A Personal Call

[Hugo Ion]

​

A lone Antelope Class Shuttle came out of hyperspace in front of Mandalore. Inside the cockpit Hugo Ion sat alone. He stopped the ship and looked down at the floor, collecting himself. He had never expected to come here not like this. The pact between the Galactic Alliance and the Mandalorian clans was threatened due to recent events.

While the Rebels and Mandalorians managed to maul the Sith at Al’doleem but they lost Daniel Solus, a close member of Mand'alor’s own clan. Hugo had not known the man personally, but his actions at their former base spoke for themselves. I think he was at the Nar Shaddaa Party. Definitely seemed like a wild man back there. The battle scarred rebel thought.

Of course he had a feeling the upcoming meeting will certainly be intense. Mandalorians were not brutes, contrary to what others paint them out to be. They were in a fact people of deep ties to family and strong emotions. Considering the fallen warrior had been a member of Clan Solus, Hugo imagined the Mandalor knew him personally.

The question is will Raz actually want to see him right now in the midst of grieving for her brother in arms? Ion hated to interlude on such a time but the Sith’s open ploy to divide them forced his hand. He needed to pay his respects and set the record straight.

”A hologram message was out of the question. This needs to be done in person. I owe her and Daniel Solus that much.”

He whispered to himself before finally looking up at the planet. Ion took a moment to admire it. This was the first time the Duros had ever laid eyes on the world. Sighing, the Alliance commander sent a coded transmission to Raz letting her know he had arrived and was waiting for permission to land and the coordinates.

@Sreeya

 

[Raz Solus]

Raz had been surprised when Hugo not only reached out to her on Holonet, but had revealed himself in the process. It was the first time he had addressed the public so boldly, and he revealed the existence of the Galactic Alliance. While Val may have revealed the Jedi, this was the first time the galaxy would know that an entire resistance movement existed. It was shocking to Raz, but it had worked to ease her concerns about Dan’s senseless death.

When Hugo commed her that he had approached towards the planet, she was surprised yet again. Not only had he made such a bold gesture on Holonet, but he was actually following it up with coming into her domain. Raz hesitated for a moment, angry at everything. She wanted nothing more than to harm any outsiders, reeling back into what she knew and only her own people. Nevertheless, he was making a big effort, and she wouldn’t turn away from that.

She gave the orders for him to be allowed entry, and she made her way over to the spaceport. Raz was adorned in her armor as always, the rebels never seeing her as anything else. She could see his ship descend after she reached there, and she was there to meet him when he arrived. As he made his way down, Raz would simply nod.

“Commander Ion,” She muttered simply. It was difficult to tell how she was feeling, the cold helmet always adding a barrier in interactions. Raz stood proud and tall as always, not letting anyone see how distraught she still was.


@Minuteman75

 

[Hugo Ion]

Receiving confirmation, the rebel didn’t hesitate to dive toward Mandalore. The shuttle shook for several seconds as he entered the surface. Dyur is a better pilot than me. He mentally confessed, thinking of his Sullustan aide-to-camp. Of course Ion refused to drag her into this situation. There were a number of ways this meeting could go down and many of them bad outcomes for the galaxy. Squeezing his hands on the controls the Duros silently vowed to make sure the Alliance continues on regardless of what happens to him personally.

Subsequently Hugo flew over the spaceport he been directed to. Once reaching the landing pad the alliance craft descended in front of Mand'alor. The resistance leader knew he should be grateful this upcoming meeting was allowed to happen. Best not to keep her waiting. Sighing once more Ion got up from the seat and activated the ramp to open.

Seconds later he walked down as small steam burst out from underneath the shuttle repeatedly. Looking at the armored warlord in the visor Commander Ion nodded solemnly and said. “Mand’alor.” Neither of them had time for pleasantries. Standing several meters away from one another Hugo clasped both hands behind his back the Durosian took a moment of silence before continuing.

“I’m here as promised. To pay my deepest respects to your clansman, Daniel Solus and to be judged in person by you for what happened on Al’doleem.”

@Sreeya

 

[Raz Solus]

Raz said nothing for a moment, simply gazing at Hugo. She sized him up silently, remembering back to when they had shared camaraderie over their shared wins in Hutt space. None of that was present today, and she was back to being the steely helmet and armor standing before him. Raz was positively fuming, anger roiling in her veins. Leandros had asked to come, but she knew he would lose his temper and quite possibly try to kill Hugo.

“Nothing you do will bring him back,” She growled, wondering why he was even here wasting her time. Raz pointed a finger at him, “How can you be expected to protect my people when you can’t even keep your own in check? Doubts have been planted not just from this senseless death where you would have Mandalorians guard your empty fortresses,” She paused for a moment, “But also from keeping around questionable people within your ranks.”

Raz closed the distance between them, grasping at Hugo’s neck with her cybernetic arm and slamming him back against the ship he walked out from. If any of his crew tried to do anything, she would quickly draw a weapon and blast them. Raz leaned in close to Hugo’s face, her T-visor close so he could see his own reflection on it, “I don’t kriff around, Ion. I don't waste time with sentiments and flowery promises. The only reason I haven’t torn your head off already is because I know you lost people too. Ultimately, you held the planet and that shows that there was a true stand made,” She spoke through gritted teeth, “However, I know you are letting people that act like Sith run around in your midst. I’m not going to tolerate bullshit like that and I will burn you and your little alliance to the kriffing ground before I allow you to create a new brand of Sith.”

She released him finally, stepping back and glaring at him from beneath her helmet, “There was a man by the name of Castor who was a part of the evacuation efforts. I saw him tear the memories from an unarmed man and plunge his saber into his heart after leaving the man an empty husk. That’s the kind of Jedi you have under you. He lived only because he escaped my attempts to end him. You have done nothing about this monster of a man. You do not understand the Jedi any more than we do, and this is exactly why we don’t trust them," Raz stood silent for a moment, "If you can’t bring your insubordinate people to heel, I will do it for you. And I promise you - you won't want me involved.”

@Minuteman75

 

[Hugo Ion]

Hugo did not expect a warm welcome by the Mandalorian chieftain at all. He wasn’t a stranger to grief nor furious rage of that matter. He stood there quietly, letting Raz Solus said her piece without interruption. Daniel really meant that much to her. Hugo realized with quiet sympathy but kept it from appearing on his expression.

The last thing the Mand'alor wanted from him was pity and he won’t insulted her with it.

Further thought on the matter was interrupted when Raz expressed another grievance. Confusion came to Ion. But, before he can ask the armored human suddenly rushed forward grasping his neck with the metal arm and slamming him into the side of the ship with a loud thud. Slightly grimacing from the pain Hugo refused to show fear even as Raz raged on. She would quietly note there was no one else on the shuttle because the Alliance commander had chosen to come to Mandalore alone.

Grasping the metal limb with both hands, straggling him the Durosian looked at the visor listening calmly as possible to what the warlord had to say. Once released Hugo despite the near suffocation he just experienced refused to look away at Raz. Only when Raz mentioned the name Castor, the Commander paused. Subsequently, Mand'alor explained what happened exactly between her and the ex-Sith. Once it was said and do e Hugo’s quiet shock gave way to visible anger as his red eyes narrowed and hands squeezed into shaking fists.

That kriffing bastard! Ion thought with mounting fury. The resistance leader didn’t care for Castor’s reasons for why it was done because the fact the man kept all of it a secret and continued as if nothing happened. Such actions had no place in the Jedi Order nor the Alliance for that matter. Once this Mandalore business is done Castor will pay for all of these transgressions.

First things first.

Focusing back to his enraged ally Hugo calmly cleared his throat. “I know coming to you it won’t bring him or the others back. That’s not why I’m here.” He confessed before sighing, remembering those who had died. ”You’re not the only one who lost a brother on that damn day.”

Keeping the gaze squarely at Raz’s visor he continued.

“Aro Saa, we both survived and escaped an Imperial labor camp together and fought as comrades from the early days of our movement. He was with Daniel at the height of the battle. They fought and died together against the Sith bastards, saving lives in the process who now are engaging in combat with the enemy elsewhere as we speak.”

The rebel leader let those words sink in for both of them. He closed his eyes and shook violently, suppressing both grief and fury. Hugo silently cursed himself for not taking the time to message or see the now fallen Kel Dor before Al’doleem.

“As for those empty temples and your warriors’ role in the battle let me explain.” He remarked and added.

”There were rebel skeleton crews placed in those locations ensuring that all pertinent information was purged so that the Empire couldn't track us back to our other bases. Moreover we wanted to frak the Sith and to show you, our allies that we truly mean to fight. It was not a decision I made lightly!”

Even now Hugo can still see the faces of his rebels that volunteered to stay behind and carry out the mission. Many of them died, doing so and they will haunt his sleep along with the others. Another mountain of guilt laid upon the Duros’ soul. ”Your warriors weren’t forced to help with the defenses and I seriously doubt they would’ve tolerate such an insult but were given the option to volunteer or not. They fought side by side with my comrades equally.”

Crossing his arms over Hugo finally addressed the last concern. “As for Castor, he is already under arrest by General Greybok for a different crime and is no longer considered a Jedi or rebel. I already intend to deal with him permanently but now with this new reveal of yours I’m all the more convinced it is necessary.”

Ion spit to the side angrily, letting Raz know he sooner die than allow new Sith freely grow within the Alliance.

@Sreeya