"No, I believe we understand each other," Maketh said through clenched teeth.
Oh, she was going to murder him and mutilate his corpse.
**
A few hours later, one of Tarkin's subordinates delivered some security tapes to Minister Tua.
It took a good ten minutes for the yelling to stop. Apparently, the junior officers whispered, the Minister had thrown a chair at a Death Trooper. Apparently he'd decided it was safer not to dodge.
The minister then spent a good amount of time yelling at anyone who wandered into her line of sight and cursing both Commander Krennic and her uncle.
**
For his part, Harper was thoroughly enjoying his stay on Lothal. Even though the rebels had decided it was safer to go to ground and risk a few civilian deaths rather than facing the combined wrath of the Empire and Harper's soldiers, guessing - correctly - that eventually someone would run out of patience or credits and something would have to give. But while that half of Maketh's plan might have failed, she had allowed Harper's soldiers to train some of her storm troopers.
Currently the death toll was holding steady at five. The ones who'd managed to keep up showed some promise, once they stopped crying. A few might even become decent warriors and the rest would be sufficient entertainment.
All and all, the venture wasn't entirely wasted.
At the moment, Harper was sitting by the fire and playing cards with his second in command. Ossor was terrible at it, but he made up for his failure with cards by knowing everything worth hearing. Currently he was filling Harper in on the camp gossip.
Xo, one of his lieutenants, had gotten herself pregnant. She was quite pleased with this turn of events, even though the man she'd chosen to father the child had been proven ill-suited to the task and subsequently been shot and buried in the desert by another warrior who also wanted the honor of raising a heir to Mandalore. There had been some fighting to establish exactly who would stand at Xo's side for the task and it had maimed more men than Harper normally cared for. But a child was cause for celebration regardless of parentage, and Harper knew the importance of ceremony and tradition. Such things had to be recognized properly. Currently they were all drinking to the honor of Xo and her coming child, as well as the fighting to come. Most of his men were drunk or brawling and the rest were either asleep or off causing trouble in the city. So long as they didn't forget their honor, Harper didn't much care what they did. No doubt a few more would come to him and argue to take either a lover or adopted child along with the battalion before the engagement was up. If their cause was strong, Harper would indulge them.
After all, few souls would ever live honorable lives on Lothal. It was for the best to take them away if they were willing.
Only the willing, though. Slaves bore weak children and made worse fighters, and thus were forbidden.
A burst of static crackled in Ossor's headpiece. He frowned, then set his cards down. "Your man is here."
Harper raised an eyebrow. "Really. All the way out here?"
He'd taken his soldiers out of Lothal and into the desert, where they could be loud without frightening the locals. It was cold and stark and reminded him of better times. The sky was clear and full of stars. His men were drunk and laughing.
Ossor stood, pulling his helmet on. "He brought Death Troopers. Shall we kill them?"
"No," Harper murmured, considering his cards. "Well, certainly not all of them. That would be rude. He came out all this way. Give them something to drink. If they refuse our hospitality, then remind them of our customs."
"And your man?"
Harper bared his teeth. "Now, now. He's hardly mine. Let the commander in. I'm sure he wants something."
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2017-03-02 12:31 am (UTC)Oh, she was going to murder him and mutilate his corpse.
**
A few hours later, one of Tarkin's subordinates delivered some security tapes to Minister Tua.
It took a good ten minutes for the yelling to stop. Apparently, the junior officers whispered, the Minister had thrown a chair at a Death Trooper. Apparently he'd decided it was safer not to dodge.
The minister then spent a good amount of time yelling at anyone who wandered into her line of sight and cursing both Commander Krennic and her uncle.
**
For his part, Harper was thoroughly enjoying his stay on Lothal. Even though the rebels had decided it was safer to go to ground and risk a few civilian deaths rather than facing the combined wrath of the Empire and Harper's soldiers, guessing - correctly - that eventually someone would run out of patience or credits and something would have to give. But while that half of Maketh's plan might have failed, she had allowed Harper's soldiers to train some of her storm troopers.
Currently the death toll was holding steady at five. The ones who'd managed to keep up showed some promise, once they stopped crying. A few might even become decent warriors and the rest would be sufficient entertainment.
All and all, the venture wasn't entirely wasted.
At the moment, Harper was sitting by the fire and playing cards with his second in command. Ossor was terrible at it, but he made up for his failure with cards by knowing everything worth hearing. Currently he was filling Harper in on the camp gossip.
Xo, one of his lieutenants, had gotten herself pregnant. She was quite pleased with this turn of events, even though the man she'd chosen to father the child had been proven ill-suited to the task and subsequently been shot and buried in the desert by another warrior who also wanted the honor of raising a heir to Mandalore. There had been some fighting to establish exactly who would stand at Xo's side for the task and it had maimed more men than Harper normally cared for. But a child was cause for celebration regardless of parentage, and Harper knew the importance of ceremony and tradition. Such things had to be recognized properly. Currently they were all drinking to the honor of Xo and her coming child, as well as the fighting to come. Most of his men were drunk or brawling and the rest were either asleep or off causing trouble in the city. So long as they didn't forget their honor, Harper didn't much care what they did. No doubt a few more would come to him and argue to take either a lover or adopted child along with the battalion before the engagement was up. If their cause was strong, Harper would indulge them.
After all, few souls would ever live honorable lives on Lothal. It was for the best to take them away if they were willing.
Only the willing, though. Slaves bore weak children and made worse fighters, and thus were forbidden.
A burst of static crackled in Ossor's headpiece. He frowned, then set his cards down. "Your man is here."
Harper raised an eyebrow. "Really. All the way out here?"
He'd taken his soldiers out of Lothal and into the desert, where they could be loud without frightening the locals. It was cold and stark and reminded him of better times. The sky was clear and full of stars. His men were drunk and laughing.
Ossor stood, pulling his helmet on. "He brought Death Troopers. Shall we kill them?"
"No," Harper murmured, considering his cards. "Well, certainly not all of them. That would be rude. He came out all this way. Give them something to drink. If they refuse our hospitality, then remind them of our customs."
"And your man?"
Harper bared his teeth. "Now, now. He's hardly mine. Let the commander in. I'm sure he wants something."