Who Knows What's Wrong?

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

In truth Chiasa herself did not know why she didn't fight back harder. Why she didn't strike. What had all the training and sparring, all the bleeding been for if she was just going to allow herself to be so quickly and easily beaten? And why did she pay so many security people and so much droid upkeep if she did not use them? But she had to protect what was hers and she could not strike out at this Mandalorian. And she didn't know why. His armour meant nothing. His voice was a strangers. His words were mad. But she couldn't. Could not. Telekinesis. Pyrokinesis. The control she brought to bear on her own. Couldn't. The fight had been lost before it ever began, the ease with which he manhandled her only made this more obvious.

Blood on the sand.

A disjointed thought. A fraction of a memory she couldn't place or make sense of.

He played the message and it was her voice. It wasn't hard to fake such a thing. It would be easy to collect enough samples, a skilled enough slicer could do it in a day. But.. But she was a consumate reader of people. She recognized her own tells, the slight pauses, the inflections. How many samples of herself would she be able to read hidden pain and exhaustion in? None. Those were not things she showed the world. If it was faked she would be haughty, commanding. She would be the leader of the Red Ravens. Here she heard only Chiasa.

Still, it was a lot for her to be expected to accept. Too much really. If he had thought having a child dropped off was bad.. At least he'd known her. At least he'd known they'd been together. For her, even with this there was.. Nothing.

She would not have. Surely she would not have. She paled in his grip, pupils expanding and heart pounding. She would not have found herself in such a situation to start with. It was too dangerous. There was too much to lose. And if she had, she would not have given up her child. Would not have sent it away, abandoned it as she had been abandoned. Would she? But her reasonings made sense. Any child of hers was a target. Would be safer away from her.

But my daughter.

This thought was tinged with longing and pain. Pain and pain and pain. The sort that made one wish for the taser. For the kind of physical pain that would push it away if only for a moment. Even as part of her continued to reject the idea, another part recognized it as the shape that would fill part of the void within her. The unbearable longing ache was above rational thought. It merely was, and it filled her.

But it was not right. She might send away her child, for its own sake regardless of the cost to her, but not to this man. Not to him. She did not know who he was or how he had become involved, but he was mad and dangerous. Maybe.. Maybe he had been a friend to whoever she'd entrusted her daughter to? That might be enough to involve him, and for her to flag him as untouchable. It had clearly been a mistake though. If this was what surrounded her daughter perhaps she would be better, safer with Chiasa.

How old is she? Does she have a name? Did.. Did I name her?

These thoughts, gnawing and insistant were pushed away. Deal with what was first. Colour returned to her cheeks and fire to her eyes, burning high and hot.

"I do not know you, son of man, but if in your idiocy you have revealed my daughter to my enemies in whatever idiotic scheme this is, you will die, as will every being you have ever looked upon fondly. You have no idea what you've done."

Beings that could teleport. Other that could bypass every known security measure. Those who could shrug off every attack. Who razed worls and slaughtered entire species. These were her enemies. There were what were aligned against her. These are what would be after her daughter. Who else had this fool told? How many people had heard him? Who was already gossiping?

​

Where was her child.​

​

[member="Bear"]​

 

[Bear]

"Then let them come." The Mandalorian retorts, giving the huff of an animal annoyed with the sport. "They will find only their own death." He dropped [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] back to the floor unceremoniously, content to know she knew what she had done now. So far, only droids were around them, and if anyone else heard who cared. Everyone had family. Everyone had weakness. Who was she to say 'a daughter is not for me to raise'?

How many in positions of power had kids? How many with bounties on their heads openly raised families?

No, her couching a cowards move in the armor of selflessness and protection served only to fuel the flame burning bright in his chest.

Drawing in a heavy breath, he gave a low growl of annoyance. "You will not threaten me, Chiasa. You would be dead a thousand times over by now if anyone actually cared." And therein lay the truth. Bounties meant very little if no one was going to bother with them. So far as he was aware, she made all her own problems and no one truly came after her for them. Kick out the Sith?

Nothing really happened, not in the grand scheme of things.

He was, to his knowledge, the only one to hunt her down and force her to confront her mistakes. "You're playing a game no one cares to win, and in doing so, make enemies who would sooner wave you off with a dismissive hand than stamp you flat with a boot." His condescension was palpable, hanging in the air. Her ego meant exactly nothing to him save as an irritant. She was pretty.

And she had the glimmers of intelligence that meant she could be bright.

But she ruined it with a lack of sense that bordered on the insane. "Because believe you me, little Bird. If anyone lays a hand on our daughter, they will cease to exist even in memory."

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

When he first released her, legs faltered for a moment, and she fell to her knees before muscles obeyed and she rose, taking two quick steps back and away. Just because she could not fight him, unless she learned he'd caused her child, and oh wasn't that thought, that phrase both alien and yet utterly correct and right, to come to harm, did not mean she had to stand there and wait for him to strike again.

His bravado was not unexpected, but she had caused enough death. She had the contacts and the tools now. She had seen to it. If she would see the galaxy burn for her Ravens, what she would do for her own blood was.. Much more and much worse.

His growl of annoyance had an interesting and dual effect. Enough that she very nearly missed his words entirely. There was an urge to bow, to fold, to sumbit under the weight of his disapproval. To cower. She was not such a beast as would cower to some man she did not know. And then there was.. something else. Attraction. Want. And that quite frankly baffled her. She did not know this man and she did not like him. He threatened too much, her own health was the least of it.

She would have fought with him. Would have thrown the times she'd been at risk, been hunted, been forced to fight in his face, because what did he know of her or what she'd done? Nothing. Would have fought, was drawing in breath, and then he spoke again.

Our daughter?

Ours?

This.. this hulking behemoth in armour, this threat who had attacked her, who had threatened hers, who dared to invade the heart of her territory. This was the father of her child?

She paled again, breathe exhaled in a rush and for a moment another was not taken.

No. No and no and no. Could not deal with this. This.. this faceless beast she did not know, had no name for, no memories of.

Yes.

NO.

Yellow eyes looking more harried and frightened now then they had even when he first went for her scanned, looking for a path, a retreat, a way to run from something she did not have the tools to deal with. Breath came faster, near hyper ventilating as her body geared up for desperate flight. She'd find her daughter on her own. Steal her back and.. And what? He knew where she was. He had a disregard for his own life and limb, he'd proven that. What would she do? Kill him next time?

Keep running, I could keep running. I have my ship, I have enough credits. We could disappear. Never be found again by anyone. SAFE.

It would mean abandoning the Ravens, but another would step in. Would step up. Or not. It was testament to her distress that she was even considering it.

[member="Bear"]

 

[Bear]

The beast in beskar crouched low, head tilting to one side. You could die a hero or live long enough to see yourself turned the villain, and while he hadn't quite hit that level of evil... he was getting close. At best, he was a troubled and tortured anti-hero on a steep incline towards damnation. "Scared?" He asks. A pointless question, of course she was. "You're running the scenarios aren't you."

She was.

His lips curled under his helmet. "I'm the father." The words were bland, a fact that was undeniable. Even if he didn't, a child had been given to him. As a Mandalorian he need raise it, or find someone who would. It was a community effort anyway.

"Your ego wants you to be tamed. I was the only one willing to do it. It's quite the bad romance."

Simple, really.

But unbelievably complex too.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Scared was an understatement.

"I don't know you!"

This was very nearly a wail. A child was one thing. She was assuming it was young. She didn't know for sure, but it.. it felt right. For the first year or two they were hardly people anyway. It likely wouldn't even remember anything about this. As long as it was fed, provided for and given affection, that was that. She didn't really know how to be a mother or have a family but.. Idiots did it every day. Surely she could figure it out.

This though.. Tamed? And what exactly was he expecting from her? A relationship? That she should play good little housewife? If he just didn't want the child why not send her back? Or away? What did he want?

This one encounter was literally all she knew about him. Violence and derision. What had they been before? Had she even been willing? Was there another side to him? This didn't seem like a romance at all to her, good or bad. He wasn't a child, to be molded and shaped, who had to accept whatever she was willing and able to give. He was another adult. A clearly very one track, dangerous adult.

Again the check. She had enough within her for one final push if need be. She could be gone before they gunned her down, if they tried. Which way? Out of the Casino? Make for her ship? Or deeper in, behind locked doors. Or there was always the other option, welling up as she panicked. A voice that wasn't her own but for one brief, ill advised on it's part, moment had been; 'in the end, the difference between here and there is only one digit'. It had very nearly killed her last time, though it had at least resulted in escape. In freedom. It was too risky though. Her survival last time was more luck than skill, luck had to run out eventually.

[member="Bear"]

 

[Bear]

That was mostly mocking dry humor.

What they had wasn't something he had words for. Booty call was close, but a bit closer, though they didn't cross into friends territory. In some ways, it was adversarial. There wasn't anything he could quite peg as being similar. It just didn't click for him. All he knew is they had met up a few times, and then she had decided to drop off a kid without warning. Not even a 'hey, I know we don't see each other often but I'm pregnant.'

Just 'hey, this is your kid have fun.'

"No one does." He retorts. "But you don't have to know me to understand there is a kid who was dropped off on the doorstep of a conspicuously violent individual along with two surgical droids, both of which are currently standing at attention outside of his apartment for no reason. Said kid will grow up, likely wondering why daddy doesn't look like her, and there's no momma around to speak of.

And I don't lie.

I'll tell her that momma was too afraid of being a failure to raise her, and so she left her to daddy, who is caring but distant because mommy didn't have faith in herself to protect a daughter. So instead, she bailed.

Sounds pretty good to me. No way that'll mess up a kid."

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

She pulled back as though slapped. Which in effect he had done with his words. He wanted to talk to her of all people about what would mess up a kid? One parent was better than none, and nothing was stopping him from going to find some other woman who liked being beat around.

Part of her protested that last vehemently, but what proof did it have? None and nothing.

"Better to grow up messed up than not grow up at all."

If he thought the dangers around her imagined that just proved how little he knew, how absent he had been. Fine. Fine and fine and good. She would handle this. Alone. The same way she handled everything else. Ice and pain were wrapped around herself in an insulating cloak, shielding, keeping her emotions contained. Mask came down, firmly in place, ready and prepared for war. She stood straighter, surer.

"But you are correct. Clearly this was a mistake. There is no one I have faith in except myself. So send her home then. Send her home or I will find her and take her myself."

Maybe he didn't lie, but she did. So she didn't know him and hadn't known him before? Fine. Then there must have been no real relationship to start with. She was ending nothing and beholden to no one. A conspicuously violent individual who went on suicide missions and let her daughter alone somewhere was no fit guardian. Her daughter would never want for anything. Would never think to ask where Daddy was, and if she did.. Then the Twi'lek would lie.

There was no need to inflict this upon her child. Caring indeed. Let him be distant. In all ways.

Decision was reached. She was done. She turned on her heel, fully intending to stalk away to on of the offices. She'd track the FAU-V1's. She'd find which ships had gone to where a Mandalorian might be. She would find out who he was and she would find her daughter, and gods help anyone who stood in her way.

[member="Bear"]

 

[Bear]

"No chit." He snorts. Stupid bint. How hard was it to just accept caring for your kid. He knew he wasn't built to be a father, and was thankful Mandalorians raised as a community. Everyone pitched in, helped each other out. The child was being cared for as they spoke, just not by her father. And that was not entirely fine by him, but Momma need be straightened out. That was part of the problem.

She was right, always. Even when she was wrong.

Maybe that's why they somewhat got along.

Shaking his head, he watched her march off, knowing she was going to continue what she'd always done. She was literally incapable of learning. Which meant he had to follow her and let her know she was putting on a really poor show. You didn't go from scared witless to a spine of beskar that quickly. She wasn't walking away from this that easily.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Was he following her? Gods be damned. Her entire body ached, her throat was raw, and quite frankly she had no idea how she felt. Or how she was supposed to feel.

She had a daughter.

That changed everything. All her priorities. All her plans. Everything.

And him! That, that nurkeslua. She was afraid of him. This was a fact. And yet it still hurt to hear the derision, the ridicule, the anger in his voice. It hurt that he would attack her. And it left her aching to walk away knowing she had no intention of turning around. There were all these stupid, complicated, inexplicable feelings that she had no context for and she didn't even know his name or face, and maybe that was for the best.

Just give me back my daughter and be gone.

Office, right there, just get through the door and get it closed. The damn thing was built to withstand a siege. It doubled as a safe room. Steps picked up slightly, though not enough to qualify as running and hurt what was left of her pride, wrapped in the tatters of it as she was.

I am not running away, I am just.. very busy. Lots to do. No time to waste.

Through the door and pushing it closed, cursing the hydraulics that kept it from being slam-able.

[member="Bear"]

 

[Bear]

The more he followed, the more he realized his anger had gotten the best of him.

Tilting his head, he stenciled up a message on a sheet of flimsi he found and simply put it onto the door. The message was simple.

You raise her right or you don't raise her at all.

The child would be a Mandalorian, or it simply wouldn't be her child. That was that. The implication was, of course, that he would be involved.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

The note was not found immediately. Chiasa did not open the door until an extremely displeased Declan informed her that their guests were gone and of the notes existence.

"You don't do that again."

"No one died. Everyone gets to see tomorrow."

"I'm your security! This is what I'm paid for, it's my job!"

"And what do I tell you're wife when you die!"

"She knows what I do for a living, she knows it's a possibility! You don't use that force business on me again! You let me do my job!"

"You were going to fire, you'd have seen us all dead!"

"It was my call to make!"

"It bloody wasn't! It's my call! It is always my call! There is always just me and my judgement!"

They were yelling at each other by now, fists clenched, glaring from opposite sides of her desk. The flimsi sitting on it's surface between them like an accusation.

"Go home Declan."

"You're firing me?"

"No, I'm sending you home for the night so I don't. In fact, take a week off. Paid."

"Who's going to-"

"GO."

He left, shutting the door behind him. Chiasa half collapsed into her chair, arm on desk, forehead on arm. It was too much and it was too big. And it didn't matter. It didn't matter if she wasn't preapred for any of this. It didn't matter if she couldn't cope. She didn't have a choice. Free hand moved to rest on the flimsi, hesitating before drawing it closer. She already knew what it said, she'd glanced at it and with how little was on it, a glance was enough.

Did she get all the implications? No. Emberli had been the only Mandalorian she's ever really known, and now she didn't. He was just a man in armour, who'd apparently sired a daughter on her. Hopefully it meant he was going to hand over the child and then leave them alone. That she wouldn't have to hunt him down, though she would. She'd take the whole damned fleet and everyone at her disposal. She'd leave Antecedent and Nar Shaddaa empty and to hell with the consequences.

But a little time could be allowed, for him to return her daughter. She'd have to buy whatever things a child needed she supposed.

A little time for her to try and come to grips with a reality gone mad.

[member="Bear"]