Dance with the Devil

[Sergei Petrov]

hite clouds drifted and thick fog veiled the horizon. Streaks of light simmered through, illuminating several bridge cities of the colony world. Cato Neimoidia was under the present control of the Neimoidian species, a subjugated race in the Imperial Republica. However, the planet was outside its borders, established without the consent of the Empire. It was treasonous. Seditious.

There was no way the colony could get away with trying to undermine the Empire’s sovereignty. They had not only aimed to generate the exodus of an entire species from Imperial space, but opened themselves to the rest of the galaxy. Fraudulent trading companies, criminal smugglers, or a Mandalorian presence. That could not be tolerated.

Imperial Intelligence reported there was no enemy activity on the planet, but Sergei wanted to be certain. En route to Cato Neimoidia’s self-proclaimed archduke, a xeno of extravagant wealth, the Imperial officer was prepared for a confrontation. While they were no governor or ambassador, he understood enough to know the Archduke was the real source of power on the wayward world. If there was a rebel or Mandalorian movement on the planet, they would know. And when this confrontation was over, Sergei would know too.

His personal shuttle trembled. Through the cockpit window, he could see the Archduke’s grand estate grow ever closer. Disgust followed and his blood boiled at the sight. They would not get away with their treachery. “Touch down at his front door. I’m done wasting time.” He commanded the pilot, who nodded in short turn and veered the ship close. “You two—“ He pointed to two heavy armored soldiers. “—come with me. This shouldn’t be long.”

Once the ship settled several meters from the patio entrance, Sergei disembarked. Decked in his usual set of armor albeit free of his helmet, the man was ready for a fight. But with two guards and a stun baton in his right hand, he doubted the Archduke could pose a threat. Old and lanky, he would concede before the Imperial even started his interrogation. Not that would it stop him from going through with it anyway.

With the wave of his hand, one of his men smashed through the front door. Step by step, Sergei entered the foyer. On the ceiling, a chandelier glimmered. Paintings and statues lined the walls. It was lavish beyond compare— and he hated everything about it. “Archduke Hadar.” His voice echoed down the halls. “Hope you don’t mind that I welcomed myself in.”

Several hurried footsteps followed. “Captain Petrov. You shouldn’t be— ah, what are you doing here?” At the staircase leading to the second floor, the thin Archduke moved into the foyer, voice weak. Immediately, the Imperial noticed a look of concern wiped across his face. He was not alone. “Apologies, Archduke. I didn’t mean to catch you off guard. Am I intruding?” He offered a smile full of false camaraderie. “Do you mind if my men search your estate? Just protocol.” Before the Neimoidian could even answer, Sergei raised a hand and his two guards instantly split up to inspect.

“In the meantime, I believe there is much to discuss, my dear friend…”

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

Daniel said that the Mandalorians were doing just fine, thank you.

The Archduke had requested audience with the Mandalorians following their actions on Manaan and Umbara. They wanted to propose an alliance, or financial arrangement or who knows what. Daniel honestly didn't care. He had only accepted the mission because of all of the Clan Solus Rally Masters, he was by far the most diplomatically minded. And also the most likely to get bored, forget what he was talking about and derail everything so thourghly they would be sure not to ask again...until the Mandalorians took interest in them.

And that was just what was happening. The scrawny Archduke had been entertaining for all of fifteen minutes--exactly how long it had taken for Daniel to decide that his eyes were not actually made of some sort of pastry--and then become terribly dull. He droned on and on and on about the most needless things. It didn't seem to matter whether or not the Rally Master actually said anything. The Archduke continued to propose then retract then rephrase...it was getting to be too much for Daniel. Not to mention the glittering of gold was gross an somewhat tasteless. The young Mando much preferred his rustic house back on Mandalore to this sparkling palace of diamonds and weird-eyed aliens.

When the Archduke suddenly stopped talking, all the color draining from his face and hurried off Daniel had never been more relieved in his life. He sank back into his chair and closed his eyes. It didn't help, he could see gold flashes everywhere. He remained like that for a moment before the sound of tense voices echoed up the staircase form the foyer. Not particularly concerned about protocol or good behavior, Daniel's curiosity got the better of him. Languidly, after rearranging all of his many weapons and settling his armor around his form after standing up, his helmet clipped to his belt, he wandered down the staircase to see what was up.

Nothing had prepared him for what was down there. Framed by two guards was one of the most attractive humans Daniel had ever seen. He was refined in a way that Mandalorians just weren't and that made him doubly interesting. Did it matter that he was an Imperial Agent? Did Daniel even notice? No. After staring blankly for a second, his mouth agape, he strode forward, all but knocking the Archduke out of the way and extended his hand to the stranger without really thinking.

"Hi!" He said. "I'm Daniel! You're very handsome!"

Thankfully, Daniel was a little too socially unaware to realize that this might have been an awkward comment, to the friendly Mando it was just being nice.[/I][/I]

@Deviant

 

[Sergei Petrov]

rchduke Hadar was an absolute mess. He was shaking like a wet dog and Sergei knew he had him in the bag. All he needed to do was wave his hand a few times, flash several guards at his back and stare down the wrinkled alien before he broke down. The Imperial was almost curious to see whether the Archduke would have a stroke if the man triggered the stun baton in his hand and rattled it in front of his noseless face. Nevertheless, he clipped the baton to his waist. He had come more than to purely torment the alien. He had questions and Hadar was fated to answer them. The interrogation would presume better than he originally hoped. Or so Captain Petrov had so foolishly believed.

Out of the corner of his eye, hovering down the staircase like a phantom, an armored man emerged. His footsteps were loud and slow. For the Imperial, the stranger was going faster than he would have wanted. His right hand, rather than gravitate to the stun rod, moved for the blaster pistol in the holster at his side. Suspicion coursed through his blood. While he expected someone else to be in company with the Archduke, he was still surprised. But to his shock and awe, that was only the beginning.

As Hadar was pushed aside like the sack of worthless meat he was, nearly staggering into the carpeted floor, Sergei caught the glint of the man’s helmet. Even then, his entire outfit screamed a single word: Mandalorian. Behind him, the guards tensed and his shoulders stiffened. Natural instinct compelled him to take hold of his blaster and slowly pull it from its sheath. Not fast enough to alert the stranger but enough to satisfy his growing dread. The armored man stretched out a hand and unfurled his fingers. He expected to see a thermal detonator but only found an empty hand.

“I’m Daniel! You’re very handsome!”

What? His words, followed by the question, reverberated in his head. Sergei was not sure what he just heard. Hesitation momentarily overwhelmed him. A split second after, his resolve hardened. “A Mandalorian? Guards—“ His words trailed away as the man’s words, and his own question, sloshed around his skull for the second time. The first time, he didn’t believe what he heard. But a few seconds later, he had finally processed what was said. “—wait, excuse me?”

He looked at the younger man, confused and bewildered. Another moment of awkward silence and tension passed between the two. Then, he shook his head, along with the unexpected thoughts that plagued it. “Forget it, guards— take this man into custody.” The naval officer stepped back. Meanwhile, his two guards moved closer. One held a blaster toward the Mandalorian and the other unveiled a set of electric shackles. If the stranger had seriously expected a pleasant introduction, then he was dead wrong.

And if Sergei thought he could contain the man with only a pair of half-trained troopers, then he was a fool to think it too.

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

Daniel didn't know what he had been expecting, especially once he clued in to what he had said. However, he was a little miffed though, that the man set his guards on him. Was he like some kind of Imperial or something? Who does that? Perfectly normal conversation and somebody decides to arrest someone else for saying hi. He should never have left the bakery on Mandalore.

With an exasperated sigh he casually pulled his highly illegal disruptor pistol, activating the charge even as he went from its holster and, thinking about the dismal state of human relationships and bias, fired a single burst into the man's chest. It wasn't a peaceful way to go, having a large chunk of your torso disintegrate into nothingness and Daniel genuinely felt sorry for the man. Too bad he was just doing his job.

He turned to the one with the stuncuffs. "You know, I thought that maybe a "hello" would have been in order first. But if you want to jump straight to handcuffs then I guess that's fine too." The other man had no response, and that was fine, Daniel's comment didn't really warrant one anyway. The goon simply lunged and Daniel waited for him to get close, then rotated around his right side until he came up behind, drawing his vibrosword as he did.

As the man tumbled forward Daniel sliced his sword along the weak point of the man's armor between chestplate and helmet. He felt it crack through the clasp and catch delicate flesh underneath. Not particularly bothered by the altercation he turned back to the Imperial man while the troopers writhed on the floor around him. "Right, so. I take it that you're an Imperial? He scratched his head with the hand that still held his sword as he looked quizzically at the agent. "Too bad, really. We could have been friends!"

@Deviant

 

[Sergei Petrov]

hock took him. One moment, Sergei was staring down the Mandalorian as his two finest guards closed in. With a blaster to his head and stun cuffs not far from his wrists, the Imperial was confident he could take the man into custody without a problem. In the next moment, what he hoped to see had taken a turn for the worst. He barely gauged the young man flash a disruptor pistol before he turned the first guard’s chest into a scorched hole. The second guard attempted to restrain him but likewise met the receiving end of a knife. Sliding between his armor, the man fell to the floor. Blood stained the carpet. Sweat trickled down his neck.

Whatever he was dealing with here, they were no shallow warrior. Not as the Imperial first believed. They were a true Mandalorian. The second greatest threat to the Empire’s stability and one of the most dangerous warriors in the known galaxy. Any other naval officer would have pissed their pants right then and there at the sight. On the other hand, Sergei remained impassive. He made every attempt to hide away his surprise and growing dread. He refused to give the Mandalorian a taste of fear. If he was facing his death, he would do so proudly.

But the man had no intentions of dying. Not now. As his brain tried to formulate a plan, Sergei raised an empty hand in defense. His right heel slid back. He locked eyes with the stranger who remained nonchalant despite his brutal attacks and the victims writhing at his feet. “Wait, hey now—“ He managed to answer, feigning a plea. “—maybe we still can? How about you just take a step back and…” His voice trailed away, but only because of his next action. Rather than let the Mandalorian relish in an early victory, he pounced to attack.

Unlike his other guard, he was much faster. Trained and disciplined in combat for years, the Imperial knew what he was doing and how to do it. Before either of them could even blink, he ripped his own blaster from its holster. However, fearing the Mandalorian might get the shot on him first and he would find a similar hole in his torso, Sergei lurched right for the Archduke who had remained closest to him. Turning the weak-willed alien into a meat shield, his blaster wandered between his enemy and his newfound hostage. “Take another step closer and I blow his brains out.” It was a threat and he meant it.

What he failed to understand was how little the Mandalorian may have cared about the Archduke. It seemed both men might have preferred to see the boring sack of flesh dead. But could Clan Solus afford it? Sergei waited to find out.

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

"Uh, ok...I mean if you want to?" Daniel was confused. Did the Imperial guy think that he was here to befriend the Archduke? He really didn't care either way, it's not like Mandalorians hadn't assassinated heads of state before. More concerning, however was the speed and dicipline agent had reacted with. He was the real deal, not like his doofus guards. That was a funny word, doofus, and even just thinking it made Daniel smile slightly.

"Ok, so I'm only here formally, you know," he said, still somewhat confused. "The Mandalorians and Clan Solus have better things to do. He offered us money for protection and we decided that maybe we could just take the cash and dip." He flinched and looked at the Archduke. "Sorry, sir, but what did you think would happen? You're basically half a galaxy away, have nothing of any importance and only try to get what's best for you." Looking back to the Imperial, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why, are you here?"

Daniel kept his pistol ready, and finger ready to trigger his jump boots, should the man try anything sneaky. Which Daniel fully expected, of course, Imperials were always sneaky.

@Deviant

 

[Sergei Petrov]

e was left utterly lost. The man did not expect the Mandalorian to care so little about the Archduke despite having conspiring with him only moments ago. Even the alien tight in his grip looked to the armored stranger with a mix of shock and terror. Hadar fumbled with his words and remained speechless. Any hope that he could escape from his position as a hostage was now thrown out of the window. As for Sergei, his hope that he could use the Archduke as a token to ensure his own survival was likewise dashed with nothing more than a few confused words and a dispassionate glare. The older man was left reeling, uncertain on what to do next.

The best he could do was listen. If he could not barter with the Archduke, he could still use him as a shield, and the more the stranger spoke, the greater the Imperial hoped he could steer the conversation into his own favor. It was already clear the man could care less about the Neimoidian or the colony world, but the snippet about Clan Solus was a thought he latched on quick. A thought that eventually drove him to consider who he was facing. Given another moment, he eyed the Mandalorian up and down. The pieces to the puzzle clicked together soon after. He was facing none other than Daniel Solus, the man who crippled Kuat.

“Holy shit. You’re Daniel Solus.” He said, almost hissed. The very name was like poison in his mouth. He was a wanted man, and his move against the shipyards was singlehandedly the worst attack in Imperial history for as long as he could remember. His blood boiled. A surge of fear and unease followed. Rather than press his blaster to the Archduke’s head, he aimed it over his shoulder and toward the Mandalorian. He made no move to fire, though, unsure if he could even survive the ensuing firefight. He had heard the stories. Clan Solus was a force not to be reckoned with.

Recognizing he hadn’t answered the man’s question, Sergei paused and said, “I’m here on behalf of the Empire. Cato Neimoidia and its inhabitants have been charged with treason. In particular, the Archduke I’m holding right now.” He was honest, knowing it wouldn’t hurt. Not if Daniel had done the same. However, pondering on what to say next, he opted to continue with his threats, desperate to intimidate the Mandalorian to either surrender or flee. “Imperial forces will be arriving on-site shortly. I imagine the estate is already surrounded. If you think you can escape, you're dead wrong. I suggest you surrender.”

Now, that was a half-truth. Sergei hadn’t called in reinforcements to the estate, but there were Imperial Agents swarming the colony. If something happened, they were bound to catch on.

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

Aw crap.

The guy had recognized him...that didn't bode well for Daniel. The Imperial Republica hated his guys with a passion. Between the fireworks at Kuat and the devastation of the Bilbringi munitions facility, he was a wanted man. People would pay well for his carcass. This man, for sure, stood to gain everything from capturing or killing him. That wasn't exactly what Daniel had had in mind for today.

He was still a bit taken by the dashing Imperial hero and while gazing at him, Daniel missed the mention of the guards and surrender. "I mean...I don't much care for him either. Daniel shrugged, walked up to the Archduke in custody and slammed the butt of his rifle into the alien's temple. He went down like a sack of bricks, his dead weight now fully in the Imperial's arms.

Daniel twirled his rifle back around and aimed it at the staggering Imperial. "Shall we dance?" The holos always had the best lines...

@Deviant
Sorry mate.

 

[Sergei Petrov]

aniel was plotting something. His face rested in an empty grimace. Whatever threats Sergei hurled at him seemed to go through one ear and out the other. He was completely unfazed and undeterred. That unexpected fearlessness only subdued the Imperial’s own. His confidence was almost suffocating. The officer could hardly register what was going on as the Mandalorian shrugged and marched toward him like nothing. “Stay back!” He shifted his aim toward the Archduke’s temple. “I’ll kill him— I’m not bluffing!”

He eyed his enemy furiously. Sergei was spewing words at that point and taking no action. He was all bark and no bite. His threats and attempts at intimidation were fruitless. Meanwhile, Daniel had coolly approached him and his hostage, smacked the Archduke unconscious, and left the Imperial utterly stunned, forced to lug the alien’s dead weight. Why hadn’t he shot the Neimoidian? No, why hadn’t he shot the Mandalorian?

Trying to hide behind the unconscious Archduke despite the short range, he tried to piece together his thoughts. He had no reinforcements, no leverage. Nothing to defeat Daniel Solus. At least, not by his wit or words. He still had the weapon attached to his waist and the meat shield over his chest. There was only one thing left to do: fight. Or so the Mandalorian so brilliantly put it— dance. A dance with the devil, perhaps.

“If you say so.” Was all Sergei said before he mustered his strength, dropped his pistol and hurled the Archduke into the other man. The makeshift shield and sudden distraction would be enough for him to slide to his left, or Daniel’s right, and toward the flank of his blaster rifle. With his previously free hand, he ripped the blade from its sheath and delivered a quick strike into the end of his blaster, hoping to disable it from the fight so they could engage in true melee combat.

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

He had listened! Daniel was grinning like a fool even as his rifle got sliced neatly in half. A good move that, on the part of the Imperial...the hallway made for a poor place to fight with blasters. Someone would end up dead very quickly if that happened or the palace would be destroyed and, tacky and tasteless though it was, it still had a certain nouveau-riche charm to it.

Daniel spun away, to his right and back as the blaster fell in pieces to the ground. Piece of trash...he'd get a new one later. As he spun, he drew his own blade in his right hand, catching the Imperial's as it followed through on the swing to the blaster. The blades met with a clash, the flat of Daniel's blade meeting the top edge of Sergei's as he completed his spin. He slid it along the top of his enemy's blade, changing the angle so the cutting edge was now along the top of Sergei's blade.

With a downward twist, he locked the blades. Following through with an immediate diagonal twist upwards he made to wrench the blade out of the Imperial's hand, capitalizing on the man's awkward positioning relative to the direction that his spin had taken him and his blade. As the blades drew upwards with Daniel's disarm, he looked at the man once again, a burning question in his mind.

"So...what's your name?"

@Deviant

 

[Sergei Petrov]

he fight was turning into another terrible, unpredictable mess. While his strike against Daniel’s blaster was a rousing success, splitting the barrel from its body. The weapon fell apart, shattering worthlessly into the carpet floor. That alone would have been enough to satisfy the Imperial but he was shocked at the finesse and speed of his opponent. A quick twirl, a similar blade and a speedy parry. His sword slid down his own even agains the friction. Sparks flew between them. Meanwhile, Sergei wondered what the hell was going on and how he managed to get into that situation.

Fearing the elaborate maneuver from Daniel would slice away his fingers or disarm him, the Imperial took the time required by the Mandalorian’s sliding blade to instead retreat several steps back. Before he could move to twist and disarm him, Sergei quickly and desperately moved to escape the lock. Their blades would scream against one another, each thirsting for blood but finding none in the wake of the blows. All thanks to his own budding doubts.

If or when he escaped the lock and successfully distanced himself from Daniel, he would answer angrily but honestly: “Sergei Petrov. Officer of the Imperial Navy. And your worst nightmare.” His final remark was nothing less than cheesy, but their whole altercation had been just that. The confrontation may have looked like it was pulled out of the cinema, but it was real enough for Sergei. His life was on the line here. He needed to succeed.

Now around two meters away from his foe, he opened a small pouch in the sling around his shoulder. As he did, the Imperial tried to position himself into a new stance, his mind trying to find a new strategy after realizing how skilled Daniel really was. His blade was raised high in the air, its flat edge facing his enemy. He presented himself exposed, hoping to lure the Mandalorian in. This time, he waited for his first strike.

Around them, the armored statues of the hall watched, each with ceremonial vibroswords and spears of their own, as if they too battled in those halls. Stone faces cold, they waited anxiously for a winner.

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Daniel said. "Seriously!" Daniel was loving this, it was something straight out of the action holos he loved. Or maybe an episode of Super Jawa Squad! Yeah. Super Jawa Squad!

Daniel eyed Sergei as the man tried to distance himself from the Mandalorian, opening a pouch on the odd sling that was round his shoulder. That was concerning. The man could have any number of terrifying things concealed in his bag...it was too dangerous to not stop him. Daniel moved like liquid, closing the distance with a quick step with his left foot. With a smooth movement, he both pivoted and brought his blade up and across--a difficult angle to parry at--he let the blade snake forward and rest lightly against the pouch.

He looked Sergei dead in the eyes, winked, and with the tip of his sword, flipped the pouch closed again. "None of that," he said, eyes twinkling. "We were having such a nice sword fight! Why complicate things with whatever horrors are in there?"

He disengaged deftly and turned to face Sergei once more, his blade at mid guard, knees slightly bent and a curious expression on his face. "So tell me, Mr. Worst Nightmare, do you like the Super Jawa Squad?! I've been thinking this whole time how we're literally living an episode. Isn't that neat?!" The thing was, it may have sounded like Daniel was being intentionally stupid but he was dead serious. To him, something like this was a dream come true. Handsome opponent, dire stakes, unusual venue...it was like he was in his favorite comic and he was still geeking out about it.

@Deviant

 

[Sergei Petrov]

nemy or not, Sergei was starting to find the man rather amusing. Or annoying. Maybe both. It was rare for the Imperial officer to find entertainment from mission to mission. Interrogate spies, assassinate conspirators, infiltrate covert facilities. It was fun, but repetitive. His encounter with Daniel was different. There was nothing dark, brooding or unpleasant about it. No nasty explosives, flamethrowers or flying plasma. Just two men of comparable skill sword fighting down the corridor of a lavish estate.

Daniel was starting to grow on him. First glance, he hated the man. He embodied everything the Empire was against. But the Mandalorian carried a sense of honor, respect and flair unseen to the Imperial. He welcomed the change of pace, the rather dopey face. Almost attractive. Not that he might ever consider consorting with the enemy. No less House Solus. The fact that he had introduced himself and engaged Daniel in conversation was unimaginable.

His attempt to open the pouch on his sling ended miserably. Caught off guard, the tip of a sword forced the pouch to a close. His enemy could have taken the opportunity to dive for a killing blow, or a wounding graze. Instead, he wasted a strike by warning him. Sergei would have thought the other man stupid for it, but his fighting style said otherwise. To him, this wasn’t a life or death situation. Just pure fun.

Before Sergei could dig into Daniel’s guard or parry, the other man retreated back. Readying his defense, his poise taunted him to act. But his comment anchored him in place to listen. Why? He didn’t know. As much as he wanted to continue the duel, he was curious what else the Mandalorian had to say. Or what other ridiculous quotes he had to offer.

“What do you think it is, a grenade? It’s just another knife.” He said, breathing a chuckle. “But all right, no cheap tricks. I’m no cheat.” He flourished his blade. “I don’t stab my enemies in the back. I prefer them to look at me when I do it.” Did that sound right? Even borderline intimidating? He wasn’t so sure. Probably not.

“And my name is Sergei— and seriously? Super Jawa Squad?” He answered and scoffed. “Is that even an actual show?” Suddenly, he questioned how so many had fallen against the likes of this man. “For a duel to the death, you sure do a lot of talking.” He positioned his sword at his midline. “But I’ll admit, it’s almost endearing.” He made a single step forward. “You’re cute— but that changes nothing.”

The man continued with the sudden raise of his sword followed by a quick downward slash with one hand. He made sure to maintain his distance, so that if his strike landed, it would only leave a shallow cut into his chestplate. A fair warning. If the young man tried to take advantage of his exposed lower body, Sergei was ready to sidestep away or use his armored forearm as a makeshift shield. Or use his fist and turn this duel into a brawl.

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

Daniel didn't quite know what to do with himself. Nobody had called him cute before...expect for Raz, and as close as they were, she was still scary. For a moment, Daniel forgot all about the dire stakes of their combat and just, just stood there like a teenager at a concert who'd just touched hands with their idol. He was, however, brought abruptly back to reality as Sergei sliced at his chest.

It was a shallow blow, insufficient to cut through his armor but it did make a tremendous screech as the sword sliced across his beskar'gam. Daniel came back to himself just in time, yelling. "Hey! Rude!" As he commented, he faded with the blow, falling forward and turning to his left (Sergei's right) and dropped. His position was such that the Imperial would have to double back on his swing, as Daniel was now on his sword-arm side.

He planted his hand on the ground, his sword up to parry an off strike, and swept his legs around from his left, keeping his body out of the way of the sword. His feet would catch Sergei's legs from the side and knock him off balance or even off his feet. As he followed through with his maneuver, Daniel pushed up on his left hand and one foot on the ground, righting himself somewhat. He came up into a crouch, his sword thrusting forward to Sergei's face.

@Deviant

 

[Sergei Petrov]

ergei was surprised to see his strike make its mark. Not as he hoped, but the shallow cut into the chest plate filled him with pride. The Mandalorian stood stunned throughout, for whatever reason, the Imperial couldn’t say for sure. Was it the threatening compliment, the fact he never heard of his show, or was it pure skill and luck? He doubted it was the latter. His opponent proved to be way too experienced in melee combat to blindly tank a strike. There had to be a trick or a feint.

From his perspective, there was. Daniel’s outcry and sudden shift in movement caught Sergei by surprise once again. His steel gaze desperately tried to follow after the other man’s maneuver. A sharp drop to the floor, a twist to his right side, body angled as far from his blade as possible. Sergei moved to continue his strike but shift its trajectory toward his enemy. However, any attempt to cut into Daniel would only end with a predisposed parry.

That was why the naval officer turned his right heel and stepped closer, aiming to thrust his blade into the new seam in the Mandalorian’s armored chest. Before he could land the painful blow, his right ankle was caught against a different set of legs. Thrown off balance and his left leg unable to compensate, he was sent careening into the floor. The back of his head smacked against the carpet. Literally, Daniel had swept Sergei off his feet.

Shaking off any disorientation, the Imperial looked at the other man and immediately noticed the edge of his sword heading straight for him. Fear took him. Instinct drove him. As his own blade never left his grip, neither did it complete its final slash, it was still close enough to Sergei that he could block the attack. Not for long, but he could at least lock blades to shield his throat and face.

"Shit." He was outclassed, and now, outmaneuvered. The man had no idea how he could clamber his way out of the situation, not if he managed to crawl away or try to kick Daniel away, which he counted on should he press forward on the thrust. Regardless, he was in dire straits.

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

Daniel was impressed with the man's speed and cunning. Locking blades and avoiding a nasty cut to the face, good move. However, Daniel was able to twist the blades apart and he began rising to his feet when one of Sergei's legs caught him behind the knees. For all his skill, Daniel wasn't able to undo physics. He toppled, falling forward and landing clean on top of Sergei.

It was a very thrilling moment for the young Mandalorian.

There followed, however a moment of extremely awkward silence as both men tried to sort out what was going on. Daniel sat up, not really paying attention to where he was and ended straddling Sergei. Daniel didn't notice how embarrassing such a position should be. Instead he simply looked down at the other man, who would probably try to slash at him with a sword any second now, and raised an eyebrow. "So. Ready to admit defeat and back off?" Daniel asked, still confused about the whole situation. "I told you already, I'm just here as a formality. I don't care about what you do with these guys...they're weird and green anyway."

Daniel hopped off Sergei and stood looking around. They were utterly alone. Daniel thought back a while to when he had finished fighting alongside Tyrn. What followed had been quite fun and Daniel decided to try his luck here again. "So. Uhhhh," he began. "How about instead of this we go to find out if you're anymore skilled in the bedroom than you are in combat?" That was the gist of what Tyrn had said, right? Right. It had to be.

However Daniel, being Daniel and aptly named the Dopey Badger had not fully comprehended that Sergei was an enemy. He had been having quite a lot of fun and to him, that's really all that mattered. Sergei was just another person after all.

 

[Sergei Petrov]

hat just happened? What was happening? Sergei had no idea. One moment, he was dueling the infamous Daniel Solus, was forced to the ground and left to fend against his thrusting attacks. The next moment, his kick forced the Mandalorian on top of him, essentially straddling the Imperial and placing both of them into the most awkward situation Sergei ever personally experienced. The rapid turn of events sent his mind swirling. He could hardly maintain his defensive poise with Daniel perched over his waist, eyes locked with his own, clueless.

It was clear he had the advantage. The fight was his, Sergei confessed, but he was not so ready to admit defeat. Then again, he was not so ready for death either. He believed the best option was to concede, back away and allow Daniel to leave. Especially if he cared not for the colony world and its Archduke, then there was little reason for quarrel. Save for the fact he rammed a corvette into the Kuat Shipyards, or his involvement in multiple Mandalorian incursions.

Still, he could do nothing. He lost. All he could do was give in. “Wait— okay, all right. You win.” The blade in his hand slipped through his iron grip and clattered against the carpet. In any other situation, he would have pushed on, but the fact his enemy was pressed against him ready to do who knows what, he was genuinely lost.

As his enemy slipped off the naval officer and clambered back to his full height, Sergei rolled on his side and struggled to rise. Kneeling, chest heaving, fighting back a flustered look after the whole ordeal, he eyed Daniel. First, the straddle. The surrender. Now, was he seriously asking him to get it on with him in the bedroom upstairs? After their supposed duel to the death? So nonchalantly? His mouth was ready to drop into the floor again.

“What? Anymore skilled in the bedroom?” He repeated, trying to process what he heard. His eyebrows furrowed. The Imperial was stunned. “A Mandalorian and an Imperial officer?” His thoughts ran faster than his words. For another moment, he wallowed in shock. “You just killed two of my men, threatened to kill me and now you want to fuсk?” What was going on with Mandalore?

“I…” His voice trailed away. Out of the corner of his eye, far down the corridor, he noticed a company of Imperial soldiers enter the manor. One guard turned to see Daniel towering over the defenseless Sergei. Without hesitating, he alerted the others and they began to fire at the Mandalorian. Soon, the whole estate would be swarming with Imperial forces. It seemed their fateful encounter was coming to an abrupt end.

@Lucid

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

"Well..."Daniel's ears were rapidly turning a most impressive shade of red. "That's what Tyrn suggested and it was fun..." His voice trailed off in embarrassment as he realized just how wrongly he had assessed the situation. Perhaps others didn't share certain thoughts that the Mandalorians did. It was, a learning experience for Daniel.

He didn't have time to ponder it though. Footsteps alerted him to the oncoming Sith forces. He gave Sergei a wink and slipped on his helmet as the men at the end of the hallway poured through the door. Just before his helmet clipped to his armor, Daniel said, almost to himself: "Another time, maybe." After that, his helmet was on and the most curious thing happened.

Daniel's back straightened, his posture and the feeling he projected into the space around him shifted. Behind the symbol of his people, he was what the badge of rank on his shoulder said he was. He didn't even wait for the soldiers to start firing. He simply snapped up his wrist and closed his fist around the trigger embedded in his palm. With a deafening FOOWSH the rocket lanced from its holster and closed the distance between Daniel and the troops in an instant. There was a flash of light, a deafening bang and grisly chunks of flesh splattered against the floor.

Daniel didn't wait to see what happened to poor Sergei, still on the floor. He charged forward towards the hole in the outer wall his rocket had created and jumped. His jetpack flared to life under him, lifting him up and away from the rapidly devolving situation. He was, perhaps, a bit sad; Sergei seemed like a decent enough fellow. If only they had been on the same side...war and culture though, seemed too much for one meeting to break down.

@Deviant

 

[Sergei Petrov]

lash of light, charred soldiers, a roaring jetpack. One moment, Sergei was left staring at his enemy dead in the eye. The next, he was watching him soar into the sky, slipping through his fingers and escaping Imperial reinforcements. To say the least, he was stunned. The encounter, duel and question still rang in his head, sloshed around his skull. He wondered if the whole experience was nothing more than a dream, except it wasn’t. He pinched himself to make certain.

“Commander Petrov, sir.” A voice cut through his thoughts. A young woman decked in armor stepped out of the mess Daniel left behind and addressed the naval officer. “We have the Archduke in custody but the Mandalorian has escaped the premises. Should we attempt a pursuit?” No longer spotting Daniel on the horizon, Sergei shook his head. “No. Not necessary. We have what we came for.” The man turned to salute the woman, still flustered and bruised.

“Sir, are you all right?” The Imperial nodded reluctantly and answered, “I’m fine. Just keep the Archduke secure and bring me an update on the rest of the operation.” The woman nodded. “Yessir.” Without further thought, she marched away and left the man to his own thoughts. His eyes drifted down to his ruined armor before adjusting his slacks. His pants felt tighter than usual.

Clearing his throat, awkward and annoyed, Sergei slipped away from the opening in the wall and returned to his duties. He could never forgive the Mandalorian for his intrusion, and the same time, never forget. Already, he was hard-pressed to leave their encounter behind him as he moved for his ship. It was going to be a long day.

End Thread.​