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Author	Topic: Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart - (AU-ish) - experimental update 7/15
BroodingLion Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 7/8/06 9:03pm Subject: Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart - (AU-ish) - experimental update 7/15 - Date Edited: 7/15/06 1:56pm (5 edits total) Edited By: BroodingLion
	~Title~ Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart ~Author~ BroodingLion ~Timeframe~ see Notes ~Characters~ all OC’s - see Summary ~Genre~ AU (sorta), action/adventure, drama ~Summary~ A tough-as-nails Mandalorian warrior, and a good-natured, homeworld-less jack of all trades. A philosophizing Jedi Padawan, and a Master who swings like a pendulum between Nurturing Parent and Harsh Taskmaster. A quest the pairs share without knowing, for an artifact variously said to be priceless, rumored to harbor unimaginable power, and feared to herald doom – but not known for sure to be any of these things. And a case of “wrong place, wrong time” to bring them cautiously together, in a galaxy full of wonders and dangers in equal measure. ~Notes~ This doesn’t take place during any specified time period, or even in the canon timeline. I figured it should go in Beyond the Saga partly because it’s entirely OC’s, and partly because it’s just that: beyond the restrictions of decades of continuity and backstory, even geography and cosmology if I see fit. So ignore what you know (or what you don’t). I’ll use whatever comes to mind as useful for the story, no matter the source – anything from Noghri to E-wings to “there is no dark side” – but the only continuity here is my continuity. No Exar Kun, no Skywalker dynasty, and so on. The point of this is so I can just craft what I hope will be an engaging series (Of Virtue and Violence) of drama-laced adventures with the stock SW elements we all know and love, without being bogged down by what’s gone before, because frankly, I don’t know a lot of it. All that said, I hope to preserve the spirit of the universe and the main players. The Jedi, the Mandalorians as characterized by Karen Traviss, the Sith, the Republic – they’re all here. But no lightsabers, partly to rein in the Force-adepts, and partly to make them more fantasy-flavored. I hope you’ll be satisfied with my alternatives. If you’re okay with all of that, then enjoy! ********** PROLOGUE “Aer, let’s go!” Sefu Tau shouted, firing a few shots at his Mandalorian comrade’s pursuers—sleek battle droids of recent design and manufacture—as said comrade hustled down the ravine. They looked like they were gaining, but without warning a boulder from the top of the ravine came hurtling through the air to crash down in their midst. At that, Aer whirled, took one look at the struggling droids, and lobbed a concussion grenade at them before coming casually the rest of the way toward Sefu and the outcropping behind which he hid. Sefu shook his head and smiled wryly as shrapnel showered Aer but bounced harmlessly from that seemingly impervious armor. Jedi, Mandalorians, all the same. No finesse. Still. Handy timing on the mystic’s part. “You’re welcome,” Vega, the Cathar Jedi Master kneeling at Sefu’s shoulder, said to Aer, who shrugged silently and crouched behind another outcropping across the gorge from them. “And where is Kyros?” Sefu thought she sounded unduly calm for someone whose apprentice was being pursued by the same deadly droids, not too far behind Aer but also not here yet. Then again, they could apparently sense each other’s presence and well-being. He cleared his throat and pointed the way Aer had just come. Leaping backward through the ravine, batting away blaster bolts with a shining sword upon which danced arcs of silvery energy, came the lean Padawan. He was pretty good, Sefu acknowledged, but not good enough to catch all the bolts, even though only three droids could stand abreast in the narrow ravine. Fortunately he wore light, Noghri-crafted armor on his torso that absorbed enough of the energy from shots that got through for the Jedi to keep going. Nonetheless, he was tired from hours of running and fighting just as they were, getting sloppier with his blade work before their eyes, and on his next backwards jump, crashed at an angle into the side of the ravine. Sefu glanced at Vega, who watched dispassionately. And here I thought all Jedi were supposed to be compassionate. “But they must learn to strive on their own,” Vega murmured in response to thoughts Sefu knew he hadn’t voiced aloud. He really wished she’d stop doing that. He did hear restrained emotion in her voice, however. Weird lady. But Sefu had learned in the past few days that she was far from stupid, and not as overconfident about either herself or Kyros as stories of the Jedi had led him to believe she’d be. In fact, she’d frequently pointed out her dissatisfaction with her apprentice’s efforts. If she thought Kyros could handle it, she was probably right. “Well, uh… should we help?” he asked anyway. At that moment, Kyros was less than ten meters from them. His sword batted aside another bolt before another grazed his shoulder and he landed poorly, slipping and falling prone. His head crashed upon the stone. “Fierfek!” Sefu said, and started to stand, but Vega placed a strong hand on his shoulder and pointed. “What are you—oh.” “I think our armored friend can handle this better than either of us,” Vega said calmly. Sefu figured she was right. Kyros wasn’t the only one wounded—in fact, Aer was the only one who wasn’t. Aer had joined the fray, propelled via jetpack over Kyros and his pursuers and on the other side of them, five in all. Upon landing, the warrior was out of Sefu’s sight, but he heard the crunches and clanks as Aer hammered Mandalorian iron-clad fists and elbows into droid chassis after droid head after droid limb. The three in front turned away from Kyros upon hearing the sound, which was thunderous and terribly violent. Sefu loved it. By the time Kyros had gotten to his feet, they could see Aer again, engaging the last droid. Each of the droid’s attacks was dodged deftly or turned aside with impunity; they were deadly, but only if they had the distance to use the blasters on their right arms, or even the long vibroblades on their left arms. Aer, however, was inside its reach, hammering fists into what would be its stomach, and delivering a forceful head butt to what would be its nose. The droid stumbled a few steps back; Aer pursued, charging elbow first and slamming it into the ravine wall. Before Aer could finish it off, Kyros’ blade drove through its head; the Jedi had regained his wits and taken two leaping steps before executing a surprisingly long-distance lunge. “Sloppy,” Vega muttered. Jedi and Mandalorian nodded wordlessly at each other. Before they could move, blaster bolts whizzed by their heads. Sefu groaned. “More of them,” he said needlessly as indeed, more of the sleek machines jogged tirelessly from the other end of the ravine. “Kyros! We don’t have all day!” He turned to face the end of the ravine, a few depressingly short meters behind them. It looked unremarkable, but supposedly two Force-adepts who knew the proper techniques could open an invisible door into the mountainside. Kyros and Vega had picked up the appropriate knowledge a few days ago, but it was nothing if the Padawan didn’t stop taking his sweet time. Aer and Kyros were swiftly behind the partial shelter of the outcroppings, and the two Jedi turned to face the ravine wall. They locked eyes, closed them, and began to hum different notes, discordant at first but moving quickly toward harmony. Aer, meanwhile, fired a blaster pistol calmly from cover. Sefu didn’t risk a glance from behind his outcropping, but a heavy thud signaled the fall of one of the droids. Then another. And another. Aer was good. Aer was very good. Now Sefu could hear the heavy footfalls of the rest, though. Aer holstered the blaster and took the group’s last grenade in hand, looking at it for a few moments, reluctant to use it. “If you don’t use it now, we wouldn’t be around to use it later anyway,” Sefu sighed. Aer looked at him, though of course the full-faced helmet masked any facial expression—Sefu envisioned rolling eyes—then nodded and hurled the explosive. Shrapnel clattered from the walls. Sefu glanced at the Jedi. They were still humming, and sweat was beading on Kyros’ forehead. A look at the ravine wall revealed nothing. Sefu turned back around and made a frustrated sound in his throat, as predictably and dishearteningly, he saw yet another wave of droids. “This was all your idea, I hope you remember, you stupid, kriffing di’kut,” Aer said fiercely, the Mandalorian’s first words for hours. Sefu turned at the sound of hissing helmet seals. “Such foul language from such a pretty face,” he sighed. Aeron Brava set down her helmet and glared at him, wiping sweat from her forehead, breathing heavily. Sefu was surprised at the exhaustion evident in her otherwise attractive features; if she was taking her helmet off even with foes coming at them, her armor’s temperature regulation must have been working overtime and still not sufficing. He noticed for the first time that her armor had taken several hits; its internal systems were probably damaged, then. But none of that changed the fire in those golden eyes, the incongruously aristocratic set of those cheekbones. Aer’s beauty wasn’t delicate, nor ravishing, but a little cold, a little distant. The fire of her Mandalorian pride didn’t quite soften her features, but it did enhance the sense that she was somehow unattainable. “Your di’kutla idea,” she reiterated, before taking a few deep breaths and replacing her helmet. As she leaned back out to take aim with her blaster, Sefu glanced once more at the Jedi. Still nothing. “Yeah, I know,” he sighed. “I guess this is the part where my life flashes before my eyes…” -----signature----- Beyond the Saga: Of Virtue and Violence - Hunt for the Lionheart http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=24329169&brd=10477
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BroodingLion Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 7/9/06 3:00pm Subject: RE: Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart
	My only innocent bump, I swear; I'll try to limit these... -----signature----- Beyond the Saga: Of Virtue and Violence - Hunt for the Lionheart http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=24329169&brd=10477
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VaderLVR64 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 7/10/06 5:21am Subject: RE: Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart - (AU-ish, all OCs - Mando, Jedi, others)
	This is off to a great start! Please PM with updates! -----signature----- R.I.P John, Alex, Jason, and Christian Never forgotten Soldiers' Angels http://soldiersangels.org/ 2114 soldiers waiting for someone to care
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BroodingLion Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 7/10/06 5:34am Subject: RE: Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart - (AU-ish, all OCs - Mando, Jedi, others)
	Will do, and thanks for stopping by! Glad you like it. -----signature----- Beyond the Saga: Of Virtue and Violence - Hunt for the Lionheart http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=24329169&brd=10477
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BroodingLion Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 7/15/06 1:54pm Subject: RE: Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart - (AU-ish, all OCs - Mando, Jedi, others) - Date Edited: 7/20/06 6:32pm (6 edits total) Edited By: BroodingLion
	Warning: experimental, perhaps odd chapter formatting below. I probably won't continue with this style, but I had a mental image of movies cutting back and forth between two interweaving scenes, and I thought it might work. ONE ~A few weeks ago…~ ------------------------------------- Jedi Temple, Alderaan Held in comparison to those of her fellow Jedi, Master Vega’s quarters could be called ostentatious, but this was not out of any particular desire for luxury. There were tapestries of rich fabric hanging on the walls, there was a soft carpet on the floor, masterfully crafted statues stood in the corners, and shelves all around bore smaller works of art from a dozen worlds, but Vega’s sleeping pallet remained plain, as did the few other pieces of furniture in the room. Further inspection would reveal that not one of the artworks in the room was Alderaanian, Corellian, Kuati, or from any other wealthy Core planet. Fully half of them weren’t even from member worlds of the Republic. Some might suspect an anti-human bias, as Vega was a Cathar, but her own world was only represented by a small statuette on a nightstand. Furthermore, this tapestry was recognizably Echani, that statue Korunnai—there was even an ancient Mandalorian kama hanging on the wall. No, there was no speciesism here. Vega was something of a rarity among the Jedi, a scholar of peoples and societies across the galaxy. She was not merely a culturally sensitive, walking databank as many Jedi were encouraged to be for the purposes of utility and diplomacy; Vega loved archaeology and ethnography for their own sakes. And that, apparently, was why the Council had selected her for this. “The Lionheart?” she breathed. “You know where it is?” “Not quite,” Master Darius, senior member of the High Council, said with an apologetic shrug. “But we believe we have a lead. By the look on your face I’m sure you understand why we’ve approached you about this. Its historical significance to dozens of cultures, the unity it might forge or strengthen between them…” ~~~ Last Stand Cliffs, Mandalore Near her modest summertime dwelling on one of the most forbidding mountains in the known galaxy, Aeron Brava polished her scarlet-hued armor with a tenderness many reserved for stroking their pets and calming their children. Sitting on a precarious ledge, with an equally precarious drop into a gaping crevice, its edges bordered by towering evergreens with barbed, rock-hard branches and often inhabited by small but irritable panthers, she felt entirely at home. Despite imminent danger, possible death by any number of causes, the sky was clear, the sun was setting, and a breeze was drifting over her. Birds of prey glided both above and below her, occasionally keening in clear, haunting notes. Around and behind her was a jumble of rough but majestic rock formations, many jagged-edged, over which she had moments ago heard a familiar scrambling. Now, through a familiar panting, she was hearing a familiar eagerness. A familiar, self-important eagerness, as Sefu Tau, self-titled adventurer extraordinaire, whom she’d been expecting this past day, declared his latest discovery. “The Lionheart,” she repeated. “Never heard of it.” Sefu sighed theatrically. “Of course not. What use would a violence-prone creature like you have for a priceless work of art?” ~~~ “I know it’s said to be priceless,” Vega interrupted Master Darius in his explanation of the Council’s enthusiasm, for this enthusiasm was dwarfed by her own. “But the legends, Darius!” The taller Jedi cocked an eyebrow. “I must admit I’m that we aren’t familiar with these legends—another reason we thought of you, of course; you know more than any Jedi about this sort of thing—apart from a few stories referring to ‘the wrath of gods’ in certain great wars. But, I’ve never taken you for one interested in such power.” Vega shook her head. “Not for its own sake, of course, but if it’s as some of the stories say it is, if it’s from the end of the Rakata Empire’s rule…” ~~~ “The who?” Aeron turned away from the drop and cocked an eyebrow. “The Rakata,” Sefu began, adopting his I’m So Learned, You Poor Brute voice, “are believed to have been the earliest pioneers of hyperspace technology, among other things. They were almost all Force-sensitive, and most of the artifacts we have knowledge of also used the Force—” Aeron frowned, and Sefu stopped talking immediately. “Aer, come on.” “I don’t know if I want anything to do with something that’s Force-sensitive,” she said quietly. Sefu waved a hand dismissively, forced a laugh. “Well, we don’t know if this one is Force-sensitive too…” ~~~ “And all the legends say that even for a Rakata creation, its power in the Force is vast! All of them, Darius. Even the Star Forge was speculated by some to be a purely technological wonder.” Vega was pacing now, to Darius’ obvious amusement. “Think of what we might learn from it. If it’s more recent than other discoveries, we may be able to better understand any carvings or symbols on it…” ~~~ “No one could possibly understand the carvings or symbols on it,” Sefu went on. “And that’ll probably help when we sell it. I’ve heard some nasty stories about doom and destruction, but it took a lot of research, so I doubt any of our potential buyers will be familiar with ‘em.” “So why will they bother?” Aeron asked, standing now. She neatly bundled her armor together and walked past Sefu to start climbing down to her cabin. It was several seconds later before she heard Sefu start to follow—but not before she also heard a barely muffled groan of dismay. Sefu was fit enough, and he’d been through his share of fights and other harrowing escapades, but he still liked to avoid what he saw as unnecessarily—“sadistically,” he put it, despite nature’s lack of sentience—difficult exertion. “I’ll never understand why you picked this place,” he complained. “And they’ll bother because it’s made of pure Adegan crystal.” ~~~ “And if that is truly its only component, if there is no other substance or mechanism that could be the source of its power, we may be able to learn something about imprinting, so to speak, Adegan crystals for other purposes besides creating energy fields.” Both Vega and Darius glanced involuntarily at the gems embedded in the pommels of their weapons. As part of their training, all Jedi formed a three-way Force bond between themselves, the swords they forged with their own hands, and the Adegan crystals that could sheath the blades in shimmering force. The crystals could serve a similar purpose for archaically-styled shields and defensive bracers, but apart from these functions no one knew of other uses. Darius looked up again, his brow furrowed. “But, Vega,” he said slowly, skepticism creeping into his tone, “how much hope can you put into the possibility that all these legends are true?” ~~~ “Who says it’s even out there?” Aeron prodded as they came to her cabin. A simple three-room building of the same sturdy wood as those forbidding evergreens, it had been Aeron’s first major investment when she began to take on more solo missions than squad contracts, three years ago. Sefu sighed. Again. “Are you interested or not?” ~~~ Vega waved a hand dismissively. “Do you want me to look for it or not?” ~~~ Aeron leveled a skeptical stare at Sefu and halted at the door of the cabin. “No, not particularly,” she admitted. ~~~ Darius cleared his throat. “Well, yes, of course, but our reasons seem to differ. The Council is more interested in the possible diplomatic ramifications of such a find. The Republic is likely to request that it be displayed in a museum—” “Where the ignorant may gawk at a mere novelty, a new, giant shiny object,” Vega interrupted wryly. “There is so much more we might gain from this than a self-congratulatory exhibition. Will there be parades, Darius, HoloNet coverage for the Jedi hero?” “Are you so ready to mock the masses, Vega?” Darius sighed. “I speak of peace and unity.” “The Republic has peace and unity,” Vega insisted. “The Lionheart warrants study. Any influence on the people of today will be short and fleeting, before all turn their attentions back to their own interests. But if the Jedi can learn from the Lionheart, then we serve the future of the Republic. We may achieve something with lasting effects.” Shrugging, Darius said, “All of this can be decided later. Whatever your reasons, you are the only Jedi who would display such enthusiasm for an undertaking with roots so grounded in the past. Most of our number would question its relevance. And this is, of course, in the realm of your specialty.” He smiled. “If you are accepting this mission, the relevant information will be waiting for you in the morning.” Vega returned a grin. “I will notify my Padawan immediately, Master Darius.” With that, Darius bowed and took his leave. ~~~ Sefu stayed stammering at the door while Aeron entered and arranged her armor neatly on a stand in the center of the living room, which also doubled as a kitchen with the appropriate equipment along one wall. “You coming in?” Sefu scowled. “Aer. Aer, come on. This is the Lionheart.” “Never heard of it,” she reminded him, lounging on a low couch and facing the opposite wall. Muttering to himself, Sefu finally entered and sat on a chair opposite Aeron. She turned her head to face him, eyebrow raised. “Give me a reason, Sefu.” He kept scowling. “You wouldn’t have come to me—to a Mando’ad—if you didn’t have something better to say.” His eyes lit up. “There is one thing,” he said as a grin spread on his face. “I’m not the only one looking for it. My new informant—the one who told me about this—also has an Echani client who will in all likelihood also be looking for it.” Aeron sat up slowly. “An Echani.” Her people and the Echani had for ages had a rivalry that had for the most part not been friendly. Their philosophies of combat were different in fundamental ways; the Mandalorians were straight-forward, practical, while the teachings of the Echani were drenched in distracting spirituality. The Echani were also backward in the eyes of the Mando’ade, eschewing armor and most weapons as if it made them morally superior. There was a reason, in Aeron’s mind, that the numbers of the Echani dwindled. Morally superior or not, their ways clearly didn’t work as well as those of the Mandalorians. What good was their superiority if it didn’t last through history? What would become of their pride then? The Mando’ade taught their children everything they needed to know to survive and thrive in the galaxy. How could the Echani not do the same? Where did their obligations really lie, with the welfare of their people or with some archaic dogma? Sefu nodded, his grin widening as he saw Aeron’s competitive pride surfacing. In a part of her mind, she knew that the rivalry was somewhat petty, but she was pure Mandalorian in both blood and soul, and she didn’t care. And there was even more to this than just— “And,” Sefu added as if proud of himself, “it’s him.” Aeron’s stare drilled into him, and his grin faded the slightest bit as he registered her ire. “Um… Aer?" He forced a laugh. "Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned—” “You’d better get some rest, Sefu.” She stood and went toward her bedroom. “We’re leaving first thing tomorrow.” As she closed the door, she barely heard Sefu chuckle to himself: "Now it's on." -----signature----- Beyond the Saga: Of Virtue and Violence - Hunt for the Lionheart http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=24329169&brd=10477
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VaderLVR64 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 7/20/06 7:53pm Subject: RE: Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart - (AU-ish) - experimental update 7/15
	You've got very well done characters here. I'm really enjoying this! “And,” Sefu added as if proud of himself, “it’s him.” Aeron’s stare drilled into him, and his grin faded the slightest bit as he registered her ire. “Um… Aer?" He forced a laugh. "Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned—” “You’d better get some rest, Sefu.” She stood and went toward her bedroom. “We’re leaving first thing tomorrow.” As she closed the door, she barely heard Sefu chuckle to himself: "Now it's on." And I can't wait! -----signature----- R.I.P John, Alex, Jason, and Christian Never forgotten Soldiers' Angels http://soldiersangels.org/ 2114 soldiers waiting for someone to care
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BroodingLion Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 7/25/06 5:11am Subject: RE: Of Virtue and Violence: Hunt for the Lionheart - (AU-ish) - experimental update 7/15
	Hey, thanks; almost missed this reply altogether. Will be cobbling the next installment together soon... -----signature----- Beyond the Saga: Of Virtue and Violence - Hunt for the Lionheart http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=24329169&brd=10477
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