To Bind

[Ral]

Outer Rim Territories
1125 Shipboard Time​

The hum of the engines filled Ral's small quarters as he sat before the spartan-esque desk, a pile of datapads containing reports and intelligence reports he managed to scrounge up with his rebel connections littered the table he was working at. With a bit of a sigh, Ral placed the orders he was working on down on the desk. A series of beeps from his comlink on his left wrist alerted him that he had a visitor. Turning his wrist over to look at the small datalink on his arm, Ral realized that Deidra had finally arrived and was requesting permission to see him. Ral stood, and brushed off the clothes he was wearing, glancing at the nearby stand with his newly painted armor and helmet sitting on it. Sometimes he wished he could always wear his armor, dealing with Deidra Laar was one of those times he found. There was nothing wrong with the woman per se, but when she was around Ral found himself slightly intimidated by the seemingly apathetic attitude she took towards everything but her family. It made figuring out what she wanted hard, and talking to her harder still. Which is why he wished he had his armor, so he could hide himself behind that metal skin and be on a more even playing field. With a loud, but otherwise calm voice he spoke, clear enough to be heard through the durasteel door and on the other side. "Please, come in, Dei."

With a quiet hiss the door to his cabin opened and the woman stepped inside. Looking at her gold armored body and helmet, Ral gave a polite smile before motioning to the seat in front of him. "Deidra, good to see you, glad you came. I wanted to discuss somethings with you, if you are up for it that is. Do you recall how we agreed how you'd help me and my clan? Well, something's come up I need to take care of, and I'd like you there as a sort of guard, and an extra set of hands should I need them."

Ral sat back down, glancing once more at his armor and how he wished he could have it. Knowing Deidra, she wouldn't remove her helmet, unless Ral got very lucky with her mood. Something he wasn't counting on at this juncture, but still would appreciate if she did. Gazing at her, trying to study her body language to see what she was thinking or feeling at the moment, Ral hoped that she would stick to her word and help him out. The truth was, Ral wanted to bind Deidra to the clan beyond owing Ral a favor, her niece, and some credits. As a rule, Ral didn't trust people who could be bought, if one person offered more they could take it and leave their original employer high and dry. Though, Ral hoped Deidra was different, and in any case was willing to risk it and put some trust in her anyways. She did save his life after all, but he needed to make sure that she would stick it through with the clan, with him through the hard times as well as the easy ones. "So, can I count on you coming with me?"

 

[Alora]

Deidra was sitting in the large compartment with Alora, talking about the young girl's life in the sewers of Nar Shaddaa when she got a message from Ral. Although she strongly disliked being summoned by anyone, the phrasing of Ral's message was rather like a request of favor then an order. So she left Alora with her pet strill and went to meet Ral.
When Ral explained the purpose of her visit, Deidra just nodded in response.
- If we're using my ship, I'll need a few refittings. Otherwise, good to go. What's the target and what do you want me to do?

 

[Ral]

"If you need some things I'm sure that can be arranged for you. While you're with me you're part of my family, just go see the quartermaster of the clan, he'll get you set up, and if he asks what you're doing or who gave you permission, just send him to me. I'll sort everything out." Ral smiled a little at the end, then his face returned to its typical dry expression as he gazed at Deidra. Looking at the woman for a moment, he turned in his seat so he was angled off to her right facing one of the walls. The man remained silent for a moment before grabbing a datapad and handing it to the red-headed warrior across from him. "He's not a target, not yet at least anyways. The man's name is Ethis Kal-Drig. He's a local warlord of some backwater I've never heard of, I'd be surprised if you had. He apparently heard about Renelo's new change of leadership and is requesting a meeting to 'discuss terms for a mutable beneficial arrangement' or some suchanges nonsense. Personally, I think it's a trap, but the man seems legit even if he is a bottom feeder. However, after what happened on Sleheyron I'm loathe to go anywhere alone, more so now. I'd like you to accompany me and see what he wants. Judging by this man's reputation, there's a good chance for action, especially if we decline his offer. So, I wouldn't worry about this being a boring case of babysitting if that's what you were thinking."

Standing up, Ral walked over to his aliit'gam and stared into the T-shaped visor of his beskar helmet for several moments before turning to face Deidra. Ral hoped he could count on the woman today, he'd need her more than she knew, and what else there was something he wanted to discuss with her that would help to solidify her place within the Clan and the chances of her sticking around. I"If there's anything you need I suggest you get them. There's also another matter I'd like to discuss, but we can do that on the ride to the planet."

 

[Alora]

- You want to go there with just the two of us?
Deidra thought for a moment, her HUD flashing images and lines of text as the HoloNet ran a search engine for the Ethis Kal-Drig. It took the thing about few seconds to pop up the results. Warlord of a racket gang, running small smuggling operations as well as black market weapons trade, drug trade and… slavery. Now that caught Deidra's attention. She blinked twice at the note. 7 confirmed slave deals, 28 suspected. Slaves acquired in raids on trade convoys, civilian settlings. Confirmed excessive use of force. Slaves taken include women, children. Traded to Hutt ganglords into the nightclubs establishments of Nal Hutta and Nar Shaddaa.
- I don’t really understand why would you want to make a deal with this kind of scum. But I said I'd do what you'll ask of me. I'd suggest taking at least two more people, but you're the Alor. Where are you going to meet him?

 

[Ral]

"I'd like it to just be the two of us, yes. I have my reasons, one of them being I don't expect there to be a major need for there to be more. Plus, I'm sure you're more than capable of handling anything should the situation arise, yes? Or is my faith in you misplaced?" Turning back to face his armor he held up a hand indicating that his last question was rhetorical and that he didn't want her answering it, just thinking on what he said. "I have full faith in you to kill anyone who might try to kill me, Deidra. If I didn't I wouldn't have asked you to join me. The truth is I'm only allowed to bring one guard, as he's only supposed to bring one. I don't want to get into bed with this imbecile, but he knows who we are and he has some reach, we might be able to use him one way or another... The meeting will take place on Vohai, it's not too far from our current position. We'll take your ship and leave when you're ready. I'll grab my gear and meet you at the airlock."

Ral waited until Deidra left before changing into his aliit'gam. Surely she would have questions, or that she was seriously doubting Ral's call to do business with such a lowlife, bug he didn't really intend to do business with the man, only make him a pawn in Ral's very convoluted and complicated plan at securing allied and friends, and making sure he could rely on them. With his armor on, Ral left for the airlock, weapons strapped to his body. Finding Dei he gave her a curt nod. "Before we leave I need to know somethings. First, I consider you a vod, Deidra, a member of my aliit, of my family, Alora too. Can I count on you to have my back like a vod? Can I count on you to follow my lead for this mission?"

Waiting to hear what she would say, Ral then motion for her to board her fighter so they could leave. Once they were on board and on their way, Ral would finally try and take a crack at her cold shell. "So Dei, I know you're not much for talking, but if we're going to be fighting together I'd like to know a bit more about you. Think we can take the time to talk?"

 

[Alora]

Deidra started up the engines and flew out of the hangar.
- If you mean will I do as you tell me, yes. As long as it's not something stupid that could get us both or me alone killed.
But questions Ral asked left her thinking. Was she ready to join the bigger crew or even the clan Ral was currently leading? She doubted it. All she ever wanted to do since Concord Dawn is stay alive long enough to see her family avenged. But she had at least a small of her family back now. Alora somehow survived although to do that she turned into more an animal than a woman. It looked like she took their clan's favorite tactics to the extreme, becoming fear incarnate instead of using it as a weapon. Deidra could understand the need for the young girl to become that. She was closer in mind to her fierce strill friend than to any human being. And Deidra didn't know if she should fight this or let the girl decide for herself.
But Ral took her in. The girl told Deidra all about her outburst at some clans' gathering and how she was banned by the leader at that time. But Ral decided it was worth it to get her back. For that at least Deidra could be thankful.
- Its one jump away. We can be over there in less than two hours.
In a few minutes the ship reached the jump point and disappeared into the hyperspace.

 

[Ral]

Stepping inside the small cockpit for the copilot, Ral reacquainted himself with the controls of Deidra's fighter. "Good, I'm glad I can trust you to follow reasonable orders then. Just like what I ask of every other vod I fight with. Just this time, please don't run off on me because someone is a nerf herder to you, yeh? Now, let's hump it!"

Deidra remained silent to his other question, and so it caused Ral to wonder what that meant. He knew the Laars weren't the speaking type, whether it was a genetic disposition or just the ingrained culture of their clan he didn't know, but if he was going to include Deidra in his plans she couldn't keep up the silent act; she would need to speak eventually, especially if she became what he thought she could become for their clans. Listening to her update about their course Ral would nod, mostly to himself though. "Good, it'll be a nice short jump then, but still plenty time for us to talk. There's, uh, some things I discovered that I kind of wanted to talk to you about if you're up for a little 'get to know you better' chat to help us pass the time."

Deidra's ship suddenly jumped to hyperspace and Ral knew it was time to get down to business. Taking a deep breath, Ral wondered what Dei's face looked like in that moment. No doubt she was scowling or had some unsatisfied loom that spoke of her displeasure of talking, or fates forbid, enjoying herself socially. Clearing his throat he began talking again. "So, I heard an interesting story about the Laars from an old verd the other day. How your clan used to go by Tal'laar, the blood song. That you used fear and terrorized and brutalized your enemies. Is that how you grew up? Is that how you lived before the Genocide? So, how did you end up being a Bounty Hunter? Doesn't seem like an occupation fit for a commando with a specialization in psyops. You seem rather over-qualified."

 

[Alora]

Deidra held her breath for a few moments. Now Ral found out. Well, it doesn't really matter. She won't be shy of her family.
- What can you do when you're alone and your clan is wiped out?
She didn't say more. But it brought unwelcome thoughts into her head. Now it was only a matter of time before she and maybe young Alora too will be shunned by the rest of the mandalorians. She will be outcasts, rogues again. Deidra pursed her lips. It doesn’t matter and it never did. She was proud of her heritage. Her clan could do things no other clan could. And every Mand'alor, at any age, has called on to them when he or she needed. The shortest service her clan offered was to Boba Fett, some minor errand when her needed some smuggler gang to be scared off Manda'yaim. The longest - Mandalor the Destroyer. Some say that woman was mentally sick. That could explain the fact, that Laars have provided her with service for years.
Deidra had no doubts about the current state of things. She wasn't her clan, she was just one warrior. But clans had a way of coming back in numbers. It wasn't blood that held them together, it were traditions and heritage. And those can be shared and the clan will grow. Just like Renelo clan has grown.
- I do what I can to survive in the Galaxy.
That was true. All she did was trying to survive with the set of skills she had. And bounty hunter's career was her only option at the time.

 

[Ral]

"Try and start anew, find someone to live with, to live for..." Ral muttered to himself in response to what Deidra had said to him. She was silent after that, for a little while before adding she did what she could to survive. It was a weak excuse in Ral's mind. Doing what they needed to survive was an age old tale that everyone said. It wasn't enough for them to just survive, they had to live, to grow, to evolve. He shook his head as he thought to himself, asking if that is what their people had been reduced to now. Bounty hunters just trying to survive in the Galaxy.

"You didn't answer my other question. I take it your silence means a yes, though. You did indeed grow up that way. Mind if I ask how your aliit died? Mine were killed during the Core Blitz, at Coruscant. After the war it was just me. I lived on my farm on Concord Dawn trying to make ends meet. If you told me then I would be leading a clan, especially one like Renelo I'd have told you that you were missing a few brain cells, or maybe your whole brain. Anyways..." Ral took a breath and paused wondering what Dei was doing or thinking in the seat behind him. Frowning, he tapped his fingers along the console in front of him. Well, he might as well ask her the question that was on his mind; her answer would determine the place she has in the clan. "I am curious, we're you ever good at it? Doing what your clan specializes in? Fear and terror? Sending messages to our foes?"

 

[Alora]

Deidra kept silent for a few minutes, when she spoke, her voice was low, as if she was forcing the words out of her.
- Long time ago, my clan was summoned to serve Mand'alor in a local conflict between our people and the trans-Galactic Corporation, who specialized in industrialization of agro worlds, using local population as work force. Someone in their highest ranks thought that Manda'yaim was a good planet to 'colonize' next. Mand'alor didn't want to wage war, he wanted to show that touching our world was a bad idea. So he summoned us. He didn't ask for the whole clan, he gave us an objective and let our alor decide what number of warrior he should assign to this task. Alor sent three.
Deidra made a few switches on the console, correcting the course of the flight.
- In two weeks time that Corporation swore not to come close to Mandalor, ever. Three warriors ran through their numbers. They slaughtered workers, office clerks. They skinned and flayed the officers. When they got to Corporation's military division, they literally fed them their own guts. I saw holograms of their office building on Coruscant. Ever been to a slaughter house? Well, compared to what three Laar warriors did there, slaughterhouse is a children's room for toddlers. The vice-president of the Corporation was hanged in his own office on hooks pierced through his feet and then skinned alive. He was still screaming when the guards finally managed to get inside.
Deidra paused again.
- No-one ever saw those three warriors. Not on cams, not by guards or anyone who could tell the tale. They thought they were hunted by a hundred murdering ghosts.
Deidra tilted her head forward a bit.
- One of this warriors was a 23 year old man. The other was his younger sister, about 19. The third - 11 year old girl in training. So yeah, I think anyone raised by Laar clan is good at what we do.