Caught In The Crossfire

[Raz Solus]

Second Moon of Concord Dawn

This was a village that didn’t mean anything to most people, but it meant so much to her. The sun was setting just over the horizon, the skies a smear of oranges and reds admixed with the sapphire blue. She had no care for the beauty above her, her thoughts far away from any aesthetic. Raz wasn’t often seen without her clan members, but this was a moment she sought out alone. She needed to come here to be reminded of what she fought for. Her clan was taking bold steps against the Imperials, and she often wondered if she was leading them into certain death. And if she was, would they want it any other way?

She found a Sith she didn’t want to immediately kill, and that had tormented her mind. She ran across a man she had regretted saving and he ran off with sabers she recovered. Was she slipping? Was she losing her way? Was she still the leader others could look up to? Raz was knelt in front of piles of rocks arranged in a specific pattern. It was the only indication that there had been life here before. This once thriving village was reduced to nothing more than ruin now. Blood had been shed all over the sands here, and she ran her fingers through it, watching as the grains flowed between her fingers like water.

She found an odd calm in her solitude, and she looked across the vast amount of graves like the one she knelt before. They were graves of women, children, men and women old and young that never wanted any part in a fight. It had been foolish to think that a clan could stay out of the war. They were never in the Sith’s fight, and they never got in their way nor did they aid them. However, that didn’t mean the Imperials would spare her clan. Solus paid the price just as any clan did.

Raz’s fingers curled into the sand, her knees digging into the sand as she was hunched over. She had her eyes closed, her mind buzzing with thoughts of the men and women she lost. There was no one to guide her, no one to tell her she was doing it right. It was lonely at the top, the other House leaders all pushing their own agenda. No one was looking beyond their own clan, no one was looking across every man and woman that made up what it meant to be Mandalorian. When they were this divided, how could they ever hope to truly fight back such a massive threat?

She sat there for what seemed like hours. When she first approached the grave it had been afternoon, and now the sun was slowly disappearing. Raz took her helmet off, the gentle winds brushing against her hair as she gazed down at the sands. She paused for a long moment, not moving a muscle as she slowly began to come back to her surroundings. It didn’t take her long to realize she wasn’t alone. Raz’s jaw tightened, and despite her anger, she didn’t act or move. She lifted her gaze to look at the arranged stones in front of her.

“Have you come all this way to lie to my face again?”

She didn’t bother turning to look at him.

 

[The Eternal (?)]

In a surprising turn of events, after leaving the planet and intending to leave Raz to her own devices as she wanted, he was now back out and trying to find her. It had been a few days since he last saw her, Val nearly beat to a pulp with Raz having to rescue him and taking possession of his lightsabers. He regretted lying to her but it had to be done, he couldn't reveal his true nature and he needed his weapons back. Val didn't even really know if she would be alive after what happened on the planet, last seeing her swallowed in smoke before taking out a tank and an Imperial platoon just with five men and knives. Not only did it prove that she was competent leader and combatant, but it also showed that she was an opportunist and the Galactic Alliance needed anybody like that allied with them, even if it could be a double-edged sword.

But Val didn't even know if Raz survived the Imperial counter-attack or not, remembering doing what he could to help before retreating on his own because of his wounds. When he arrived back at the Alliance's primary base, that's when reports of frequent Solus attacks came through the radio chatter against Imperial strongholds and outposts. About as fast as he came he left Al'doleen, on the search for Raz on the chance that she survived the attack. Val had taken his own personal ship, flying it into "Empire"/Mandalorian territory and opening himself to the force, extending his reach out as far as he could to search for her signature. It took him a few minutes but he eventually found it, it pulsating faintly but there.

Val eventually arrived on the moon of Concord Dawn, landing the ship gently before continuing to follow Raz's pulse. He suppressed his own signature as he made his way toward her, feeling like playing it on the safe side after such a recent conflict with the Empire and near their space. By the time he was reached her the sun was setting, it bleeding across the sky and putting on a show but Val's eyes remained on Raz who was currently on her knees in the sand. He could see her kneeling in front of a grave and he cast his gaze outward, seeing the multitude of graves behind that one. Val only assumed this was her village, with her kneeling in front of all the graves. He could only guess the Empire showed their mercy to her people like everyone else.

Val slowly lowered himself to his knees a respectable distance away from her, calmy resting his hands on his thighs before looking down to the sand. Slowly lowering his hand, he dipped his fingers into the sand before feeling a small sort of hum, giving him a taste of what happened at the village. Val was still learning and he couldn't discern which was which but he could feel the most powerful emotion, despair. Raz's words broke him from his thoughts, making him lift his fingers from the sand and feeling slightly guilty for some reason. It felt like he had invaded her privacy during the moment and only tasted what she felt during the moment but cleared those thoughts from his head, raising his gaze to the back of her skull. "No, I would actually prefer not to do that again." Val spoke calmly, speaking the truth that he didn't want to.

"I'm glad you made it off of Phindar," It made Val smirk slightly, remembering the entire thing with perfect clarity. The tanks and flamethrowers were a sight to behold but that was where he first learned about truly being with the force. He never used his powers or even had them in a combat zone before, it was a weird rush and nearly made him pass out but Val had been practicing it ever since even though it was still quite finicky. "I've actually been searching for you and hoping we could talk, without the Empire breathing down our necks." Val wished he could probe her emotions, he couldn't read her with her back turned to him and he seemed to be only able to read them when he was in present danger. At least he had that in case this went terribly wrong.

 

[Raz Solus]

She wasn’t sure how she felt about him sitting down there so close, sitting amidst the graves of her people. A part of her found it insulting, but then was he doing anything different than her? He also lost his brethren, he had seen his own deaths and he was hit just as bad by the Imperials. Raz didn’t have it in her to start a fight right here when it was a place to pay respects. In many ways he chose a clever time to approach her. For a moment she let him speak, not removing her gaze from the grave.

“It was you,” She muttered quietly, “You killed the Imperials,” Raz tilted her head to finally look at him. It was strange to truly see him now, without his face bloodied up. It was as if she were actually gazing upon him for the first time since those years ago, “I found your bandages and the saber marks. You know how to wield them,” She almost whispered the last sentence, confusion in her voice. Raz didn’t know what to make of the revelation, but it explained why he searched for them so vehemently.

She didn’t know why he had been searching for her. When they last parted ways, it was on terrible terms and she wanted nothing more than to kill him. He had taken two very valuable possessions from her, but he had also returned to help them in their fight. He was difficult to understand, and it frustrated her when people weren’t black and white. Raz slowly rose up to her feet, glancing over to face him fully.

“What could we possibly have to say to one another? You got what you wanted and I made it out with my people. Isn’t that where this story ends?” She crossed her arms over her chest, her body language still making it clear that she was wary of him. There had been a time where she trusted him with her life, but that had been back when she was a naïve teen. Today she was a grown woman that was leading a clan and had people relying on her. She didn’t entirely trust Valentine and saw no reason to even entertain anything he wanted to discuss. Nevertheless, for the sake of valuing the respect of the village, she didn’t outright tell him to get lost.

 

[The Eternal (?)]

Raz finally spoke, the first thing said being something he expected. She was at least observant above anything else and when Val struck down the Imperial's he realized some of his bandages got ripped during the fight. At first, he tried not to have her know he was there but it seemed that flew out the window and the fact that she knew helped him. Raz probably would have tried at least a pot shot on him by now if he didn't. Val gave her a calm "Yes," to each statement she made, about it being him and that he killed the Imperials. When she moved her head to look at him she would already find Val's gaze meeting hers, calmy just watching. "I do know how to wield them, thankfully for both of our sakes." Val would have been killed if he didn't have them and if he didn't utilize them, Raz would have most likely gotten killed as well from being swarmed.

Val didn't offer anything else besides that, choosing to veer away from that subject based on how poorly it did end last time and thinking that treading over it again wouldn't help anybody. He could see the confusion spill across her eyes and face, making Val want to answer her questions but he kept his mouth shut about it. It was strange what happened between them, her starting out as a prisoner to him before eventually somehow joining his squad and being a part of it, to him now having to be rescued by her and both of them barely recognizing anymore. How things worked out in this galaxy sometimes amazed Val. Raz rose up to her feet but Val remained on his knees, his eyes following her upwards.

The body language was obvious, she still didn't trust, not what they used to have back when they first met. "I was actually hoping this is where another story begins. But this one, we actually work together this time on equal footing, instead one of us always seeming to be a prisoner." Val dipped his hand forward into the sand, grabbing a clump of the grain before lifting it up in the air, feeling the disparity and pain that soaked the ground. "We've both suffered much from the Empire, instead of being at each other's throats, why don't we aim the blade to the Empire?" Both have lost people, both have lost homes, both have nearly lost everything from the Empire. It was time for them to know that their actions had consequences and that they weren't the only ones in the galaxy.

 

[Raz Solus]

Raz’s eyes narrowed as he added the ‘for both our sakes’ to his commentary. Her immediate response was to remind him that they would have managed fine without him, but deep down inside she knew it was a lie. However, it only showed her just how efficient those weapons were and how badly she needed them for herself. Raz wanted nothing more than to walk away or tell him to get away from this sacred ground. He had no business being here, and she had nothing she wanted from him.

After he finished speaking, she scoffed, rolling her eyes, “Yeah? What’s the ‘we’? Your men are no longer with you. I’m not going to let you join my people after you’ve made it very clear how lowly you think of them,” Raz wasn’t one to forget easily, and his ‘not so delicate’ comment had stung her. It would take time before he managed to convince her that he wasn’t just another civilian that thought Mandalorians were no better than mindless fighting machines.

“We’re not going to do your job for you. Get your fairytale Jedi to help,” Raz reached for her helmet and propped back on her head. She was once again the faceless T visor he saw so much, and she wanted things to remain that way. Raz eyed him for a moment longer before she turned and began to walk away, “You wasted your time coming here.”

Her mind was elsewhere now, and her thoughts returned to the role she played for her people. Raz kept walking, the sun now disappearing entirely over the horizon. The winds grew cooler now, the air beginning to change. This had been her home planet, and now it was mostly left untouched by her people. Her clan was scattered, and she had to find ways to bring everyone back.

 

[The Eternal (?)]

Valentine saw her narrow her eyes and he probably should have kept the line to himself but couldn't help himself again. While it did annoy her it was also true, he would have died without them and she would have most likely would have as well. Even five Mando's weren't enough to take on tanks and platoons of soldiers. Actually, he was quite surprised she had stayed for him this long but he wouldn't mention anything about that, just happy that she is doing it. It was her time to speak and he let her, surprised she thought she wanted to join them or that his only men were Rab and them that she had met so long ago. The thought of them hurt his heart a little, it still a sensitive subject for him as she brought it up once more that they had left him.

She slipped on the Mandalorian helmet, something that surprisingly has become common for him now. Raz referred to the Jedi as fairytale once more and it made him smirk slightly as he looked down to the ground. Once more Val dipped his hand into the sand, sighing softly as his mind went on a rampage. It was obvious she still didn't believe in Jedi and he thought that once she saw the lightsaber marks she would piece it together from there. But it could have also proved that he was just good with his blades and nothing else, or this was all a play by her to see if she could reveal his true nature. Whether it was not or not, he needed to do something. Val looked back up to Raz, seeing the back of her head now as she began to walk away from him.

We are trying to help but we need more than just us. Val's voice would inside Raz's head now with perfect clarity and if she was baffled and turned to see Val, his mouth would still be shut. I did not come here for my own accord, the offer is being given by the Galactic Alliance. Our commander has been keeping an eye on your activity and he would very much like to meet you. He let his words sink in a minute before continuing, We are alive and fighting and you know our chances of survival of better if we work together. Val slowly glanced to the graves behind her, seeing the monuments that the Empire deemed beautiful to leave behind for anybody in the galaxy, no matter the race or the creed they followed.

Your people have received the worst treatment they could from the Empire, so have mine. I know my word doesn't mean much to you or at all, but I will give you my word any way that you will be given the respect and treatment you deserve. Val finished speaking to her telepathically, feeling a weird slight elation as he did. It was the first time he actually revealed his true nature to someone other than the Commander or the other Jedi. It almost made him want to pace, knowing that everybody had a different story or experience with Jedi, good or bad. He didn't know what Raz's was but he was hoping he could see the point of what this meeting was for.

 

[Raz Solus]

Raz had no intention of speaking to him, and she kept walking. Her thoughts were already elsewhere and far away. She was angry at Val for showing up again, and for always leaving her confused. However, a moment later, she heard his voice echoing inside her mind. Raz stopped in her steps, a cold chill running down her spine. She gasped, feeling a mixture of pure terror and anger at once. Raz whirled around, her gun drawn and fired a bolt at him. It was just a hair’s breadth to the right of him, serving as a warning shot.

She stared at him with wide eyes through the helmet, “How…you…” She spoke barely above a whisper, her mouth hanging open. Raz stared at him, his words continuing to echo within her mind. She slowly began to lower her gun, her hand actually shaking slightly. She stared at him for a long moment, letting his words resound in her mind unnaturally. It was a haunting echo, and she heard it deep in her psyche, embedded into her soul. Raz felt a mixture of emotions from all across the spectrum, and she was powerless to move.

“You are…you are…” She let the sentence die, unable to finish it. She had believed them to be dead for centuries. They were erased, completely eradicated by the Sith. Now everything slowly began to make sense – his obsession with getting the sabers back, the saber marks on the Imperials back at the base. Had he been that all along? Was that why he was in command at such a young age? Did his men know? Was that why they abandoned him?

Raz felt weak, slowly sinking down to her knees as she was just moments prior. She stared down at the sands, taking in everything he said, “Jedi…” She whispered the word. It felt foreign on her lips, as if she were talking about some mythical creature used to tell stories to children. Did she believe him? Did she have any reason not to? He had actively attacked Imperials, and he had been captured and abused by them. There was no doubt in her mind what he was.

“How….how many of you are there?” She tilted her head up to look at him, still perplexed. Part of her was in total disbelief, and she sounded genuinely curious. Raz quickly cleared her throat, “D-Did you just read my mind? I don’t want you to read me like a book,” She was suddenly very uncomfortable. She didn’t want him to know how vulnerable and stricken she felt at that very moment.

 

[The Eternal (?)]

As Valentine predicted, Pip stopped right in her tracks once he spoke to her through the force. It was the only way he thought to make her stop without leading to an argument and eventually just revealing the same thing in order to arrange this meeting. He suddenly sensed her movement and one of his lightsabers flew to his hand, a dark purple blade erupting out from the hilt as he deflected the bolt away from them both and into the ground. If she really didn't believe it then she had to now. Val deactivated his blade once more, sliding it onto his belt as she seemed to lose her mind over the fact that the Jedi were alive and fighting back. He didn't blame her either, he thought they were just as extinct before he became one. "I don't know how either, my powers were dormant for a while."It wasn't hard for him to sense her emotions and how genuinely shocked she was at this revelation. Val himself didn't really know what to feel about revealing his nature but he slowly stepped forward towards her.

Pip fell to her knees in the sand, Val stopping and sitting down on his own knee's as well when there were a few feet between them. "Yes, I am. And there are more of me out there." Val explained, subtly building the force around him not that he had moved closer. She had already tried to shoot him and he didn't act on it, he wasn't going to risk another strike at him now that they were closer but he wanted to show that he didn't fear her. When she tilted her head at him, Val arched his eyebrow before smirking, "You shouldn't even know about me really. But there are more and that is all I will say for now." When she cleared her throat and asked if he read her mind Val laughed softly before shaking his head, "No I haven't read your mind. Can't say I've completely mastered that one yet." He had tried it before actually but with just random people. It took way too much energy and time so he gave up on the matter after a few valid tries.

"My offer still stands Raz, I want you to meet the Commander and at least talk. At least for the sakes of our people, this could be very beneficial." Just the information that he was a Jedi chewed at Pip's mind, he didn't need to overload with more information about joining the Rebellion just now. Val still remained there on his knee's however, calmly staring into Raz's T-visor as he waited there with her. He seemed open to questions, at least certain ones for the time being if she wanted. "If you wish to speak I would prefer if you removed your helmet. If you wish to be left alone and given time to think, I'll give you the coordinates to a rendezvous point and let you decide." It was Val's turn to tilt his head slightly, wondering what her answer would be.

 

[Raz Solus]

“I hope you never master it, you damn creep,” She growled, staring at him through her visor, “No one should ever have a power like that. It’s unnatural,” She realized she was beginning to get on a rant about Jedi again, and she had to remember he was one. She resigned herself to sighing and shaking her head, focusing back on what he was saying. He wasn’t entirely wrong about his line of thinking. As Solus had been neutral, there was no reason for them to be hostile towards Jedi.

She and her people didn’t trust Force users, but that didn’t mean they held Jedi to the same standards as the Sith. That begged the question whether the Jedi only didn’t attack the Mandalorians because they numbered so few. Even in the days of Andraste and her husbands, the Jedi didn’t exactly proactively fight the Mandalorians unless in defense against the Sith war machine. Raz had all sorts of arguments in her head, and she was interrupted when he spoke again and asked her to take her helmet off.

She scowled at him through the helmet, realizing that to him having a helmet on was a barrier of sorts. In her culture, it was more strange to go somewhere without a helmet. Raz bit back from outright refusing his offer, but was that logic talking or pride? What did she have to lose if she were to aid the Jedi? They had the same enemies, and the Sith had almost butchered them into extinction.

Raz chewed on her lip for a moment before finally straightening up where she sat, the initial shock of learning about the Jedi’s existence slowly wearing off, “I will meet with this Commander,” She muttered firmly, “But know this…if he expects us to be the meatshields to send out to fight the Sith for him, I will be first in line to finish what the Sith started in their quest to eradicate the Jedi,” It was very clear she was dead serious, still not too keen on the idea of working with Jedi. The entire idea still sounded like a fairytale to her – and if It hadn’t been for him clearly demonstrating what he was, she never would have believed him.

“Give me the coordinates,” She didn’t move to take her helmet off, “I need to discuss this with my brothers and sisters before I make a decision.”