Ask Dromund Kaas Quietly Into The Night

[Aeron Wulfheart]

The hallway became a whirlwind of light, the clashing of their blades echoing through the hallway. The fears that Aeron had before he faced her, the monsters he created in his own head had been completely wiped away. Rage violently overtook whatever he felt as it burned hot as a volcano, the emotions easily bubbling to the surface in the Sith's presence. With the white hue that emanated from his blade, the Healer would clearly be able to see the feral disgust he held for her.

The efforts of both his anger and training were able to compensate enough for his lack of experience compared to the Healer. Aeron's blade kept up with the Sith's and struck viciously. When she parried his blade and then dropped to the ground, he saw the motion of her arm and instinctively stabbed his blade into the ground, acting as an obstacle for her blade as it would bounce off. Preventing her from recovering, Aeron struck out with his leg, kicking her in the face to have her stumble away.

Their separation would provide a clean target and the shot would squarely hit her in the shoulder, adding to her stumble as she went backward. Aeron saw his chance and dashed forward, slashing horizontally with his saber and right across the Healer's stomach while she fell. The attack would have her drop to the ground as she screamed out in pain, clutching her stomach in agony.

That pain was enough to give her a jumpstart however. The Healer quickly used the force, shattering every window in the hallway as shards flew everywhere. Aeron created a barrier to protect himself just in time to see the woman scurrying down the hallway toward the original room. The pair would also hear the doors behind them jostle, the mercs attempting to break in once more.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

The healer was down and Shale brought her arms up for cover as the glass shards flew. Since this turned into open combat, she commed HQ about it and sent for backup. At the end of the day, the Healer was breaking laws within Imperial borders. Outside of the mercenaries pounding at the door, she was cornered on all fronts.

Shale planned on using this fact to spare them more fighting. It was in her best interest to kill less people and look good for Imperials. The Mando opened the door and shot the first mercenary in the shoulder, sending him toppling back into the one behind him.

“This Ensign Vizsla and that Imperial Knight,” She pointed a thumb back over her shoulder, “You fight, you face imprisonment or execution under Imperial law,” She said sternly. The mercenaries hesitated then, looking from her to one another. They had followed the healer for paid work, but none of them were willing to put their lives and the lives of their families on the line for it.

Meanwhile, the Healer was still trying to fight, “KILL THEM! I AM THE HEALER! I AM THE VOICE OF YOUR DESTINY!” She screeched behind Shale. She desperately tried to appeal to her followers, coughing as she clutched at her wound, “Look what they’ve done!”

Shale set her blaster to stun, turned and shot her in the head, causing her to drop with a thud.

“Bring her in.”

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

The barrier had been summoned in time but not quick enough. A few shards of glass snuck through, slicing through his clothing with ease, forming cuts that bled. Before the Healer could get too far, Aeron shot out tendrils of the force to restrain her and drag her right back to them. She slid across the ground and remained there, clutching her stomach as she was too weak to do anything else after her daring escape.

Aeron stepped forward and above the woman, his entire focus only on her. He didn't even register Shale's voice, the pain across his body, or the fact the mercenaries were breaking in. His grip around the lightsaber tightened to the point his knuckles were white, his breathing slowed as his eyes almost took on a feral nature. Each second that ticked by, he lost the battle for control over himself as his hatred for the Sith overpowered him.

She was everything he hated and would be his time to sate the thirst his hatred demanded. The Healer saw what he was about to do and pleaded, "Wait!" Not a single ounce of the Knight heard or cared. Before he could bring his blade down, a shot rang out from behind him and knocked her out cold. His reward snuffed away. It was the first time he took in his surroundings then, turning to find Shale there. Aeron would deactivate his lightsaber after a moment, slipping it onto his belt as he stepped away from the Healer slowly. It was almost as if his brain shut off and couldn't process anything that had just happened. Turning around to make for the exit, he walked past Shale and almost distantly replied, "I'm getting a drink." The cantina was still open and the woman was knocked out.

A few seconds later, Imperials would start to flood into the clinic and past him. He already sent out a message before he fought, lending their arrival to be quicker then usual.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Their job for the evening was over and she wasn’t sporting any serious injuries. It was a nice break from how her missions usually went. She made her way to the cantina, watching as Imperials swarmed the area around the clinic. The Sith was taken away and would likely be exiled or imprisoned for life.

The Mandalorian took a seat at the bar, calling for some Jet Fuel. She removed a flap from her helmet to take a sip, “Never saw white saber before,” She remarked, recalling him igniting his saber. Imperial Knights were a whole new breed of Force users.

She took another sip, thinking about her new life as an Imperial. She wasn’t entirely sure how committed she was just yet, a part of her craving the life of a bounty hunter. However, it didn’t have any consistent pay and she grew weary of moving around all the time.

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

The two entered into the bar and would find they would be the only ones beside the bartender himself. Once the shots and Imperials had sprouted up, everyone booked it instead of risking involvement. Aeron made his way over to the bar as well, sitting down slowly beside Shale, a swallowed grunt coming out of him from the multiple stings he felt across his body. He hopped in on her order, accepting of any type of alcohol at this point, "Whatever she's having."

When the bartender brought the drinks over, Aeron reached into his pocket and tossed out a few credits, more than enough to pay for his and hers. He glanced over to Shale as he reached over for his drink, a slight cock of his head made, "For the help." While he wasn't entirely pleased he didn't get to kill the Healer, he still appreciated Shale's efforts as it resolved the situation the cleanest.

When Aeron got his drink, he stood up in front of his stool and peeled off his jacket to reveal a muscular frame from years of training and hardship. But it also showed that unlike Shale, he hadn't been wearing armor, multiple cuts stretched across his stomach and arms. Not only were cuts but even a shard that stuck out his right leg and bled still, one he hadn't noticed until then. The adrenaline was wearing off and letting him feel all of it.

He threw his jacket onto a nearby table, her comment bringing back a memory of the tunnel he embarked down for it. "The other colors found me difficult," he said, a tone that was a mixture of sarcasm and the truth. Because they were the only two, Aeron got up to walk around the counter, a slight limp to his step starting to form. Behind the counter, he crouched down, rummaging through drawers for a few seconds before he stood back up, a couple of rags in his hand. He continued on the conversation like normal, bouncing off how Shale started, "Never seen a Mandalorian up close. What brought you over here to grace us with your skills?" This time, there was no sarcasm, only genuine curiosity and interest.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale chuckled when he tossed over the credits, “And I thought you were just buying me drink,” She teased before she took the drink and sipped through the slot in her helmet. She eyed him curiously as he walked over to stand behind the bar. She caught the injuries he carried- he was definitely playing them off. Shale didn’t understand not wearing armor on every inch of your body.

“Trying not to go extinct,” Shale said bluntly as she took a sip from her drink. In truth, Mandalorians were dwindling day by day. Many of them gave up the way and put away the armor. They adapted to civilian life, and she wasn’t sure she could ever stomach that. At the very least, she expected to fall back into bounty hunting.

“You were going to kill her,” Shale said as she looked at him. He had been a completely different person when he was fighting the Healer. She drank from her glass, giving a hollow laugh, “I hate Sith too. But don’t want become like them,” She said quietly. She was there to witness Darth Raze arrive on her planet and make demands. She saw Mandalorians fall into line or cut deals with the Sith. She despised how much the Mandalorians had needed the Sith, and a part of her wondered if she was doing the right thing even if Imperials and Sith were divided now.

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

In truth, Aeron knew very little of Mandalorian history but he had heard less news about their activity for months now. The bluntness of her answer made him believe that it was much more complicated and painful then he thought. Not wanting to press or on a subject he knew little, he replied truthfully, "I can't imagine that's too difficult for you." He saw only a little of her skillset but it was enough to give a sense of all that she could do.

When she stated that he was going to kill the Sith, he reinforced her statement with a definite answer that had no ounce of regret, "Yes." The rags would be tossed onto the counter before him but when she mentioned that she didn't want to become like them, he stopped what he was doing. Aeron's gaze snapped up, his violet eyes taking on a new vibrancy almost, "I am not becoming like them. They kill people that don't deserve it. My victims deserve their fate fully." This hate was different, it was acidic and it could be felt in his words.

The bartender still remained in the corner of the bar, staring as he had no idea how to confront the two. Before he could find an answer, one of the doors would open with a lone Imperial entering. The soldier looked over to the Knight before revealing his purpose, "Searching for the owner. We..."

Aeron would cut him off fast, "He's not here." There was a steeliness to his tone that made the soldier question himself for a moment. A small step forward would be taken by him, indicating he was about to persist for the owner but the Knight repeated again, "He's not here." The Imperial would finally stop then, glancing between the two of them before nodding and making his exit. After his departure, Aeron would turn his head the other direction and say loudly, "I would take your chances and get out of here." The bartender would step out of the shadows, offering his thanks before running out of the building, the two of them left alone.

The young Knight returned his violet gaze to Shale, his head cocked to the side briefly as he brought their conversation back to the beginning, " And I wanted to make your drink myself instead of buying you one. What would you actually like?" The pair had the entire bar to themselves now, a wide variety of drinks just staring right back at them.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

She didn’t respond to his philosophy on justifying killing the Healer. In truth, she didn’t know who was right to kill who. Her people were suspicious of almost all outsiders and some clans were extreme enough to kill on sight. Who was she to judge who an Imperial Knight wanted to kill?

Shale was quiet during the exchange with the soldier, curious to see what played out. She was even more curious about what Aeron was doing moving behind the bar. The bartender was soon dismissed, leaving just the two. Shale looked around at her surroundings and then glanced back at Aeron, her eyes widening behind her helmet at his words. She didn’t hold back the soft laugh that came at his words, genuinely impressed at the slick gesture.

“What a gentleman,” She said, “I’ll take an Aeron Special,” Shale said with a hidden smile. She watched him make the drinks, “You secretly bartender?” Shale asked with another laugh, wondering where he picked up the trick.She couldn’t make a drink to save her life, but she was quite adept at cooking.

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

For the first time he heard her genuine laugh and Aeron realized, surprisingly, how much he liked the sound. It hit his ears pleasantly and made him desire an encore. Not only that, but the sound lit a fire within his imagination as he tried to wipe away her helmet, still not having seen her face. The Knight couldn't help but picture her cheek and smooth skin, the curve that connected down to her throat where the laugh had smoothly escaped out of.

Not letting himself get distracted with his vivid thoughts, he focused on Shale's request and gave a soft click of his tongue, "Dangerous." There was half sarcasm and half truth to his words. Aeron would turn around to face the rows of bottles, picking out what called to him as he scoured through his memory.

When she asked if he was a secret bartender, he had to grin, his back hiding it from her before he answered, "Something like that. When I was in the Army, there were periods where boredom was our biggest enemy. That led us getting creative." There were memories he couldn't fully recall but there was also full clumping of nights that he couldn't make out if he tried his hardest. While he couldn't remember exactly what transpired, he did believe he had a blast.

Shale would be able to see him grab rum and lime juice but not the rest. Finishing his creation, he would spin around and limp back over, one glass in each hand, "Different planets, different alcohol, different techniques." There was a lime on top of hers and he placed it on the counter before sliding it over to her, returning her compliment, "For a capable lady."

Aeron took a swig of his drink, a mixture of sweet and spice that he relished. When he finished, he glanced over at Shale before asking, "And a secret you're willing to share?" His violet eyes almost seemed to pierce her visor.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale tried to take a peek at what he was making, but he remained deceptive. She waited till he slid it over, noting the lime. She took a sip from the straw and her eyes widened beneath the helmet, “You can do this for day job,” Shale said as she kept taking sips. He was certainly easing up a bit more, the rigidness from earlier melting away.

“Hm…I never learn how to swim,” Shale offered as her secret. It was probably not as scandalous as he hoped, but it wasn’t often Shale admitted a vulnerability. Swimming was something that just never came up. She loved the idea of going on boats or in the ocean, but there was always an underlying fear of going overboard.

“What? Not interesting secret?” Shale asked him, noting how he intently stared at her visor. She couldn’t help but chuckle, even the helmet scramble unable to mask the lighthearted sound.

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

When Shale said he could compete for a day job, a sort of half-smirk cracked across his mouth, "The enjoyment isn't the same." He didn't reveal what he was comparing it too but it was easy to piece together that he meant the hunting of the Sith. There was a pull in him, a violent hunger for the Order that couldn't be shoved down or ignored, no matter how hard he tried.

The answer given to his question was also surprising but not as much one he thought about it. It was easy to picture them avoiding or never needing to learn given their abilities to take to the skies.

Shale caught him staring and thought it was in relation to what she shared. Aeron would just give a firm shake of his head, "I only asked for a secret, nothing else. It's perfect." It was true, he just found himself enjoying that he knew a little about her. Not really escaping that he had been caught, he bluntly answered with a slight shrug of his broad shoulders, "I was picturing what you looked like under the helmet." His curious streak ran rampant when his mind fixated on something. Aeron didn't add anything else, slamming his glass down before turning his attention away from Shale.

Compared to her, Aeron had not taken sips but gulps, finishing his drink and then a second one. At first he appeared to be only getting drunk but then she would see him grab the rags from before, wrapping one around the shard that stuck out his leg. With a firm yank and swallowed groan, he pulled it free. His leg gave out for a second as he leaned against the counter, holding the bloody glass shard in his hand with closed eyes before just tossing it into the nearby sink.

Slowly, he picked up the other rag and tied it tightly around the wound. The alcohol helped conceal the pain but not all of it. He'd let out a quiet grunt before murmuring, "Maybe I should take note from you and only wear my armor."

 

[Shale Vizsla]

It wasn’t the first time someone wondered what she looked like under the armor, and it wouldn’t be the last. At this point, she kept it on just for the intrigue. Many of her clan removed their helmets, and it wasn’t exactly taboo anymore. Shale simply held onto some old anxieties around her identity, which really had no place here anymore. She chuckled at his words, tilting her helmeted head slightly to the side, “Yeah? What that picture look like?” Shale asked him outright, amused and curious how he envisioned her.

It was only then that she realized the injury on his leg, not having noticed it earlier. As he grabbed the rags, Shale shook her head and stepped around the bar as well, “Rags dirty. Wait,” She said to stop him from using them. She reached into a compartment in her armor, removing the plate to take out a stim injection, giving him a bit of warning before sticking it in his leg. She also had a bacta patch on her, always prepared for emergencies. Shale carefully placed it over the wound and he would begin to feel relief almost instantly, though he really needed to get to a medical facility soon.

“You should,” Shale added as she drew back from the wound. If he had more armor, then he would avoid scuffs like these, “Maybe not helmet however,” She added with a smile beneath her own helmet. He wasn’t exactly an eyesore to look at. Shale walked back around to sit across from him again.

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

Aeron had been a little preoccupied to answer her question at first but she prevented him from his amateur patch-up. He lifted his gaze, to his surprise finding her coming around to assist his nearly hopeless cause. His eyes flicked to the compartment as she pulled out a stim before giving her a silent nod that he was ready. The injection earned a little grunt from him but the bacta patch applied right after soothed any lingering pain that he felt.

At first, he didn't know the word that would encapsulate what he pictured of her. But when she neared and he was able to witness her movements, how she gingerly applied the bacta even with her armored fingers, he found the answer. The heat of her body distracted next to his distracted him slightly but he focused on his injury to not lose focus. When she lifted her helmet in order to draw back, she would already see his piercing gaze leveled on her visor, answering truthfully in a low timbre, "Graceful and thanks." That was the only way he could put it without sharing too much detail and exposing how much he had thought about it.

When she added her own spin on what he should wear, he couldn't help but let out a low chuckle as his eyes tracked her back to her seat. Aeron turned with a limp to face her once more, filling both of their drinks before half sarcastically replying, "I don't know if I can listen to that advice if you're not following it yourself." While there was a greedier reason behind his words, he also found a comfort underneath his helmet like her.

After their two drinks had been filled up, it emptied the concoction that Aeron had created. Taking the opportunity, he arched his eyebrow at Shale before asking, "Care to share the Shale special?" He was curious where her tastes led.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

“Graceful?” She asked in surprise. It was how she always wanted to be seen, but few saw her that way. Within the clans she could be considered ‘soft’, but graceful wasn’t a word that she heard very often. The word gave her pause, and she was smiling beneath the helmet. Of course, he wouldn’t see it.

When he asked about the Shale special, she laughed out loud, “For that, need go to Mandalore. Stronger than anything here,” She said cheerfully as she poured herself another regular beer. Shale clinked her glass against his, “To successful mission.”

After Shale downed her drink, she got up to leave, “Take care of that leg,” She told him as she walked away. Before she exited, she paused and tilted her head towards him, “Maybe one day you’ll see under helmet,” She said with an amused, and slightly flirty tone before leaving the bar.

 

[Aeron Wulfheart]

Aeron heard her laugh once more and couldn't help but smirk, it being one of those that was infectious even to his hard exterior. He believed her when she mentioned that it would be stronger then anything at the cantina, dish soap probably one of the regular mixers the establishment used. His glass clinked against hers as he repeated her words, "To successful mission."

After he also downed his, Shale got up to leave and he made no motion to stop her. It was about time for to RTB as they would want his report soon enough. She told him to take care of his leg and he simply shrugged, "Do my best." There was always more work to be done and Aeron didn't know if he would even allow himself to get a moment of rest he probably deserved. That fire inside him raged without any concern of his body.

Aeron's gaze tracked her all the way to the exit, his eyebrow arching slightly when she paused to turn. At her words, he gave a soft chuckle, "I eagerly await for that day then." Though his tone was rather low, she would be able to see the conviction in his violet gaze as he just leveled it upon her. When she left, that comfort and pleasure he got from her presence slowly eroded, allowing him to notice how empty the cantina truly was.

Smirking to himself once more, Aeron limped around the counter to retrieve his coat before taking his exit as well.

/endthread