Prying Questions

[Tyrn Rau]

Kashyyyk - Midday​

The day was well underway during the Life Day Celebration on Kashyyyk. Tyrn had been enjoying the festivities, but was currently taking a breather in a small cantina, his red and white striped helmet of his beskar'gam resting on the table as he sipped a ne'tra gal, the black ale leaving a sweet taste in his mouth as he viewed the comings and goings in the treetop cantina. A few of his fellow red and white armored clansmen drank at the bar, where Tyrn had been a few moments prior, but he had desired a few moments of solitude from his often rowdy and boisterous comrades.

Besides the Mandalorians, the cantina was occupied by a few Wookiees and a couple other Life Day celebrants from offworld, including a Shistevanen that could almost be mistaken for a Wookiee if not for the fact that he was absolutely not a Wookee. Many of them eyed the Mandalorians with unease, their rough voices speaking the gutteral, clipped language of Mando'a loudly and rapidly as they were engaged in a heated discussion, wild hand gestures appearing to simulate the flight patterns of an action packed story of an intense dogfight. They would frequently break out into good natured arguments as they disagreed on the details of the stories, but otherwise the conversation was of a friendly nature, unknown to the aruetii who could only assume that a fight was about to break out at a moments notice. Life was good for the moment, though a return to the war of their Uprising against the Empire was imminent as they would soon be leaving Kashyyyk to return to Mandalorian space once the Life Day celebrations had concluced. @Ecclessey

 

[Narr Noft]

The Shistavanen dropped some credits on the counter, "Thanks, Ronald." He knew the wookiee's name wasn't Ronal, rather something in the line of Rwookrr or Rworakkr, but the sector ranger didn't speak wookiee and his wasn't there to learn the language anyway. What he did speak was Mando'a and he had been eagerly eavesdropping on the Mandalorian warriors but so far not to much avail. They didn't speak of Mandalorians in red and black armor or the raid on the Imperial base that had occured earlier that month. Still, armed with the mugshot of one of the culprits, Narr was hoping that he would find a familiar face in those Mandalorians that removed their helmets for their drink. Useful place for getting mugshots of Mandalorians, cantina's were.

He didn't find the one he was looking for, but the next best thing he supposed. Narr recognized the red and white belonging to clan Rau and has been a known visitor of their farming community in the past four years. When a clansman preferred solitude over the rowdy drunk festivities, the ranger knew he needed to act now before other Mandalorians joined him.

Confident by having lady justice on his side, the unarmored Shistavanen got up from his barstool and approached the lone Mandalorian, "Papta, verd be Ha'yr Rau." he said in the Mandalorian's native tongue, "Ni cuyir Narr Noft be Tahyur Sirsahyav." He didn't wait to be invited and sat down at the Mandalorian's table, his badge visible for only a moment and only to the Rau clansman. "Malyasa'yr gar tkiriyr nalku'na tionas be a tgiase Twilyaba'ad?" @Arclight

 

[Tyrn Rau]

Tyrn watched with guarded suspicion as the Shistavanen approached. An eyebrow rose in surprised curiosity as the alien, no, sector ranger, began to speak to Tyrn in fluent Mando'a. Clearly a well traveled man. Confident too, or maybe presumptuous as he sat down at Tyrn's table without invitation.

"Chaaj." Tyrn nodded in greeting, a wary acceptance of the man's presence as he flashed a badge briefly. On the outside Tyrn appeared as confident and deadly as ever, though internally the gears of his mind turned with questions. Why was a Sector Ranger approaching him, and one who was clearly familiar with Mandalorian's language and culture. The Sector Rangers had always been viewed with begrudging acceptance by the Mandalorians, who usually preferred to take care of their own problems but usually didn't mind when the Rangers hunted outsiders who fled to Mandalorian space seeking a break from Imperial law. Now they were on opposite sides of a war, though how the Rangers fit into the war between the Clans and the Empire was... complicated.

"Meh ni tkiriyr malyasa'yr gar usen'ye? Deme. A rhetorical question, they both knew that nothing short of violence would stop the Sector Ranger from attempting to fulfill his duties. With a shrug, Tyrn acquiesced and gestured to the seat that the Ranger was already sitting in. "Sheber. Dasa'na. A gotal'ur bic nakine." Tyrn had no time for games and expected none from the ranger, at least if the man knew anything about Mandalorians. Taking a sip from his drink, he maintained eye contact with the Shistavanen and waited, curious as to what the Ranger could want with as simple man as himself. @Ecclessey

 

[Narr Noft]

The Shistavanen smiled when the Mandalorian responded to him as expected, "Ni cuyir yirhaou at ba'slanar, harna sitdrisa'yr at vaii jehiu daba'idi'ioa teh." He scratched his nose, seeming both proud of his honorable mission and a bit embarrassed that a ranger would do it. Narr Noft was only twenty-two, after all. He was allowed some foolish youthfulness. "E'yar ashi harna cuyir Mando o'r ge'tal bal ne'tra, a Ni cuyir yaim'la va ti etie ha'yr" By now it should become clear to Tyrn where the ranger was leading to, though no doubt suspicious of a ranger, Narr believed he made it sound as innocent an inquiry as possible. "Liser gar rejorhaa'ir ni at meg ha'yr val akarya'a?"

Knowing from some experience that to keep talking was to ruin his chances for an honest answer, Narr left it at that and only the fingers on his right hand, which were tapping the table, could betray his curiosity for the answer. He felt sorry for the Mandalorians and their loss, but as always the law had to be enforced and that meant the crimes they've committed in the name of vengeance had to be paid for. Only then would he have the time to investigate Medriaas.

@Arclight

 

[Tyrn Rau]

Tyrn nodded in respect as the ranger spoke of his plans to escort the wookiees to their holy tree. The Ranger then went on to explain he wished to know the clan name of the warriors who would be travelling with him. "Tion'jor va shi dasa'na etid kak?" a low chuckle lightening his words.

Thinking about it for a moment, there were a few things that would make this difficult to explain to an outsider. Though one that spoke the language fluently could perhaps comprehend the complex simplicities of Mandalorian culture, likely having spent some time among them. "Tion'solet narir gar motir teg yirhaou cuun betyer, cuun beskar'gam sal, cuun ha'yr, cuun mandokarla? Jorcu, cad olyay a ruyaor be Mando le'iryu rud o'r ge'tal bal ne'tra beskar'gam staabi jii Chaaj." Taking a sip of his beer, Tyrn waited to hear what he would say. He realized this was the first time he had ever asked an outsider on their understanding of his people.

@Ecclessey

 

[Narr Noft]

There was one thing Narr knew about the Mandalorian people which would make his inquiry difficult: they were not one people at all. Divided in numerous clans with each their own villages and plans, there was only little information available about them if you didn't speak the language or came in from outside their sector. He had seen the warriors clad in red-and-black, though, he had seen them already here on Kashyyyk and only two of them were women. If the culprits of the raid were on Kashyyyk for the life day celebrations then both were suspect. "Gar might've haa'taylir etid kak."

The ranger's focus went to the wooden walls and roof of the cantina for a second, "Val cuyir pirur olar an kyr'yc ca, cukiu'iryu yirhaou ganar butahya Mra'nulwad pel'gam." and they were loud about it, laughing about one falling in the puke of another, rifles overheating in their hands and the violent chaotic scuffle that made them master over the Trandoshians they apparently skinned. They were a crazy bunch, like the badgers native to the Mandalore Sector, and seemed to revel in it. "Cuyir etie alor jara'i?" For what it was worth he knew that Mandalorians were fiercely loyal and closed ranks around whoever lead them. The attitude of their chief and more specifically her actions might give Narr a better view of them. If she was honorable, he surmised, then he was after Mandalorians in different red-and-black armor.

@Arclight

 

[Tyrn Rau]

Tyrn nursed his beer and frowned as the Sector Ranger continued his line of questioning, ignoring his own question, steadfast in what Tyrn could only categorize as pursuit. Perhaps this Ranger was not merely making conversation, but sought something specific. Or someone. Tyrn was not lying when he said that many warriors now donned the black and red of justice for family murdered, but there was one clan in particular that stood out in his mind, the clan of his cousin. "Bic cuyir katcatije ibac ni cuyir va liser galya'adr ti mias verd, par ni cuyir dayn tarja pel'gam be ner srukre kyr'yc ca."

Skins that he could not claim, and had little to show for the night but an inferior rifle and a healing blaster burn to the shoulder. Sipping his beer, which had begun to warm, Tyrn eyed the ranger curiously. "Bal meg narir gar kar'taylir be a Mando b ijaa ibac gar malyasa'yr tionas solus?" His answer a question itself, wheels turning in his mind as he did in fact think of his cousin, wondering what she might have done to get the sector rangers on her tail. There were rumors certainly, that her clan had begun to deal blows to the Empire, but Tyrn had never seen the Sector Rangers as the Empire's lap dogs. Perhaps that had changed in the recent years. @Ecclessey

 

[Narr Noft]

The Mandalorian's reply was suspicious. No doubt he, too, had heard of the various crimes against civilians that the red-and-black armors had committed in recent months. The suggested hostility in the Mandaloran's question worried Narr, for either he knew who the ranger was searching for or he agreed with the perpetrators. In the worst case scenario it was both. After a moment of silence, Narr explained "Ni kar'taylir Mando asas jate, ori'haat adate?" he didn't take his eyes off his counterpart, but smiled nevertheless to prevent an unwanted build-up of tension. "miai Ni dasa'na a Mando b uki'ia"

From the very start of this investigation the Imperials, who had sought the ranger's help, had been dishonest and hid information. Narr had no idea why that imperial base was attacked and what was stolen, if anything had been, thus for him it was all a case of random murder, but while his investigation ran a war started brewing between the various Mandalorian clans, divided, and their Imperial overlords. His jurisdiction was beginning to fail him, but there was no excuse for random murder and Narr was going to find the culprits to seek justice.

The smile disappeared and the young Shivastanen sighed. His lack of experience was finally betrayed by his ineffectiveness. "Ni malyasa'yr olaror cinyc ti gar-" he said, hoping that honesty would beget honesty he removed his datapad from his pocket and opened in on the mugshot of the male mandalorian responsible for those murders. He turned it towards the Mandalorian. "Ni chaab ibac kuryida gi'ayi de ibic jag malyasa'yr cuyir vemr de a dihe ge'tal vhipir be akaan, katwatka ni teh tihiryu tor viinir rie buskra'amtu." Althought, what he didn't say, is that he wasn't sure what 'justice' would look like. He had never experienced a war on this scale muddying jurisdictional space and the headquarters didn't know either. Follow Sector Law was always a good rule, which had always meant Imperial law... but with the Mandalorians rebelling against the Empire.. wouldn't Sector Law be Mandalorian Law?

@Arclight

 

[Tyrn Rau]

The more time that Tyrn spent with the Sector Ranger, the more he understood about the man. He knew Mandalorian's well enough, spoke their language, and knew them to be what they were, honest and honorable. Tyrn was no different than many Mandalorian's that Narr had known. He could respect the Ranger's pursuit of Justice, as many Mandalorians now too sought Justice for acts perpetrated against them.

"Bic cuyir a pu'yida gar narir va busa'ga ti pu'alyagr, ba'hak ni aya'na naas katkta teh aruetii." Perhaps not the most tactful words, but Tyrn rarely beat around the bush or candy coated his thoughts. Taking the datapad from the Sector Ranger's hand, he examined the face it contained. After a few moments of close examination, Tyrn handed the datapad back to Narr and looked him in the eyes. "Ni ru hbaih ibic jag." He spoke with honesty and a shrug before returning his beer to his lips.

"Bic cuyir katcatije ibac ni va subay patkr gar o'r gar hulmika be tor."

@Ecclessey

 

[Narr Noft]

Narr sighed, "Unfortunate, indeed."

He didn't like the Mandalorian calling him dishonest, which was kinda obvious despite him only implying it, and it stung the Shistavanen more than he would admit afterwards. Likewise, he didn't feel the need to continue the conversation in the Mandalorian tongue and pocketed his datapad. "I understand. He murdered an Imperial, so you protect him. You only send me after those that murdered other Mandalorians." He tone wasn't of an accusing nature and as he said it Narr rose from his seat. He was disappointed to say the least. Without Imperial law it appeared these people reverted back to more primitive codes of conduct, which were hard to police and even harder to navigate successfully as an outsider. Mandalorians and their armor, he cursed the day the T-visor was invented.

But he couldn't linger on Kashyyyk for too long. He was assigned the Mandalore Sector, after all, and Oyakar Kryze had send for him. Something about the Red Skull Gang and their leader, Aks-Ree. Seemed he had become a lapdog for the Mandalorians. He could take out the garbage while they raged war.

By all the Bantha-milk in the Galaxy.. how he hated his job today. Defeated he left the cantina and thought that if he never visited Kashyyyk again it'd be too soon.

/end thread