant though."

[member="Tabigarashu Madara"]

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

Hirou's ears flattened against the sides of their head, whiskers drooping slightly, and paws rubbing together in distress. It was possible to see how pleased [member="Vulgrim Blackwell"] was with the story of his name, and yet still be confused and upset by the implications. When Hirou had said that names were very important to the Nezumi, he had not been exagerating. And the implications, as he had spoken of the Maelibus were even more insidious as far as Hirou was concerned.

"Don't normally form- does that mean-"

There was no possible polite way to ask this. And the way the Nezumi kept standing up and sitting down again, only to stand up once more on Vulgrim's shoulder made the agitation about the idea of it more than clear, even to someone not well versed in the non-verbal communication subtleties of the Nezumi race.

For Hirou, society was family. The two words were utterly synonymous, with no separation. So the idea that their large friend had no family set their whiskers quivering.

"Don't you have a family?"

There were only two ways to answer that question, as far as they were concerned. If he did, then all was well. If he didn't.....

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Tabigarashu Madara"]

It was quite clear that the little Nazumi was upset about something.

Vulgrim was about to ask what the problem was, before Hirou brought it out by himself. If his rigid chitin facial expression had been capable of softening, it probably would have at this exact moment, but sadly that was not the case. All that Hirou would note was the distinct dimming of the fire in those eyes, before the mouth curled down and a gentle shrug followed. The shrug was done carefully as to ensure that the Nazumi wouldn't just fall off.

"No, that is quite the foreign concept for the Maelibus, I am afraid." In fact, they were born already quite capable of survival and the instincts pushing them towards the hunt.

He could not even remember his parentage.... or if there even was a part.

Had he even been born? Molten gold scales burrowing through the earth of Io and all that Vulgrim could remember was the thrill of the hunt and the music of the other Maelibus sounding through the artificial tunnels.

"I am sorry if that upsets you, Hirou, that was not my intention."

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

At some point during the Maelibus's explanation, Hirou's tail had come up and they were gripping it tightly in their front paws. Dark eyes got wider and wider, ears stiller and stiller- until finally they couldn't stand it anymore.

Left scamper.

Right scamper.

Jump Scrabble scrabble.

Back and forth across his shoulder in sudden distressed motions and then up onto his hat.

It had never been done, as far as Hirou knew. The very idea of what they were about to offer had likely never even been considered by a Nezumi before. Having two traditions at war with each other in the little mouse's mind was almost painful in it's confusion. Keep the Too-Bigs at a distance, never tell them anything because it's not safe.

And yet-

Everyone needs family, and no one should be left without. There is no greater good than adopting those without.

Normally, it of course applied only within their own species. But why did that have to be the limits of it? Safety, of course, but Hirou had already told Vulgrim about their name, and that made him like a friend within the clan- of course it did. If they had told him that, and that information ought only be shared within the clan, then if one thing led to another, that meant that Vulgrim was *already in the clan!*

Crisis averted!

"Well thenyoushallbeaTabigarashu!" Hirou suddenly spouted in a rush.

Oh by the creator, they'd said it!

It didn't occur to Hirou to ask if that was what [member="Vulgrim Blackwell"] wanted. It didn't occur to them that someone might not want to be suddenly adopted.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

The Maelibus blinked.

He thought about it for a brief moment and tried to figure out what this feeling was that he was currently experiencing.

It was an emotion that was foreign to him. A mental probe was send downward and upward, trying to explore the feeling and what it truly meant to him, before he coughed softly.

"I would be honored... brother Hirou." Vulgrim was unsure if that was the proper way to address family. After all, he never had any and never truly looked into the matters either. Whilst the pursuit of knowledge had always been his foremost concern.... family never seemed to be a subject that was worth picking at. Maybe it was a subconscious thing. If he was not aware of the thing he was missing, he wouldn't.... miss it.

The little mouse was still on his hat at this point and that made it imperative he was careful.

It was a long-way down and the little one could easily get hurt.

"Has this ever happened before?" He inquired curiously, because by the way of his pitch and the velocity of the words, it made it sound as if Hirou had been trying to say the words, before he could think better of it. "I would not want this to be a fuss for you, you know."

The pilot's voice echoed across the comms and mentioned they would be arriving in the next five minutes.

[member="Tabigarashu Madara"]

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

Once Hirou came to a conclusion about something, it usually meant that any anxiety raised in the process of making that decision melted away. So beyond a little scamper to and fro across the hat, and an excited flicking of the ears, much of the distressed mannerisms were already melting away from the little Nezumi.

"No fuss, no fuss!" They proclaimed happily. "It's never happened before, no. And you are too-big, not just A Too-Big, but too big to fit into the city we are building but that's okay! We will figure it out! Only family call each other by their chosen names and since you know mine and call me Hirou that makes you family! Logical!"

It was simple, circular logic. Hirou was a clever little creature in many respects, by no means stupid. But perhaps more than a little naïve. Not that they seemed bothered by that in the least.

The ship swayed as it banked toward its destination, and Hirou's feet and tail grabbed hold of [member="Vulgrim Blackwell"] 's hat without missing a beat. Despite the ostensible precariousness of the perch, the Nezumi seemed perfectly comfortable adjusting to the motions.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Tabigarashu Madara"]

Vulgrim's chitin ridges that made up his 'brows' furrowed in a yawning screech.

He was trying to follow the logic Hirou was employing. There was something very wrong with it, but the Maelibus couldn't really put his talon on what it was exactly that bothered him with it. In the end it didn't truly matter at all. It seemed to make Hirou happy and for some reason that made him happy or amused at the least as well.

"Very logical indeed." Vulgrim carefully agreed, before centering himself in his seat. The friction of the ship breaking the atmosphere was causing minor turbulence.

But it didn't truly take long for them to finally land on one of the landing pads within the spaceport of Kowak. The silence was amicable now and pleasant. Like there was some measure of trust running between the two of them, which didn't need to be filled with words and could simply be enjoyed with comfortable silence.

"What did Lord Fa mention to you about this mission, Hirou?" He inquired, while pondering about it himself. The Zygerrian Slavers were a mess of conflicting loyalties and more.

Apparently the Slaver-Queen had been feeling pressure from the Imperial Remnant and was enlisting assistance.

Lord Fa wanted them to investigate how strong her hold was.... and then pursue opportunities. The Thirriken hadn't said it in so many words, but the Maelibus understood the sentiment between the lines. His Lord wished to know if it would be a possibility to push her out and assume control.

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

Hirou thought about it for a moment.

The great avian would have towered over the Nezumi, if it weren't for the fact that the little creature was welcome on his desk.

"I have a job for you. I need you to go with Vulgrim and- wait, where are you going?"

Hirou had blinked, already halfway back down the tiny ladder Tai Fa had provided.

"Um..... with Vulgrim?"

They didn't understand why Lord Fa had covered his face with his wing.

"That he needed me to go with you!" Hirou finally supplied. "Which usually means tiny eyes and ears. Places the Too-Bigs can't go. Stuff like that."

In fairness, most of Hirou's assignments were essentially the same. Watch this person. Report back. Rinse, repeat. It wasn't like the Nezumi was a warrior or a master manipulator. Hirou was simply small, observant, and not opposed to picking things up and taking them if they weren't specifically being watched at the moment.

[member="Vulgrim Blackwell"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Tabigarashu Madara"]

Well, that was one way of putting it.

Vulgrim wasn't aware of the conversation between Hirou and Lord Fa. Presumably because Tai didn't want him to know - that one guarded his knowledge and secrets very close to himself, but that was something that the Maelibus could respect. After all, his entire journey through the Galaxy was one of gathering knowledge and gaining wisdom. Perhaps Tai was trying to give him a challenge or there was something else at play.

Who could truly know?

"Kowak is home to the Zygerrian Slavers Guild." It was clear from the tone of voice that Vulgrim did not truly approve of their ventures, it was quite simply dirty and low-brow. But there was profit to be had and sadly it was not strictly illegal either. How could it be, when there wasn't an over-arching galactic government?

Unless a star system was powerful enough, they simply couldn't really do much about it.

"Two situations bring us here: first, the rise of the Imperial Remnant and the threat it possess. Second: the Zygerrians have started to try to subvert our efforts."

The rigid chitin of his brows frowned in displeasure.

"Our convoys with grain are being assailed, our plantations on Rishi burned, they are becoming a nuisance." This was mostly why Lord Fa had send them to finally deal with the threat. They were to enter the Zygerrian pyramid and discuss the terms of their surrender, after which their operations would be integrated in the cartel.

Truly it would probably not work out as easy as that.

But Vulgrim believed that every individual was basically good, as long as you gave them the option. Surely if they simply asked nicely they would see the reason in the request?

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

Hirou wrinkled their nose at the mention of slavers. Not unlike [member="Vulgrim Blackwell"], Hirou had strong opinions on the topic of slavers. They weren't so sure about 'integrating' them into Lord Fa's enterprises, but it was probably meant to phase out their less savory habits? Hirou hoped.

But not all of the explanation hit points that the Nezumi understood. Only venturing out into the galaxy at large recently, and having been part of an insulated race for generations, there was a lot they had missed.

"How is a remnant of something a threat?" They asked quizzically, whiskers twitching and head tilted to the side. "Remnants are just..... left over pieces. Bits and bobs. Bobs and bits. Maybe they can be made into something else, but it's never a very good something else. Waste not and all that, but don't rely on the left overs, you know?"

Hirou settled in, gripping Vulgrim's hat at the great creature stood when the shuttle doors opened and their captain informed them that they were clear to disembark. The view from up here was dizzying, but excellent, and it was obvious that the Nezumi had no intention of scampering down any time soon.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Tabigarashu Madara"]

It was probably an amusing sight to anyone who actually deemed it worthy to look.

A giant, intimidating in every single right, lumbering out of the shuttle, before the realization hit that something was sitting on his hat. That something was a little mouse, only dwarfed further by the scale of its vehicle. But Vulgrim did not notice the hilarity, he was far too invested in trying to peel through the logic Hirou had just dropped on him. There was truth in it, wasn't there? How could a remnant of something be of true concern?

"Well, they call themselves the Galactic Empire now." Rigid chitin tensils twitched in apparent amusement at that thought. He was already steeling himself for the next inquiry from his little friend.

Why would they call themselves Galactic, if they only controlled like five systems?

Which was a good question.

Not one that Vulgrim had a real answer to. Humanoids mostly confused him, so he wasn't really sure what their logic was in this particular matter. They got out and the Maelibus took his time to survey the scene - giving Hirou the swivel of his head to also have a good look around.

Of course, the large pyramid dominated the entire city from its perched position in the center of the place. That was where they were going.

The pyramid palace from which the Zygerrians did business.

An airspeed was hired, but it took them some time to get one. For some reason every single operator quickly speeded away when Vulgrim waved his hand to get a service. This didn't annoy him overly, he was used to it by now.

"Sorry, this happens all the time to me." He apologized to the mouse above.

Then a speeder suddenly screeched to a halt next to them. It was piloted by a droid and as such had no feelings about how its customer might look. That didn't stop Vulgrim from nodding to himself in pleasure, his faith in the Galaxy was once again restored by this kindness.

"To the pyramid, please."