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Author	Topic: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
Dar_manda Registered: Dec '07	Date Posted: 2/25 11:56am Subject: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	As my Master ordered, 3000ish words. It's connected to RtM a little. Adik flexed his hand, the fabric of his jacket creaked. The plates over his shoulders moved as he breathed deeply, perfectly aligned with the flesh beneath. The man before him had already made a serious tactical mistake and no blows had yet been struck. The man's first error had been to steal his drink, well he had tried to steal Adik's drink. The broken bones in his hand had delayed the fight somewhat. To do anything other than allow the man at least some healing time would have been dishonourable, and Adik did not need the advantage in any case. His head was bare and he closed his eyes, feeling the eddies in the currents of the air conditioning system flicking his coal black hair. He could feel everything and everyone in the room, the pulse of life around him quickening his blood. Nothing fancy, he told himself. I just want to get out of here, off this planet. He looked about himself and sized up his opponent. The other man was at least a foot shorter than him, but he apparently ranked rather highly in the opinions of his fellow hunters. Adik did not particularly care about the opinions of others. He had the approval of the one person who had ever mattered in his life, and anything else was dismissed as an irrelevance. That Mon Crest was a very good hunter was true; however, he had misjudged the young man and Adik not only knew it, but planned to capitalize on the fact. He side-stepped the first swing of Mon's vibro-blade, a small smile of concentration playing around his lips. Currently he was unarmed, which only meant that he had no weapon in either hand at that precise moment, a man like Adik was never truly unarmed. The second swing came across Adik's chest as he bent over backwards. Placing his hands on the hard-packed dirt floor, he swung his feet upwards, catching Mon square on the chin. The shattering impact from Adik's armoured boot rattled his opponent's teeth. Mon spat blood as Adik continued on his parabola to land on his feet. The spectators cheered, but the young man only stretched and rolled his neck, turning his back on his opponent in a gesture of flagrant disregard. He dusted imaginary particles from his Republic Admiral's uniform jacket, and examined the toecap of his black and silver boot for any signs of damage. Like the rest of the armoured plates on strategic locations about his person, they were largely made with a substance that was extremely rare in the Republic. The fact that he wore part of a Republic Naval uniform was a source of amusement for Adik, who valued irony as much as it's former owner had. Adik made a bee-line for the bar, but stopped before he had taken a few paces. Spinning on his heel, the silver lightdagger igniting and cutting completely through the vibro-blade. Adik laughed, he was well aware that he did not possess a voice designed for mirth, and it was one of the things he occasionally cursed his father for, the other was his name. It was suspiciously close to the word in his native tongue for 'kid'. He had both given and received a number of scars on various occasions, proving, to the recipients at least, that it was not an entirely accurate description. The hilt of the vibro-blade clattered to the floor and Mon drew a blaster. Adik raised both hands. “You brought a blaster to a knife fight?” he said, shaking his head. “You are more stupid than you look.” His voice was slightly lighter than his father's, but he was certain that time would change it. “I thought this would be a friendly bit of fun, but no, no you had to make life complicated, didn't ya?” “You made it complicated with that thing,” Mon gestured at Adik's lightdagger hilt. “You're a Jedi aren't you?” “Do you mean like sitting tied in a knot, floating three feet above the ground with my eyes closed, kinda Jedi?” Adik scratched his nose. “Yeah, I suppose so,” Mon looked confused. “You got a lightsaber,” he added to clarify his position. “Uh-huh, that'd be my mom. Nope, I'm more my father's son. I like to think I'm somewhere in the region of his brilliance, but to claim I'm his equal would be,” he paused and stared Mon in the eyes, a thought occurring to him. “Did you fight in the Mandalorian Wars?” Mon was taken aback by the question, and he lowered his weapon, his mouth open. Adik saw the opening but did not take it. He was genuinely curious. The tension dissipated somewhat and Adik folded his arms across his broad chest watching Mon carefully. “Yes I fought the Mandalorians, it was hard, but we won in the end.” “Revan won,” Adik growled. “We,” he coughed. “They, would have beaten you back if the Jedi had not intervened.” “You said We,” the gun came up, pointing at Adik's heart, and the young man sighed. “Looks that way,” Adik bobbed his head and smiled, it was not an action calculated to inspire confidence. “Okay I'll confess, I'm a Mandalorian.” He frowned as Mon began to laugh. “You're a bit young aren't you? Or was the Republic stupid enough to let you breed?” Mon was treading dangerous ground, but so far he was just enjoying himself. “I fought Mandalorian's before, beat several of them with my bare hands. What makes you think you're any different?” “My father only told me who he was on the day he died. It was rather a shock,” Adik growled. “You might have heard of him.” His attention was everywhere at once, Mon was apparently the least of his problems. There were other hunters moving their hands towards weapons, suddenly uneasy. Adik noticed two men at the bar who did not make any move at all and he was instantly suspicious of them. It did not distract him from the incoming fire from Mon, however. The hunter was now after prestige, and that made him dangerous. Adik dived behind a table, recently vacated in extreme haste. It was, he had found, the one thing a gun fight was good for. He found no glory in slaughter, but it was occasionally worth it for the entertainment value. “Are you going to cower behind that table for the rest of the night, or are you going to fight me like a man?” Mon shouted. It was about the stupidest thing anyone had ever said to Adik, barring the usual under-city introduction of 'Give us all your money and we'll let you live'. Adik had a very practiced response to such things; it normally involved a brief scuffle, followed by his claiming a bounty on the scum. He stood up, drawing his blaster in the same movement, and fired. The shot blew the gun out of Mon's hand. “How about you put down the gun,” Adik said softly. “And fight me like you got a pair. I had wondered why the Republic appears to be declining. Maybe because they're letting, I can't even say men, but it'll do. Men like you, breed. Or is that why you have to hunt?” he flipped the blaster and dropped it into its holster. “You have something to prove? Way I see it you are running out of options. Your best would be to back out now before I kill you. Make your life mean more than just a scratch on my armour.” Mon laughed at the young Mandalorian. It was one of the last things that he did. Unsurprisingly, no-one objected much when Adik dragged the unconscious man out of the hunting lodge. He heard only a slight murmur when he strode back in, Mon Crest conspicuous by his absence . He was angry, he should not have to kill people to prove his point. He had his eyes closed, but felt the glass placed in front of him. He was surprised when he did not catch the hand as it retracted. “Y'know, you look like your dad,” At the sound of the voice Adik opened his eyes, it was one of the suspect looking men. Extremely short, even sitting down, with an explosion of blonde hair. The over-all effect was of a startled wookie that had shrunk in a bleach wash. “How did know my father?” “Traveled with 'im and y'muver before you was born,” the man knocked back his own drink and set the glass carefully back down on the bar. “She was one 'eck of a woman, you know? Pretty, smart, an' dangerous. Missed 'er a lot when she left us, Kriag and me.” “Kriag and I,” Adik said. “Do you realise precisely how bad your Basic is?” “Nah, I don' let it bovver me. If I worried 'bout fings like that all the time, I wouldn't be who I am would I?” Adik mulled this statement over and sipped the drink. Tattooine moonshine, never good stuff, this particular batch had, from the taste, been brewed from coolant fluid. He looked into the glass, the liquid was faintly blue. He raised the glass and said softly, “vode an.” He dropped the stuff down his throat and felt his stomach turn to fire. “Why me? What do you know?” “The Exchange want yer dead. There's a bounty on your head so high that at least four other mandos is chasin' yer. Neva in my wildest dreams did thin' I would be sat next to the son of Mandalore.” “Mandalore was not my father, he could not have been,” Adik stared into his glass. “You mentioned 'im though.” Rel frowned and re-filled Adik's glass. “You never heard of Tural Ordo-Rehman? Creator of the New Basilisks, and the Right Hand of Mandalore?” he smiled at the expression on Rel's face. “I could've sworn yer dad were Canderous.” “You're thinking in Republic terms right? Then yes, Canderous Ordo was my father. Mandalore however, was not. So are you going to help me in some way?” “I were rather hopin' you'd help me actually.” Adik stepped through the doors of the Czerka Corporation unarmed. It had irked him somewhat to have to hand over his prized blasters. Especially to a man who had probably never seen a proper battle in his life. He felt somewhat cheated by the experience. There was a guard on either side of the doorway. Adik casually snatched the blaster rifle from the man on his left and smashed the butt of the weapon into the second man's face as he looked around. "Thank you." Adik smiled sweetly at the guard he had taken the rifle from. The guard looked confused and said, "you're welcome," by pure reflex, before collapsing as the rifle caught him under the chin. Adik walked up to the reception desk as though he was the Managing Director, and lent on it as casually as he would have leaned on a cantina bar. The receptionist, a rather pretty little thing in a tight top, stared at him with her mouth open. "The question you're looking for is, 'do you have an appointment?' The answer for it is the same as 'do you have anything to do tonight.'" He said, looking her straight in the eyes. "I... er... umm." She flushed and tried desperately to find her comm unit, it had fallen out of her ear. "I'll sit down over there," he gestured at some seats. "Whilst you go and clear your schedule." He walked to the chairs, turning back as a thought occurred to him. "Is there anything hot in here? Besides you." He laughed as she ran for safety. "Rel, I'm in. With any luck I'll have what we came for soon." He was sub-vocalising, a shadow on the opposite wall holding his attention. The lines in the panel were very slightly curved on one side, and that meant one thing. His lightdagger was useless. He ignored the shadow, instead pulling out a communicator, and after contacting the 'Cyar'ika' spoke into it loudly. "I'm here at the company offices, it looks likely that a hostile takeover will be necessary," he held the handset away from his face and coughed. "It shouldn't compromise our integrity, if we fire up the plans now. I'd like to schedule the meeting for asap. Aside from that all I can say is the company's profile is cast-iron. Probably after the credits this sale will make." "Thank you, will that be all you require sir?" Rel Tenura could pull off a half-decent accent when he really tried. Adik grinned. "Yes, see you shortly." He pocketed the handset. He sat very still in the apparently empty room, part of his mind worked feverishly on a plan, a smaller part wondered why the mando in the corner had not made his move yet. Adik closed his eyes and, to his mind at least, cheated. He could see the room in a image that was impossible to describe to someone who had no sensitivity to the Force. Liston had searched him out carefully, and his training of Adik had been rather specific. The Jedi had been an old friend of Mallia, and had seen to it that her son understood what he was. The mando in the corner glowed, Adik sighed. “I can see you, you know.” He said in Mando'a. “How?” The Mandalorian demanded, emerging from the cloak. His armour was extremely tattered, and Adik was disgusted at the man's obvious lack of self-respect. “I'm gifted with an innate sense.” Adik said calmly. “I've always known where my prey is.” He stretched. “Except now you are the prey,” the Mandalorian crouched down and took his helmet off. “I know your name Adik Ordo, it is fitting that you know the man that brought you to you death,” he smiled horribly. “Skirata, Taladen Skirata.” “Why do you want to kill me?” Adik said. “Why did you not return to Dxun? Could you not hear us calling?” “Because my Brothers and I felt that Jaigi Fett was right. Revan twisted words when he persuaded him to commit suicide.” Taladen dropped his helmet. “The Brothers and I feel that Canderous was wrong.” “And you are going to visit the sins of the father upon the son?” Adik rose to his feet. There was a soft thud and he looked down at his chest, the pain flooding out from the hilt of the knife buried there. Worse still he felt the poison flood through him, and he let his body drop to the floor. “It's a long lasting paralytic drug. It will be in your system for a long time after you have died of asphyxia,” Taladen reached over and pulled the blade out of Adik's chest. He only just managed to turn his head to watch Taladen walk away. There was a ripple in the Force, and Taladen was thrown across the room impacting against the desk hard enough to bend him in half backwards. It was the last thing Adik saw before lapsing into unconsciousness. He opened his eyes and saw his mother kneeling beside him; Canderous was in the doorway, leaning on the door-post. Mallia spoke to him, her voice seeming distant when it was right beside his ear. “I miss you, we both do, but now is not your time to join us.” She laid a hand on his chest and he felt the Force flow through him. It returned his pulse to normal and he took a deep breath, the poison clearing from his system. He gasped, and his back arched involuntarily. 'Calm,' said a voice that was as familiar as his brother's. The words were not spoken, more inserted into his mind. Out loud Adik said, "nice to see you again Liston." "Master would do." The Jedi sighed and rubbed his temples. "Have you no respect for tradition boy?" "You're asking a Mandalorian if he respects tradition?" Adik accepted the offered hand and Liston helped him to his feet. "That's about the most stupid thing you have ever said to me. It beats some of the weird Jedi sayings you come out with." Adik recovered his poise as the receptionist re-entered the foyer. He strode to her and put a hand on either side of her face. The kiss he planted on her lips was a work of art, and he felt her shudder before she went limp. He lifted her over his shoulder and made for the door. He looked back at the Jedi and said, "you coming Liston?" "I was checking to see if he was alive. The answer is unfortunately no." Adik stared at him, Liston was looking at the door. "Not so hard next time, eh Canderous?" he said cryptically to thin air with a smile. Adik sighed and walked out. Adik sat next to her as she awoke. "Good morning," he growled. "You want to tell me what's going on?" Her terrified blue eyes held his steel gray ones, but not for long. When the tears came she looked away from him, sobbing into her arms. "I just wanted to feel special for once in my life." She said quietly. "So you've lied to me. I'll be angry about that later, but all I want is the rest of the money." Adik still stared at her as she sobbed louder. She muttered something that he almost missed. But when he worked out what she had said, he stood up and smashed his fist into the wall above her head. She screamed as he brought his face close to hers and hissed. "Then you're going to have to work damned hard to pay me off. From now until I tell you, you belong to me." He took a bracelet from his belt and snapped the beskar cuff around her wrist. She looked up at him and said. "How long will it be?" He touched her shoulder with an evil smile, she shuddered and he laughed. "I wouldn't make you do that. I'm not a cruel man. Do you do massages?" "I learn fast." She said hopefully. He stroked her cheek gently. "Good girl." He said. -----signature----- Padawan to Darth_Gangrenous Karen Traviss For MANDALORE!! No I'm not going to kill ya! I need a sprinkle you onion! - The Hitcher Proud Fan-fic Padawan to BrentusofGath.
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BrentusofGath Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 2/25 6:34pm Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	and it was one of the things he occasionally cursed his father for, the other was his name. I'll bet. Adik sounds like something inappropriate in English as well as Mandalorian, lol. "I thought this would be a friendly bit of fun, but no, no you had to make life complicated, didn't ya?" LOL! So young. "You're a bit young aren't you? Or was the Republic stupid enough to let you breed?" Now now, insults will get you nowhere. Very good, very focused on the task at hand my young padawan. Good staying within that one character. How did it feel? Comfortable? Natural to write like that? -----signature----- In time or so I'm told, I'm just another soul for sale, oh well Feel it in my bones when you break my back, break it just to watch me bend Why'd you have to go and Let it Die? -Foo Fighters http://conscienceoftheking.blogspot.com/
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Dar_manda Registered: Dec '07	Date Posted: 3/3 7:06am Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	I was great but hard work. I've been trying hard to carry it over into Road to Mandalore, and as a result I've had to go back and re-edit chunks of the story, darn you shakes fist. Still I do appreciate the help Anything else you want me to do Master? -----signature----- Padawan to Darth_Gangrenous Karen Traviss For MANDALORE!! No I'm not going to kill ya! I need a sprinkle you onion! - The Hitcher Proud Fan-fic Padawan to BrentusofGath.
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Trika_Kenobi Registered: Nov '99	Date Posted: 3/3 1:42pm Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	Just peeking my head in to say that I really enjoyed this little tidbit. That opening fight has some really neat descriptions... I definitely think that's one of your primary strengths. Everything from the jacket creaking to the currents in the air... those all set a stage that really draws a reader in. Great stuff. I really liked it. -----signature----- "Once a Talon, always a Talon." Clear skies, sir. http://www.TalonIntelligenceSquadron.com proud oldbie master to full-fledged Trika-ized JCer -Kypster-
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BrentusofGath Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 3/3 9:48pm Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	Dar_manda posted: Anything else you want me to do Master? Hehe, we've only just begun. -----signature----- In time or so I'm told, I'm just another soul for sale, oh well Feel it in my bones when you break my back, break it just to watch me bend Why'd you have to go and Let it Die? -Foo Fighters http://conscienceoftheking.blogspot.com/
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Chico_Jedi Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 5/11 2:13pm Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	Managed to find it! And I like it! Good writing. -----signature----- Caramba i carambita!
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Dar_manda Registered: Dec '07	Date Posted: 5/12 7:02am Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	Thanks Chico! I might do some more to this when I finish RtM. -----signature----- Padawan to Darth_Gangrenous Karen Traviss For MANDALORE!! No I'm not going to kill ya! I need a sprinkle you onion! - The Hitcher Proud Fan-fic Padawan to BrentusofGath.
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KotOR_girl Registered: Jun '07	Date Posted: 5/21 3:44am Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	Canderous' son? Awesome story. It would be great if you would continue writing it. -----signature----- "You are people !" Zayne Carrick
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Dar_manda Registered: Dec '07	Date Posted: 5/21 4:58am Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	When I don't have a million others, this was supposed to be an independent viggie. But I'm planning a story at the moment, all I'll say is that the title gives you a clue as to whom the other character will be, and where I got the story from. -----signature----- Padawan to Darth_Gangrenous Karen Traviss For MANDALORE!! No I'm not going to kill ya! I need a sprinkle you onion! - The Hitcher Proud Fan-fic Padawan to BrentusofGath.
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rileyrose Registered: Sep '08	Date Posted: 9/15 9:21am Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	I love the characterization of Adik in this story, it's really consistent and interesting. He's got great attitude, taking after his father. What a great idea for a fic, the psychology of being Ordo's son is just rife with possibility. Your writing is fast-paced and snappy and a pleasure to read. Keep on with this one!
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SoA Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 9/15 11:06am Subject: RE: Exchange Rates (KotOR) OC
	That's a lot of fun! You write fight scenes particularly well. That's something I'm usually squeamish about myself. I look forward to reading more from you. -----signature----- Padawan to Commander-DWH
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