Ask Here There Be Dragons

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC

The fire…the dromons of war…
Dying…crying…lying on the floor…
Mandalore…Mandalore of blasts…
Mandalore…Mandalore so glassed…

From a dragon’s blast flies a man.
And a man is the son of Ratheon.
Blood showers from that dragon.
From its stomach and also throat.

As if that furnace of that earth
Had cracked open like that wall
Of rock. Then the throat burns
And the dragon…it begins to fall.

A great wing, grey as iron, reaching
For Endyr while both are still flying.
Then, like a canopy, it’s above him.
That dark grey wing of that dragon.

Endyr flips his sword and is jabbing it
Into and through the wing of his enemy.
From leathery flesh he then breaks free
And watches the end of a dragon’s wings.

A warrior can appreciate a warrior.
Warriors fought each other in war.
Mandalorians—yes—him and her.
Casany, Endyr, Zaia, of Mandalore.

The dragon is no different.
Sword in Man’s right hand.
Lifts his left and salutes it.
“Fall with pride, O dragon.”

Right. That Mandalorian.
Endyr turns his attention.
A corvette is at his back.
A corvette is at her back.
The woman and that man.
Mandalorian and that Man.

“You fight well.”
Endyr exhales.
“...Both of you.”
Cas, Zaia too.

“I’d say we do.”
Casany.
Laughing.
May as well be.
Laughing at me?

“So did our friend.”
Points down then.
“That old dragon.
And its new nest.”

“He packed a punch.”
And any Zaia-speech.
“Mistook us for lunch.”
Is welcome in between.

“I like your corvette.”
“Reminds me of yours.”
“Ehhhh different colors, bet.”
“All one color under Mandalore.”

Silence falls across the sky.
Beneath clouds, birds fly.
Silence along the floor.
Under…Mandalore?
Cas opens a door.
Been here before.

“The Unwavering.”
Endyr is pointing.
“Mine’s Iron Head.”
Pointing back then.

“She’s impressive.”
So are they and him.
In the air, they hover.
Jetpack flamethrower.

“Look, I’d hate to start a fight in the sky.
Our two ships might go the way of him.”
Endyr Ratheon points back at a dragon.
“Red gold vs black gold. Poetic, I reckon.”

Mandalorian…
…Both of them.

Man laughs.
It isn't Cas.
“Hey, Krodas.
Are you glad?"

A true vod, she has Cas' back.
"To be working with this killer?"
Head tilt.
"This woman who's a murderer?"
He'll kill.
Visor to her.
At Cas.
Eyes into eyes.
"A coward who murdered my father!"

@Sicadorito

 

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music OOC [Recurring]

When our dromons spat flames
Did the worlds weep in blood?
Babes, mothers embraced.
Dying, daughters and sons.

Casany grips her sword.
She is so versed in war.
Of her foe, she honors.
The dragon that burns.

There, yet again.
A claw just then.
Absent-minded.
Flying for her.
So she turns.

She’s like a whirlwind!
As the talon comes in!
Between toes of three.
The space in between.

Casany picks one of two.
Jetpack, she flies through.
The dragon falls behind her.
Even in death, how you burn.

A compliment.
For a dragon.
And like that.
By Zaia Krodas.
Hard—on and on.
A vod fought long

Zaia was proven in it.
Combat, again, again.
Like back on Cas’ ship.
Fighting in Unwavering.

But it’s the dragon that Cas
Is watching. Sword in hand.
So gazes the red Mandalorian.
“Your fire was bright, O dragon."

Between the three
They begin to speak.
Corvettes and colors.
Fighting well; him, her.

Then comes 'killer'.
Also a 'murderer'.
Of one’s father.
And one other.

"A coward who murdered my father!"
“Says ENDYR!"
BRIGHT FIRE.
"Says you who butchered my mother!”

Man laughs.
Not Cas.
“Hey, Krodas.”

Endyr gestures toward Zaia.
Another hand gesture by a
Man in a helmet who can’t
Express in the way one can
If he isn’t wearing a helmet.

“You fought me already.
Tell me what you think.”
Hovers with hands on hips.
“How should we settle this?”

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

To think that the two were maybe, just maybe, starting to get along. As the trio hovered in midair, Zaia would quietly let the other two work out their differences. A few compliments were exchanged, and she was just starting to see some hope for the future of the two clans before it quickly devolved into arguing again.

When Endyr called Cas a murderer, however, any shred of sympathy or goodwill she felt for Ratheon instantly vanished.

“Casany isn’t the murderer here.” Zaia crossed her arms. “She’s not the one who tried to kill an entire corvette full of our vods for personal revenge. You want a problem solved? You do it face to face, with a good duel.” She glared at Endyr through her visor. “So I say that’s what you do.”

However, then she looked down, saw the body laying on the mountain below. It was no Mandalorian, but she recognized the armor as from the bounty hunter from earlier. Cas had taken good care of him, she could see.

“...But save it for another day.” She looked at Endyr again. “If you fight, he dies. You wouldn’t leave a man behind, would you?” Though, she wouldn’t put it past him.

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC [Recurring]

“Casany isn’t
The murderer
Here.”
“Bu—”
A man
Began
But Zaia
Krodas
Continued
Uninterrupted.

“She’s not the one
Who tried to kill an
Entire corvette
Full of our vods for
Personal revenge.”
“See—” Says he.
She’s not listening.
She’s still speaking.
He knows everything.
He can explain all of it.
Why he did what he did.
But aloud, he can’t speak.
No idea why—what reason.

Of Zaia, he can tell her.
How there are warriors.
Then there are cowards.
Fire. Blood. Bleed. Burn.
There was that revenge.
Then there is vengeance.
To a Mandalorian like him.
There is a subtle difference.

“You want a problem solved?
You do it face to face,
With a good duel.”
She glared at Endyr
Through her visor.
“So I say that’s
What you do.”

He stares at her
Through his visor.
She’s right, Endyr
Is certain of it, yes.
A duel to the death.
Like a Mandalorian.

Zaia interrupts him.
“...But save it
For another day.”
She looked at
Endyr again.
“If you fight, he dies.
You wouldn’t leave
A man behind,
Would you?”
Though, she
Wouldn’t put it
Past him.

Endyr Ratheon.
He Was A Pirate.

Zaia’s got a smart head then.
Endyr Ratheon's a Mandalorian.
A warrior, born of iron so wrought.
It’s his people versus all those dogs.

And the dogs of this galaxy
Can come karkin' bite me.

“You mean Wolf?”
He looks down.
At the ground.
“He fought well.
And will die well.
Let the wolf bleed.
He’s not on his knees.”

That’s all that matters in the end.
At least he thinks, Endyr Ratheon.

“He got bested by Casany.”
At Crux, she isn’t looking.
“We understand defeat.
We know how to bleed.”

Those two warriors.
Stare at each other.
Eyes are hidden.
And O so silent.

Sword is in his right hand.
Sword is in her left hand.
Mando woman and man.
And Mandos can dance.

“We are Mandalorians.”
“We are of Mandalore.”
“We are her warriors.”
“We bleed—we burn.”

Black visors.
Birds higher.
Crows in the sky.
The sun so bright.

“All right.”
“All right.”
Eyes.
Eyes.
Visor.
Visor.
Black.
Gold.
Red.
Him.
Her.
Them.
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“????”

“We fight."
“We fight.”

“Time to…die.”
“Time…to die.”

A Mandalorian, Endyr Ratheon—sighs.
“All right now you’re just copying me.
That's pretty kriffing childish, Casany.”
“You started it with the same ship!”
“I earned this ship ya karkin’ bi—”

Just then, the comlink in
Endyr Ratheon’s helmet
Clicks. A voice is talking.
“Captain. Listen to this.”

Iron Head just then broadcasts
Cockpit coms to the Mandalorian.
And that Mandalorian, he listens in.
Voices. “You gotta be kriffin’ kiddin’.”

@Sicadorito

 

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music OOC

“Casany isn’t the murderer.”
A true vod sticks up for her.
Two Mandalorian women.
Whether men—friends.

Perhaps it’s something more
Than that Mandalorian man,
Endyr Ratheon, can ever
For himself understand.

Alor Ratheon did not seem
To have friends, not really.
He had his women, his men.
The rest are wolves then.

He had stormed her ship,
The Unwavering, Ratheon.
His troops then attacked
Casany’s troops—within it.

They hunted like wolves.
Ratheon bounty hunters.
But Casany is also a wolf.
She was a bounty hunter.

You killed my mother.
Casany Praxor thinks.
As Zaia Krodas speaks.
Duel. You’re dead meat.

Zaia changes gears.
Cas sheds no tears.
About a dying thug.
A wolf called Crux.

We fast forward.
Past the speech.
To that one scene.
Of their two swords.

Just then, the comlink in
Casany Praxor’s helmet
Clicks. A voice is talking.
“Captain. Listen to this.”

Unwavering just then broadcasts
Cockpit coms to the Mandalorian.
And that Mandalorian, she listens in.
Voices. “Ya gotta be karking kidding.”

“Two unidentified bogies.”
“Green Wing enclosing.”
“Roger that, Green Wing."
"Clean Sheet approaching.”
Cap’n Cas’ brow is cocking.
Who the kriff is this dumbass?

The other voices come from
Other ships. Not Casany’s.
“We picked ‘em up in the
Ship.” Her Unwavering.

Her crew in the bridge
Inform her of the ships.
“Radar says it's a squadron.
Coming toward us, Captain.”

“ID?”
“RPD.”
'Raccoon
City
Police
Department’
No, kidding,
Not really.
‘Raanbaatul
Peacekeeping
Division’
Moving
On
Then.

Remembering
Raanbaatul is
The name of
The city that
They came
From when
They had left a
Hippo’s presence.
Endyr, Crux, that is
Since Casany and
Zaia were already
On that mountain.
Move Along—again.

“Ya’ll caught that fire right?”
“Flames were bright all right!”
“Dang flamethrower in the sky!"
Pilots sing: “We can climb so high!"

"Born To Be Wild" beat.
Then again—this song is
Called "Boba Fett Theme".

Whatever…Dirty Sheet
And fellow Green Wing
And their friends even
Wanted, well, Casany
Thinks. Time to leave.

“They’re approaching.”
Informs her corvette.
“Hear this, Ratheon?”
“Yep… It’s a mess...”

———————“We’re
—In
———The
—————Pipe.
———Five
—By
———————Five.”

A shape makes an M.
It is for “Mandalorian”.

“Dank—"
"—Ferrik.”
O NSYNC.
No, in sync.

“Well that’s that.”
Says that man.
“I don’t need
Heat on me.”

“This is far from over, Endyr!’
“That’s my line for my turn!”
Jetpacks floating in the air.
“I’ll hunt you—here—there.”

“Baby…I’ll be hunting you too.”
Ratheon to other Mandalorian:
“Stay alive, warrior. It ain’t over.”
Same applies to either: her, her.

And like that.
Leaves a man.
“...It isn’t...over…”
Casany whispers.

“Closin’ in,
Captain!”
“Aye aye!”
Cas flies!
“With me!”
Cas speaks!
To that Man!
Also a woman!
A Mandalorian!
O Zaia Krodas!

And the RPD squadron.
Finally—they close in.
But of—Mandalorians.
Zaia, Casany, Ratheon.

They find no one.
They find nothing.
Except one thing.
“A dead…dragon?”

In a ship,
They're in
Cas, Krodas,
Mandalorians.

Once more
Are aboard
Unwavering
And leaving.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Frankly, Zaia didn’t care much for this particular bounty hunter any more than Cas or, apparently, Endyr. Yet she was still disgusted by his willingness to leave him behind. A man he’d fought beside, even if it had been for a sum.

The pair began arguing again, and Zaia stifled a sigh. If they began throwing punches… it was still better than listening to them bicker like an old couple. She would be saved from a second round of fighting when the humming of other ships caused all three to look up, and for Cas’s comm to buzz. The authorities. Took them long enough.

Delayed their response might have been, they were almost here nonetheless.

“Time to get out of here.” She looked at Endyr, her gaze level with his. “No, it isn’t over.”

And they would part ways, as Zaia would follow Cas back onto the Unwavering. Until they would meet Endyr again, there were other dragons she had to tackle first.

//Exit character

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music IC

“Hear this, Ratheon?”
The Mandalorian says.
“Yep… It’s a mess...”
The Mandalorian says.

Karkriffin’ peacekeepin’ sluts.
Delayed their response was.
So far from those mountains.
C’mon over ‘n’ eat dese nuts.

Yet he doesn’t have time for them!
Can’t afford to be caught, captured!
Things to do for our Clan Ratheon!
Beyond killing red gold Mandalorian!

“Dank—"
"—Ferrik.”

Birds in the air then.
But he’ll be smoke in air
By the time that squadron
Tries to even apprehend him.

“This is far from over, Endyr!’
“That’s my line for my turn!”
Jetpacks floating in the air.
“I’ll hunt you—here—there.”

“Baby…I’ll be hunting you too.”
Ratheon to other Mandalorian:
“Stay alive, warrior. It ain’t over.”
Same applies to either: her, her.

“...It ain’t…over…”
Endyr whispers.

“Comin ‘in,
Captain!”
“Nari
Laararir!”
‘Move’
‘Sing’
As in
Let’s
Go
Then.
I think.
Maybe?
Whatev.

Endyr Ratheon's flying.
Jetpack fire’s blasting.
In the bridge, listening.
Music and guitar strings.

“Get a load of these di’kuts.”
Group huddle at a console.
“Turn it up! Turn it up! Up!”
“Peacekeeper assholes.”

From the cockpits.
Of the squadron.
Not broadcastin’.
But an Iron Head.
Has yet picked up.
Communications.

“Meat Eater, leader?”
“Speak, Sweet Feet.”
“Do we give pursuit?”
“Anyone got any glue?”
“Whaddya need it for?”
“Have a gash on shoe.”
“Corvettes. We pursue?”

The Unwavering and
Iron Head just then
Break the clouds.
Stars surround.

“Nah. Let’s leave ‘em be.”
“Break off, Purple Ching.”
“Out of RPD jurisdiction.”
“Think I need deodorant.”
“Think they need a donut.”
“OHH MY JUNK IS NUMB”
“LOOOOOOL?” Everyone.

Keeping his helmet on,
Endyr Ratheon just then
Walks across the deck
Of his ship—Iron Head.

Music is pumping within it.
Inside, Endyr again is a child.
Remembers the face of Father.
While listening. “Born To Be Wild”.

He remembers.
Casany Praxor.
To close a door.
He will hunt her.

Bit like a wild animal.
Also like a predator.
The Mandalorian.
Endyr Ratheon.

[EXIT ENDYR]

@Sicadorito

 

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music OOC

She’s standing.
In the middle of her ship.
The Unwavering.
A ship for Mandalorians.

A woman is alone.
Not really though.
Zaia is beside her.
Her vod is close.

Keeping her helmet on
Casany walks across
The deck, past men
Also past women.

Nods her head.
Salutes them.
All her crew.
Proven true.

Red gold armor.
What’s on her.
Casany Praxor.
Mandalore born.

Zaia Krodas.
Proven Man.
She’s a warrior.
And she is for her.
She’s for Mandalore.
And for Casany Praxor.

“Cast it into the fire."
Was the thing to say.
“So you cast blades."
Grins the dark visor.
"And a dragon’s slain.”

Hand on shoulder.
“We will remember.
How a dragon burns.”
Fist to chest. “In honor.”

Honor
However
Is far removed
From this one room.

Guard in the corridor.
“Su’cuy, Alor Praxor.”
Nods head. “Open.”
So a guard opens.

And a woman steps in!
No, wait, it’s two women!
Stand and gaze in medbay!
Gaze upon that familiar face!

He finally wakes up, that man.
Lost an arm, but there’s no blood.
Sealed shoulder for him—her—her.
Cas—Zaia—and Unwavering’s doctor.

Man’s but a thug.
You are…a bug.
Will get no hug.
Name’s Crux.

“Welcome back.”
Speaks our Cas!
“Welcome Back”
Is name of track.

[END THREAD]

@Sicadorito