[IC] A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

"I have never said our way is perfect. And, with my taking the title, I aim to change the meaning of our Way. Loyalty and integrity are far too valuable to throw away because a Mand'alor asks you to kill your brother in their name. Those youths should have known that." I sigh. "Give it time, Hunter Ordo. Our people's greatest strengths have always been our ability to learn and adapt. And that will continue on through generations to come. I hope to avoid another senseless loss of life amongst our own and maybe even temper our fire to wage war on the Republic long enough to rebuild our home."

[Lord Greshh]

Hunter Ordo

"I have no doubt that you will help bring the Mando'ade in a new, hopefully better direction... What I do doubt is my ability to follow along with it." I look down at my feet for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts through my emotion. "I need time to get my head in the right place, and I don't think I can do that while among the clans. I need time away to find my place." I look up again. "If you know who I am, then you know that I was not born a Mandalorian. I became one to honor my fallen friend. If I know him as wall as I believe I do... and being that I still have a few of his memories, I should think I know him quite intimately, I believe he would agree that perhaps I was too hasty in my attempt to follow the Warrior's Path. So... with your permission, I'd like to take the Wanderer's Path instead. Not Dar'manda, but not a Clan Brother either."

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

"I can give my permission, but I may not be Mand'alor when you return. Is this a risk you accept?"

[Lord Greshh]

Hunter Twilight

“If your successor takes issue with my leave of absence, then I will know my fate is to be apart from the clans. If he is not someone I agree with as Mand’alor, then I will not return. If I find a path that better suits Hunter Twilight, then I will let Kamari Ordo pass. I believe I have honored his legacy by giving him one last battle. He, like so many others, will be a casualty of Ava Cadera. And besides, since everybody and their mother seems to know who I really am anyways...”

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valyrie

"Only myself, Ava, and your family know the truth, of that I'm confident. When will you leave, Hunter?"

[Lord Greshh]

Hunter Twilight

“I’ll stick around for a few more days to say my goodbyes, and of course I won’t abandon the fight against Sucal. Even if I’m done with the Mando’ade for now, my family is still the Twilights.”

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

"Then I can only hope I can trust you to live well on your chosen path. Until then, Hunter Twilight." I head to leave and pause in the door. "I feel it may be best to give Kamari's father the news yourself if you choose. Otherwise, I will simply say you needed time to think."

[Lord Greshh]

Hunter Twilight

"Right. I'll be sure to let him know soon. I just have to think of the right thing to say." I give Mand'alor a slight smile. "Thank you, ma'am, for your understanding. It was a pleasure to fight by your side."

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

"And it was an honor to fight with you." And with that, I leave Hunter to think.

[Lord Greshh]

Hunter Twilight

I remain in the room, wanting to be alone for a while.

HJ Twilight

I'm returning to the command center from the 'party' at the Senate Square, not really in any mood to celebrate. After watching Ava get her behind handed to her and be carted away in a kolto tank, I was feeling a bit sick. That on top of the sickness I already felt from all the backstabbing and plotting going on, I wanted nothing more than to find a place to lay down and try not to vomit.

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

I'm down in the lobby area, looking through the snack selection. Even after the attack in the senate plaza that had taken Gavin's life, the people were beginning to try and get back to a sense of normalcy. And so, fresh snacks and food had been delivered and some of the hotel staff had returned to work the night shift. I glance back to see HJ come in and beckon him over. "You look...thoughtful."

[Lord Greshh]

HJ Twilight

I walk over to Jerus. “Do I look thoughtful? Must be a side effect of me thinking so much.” I lean against the wall, feeling exhausted. Eyeing the snack machine, my stomach growls. “I could use a snack myself.”

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

I chuckle as I punch in for a couple of candy bars. Handing him his, I lead the way over to a more secluded area to sit and talk. "Take it you're mulling over recent events?"

[Lord Greshh]

HJ Twilight

I nod. “Yeah... I’m imagining I’m not the only one having a bit of an internal crisis over it. I mean... It’s not just a betrayal from a leader or an ally in my case. Ava is my girlfriend, or was, or.... I don’t know. And I know it was partly because she was influenced by Kreia’s dark miasma or whatever, but I still can’t really look at Ava the same way anymore.”

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

"If there's one thing about the Dark Side I've learned, it's without a doubt that it will bring out the worse in someone." I sigh. "Ava is still Ava, HJ. And now that she's not Mandalore, she might finally be able to be herself again. Doing what she did, it was brave, but her youth might have not been the boon she was hoping for."

[Lord Greshh]

HJ Twilight

“I hope you’re right. I didn’t like seeing her get the bag beat out of her, but if that’s what it takes for her to be freed from the curse that was Mand’alor, I’m happy. I just hope that in the end, she’s happy to be her own person again.”

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

"Well, I imagine the two of you are going to have a long chat about your future when she finally wakes up, but when you do, how happy she is may be something you can affect." I sigh as I lean back. "Something that you have to keep in mind is that her relationship with you is part of what made her tenure as Mand'alor so difficult. Zarka wasn't the only Chief who wondered how much you influenced her decisions, he was simply the most vocal."

[Lord Greshh]

HJ Twilight

I sigh. "You think I don't know that? She always told me how hard it was. I knew the chiefs didn't like me, and I knew she spent a lot of her early tenure defending my name to those who questioned me, but I never realized just how bad it was." I look down thoughtfully. "So... Knowing what I know now, how our relationship caused so many problems... was this all my fault? Did I push Ava into this because I couldn't be the ideal partner for her? If I'd been more respectful, and wasn't so immature in some of my choices..."

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

"Oh no, don't start thinking that way. What's done is done and no one can change that. It's just as likely that had she been dating a member of a clan she'd have had to defend them. She'd have been accused of favoritism, manipulating clan politics, any number of things that are just as difficult to deal with as what she got for being with you. Now tell me how you want to open your discussion with her."

[Lord Greshh]

HJ Twilight

I remain quiet for a few seconds as I rack my brain. "I... I have no idea what to say. I told her we would talk, but I never really had a plan. Now I really feel like I should say something, but there is just so much. I can't figure out what thoughts are okay to voice and which ones I should keep to myself."