Open The Problem With Death Watch

[Kraaz Wail]

OCC: Open to any Mandalorians interested in discussion on DW

Undisclosed location on Mandalore.
0500 Local Time.
​

Kraaz sat on the abandoned work table in the darkened abandoned work shop. Here he waited. Since the rise of Nox Solus as the new Mandalore Kraaz had been curious about the state of Death Watch under his leadership. His late wife had always described Death Watch as eyes of the Mandalore. They would accomplish tasks that others couldn't, or at least couldn't be seen to do. Kraaz had obviously heard the stories of the work other Cells had done. Political assassinations, guerilla warfare, using civilians as bargaining chips. Thinks that he was not sure Nox would approve of, and to be honest a few things Kraaz didn't approve of. Not out of moral righteousness, but pragmatism. Though that was a discussion to be had, the discussion for why he was here.

That was why he was waiting. He'd put out a call to any known Death Watch cells and to any who wished to discuss the current state of the Death Watch. Kraaz believed it was time for a change and wanted to see if any of his fellow Mandos agreed. With the current Mandalorian effort being put towards trying to build something rather than destroy in their conquests; a new face for the Mandalorian people in the galaxy. Kraaz believed that Death Watch needed to change with it. So he would continue to wait, the time was hear to see what would become of Death Watch.

@Orbit @Issachar @Sreeya @Arcangel

 

[Issachar Tuloc]

The Annoo-dat Prime stepped through the abandoned workshop, his helmet's top knot bouncing rhythmically with his cape by each step he took. His enlarged armor design made some of the tighter areas around the workshop harder to navigate, but that did not bother him. His strength paired with his second set of arms easily made these few areas passable. With him were only his pistols, kept on the small of his back incase of a shootout. The eyes underneath the helmet darted around the workplace, occasionally stopping to look at various odds and ends. The inner tinkerer in him was showing; whenever he found a tool or a bench or whatever caught his eye he had to analyze it. The tools he usually set back, but he had decided he did need a few. But that was before the meeting.

When he was called to this meeting, he was supprised. He was not apart of any Death Watch cell, atleast to his knowledge, nor had he interacted with them that much. What he was known for was being a radical, loyal to Mandalore and nothing else. He may have been one of the few Mandalorians to actually worship the old gods for all he knew, but needless to say he was a very old school Mandalorian in his beliefs. He had stepped into the doorway, one of many that entered this central workshop this supposed meeting was taking place, and simply stood there for a moment. He stared silently at the individual on the table before stepping to the side, allowing others to enter. He crossed his upper arms and stood, his four eyes staring across the room at the man who had summoned him. He waited for the meeting to comence, because Issachar knew now may be the greatest chance he will ever get to help Mandalore. By reforming the Death Watch.

 

[Grip TJ]

Grip walked into the warehouse in full armor and slammed a human skull down on the table. The skull's 22 bones rattled and shook. His red armor bore many scratches from blades or bangs or whacks and his helmet was much the same except for the gray slit that allowed him to see. A window into the dark forest.

"Listen up," he said.
"I don't know what game of telephone you two are playing but I was a member of the original Death Watch back when it was still active. So who the hell are you and why have you summoned me?"
He placed his hand on top of the skull and stroked the skull like a precious gem on a cane. He rotated the skull slowly so its eye sockets faced Kraaz. The skull had been boiled in a vat of river water with silt and salt until all the flesh was knife-peeled away, giving the skull that bare-boned and bleached look. The skulls front two teeth were knocked out but the rest were there and the skull smiled in that creepy way that skulls do. A hairline fracture ran jagged like lightning from the back of the skull's head to the left jawbone.
"He was my last kill." Grip glanced back at Issachar before turning back to Kraaz. "You think can match that Mr. toy soldier?"

 

[Kraaz Wail]

A few brothers would filter in over the next few minutes. Kraaz nodded to the Anoo-dat Prime as he walked in. A rather large specimen, even seeming to have issue getting in the door, but clearly capable. Hell to be Mandalorian in these times meant you had to be, or you died. The Beskar'gam this one wore was interesting to Kraaz, as it was customized to fit the aliens unique physiology and size, along with the more specialized helmet. He took the larger creatures stare in stride returning it before his gaze shifted to the next individual that walked in.

This man wore much more traditional armor, and came in all huff and wind. Kraaz didn't take his visored gaze off the man's own visor, staring him down. Kraaz was a man who'd seen battle for decades, watched brothers and sisters in arms die, killed more individuals than he could likely recall....did this man really think a simple skull slammed onto a table would unnerve him? To be honest Kraaz had to suppress a chuckle at the man's bravado. The Umbaran had to wonder if this was the image that most of the galaxy had of his people. Blood hungry barbarians who paraded around bleached skulls and bragged about their kills.

Kraaz maintained his stare at the latest man, still remaining relaxed. "The original Death Watch? Impressive." Kraaz would look to the larger mando. "Did you hear that? We have a special guest, he looks rather good for being over 4000 years old don't you think? Oh or did you mean Tor Vizla's Death Watch? Or Pre Vizla's? Or any other time a group of our brothers and sisters took up the name Death Watch?" Some others had begun to file in now, Mando's from various clans, or clan-less like himself. He raised his voice to address the new comers. "What we're here to discuss today is not the past, but the future of the Death Watch. What we could become under this new Mandalore." He would stand and walk passed the skull bearer and address the room. "If you're not interested the by all means leave, go back to taking what contracts you can, scrapping by on the scraps of warlords and crime bosses like I was." The Umbaran would wait then to see if anyone spoke up before he continued.

@Taygood @Issachar

 

[Issachar Tuloc]

Issachar glanced his two sets of eyes around the room, the bionic pair making sure to note all weapons that were visible to then. He uncrossed his arms and stood up straighter, his helmet looking down at the smaller beings in the room. He knew most of these were going to be human, and he knew he was going to be an outsider already. His upper pair of arms reached back to his helmet, his fingers moving the topknot away from the seal lock on the back before pressing it. He slowly pulled his helmet away from his head, his own hair flowing out from the back and his dulled horns exemplifying just how alien he was. He put the helmet in the croon of his lower left arm and he took a step forward.

"I wish to agree with the necessity to rebuild the Death Watch, as has been done in the past. We all have heard the news and the bad press about this one grand organization, have we not? It used to be the face of Mandalorian society, now it is seen by the masses as lowely terrorists and monsters. This needs to change if the Death Watch is to keep living. I for one wish to help make this change, and by their honor anyone in this room should too." His voice was powerful and rough, yet the intellect and charisma that floated about his words was unexpected. The deep voice was bassy and from the lungs, almost operatic. He made sure to motion around the room at his last sentence, his eyes narrowing just enough to show he meant it, before stepping back and leaning against the wall.

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale had no real connections to death watch, nor did she entirely agree with what they had done historically. However, she was intrigued at the whispers of what a Mando wanted the group to become going forward. Mandalorians were becoming an active presence in the galaxy again, and not everything could be done with brute and overt force. Shale was less combat focused than most others and the intelligence and covert aspect of this appealed to her.

She heard bits of the conversation as she walked in, adorned fully in her black armor. She heard the quips back and forth before she crossed her arms over her chest, observing them all. She couldn’t help but quirk a brow at the suggestion that Death Watch had ever been a great banner for the Mandalorians. They had always been unstable and brutal, which was exactly why that image needed to change.

“If you called people together, surely you have a plan in mind,” Shale said calmly as she glanced over to Wail.

@Okoju @Taygood @Issachar

 

[Grip TJ]

"He has no plan," said Grip. He tapped the skull with his fingernails.
click clack click
"He is not even a Mandalorian."
Grip scratched the non-existent itch on his helmet's chin.
"I am sorry you were were called here, sister. You too, my many armed friend. But this feels like a ruse. A Mandalorian get-rich-quick scheme."
He slammed the skull down on the table.
"What do you think my little Jedi friend?" He bent over and asked the skull.

@Okoju @Shale Vizsla @Issachar

 

[Issachar Tuloc]

Issachar turned his head to Grip and to Shale, his eyes only slightly narrowing as he thought about his words for a short moment. He cleared his throat, slowly stepping forward again. His voice grumbled in his lungs, his heavy vocal cords releasing his deep and powerful voice. He made sure to speak loudly so the crowd could hear him, atleast trying to inspire them.
"I am Issachar, Foundling of the Watch. I was raised by a clan of one, who perished and left me with the clan of one. All that I care for now is bettering Mandalorian society as a whole, and it is best to start with Death Watch. We need to work as a team for a plan to work, as a plan made by one Mandalorian will always be blind to those who they do not know. With as diverse of a background as we have here, we shall put forth a plan together. We will say to the crowd 'This is Death Watch, a group of unified individuals. We are here to make anew of ourselves, and we shall better for it.' If this group was just made up of Death Watch members or just of outside voices, it would fail. But because we are made of both we are better for it. So let us put our helmets together and think, or if anyone wishes to challenge this meeting's authority I will gladly make sure it is dealt with first. Now, is anyone here a good record keeper?" He looked around the room with that last sentence, his eyes ablaze with pride and courage. He knew he could potentially intimidate weaker Mandalorians, but those who he could not scare would need to be encouraged though words. And if words to not work... well he had a plan. He stood out and waited to see what anyone else would do.

 

[Kraaz Wail]

Kraaz would wait for a few more to filter in, seeing in particular a mando who carried herself much like he did. Clearly also a person who preferred covert operations like himself. Good the more mando's who understood his way of thinking the better. He was a bit surprised when he saw the larger Mando Issachar removed his helmet revealing his quite alien features. Kraaz would offer the man a nod and return the gesture, placing hands on his on helmet and lifting it off. He didn't know how those gathered would react to his stark white hair and pale bluish white skin and he didn't much care. He wanted to show the others gathered that despite his birth he now choose the Mandalorian way.

He would listen to Issachar express his own thoughts and would hear the black clad Mandalorian woman ask the simple question of a plan. He would pay the barbaric red glad mando little heed as he doubted this meeting. Kraaz would calmly wait for Issachar to finish their own speech. He was impressed, despite his brutish appearance the Anoo-dat was quite eloquent. Kraaz would approach and nod to the larger man and turn to address those gathered himself. He would speak with no less confidence and authority than Issachar, but his own voice was a contrast to the larger being, Kraaz speaking in an even and smooth cadence, but with an always present edge; like a viper waiting to strike. He would address those gathered in Mando'a.

"As you can see I too have adopted the Mandalorian way as my own, despite my birth. I'm proud to call myself a Mandalorian despite being clan-less. My brothers and sisters in my own Deathwatch cell were the closest thing I had to a clan, I even married one of my comrades. She forever changed my outlook on the galaxy and the Mandalorian people. It was here that first brought me to Mandalore to heed Fenyang's call." He would pause as he knew the mention of the former Mandalore was a bit of a sore point for many mandos. "She died believing in the dream of a untied Mandalorian people, a people who in the future would heed no call but there own. I was there when Nox took the title of Mandalore for himself, shaking off the shackles of tradition. Something that as I've learned has long held our people back. This includes the Death Watch." He would pause again and begin to walk a circle around the room, taking in every face, some helmeted some not, as he did. Kraaz wanted each person gathered to understand his conviction in this matter, to see in his eyes that this is what he believed. "So I called this gathering in the hopes that we might re-forge the Death Watch into a weapon of the Mandalorian people. Now I believe that the Death Watch's tactics in the past have been affective yes. Not many have the conviction to continue fighting after their families and loved ones are publicly executed in the streets. Their leaders murdered in the night, and their livelihoods burned. Yes quite effective indeed. But I ask did these tactics manage to build a great and lasting dynasty for the Mandalorian people? No, all they did was cause fear and hatred among those our ancestors conquered. We burned everything we meant to hold and were left not only rebuilding what we destroyed but also trying to control a rebellious populace at the same time. It did our people little good, we won the day but lost the war in the end." He would let his words sink in for moment before he would continue again.

"What I believe Death Watch is and has always been...is a hammer. A blunt force tool used to complete the task at any cost. It was effective....was. The galaxy is different now and Mandalorians need to change with it, including Death Watch. What I ask brothers and sisters is that we discard the hammer and become," Kraaz would draw one of his virbro-blades and hold it up for those gathered, "the knife. Precise, surgical, and unstoppable in the right hands. We could be the eyes and ears in the shadows, striking forth where the most impact can be felt. Instead of killing those who don't matter we kill the few who do. Instead of civilian targets we cripple military ones so that our comrades can take planets with less casualties. We become the whispers of the Mandalore and our people. No longer feared by our own, but a nightmare to our enemies. This is my vision and one I hope we share brothers and sisters. I believe that if we can make this change, we can help build a Mandalorian dynasty that could last for centuries or more." He would sheath this knife again and look around the room again. "Or like I said, if you don't wish to join the cause, go back to your former lives. I believe Death Watch can be more than desperate mercenary cells and hired guns. I believe that our tactics and skill set can change Mandalore and the galaxy if only given the right focus. So....shall we get to work?"

With that Kraaz would fall silent and wait for any response.

@Issachar @Taygood @Sreeya

 

[Grip TJ]

What speeches. Grip listened but stayed silent. He pivoted the skull back and forth, to-and-fro on the table so it saw everyone, like it were some kind of infernal pendulum for the Death Watch of which he was the timekeeper. Silent he stayed in his helmet; the rotations grinding away on the table, cover for him grinding his teeth maybe? The skull smiled. It winked at everyone in its slow meandering turns, grinning a big toothy grin.

"So tell me how a knife counters a lightsaber?"

@Okoju @Sreeya @Issachar

 

[Issachar Tuloc]

The titanic figure waited for a heartbeat, his hands softly tapping at the rim of his helmet. The gears in his mind turned as he thought of the best answer to the question at hand. His lips twisted softly before he spoke, at first not quite sure he was sure as to what was being asked before, after a few words, confidence returned.

"To kill one with a lightsaber, the one with said dagger must plan and get a jump on them before the one with the lightsaber can respond. Silently like a knife, efficient like a scalpel, strong like a hammer, and it must ring true. For once you miss the first shot, your advantage of supprise is over."

 

[Kraaz Wail]

Kraaz simply stood helmet under his arm, as he let his words set in. After a moment the one in the red armor spoke up again in that same condescending tone. The larger being, Issachar had spoken up again. Kraaz would nod at the larger man and slip his own helmet back on at this point and eye the man in red.

"Exactly to his point, if our people are ever to work ourselves out from the grip of force users we need to be cautious. Win hearts to our own cause. Death Watches old ways hinder that. We need to evolve along with the new Mandalorian people. Either way if you don't care for this way, by all means you know the way out brother. "

@Taygood @Issachar @Sreeya