Phaedacomm, Monday afternoon [FHT]
It took some time for Kace's planning session to end, but once it did, Zayne strode into the cartography room to see the old Master alone with a bottle in one hand and a glowing object in the other. With purpose, Zayne simply said, "Dantooine."
"Figured it out, did you?" Kace asked, looking up. "You are good."
"I had some help," Zayne dismissed. "Turns out the Republic's been watching Dorjander Kace for thirty years. The Mandos captured me... but they captured you first. During the Great Sith War. And you lived among them. No, as one of them. When the war ended and the Mandalorians lost, you went back to the Jedi. You served with honor, becoming a Councilor... the Councilor most against the Jedi joining the war against the Mandalorians."
Zayne walked over to the map computers and started looking for something. "The Republic didn't like that, so they found a way to get you removed. Once you were out of the way, they closed the file. They must've laughed when you volunteered to join Revan's cause against the Mandalorians. But it got you out here to pull off your plan. I understand now." Zayne pulled up a map of neighboring systems to make his point. "Essien, Halthor, Phaeda... they all trace a path going to Dantooine. You took control of Halthor and Phaedacomm so you could reach Dantooine without anyone knowing Reciprocity had been taken."
"Phaedacomm will stay silent while you pull your scam again," Zayne said. "And while the Dreadnoughts follow you. You're going after my old school, Kace. You're going to attack the Jedi Academy at Dantooine! That's what Sornell gave you -- the roster of Jedi Masters there. It's a skeleton staff. A lot are at the front. You're not trying to achieve some kind of fair balance, Kace. You want the Mandalorians to win, and you'll kill younglings to do it!"
"No, Zayne," Kace said, standing up and holding the glowing sphere in his hand up a bit more. "You're right on everything else, but not that. We'll do with the children what the Mandalorians do with everyone else. We'll raise them as our own, as part of the Mando'ade. As the new Mandalorian Kngihts!"
"I've seen this nightmare before, Kace," Zayne said. "It's WRONG!"
"You want to see wrong, Zayne? Let me show you!" Kace said, showing off the sphere in his hand. "Here!" The sphere had an image of an attractive woman with a haircut in Mando armor. "Her name was Varda. She taught me their traditions... and I learned to love her. We were expecting a child, until she was killed by a Republic bomb... A Republic bomb launched by the hand of the Jedi. Varda accepted the dangers of life as a Mandalorian. But she deserved a fair fight against the Republic itself. Not a rigged game against Force-wielding dupes."
Kace slid the sphere back into his belt pocket as he started walking around the maps Zayne pulled up earlier. "But why expect better from the Republic? That fool Captain Morvis is exactly who they are; no judgment, all ambition! At least Mandalorians believe in something, Zayne. Yes, they can be indiscriminate and brutal. But with our guidance, they can change. They Republic can't. We're on the wrong side! Even with Revan's meddling, the Mandalorians will win. They're stronger this time. But it could take decades..."
"Unless I get more Knights. There's no time to build a Jedi tradition from scratched. But we're good at converting the conquered," Kace continued, turning back toward Zayne and placing a hand of friendship on his shoulder. "The Republic hasn't treated you very well either, Zayne. I hope you can learn to understand. And when you're ready, you can be one of us. We could use you. And we'd never judge you."
Kace's attention was pulled away as Ko Sornell walked into the room. "Ah, Sornell. Is your team ready to manage the comm systems here?"
"Yes," Sornell answered.
"Fast work. I expected no less," Kace said with some pride. "Kra'ake is returning to Halthor within the hour. I'm off to prepare Reciprocity for the next leg. Find a place here to hold Zayne. The quarantine cells should do. When I return with the cargo, we'll release him. I think he'll see the light." With one last smile, Kace left.
Once Kace was a safe distance away from the room, Sornell glared at Zayne. "Sounds like you were right. You okay?"
"I can't believe it's happening again," Zayne said. "Twice, I've seen schools torn apart by manipulative people. I don't care what Kace says, someone will get hurt. And taking the Padawans is just wrong!"
"Converting people to our ways is part of the tradition," Sornell said. "But I've never heard of targeting younglings before. I know how I'd feel if someone came after mine."
"Then you've got to help me!" Zayne pleaded. "You said you owe me..."
"We've been over this. You helped my son and me escape," Sornell said, shaking her head. "But this operation was approved by Mandalore himself. Stopping it goes way beyond what I owe you. I'm sorry."
Zayne felt defeat coming upon him for just a moment before he spotted a new angle. "Wait. I helped you escape. What if you just let me go... and I swore not to warn Dantooine about what's coming?"
"That's insane," Sornell scoffed. "Why should I believe you?"
"Your people say family is more than blood. You've been that to me. I will stop Kace, but I won't betray you," Zayne vowed, holding a hand up in a Mandalorian salute. "Haat, ijaa, haa'tt. I seal a pact on my honor... as a Mandalorian."
[Adapted from KOTOR - War #3 by Miller and Mutti. Just one more post tonight, I promise, and then a little more spamming tomorrow.]
"Figured it out, did you?" Kace asked, looking up. "You are good."
"I had some help," Zayne dismissed. "Turns out the Republic's been watching Dorjander Kace for thirty years. The Mandos captured me... but they captured you first. During the Great Sith War. And you lived among them. No, as one of them. When the war ended and the Mandalorians lost, you went back to the Jedi. You served with honor, becoming a Councilor... the Councilor most against the Jedi joining the war against the Mandalorians."
Zayne walked over to the map computers and started looking for something. "The Republic didn't like that, so they found a way to get you removed. Once you were out of the way, they closed the file. They must've laughed when you volunteered to join Revan's cause against the Mandalorians. But it got you out here to pull off your plan. I understand now." Zayne pulled up a map of neighboring systems to make his point. "Essien, Halthor, Phaeda... they all trace a path going to Dantooine. You took control of Halthor and Phaedacomm so you could reach Dantooine without anyone knowing Reciprocity had been taken."
"Phaedacomm will stay silent while you pull your scam again," Zayne said. "And while the Dreadnoughts follow you. You're going after my old school, Kace. You're going to attack the Jedi Academy at Dantooine! That's what Sornell gave you -- the roster of Jedi Masters there. It's a skeleton staff. A lot are at the front. You're not trying to achieve some kind of fair balance, Kace. You want the Mandalorians to win, and you'll kill younglings to do it!"
"No, Zayne," Kace said, standing up and holding the glowing sphere in his hand up a bit more. "You're right on everything else, but not that. We'll do with the children what the Mandalorians do with everyone else. We'll raise them as our own, as part of the Mando'ade. As the new Mandalorian Kngihts!"
"I've seen this nightmare before, Kace," Zayne said. "It's WRONG!"
"You want to see wrong, Zayne? Let me show you!" Kace said, showing off the sphere in his hand. "Here!" The sphere had an image of an attractive woman with a haircut in Mando armor. "Her name was Varda. She taught me their traditions... and I learned to love her. We were expecting a child, until she was killed by a Republic bomb... A Republic bomb launched by the hand of the Jedi. Varda accepted the dangers of life as a Mandalorian. But she deserved a fair fight against the Republic itself. Not a rigged game against Force-wielding dupes."
Kace slid the sphere back into his belt pocket as he started walking around the maps Zayne pulled up earlier. "But why expect better from the Republic? That fool Captain Morvis is exactly who they are; no judgment, all ambition! At least Mandalorians believe in something, Zayne. Yes, they can be indiscriminate and brutal. But with our guidance, they can change. They Republic can't. We're on the wrong side! Even with Revan's meddling, the Mandalorians will win. They're stronger this time. But it could take decades..."
"Unless I get more Knights. There's no time to build a Jedi tradition from scratched. But we're good at converting the conquered," Kace continued, turning back toward Zayne and placing a hand of friendship on his shoulder. "The Republic hasn't treated you very well either, Zayne. I hope you can learn to understand. And when you're ready, you can be one of us. We could use you. And we'd never judge you."
Kace's attention was pulled away as Ko Sornell walked into the room. "Ah, Sornell. Is your team ready to manage the comm systems here?"
"Yes," Sornell answered.
"Fast work. I expected no less," Kace said with some pride. "Kra'ake is returning to Halthor within the hour. I'm off to prepare Reciprocity for the next leg. Find a place here to hold Zayne. The quarantine cells should do. When I return with the cargo, we'll release him. I think he'll see the light." With one last smile, Kace left.
Once Kace was a safe distance away from the room, Sornell glared at Zayne. "Sounds like you were right. You okay?"
"I can't believe it's happening again," Zayne said. "Twice, I've seen schools torn apart by manipulative people. I don't care what Kace says, someone will get hurt. And taking the Padawans is just wrong!"
"Converting people to our ways is part of the tradition," Sornell said. "But I've never heard of targeting younglings before. I know how I'd feel if someone came after mine."
"Then you've got to help me!" Zayne pleaded. "You said you owe me..."
"We've been over this. You helped my son and me escape," Sornell said, shaking her head. "But this operation was approved by Mandalore himself. Stopping it goes way beyond what I owe you. I'm sorry."
Zayne felt defeat coming upon him for just a moment before he spotted a new angle. "Wait. I helped you escape. What if you just let me go... and I swore not to warn Dantooine about what's coming?"
"That's insane," Sornell scoffed. "Why should I believe you?"
"Your people say family is more than blood. You've been that to me. I will stop Kace, but I won't betray you," Zayne vowed, holding a hand up in a Mandalorian salute. "Haat, ijaa, haa'tt. I seal a pact on my honor... as a Mandalorian."
[Adapted from KOTOR - War #3 by Miller and Mutti. Just one more post tonight, I promise, and then a little more spamming tomorrow.]