章節 49: Mandalorian dreams
Part 1
Brox's Bar
Sundari
Mandalore
"How did you make the Republic find its balls?" Bo-Katan asked me after a few seconds of silence.
"That was all the Sep's doing. They made my life much easier."
"Yes. They apparently had that childish notion that they can attack, bomb and enslave, yet no one would be doing the same to them and their allies." The red-headed woman chuckled humorlessly. "It's too bad that my world might burn as an object lesson."
"Not if I have anything to say about it."
"You're in charge. So don't bomb us to the stone age if certain idiots join the Separatists?" Bo smiled at me.
"That's something I can't do even if you're the one asking."
"Too bad. Perhaps after I handle you your ass?"
"Perhaps. Do you have credible proof about your friends extra-curricular activities?"
"A bit. Not enough to bring them down." Bo-Katan pouted.
"However, enough to convince you?"
"More than enough." She glared at the table.
"Are you ready to join me? We have a lot to do."
Bo looked me in the eyes and nodded. I stood up and offered her my hand when the Force screamed a warning. I moved without thinking and tackled Bo, who was too surprised and slowed down by the hangover to offer any real resistance. Acting on a combination of instinct and experience, I used the telekinesis to flip the table and place it between us and the rest of the bar. In the same time I grabbed the Force and put it as a barrier…
The world ended in thundering roar and a wave of fire.
=RK=
"It's confirmed, boss. She's meeting that Republic general." Goren Kranz, one of the Death Watch's old hands spoke clearly in the comm unit of his helmet.
He and his squad of warriors had been keeping an eye on Bo-Katan ever since she came back from Ryloth and started nosing around. Their leader found her new hobby interesting and charged Kranz's mercenaries to find out what it was all about.
At the beginning, actually trailing her without being noticed proved to be very hard – they often had to abandon the hunt or be detected. Fortunately, a couple of months latter, Katan started getting a bit sloppy. That coincided with her finding about some of the more… sensitive activities of the Death Watch. Goren still didn't see what the problem was – their organization had bills that needed paying and some of the jobs came with delicious benefits.
For some reason, Bo-Katan didn't agree.
No one would have really cared – it wasn't like their membership was to the death or something… unless you decided to betray the Death Watch. Unfortunately for Bo-Katan, she did so. Kranz was the first one to actually catch her sent a heavily encrypted transmission through the holo-net. That by itself wasn't too suspicious, though with Katan snooping around…
The second transmission had been detected, copied and after a few weeks under the mercies of Death Watch decryption specialists – read. The first sign of alarm was the encryption – it was undoubtedly GAR, but much better than anything the organization had tried to break before. The contents of the message – a list of the lucrative businesses run by the Death Watch - sealed Bo-Katan's fate.
That's why she was sent to a suicide mission in Hutt Space leading a squad of green warriors.
Then she had the temerity to succeed. After that, the traitorous woman had been busy trying to drown herself in a booze. Kranz had been ready to try taking her out himself, when she had gotten a holo-call. From what little he was able to overhear, whoever she's been selling the Death Watch to would be arriving soon.
That bought her a bit of time – when Goren brought that bit of info to the leader – he ordered Kranz to wait until the meeting took place, find out who was Katan's accomplice and call back.
"I see. Is your squad in position?"
Kranz glanced around the small apartment they had rented across the street from Katan's favorite bar. His warriors were lounging in the living room clad in their armors and armed to the teeth.
"We're ready."
"Take them out."
"It will be a pleasure. We have green light." Goren announced once the connection with command was cut.
"It's kriffing time." Mac, the demo expert of their small band, grumbled.
"A pity. I quite liked her." Howe, their pilot and sniper quipped.
"You just wanted to fuck her." The only woman in the group – Dora - sneered.
"That's what I said." Howe shrugged.
"Enough. We have to deal with a Sith wannabe." Kranz snapped, making his people chuckle. "Dora, Howe – the speeder and heavy repeater. Mac – put a rocket in the bar on my signal. The rest of you – come with me."
A few minutes later, Goren was across the street from the bar. He was flanked by Torn and Leo – the close combat specialists. The speeder that would be providing getaway was parked next to them and Dora was in the back, ready to open the side door and let lose with the repeater. Mac was still upstairs, where he had a rocket launcher ready.
Kranz nodded to his men and they took cover behind the speeder. "Do it." He ordered. A moment later, an AP rocket roared above their heads and struck the heavy door of the bar. The obstacle, along with a large section of the surrounding walls simply ceased to exist. Before anyone knew what was happening, Mac shot an HE warhead into the bar. The following explosion turned the interior into a slaughterhouse.
Without waiting for a prompt, Dora opened the speeder's door and lit up the bar with the heavy repeater.
All that would have been an overkill against most people.
Kranz knew better. He made a hand-gesture and threw a pair of sonic grenades into the bar. His men followed suit a moment later. That should have been enough to disorient even a Force Adept.
Then a spread of frag grenades followed, while Mac rappelled from the apartment.
Goren slammed his fist in the side of the speeder three times and Dora stopped firing. She shoved the repeater aside, grabbed her rifle and jumped out. Kranz shouldered his heavy blaster rifle and gestured his squad to move in.
It was time to make sure that Bo-Katan and her buddy were vaporized.
=RK=
Part 2
Brox's Bar
Sundari
Mandalore
A spread of concussion grenades detonated moments before Kranz and his squad stormed the burning bar. Goren led the way, trusting that his armor can take a shot or two if anyone of the patrons had survived the onslaught, no matter how unlikely it was. Dora and Mac dashed left, while remaining men swept right. The sensors in Goren' helmet allowed him to see clearly despite the smoke filling up the burning bar.
Kranz smiled once he saw that there was no one moving and he allowed himself to examine the place. Most of the furniture sans the bar plot was wrecked – tables and chairs were torn to shreds, a few were actually melted too. The same could be said for the patrons. Those who wore armor were relatively intact – the rest, well they were literally blown to pieces – their blood was coating the floor and walls.
"So much for that so called Sith." Mac sneered.
"True. No one could have survived this." Dora nodded. She was looked at a fully armored mandalorian warrior, who had been caught in the crossfire. His armor was heavily dented and she could see blood leaking from cracks in the helmet.
That was the most intact corpse in the room.
"Find and vape the targets, then we're gone." Goren ordered. He didn't feel like playing with the security forces. The boss wanted a relatively 'clean' op."
"Sure thi-" Dora never finished her sentence. Before she or Mac could react, they were swept away by a table that was warped and full with holes. The improvised projectile caught Leo in the shoulder and threw him over the bar.
Goren and Theo wasted no time. They dived to the debris and blood covered floor, then opened fire at the corner where the table stood. Kranz cursed when every shot was met and deflected by an angry crimson blade. He looked up and saw the man wielding it – it was that Republic general and he looked furious.
"Mow them down!" Goren shouted and aimed at the hilt – that at least would make it almost impossible to deflect the shots back at him.
Dora didn't bother getting up. Instead, she shot a missile from her wrist mounted launcher.
Kranz could see a look of contempt passing through the Force User's face. The man flicked his fingers in a dismissive gesture. The rocket that was almost upon him made an almost a hundred and eighty degree turn and roared back at the Mandalorians.
"Sith-spa..." Theo's scream was cut short by a deafening explosion.
The shock-wave scattered the Mandalorians. It shoved and dragged Goren over the floor. He barely kept his gun and wits.
A moment later he was up on one knee and shooting, while ignoring the ringing in his ears. The sound dampeners in his helmet saved his hearing, but were unable to totally compensate for the almost point blank explosion.
Dora slammed into him with enough momentum do make him dizzy.
Kranz blinked stars away. Then he did so again, because he was seeing purple.
Then he heard Leo's inhuman screams. He looked left and blanched. Leo was suspended in mind-air by a torrent of lighting that was running up and down his armor… which was melting.
Mac sent a pair of blaster shots at the Republic scum that was murdering Goren's team, though it was futile. The shots were deflected in an almost lazy manner, before another figure rose from behind the general. Kranz snarled as he saw the traitor alive and unharmed – Katan didn't have a scratch on her, the bitch.
Her appearance kicked Goren's mind back into high gear and he jumped up on his feet. Kranz had lost his rifle so pulled a heavy blaster pistol, then charged the Sith. He hoped to distract him, giving either Mac or Dora a chance. Instead, Bo-Katan drew her pistols and opened fire. A moment later, Mac went down under a hail of bullets.
Goren snarled. His shots were battered away, however he was close enough. A flick of the wrist and the flame thrower built in his left arm-guard roared to life and sent a stream of liquid fire at the Jedi Sith.
The man in black smirked and raised a hand in a halting gesture. The torrent of fire met an invisible wall and was harmlessly redirected at the ceiling. In the same time, Katan saw Dora, who was still dizzy and shot her like a dog. Two baleful yellow eyes stared straight into Kranz's soul. The Mandalorian's fingers became soft like butter and he dropped down his blaster. He felt his body being squeezed by an industrial press, before a lance of lighting slammed him into the far wall.
=RK=
I let the concentrated lighting storm go. The assassin I caught with it fell to the ground and continued to bake under his half-melted armor.
"Are you all right?" I asked Bo, despite feeling her bright presence in the Force behind me.
"I'll live." She groaned.
Another armored Mandalorian charged through the door and opened fire. I deflected his shots and glared at him. He took one good look at the carnage, dropped his rifle and dashed back through the door.
"Oh, no, you don't!" I snapped and charged after him.
The man dived in the driver seat of a nearby large speeder, which had it's side door opened. The machine was already running so it took him a single moment to try driving away.
"No." I hissed and raised a hand. The speeder's engine strained struggling against my telekinetic grip and lost. I let my lightsaber go and guided it back into my robes, then I raised my right hand and concentrated. I let the Dark Side flow through me, then channeled it's energies into my right palm. A few seconds later, a meter long spear of pure Dark Side energy materialized in my hand, making my skin tingle with power.
I threw the projectile at the struggling speeder. The Mandalorian jumped away in the last second. The Darkspear tore through the speeder as if it was made of cardboard, passed through the driver's seat and slashed the power cell. A moment later, the machine spluttered and died.
The last assassin found his balls, drew a blaster pistol and opened fire at me.
I sneered at the kriffing bastard and pointed my right hand at him. It was still covered with Dark Side energies, which I reinforced, before
slapping away the blaster bolts screaming at me.
It was time for a lesson. I concentrated and pulled even more energy in myself. When the next shot came, I extended my will over it and placed it into a Force derived stasis field, then I crushed the blaster pistol shooting at me and the hand holding it.
The Mandalorian screamed in pain, but despite the ruined arm, his attention was stuck on the last blaster bolt – it hanged frozen in mid-flight. It was gibing an unpleasant buzzing sound as it's energies struggled against the stasis field.
"Well, that's new." Bo-Katan whistled from behind. I glanced back to see her dragging the assassin's leader. Her emerald eyes were fixed on the blaster bolt and she had a hungry smile on her face.
=RK=
Part 3
Brox's Bar
Sundari
Mandalore
I looked at the gathering crowd around us – more than a half of the people were armed and armored Mandalorians. The local security services were arriving too, though most were slowed down by the people surrounding us.
The Mandalorians were radiating anger, curiosity some even disgust. A lot obviously didn't like the fact that someone started open warfare in their capital… without warning and inviting them. Others were appalled at the sight, though they were a distinct minority of the people gathering here.
"What the kriff did you do to my bar?!" A deep voice shouted above the whispers of the locals. A barrel chested armored Mandalorian shoved his way through the crowd until he could clearly see the demolished building behind us.
"Hi, Brox!" Bo waved cheerfully. "This is exactly what it looks like."
"You and the rest of the Death Watch fools got too drunk and shoot up my bar?" The two meters tall Mandalorian rumbled and pointed an accusing finger at my companion. He paid no heed to the would be assassin I had suspended in the air or the hovering blaster bolt.
"You walked straight into this one." I chuckled.
"Who the kriff are you?" Brox growled and turned his helmeted head my way.
"General Delkatar Veil – the Dark Lord of the Sith at your services." I gave him a respectful nod. "Those idiots" – I pointed at the Death Watch wannabe with the crushed hand, "tried to assassinate my friend over there and me. They weren't up to the task." I shrugged. "It was a pathetic attempt really."
"My bar and patrons would disagree." Brox glanced at the smoking ruin. "Survivors?"
"Just us and two prisoners." Bo answered.
"Kriff."
Mandalorian security finally arrived. Most of them wore either light armors or the ceremonial garb of the palace guards, complete with energy pikes.
They took one look at the devastation, the armors worn by my prisoners and Bo, then raised their weapons our way.
"Drop your weapons and raise your hands! You're under arrest!" The man in charge – an LT, ordered us.
"No." I stated flatly. "I'm general Veil, representative of the Galactic Republic and thus covered under diplomatic immunity. Those," I pointed at the captives, "are Death Watch agents who just tried to assassinate me. They committed an act of war against the Republic and are prisoners of war. I'm being generous in not assuming that all Mandalorians nowadays are supporters of the Death Watch – a bunch of cowardly thugs, smugglers, pirates and slavers who know no honor." I paused for effect and stared at the LT. "Chose your next words very carefully, Lieutenant."
"What about her?" The Mandalorian pointed at Bo-Katan.
"She's with me."
"That's not good enough, General."
"I say it is." I raised my hands and pulled Force energies through me. A moment later, electricity arched around my fingers as I prepared to unleash a Lighting Storm if the local security services proved too bullheaded.
I had my doubts that Bo would go quietly and that she would be safe if in custody – assassinating her while temporarily imprisoned would be much easier.
"What the kriff are you all doing?!" Brox snapped.
"Well, I'm not surrendering either myself or one of my associates in the hands of people who might be Death Watch or CIS supporters. Besides, those don't look like they're up to the task of capturing me. I could feel it in their emotions – most of them are no warriors." I smiled thinly.
"That's a lie! We're here to uphold Mandalorian law!" The LT snapped back.
"Mandalorian law? I think not. New Mandalorian bantha-poodo? That I'll give you." I smiled. "Last time I was here, dealing with a bunch of fools who attacked you while you had a drink in a bar was something no one would have bat an eye at – besides joining the fun in crushing the fools who started the mess."
"That's been unacceptable ever since the Civil War."
"Is it, really?" I asked, addressing the crowd. "So neither of you can legally deal with someone being foolish enough to attack you while you're having a drink or a bite to eat? I thought that I was on Mandalore, surrounded by Mandalorians, but I'm obviously mistaken."
There were both laughter and jeers coming from the crowd. One thing was sure – everyone on the planet would soon know about this accident and some of them would start asking pointed questions.
"Sir, I… but… I see." The LT spoke to someone over his comm. "General Veil," he hissed my name, "your presence has been requested in the Royal Palace. That of your companion too."
"Well, well. So Satine would want to slap my wrist for protecting myself. How did she get in charge of Mandalore I'll never know. These idiots are coming with me to the Republic embassy and then we'll see what your supposed leader has to say about this mess." I stared at the LT.
He listened to someone over his comm and nodded sharply. "That will be acceptable."
=RK=
Satine's chambers
Sundari Royal Palace
Sundari
Mandalore
"What? This better be important!" Satine snapped after she found her comm.
"Ma'am, there was an some kind of an attack in the city. Explosions and heavy blaster fire were reported."
"I see. Keep me informed." The Duchess cut off the line.
"I have the strange feeling that Delkatar is a part of this." Obi-Wan muttered. The Jedi was lying naked under the sheets next to her.
Satine turned looked at her lover. "I should have known." She sighed. "That man is a walking disaster zone."
"True enough."
The comm unit chimed again. The Duchess picked it up."Yes, report."
"We have multiple calls about a Death Watch attack on a place called Brox's Bar. Missiles, grenades, heavy repeater fire. Whatever's happening it's a warzone down there. We've mobilized quick response units as well as Mandalorian Security."
"Good. Give me a call when you know what's exactly is happening."
"Understood."
"We better get up." Satine sighed and stood up. The sheet fell from her naked figure and the sight of her body made Kenobi shiver.
"Ahem, yes. That would be prudent." Obi-Wan muttered.
He was still trying to figure out did he made a mistake in sleeping with Satine… though doing it felt anything but wrong.
=RK=
Part 4
Sundari Royal Palace
Sundari
Mandalore
"I hope the reunion with your sister would go well." I quipped when we reached the palace grounds.
"Not kriffing likely. It's Satine." Bo grumbled.
The security personnel surrounding us did their best to pretend they weren't hearing this particular conversation.
"Well, she couldn't have been this bad when she become the leader of your people. She wouldn't have lived this long if she was… Right?"
Bo-Katan grumbled something so quiet I couldn't hear it. "I didn't catch that."
"After the war, there were a lot of people who wanted peace and someone who would rebuild in charge. Satine… she got enough support to become our nominal leader, though that was more because many simply didn't care, the rest were either away from our worlds or in the Death Watch – the latter simply didn't have the numbers to be relevant. They took catastrophic loses during the war."
"I see. Any idea how to make your sister get her head out of her ass? I would prefer that she doesn't get herself killed. Apparently one of my generals is sweet on her."
"What? Satine with a boyfriend? Heh. Not bloody likely. She's too busy preaching about peace and pacifism, not that many are listening mind you."
"Well… Kenobi's a Jedi, the poor bastard, though a dose of Mandalorian culture would serve him well."
"Many of us don't see Satine as Mandalorian." Bo snapped, then she smiled. "A Jedi, eh? That might do it, however I don't know what they would do in bed – discus philosophy or something?"
"I can see why." I nodded. "Obi-Wan isn't a fossil like most of his Order, so he might actually know what to do with a woman."
"I don't buy it."
The pair of honor guards protecting the audience chamber gave us sharp nods and opened the doors. They made a halting gesture and the security left us enter without escort.
Inside we found Satine on her throne. She was wearing a simple green dress and her hair spilled freely over her shoulders. Obi-Wan and the Prime Minister were flanking her and talking quietly. The Duchess looked our way and froze when she recognized Bo-Katan. I could clearly sense her shock from the doors. Beside that I could feel irritation and frustration coming from her along with sorrow – for the dead I assumed.
The Prime Minister – he was concerned and curious. The moment he saw Bo, his concern spiked.
Obi-Wan was the most interesting of the trio. The Jedi felt somewhat calmer – more balanced, satisfied even. I could still sense his inner turmoil. While it had been growing ever since I met the man, now it was subdued – a stark contrast from the emotions he radiated during our previous meeting here. How curious.
Kenobi recognized my companion, then looked between her and Satine. It took him only a moment to figure it out that they were sisters.
My eyes widened. Every time Obi-Wan laid eyes on Satine, I could feel longing and lust coming from the Jedi – the latter was absent just a few hours before, there was simple attraction then. I smiled. Who knew that Obi-Wan had it in him? Unless I was very much mistaken, he got lucky tonight.
"Bo-Katan!" Satine hissed when we reached the throne.
"Sister." My companion sneered back.
"I should have known that you would be all over this mess. You always loved to make my life difficult." The Duchess spat.
Oh, my. There was no love lost between those two.
"You too! What the kriff were you thinking?!" Satine glared at me. "Veil, you've been here for just a few hours and there's already open warfare on my streets."
"This is Mandalore. The occasional skirmish is normal."
"Not under my rule!" Satine snapped.
"Oh? You've been actually ruling? That's a news to me."
"Delkatar! What happened?" Obi-Wan raised his voice.
"The usual. I went to a bar to meet a friend." I nodded at Bo-Katan, who smirked. "Then the Death Watch decided to try and kill us. It was just like the old times on Mandalore." I grinned. "What about you? You're feeling unusually chipper this evening. The Duchess is a bit disheveled and the way you're looking at her..." I trailed off.
"What? I'm just..." Obi-Wan spluttered.
"Yep." Bo nodded. "My sister look like she just got laid. It's been a long time, hasn't it Satine? And with a Jedi of all people..." Bo shook her head in disappointment, though I could feel only amusement coming from her.
"We didn't..."
"Really? Obi-Wan, I had such trust in you! Are you telling me that you couldn't perform? I'm disappointed in you, my friend. You see," I raised my hands and wigged my fingers, "There are fingers, tongue too and then there's the Force." I grinned, making Kenobi go red – something that was shared by the Duchess.
They looked at each other.
"Oh, that's cute. Did you really think that I wouldn't notice?"
"ENOUGH!" The Prime Minister snapped. "We aren't here to discus what the Duchess did or didn't do in her spare time! It's your actions that brought us here!"
"Really? I merely dispatched a group of assassins. The survivors are nicely tucked up in the embassy awaiting interrogation. Instead of doing that and possibly finding a way to break the Death Watch, I'm here. Why?"
"General Veil!" Satine glared at me. "You're threading a thin line. Your actions today are grounds to declare you a persona non-grate and throw you out of Mandalorian space."
"You won't." I sneered back. "If you do, I'll consider Mandalore a clear and present danger to the Republic and remove it as such."
Satine recoiled at my words and Obi-Wan blanched.
"You're serious." Kenobi muttered.
"I was hoping that you would talk some sense in the Duchess before trying to seduce her. Or did she seduce you?" I shrugged. "There's only one outcome that might keep your worlds and people reasonably intact, Duchess – it's an alliance with the Republic. Anything else is unacceptable." I took a deep breath. "Bo – she's your sister, try talking some sense in her."
"She never listens!" My companion protested.
"Try anyway. Kenobi, a word!" I waved the Jedi to follow and headed to the crystal windows covering the left side of the chambers.
=RK=
Part 5
Sundari Royal Palace
Sundari
Mandalore
"Veil! What the kriff is wrong with you?" I beamed at Kenobi's uncharacteristic cursing. His Jedi indoctrination was falling apart much sooner than anticipated.
"First, congratulations for losing your virginity." I grinned.
"What? I wasn't a virgin, damn it!"
"Oh, so you've been a bad, bad boy before we met!" My grin widened. "Good for you. Second, couldn't you beside seducing the Duchess and getting laid in the process, talk a bit of sense in her?"
"That's now what happened! I didn't seduce her!" Obi-Wan didn't sound very convincing.
"So she seduced you? That's it. You aren't negotiating again. Ever. At leas was she any good? The stories I've heard about Mandalorian women..."
I leaned back just in time to avoid being slugged. Woah. Who knew that getting laid would have such an effect on Kenobi? That should be mandatory for all Jedi – it obviously made them act more like people than robots.
"Down boy. Congratulations. When are you becoming full fledged Mandalorian?"
"What?!" That stopped Obi-Wan in his tracks.
"There's a reason I haven't slept with Mandalorian women back in my time – there are certain expectation that come with the territory. Like becoming a Mandalorian. If you don't, once Satine's indiscretion comes to light, what little credibility she has left will immediately evaporate."
"That's… krifff..." Kenobi blanched. He was getting pale too.
"Didn't think about that, did you?"
"What we did is no one's business!" Obi-Wan snapped.
"Please. I know that you aren't that naive."
"You won't be going out heralding it!" Kenobi snapped.
"Why? It can only enhance your considerable reputation."
"Veil!" Obi-Wan hissed.
"Then, there's Bo, who isn't too fond of her sister, the Prime Minister, who might decide to cut off his loses and throw the delectable Duchess under the airbus, that adviser, the palace guards who are certainly to know what you two were up to..." I trailed off. I couldn't keep the cheer out of my voice.
"This is a disaster!" Obi-Wan moaned.
"What? Are you afraid that the Council will kick you out for being human?"
"For blowing up the negotiations? For letting my feeling rule me?"
"Stop playing the victim. You just got laid and considering how you and the Duchess felt when I entered this room, you both liked it. Right? Besides, this is an opportunity!"
For a moment, Obi-Wan become beef red, then he shook his head and narrowed his eyes at me.
"What are you scheming now?"
"Well, we have various problems on Mandalore." I beamed at the Jedi Master. "You just gave me a way to solve most of them, though certain sacrifices are to be made. You may even enjoy some of them." I chuckled. Yep. This might work. At the very least, it was going to buy me some time.
"I know that look." Obi-Wan's voice grew suspicious.
"First, you're going to quit the Jedi Order." I chuckled at his dumbstruck expression.
"What? Are you out of your kriffing mind?!" Kenobi exclaimed.
"Oh, shut up and listen." I snapped. "You made your bed and now you're going to lay in it. You and Satine just gave me a potential way to save Mandalore. Is your pride worth the millions who will die if we kriff up our mission here?"
Obi-Wan glared at me but remained silent.
"Good. Second, you're going to officially hook up with the Duchess." I pointed at her behind my back. "After that you're adopting the Mandalorian culture with a gusto and becoming the best kriffing Mandalorian warrior that this rock has seen in the last few thousand years."
"That's your plan?! It's insane!" Obi-Wan spat.
"Then we will ensure that you become Mandalore so the warriors will flock behind you instead of joining the Death Watch and the Separatists. That way we'll short-circuit the worst of the impending civil war, use our forces to aid the Mandalorians in eliminating the CIS fleet presence here and in the nearby sectors. Oh, yeah – Mandalore becomes an ally of the Republic too, so I don't have to go old fashioned Sith on the place. It's a win-win situation. Besides, if you're lucky you got to marry your Duchess and have a hot steaming sex with her on regular basis. A win-win situation if I ever saw one." I beamed. "Is she a screamer by the way?" I asked idly.
I was too busy congratulating myself about my latest brainstorm, that I didn't react fast enough when Obi-Wan's fist rocketed my way again.
"Ouch. If you try this again, I'll slug you back." I snapped at the fuming Jedi. "This plan's our best chance, so you're getting one for the team and might even like it so man up!"
"Veil, you're an utter and unrepentant bastard." Obi-Wan hissed. There was loathing… and was that admiration in his voice?
"Thanks for the compliment." The man was already practically a Gray Jedi so I was successful on that front at least.
=RK=
"Long time no see, sis. Have you managed to utterly destroy our Clan's reputation yet?" Bo-Katan sneered.
"Our reputation as murderers, you mean? I hear you keep it up nicely." Satine spat back.
"You're a disgrace for Mandalore." Bo snipped back.
"Only for the old bastards who refuse to see that their ways are obsolete!"
"Naive much? What has your way brought us? We are on the eve of destruction because of you and the New Mandalorians!" Bo-Katan snapped.
"Nonsense! It's all because of your kind – fools who cling to our past as the scourge of the galaxy that we're in this position! If it wasn't for the Death Watch, this war would have never come to our doorsteps!"
"You're a fool, Satine! The vaulted clone army of the Republic? The template was a Mandalorian! It's trained by Mandalorians!" Bo-Katan hissed. "We've been neck deep in this war even before it began!"
Satine recoiled back as if her sister punched her in the gut.
"That man over there?" The Mandalorian warrior pointed at Veil, "He's a Sith, Satine. He will burn our world and love every moment of it unless we support the Republic. We don't have the forces to give him pause. The Separatists? They would do the same. Why, you may ask? Because we are too weak to have a voice! It's join or die, all because of you! Mandalore is about to die, because of your blindness!"
The Duchess stared at her sister open-mouthed.
"Was is worth it?" Bo-Katan sneered. "What did your policies give us? What are you going to do now?"
"We have to remain neutral. It's our only option." Satine shook her head in denial.
"Yours you mean. Oh, I know it. If you chose a side, the New Mandalorians will throw you away. If you don't, one will be chosen for us. Don't you get it, sister?! We don't want to be neutral even if that was an option! This war – it makes our blood sing! It's in our blood! It's what, who we are! Open your eyes, Satine!" Bo-Katan implored.
"They're opened! I can't bring war and suffering to our people! Never again! Did you forget the Civil War? What it cost us all?!"
"I do." Bo-Katan's voice was quiet. "I lost as much as you did, sister. However, that didn't break me!" The warrior woman shouted. "I can still see the galaxy as it is instead as what I wish it to be! No matter what you or the New Mandalorian wanted – we Mandalorians aren't pacifists. We aren't peaceful people. We are warriors, Satine. War is in our blood."
"We had more than a decade of peace under my rule! Why did you all want to throw it away to join the war?" Satine snapped.
"Isn't it obvious, sister? We merely existed under your care. This war – it makes our hearts race. It calls to us, to what we are. You are supposed to be our leader, Satine. Your people are screaming that they want to fight! There are only two questions – on whose side would we fight… and who will lead us. You have an unique opportunity, Satine. You can restore our Clan's honor. You can lead our people into a new age – or go down as a traitor to everything that we as Mandalorians stand for!"
=RK=
Part 6
Sundari Royal Palace
Sundari
Mandalore
"This is madness!" Obi-Wan snapped.
Satine didn't look too much against my plan – well, she seemed receptive of the part where she hooked up with Kenobi, preferably in a way he won't be able to escape her clutches.
"That's a first. I would have to agree with the Jedi." Bo-Katan frowned.
That put a damper on my good cheer.
"Why? It's perfect! Just look at him!" I pointed at Obi-Wan. "A genuine warrior who has won a lot of victories and glory."
"A kriffing Jedi. No one would believe that he would put the Mandalorian's well being before the Republic and his Order." Bo snapped.
"I won't and I'm a New Mandalorian through and through." The Prime Minister supported my companion. "We've been at odds with the Jedi and the Republic for more than five thousand years. Nearly five in fact."
Ah. Kriff. That little fact did escape me. Sometimes I did forgot when I was – especially since I arrived at this place. Mandalore was inducing a lot of nostalgia even if it was quite the different place from what I remembered – the place simply felt similar, familiar.
"It's irrelevant anyway. No matter what I may wish," Obi-Wan grit his teeth, "I can't leave the Jedi Order. Not now! With Anakin's trial coming soon, if I did anything to show that I would follow my heart in spite of the Jedi teachings, it would tear apart the Order. That something that you know, am I right?" Kenobi glared at me.
"That would be a possible outcome." I nodded diplomatically. "There are less than ten thousand Jedi. There are billions of people on this world alone." I smiled.
"That's low blow." Obi-Wan snapped. "You know, I was almost convinced that your nay-Sayers in the Order were mistaken, yet here we are." He glared at me.
"Hey! Being here and now wasn't my idea. I didn't create this mess either – it's all your girlfriend's fault!" I snapped back. "I'm merely trying find an acceptable alternative.
"Really? It's just an coincidence that your plan puts me in impossible position? If the Order sunders, there won't be any real opposition if you go on the deep end."
"Perhaps. I didn't force you to sleep with the Duchess. I didn't sent you to seduce her, or did she seduce you?" I shrugged. "I'm merely taking an advantage of an opportunity."
"An opportunity to deal the Order a blow it may not recover from?" Obi-Wan snapped. "I know that we, the Jedi, have our problems. That's no reason to destroy the Order! I won't let myself be used in such a way!"
"What choice is there?" Satine muttered. "He's right!" She pointed at me. "If we do nothing, Mandalore burns – either at his hands or because of Death Watch."
"Without the Jedi Order, the whole galaxy may well follow! Even if I trusted him without reservation!" Another finger pointed at my chest, "He's not the only Sith!"
"Hey! I'm the only real one!" I snapped back. Sidious, Dooku and their pose were nothing but pretentious Dark Jedi, even if their leader was really powerful. "Besides, when did she start making sense?" It was my turn to point fingers and mine targeted Satine.
"Delkatar, you've been away for a long time." Bo-Katan sighed. "The Mandalore you know, is just a legend now. The warriors you're comparing us to, might have followed a Jedi. The stories are clear – they would have loved to follow Revan after he crushed them at Malachor V. Today? There has been too much bad blood. Too many conflicts with bitter resolution. We as a people aren't ready to follow a Jedi… Perhaps even Revan. Besides, he was a Sith at the end." She smiled bitterly. "Your Jedi friend… If we put him forward for Mandalore that would guarantee a civil war. Just enough warriors would support him to ensure it, but even more will flock to the Death Watch."
"What then? You know your people better than me. Is there someone outside those idiots who can be a viable candidate?"
"If there was, they would have stepped up to prevent the impending civil war. We have seen the writing on the wall, Delkatar. We don't want to fight against each other. However, there simply isn't a figure who can unite us. Not a Mandalorian at least." Bo muttered. She was looking at me funny. Then she smiled in a pleased way.
All my warning bells started screaming.
"A Jedi would be unacceptable. However, you gave me an idea." Her smile grew. Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "There's another General who covered himself with honor and glory in the war. A warrior who many will follow. A Sith." Bo was grinning at me.
"This is madness. If the senate even thinks about it, they would move to have me dismissed from the army. A lot of the non-clone officers will support them too. It would be seen as a Sith taking steps to rebuild the Empire."
"Perhaps." Bo-Katan smiled wickedly. "You'll have to make certain sacrifices, that's true. Will that stop you from doing the right thing? The honorable thing? Mandalore needs you. You said that Mandalore the Dauntless was a dear friend of yours. Will you let his people fall when you can stop it?"
"The Council will lose it too. They will think that your people will be his personal army." Obi-Wan groaned.
"If he becomes a Mandalore worthy of the title, we will be." Bo poured more fuel on the fire and relished every moment of it.
"You're telling me the nicest things." I sighed. The worst thing was that I was tempted, oh so tempted. It would throw most of my plans of disarray, yet the promise of power, real power not beholden to the politician on Coruscant or more importantly to Sidious was, was incredible.
Bo-Katan walked next to me.
"I beseech you, help me save my people." She paused. "Our people. I fought you. I fought beside you. I know that you have more in common with a Mandalorian warrior than anyone else living in today's galaxy. Please."
The very thought of an army that would be mine was intoxicating. I looked Bo-Katan in the eyes. I didn't thing that there was anyone in this day and age who could read me so well.
"What about you? What do you want?" I asked.
She smiled wickedly. "To fight beside you. Perhaps more, if you're up to the task. You still owe me a sparring match." Bo leaned closer.
"Stop flirting already!" Satine snapped. "A Sith Lord for Mandalore! Are you insane sister?"
Bo-Katan turned to face the Duchess.
"Who else? Your boyfriend will be unacceptable. It would take years for him to disperse the taint of being a Jedi, a peacekeeper – all thanks to your policies I might add. We're about to enter war as divided people. Without strong leadership we're doomed. It will be a repeat of the Civil War but a hundred times worse!" She looked back at me. "I know what your original plan was. It wasn't too hard to figure out – pushing me forward as Mandalore. If we had a few more months, perhaps an year, it might have worked. Now? I'm no one – just another warrior who supported Death Watch. Even worse," Bo nodded at Satine, "she's my sister. So that's not in the pazaak hand we've been dealt."
Do you know what the worst thing was? Any credible refusal I could give would be a self-serving one. After all, the reasons I had to refuse were simple – unless I played my card perfectly and had a lot of luck, becoming Mandalore would be tying my hands and reducing the power I now wielded. Doing so would also bring much more scrutiny than I had to face right now.
Of course, I couldn't go out and say any of that. After all, my plans for the future wouldn't be exactly welcome by the present company, Bo excluded.
After all, I had already decided that the Republic as it existed today was an obstacle to preparing the galaxy for the Vong.
=RK=
Part 7
Sundari Royal Palace
Sundari
Mandalore
"Me becoming a Mandalore? That would be a disaster for various reasons." I sighed. By the Emperor's shriveled balls, how in the nine Corellian hells did Bo think of this?!
"Like what?" The warrior woman gave me a sweet smile… while her voice was similar in tone and volume to that of a particularly pissed off drill instructor.
"Hi, Bo-Katan. It's Veil – the Dark Lord of the Sith. How do you think that the Senate and the Jedi Council will react when they learn of this idea?"
"They won't be thrilled." The saner until now Kryze sister shrugged.
"Veil." Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "Whatever they do if you become Mandalore, it would be worse if I was to get that title. Kenobi the Warlord, Obi-Wan the traitor… I can already hear them." The Jedi Master spoke in a dry voice. "Let's not forget that you'll get blamed on corrupting me. So – it will be much, much worse. After all that idea of yours would prove everything the more conservative Council members say about you – corrupting Jedi, making them warlords, preparing to conquer the galaxy – then torture and kill everyone for fun."
"Seriously? I need a better PR department for when I take over the galaxy."
"Try co-oping Satine's." Bo grumbled and got my attention.
"Her's that good?"
"Hey! I'm right here."
"How do you think she remained in power for so long given her policies? This is Mandalore!" Bo growled.
"I have to admit that our government has an excellent PR department." The Prime Minister added even if he looked a bit embarrassed to admit it.
"Good to know. It's likely that I'll get kicked out of my position as general in the GAR." I tried again.
"Unlikely. If the rest of the officers have any brains they would scream bloody murder – you're one of the few Republic generals who know what the kriff they are doing." Bo didn't buy my next argument.
"Besides, if you're Mandalore, you'll have an army anyway. One arguably better, though we do lack a decent sized fleet and some other equipment." Almec supported my companion. At least he was seeing which was the wind was blowing.
"Even if all that's true, I can't possibly help coordinate and plan a galaxy wide war, command an army and be Mandalore at the same time."
"There will be a lot of warriors willing to help you." Bo beamed. "Even a few competent administrators from my sister's government might prove useful." She glanced at the Prime Minister.
"Valentra will be thrilled at the reinforcements. I'll help take some of the load too." Obi-Wan added brightly, the bastard. "I'm sure that Pellaeon will help as well."
I wasn't going to point out that accepting the position will leave me with no time for scheming to speak off… which was a problem because I had a lot of schemes going on. Same for scrutiny – even if the Mandalorians were going to like most of what I was up to, I couldn't allow my endgame plans to become a public knowledge. Not at this junction… Perhaps…
"The Senate and GAR High Command will put me under so much scrutiny that I won't be able to do my kriffing job!" I tried again.
"You're a Sith. You'll deal." Kenobi was positively unhelpful.
"Besides, you'll get personal guard as per tradition. They will be able to run interference when necessary!" Bo-Katan beamed at me. She was liking this, the infernal woman!
I was running out of arguments too. I couldn't say that I didn't want the job – becoming Mandalore was a great honor, kriff it all. Declining it, even the possibility of trying to be one would destroy me in the eyes of the Mandalorians – the present company included.
"Have you thought what would happen if I become Mandalore? The CIS will throw everything they have available against you. We may not be able to hold such an assault."
"Really? This is your argument?" Bo rolled her eyes. "You almost sound as you don't want the job." She said accusingly. "If we ally with the Republic, with you – they will be coming against us with everything they have anyway. In that case you'll be gaining a Mandalorian army, so they will be doing their best to kill us all… after we've been weakened by an inevitable civil war." Bo sighed.
"While I hate to agree with my sister..." Satine trailed off, "That might be Mandalore's best chance."
Kriff it all! I didn't have the time for this! Yes, becoming Mandalore would be great boon – especially long term… However, it would prove a major distraction, I just knew it. Perhaps big enough to prove fatal. As things stood, I already had too many hast to fill.
On the other hand, I was in a kriffed up position. With the shenanigans coming from Coruscant, I would be blamed no matter the outcome. Yet… plan A was on hold or destroyed – it would depend on Padme recovering and Anakin retaining something resembling a positive reputation after the trial. With Amidala out of the game, perhaps permanently, I lost her political contacts and thus allies.
Kriff. I needed a stable power base that couldn't be pulled from under my feet with an lawful order by the Chancellor. For the time being he simply couldn't remove me that way, not without committing a political suicide. However when I inevitably kriffed up – with or without Sidious' assistance – that would change.
The truth was that I needed the power-base that Mandalore represented almost as much as they needed my help.
"Let's talk terms. I have some conditions if I'm to do my damn best to become Mandalore."
Bo beamed at me. The woman looked almost ready to hug and kiss the kriff out of me. She felt like that in the Force too. Satine on the other hand was resigned, while Almec was hopeful.
Kenobi on the other hand was relieved, the bastard. I smiled. I had plans for him too. He wasn't getting scratch free from this fiasco either.
Then had to suppress a frown. I could feel only vague buzzing from the aide. The man was trained to hide his thoughts and feelings from the Force – something he didn't bother use during our previous meeting. How curios – needless to say, that had my alarm bells ringing. That man wasn't going to blab about this meeting before we were ready to go public – I had to make sure of that.
"Terms?" Bo frowned after a moment. Yep, she was going to resent the very idea that I wasn't jumping with joy at very mention of the idea she proposed.
"One of the reason I wanted him as a possible candidate," I nodded at Obi-Wan," is that he would be great in facilitating the transition between the current government, a military one aiding Mandalore in ruling as well as in smoothing over things on the Republic side."
"In theory that's true. I'm a capable negotiator." Kenobi nodded. There was no trace of pride in his words – they were just a simple statement of facts.
"You're going to do that anyway." I smiled. "The good news is you won't be quitting the Order." My smile turned mischievous. "That concerns you too, Duchess. I can't have a government crisis on my hands at this time."
"Fat chance." Bo muttered.
"First, you two -" I waved at Kenobi and Satine,"get officially hooked up. I don't really care if you have a real relationship, sleep with each other, get married or whatever. I want at least a believable pretense anyway."
"What?!" Obi-Wan exclaimed in surprise.
At the same time, Satine looked torn between indignation, anger and being quite pleased by the prospect. Kenobi didn't appear to be against the idea either.
"Obi-Wan, you're getting to be an adviser, ambassador and general – for Mandalore. By remaining a Jedi you can convince both the Order and the Senate that you're taking one for the team in order to monitor me and make sure that I won't go on the deep end."
"That's insane!" Kenobi spluttered.
"Tough. You'll have to sell it anyway. Misery likes company and all that. Besides, would you trust me with a Mandalorian army at my back if the Jedi overreact again and you aren't here to keep my response saneish?" I smiled.
"That's blackmail!" Obi-Wan snapped back.
"Whatever works. You all want to make me a damn politician besides everything else I have on my plate. You're all helping." I turned my attention to Satine. "YOU! I have no words for how much you kriffed up." The Duchess glared pure murder at me – all points I bought myself by trying to hook her and Kenobi up just evaporated.
I couldn't care any less.
"You, are getting in touch with your PR people. The task is to convince Mandalore and the Republic that when you took power, it was a response to the death and destruction caused by the Civil War."
"That's true." Satine looked confused.
"Then," I pointedly ignored her, "your are to convince them that all you really wanted was to rebuild Mandalorian space and give a time for your people to recover before the next war, so they could once again be the warriors you know them to be. For that to happen, you needed to rebuild both the civilian and military infrastructure first. Unfortunately, thanks to the CIS, your plan was only partially successful. Now all Mandalorians have to do their best to protect their homes and prove to everyone that they are the honorable warriors everyone believe them to be. If presented right, that should appease both the average Mando as well as your supporters. I don't need them sabotaging the war effort."
"Well, that's a great idea." Bo smirked. "Sister, if you do this right, only the Death Watch will be trying to kill instead of what we have today - most self-respecting warriors wanting your head on a pike."
Satine groaned and Kenobi winced at that statement. The most interesting were the reactions of Satine's people – they were unfazed by that declaration. Totally unsurprised. So they knew the score too, though the Duchess was either blind or didn't care. Since she appeared to be an idealist, it was probably the latter.
"That should be doable… with a bit of luck." Almec nodded. He was very pleased at my latest idea, though I wasn't sure if it was because it was likely to keep Satine alive or him in a position of power.
"Is that all?" The Duchess asked in a frosty tone.
"Of course not!" I glared at her. The woman was in a sore need of a reality check. That would be one of Kenobi's tasks. I thought that he'll be eager to do it – the man was apparently smitten with Satine and would like to keep the impossible woman alive. Kriff it, she was as bad as Padme.
"If this insanity is going to work, I'll need ASAP meetings with the most powerful and influential Clan heads – briefings on them too."
"I'll see to it." The Prime Minister stated.
I was starting to think that Almec was running the government with Satine being a little better than a figurehead, though she was probably going to disagree with that assessment.
"Now the space slug in the room – the Death Watch. We need them neutralized yesterday. I won't have a major civil war on my hand, though purging the die-hards is going to be inevitable."
"That's true. My former comrades have a core of followers who are fanatically devoted to Vizsla. Then there are outright criminals – they will oppose a purge, especially the slavers. Your thought on that had reached their ears and they will fight." Bo nodded at me.
"Good. Those bastards need to die. I won't condone slavery in any place under my authority." I hissed aloud, letting them all hear the steel in my voice.
"How do we deal with the Death Watch?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Propaganda. The warriors who joined because they saw no other alternative – I need them. We are going to persuade them that a Mandalore – me – is what they have been searching for. I'll be offering them honor, glory and most importantly – victory."
"That might work." Almec mussed.
"Second – expose the Death Watch. Bo-Katan has some information on their shady activities. We strike at any illegal operation they have in this system, do our best to take prisoners and break them thus finding out more. The assassins we have in custody will be a good starting point – in fact I'll be interrogating them before we act on Bo's information." I didn't add that a lot of her knowledge was going to be obsolete. The assassination attempt proved that.
"Anything else?"
"I have proof that the Death Watch betrayed the last of the True Mandalorians and led a Jedi Strike team to their location." I smiled.
"That's a two-edged sword." Obi-Wan sighed.
"You'll hardly have to prove yourself any more in light of that information. You're already a Jedi Master and as far as I know you had nothing to do with that debacle."
"No. I was here, protecting Satine at that time." Kenobi shook his head.
"So you two have been lovebirds for that long and yet there are no marriage or kids? Do you really know what to do in bed with each other?"
Next to me, Bo-Katan didn't even try stopping her laughter.
The rest looked either stricken by my words or embarrassed. Ah yeah. "Diplomats" weren't supposed to act like me. Heh. It wasn't like being all polite and gentle would have helped me in this mess. I was a bastard of a Sith Lord and had a reputation to keep.
"Next – armed forces. I have contacts who will be able to provide some quantity of weapons and armor as well as purchase more. That will help. I need to know how's the Mandalorian military industrial complex nowadays. We'll need small arms, armors, combat vehicles and most importantly ships – and a lot of them."
"I recommend you speak first with with Horus Yogamet – the chairman and of MandalMotors. He's also one of the most influential Clan leaders." Almec said.
"Good. I'll need a briefing on him and a meeting first thing tomorrow."
"I'll arrange it." The Prime Minister nodded.
"How can you provide weapons?"
"One of the special operations groups under my command is currently posing as a PMC. They will help." I didn't add that they were likely to back me even if I went against the Republic.
"That's useful and probably outside of your authority."
"Republic Intelligence knows and actually helps. Valentra too." I smiled. I had my bases covered. It was pure accident that after the attacks on Coruscant and Windu's stunt, none of the above really trusted the Jedi or the Senate.
"Our sparing match." Bo smiled wickedly at me. "We should make it public so people could see you fight in person."
I stared at her and slowly nodded. Only and idiot would have thought that she didn't have ulterior motives for that suggestion. By the Force, why did she have to be a gorgeous red head besides everything else? This was another complication I didn't need, though I had the sneaking suspicion that it was one that I might enjoy very much.
"This is a good starting point." Obi-Wan declared.
"Indeed. We have an interrogation to run." I nodded at Bo, who looked eager. From what I felt coming from her, she was one to keep a grudge. Good to know. "We should have a liaison with your people." I waved at Satine. "Your adviser will do. He's coming at us so he can rely to you anything else I can thing of tonight." My voice broke no argument.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票