One Shot The Crew of the Flame’s Fury

[Darth Cold]

IC: Samael, The Lightbringer
Location: Hyperspace, The Flame’s Fury​

They had just finished another supply run to one of the Starborne Legion ships and were returning to Tanalorr for some needed rest, and some more training. They had been doing quick in and out missions across the lines, getting Ash and Aster used to life on the line missions, as well as making sure the rest of the Legion was equipped with what they required.

Ever since Ash mistakenly attacked Samael after creating his lightsaber, and Samael lost control of his anger, he gained a healthy dose of respect and submission to his Master. He fell in line immediately and followed his Master’s commands to the letter.

Declan, the ship’s pilot, came from the cockpit after setting the controls to autopilot for the beginning of the trip. “Soooo… We’ve been working together for a little bit now, and we don’t know much about each other.” He said as he kicked back on the couch. “Let’s change that. What’s your guy’s story?”

Samael leaned in the doorway listening as Aster spoke up. “Well our story isn’t real special, really. Some pirates kidnapped me and my brother trying to extort our family for money we never had.”

Ash scoffed. “Disaster, as always you got the reason wrong. You are too innocent. Our father has a gambling problem, and he took a loan out with the wrong people. When he couldn’t pay up they took us, and were going to kill us if he still didn’t.”

Aster shook the truth off, preferring to think better of their father. “However you hear the story, I’m sure we can agree that we wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for Master Samael. He was so brave, and willing to put his life on the line to protect us.” She said this matter of factly as if that was the original reason Samael was there. It wasn’t. In fact, until he stepped on this ship for the first time, he didn’t even know they were here. But he wasn’t going to correct her. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings. “What about you? How did you join our little family?” She asked kindly as her brother snorted behind her.

“Well, to be honest, I wasn’t always a trustworthy guy. I was in a few crews over the years, learned some skills that kept me off the radar. Ya know? But I ended up in one crew that just didn’t sit well with me. I preferred to do the job in and out, no one knows we were there, no one gets hurt. These guys though. They didn’t care, they were rough, and hurt too many good people. I couldn’t handle that life anymore so I turned my life around a bit. Ya know? Started using my skills to help people instead of just for myself. I still kept myself under the radar, so when this big time gambling den caught fire somehow, I used it to my advantage and I decided to rescue some kids that were taken because of the same reason your brother said you were. I was working on the door, when your Master here tapped me on the shoulder and asked me what I was doing. I won’t lie, someone catching me was frightening enough, but that someone lit a flame acting like it was nothing was completely next level terrifying.” Samael chuckled to himself as he heard that. “But me being so scared, but still wanting to help those kids, blabbed about everything. Pretty sure I would have told him my deepest most hidden secrets if he asked, I was that scared. But when he heard about those kids, he pushed me out of the way, and with that hocus pocus magic you people do, he ripped the doors open and rescued those kids himself. The man is a hero. He then said he could use someone with my heart, and offered me a job to get me off that planet. Of course I accepted… Didn’t wanna make him mad.” He chuckled nervously.

What Declan and the rest of the crew didn’t know was that Samael was the cause of that gambler’s den catching fire. He was searching for the twin’s father after hearing a rumor. When he had confronted the man, he spoke ill of his own flesh and blood, and said he wouldn’t have missed them if those pirates killed them. Two less mouths to feed. Samael was talking with the man, and the next thing he knew the man was screaming as he turned to his son’s own namesake, ash. Some guards tried to apprehend Samael, and things went a little overboard, and the whole main foyer was alight, and Samael made his way out, finding Declan in the process by a stroke of luck.

“How bout you man? How did a Mandalorian such as yourself find yourself among us band of misfits? Huh?” Declan prodded.

The Mandalorian began to raise their hand to protest in silence about their story, but Samael spoke up instead. “Jamie. You swore yourself to my clan. That means you should trust my crew, as they are our family. Get to know them, and let them get to know you.”

With that encouragement from Samael, the Mandalorian, Jamie as he had called them, removed their helmet for the first time in front of the crew, revealing themselves as not a man as they all previously thought, but a woman.

“Well to start with, my past, and my identity stays here, and goes no further.” She reaffirmed. “But my path that brought me here began with a hunt. I was partnered with members of several different clans, and we were ordered to bring back proof that we personally were the cause of this creature’s death. I got to the den first, only to find it had already been slain by something else, and its offspring were cowering further within. My honor wouldn’t let me see the offspring harmed. The other members of the hunting party however, didn’t have the same qualms as I did, showing their frustrations that they lost out on honor amongst the clans for the kill of the beast.” Jamie closed her eyes as she relived the next part in her mind, as she told it aloud. “When they raised their weapons to kill the young, I knew what I had to do. I killed each member of the hunting party, mercilessly, just like they were about to do the young beasts. After doing so, I returned to the clan, and told them of my crimes.”

A tear rolled down her cheek as she relived her past. “My father banished me from the clan, and disowned me personally. I was allowed to leave, but my crimes were relayed to the other clans, and they put a hit out on me. I was ready to give up. I had no fight left in me when they found me. Samael happened to be nearby as well, and intervened. He defeated the first batch of hunters, and laid into me. He told me dying is easy, living is the hard part. He told me if I wasn’t ready to live for me, to live for him. He gave me a purpose again, and after the next set of hunters were dealt with, I swore my life to him and his clan.”

Aster reached out to her first. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. Master Samael is right, you can consider us your family now. If you need anything please ask, I will be happy to help.”

Ash’s snide look fell, when he heard her tale. For once he actually felt remorse for someone else. “For once, I agree with my sister. You can count us as family.” And surprisingly he said it sincerely. Samael was touched, they really were growing.

But there was one more member of their crew that was hidden away from the rest. She preferred her solitude, and Samael understood why. He made his way to the storage bay where Susanna normally was.

She was polishing a blade when Samael looked in. She hadn’t noticed him, and he didn’t really want to bother her himself. He just wanted some time to think in peace and quiet. Unfortunately, that would be in short supply as Susanna began to reminisce about her past to herself aloud. Though Samael knew her story, it was always good to refresh his memory on the details.

♪Oh Violence does call me, I’ve answered before
I made many enemies and settled my scores
But I did grow weary and I settled down
And I proudly bore the weight of my crown

I lived on my lonesome away in the far
Where there was no violence to trouble my heart
I hung up my sword and I raised up my hoe
And I lied as I said I ne’er would go

But came a cry from a man that I’d known
Someone to whom rare compassion I’d shown
And so I opened up my door
To the man who promised me blood and war

Oh woe to thee, ye People of Order
I hope your homes continue to smolder
And that you never rise again
And leave me be and leave my friends.♪​

She stood up, blade in her hand, with a focused look in her eye.

♪I followed him far to a distant land
Where he had been exiled by one single man
His horns, they were wicked, his power was great
And you looked in his eyes and were swallowed by hate.

He took me to shelter, his humble abode
A pitiful cavern his comrades called home
He handed me bedding and bid me adieu
As I sat and I ponder on what I should do

For I craved violence, I craved to be free
From people who wished to control me
Yes I believe in anarchy’s reign
And I know that dictators only bring pain

Oh woe to thee, ye People of Order
I hope your homes continue to smolder
And that you never rise again
And leave me be and leave my friends♪​

Susanna took a battle stance. She began to carefully practice her attack forms as she sang of her past, reliving her hardships and pain.

♪I prepared for battle, I hoarded and schemed
But I did not know all was not as it seemed
My allies unstable, their loyalty thin
Yes, we would have victory, but what would we win?

The battle was chaos, blood roared in my ear
A chain of explosions, they looked up with fear
They set up a leader and shouted hoorays
As I shuttered and realized that I’d been betrayed

Is this what you want? Corruption and power?
Well I won’t stand for it, this is my hour
Take on these beasts! I’m now friend to none
If you think you’re a hero, then die like one

Oh woe to thee, ye People of Order
I hope your homes continue to smolder
And that you never rise again
And woe to those who called me a friend

I fled until silence was all I could hear
The voices, once screaming, now hummed in my ear
The cold it was lonely, but I was alone
And I promised that I’d not let blood taint my home

But then came a message from my only friend
“Oh Warrior, hide or else this is the end!”
“They’ve bound up my wings, and they hunt for your head.”
“They promised me justice, but they’ll see you dead!”

They came for me with an armed battalion
And held an ax to my innocent stallion
And said, “Now it is your turn to bow!”
“See how the king has fallen now!”

They raised an anvil and laid me below
They thought to crush me, painful and slow
But I did live and I did flee
And I put my pick through the butcher’s teeth

Oh woe to thee, ye People of Order
I hope your homes continue to smolder
And that you never rise again
And beware of me and beware my friends♪​

Her movements grew faster and more precise, her eyes closed envisioning her enemies.

♪I returned from battle all tattered and worn
And found at my doorstep a child forlorn
He told me his story, he told me his woes
As I thought up a plan for our mutual foes

I stealthily went to familiar lands
As I gathered my weapons and laid out my plans
But when the poor child spoke with friends that he had known
He abandoned our mission and left me alone

I gathered my hounds and made them devour
The allies I once knew, sweet friendships now sour
And let explosions rain from on high
As I watched them run and fight for their lives

Oh woe to thee, ye People of Order
I hope your homes continue to smolder
And that you never rise again
And woe to those who called me a friend!

I reveled in victory, time passed in a blink
I took a new prodigy under my wing
I watched him grow bolder, I watched him grow brave
And I watched at they took him and locked him away

A rescue was gathered, our plans were all honed
To save my apprentice and the man that I owed
All went as expected, we thought we’d escaped
But they grabbed my apprentice, and there he was slain

My rage and my grief flared brighter than flame
I charged the Warden, but he fled the blame
And I did swear as he did flee
I’d avenge the one he took from me

I tracked down the man to the edge of the world
With enemies turned allies, his white flag unfurled
We dragged him back and left him to rot
And I returned from the carnage I wrought

Oh woe to thee, ye People of Order
I hope your homes continue to smolder
And that you never rise again
And beware of me and beware my friends♪​

She stopped her practiced movements, knelt once more on the floor, and cradled her blade.

♪Oh woe to thee, ye People of Order
I hope your homes continue to smolder
And that you never rise again
Now leave me be for this is the end♪​

Her eyes opened as she stared in Samael’s direct location. He gave her a kind smile, and a respectful nod of his head. “If you need anything, even to talk, come find me anytime.” He turned and left to go to his personal quarters.

There was a lot to look back on today. He was a part of each of their stories, even if it was just a small part. He had touched each of their lives in some way or another. He rescued Ash and Aster. Helped Declan to save children. Saved Jamie, and gave her life purpose once more. And he had helped Susanna exact vengeance upon those who wronged her and the people she cared for.

They might all have been on different paths, looking for or needing something, and came across Samael. All their paths merged into a family. Though he encouraged them all to think of each other as family, Samael however continued to try and distance himself from that notion. He couldn’t lose yet another family if he didn’t have one after all. They were acquaintances, they couldn’t be more, he couldn’t think of them as more.