The Pickpocket

[batumshakalaka]

Graves swirled the Correlian whiskey he had sitting before him. It wasn't the best he had, but it wasn't the worst either. Honestly, he was quite surprised to find anything halfway decent here. The cantina he was didn't look half bad if you squinted your eyes, but the smell. The smell would leave you to believe the place had been built in the arse of gamorrean with some sort of rectal disease.

Graves had grown up in places like these and often sought them out after a mission. That was why he found himself here now. He came to these places to relax, he enjoyed the company of his fellow vod, but there was no place like home.

He flicked his cigarette over to the corner of his mouth and drained the rest of the whiskey. Signaling for another he spun around on the bar stool to face the dingy cantina. The low lighting made it hard to see, but he could see a few miners sitting at a table playing pazaak, a pair of what had to be smugglers or pirates and a twil'ek bar girl making her rounds. There were more patrons farther back, hiding in the shadows but he was off the clock, as much as a Protector could be, and didn't much care what anyone else was up to.

Besides, he was armed. He wasn't wearing his armor, just a plain unmarked white shirt and a pair of black pants, but he never went anywhere without his beloved pistols. The twin rippers hung low on his hips, polished to a pristine shine, he knew their deepest secrets and they knew his. They were as beautiful as they were deadly.

The bartender handed him another glass of whiskey Graves spun to face the man. A gruesome scar ran across the mans left hand where a few fingers were missing, a mining accident no doubt. Graves looked down at the glass and sighed, "Better make it a double." The man obliged. Graves paid him and emptied the glass.

He had been here long enough his desire to relax and been replaced with a desire to serve. Head swimming ever so slightly he walked from the bar.

 

[SwordZX]

Kad'tal was walking home after a long day of thievery. His loot was a nice score of credits and some weapons. Then he saw his next target. A man just walking out of the bar.

Kad'tal fixed his eyes on the twin rippers the man had holstered. He followed the man for a couple blocks and decided to strike now. He was behind the man and reached out for the gun on the left side grabbed it and started to pull it out and spun right to walk the other way.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Graves walked down the dark street headed back to the starport. He wasn't in any particular hurry, he moved slowly enjoying the little there was to enjoy.

About two blocks down from the bar he felt something. It wasn't anything he could put his finger on. It was a gut reaction, someone was trying to wrong him in the worst way possible. Graves spun lashing out with his fist, he felt his gun fall back into it's holster as he spun around and knew what had been happening.

Some little punk had gotten it into their mind that they wanted his guns. Badly enough to test him.

 

[SwordZX]

Kad'tal hadn't noticed that the man spun around as well. There was no way to dodge the punch that connected to the back of his head. He staggered a little and fell face down on the ground. Barely conscious of what happened. He turned over and looked the man in the face.

Would the man leave him there in the street or help him out?

 

[batumshakalaka]

Graves looked down at the boy, he was no more than that. Just a boy. Still he was filled with distaste for the yongster, there was no honor in thievery. He supposed there was a challenge, but certainly no honor. The boy had displayed courage or was it just stupidity? Graves dramatically pulled one of the rippers from it's holster and lowered the point to face the boy.

"Get up boy." He growled. "What's your name?"

He was interested in the young man, something about him called to Graves. Besides the Protectors were always looking for new recruits.

 

[SwordZX]

The man drew his weapon and pointed it at Kad'tal and told his to get up. He stood up while still a little dazed.
"My name is Kad'tal if you must know. It's mando'a And it means "Sword of Blood". I live up to that name. I should have just slit you're throat but that would have been less stealthy on such a busy street. Your rippers are more secure than I thought they would be. Do you have a magnetic lock on them?" He said with a smirk.

 

[batumshakalaka]

The boy spat some dribble from his mouth, it amounted to nothing. The boy was foolish and arrogant, much as Graves had been at his age. But this kid was wild, he had no focus, coupled with his attitude he was bound wind up dead before long.

"I really don't care what you could have done, what I do know is that you did try failed." He paused, still pointing the gun at the boys face. He had broken the law and Graves was well within his limits to punish him. He thought better of it. "Where are your parents?"

 

[SwordZX]

"My parents are dead. My mother was killed when I was born. But a man that broke in with a sword. He left the sword and my mother in a pool of blood. My father arrived too late to save her. He blamed me for everything he would get drunk and beat me constantly. Last year I couldn't take any more so during one of his drunken beatings I grabbed a sword off the mantel and stabbed him through his gut. Then ran away and have been on the streets since." Kad'tal said with a single tear rolling down his scarred cheek.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Graves lowered his gun. The poor kid had never known peace, never experienced justice. The fact the kid was still alive was a testament to his character. "My name is Wallace Graves, I am a Mandolorain Protector." He said, by way of response, he felt bad for the kid but he wasn't going to apologize for someone else's mistakes. He could help Kad'tal, knew that he had to help Kad'tal.

"I can get you off these streets, train you, teach you discipline, show you have to use a gun." He paused. "But you have to put this part of your life behind you. Becoming a Protector is much more than a title, you must embrace the entire lifestyle. We are justice, for you that means no more stealing."

 

[SwordZX]

Kad'tal sure what to say about the offer. "Uh, thank you Sir. I don't know what to say. Can I really become a protector? I am not good enough to be anything of worth. But I will try to put thi life behind me. Where would I stay?" He voiced.

 

[batumshakalaka]

Don't expect to be a Protector tomorrow kid. There is a lot of training." Graves said, "Before you can become a Protector you must under stand what you are 'protecting.' The Mandolorain way of life is sacred, honor bound, and strong."

Graves was silent for awhile. He really didn't like kids, but this young mando only verged on the cusp of childhood, with a good push he would surly find him self in young adulthood. Still he was a street rat and an unfriendly arrogant one at that and yet the boy called for help. "You can stay with me." Graves said lighting another cigarette. "Come on, you can stay with me until your training begins." Graves gestured back toward the spaceport and started walking.

 

[SwordZX]

Kad'tal knew in his heart that this was an opportunity in life that he could not pass up. A way to give others justice and peace that he was not afforded.
"I thank you for giving me this opportunity Wallace Graves. I will not let you down. I will become justice and peace for others. And uphold the Mando way." He said with chest out and a smile on his face. He new he had found his purpose in life.
"What would you like me to call you?" He asked

 

[batumshakalaka]

"Graves." He said, flipping his cigarette from one side of his mouth to the other.