Beyond - Legends Killing Blade (Vong, Mandalorian OCs, Post-NJO)

Title: Killing Blade
Author: sabarte
Category: Drama
Rating: PG
Summary: Seeking honor? Those crazy Mandos will adopt anybody. A short story of interspecies tension, attraction, culture clash, and baby-feeding set in a Mandalorian clan at some point after the NJO.
Notes: Somewhat dependent on knowledge of mid-late Bantam EU. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

"I have heard, " the stranger said, "that there are no Shamed Ones among you, that each can aspire to the dignity of warrior."

The pair of armored figures silently glanced at each other, then at the hulking figure of the Yuuzhan Vong crouched in their house. He was heavily tattooed, and missing an ear behind a mass of scars. He sat gingerly in a chair that seemed to be too comfortable for his tastes.

There was a tension in the air that was palpable. The guest was unarmed, but the two masked Mando'ade who had received him had rifles strapped across their backs and other weapons besides. Both were shorter than their guest, and both radiated an aura of palpable unease.

"What do you want?" the shorter figure said directly. His body language was angry. "We have no use for your kind." His armor was yellow, with red highlights. His companion's armor was yellow and black.

"Enough," another voice said - a human male, walking in from another part of the complex. "Is this how you treat guests among us, Dal?"

The shorter Mandalorian hesitated a few, short, beats, then bowed his head deeply.

"This is the house of my clan," the human said, "and I am Arjast Berne." Without any hesitation, he smiled at the Yuuzhan Vong. "I don't know what they have told you about me, but if you wish to learn, you may stay. That is how Dal came here, after all, when he was very young, and not one of my sons."

"I...don't wish to learn. I wish to fight," the Vong said bluntly. "My name is Izmori and my domain cast me out. For one such as I, there is still no honor among my people." He traced the scar around his ear. "I am told the gods hate me, and then I am told my god is false. But I was born to fight. You are a warrior. I know of your kind. It is permissible for you to fight in the galaxy, but the warriors of my kind may not."

"Even for you, there's a thousand mercenary bands you could join," Arjast said, "You want more than fighting, though. Your people have been destroyed and humiliated and you're looking for what's left. You want honor."

"...how did you know?"

The human grinned, an expression the Vong tentatively and unnaturally copied. "I'm old. And I attract outcasts of all sorts. You're not the first, ah, Shamed One, to cross my threshold. Though the first of your race."

"But can I seek honor among you?"

"If that's what you want," Arjast said. "But be warned - our honor comes both from defending the clan and from being the clan. We do not seek war. And what being the clan means is working for the good of the whole clan. Accepting our, heh, abominations, and the many people who call it home."

Arjast reached out and touched the back of Dal's neck, and Dal straightened, continuing to stare at the Vong guest.

"That's much to ask." Dal said tightly. "Of us more than him."

***

The Berne complex was a series of low bunkers surrounded by a circle of earthworks and wide fields beyond. But once Izmori Shai was below, he found there were warrens upon warrens in the highland bedrock, below the fields and pastures and forests. It was carved by machine and reinforced by great bulkheads. There were sixteen family groups containing a few hundred families in the complex, though many others of the clan lived apart in the fields.

Eleven of the Berne lines were mostly human (though there were several adopted Twi'leks in one, and even a scattering of dubiously warlike Zeltrons), while one was mixed human and Ansion. There was a small subsidiary clan of a species Izmori learned were called Drell, a tribe of skinny, hostile humanoids that called themselves the Impure and never remov

 

That was fun.

I really liked the confusion/colision of ideas and concepts that came from taking the Yuuzhan Vong and the Yevetha, and putting them in a Mandalorian context together. It was amusing, entertaining, dramatic and thought-provoking all at once...



And a line like this:

... captures the confusion perfectly!!

- The Imperial Ewok

 

That was wonderful! I enjoyed it. It was unique and so well written, and your descriptions made me feel like I was there. Bravo!

 

Whoa, what to say about this?

First off, I really like it. The species and culture used come together to form a very unique dynamic, and for that you get high marks in my book. And as our resident Ewok noted, the sense of confusion is pitch perfect. The clash of cultures comes through very clearly, and it does an excellent job of highlighting who the characters are and what they're about. In the end, it's just a superb piece of work and a true joy to read.

Extremely well done, sabarte.


JD.

 

An extremely original and fascinating concept. Bringing the Yuuzhan Vong, the Yevetha and the Mandalorians together was a masterstroke. I had to double-take and re-read the first few paragraphs again when I saw that Dal and Rei were Yevetha. Should've spotted the signs

And yes, as McEwok and JD have both said, the confusion portrayed is excellent.

I hope to see more.

 

Fabulous. Just plain delightful. The cultural tensions are entirely believable, and the pacing of the story is steady and sure. Very well done.

 

I enjoyed this, although honestly, the Yevethan part sorta flew past me. I was a little young for that era in the EU...

But that's OK - that's what wookiepedia is for!

 

Now this was an interesting read, really well written and thought out, the three main elements that comprised the story work fantasically together as a whole.
The style in which it was written really made you feel a part of the story as someone else said.
I like where this is going, plans to update?

 

A fascinating read even to the generally clueless. Good work.

The confusion is well done, yes. Also the two unperturbed alien perspectives on chopping that guy up for baby food.

 

Thanks, all!

I'm not sure where I'd go from here - this was mostly an exploratory piece about Yevethans and Vong and how they'd interact if they were able to do so without killing each other. So probably no continuation.

 

I was a little sad when I read the tidbit in the essential guide about Yevetha being extinct...so this story has that appeal. Ai! The Yevetha do interest me, and the inclusion of the Yuuzhan Vong + the Mandolorians, as stated before, is more nerd fuel,

I know someone who is into Mandolorians...I'm spreading the word to her.

 

Yeah, that's my thoughts exactly.

I never read the Yevetha books, and generally know pretty much nothing about them, so you got me even more confused than anyone else, probably.^^ Nevertheless, a very well written vignette, and from what I can tell, you managed the "culture clash" quite well.

I only find it hard to get the point why we have Mandalorians in there. I highly doubt the general Mando'ad would accept a Vongese on his side, and from the little I know about Yevethans, same goes for them, I'd think. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, and this might be one, with an especially generous Mandalorian (Arjast) setting up something like a refugee-camp/asylum thingy, where everyone in the community is expected to respect each other. But in a general context, I don't think accepting such brutal, xenocidal species like Vong or Yevethans into their would go with a Mando's moral code. But when you view this particular case as some sort of experiment, I think it could work.

Nevertheless, this was a thrilling ride, and I'd like to read more about Mandos from you.

Btw, do you want this to be indexed at the Mandalorian Discussion Group/Index over at the Resource?

 

The Yevetha are brutal and xenophobic, sure, but they've also had the entire basis for their culture destroyed, and were a purely local menace that never caused the Mandalorians any trouble. This particular group of Yevethans needed an alpha male to function (because they're Yevethan), and Arjest's no-nonsense 'this is what you have to do if you want to live here' came across right for them to adopt him. It's not an entirely harmonious relationship. But the Mandos are one of the cultures in the galaxy that is big on total assimiliation of aliens, and that context is the only way a Yevethan and a Vong would ever meet peacefully. The armor also negates a lot of the Yevethans' instinctive revulsion for other races (particularly humans) and touching them.

The Mandos can certainly be quite brutal when they want to be themselves, after all.

Dal is a single earnest and slightly confused Vong who's quite serious about being a Mandolorian, so he's indulged.

 

Again, do you want this story indexed?