Bankor

Kur'relos of Clan Jendri stepped into the casino alongside his personal retinue, all wearing armor with the insignia of their clan. None of them were carrying anything larger than a blaster pistol but they were not worried. Even she wouldn't be so insane as to draw weaponry here. This is Yunda's territory.

He found his target lounging at a booth along with her clan. A young boy, barely old enough to know what was happening these days, was serving her and her compatriots drinks. And at her feet was a man kissing her boots, pleading for his life. "Eralynn! I demand an audience!"

The woman lifted her head from her palm and looked up at the man whom had dared interrupt her. A smile crept up on her face. "Clearly you have made one of your own. You are your own man after all, Kur'relos, and this must be important to you."

She nudged the man at her her feet aside and signaled for her men to take him away. "Pathetic. He won't even be entertaining to watch in the pits. Cut his throat once you get outside."

"Eralynn, stop this madness." He sent his own retinue to go for the prisoner. Both groups of followers were at a standstill, waiting for their leaders to give them an order. "I implore you. This is a disgrace! We came here for honor and glory! Now the Republic thinks us no more than monsters!"

The woman motioned with her finger for her men to stand down and leave the prisoner on the ground mewling. "Interesting. Tell me, Kur'relos, is this pathetic creature worth risking your life? He offers nothing and consumes, no, wastes all that is given to him." She relaxed back in her booth. " Clan Varad's presence outnumbers Clan Jendri's. And so, I ask again: why is this worth confronting me?"

“Indeed, this reflects poorly on me as well. I have no problem breaking those that need breaking… but you have dipped past ruthlessness into mad savagery. I see no point in it,” the commander said entering the chamber unnanounced.

His honor guard, of four, stood several paces behind. He removed his helmet, “Enlighten me on the purpose of your most recent actions.”

"The reputation of my clan is worth any sacrifice. Perhaps that is something you do not understand." He looked over to Yunda's arrival in surprise. He gave a deferential bow and called his men back.



Eralynn turned her gaze as well and then straightened her posture. "Yunda. You grace me with your presence." She then opened her palm towards her prisoner and continued, "The people of Bankor have fulfilled the purpose of drawing out the Republic. Now, they have either outlived their use or are for new tactics." The woman toyed with one of her chains of teeth. "An enemy unbridled due to their anger, their grief. That is what I seek. The Republic will come to me for vengeance and I will deny it. I will have my own."

Yunda considered that, it made a certain kind of sense this had been a gesture to draw out a worthy foe. He frowned and then said, “And you believe this will achieve the objective?”

“Some are, disturbed by the savagery, I simply want to know the objective. House Varad has not failed, far from it but these tactics have some on edge. I am not sure if it is cowardice or Honor that moves them.”

He looked at the unfortunate in the pit and then said, “Do you have more of these demonstrations planned?”

"It already has. Their forces scramble to stop my goals. Two of my trusted retainers spilled opposing Mando'ade blood in the sands."

She leaned back into her seat and thought more on Yunda's words. The woman eventually growled at her own realization. "But I have underestimated them. The bodies displayed to demoralize them were removed before my men caught them. I had wanted security to be lax, to draw them in."

Eralynn glanced down at the teeth upon her armor and then back to Yunda. "There are no more demonstrations planned for this theater. Now is the time for subtlety." She ordered for a datapad to be offered to Yunda. "You can contact the infiltrators sent with the herd of prisoners. If you have orders to override mine, then feel free. Consider it a gesture of good will."

That got his attention, “Infiltrators?” He did not like surprises and this woman was crazy and also too clever by half. Yet she also had not failed him.

“I will come back to that, but you mentioned two of the so-called Crusaders were killed. Was one of them of House Cadera?” he said crossing his arms.

"The banners were an amusing touch. However, they gave an aura of authenticity, Yunda. With such a massive crowd, and their limited resources, it will be close to impossible for the Republic to verify each refugee's identity. Their current objective is information and eventually sabotage but they are yours to command now." She shrugged. "They are not of Clan Varad. Perhaps distasteful to discard them but our only loyalty to each other is credits."

She nodded. "Nai'tiri Cadera, the Chiss Mando'ade. She had professed her love to Craw Toboga before her death." She lowered her eyes. "Tragic. But I would never spare her."

“Toboga, father told me of the vermin that turned tail and ran to the Republic. That she would love such a weak house shames… herself,” he sneered. His anger boiled internally at this slight to him.

“Crusaders deserve their shameful deaths. Both of you hear me now, High Honors and a place among my father’s Blooded for any Mando'ade that brings me the head of Craw Toboga… bring him to me alive and mewling and I will honor them with wealth and Glory,” he said seething.

“Time we end that pathetic stain of a clan.”

The woman blinked and eventually nodded. "That man will come for vengeance. By his reaction, he loved her too. And then all that will be left is to best him."



"My clan will continue to assault the Crusader's Schism. Clan Ordo disgraced us centuries ago and now is the time for our retribution."

“Good,” he said not really listening.

“I leave you to your business unless this demands my attention,” he said looking at them both with a gesture.

"Kur'relos can have the man. The child remains mine." She gave the boy a pat on the head. "I will raise him to be one of us. The little man was the only child of his age to fire shots at my men. He even hit one before we disarmed him. He then tried to take Aaroth's knife off of him!"



Kur'relos bowed again. "This will have to do. I am simply glad to know that Clan Kryze does frown upon Eralynn's tactics."

Yunda smiled, “We’re not monsters Kur’relos, we are what the monsters fear.”

He replaced his helmet and gestured for his men to follow.

"You're with me now," Kur'relos told the prisoner. "I haven't figured out what to do with you yet so do not get too hopeful." He then gave a mock salute to the Varad woman. "Try not to get yourself killed out there, Eralynn."

Left alone, Eralynn glowered. Her followers exchanged glances and waited for her eventual move. When she did, she smashed her glass onto the floor and rose to her feet. "It is time for our departure. The Republic will soon be in control of this sector." She shook her head. "A second theater of success for them. Clan Kryze does not appear to be concerned." She shifted her gaze between Aaroth and Garreth. "We will need a shift in tactics. The Republic has become emboldened and toying with them has now become soured.

"And you!" She pointed at Melv, the smallest of the bunch. "You better start earning your keep. You wouldn't want to reflect poorly on Orar, would you?" She gave him a harsh pat on the shoulder and signaled all of them to follow her out.