Ask Mired Beliefs

[Shale Vizsla]

It was night on Lothal, on the other side of the planet from where the battles had been taking place. There had been tents and camps set up in remote areas of the sparse planet to prepare for the engagement. While Shale hadn’t joined in on the conflict, she had stayed behind to help get equipment and armament ready.

She had come back from her scouting operations for the day and was hunched by a fire. There was a pot of stew cooking that she idly stirred. As always, she was fully armored and with her face concealed from view. Shale was deeply conflicted about how things turned out, but she was loyal to Mand’alor. She had to place faith in him to see their people out of the darkness that had enveloped them for centuries.

Shale had entertained the other Mandalorians every now and then by playing her guitar for them and singing common war songs, but even that didn’t take away the sense of dread and despair. Knowing Mandalorians were split between those that followed Mand’alor and those that didn’t meant there would be that much more bloodshed amongst their own kin.

The fire crackled and reflected against her obsidian armor. Some of the warriors were sleeping or patrolling the surrounding areas for the night. A chill was setting in, but the fire kept her warm.

 

[Nox Solus]

After the battle, it had given time for Nox to reflect over the course of the events that had transpired recently as he had been swept up in the craze of the formation of a new crusade by their Mand'alor. The reflection came during his flight with the rest of the Solus wing, returning back to one of the war camps that had been established to confirm the conquering of the planet.

Even with the involvement of the Sith, the murder of the woman that tugged at his skull and annoyingly flashed in his thoughts, his mind couldn't help but drift to his "Alor" and how a Solus would be the one to abandon his people in their time of need. Nox practically took it as a personal insult as he had fought with the Mandalorian before and worked to help him. If the meeting with the Sith sorcerer had gone south, it could have resulted in the mass destruction of their people with his clan's Alor safe and sound off-planet. Just the thought of Kotii made his blood boil.

Because of what had happened on Mandalore, it had also fueled Nox to remain on Lothal for the time being, the battles and skirmishes a sort of way for him to vent his frustration. With Kotii well known throughout their people, the Solus also saw it as a way to return honor to his clan once more, one victory at a time, one body at a time. While his rage propelled him on, his body was beginning to become fatigued and even Nox could feel it during his flight.

But he would be pulled from his thoughts as the sight of the camp approached quickly, the wing angling downward in order to land in it. Nox would hit the ground with his feet and let his momentum finish, the rest accompanying him mimicking the same action. The Mandalorian was about to join the others in their section of the camp until a figure caught his attention, one that was familiar to him with her striking obsidian armor. It had been some time since they seen each other. The other Solus noticed the pause and waited but Nox would wave them on before walking over.

Shale would hear footsteps approach from her rear, a slight jingle following it from the sound of equipment that rustled together. Nox would enter into her view afterward and into the light of the fire, the flames illuminating in an orange hue and highlighting his clan colors. It's good to see you here, he spoke in Mandoa, a certain gruffness to his voice as it was clear tiredness would be clawing at him even with the helmet. Nox would crouch down near the fire, the heat warming him. Shale was a few feet outside of his shoulder as he stared into the flames momentarily. How is the camp holding up? The Solus' gaze would drift away from the fire and to her.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale was quietly humming to herself as she cooked. Even with a hum it was easy to tell she could carry a tune quite well. She stirred the stew, her thoughts far away and lingering back on simpler times. Simpler, and much poorer. Were things going to get better from here on out? Did Mandalorians truly care that much for riches? Her clan and family had always cherished whatever little they had. Was this war even worth it?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone approaching behind her. Shale cast a sideways glance, the gait not of someone that was exactly trying to sneak up on her. She caught the familiar armor, grinning beneath her helmet. From his voice alone, she could tell he was beyond exhausted. He had been in the front lines. It was only a matter of time before it was her turn.

“Hey, Rat,” She said in response, though there was a tenderness to the tone to make it obvious it wasn’t meant as an insult. Shale poked at the stew before she ladled some into a mug with a thick metal straw adjusted specifically for Mando helmets. She handed the mug to Nox.

“All quiet over here,” She said as she looked at him, “You’re awfully depressed for someone that ought to be drinking to victory.”

Shale wasn’t entirely oblivious to the state of Solus. She knew Kotii, and his actions had surprised her. More than rage, they invoked disappointment. In many ways she could understand where he came from, but to not show at all and disappear without a trace was low even for him.

 

[Nox Solus]

Despite the thoughts that had been plaguing his mind lately, the remembrance of his old name that Shale had bestowed upon him made the Mandalorian grin wide underneath his helm. He couldn't resist it, the word tugging him back to when they had first met at the feast, times that were much easier and joyful. They felt so long ago.

It was a welcomed sight to find her in the camp, specifically to see that she hadn't joined with the traitors, the split divisive amongst their people on who to side with, the tension even palpable amongst the camp. It brought him comfort to find someone he considered closer than most to be with him.

When she offered the mug to Nox, he peered at her for a moment almost questioningly but he pushed off from his knees and took a few steps toward her. It's rare to see you this nice... to me at least, the teasing comment added with a soft chuckle. Nevertheless, he took the offering with one hand, the Solus knocking his helmet lightly on Shale's after, the contact lingering for a few seconds before he peeled away and murmured, My thanks. Nox would step past her and towards the log that was placed as a seating arrangement near the fire. He would sit down with a slight grunt as he faced toward the flames and stretched his legs out somewhat.

The Solus gave a nod when she mentioned that it had been quiet at the camp but offered nothing when she commented about his depressed state. Nox would pause for a moment, confused on how to say what troubled him or even what to say. After another second of silence, he finally spoke, Because I can't help but think back to what brought us to this victory. Shale would be able to view him shake his head after the words left his mouth, growing angrier the more he thought to himself.

The reasons kept coming in droves and he was only able to fish one word out, Kotii... There was much more but that was the first domino.

The sound of his glove would crinkle as his free hand tightened into a fist. The anger was apparent, as was the disbelief, and it was preventing him from fully voicing what he wanted to say. Instead of trying to finish the sentence, Nox released his clenched grip and instead connected the straw to his helmet after a moment, finally putting food into his system as the meal warmed his insides.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale couldn’t help but chuckle at his comment about being nice, a carefree and breezy laugh that was almost melodic, “Maybe I got a soft spot for dudes that fight in the front lines,” She quipped back, entirely unapologetic. She was slightly surprised by Nox touching their helmets, but she simply eyed him curiously afterwards. In many ways it felt as if they had known each other for ages. When there had been laughter and silly drinking games that ended with you losing a bet and getting matching tattoos on your ass. Tattoos she and Nox would have for the rest of their lives.

She didn’t have to look to know he felt visible rage at everything that happened. She was silent for a moment, looking away and back at the fire. There was nothing but the gentle crackling of flames and the sound of the wind rustling through trees and leaves nearby.

“We can’t linger on that. We need to focus on the fact that this has been a first in centuries,” She looked at him, “Centuries, Nox. You can’t deny that. Even the traitors can deny it.”

Vizsla despised the Sith. She knew Gett’se hated the arrangement, and she did too. It was partially why her heart hadn’t been in the fight. She knew they were going in with Imperial ships. Gifts of charity as if Mandalorians were nothing but beggars. But in truth, they were. They had been reduced to nothing but that.

“Kotii…” She repeated quietly, “He was doing what he thought was right. It just…wasn’t the right move. He had so many chances to become Mand’alor, and he squandered it. He allowed other petty challengers with no backing to get in the way of progress. No, we have no one but ourselves to blame for where we are now.”

Shale looked back up at Nox, “What’s going to happen with Solus?”

 

[Nox Solus]

Normally, he always quipped back with her but not that time. Underneath his T-visor, Nox's amber gaze fell on the flames that licked upwards toward the sky. Silence fell between the two but it wasn't awkward, that sensation seeming to have evaporated long ago between them. He was emotional and easily led by them but the brief pause allowed the fire that burned within him to dim before Shale spoke again.

Despite his gaze locked on the flames, she would know he was listening to her. When she pointed out it had been centuries, Nox stood up once more and took a few steps so he stood beside her while he crossed his arms on his hips, the warmth enveloping him more as he agreed, I know. It would have been impossible to provide an argument on that front.

Even with it being night, he took a glance around and saw the spectacular sight she spoke of. Tents of various colors completely surrounded them, an amount that one clan couldn't have achieved unless it was back hundreds of years ago. Even from where they were, they would be able to spot the wings of Mandalorians that entered and left camp, patrolling or otherwise. It was a life that had been breathed into their people they couldn't achieve themself, a buzz of activity and hope that hadn't been seen in years.

But as Shale further talked about Kotii and the idea of progress, a Sith fighter would soar above them, its familiar screech piercing through the air. It was a sharp reminder of what their progress came at the cost of and it made the hairs on the back of Nox's neck stand up. It almost seemed he was using the actions of Kotii to push away the thought of the Sith but it was unavoidable on Lothal.

The words that came out of Nox's mouth next couldn't be contained and were a side-effect of his emotional side, I will always be loyal to my clan and my Mand'alor. After those were spoken, that's when his head would give a brief shake, But is it progress if we forget who we are to achieve it? The Sith, that woman... Death was nothing new to the Solus. It didn't bother him in the slightest and he understood there being collateral casualties in war. But the woman had done nothing to threaten them and instead was picked out to be executed on live-holo in front of her son. She wasn't a warrior or held no value.

Instead of lingering on what he said, he answered Shale's question quickly after about what would happen to his clan,

When we finish conquering Lothal, we will hold council. We need to have a new Alor to lead us. After that, we crusade with our Mand'alor and hunt down Kotii. What of yours? While the rest of the clans would be pressing on, the Badgers would need a moment to gather themselves as there was a gaping hole within them they needed to fill.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

“What woman?” Shale asked before she could stop herself. She had heard some vague reports from the battle, and it wasn’t the first time she heard some murmurs about a woman. This time when it was just her and Nox, she wanted to know the truth. She could tell Nox wanted to move on, and she wouldn’t press him beyond the question.

She listened quietly as he mentioned choosing a new Alor. That was going to be a tough, emotional process. It had been Kotii for a while and so many Solus had placed their faith in him. She wanted to ask Nox why he didn’t challenge Kotii first for the title instead as it would build far more credibility amidst the clan. However, she had little desire to agitate the conversation more.

“I will meet with Gett’se and see what he wants to do,” She responded, “We are very scattered. You fought with him, yeah?” Gett’se went in despite everything. She wondered what he thought of the girl situation. After a moment, her comlink beeped and she glanced down.

“Time for my scouting shift,” She rose to stand, “You wanna sulk by the fire or you wanna come with?” Shale didn’t give him a chance to respond before she walked towards the edge of the cliff the camp was perched on. Without warning, she casually leaned back and fell off the edge, activating her jetpack lazily halfway down to coast the rest of the way down through the valley below.

 

[Nox Solus]

Nox wasn't surprised by her short answer, her clan wasn't in a situation that Solus was in but still in a precarious spot. At the name of Gett'se, fond memories of how the Vizla fought came to him. Respect certainly formed between the two since the battle and he hoped their clan would be able to consolidate. A nod came before his answer, He fought well. I believe he's on patrol now. Gett'se had been there too for when the woman had been shot in the spine. There hadn't been a moment after where they could speak on it.

If you both need help from us, let me know. Solus would still offer aid despite their condition. Before he could add anymore, her comlink beeped and was the notifier for her shift. Shale's invitation to her scouting trip earned a gruff chuckle out of him that she would be able to hear before she casually fell off the edge. The comlink in her helmet would then beep softly before Nox's voice came through, And miss your colorful commentary? Not a chance.

Before she activated her jetpack and shot off, she would be able to see Nox's figure leap off of the edge and fall right after her. He would let his body freefall about halfway as well before his jetpack's thrusters ignited and quickly gave him control. Catching up, Nox came from under Shale and pulled up onto her left shoulder to put them on an equal plane. There was a suitable distance between them for evasive maneuvers as they were still on an enemy planet, however.

Being in the valley together, Nox was much more comfortable to speak freely with Shale with their aerial privacy, trusting her more than most. He had caught earlier when she asked about the woman and he was surprised she hadn't known what happened. They would cruise in silence for a moment before Nox spoke through her helmet, Before the battle commenced at Lothal City, our Mand'alor wanted to make a loud point to the galaxy. There was a slight pause before he spoke again, He executed a civilian. In front of her son and broadcasted it live. She hadn't been a threat.

Nox would cast his gaze to his right at Shale, Were warriors. The Solus felt that was all that needed to be said for her to understand his point.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale loved flying like this. It was one of the ways she and her people were so different from everyone else. There was freedom and solitude to this that was unparalleled. Not even the fanciest speeders could compare to this feeling. Mandalorians had learned to easily maneuver with their jetpacks since they were young to where it became a part of them and second nature into adulthood. With how the two flew, it was apparent they had years of experience doing this.

She heard Nox’s voice come in, and the words surprised her. She kept coasting in silence before she indicated it was time to land. Shale changed trajectories, slowly lowering herself atop a hill that overlooked a valley on a plain below. She lowered herself to lie prone on the ground, crawling up to the edge of the hill that overlooked the valley. Through their HUD they would be able to make out an encampment in the distance.

“Alliance soldiers and probably a Jedi or two,” She commented quietly, “They’ve been scouting near us,” Shale observed the camp for a while before looking over at Nox.

“That’s something I would expect the Sith to do,” Shale said darkly, responding to the comments from their flight, “It’s worth speaking with him about it. I have heard while he is brash, he is not…unreasonable. If we never speak up, it breeds toxicity among the clans and leads to infighting. We can’t afford that. Not right now and not anytime soon. We’re barely finding our feet.”

 

[Nox Solus]

There was no response at first to the revelation about the woman but he knew it just meant she was tumbling with it in her own head. Nox flew side by side with under signaled that it was time to land, the Solus angling his path with her to find a suitable hill to peer from. With ease, the two grounded and blended themselves in before approaching the edge to scout. Despite what they felt, they still had a duty to their Mand'alor and the encampment of Alliance soldiers posed a threat.

With their conversation put on hold, Nox peered through his HUD as well and noted the various features. It wasn't massive but sizeable enough to hold a couple of squads at least. Darkness would be their best advantage in their approach as he noted the sounds of fighter's engines above them as they did their patrols, the familial Imperial screech of the crafts annoying him each time.

When Shale drew back, so did Nox as he thought on her words, agreeing with her silently that it was exactly what the Sith would do. It flared disgust in him to think about. She recommended speaking to him and the Solus clicked his tongue at first while he got on one knee. That brashness had been witnessed firsthand and he wondered how exactly their newly elected Mand'alor would take upon his criticism.

But she was right, if it wasn't brought up, it would never be addressed. To kill unarmed bystanders would never be forced upon the Solus. That brashness tends to make him hard to get a hold of... Their Mand'alor had been quite active and to be able to place him in one spot was difficult. But when he glanced over to Shale, he relented and exhaled softly, You're right. I'll hold word with him to voice my concerns. We'll see what happens. If Nox kept to his path, it would have left him stewing until he exploded. He was appreciative of the foil that Shale offered to him to bounce back ideas, a luxury he hadn't had in a while.

While that matter was far from settled, it could be pushed aside for now as they had to deal with the soldiers. Another screech from a flying craft came from overhead but instead of annoyance, this time Nox glanced at Shale before smacking her on the shoulder lightly. When she would look at him, he would point his index finger to the sky to point them out, Use to mask our approach, before they even hear or see us we drop on them and rain hell from above. If there was one silver lining he could appreciate to those monstrosities it was that.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale nodded at his suggestion, quickly rising up and vaulting herself over the edge of the cliff. She activated her jetpack to soften her landing, but she hit the ground with a crouch. Without hesitation, Shale quickly began to creep closer to the camp, ducking behind some boulders. She was within striking range but didn’t lash out just yet. Sometimes it paid to listen. While she had her temper, she wasn’t known to strike first without assessing.

“They’re low in numbers,” One of the soldiers said, “I don’t think the clans are united or well coordinated.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means if we sabotage things and make it look like another clan did it, their entire setup falls apart. Didn’t you see? The Solus or whatever clan is already split? We need to find the ones that hate this Mandalore and join up with them.”

“Sabotage? That…that seems messed up.”

“It’s time you learned what war looks like, rookie,” The other voice said gruffly, “We’ve been taking blows from the Sith and now these bastards. We need to play every dirty trick in the book.”

Shale heard enough, but she didn’t open fire. Instead she looked away and slumped down to sit, gazing off in the opposite direction. She placed her arms on her knees, sitting in silence.

“Are we really so fragile?” She said in a quiet whisper, her voice echoing in Nox’s helmet.

 

[Nox Solus]

With a controlled descent covered by engine screams, the pair made it silently on the ground without a hitch. Nox wasn't a stranger to being stealthy as he had been a scout previously until the Sith became their allies. Taking cover with the boulder and crouched beside Shale, he pulled out his vibro-knife in precaution if the nearby soldiers drew close.

After the conversation finished, Nox glanced at Shale and then stood up slowly, his blaster drawn in the other hand. Before he turned the corner to handle his soldier, he checked to see if she was ready as well but just saw her with her back against the rock and her knees drawn in. The Solus stopped and stared at her for a moment in confusion before he just quietly dropped drown as he heard her question bounce in his helmet.

Nox sat down near her and remained silent for a moment, both his knees drawn in as well. At first, he didn't know what to say but then he just plainly told her the truth in a hushed tone. Before, yes. Fragile enough to let ourselves be allied with the Sith. They had already spoken on it and nothing more needed to be added so he continued on, But not anymore. We all have a purpose now, a hunger. All of the clans are here. My own clan being here is a testament to our people's strength and loyalty. Even with our hate for the Sith, we will still die for Mand'alore and crusade with him until it is impossible. We know what we are, not them, not until it's too late. With the clans brought together, the possibilities for their people were endless. Even though his Alor had split with other Mandalorians, a vast majority had remained loyal to Mand'alore, were here on Lothal with them and risking their lives.

Nox then offered a quick cock of his head at her, a teasing tone layered within his voice, Aren't we supposed to be bitter rivals ourselves? I mean you are a little annoying but... The beef between the two of their clans was well known but here they were, working together, watching each other's back. With a quick twirl so the blade of the knife rested against his wrist, he offered it over to Shale, Shall we show them how fragile we really are? It would be a rude awakening for those soldiers, one they wouldn't recover from.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale quietly listened to Nox as he spoke. She couldn’t help but begin to smile after a while in hearing the fire in his voice. He truly had a way of speaking, and she began to see why there were rumors around why he should have been Alor of Solus all along. Shale kept those thoughts to herself, glancing at him as he called her annoying.

“We have matching tattoos on our asses,” She reminded him, “By default we’re going to be more chummy than the average rivaling clan Mando,” He would be able to practically hear the shit eating grin she wore beneath the helmet.

Shale nodded and reached up to switch on her music as usual, grabbing her rifle, “Let’s rock,” She said as she leveled the gun and fired off two bolts. Both found purchase in one of the soldier’s chest. The second was scrambling to get his weapon but she released another bolt directly to his head. Shale vaulted over the boulder, activating her jetpack to whizz into the campsite.

Several soldiers came out now, leveling their blasters and attempting to shoot at the Mandos. Shale spun through the air until she felt a sudden yank that pulled her from the sky. She knew right away what it was, spinning herself mid yank to look at a robed individual that had a blue blade ignited. She haphazardly aimed and fired her rifle, but the Jedi deflected it broad, though he did release the as a result.

Shale dropped to the ground in a crouch, leveling her rifle to take another shot.

 

[Nox Solus]

The soft glare could be felt underneath the helmet as she pointed out that the two of them were a little bit more connected than the average Mandalorian with a permanent mark on their cheeks. Nox couldn't help but chuckle as he did hear the grin through her words, his elbow coming out to nudge her arm, Well, my tattoo's twin is on a great ass, I can't complain. The rest are missing out. Before she could respond, she would have slipped on the helmet and Nox would be on the move.

Instead of hopping over the boulder, the Solus came from the side and low to the ground as he activated his jetpack to launch off. He flew between the two soldiers that Shale took out instantly, spinning the vibro-knife in his hand. With it being night, the rest of the soldiers were filing out of their tents, their first target being the Vizla as they could trace her shots.

They opened fire on her but that's when Nox soared in, his metal frame smashing into the first one he saw, the knife sinking into their stomach as he lifted them off the ground slightly. When he gained some altitude, he slammed on the brakes momentarily to let the body fly off and slam into a group of soldiers that just took notice of him. They fell like a pack of bowling pins and as they recovered, Nox reached into his belt to pull out a grenade to toss at them. Very few were fully donned in their gear and most of them attempted to run away as he flew off, most of the shrapnel tearing through their clothing.

With the activation of a blue blade, it drew Nox's attention immediately and adjusted his course to come in at the Jedi's flank. He withdrew his peacemaker and opened fire, both bolts aimed toward his ribs. The Jedi sensed it and turned slightly to deflect both the shots but gave Shale a small window to capitalize. Because of his flight path, Nox was able to avoid the deflected bolts but was suddenly yanked down himself after as he slammed into the ground and rolled to a stop.

With his attention on the blue-bladed Jedi, he had lost track of the second that stepped out to face them, a green lightsaber illuminating him once he activated. Without waiting, Green charged right after Nox, the Mandalorian quickly jumping to his feet as he dropped his blaster and pulled his beskad free before the two met with blades clashing.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale was silent at the quip Nox made, but just from her body language he would be able to tell it caught her off guard. She was never one to keep from biting back with a quip, but she was actually a little flustered this time. All he heard was her awkwardly clearing her throat before she charged into the fray.

As soon as Nox caught Blue’s attention, Shale took full advantage of it, moving in closer and activating her wrist flamethrower. The jet of fire engulfed the Jedi, causing the man to flail and spin around. She could tell he was attempting to put it out, and she used the opportunity to level her weapon and shoot him several times in the torso and head. The Jedi fell into a charred heap on the ground.

Shale cried out as a bolt slammed into her left arm where it wasn’t protected by beskar. She had been entirely too focused on Blue to see shots coming from the side. She also couldn’t break away to help with Green just yet, the two of them surrounded. Shale activated her jetpack and took to the air again, zooming to the side and peppering the soldiers on the ground with bolts. At some point she had sneakily reached back for a thermal detonator.

“Fire in the hole, rat!” She called out to Nox to give him a heads up before the det was tossed down into a throng of soldiers. Shale tilted back and flew backwards as an explosion resounded below her. She grinned widely before she circled around, aiming and firing a wrist rocket at Green down on the ground who was distracted by the soldiers that died from the blast.

 

[Nox Solus]

The two warriors smacked into each other with a thud, sparks created from the collision of the beskad and the lightsaber. Nox couldn't keep track if Shale managed to capitalize on the opportunity he crafted as he deflected a swipe away from him, Green demanding and wanting his full attention. He would have been shot at but with his close quarters to the Jedi, the soldiers didn't risk firing shots upon both of them.

Both the combatants slashed at each other's strikes, an arc of sparks flying after each hit until the third where the blades locked in place and in between the two. The two locked gazes with each other, one a visor and the other regular eyes as they grunted in resistance to each other's movement. Through the struggle, Nox was able to hear the sound of blaster fire and then a slight scream of pain. A few seconds after, that's when he would receive the warning that bounced through his helmet.

Upon turning his head, the Jedi's did and both of them were able to watch as she tossed the det toward the soldiers. The explosive lighting a fire underneath him, he broke the Jedi's guard and pushed his blade to the side as he activated his jetpack. Nox would lift in the air slightly before he kicked both feet into the sorcerer's chest, sending him to the ground while providing the Solus a little boost of speed upward. Lovely timing, he replied back with a slight strain in his voice.

As the explosion sounded and he felt the vibrations in his body, he still quickly drew out his E-11 on the sling and brought it over to his front. Green was on the ground but still able to see the wrist-rocket. With the application of the force, he sent the explosive into a nearby tent as it crumbled in a cloud of dust. But with that defense, it opened himself up for Nox and three bolts quickly descended down, striking the torso of the Jedi cleanly and killing him.

At that point, fear was spreading like a wildfire throughout the camp, as well as literal fires. Soldiers ran in every direction and Nox glanced left and right to determine where to go until he spotted a small convoy of three truck speeders. They made a straight dive for the exit and he comm'd Shale, The trucks! They're running! With a lean in that direction, Nox blasted off towards them with his rifle in hand. When he was within range, he would open fire on them in order to stop, surprisingly none of them fired back at him, however. That thought didn't cross his mind though with being caught up in the fight and he aimed for the engines.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale was slightly delayed in following Nox, lingering to clear out the remaining soldiers on the ground. She peppered them with bolts, wincing every time she had to use her injured arm. She whizzed up closer to Nox when he shouted about the trucks. Shale flew up higher than Nox, looking through the scope to aim. She saw several of them get sprayed with bolts, a few of the bodies toppling out of the speeders.

Without warning, Shale abruptly whipped around and flew at Nox like a missile, harshly colliding with him to send him sailing to the side. The collision would send him flying off course and it would take him time to orient himself. The impact itself would send pain through him.

“They’re civilians!!” Her voice would echo loudly through his helmet. If he looked, he would see the bodies were those of farmers and other meager civilians that were attempting to get away. This also explained why they weren’t shooting back when Nox open fired. Rage coursed through her, but it wasn’t at Nox, it was at what they were becoming. It was exactly what Nox had brought up about Fenyang at the battle. Were they any different? Shooting at the backs of fleeing civilians?

“They’re civilians..” She repeated, looking at the flames that erupted from Nox shooting at an engines. The fire blazed and engulfed the entire speeder, a small explosion echoing along with a cacophony of screams. Shale’s voice was weak as she slowly lowered to the ground, “...they’re civilians…”

 

[Nox Solus]

Shale would slam straight into his side, immediately after his shots and knock the wind out of Nox as he let out a loud grunt. The rifle dropped from his grasp as he spun wildly, the whiplash from her collision popping the bones in his neck and leaving him dazed for a moment as he fell. Pain blossomed in his flank and she most likely cracked one of his ribs but he barely noticed as he spun around and was able to regain control of himself.

When he was upright, he would whip towards Shale's direction as his voice came through her helmet, What!? Anger and disbelief were laced within his words, anger at the fact that she had stopped him when he had no idea why and disbelief that he was shooting civilians in the first place. There were plenty of reasons why they hadn't fired back, it could have just been supply trucks, medical equipment, even empty vehicles. It was a camp near the front, it wouldn't have civilians.

But when he turned his attention back to the speeder he shot upon, the front half of it completely engulfed in flames, he could see the bodies that trailed behind it and that were attempting to get out. No... Nox murmured to himself and without concern for his own safety, he immediately shot off towards the truck at full speed. When Shale descended to the ground, repeating that they were civilians, she would be able to see Nox's figure hurtling himself right at the inferno of flames, not even slowing by a fraction.

As Nox neared toward the speeder, he then pulled up on his jetpack as he practically slammed into the vehicle but held onto it before opening the back. The metal was burning hot to touch and he saw the sight of men, women, and children in a metal tomb standing as the smoke filled their lungs. At first, they were terrified at the sight of Nox but when they saw he was trying to help, they handed him the kids to get out first.

The Mandalorian took one under each arm and jetpacked a safe distance away before dropping them in the dirt gently. Without hesitation, he jetpacked back to the speeder, grabbing the next person closest to the exit, a woman. As he wrapped his arms around her, she screamed out, "Wai-" But it would be too late.

Either the fuel caught or something else but the explosion triggered. Nox was able to activate his jetpack in time to separate them enough that he could turn his body to cover her. The force and aftershock of the explosion would propel them back, both of them slamming into the dirt as they rolled to a halt but the woman at least safely cocooned within him.

After they came to a stop, Nox would push himself off of the woman, smoke rising from individual pieces of his armor, his body drenched in sweat. Before he could even situate himself, the woman had pushed him to the ground with both hands to crawl away, "Get the hell away from me you monster!" The Solus landed on his ass with a soft grunt but his visor followed her for a moment before his gaze drifted to the speeder that had turned into an inferno.

"Wait..." He uttered out before he pushed himself off the ground. Nox took a couple of steps toward the woman with one arm outstretched, noticing how badly burned her arms and legs were, "Let me help... I'm sorr-" The woman gave no damn about him as her scream ripped through the air and stopped him in his tracks, "MY SON! MY SON!" Snot and tears flew as she screamed, her whines and whimpers filled the air as Nox just watched her. The mother wouldn't even move and practically just writhed on the ground in pain, both physically and emotionally as she wept uncontrollably, overburdened with the loss of her son and home in one day as she broke.

"I didn't know..." Nox muttered to her softly, utterly defeated, but mostly to himself, as guilt carried a blade and plunged it in his stomach, gleefully carving until he went numb. When he glanced back at the speeder, at that point, the canvas had burned away to reveal the contents, more than a dozen bodies stuffed in the back and charred as burnt flesh filled the air. It was a mix of men, women, and children.

The two other trucks had stopped, it was one of those times where everyone forgot about their status and rank. Two civilians walked over to the mother, comforting her as her weeps and the sound of crackling flames were the only sounds. The rest of the civilians stepped out from their trucks, all their eyes on Nox with a mix of fear and pure hatred.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Unlike Nox, Shale didn't rush forth to help. She remained behind, watching it all play out. She watched as skepticism bled into the people that watched their killer suddenly playing their rescuer. She could hear the woman yelling at Nox, watching as he tumbled down. Shale looked over, spotting the other civilians coming over to help assist. She walked over towards Nox, grabbing him by the bicep and yanking him away from the scene.

“We’re not the fucking heroes in this story,” She said harshly as she pulled him away forcefully, “It’s too late for that,” Shale said without ever looking back.

“This is done,” She called out behind herself, “Take your injured and go. This is contested territory now.”

If Nox looked back, he would notice they visibly relaxed far more than when he attempted to help them. The remaining soldiers and civilians quickly rushed the woman over to the remaining operational speeder. They all climbed in, the soldiers slamming down to get it moving so they could all book it out of there. Shale never stopped, marching away from the scene behind them. Her helmet was trained forward and it was difficult to tell what she felt outside of the way she practically stormed away.

Once they were far away from anyone else, Shale released Nox. Without warning, her right fist whirled in powerfully to slam directly across Nox’s face.

 

[Nox Solus]

Nox couldn't feel anything. At first, the woman on live holo being executed flashed through his mind, then the charred corpses of the children he had just killed. It was as if he was in his own silent bubble, unable to hear the fire or the voices of the displaced citizens. He imagined himself as a crusader, not a murderer.

What drew him out of his haze was being physically pulled, Shale gripping onto his bicep before telling him coldly that they weren't the heroes in this. She began to pull and his feet just naturally went with her so he didn't trip over himself. At first, Nox let her direct him as he took the moment to indeed glance back.

When he was able to witness the people become visibly more relaxed, he yanked his arm out of Shale's to not allow himself to be dragged off like a kid. He still remained behind her, marching in silence while in his own head, both of them were.

They had disappeared into the forest and were surrounded by vegetation. Nox still walked behind her, his gaze distant as he couldn't help but think of the inferno. It swallowed his entire vision even though they had left it behind, him the screams bouncing around in his skull.

That would all come to a rough halt as he barely even noticed Shale whirl around to strike. Nox had just barely saw movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his head slightly, priming his cheek for her as he ate it cleanly. The blow made him stumble back a couple of steps before he dropped to one knee, completely dazed for a moment as he shook his head in order to clear it, the helmet being the only thing preventing him from being knocked out.

Nox stayed there for a moment, the punch waking him up fully as his emotions boiled over to their breaking point. The Solus maybe should have agreed with her, those deaths were just collateral in an invasion such as this. But deep down, he couldn't, and instead of just taking the hit, Shale had provided a vent for him as the emotions he felt inside him crashed against each other and took control of him.

With his jetpack activating, Nox launched himself right at Shale, returning the favor from before as he tackled her cleanly with the short distance. Both of them would remain in the air for a few feet before they slammed down into the ground together, waves of dirt rolling up from their collision. The Solus would rear his left arm back but instead of punching, he would slam his forearm down on her cheek, shoving her head into the dirt and forcing her to look in one direction.