The Funeral of the Mand'alor

[Jason Vaiken]

Saviin lets out an audible sigh and puts on her helmet. Why can't we have nice things?

Reaching for her XPC she activates her jet-pack and flies towards where she hears the shots and decides to fly in front of the soon-to-be-charred person and fires five more shots at his torso.

She then slides it across her shoulder and then takes out both sunspears and fires 3 shots each, at his torso again.

Of course she made sure not to hit anyone on her side, because that would be awkward, very, very, awkward.

 

[Loco]

Mikhael shook his head as he glanced over his shoulder at the commotion. You just couldn't have nice things as a mandalorian, it seemed. Not a moment of peace. No respect. The high priest returned his attention to his late friends funeral pyre, pondering the ways he could use the Mand'alore's death to stoke the embers of mando revolution further. Prudii had already exceeded all of his expectations, so why not push the envelope even further? Plus, this entire episode was worth it just for Talias beautiful speech.

He did, though, use a subtle movement of his fingers to force tug at the feet of the admirably courageous but incredibly dense would-be assassin, ensuring that he would have trouble attempting to escape the angry mob of mandalorian wrath he'd drawn down upon himself. No such thing as overkill.

 

[Chask274]

Aiden had stood solemnly among the gathered crowd, dressed in full armor and cloak, head bowed slightly in respect. He hadn't known Prudii personally, hell he hadn't even met the man, but Prudii had earned Aiden's respect, gratitude and admiration for leading their people to independence. Aiden had been a member of Death Watch, and was there at the battle for Sundari, helping to take their homeworld's capital from the Republic. The least he could do was honor the man as he was laid to rest.

Raising his head to look at the pyre, Aiden placed a closed fist over his heart and bowed. Straightening up, he noticed an old man approach the pyre, place a helmet there, and then leave hastily. An unsettling feeling, a sense of danger felt through the Force, ran down his spine as he noticed that the man was wearing another helmet. Beginning to step forward, he broke into a run as the comm message about a bomb on the pyre reached his ears. Pushing his way to the front of the crowd, he snatched up the helmet, noting the grenades secured inside it. Tossing it into the air, Aiden promptly drop kicked the helm out of the area with Force assisted strength, sending it to the edge of the plaza over a building where it's dangerous payload wouldn't harm anyone.

He triggered his comlink and sent out a simple message. "Bomb has been disposed of."

 

[Kando Gedyc]

(OOC: Oh... All right. Might as well go out with a bang)
Kando fell to the floor as his helmet took three shots, the final shot knocking his helmet off. The woman grabbed his wrist and shot him 6 times in the torso. More people came in and he was shot more times. He then turned over and looked at his killers. "I deserved to be Mand'alor!" He said spatting blood. "Some priest mumbles a few words, and the people just accepted Kyramund as Mand'alor. I fought for my privileged and wealth, it wasn't handed to me. He may have been a good warrior, but he wasn't my Mand'alor. I am my own man, and I follow no one." He closed his eyes and drifted into the void.

 

[Arcangel]

Aryn watched the would be bomber fall to the ground. By some miracle he seemed to still be alive. As the man attempted to turn over, Aryn, startled, and still aiming down the sites of her blaster rifle, began to unload.

Fifteen blaster bolts spat out from the rifle, perfectly aimed at the slowly rising back of the should be dead Mandalorian. After somehow surviving a hail of blaster bolts, Aryn would leave nothing to chance. The fifteen bolts would burn what remained of the armor on his back to slag, and reducing the body beneath to charred ashes.

He wouldn't live long enough to turn over, speak, or pull any sort of thermal detonator in an effort to take the dealers of justice with him.

 

[Wit]

She didn't know what she found weirder, the fact that someone had tried such a stunt in such company, or the fact that despite an entire squad's worth of weapons being emptied out into his body the man somehow still lived.

But even that incredulity was not enough to distract her from years of survival instinct. You didn't live long if you weren't thorough, and the moment the man started moving she pulled out another blaster and aiming both weapons at the man let loose with everything she had, emptying both clips.

Now that's what I call a funeral.

 

[Jason Vaiken]

Saviin just shakes her head and flies back to the pyre after holstering her pistols. She then proceeds to take up her old position and once again takes off her helmet, surveying the flames as her father's body turns to ash. Wherever her old man is, she's sure he'd appreciate the carnage he causes even at his own funeral.

She can't help but think the mansion's going to be quite empty now with her father's death. She takes off her helmet and glances at Talia,

"So, do you know a Moira person? My father left a few provisions in his will for her that I'd like to pass on to her. From what he said, they were very close."

She spoke clinically, finding it hard to decide if she wants to just scream at the person or give her a hug by how much it hurt her to do this.

 

[Rimrald]

Watching as the others poured more bolts into the mans body A'donii waited for the firing to cease. He jogged to the body weapon trained on him until getting close, he swiftly booted the man in the head before exclaiming "Oh yea he's dead!" to those still gathered. Holstering his blaster he went back to heading for the port where he rejoined his clansmen and made arrangements to provide security until the proceedings were done.

 

[Kori Buor]

While Talia began giving her speech about Prudii, Asterion watched the crowd, vigilant as ever. His eyes scanned the nearby rooftops for snipers or other kinds of assassins when he spotted movement in the crowd. A Mandalorian had approached the pyre and placed a helmet, another helmet, on the ground near the pyre. That was odd, but perhaps it was just a spare, or a family member's who believed in Prudii. It was when the lights started blinking that he knew something was wrong. Almost immediately the Mandalorian began to move, another Mandalorian called out the bomb threat. Grabbing Talia by the belt he pulled the woman backwards, even if he upset her, he couldn't risk the helmet bomb going off and harming her. Luckily, another Mandalorian grabbed the helmet and punted it safely away and into the air. Looking at her he'd give a nod and take off after the others who had already began pursuit of the terrorist, his Sunspear drawn.

By the time he had responded to the scene a handful of Mandalorians had already surrounded and gunned down the Mandalorian bomber, he was dead. Disappointed that he had missed it, he approached slowly so that he was next to Aryn when the man began to move again. Instinctively he raised his pistol and began firing right when Aryn did. He unloaded his pistol into the head and torso of the Bomber, reloaded and unloaded again. When it was over barely anything remained but bits of bone and scorched metal. Looking at his fellow Mandalorians he gave a curt nod, "Such is the fate of all who would oppose Mand'alor."

With the situation resolved, Asterion left the scene and headed back to where the funeral was taking place. His returned would only go noticed by Talia, if anyone at all. Passing through the crowd he'd signal that the threat was neutralized. Taking up his original position shadowing the woman, his eyes ever more alert. Hopefully no one would be foolish enough to try something now that everyone was on edge, but such gatherings often attracted the dim-witted. Glancing at a young woman who stated that her father left some provisions for a Moira, Asterion’s eyes narrowed, but he didn't move, though his hand was ready to draw if something should once again occur. For the moment, though, everything seemed fine.

 

[Darasuum]

pushing through the crowd an armored man found himself standing over the sputtering loud mouth who seemed to be raving about what he felt he deserved. inside his helmet Geir rolled his eyes before his visor angled itself down to stare at Kando. several shots would be fired at the man, making him little more than a smouldering corpse. sighing he would step over the body and head towards the pyre that he had come to pay his respects.

the man took steps closer to the pyre than was probably safe but he didn't particularly care much for his own safety. reaching up he took off the faceless helm of his arbitrator PAK. while it was not the traditional mandalorian armor it wasn't too far from it. he stared at the flames and felt the heat on his alabaster skin, letting the flow of air cause his equally white hair to wave slightly. he wasn't here on behalf of the sith, S.I.N. or anyone else but himself. Geir did not know if Prudii would have remember him or not it had been so long ago. the offshoot had traveled a great deal, been to many places and amongst those places many drinking establishments. he had talked only briefly with the man, barely enough to introduce one another. the man had probably been too drunk to recall Geir but it didn't matter. it was one night amongst many but as usual, the Pale Fox never forgets. taking a small flask from his belt he raised it between him and the flames. they licked at his armored hand to the point he could feel the heat through the plates and tipped it, dropping some of the Tihaar it held on the pyre.

a man of many exploits and of great renown Geir briefly wondered if this would be the type of funeral he would have. then he just chuckled to himself and shaking his head before taking a swig of the mandalorian alcoholic spirit. it burned as it was supposed to, and was also hotter than usual thanks to the flames he had held it in for a moment. Geir knew he would probably die somewhere alone and fading into history, no family, no people to call his own. of that he was envious of Prudii. if anything he felt mandalorians were a people he felt the most kinship out of any in the galaxy. his mother had died a mandalorian, but he had never taken on the culture as his own. tonight he would reminisce in silence, to an unusual point even for him. no words were necessary for he had no words for the dead they had not already heard or didn't already know.

the offshoot stowed the flask on his person before resealing his helmet. he turned from the flaming pyre silently and left the funeral. the rest of the day was for friends, family and the people of mandalore. Geir did not fit in any of those categories. while they would grieve and mourn their leader's passing and welcome the new one in time, the Pale Fox would return to his solitude.

 

[Karissa Fett]

Talia remained where she stood as Karissa had her outburst. There was no movement, no acknowledgement right away. For all intents and purposes it appeared as if Talia hadn’t heard her. Her T-visor gaze was fixated directly ahead, still lingering over Prudii. Whispers erupted around them and a few had begun to shout at Karissa. Talia raised her hand to silence them, slowly turning her head to face Karissa.

“I did murder him,” Talia finally spoke, her tone icy, “I did kill him. And I did take his title,” She turned away from Karissa again, slowly making her way towards the pyre. Talia took her helmet off, her face difficult to read for emotions. She kept her helmet tucked under her arm, walking right past Karissa and standing across the pyre. Talia gazed out at the crowd, saying nothing for a few seconds. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“I wish more than anything I wasn’t standing here before you today instead of Prudii Kyramud,” She slowly began, blue eyes gazing over all those present, “But here I am. I wish more than anything that I did not have to watch the life drain from a friend I have loved and known since before I knew what war was. I wish more than anything I could go back to a time when Prudii Kyramud’s name was not tied to Mand’alor, back to when he was simply my friend Prudii. Back to when he was a simple boy with big dreams, just like the rest of us.”

Talia looked at the flames before her, “Prudii Kyramud was the necessary force when our people was at its weakest. We had no guidance, we had no path and we were simply another grain in the jar of sand neatly kept locked up by the Republic. We whispered, we complained, we did many things. We left Mandalore, we found work elsewhere, we made entirely different lives. I was among that,” She thought about Coruscant and her life in the Core, “Prudii was the one that came back and offered the first inkling of a promise. That promise was one of freedom, that promise was one of autonomy and a free people. He had the courage to do so and also the courage to face the challenges that came with it. Where you or I would have let pride get in the way of how far we would go for our people, Prudii let nothing stop him.”

Talia sighed, biting her lip to keep emotions in check, “He walked through a door and into a realm he could never return from. He walked through that door and put himself in the jaws of the Sith as a last ditch effort to free us,” Her voice grew louder now, “And free us he did! We shattered through the cage the Republic built around us, we tore through the chains of GAR, and we spat in the faces of the manipulative Senators that would have us kept as pets.”

She looked across the crowd, her face firm, “Prudii’s one mistake was that he could never come back from what he had done. His chapter in our story was coming to an end, and he knew it. I saw it when I looked into his eyes. He had accepted his fate and he knew he was in too deep with the Sith. He was the last thread to a crutch and weakness we no longer needed, one we could finally walk without, and he knew it had to be removed. I took the step to make that happen.”

Talia’s eyes were watering now and she took shuddering breaths, “I am your Mand’alor out of necessity, not out of delusions of grandeur. Through every trial and tribulation, through every necessary evil, through every hardship we cross… we have to come out on top. Prudii understood that before he died. He understood the steps that need to be taken towards fulfilling the promise he laid the foundations for. He knew it meant his death,” Talia looked over at Prudii, where he looked like he was in deep slumber. She managed a small smile, “There are some massive shoes to fill after Prudii Kyramud, and I think even a lifetime won’t get us there. But the truth is, as Mandalorians we have to persevere and carry on. We have to build upon what Prudii Kyramud has done for us and understand that he had a role to play in all this and we would never be here without him. As for me… I will forever remember him as my friend and brother. I will remember him as someone I cherish and will forever hold onto."

Karissa heard a rustle around her as those surrounding them began to whisper. The whisper built into a full on hushed roar, occasionally peaked by shouts at her. Finally she heard the silence between the two of them break as Talia turned to her, responding to her accusations. Her words at first did nothing to Karissa's rage, and in a swift motion the cold face of her helmet was replaced with the face of a human face - albeit devoid of emotion for the moment. Talia began walking towards her, and a small part of her wondered if the new Mand'alor was going to strike her down here and now for her words, but she simply walked past and looked out at the crowd. The woman began talking again, and her words entrapped the crowd, and Karissa. She listened to this woman give a tragic and informal eulogy of a man that she'd known her whole life. The start of her speech confused Karissa, as Talia professed that she wished she wasn't there instead of Prudii, that she hadn't had to kill him, and that he hadn't been Mand'alor.

With each word into her speech, the cold reality became more and more clear to Karissa. She felt pride swell within her, pride for her people, and pride for this fallen man that lay on the pyre beside them. The woman's word continued, detailing the neccessity of Prudii's death, how he had grown to accept it, and what they would do in his memory. The weight of the speech hit Karissa like a brick, her rage instantly sapped of all of its strength. Instead she felt an immense amount of guilt within her for calling this woman out, and a growing sense of sadness. She could hear in Talia's voice, and see in her face - eyes now glistening with tears - that this had not been something Talia had done easily. Killing Prudii hadn't been dispatching a threat, or a barrier, to her. Though the strong willed woman was trying to hide the pain on her face, it was breaking through and allowing a window into her heart.

Karissa looked at the woman, deciding in the spur of the moment to do something that likely was against her best interest. She rushed forward, wrapping her arms around the woman in a hug. She squeezed her arms around the uncomfortable armor that adorned the woman's body, and pressed her face into Talia's shoulder. She could feel the cold steel of Talia's armor against her face, and her tears now slicked the shoulder plate as tears streamed out of her eyes, "I'm sorry Talia.. I'm sorry.."

During all of this Karissa was blissfully unaware of the decimation of the bomber, nor the potential threat. Her attention, for once, was completely held by Talia. She pulled away and looked her in the eyes, her own red eyes blinking away the tears, "He always liked you when we were kids... if someone had to take his life.. he would have wanted it to be you."