Ask [Savareen] Sand In All The Wrong Places

Raya Kryze

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If things could’ve gone worse for Raya on that particular day, the Kryze was genuinely struggling to figure out how. What had begun as a routine patrol through contested territory had devolved into an outright dog-fight with an group of starfighter-armed insurgents - the likes of which descended upon her squadron without any prior warning. Accustomed to warfare or not, the ambush had caught the Mandalorians entirely off-guard - and the simple fact of being outnumbered and outgunned only strengthened the odds against them.

Bitter was the fighting was, the victory was all-but apparent from the get-go. Two of her Vod were blown to scrap metal, and for all of her skill and expertise as a fighter pilot, Raya moved just a bit too slow - sustaining far more damage to her ship than was comfortable. By the time a tactical retreat was issued, the Kryze wasn’t positive which components of her ship were damaged and which weren’t - but that was hardly an issue she had the opportunity to investigate whatsoever. A fact that promptly returned to bite Raya in the ass.

Within only a few minutes of hyperspace travel, alarms began to erupt through the cockpit of her freighter - painting the interior of her ship in deep crimson as turbulent rocked the Kryze in her seat. The characteristic blue streaks of hyperspace began to shift and swirl into multitude of colors, only to abruptly eject the vessel back into real-space without warning - dropping just before the dusty, arid surface of Savareen. While she had to be somewhat grateful to the fact she hadn’t dropped into a star, that was about as far as the Kryze’s gratitude went - the complete failure of her engines and multiple other components - causing the ship to streak towards the planet and into the low atmosphere.

At almost a nose dive, Raya could only vaguely steer the direction of the vessel - gradually bringing her ship down towards an open, dry field. She could see the outline of a small village in the distance, but that was a feature she paid little mind at that precise moment. Instead, avoiding death was far higher on the priority list.

As her ship approached the ground, Raya abruptly yanked the controls upwards - bringing her vessel out of its nose-dive, in order that the hull crashed into the sandy terrain below. Durasteel groaned and tore as the ship tore a path through the earth - plating and mounted gunnery on its bottom torn clean off in the process. It wasn’t until striking a particular large, stone spire that the vessel finally came to a screeching halt. And then everything went to black.

It was unclear how long the Kryze had been unconscious before she began to stir once more - her head blobbing ever-so-slightly before she, slowly but surely - began to push out of the cockpit. "Fuck sake.." There was a distinct limp to her gait as she stepped down the durasteel ramp - pain coursing through the majority of her body and most profound in her legs and lower back. She could feel the blood that trickled on the inside of her helmet, but opted not to remove the armor yet - donning her full beskar’gam as she stepped into the open, arid landscape - only carrying her dual pistols and a vibroblade on her belt.


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Matias Vale

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Matias stood in the tavern, specifically by the counter as his fellow "brothers" drank to their heart's content throughout the room. The atmosphere was raucous, the only inhabitants being the gang, bartender, and waitresses that kept the booze flowing. It was smart for no one to interrupt them. Music bounced between the walls and kept the mood uplifted for the boys as when there was nothing to steal or fight, that left the only option of drinking in their minds. It was much better than facing boredom for them.

Both of the young man's arms were crossed on top of the counter, a cigarra pinched between two of his gloved fingers as he took a sip from the glass of whisky nearby. The only place Matias desired to be was his home but he knew he couldn't leave early or that would draw unwanted attention. A drag from the cigarra was taken after and the dose of nicotine helped let his mind drift, the smoke escaping from his mouth before being recaptured by his nostrils smoothly, the voices and music pushed away temporarily with ease.

The artificial serenity was shattered when he heard and then felt a slight rumble, his golden optics drifting to the glass as he noticed the liquid wobble slightly. Without saying a word after a moment of staring, he ashed the cigarra and pushed off the counter to take a step outside to find the culprit. Immediately, his gaze snapped to the sky as he caught an object soaring straight for the ground off in the distance. It was almost unidentifiable but after he squinted his eyes, he recognized the shape of what it was easily.

A ship.

It was as if everything froze around him, time, sound, everything. Both of his eyes tracked it with ease, his entire body still as a statue. Matias didn't even hear as the other gang members filtered outside and beside him, all of them looking up into the sky. One of them eventually let out a loud howl before shouting excitingly, "LET'S GO BOYS!" The words destroyed Matias' bubble as he glanced around him momentarily to see the others start rushing to their rides. Sounds of multiple engines ripped through the air, roaring with authority as they declared to everyone they were about to move out.

Matias' feet didn't beckon to his command as his gaze would return to the ship once more, watching it until it finally dipped out of sight and presumably crashed. Before he could even react, one of the bikers shouted at him, "MATIAS! Wake the fuck up! We're riding out now." Matias' gaze would snap to the man before he just made his way to his own bike, replying sternly as he got on it, "Fuck off." The biker chuckled but left him be as they were finally ready and sped off from the village.

Finding the ship wasn't difficult given the smoke trail and the ride there was relatively short for the speeders. Unfortunately for Raya, by the time she limped down the ramp, she would be greeted with an unwelcoming sight. Speeders surrounded her ship like a circle, fifteen in total as all of the riders simply watched her, more importantly, each one with a blaster in hand. Matias sat on his seat comfortably, a mask drawn up for the lower half of his face, his unnatural golden eyes and black hair only visible. The man next to him would be the one who spoke up confidently, clearly the leader,
"You seem to have stumbled into an unfortunate situation! By my eye, looks like you could use some help."
 
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Raya Kryze

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With each step forward, Raya couldn’t help the faint wince that wrinkled her face - the breath in her lungs flowing through her nostrils with pointed, pained irritation.While it was certainly better than the alternative, surviving a ship-crash wasn’t exactly good for ones health - and stubborn as she might’ve been? There was no denying that the Kryze was in a great deal of pain at that particular moment.

Nevertheless, Raya knew she couldn’t stay there - half convinced that the fuel-cells might’ve been compromised as well. Even if she had to hobble her ass to the nearest cantina or township, the Kryze would do it. Or perhaps she’d simply collapse along the way - but she wasn’t going to go down without an effort.

By the time she rounded towards the durasteel ramp of her shuttle, Raya could already hear the rumble of bikes lingering outside - the noise immediately putting the Kryze on the defensive. Naturally, those apprehensions were only multiplied the moment she laid eyes on the sheer volume of them - and the blasters they carried. This wasn’t a rescue party, or a band of good samaritans looking to help a crash victim.

Beneath her helmet, Raya’s gaze flicked to what she could only presume was the leader of the group - only briefly making eye contact with the golden-eyed member of the gang. Against her every instinct, the Kryze had to resist the urge to inch her fingers towards the magnetic holster of her pistol.

Perhaps she could outdraw them - even manage to get a few shots off.. Only to be turned into Caridian cheese a moment later. There was far too many, and she wasn’t particularly in tip-top condition either.

“Seems I have,” She finally spoke, her voice echoing out in the direction of the leader. She didn’t turn her head away from him, even if her eyes shifted between the circle of men all around her. “Bein' honest? Been a rough morning,” The Kryze added, a bit of amusement bleeding into her tone that would’ve been genuine, were it not for the vultures that swarmed her.

Her head tilted a bit when the man suggested she might need help. “I can handle myself," She said flatly. "Why, are you offering?”


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Matias Vale

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Vultures they were but armed and that made them incredibly dangerous. As the two spoke, Matias paid no attention as his eyes were fixed only on the crashed ship. He inspected it rigorously from afar, finding each little crack from where he sat and judged how mangled it actually was. It was obviously damaged and the only way he could discover whether it was still operable was inside. There was a possibility but he didn't get his hopes raised. There had been dozens of situations like this before and he learned a long time ago how to avoid the disappointment that usually came with it.

The man chuckled at her comment that she could handle herself, "We can obviously tell given your situation." As he spoke, there was a slight slur to his words but there was no hindrance to his movements. At the question of offering, he smiled before speaking again, "I am, my name is Kodo and I'm offering for my boys to help unload that awful amount of equipment you have. It seems quite a load to carry for just one person without a ship now." Even though he spoke with care in his voice, both of them knew exactly what was happening and Kodo was not making any attempt to hide it from her.

Two fingers were placed in his mouth before he gave a sharp whistle to signal the rest. About more than half of the bikers would dismount from their speeders and slowly draw in toward Raya. Seven more still remained on their rides and blasters on her, obviously waiting in case she made a break for it. They weren't trained but they weren't dumbasses either in how to handle their numbers. Kodo glanced over to Matias before clicking his tongue, the sound finally drawing his gaze away from the craft, "Check the ship. Make sure she's the only one." They've dealt with one surprise before and it resulted in them losing quite a couple of their members.

Matias would just offer a nod to him before swinging his legs over to get off and approach. Instead of forming the new circle around her, he went wide and went for the ship. As he was about to pass, a blaster still in hand, he couldn't help but glance over at whoever this mysterious woman was. Her face was an enigma but she was clearly dangerous, given the weapons and the armor she was wearing. The bronze coloring of her armor attracted his eye as he couldn't help the curiosity that formed in his head. Matias and the rest had no clue she was a Mandalorian but they were still paying respect to the armament. But as he drew closer to the craft, his attention returned there, captivated by potential.

Kodo dismounted too but instead of trailing closer, he stayed near his bike to lean against it with his arms slightly crossed as he smiled once again at Raya. A simple shrug would be given before he stated, "Let's start simple, drop your weapons and whatever else you got that can be considered... dangerous."
 

Raya Kryze

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For the first few moments, Raya lingered like a bronze statue in the sunlight - not bothering to reciprocate the introduction as her eyes narrowed into thin, razor-sharp daggers. In an instant, the Kryze’s initial suspensions of the men’s intentions were confirmed, and there was an almost involuntary, visceral reaction to the words - her fingers twitching the faintest bit towards the magnetic holster of her pistols. “How generous of you,” She said calmly, even as copious venom laced each and every syllable that passed her lips. Her umber eyes flicked between Kodo and the rest of his men - trained instincts kicking in as she observed the gang members that circled.

“You are welcome to try,” She said after a moment of pause, words serving as a warning she knew they would laugh off and ignore.

Without a second thought, any notions of this all ending without confrontation were promptly silenced and thrown out the window - regardless of her pain or how severely the odds were stacked against her. Perhaps any regular individual would happily hand over their armor in exchange for their life - if that mercy was even granted. But Raya was no regular individual. She was a Mandalorian. A Kryze. The beskar’gam she wore was a fundamental part of who she was - and there wasn’t a single scenario that ended in her voluntary surrender of it. If they wanted her armor? They were welcome to peel it from her limp corpse - and nothing short of it.

Raya watched as several of the men dismounted from their speeders, slowly beginning to close around her like a vice. Her gaze, however, promptly flicked to the one man that stood out amongst them all - the one that seemed far more interested in her ship than the armor she wore. She kept the man in her sights - and even if Matias couldn’t see it, continued when their eyes momentarily met. She couldn’t quite help the way she lingered on his unnatural, golden eyes - the unique color and glint behind them catching her attention far more than it should have.

She didn’t, however, linger there for long. Instead, the Kryze glanced right back ahead - listening as the gang-leader ‘suggested’ for her to lay down her weapons. She didn’t shift at all, at first - instead merely staring at the man blankly for a long moment.

“Your choice.”

Slowly, Raya pulled the vibroblade and pistol from her utility belt - holding each weapon vertically towards the ground and deliberately not pointed towards any of the men. She bent forward, slowly moving to place both weapons on the ground - or so she hoped they would believe. Just before either weapon touched the ground, Raya flexed her wrist abruptly - activating the wrist-rocket on her right vambrace - her wrist already having been pointed out towards the group. She was banking on the fact that they wouldn’t understand her heritage or the traditional weapons they utilized.

Without any warning, the rocket streamed forth with a trail of smoke - traveling from her wrist and towards the gang leader. Any of the men directly in front of her would need to dive out of the way, and the Kryze had no doubt others would turn their attention to the explosive. At that same moment, Raya kicked on the thrusters of her jetpack - pressing off her left foot to strafe to the left. Pain coursed sharply through her body, but the assistance of her jetpack carried the Kryze with startling speed - charging directly at one of the approaching gangmembers. She stepped behind him and drew in close - one arm moving down to pin his own, while her other arm - still holding the vibroblade - pressed mere inches from the man’s throat. The vibrating edge dangerously close to cutting through its mark.

Raya pulled the man tight against her chest, holding him in place while stepping backwards. Perhaps the men would happily fill the both of them with blaster bolts. Or perhaps not.


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Matias Vale

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Matias scaled the ramp quickly with his long stride as he left the others to deal with each other. Their voices could be heard but were muffled once he was in the confines of the ship. Both of his hands were clamped around his blaster as he stepped into the stomach of the craft, angling so that his back would collide against a wall and be planted there. He had no clue if anyone was on the ship and he preferred not to be jumped from behind. The barrel of his gun scanned the relatively small ship, along with his eyes, and thankfully found it to be empty.

Instead of turning back to head out inside and inform the others, Matias holstered his pistol as his gaze slowly fixed on the ajar door of the cockpit. His muscles went rigid at first, able to see the dead controls even from where he stood. After recollecting himself, however, he kicked it into gear and took on a hurried pace, murmuring to himself, "C'mon, c'mon." Matias scaled the varying damage to arrive at the door, ultimately unable to squeeze through after a valiant attempt. Adapting to the circumstance, he placed the sole of his boot against the door and placed his back on the opposing wall, suspending him somewhat in the air as he lifted his body with his leg.

Letting out a grunt of effort and pushing with all his might, the door groaned at first before finally sliding back and fully opening. It made Matias drop from the air but he landed gracefully enough and snapped his gaze to the cockpit. Entering the room, he first checked the internals and engines promptly, flipping the necessary buttons and switches as he continued to murmur to himself, "Please, please..."

Once more flicking on the emergency power, no answer was received and it almost shattered him. Not giving in though, he got onto the floor and lay below the controls as he ripped off one of the panels. Fingering the wires, he eventually pulled out two and used his knife in order to split them. Once that was done, he began his attempt of hotwiring to create a charge. At first, nothing happened but on his third and final attempt, a charge formed between the wires as HUDS and screens came to life above. The ship sputtered to life barely but it was alive. Matias' eyes widened before he slammed a close fist lightly against the dash above his head, softly muttering, "Thank you..." The acknowledgment was offered to anything that was listening, even if they had no hand in the outcome. Matias didn't care, there was a light at the end of the tunnel and that made him happy enough to give his appreciation.

---​
Kodo and the others having no clue about what she was meant went she bent down, they offered no resistance as to them it seemed like she was simply complying. Despite his relaxed nature, the leader kept a hawk-like gaze on the armored woman and would only relax when she was fully disarmed. As the weapons were about to be placed on the ground, that's when he noticed the sudden shift from her wrist before a rocket suddenly just appeared from her suit. Kodo's eyes widened in shock as the only word he shouted out was, "SHIT!" Taking no chances, he just dived forward and covered his head as others did the same, the missile let loose right after.

Striking one of the bikes behind them, a small explosive cloud erupted from where the vehicle, Kodo's personal bike, once was. Those parked beside it didn't end up well, one of the riders suffering shrapnel littering his entire body as he died instantly. Another one wasn't killed but injured, the man on the ground and whining and coughing as he had dropped his gun with a piece of metal jutting out from his hand. Kodo stood up from the ground slowly as he dusted off the dirt from his shoulders, a few coughs escaping from as he inspected the carnage behind him, "Quite an answer from you..."

At that point, Matias had exited from the ship and stood on the ramp, his eyes first locking on the small inferno and then on the bronze woman who had a hostage. How quickly it went to shit. Kodo was pissed and that evidently played across his face as he gave her a fake smile, his action obvious, "And here's ours." In unison, he and four others would raise their blasters and immediately open fire on her, multiple bolts fired each in succession. All of them wore the same uniform basically, a jacket mixed with regular civilian clothing and it resulted in her human shield dying straight away as the rest of the bolts would start to pierce through the flesh to hit her.
 
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Raya Kryze

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Unsurprisingly, Raya took no chances with her hostage - craning the man’s arm backwards while keeping the vibro-knife pressed only a few centimeters away from finding purchase in his throat. All the while, her umber eyes snapped between the men who had survived her wrist rocket - narrowed harshly upon their every movement. Gruesome as it was, the Kryze felt little sympathy for those who had been caught up in the explosion of shrapnel.

It was their choice to attack her, and their fates had been their own to determine.

“Nar’sheb,” She spat, slipping into Mando’a just as Kodo rose back to his feet - the venom in her words unmistakable. She wanted nothing more than to plug him full of plasma bolts, and for the moment, the Kryze didn’t think about Matias who had slipped into her ship only a few moments prior.

Her eyes widened, and any hopes that the gang would be sympathetic to one of their own was summarily wiped off the table. Their intention was clear, and the moment their fingers flicked to the trigger of their blasters, Raya dove to the left - sliding the vibrating edge of her blade across the hostages throat in the process. The man was already dead by the time the volley of blaster bolts was unleashed - filling his corpse with smoldering holes as he promptly dropped like a sack of potatoes.

While she was spared from being turned to Caridian cheese by the volley, the Kryze was moving slower than usual as a result of her injuries - and it made her an easier target to hit, regardless of her training. As her body dove to the left and her jetpack engaged once more to carry her forth, one of two of the gang members turned to follow her trajectory - unleashing several in rapid succession. The Kryze rotated her vambrace in response, no doubt shocking the men by knocking away the first with her vambrace. Nevertheless, she simply wasn’t quick enough to avoid the other two - crying out in agony as bolts of plasma found purchase in her upper thigh and right shoulder. The heavy armor absorbed much of the shot’s potency, but the bleed-through damage was enough to puncture nonetheless.

The thrusters of her jetpack flickered off, and the Kryze came to a skidding halt just off to the side of the group - dropping down to one knee as her leg simply couldn’t sustain her own weight. Her right arm surged with pain, incredibly heavy and difficult to move thanks to the bolt she sustained to the shoulder.

But she wasn’t going to simply lay down and die. If they hoped to peel the armor from her corpse, she was going to make them bleed until her very last breath. Without warning, the Kryze lifted her left wrist and flexed the hand downward - activating the flamethrower that was mounted on her vambrace. It was a last ditch effort - the last surprise trick she had up her sleeve - and it wasn’t an attack she could sustain for long. But if nothing else, the Kryze was confident she would take out at least one more of their rank and cause the others to dive, rather than continue firing upon her. Perhaps it would give her the opening she needed. Perhaps it would merely be her last act of defiance before she was put out of her misery.

What Raya failed to notice, however, was Matias behind her - still believing the man to be deeper in her own ship. Positioned as she was, the Kryze had left her back completely exposed to the gangmember, at his mercy while she attempted to incinerate his fellows. It was a rookie mistake - one that the Kryze would’ve kicked herself for in any other moment, but her own dire condition meant that she was moving slower and making more mistakes than usual.


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Matias Vale

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All of them were pieces of shit, either obvious or in their own way. The assumption that Kodo cared about his men would be the warrior's mistake. None of them were trained soldiers, important or shared blood. Out here, they could easily be replaced by the next helpless and starving kid desperate enough to do anything to earn a place. It was what they once all were and how they were seduced by the gang.

They weren't fully prepared for the Mandalorian's reaction time, half of the pirates still firing into their dead comrade before they realized she had jetted to the side. The two others tracked her more thoroughly and placed their shots accurately on her, one striking her thigh and the other clipping her shoulder. As the pirates patiently watched her come to a rough halt, basically maimed and wounded in front of them, they each reloaded one by one as Kodo spoke up, "Nice try darling but that's all it was." In unison, all of the blasters were raised again and aimed right at her.

It was believed she would be too wounded to pull any type of counter-attack and before a trigger could be pulled, they would be completely taken by surprise with the sudden burst of flames, yelps of shock let out. Unfortunately for Raya, because of her uncontrolled stop and that she couldn't move to envelop them with her leg, the cone of flames barely just reached the pirates as they shined orange from reflecting the light on their skin. A few of them simply fell on their ass to crawl away, shock in their eyes but unharmed as a couple certainly shitted themselves. But upon witnessing the full extent of her range, those that had been taken by surprise would simply stare or get up before dusting themselves off, still keeping a respectful distance but no longer expressing concern.

Kodo, the confident one out of the bunch, simply took a few steps back as the flames nearly licked him but couldn't. "Get up," he snarled at the others before returning his full attention back to Raya. Both parties wouldn't be able to really see each other past the fire but the Mandalorian would start to hear the echo of different laughter around her, one voice calling out after, "How long do you got?!" The more she struggled, the more satisfying she made it for them.

Matias, who still stood on the ramp, watched the entire event unfold before him. His gaze rapidly switched between both the men he knew and the woman fighting them off, a split decision needing to be made in that instant. There had been so many instances before this, a ship or vehicle that crashed; so many instances where he had built hope only to be crushed. Finally, after much patience, his wish had finally been answered and it was about to be killed right in front of him without hesitation. Matias needed her and with that thought, he made his decision as he knew the possibility of this ever happening again was too low.

Raya would one moment only feel the heat of the flamethrower and the pain from her wounds before out of nowhere, it felt like a full wrecking ball had collided right against the side of her head. Matias has snuck over during the little show, the fire and laughter masking his approach as he retrieved a metal bat from one of the dead gang members. With her focus split, It had been swung full force and uninterrupted, enough power behind it to make it feel as if her brain bounced between the walls of her skull. There was suitable power to take her to the ground instantly, even with a helmet, and truthfully most likely leave her concussed. But in his mind, she at least wouldn't be dead.

If Raya remained on her knees still, another fully arched swing would strike her temple again.
 

Raya Kryze

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Despite her valiant efforts to the contrary, Raya knew that she was stuck in an utterly shit situation. She was injured, outnumbered and outgunned - and any route of tactical retreat wasn’t likely to get her very far. It was only a matter of time - seconds, really - before the fuel cell of her flamethrower completely flickered out, leaving her exposed to be plugged full of laser bolts by the gangmembers. Even that last ditched attack wouldn’t be enough to incinerate any of them before she was shredded by blasterfire.

She couldn’t help but grit her teeth, listening as cruel laughter began to fill the air. Even still, the Kryze didn’t say a single word in response - expression fixed into steely resolve for those short moments. She wasn’t about to give any of them the satisfaction of see her panic or despair towards the end. Not when even at her worst, it took an entire group of them to put her down.

Raya felt the heat of the flamethrower across her forearm, the flames sizzling as the fuel cell finally began to fizzle. Before the flames could die out, however, Raya cried out as the metal bat collided with the side of her helmet - pain rushing through the side of her skull and her vision blackening upon impact. It was enough to cause the woman to slump over limply to side - collapsing into the mud without a bit of fighting left in her. For all intents and purposes, the Kryze was completely incapacitate - just barely teetering on the edges of consciousness and aware of her surroundings.


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Matias Vale

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One strike was all that was needed and Matias was thankful for it. The mysterious armored woman practically dropped even though she was already on her knees. Breathing heavily after the swing, both his eyes laid upon her with caution and he waited in case she tried anything else. When a few moments passed, it was clear that was out of any fight in order to get up and continue. The grip around the handle would be tightened, ready to launch just in case, even as he took a step backward while his gaze remained on her.

Kodo, couldn't be more excited as he let out a "Woooo!" A bend to his knees as the word came out before he finished with a little bounce. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as their victims never fought back like that. He peeked over at Raya still on the ground before he lifted his blaster to his chest to reload another energy pack into it with ease. "Time to pop this fucking bitch in the head and dip." Spoken without remorse, he strode over to her and about halfway aimed the barrel at her.

Matias' optics only tore away from Raya when he heard Kodo approach. Without really thinking about it, he used his long stride to cover the distance and stand between the two. The bat was still nestled within his hand and as both he and Kodo locked gazes, a simple and stern answer was given, "No." While the bat was at the ready to be used on Raya, if it came down to it, its other purpose was for her protection too.

Taken aback by the audacity, Kodo halted completely to direct his attention on Matias, stepping in front of him with only inches separating them. "What you say to me, motherfucker? She just killed two of our men." The blaster was aimed at the ground but the look in Kodo's eyes was well recognized by everyone. No one disobeyed him or he was quick to lash out, just as quickly as Raya's hostage was killed and the blaster able to be pressed against his chest.

Using his free hand, Matias would slowly reach into his pocket, his gaze still clashing with Kodo's as he pulled out a torn-out circuit board. "Whoever she is, she activated a beacon when she crashed. If she has friends, they know where she is and are probably outfitted like her. We keep her alive, we got a card up our sleeve in case they come. I'm wrong, we shoot her anyway." Lying was easy for him and the words spilled out from his lips without a hitch. The circuit board was from the ship's scanners but the others wouldn't be able to tell the difference in the slightest. If Raya was lucid, she knew no such device was activated. Kodo finally broke their fellow silent battle as his eyes flicked to the circuit pinched between Matias' fingers. "Shit..." He mumbled out before putting a respectful distance between the two. Looking over to Raya, he gave her an upward nod before spinning around to walk back to the others, "Clear her of any weapons. Then we prep her for travel."

Matias would remain where he stood as he watched Kodo walk back, staying to make sure he didn't receive a second wind of rage and attempt to shoot her. Once by the bikes, he turned around as well but made his way to the Mandalorian. Raya would feel a hand grab the collar of her breastplate before she was lifted, dragged, and then placed against the side of her ship. Matias crouched down in front of her after, his hands frisking her as he first removed her blasters and blades. At first, he was silent but once her primary weapons were gone, he spoke quietly and bluntly, "They are going to beat you. Badly."

After her belt was removed and tossed onto his shoulder, Matias would fully raise his eyes and stare into her visor. Raya would be able to see the unique combination of colors that almost wasn't human. It was as if a pair of suns had been captured, stuck in this perpetual dawn trapped within his eyes, a combination of gold and red, because of their intensity. It was the only part of his face visible with the mask still up. "If you don't fall unconscious, take my advice and fake that you do quickly," Matias spoke matter of factly, the next series of events unavoidable and required to be just taken on the chin.
 
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Raya Kryze

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At least initially, Raya was barely able to hear what was being said around her. It felt as if her head was being split open, molten agony radiating from her skull in addition to the other injuries that she suffered. The Kryze couldn’t deny the waves of exhaustion that seemed to lull her every movement - losing almost any strength to move from where she had slumped over, let alone manage to remain entirely lucid.

It was several moments, but the Kryze never-the-less was conscious enough to heart part of the exchange with Matias and Kodo - specifically lingering on a tracking beacon that had been supposedly activated. Even in her injured and not-entirely-there state, she knew that was bullshit. There was little of the control terminal that was functional upon landing, and a beacon for the rest of the Mandalorians to evac her would’ve been among the first things she activated if it was functional.

Matias was lying. Actively standing up to his superior on falsified information - and to what end? For her? If the man was interested in her ship, he certainly didn’t need her alive to scrap it for parts. It was a mystery that replayed itself in her mind, swirling amongst the pain and other thoughts that floated through her psyche. It wasn’t until she was drug through the dirt that the Mandalorian began to stir, stifling down a groan as she was propped up against the ship. Her amber eyes opened behind the t-visor of her helmet, fixating onto the man who struck her, lied for her, and was not stripping her weapons. When he spoke, Raya merely narrowed her eyes, tilting her helmeted head back against the hull of her own ship.

“No shit, Sherlock.” She said dryly. The Kryze wasn’t an idiot. She was alive, and two of their men weren’t - and Raya knew she was going to suffer consequences for that. Raya deliberately didn't comment on whether or not she cared for or would take his advise on how to take a beating.

She took a moment to regard the men, her own gaze lingering on the unnatural color of his eyes. It was a shade not entirely human, and the Kryze couldn’t deny the certain allure that they held - overshadowed only by her desire to deck Matias and every other member of his merry band of assholes. By virtue of her helmet, the man would see nothing but the expressionless helmet staring back at him - the direction she faced being the only indication she was even looking at him to begin with.

“Why did you lie to him?” She said quietly, her voice flat. There was no mystery in what she was referring to, and there would be no attempting to convince her to the contrary. She doubted he would answer - he almost certainly wouldn’t - but she asked nonetheless.

The man would only be given a few moments to answer - or not answer, more likely - before other members of the gang began to make their way over to where Raya was prompted up against the ship. Anger burned in their eyes - some merely coming with fists bared, while others were armed with similar metal bats in their hands.


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Matias Vale

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Raya's retort didn't earn a reaction from him as he scanned the rest of her figure, stripping her of anything that could be considered a weapon. Her vambraces would be removed next as that was where the missile had been fired from and the flamethrower. Who knew what other type of tricks she had and he wasn't going to risk it.

When she asked why he lied, Matias paused for a moment, his arms resting on his knees before he directed his gaze to the visor. At first, he thought about giving her an answer but then he realized there was no point in doing so. If they could make it to the village, she would find out soon enough. If she was brain dead after, then there was no point in wasting his breath here. The answer given back wouldn't shed any light, it only being a quick tilt of his head before he reached and grabbed onto the collar of her breastplate once more. Raya was heaved behind him with his one hand, thrown into the dirt roughly as she would come to a rolling stop and in front of the rest. Standing back up to his full height, an upward nod was given to her body, "She's clean." Matias stepped and leaned against the ship after, his back to it as he pulled out a cigarra with his optics residing on the rear of the Mandalorian's head. Smoking as he patiently watched, he would wait to see what the results were.

Raya would see Kodo's boots step one after another toward her, his own bat dragged in the sand beside them. "Get her the fuck up," roughly ordered a couple of men, those without their own weapons as they each gripped onto one of her arms, lifting her up to her knees in front of him. Kodo then crouched in front of her, a man in his 40s with a multitude of scars on his face that claimed exactly why he was still the leader of the gang despite his age. "Clearly, you have some fight in you darling. We're going to thoroughly remove it." Excitement plagued his tone and that meant the worst for her.

Kodo stood up then, fixating his eyes on his bat as he twirled it a second before speaking, "This is for firing a missile at me..." Without warning, both his hands would grip the handle before he arched it back and swung it full force into her stomach plate. The armor would prevent any lethal damage but it would knock the wind right out of her lungs, most likely bruising her abdomen and ribs. The strike would make her bend over and that's when he spoke again, "And this is for blowing up my fucking bike!" Instead of a regular swing, it was used like a gulf club, the thickest part of the bat striking where her nose would have been if it wasn't for the helmet. Both of the men holding her arms would let go, letting her be taken back by the force to fall onto her back and stare up straight at the sky. If it wasn't for the armor, Raya would most likely be dead, her head caved in with her nose shoved into her brain and it became apparent why they hadn't fully removed the armor then. If she wasn't unconscious, she was close.

Kodo stared down at whatever was left of Raya, whether moving or not, able to hear him or not, he continued, "And the rest is for the men you killed." The bat was then tossed to the nearest member without one, "Don't kill her," Kodo's eyes flicking over to Matias momentarily, "Just make the bitch bleed." As he turned away to walk back to the assembly of bikes, the others joined in then. Raya would be beaten without mercy by those with bats or pipes in their hand, striking at her arms, legs, ribs, anywhere that wasn't defended by her. Those that stood by waited in case she tried something, ready to hop on her. If she didn't move, their own licks would come in with their boots smashing on top of her limbs. The beating wouldn't last too long but it was intended to leave her a bruised and broken pulp.

Matias still watched calmly from his spot as a spectator, one leg kicked up with his foot against the ship as he took a drag from the cigarra. The smoke filtered out from his mouth and into his nose as he watched, memories of when he had gone through the same process years ago as he waited for them to finish. The only differences was his took place in a dark basement, he had been naked, and the bats had been replaced with chains.
 
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Raya Kryze

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Raya merely exhaled through her nostrils when Matias - as was expected - opted not to answer her question. It was abundantly clear that the man had his own motivations, independent to his gang, and that somehow the Kryze played into it all. For the moment, Raya didn’t trust him in the slightest - and she was positive that the same sentiment was felt on his end. At this point, it didn’t matter in the slightest. All she needed to do was to survive.

To survive, and to individually even the score against each one of his comrades.

Nevertheless, Matias would be able to feel Raya’s gaze linger upon him - the silence only amplifying the harsh glare hidden behind the expressionless helmet she wore. Her attention only shifted when she was thrown before Kodo once again, her body only coming to a rolling halt by virtue of her elbow planting into the mud. Even as she was hoisted up by the two men and held in place, the Kryze made a point to lift her head to face the gang leader - far more lucid in that moment as she met his words with that dame, statue-like stare.

“Go fuck yourself,”
She scoffed the words, venom dripping from her tongue. The worst was going to come regardless, and Raya wasn’t about to willingly show her underbelly in spite of that fact.

Even still, all the stubbornness and resolve in the world couldn’t shield the Kryze from the repeated blows that came. The first blow to her stomach plate was successful in knocking the wind from her lungs, while the second caused stars to flash across her vision as her body toppled back and into the dirt - the warm trickle of blood starting to flow from her nostrils. She was conscious - if only barely in that moment - her vision flickering as she laid motionless in the dirt. She heard the words from Kodo well enough, though.

The subsequent blows came, and Raya couldn’t help the sounds of pain that escaped her lips - groans and cries through gritted teeth as bats, pipes and boots collided with her body. Even still, the Kryze refused to simply lay down and be beaten into submission - managing to roll over onto her side as the multitude of blows came in. She found the strength to shoot her leg outward - managing to slam the armored heel of her boot directly into the ankle of one of the men who’d gotten too close. An audibly crunch was heard, followed by the man toppling over with a cry. Which, of course, only caused more of the men to hop into Raya - further pinning her into the dirt and only multiplying the beating she received. She wasn’t going to simply lie down and pretend to go unconscious. She was going to fight her assailants at every turn - and she suffered all the more for it.

Even if time passed quickly, the beating felt like it lasted an eternity for the Kryze. By the end of it, Raya was left with her back in the mud - bronze helmet tilted up towards the sky as she began to slip from consciousness. Blood trickled from open wounds across her body, the skin breaking at points of impact when if the armor absorbed the majority of the blows. And even in that moment, Raya deliberately chose not to remove her helmet. Her limbs were heavy and her body surged with agony, and in that moment, the Kryze did nothing but simply lay in place.


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After the blow to the head, he was expecting the woman to be out for the count. Or at least heed his advice to pass out and make her beating less fun for the others so they lost interest quickly. Instead, she got her own bright idea and lashed out, managing to at least injure, most likely breaking the ankle of one of her attackers. Upon seeing that, Matias clicked his tongue to himself before taking another drag, the other's pummeling her even harder knowing she was still capable to bite back. Even though it was stupid of her, he had to respect her tenacity even after all she was suffering through.

What would have been a relatively short beating became longer in reaction to Raya's kick. One of the men grabbed onto her leg to hold it up in the air, another with a bat came forward and brought the weapon down overhead to smash right on top of her ankle to return the favor. Because of the armor, it wouldn't break but it would be difficult to walk on, most likely badly swollen. By the time all of it was said and done, the men surrounded her in the form of a circle, admiring their handiwork with her busted body. Either wasting all their energy or losing interest because she no longer moved, they all departed and went back to their bikes. The last one would leave a parting gift, a glob of spit scrounged up before spat right onto her visor.

Matias still remained where he was, his cigarra burned about halfway down as he casted his gaze upon Raya, her chest still slowly rising and falling as the only sign she was alive. With his foot still on the ship, he pushed off of it before flicking his nicotine in the sand as he made his way over to her. Standing over her, his mask would be pulled up to cover the bottom half of his face as he tilted his head slightly while staring down at her. Whether she could hear his comment or not, he couldn't help making it with dry sarcasm, "Smart."

Not risking another round between her and the others, Raya would have both her hands and feet bound tightly before once more he gripped onto her breastplate and dragged her along the ground. She would be brought over to his bike and tossed against the side of it, Matias unloading her gear into the pouches along the side of his ride after, his gaze not drifting over to her once during. Once that was finished, he pulled out a long rope and walked back over to her, tying one end of it to her bound hands securely, his eyes focused only on the knot too.

Matias then brought the other end to the back of his bike, tying another secure knot there and leaving about 20 feet of rope coiled on the ground. Her ride there wouldn't be as comfortable. Seeing that she was tied up, Kodo finally shouted out to the rest, "Time to move out!" A few of the men had already picked up the injured and dead, loading them onto their bikes. The deed was more to save the equipment than out of respect for the bodies. One by one, the roars of engines would howl into the sky, Raya able to feel Matias' rumble against her back softly.

As Kodo led the departing, Matias would file into his position as he opened the throttle and took off. Immediately, the rope would go taunt around Raya's restraints and she would be harshly snapped and then dragged through the sand and rock, the particles filling into her helmet and spaces between her armor. The speed was too fast for her to stand, leaving her to scrape along her stomach or back the entire way. Bikes would form a perimeter near them, keeping a respectable distance to not run her over but to make sure she tried nothing else.
 

Raya Kryze

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Beaten and bloodied, a combination of pain and almost overwhelming exhaustion surged across Raya’s armor-covered body. While none of her injuries were exactly life threatening, they were enough to leave the Kryze dangling on the edge of consciousness - while the blow to her ankle was likely to be the most crippling injury going forward. Her umber eyes fluttered open and closed, though it was almost impossible to tell from behind the visor that she wore. There was no response to Matias’ sarcastic remark, though the Kryze heard it all the same and committed it to memory.

The Kryze merely muffled a groan as she was drug towards Matias’ bike and secured behind it. She said nothing - but once again the Kryze wasn’t unconscious in that moment - aware of the different pieces of her armor and weaponry that were stashed in Matias’ bag - eyes harshly narrowed as that detail, too, was burned into her memory. Her gaze promptly flicked down to the coil of rope that was left at her feet. She was intelligent enough to know what the man was about to do, and prepared herself for it.

The uncomfortable silence in the air was pierced by the sound of Koto’s voice, followed by the rumble of bikes that followed. Exactly as expected, Raya watched as the coil of began to rapidly pull taut. Rather than allow it to snap her limbs backwards, however, the Kryze coiled the rope around her hands and pulled it tight against her chest - allowing the pull of the bike to drag her entire body through the dirt at once. It was equally unpleasant, but it prevented her joints from being pulled from their sockets by the abrupt driving.

The journey was long and uncomfortable, just as the precedent events had been - and all the same, Raya suffered in relative silence. She was exhausted beyond attempting any other escape, and she wasn’t going to give the men the satisfaction of seeing her struggle or cry out in pain, even as the particles of sand and constant dragging began to rub her skin raw. Time seemed to blend together, until the village finally came into view - the dusty and largely ram-shackle settlement seeming to jut out from nowhere amongst the arid landscape. All at once, Raya could feel the hooting and howling of inhabitants - those who hadn’t participated in the ‘hunt’, yet seemed to celebrate the capture all the same.

As the group finally came to a halt, one of the senior gangmembers turned and looked towards Koto. "Where do we put her?"


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Matias Vale

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As the gang drove into the center of town, small crowds had drawn outside and formed to see what the ruckus was about. The exchange of blaster fire was typical but a full-blown explosion was rare. There was a split down the middle when it came to the townspeople that could be felt, some just living on with their life and doing everything they can to be ignored. Others had fallen more under Kodo's influence, partaking in whatever he did as they abided by his law: The strongest only survive. So, upon the sight of Raya, cheers would erupt as well a few turning away to leave before the situation became too raucous.

As members dismounted and Kodo was asked what to do with Raya, he turned to face Matias' bike before gesturing with his hand, "Throw the bitch in the dungeon. We'll have to see if her friends decide to arrive." He would then spin again to face the majority of the assembled crowd, "But in the meantime... We mourn our fallen brothers and we celebrate their memory tonight with this successful hunt!" Kodo and the crowds would start to shift to the cantina, their focus completely leaving Raya and Matias as they filed into the building. The deaths obviously wouldn't plague the festive mood too much. They could always be replaced.

The young renegade simply sat on his bike until most of the others left before he dismounted silently, music starting to blare from the cantina. Matias first went to the bags tied across his bike that contained Raya's weapons and vambraces. Pulling them off, they would be then thrown over his shoulder before he untied the rope that connected her to his bike. Not trusting her to walk and not wanting to carry her, the rope was wrapped around his wrist twice before he dragged her across the sand again. Instead of the cantina, they veered to the right and to a building that was deathly silent compared to it.

As they got closer, the "dungeon" would really be an old sheriff's building, the symbol and sign faded away and nearly a hundred blaster holes shot through it. Matias opened the front door with his foot before pulling her inside as well to take her to one of the cells that could be viewed instantly. The building was nothing impressive, about three large rooms only separated by thin walls and one fully occupied by three cells, the two other doors closed. A table was placed in front of them for whoever was supposed to watch and the tied bags would be tossed onto it, a loud clatter from her metal blasters and vambraces.

Matias then opened a cell door before giving one sharp pull to fully get Raya inside and right beneath him. There was a bare bed, toilet, and sink but the impression given by the condition was that the latter wasn't operable. After she was in the cell, he would crouch down then, his movement lax with her terrible state. First, he cut the long rope he used to drag her with a knife, but before the restraints were removed, he would take off her armor and he started with the helmet.

Fingers would pinch the side and the hem of her helmet, lifting it without concern as he had no knowledge of her culture. Matias wasn't one who hesitated but in a rare moment, after the helm was off, he paused. Expectations weren't set as he hadn't really thought about it but he knew he wasn't expecting her. Even though the sand, bruised and swollen flesh, he could catch her natural beauty and it was still barely diminished. Not only that but she was just as young as him too. Matias' gaze would slowly scan more without realizing it before he recovered and focused back on the reason why he saved her in the first place. His eyes tore away from her face as he began to unclip the straps of her armor that he could efficiently, only cutting her restraints when he needed to remove the final pieces.

When he was finished, she would be left in the clothing she still wore underneath before he stepped out of the cell. The door would slam shut and then be locked before all of her armor would just be tossed onto the table as well. A word had not been said by Matias the entire time and would remain that way as instead of facing her, he just made his way to the door again. Quite frankly, she was mostly barely lucid enough to remember even her own name and he didn't want to waste time when it was this precious. Not even casting a glance at her, he would exit from the room and head outside, the only sound the swinging of the door as Raya was left alone.
 
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Raya Kryze

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As could be reasonably expected, Raya was largely out of it for most of the journey to the village - and that same fact held true after they arrived. Pain surged across her body and the repeated blows to the head took their effect - leaving the Kryze in a state where consciousness seemed to teeter just along the edges of her grasp. As a result, she was only vaguely aware of her surroundings - darkness blotting her vision for unknown stretches of time, only to find herself having moved when she finally came to once again. Even as Matias drug her through the mud and yanked her armored figure into a cell.

She was only half-lucid for what occurred next - but that simple fact was enough for the fury to swell within every fiber of Raya’s being. The Kryze knew at once what he intended - and it went against every fundamental belief and value that she held dear as a Mandalorian. The armor she was was steeped in the blood of her ancestors and culture, and it was a fundamental piece of the Kryze’s identity - from the way it had been reforged to fit her small frame to the Bronze color she had chosen. It was a piece of her as important as the lungs in her chest, and for anyone to strip it from her was an insult to every aspect of her culture.

Her fingers twitched towards a fist as the helmet was lifted from her head - dark hair spilling from within and matting down to her face with blood. Even in her current state, Matias would briefly catch a glimpse of the pure and unadulterated anger that burned within her gaze - piercing into his own golden gaze and refusing to break away until she finally drifted out of consciousness for just that moment, her head bobbing forward as she struggled against her own injuries.

For the bits and pieces that she was aware of, that same raw anger coursed through the Kryze was the remaining pieces of her armor were stripped away - leaving her only in the armorweave bodysuit worn underneath. She didn’t bother to look at Matias against when her head lifted next - her gaze locking instead onto the armor left on the table, focusing onto the helmet that had been left, tilted onto its side.

—​

Hours has passed since Matias had left, and Raya had since continued to drift in and out of consciousness before finally allowing exhaustion to claim her - falling into those few hours of deep sleep after everything she had endured. She didn’t know how much time had passed or if anyone had come to visit her while she was unconscious, and she frankly didn’t care - her only concern that her armor was still sitting on the table when she woke next.

By now, Raya was fully awake once more - this time entirely aware of her surroundings. The blood had long-since dried against the side of her face, and only some of the swelling has started to reduce on her face and various other parts of her body. All the while, her umber gaze never broke from that table - fixed onto the various pieces of her armor. Her beskar’gam.

Endless silence was finally broken, and Raya’s eyes were drawn back to the door that led outside of the ‘jail’ - watching as the doorhandle began to rattle and turn.

Almost at once, the Kryze pressed off her good leg and a hand planted on the ground - forcing herself onto her feet regardless of the pain that surged across her body and the dizziness that slammed into her. She only gingerly applied weight to her smashed ankle - weight that was promptly withdrawn as a spike of pain went up her entire leg.

It took leaning herself against an adjacent wall in order to get there - but Raya slowly managed to stand at her full height - jaw set and eyes fixed straight ahead. Regardless of who walked through that door, Raya was going to meet them standing on her feet - not curled up like some broken, beaten animal in the corner. Upon spotting the man in the doorway, Raya’s expression immediately twisted into a snarl.

“What the fuck do you want?”


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Matias Vale

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Matias had given her a few hours to recover as he preferred to not talk to a corpse and joined the others, for the time being, putting his ear to the ground to find out how they felt. The sun eventually dipped from the sky and would be replaced with a vibrant moon. Beams of moonlight pierced through the dirty windows of the jail and became the only light that illuminated the building but well enough. After the party had died down a little, he had taken his leave and returned to where Raya was by himself, opening the door to step into the rather cramped room.

As he stepped inside, the first thing she would see was the lit butt of a cigarra as he walked fully into the light and toward her cell. Smoke clawed his top lip and escaped up toward the ceiling as the mask he typically wore had been fully removed. Matias's black hair held its usual messy appearance as he only wore a tight black shirt, his riding pants, and boots for his lean frame. More importantly, at least he would think to her, would be the tray he held in his free hand. The food on it was actually decent, bread and cooked meat with a cup of water. She was integral to what he wanted and starving her out did not have a place in his plan.

Both his eyes flicked up and down Raya's figure slowly, surprised she was even standing as he approached. When he reached her cell door, he simply ignored her question at first and bent down to place the tray on the ground. Matias would open the little slot there before nudging with his foot to push the food into her space. Straightening out after, another drag was taken from his cigarra before he answered with a gruff tone from the help of the smoke, his answer blunt, "For you to eat. You look like utter shit."

Walking over to the table next, his eyes flicked to her armor and weapons but instead of messing with her equipment, a chair was retrieved and pulled over to the front of her cell. The back of it would face toward her as Matias sat himself down and rested both his arms on the spine of the chair, his gaze absentmindedly locked on Raya as he thought to himself for a moment. At this distance, she would be able to spot the scars that peeked from underneath his shirt and toward his neck.

When a few seconds ticked by, whether she was eating or not, Matias spoke out loud, "I'd give it about three days before Kodo loses his patience and decides to just shoot you in the head or worse." It was most likely worse but that wasn't the point. Another slow drag was taken before he spoke again, his tone matter of factly, a portion of his face covered by smoke too, "With those three days, I should be able to get your ship in a somewhat flyable state. Somewhat." A tilt of his head would then be given right toward Raya, "The catch is I need a pilot. That's where you come in." Matias knew how to drive and how to fix broken machines but he had no idea how to fly them at all. Ships were extremely rare, ones in working condition at least and it meant his experience behind the controls with them was extremely dire. The entire plan was then reiterated plainly, "The deal. I fix the ship, you get to go free and all you have to do is take me and another off this planet. We go separate and never see each other again." It sounded easy when said out loud.

Those were the only words shared as he waited to gauge her reaction to this idea. There was no apology from him, no remorse for what happened, just the plan and what they needed from each other. What happened in the past was exactly that, in the past. There wasn't any fear in sharing his plan openly with her because if she said no, then the three days would be waited out and she would be killed. If she tried to expose him for her own gain, it would be easy for him to explain how she was lying and just kill her right there. It would restart the whole painful process though and Matias didn't know if he was strong enough to do it once more. But those would be the cards he was dealt and play with if it came down to it.
 
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Raya Kryze

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Despite the dull aches and pains that coursed through most places on her body, Raya refused to sit down or show her underbelly whatsoever - meeting Matias entrance standing relatively straight up on her feet. From the glare in her gaze, to her stiff posture, it was abundantly clear that the Kryze’s guard was up - umber eyes snapping towards the door before returning to watch Matias’ every move. She didn’t trust him whatsoever - and if he thought he was going to interrogate her, or continue to get a few licks in, Raya was prepared to make him bleed for every pound of flesh.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t help the way her gaze briefly flicked down to the tray of food he was carrying. The aroma hit her nostrils at once, and the simple truth was that the Kryze was starving - having not eaten since hours before her arrival on the planet. But she still didn’t reach for it - even as the tray was slid under the bars and passed into reach. She didn’t budge a muscle - arms crossing over her chest as she eyed Matias with no lack of suspicion or disdain. This was the same man that had beaten her senseless and dragged her miles through the sand. Who had disrespected every value of her culture and stripped the armor from her body as if it was nothing.

She wanted nothing more than to put her gauntlet through his teeth, and she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of thinking she appreciated any gesture of kindness - no matter how hungry she was.

“Really?” She began, her voice dry and laced with venom, “I hadn’t noticed after it took your entire bitch-ass gang to put me out." It had taken nearly a dozen to subdue her, all while she was already injured and not without taking a few of their own in turn. And as far as she was concerned, Matias only had the balls to strike her in the head while her back was turned.

Her gaze followed Matias as he pulled up a chair - watching him especially closely as his attention briefly flicked to her armor - before finally meeting his gaze once more. She didn’t miss the scars that peaked through his shirt or the other signs of a rough life that he exhibited, but for the moment, the Kryze was entirely focused on the man himself. Focused on his movements and attempts to decipher exactly what he wanted. She was silent as a crypt when Matias started talking, though he would clearly note the way her gaze narrowed even further as he laid out his ‘plan’.

A few moments of silence ticked by before Raya finally exhaled through her nostrils. “So you need something,” She said, answering her own question from before. “Need me to ferry your ass and whoever the fuck else,” Family? Kid? Lover? Raya really didn’t care, “..Off this dustball of a planet." It was hardly the first time that the Kryze was as utilized for her skills as a pilot, but after everything that had occurred, she had no intention of merely slinking away into the night with her tail tucked between her legs. “And you expect me to.. What? Sit in a cell for the next three days while you fuck around in my ship?”

"No."
Her eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly. “If I leave this planet, it won’t be until I have retrieved my armor - every, piece of it,” Every weapon. Every blade. Every piece of beskar’gam. Any piece of equipment that the gang thought they might be able to pocket off of her and keep for themselves.

“And it won’t be until I put a laser bolt between Kodo’s eyes.” She spat the words. After everything that had happened, Raya wouldn’t be satisfied until the man-in-charge was dead at her feet - and even if she didn’t say it, the Kryze had every intention of making the rest of their group suffer just as well. Matias fell into that category just as well, but for the moment, he was her only ticket out of a cell.

“Otherwise you can wait another few years to get someone else to pilot you off this rock.”


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Matias Vale

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8
Even after the peace offering was gifted to her, in his own way, the hatred that seeped from her pores toward him was palpable and thick in the air. If the poison in her words wasn't enough, he could also spot the daggers that protruded from her dark eyes and aimed right for his jugular. Thankfully for both of them, trust wasn't a key ingredient to this job based on the simple fact they had a necessity for each other. Raya would just find Matias blankly staring back at her in return, unaffected by her feelings because he knew she would get over it.

At the comment about his "bitch-ass gang", he gave a slight cock of his head as he actually agreed with her but not because of what transpired a few hours ago. Matias had been a part of the "family" for years, eating, drinking, sleeping, and fighting with them for the majority of his life. All of the sins they had collected had been witnessed by him but also in return, they knew the ones that laid at his feet too. If only he could show her what he knew.

After the plan had been revealed, both of them participated in the silence as he wasn't the captured with the seconds ticking down, one of his hands raised to put his cheek in the cupped form as he waited. Eventually, she broke through her haze of frustration and began reiterating what had been shared while he took long pulls of his cigarra in the meantime. When she finished the steps with where they left the planet, Matias gave her a short nod before commenting almost impressed, "You're tracking well despite the knocks to your head." That armor could receive quite a pounding he was discovering.

An answer was about to be given to her question about her stay in the cell but as he opened his mouth to answer, she gave one herself before continuing on with her personal vendetta. Matias just let out a soft exhale before he clamped his mouth shut, his tongue quick to lash out but understanding it wouldn't be helpful at the moment. When she finished her list of demands, he leaned forward slightly before turning his upper half slowly to view behind him, his gaze locking on her armor and weapons, as if double-checking a thief hadn't snuck in and plucked them just for her. Turning back as his eyes returned to her, a thumb was jutted behind him at the table, "It's all right there. You're a fucking fool though if you think you're wearing any of it until we're off the planet. I'm sure you'll manage without the bucket on your head." He thought it actually did her a disservice.

When it came to Kodo, Matias only gave her a slightly questioning look with an arched brow before he couldn't help himself, "Maybe you did take a few too many hits to the head. If we think about it for a second, once the ship is fixed, there is nothing stopping you from flying back here and razing the whole place to the ground. By all means, have at it then love." While he understood where she came from, it was still two versus a whole town, and jeopardizing his plan for revenge was out of the question for him. If they were in different circumstances, there was a world where he would gladly help her in the man's death. But that wasn't reality.

Both those problems solved in his mind, Matias scooted back with the chair before standing and swinging the piece to the side as it skidded across the ground to the corner. This was where everything could go to shit but it was too late to head back, "As for your ship, I said I can fix it somewhat. I'll need your help to assess and access what is critical." She would be able to piece out where his answer was leading and before she was able to counter about him needing her help, her cell door would be unlocked with a swipe of his hand and then pushed with his foot. The door would creak loudly as it swung inward, leaving the two only with a handful of feet in between and nothing stopping them but air. Matias stood there at ease, his eyes first locking with hers until they traveled down the rest of her form, fixating on her ankle before returning to her gaze as he waited for her first move. This was his sign to her that he was serious about working together.
 
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