A/N: Hiya guys. I'm sorry this update took so long, but I wanted to finish the entire arc before posting it. That means you can look forward to regular updates every other week for some time.
Really looking forward to hearing what you think about this bit. Writing it has been both fun and very complicated.
Since FFN has been a little unstable as of late, I just wanna mention that I'm also posting on AO3 under the same pen name, so if the site ends up deleting itself or whatever, you know where to find me.
Chapter 13 - Bloodsport
Loovria was a small but heavily populated planet located in the mid rim and was the last stop on the D'aelgoth Trade Route before hitting the outer rim. The first settlers had tried terraforming the planet into something akin to habitable, but the process never really stuck and Loovria remained a barren wasteland. Once they found oil in the ground, refineries and small cities materialized in the blink of an eye.
Strako, the capital city, stood out amongst the others with the Arena, a place where gladiator slaves fought in the pit for blood and honor. Once the Empire fell and the New Republic outlawed slavery, only free sentient beings who could prove they fought out of their own volition could prove themselves.
Sinead desperately reminded herself of that as she looked at a gold statue erected in front of the enormous arena in the center of the city. The statue glinted in the sunlight, the most recent champion who fought through the ranks. Children played around the base of the statue and she wondered if they even knew who it was.
The second the Razor Crest had docked in the sprawling spaceport, she had shot from the ship like a dupie without looking back. Long space journeys were always hard but long space journeys on board a ship not meant for habitation, with a kid and a man who refused to take off his helmet in anyone's presence was downright brutal.
She took a deep breath, smelling cooking oil from a nearby street vendor, pollution from the many smokestacks that sprang up from every rooftop, and a metallic tang underneath it all. The arena stood looming in the perpetual smog and it was by far the biggest building in the city.
Her eyes stung when she closed her eyes against the light. She'd tried sleeping but every time she closed her eyes she saw visions of Kyen trapped in the arena, forced to fight for his life. Exhaustion made her thoughts slow and sounds muffled, but no matter what, sleep wouldn't come.
She started strolling along the busy street, stopping now and again to look at the stalls that lined the road, filled to the brim with tacky figures and plaques with names of prominent fighters.
The streets were closely packed and Basic mingled with Huttese, Twi'leki, Shyriiwook to create a nigh incomprehensible babble. There was no standard on Loovria, no species lifted above the others; all that this place required was a menacing vibe that put Sinead on edge.
She was about to leave when something caught her eyes and she elbowed her way to a stall nearly hidden under a half-collapsed awning, where she found a small Mandalorian doll made of plasteel and threadbare fabric, barely bigger than the palm of her hand. A grin spread across her face and she didn't mind paying the glowering seller more credits than it was worth.
With the doll safely tucked in her pocket, she turned back towards the ship when a sudden altercation slowed the traffic to a halt; A Weequay bumped into a Toydarian who dropped a tray filled with haroun bread which scattered on the dirty ground, and she watched their screaming match while waiting for the crowd to thin.
Suddenly, there was a prickling at the back of her neck, an uneasy feeling spreading through her body and when she looked up she spotted a Neimoidian watching her from a small table outside a café. Behind him, a massive Wookiee watched her with cold eyes. The Neimoidian lifted a long bony finger and beckoned her over. Her eyes flickered briefly to the Wookiee. Was he a bounty hunter? Had someone recognized her?
Another beckoning, this one more insistent. The orange eyes were the only color on the Neimoidian with most of his grey body hidden by a black robe.
Making a decision, Sinead squared her shoulders and crossed the road to the café. The Wookiee was big and strong, but if it came to a chase maybe she could evade him long enough to get back to the ship.
The Neimoidian smiled as she approached and spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. "I am glad you would join me. Please take a seat." He gestured to a chair on the other side of the small table.
She eyed him warily before sitting down. Whenever he moved, a smell of pungent perfume filled the air.
"I thank you for indulging an old man." The Neimoidian folded his hands across his stomach. "My name is Duiy Rundu."
Sinead placed her hand palm down on the table. "I'm Zan Forr. A pleasure to meet you."
"Can I offer you anything to drink? The membrosia here is a particular favorite of mine."
She weighed her options in her head, wondering if offending him by declining was worth it. "Thank you."
Rundu snapped his fingers and a waitress materialized with a tray and a glass of a clear amber liquid which she carefully placed in front of Sinead before retreating.
Sinead made a big show out of taking a sip of the drink, making sure her mouth was closed tightly. "I assume you didn't call me over just to buy me a drink."
"Ah, right to business then. Very well. My people informed me that a ship had recently docked carrying a Mandalorian and his human companion. That is you, correct?"
She kept her face carefully neutral. "Yes."
"Wonderful. You see, I am in the business of sponsoring fighters in the ring, and when I heard a Mandalorian had landed on Loovria, I knew I had to meet this fabled warrior."
"As you can see, I'm not the Mandalorian."
"But you are his companion, no?"
"True." The word was out of Sinead's mouth before she had time to think it through.
"You are also here for the arena, I'm sure. Fighters flock here every day to test their mettle in the pit and few ever make it very far. I want to propose a deal to you; with my sponsorship, he will go much further than he ever could as an independent. With my backing, he could become the next champion."
"You haven't even seen him fight."
"The Mandalorians' bloodlust is infamous across the galaxy. If he has even half of that savagery, he will go far. We haven't had a Mandalorian champion in decades. They are exceedingly rare, are they not?"
Sinead nodded slowly, struggling to keep the scowl off her face. In the time she'd known Mando he'd been short-tempered, quiet, and grumpy but not exactly bloodthirsty, but of course, she didn't know him that well. When it came to his past, he was even more tight-lipped than her.
"May I ask where you found such a specimen? I must admit, I have searched for a Mandalorian for quite some time without luck."
The lie formed in her brain without much prompting. "Found him wandering Tatooine. Convinced him to join me."
"A shame there are so few of them left. They are worth their weight in credits."
"Right." Her hands clenched into fists under the table. "I have to talk to the Mandalorian before-"
Rundu broke into hoarse laughter. "Why? I thought you were his handler?"
Sinead bared her teeth in a smile. "When dealing with a Mandalorian, I've found it easier to make them think they're the ones making the decisions."
"I guess that is one way of doing it." Rundu cleared his throat. "Tell you what, come to the fight tonight, and see how we do it here. I will send Feyvik to find you afterward." He gestured to the silent Wookiee.
"That sounds fair." Sinead got up, leaving her undrunk glass of membrosia on the table. "I'll see you after the fight." As she walked away, she felt Rundu's orange gaze follow her.
Once she was away from the arena, the crowd thinned out considerably and it didn't take long before she was back at the enormous docking bay that teemed with activity; a big freighter had just landed and hovercrafts zipped across the floor pulling long trains of cargo behind.
In a smaller and less noisy hangar, she found the Crest. Mando and the kid weren't there, and she had no way of opening the ship, so she had no choice but to make herself comfortable leaning against the landing gear. Here it was quieter but no less busy and she spent the time watching mechanics and pilots mill about the place. As time went on, her eyes became more and more unfocused until they drifted shut.
A hand closed around her shoulder and gave her a shake. Her eyes flew open and she stared wild-eyed at Mando, who snatched his hand back as if burned. He crouched in front of her with the kid in one arm.
"What time is it?" Sinead croaked and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
"Almost sundown," said Mando, helping her to her feet.
She leaned back against the ship and shook her head to rid her mind of cobwebs. There was something she had to talk to him about, she was sure of it.
"I asked around, but the locals didn't know anything, just said I should find the Arena."
"Right, I have to talk to you about that." Sinead stretched her sore legs. "Preferably inside." She cast a glance around the hangar at the people working or just standing around, wondering if any of them worked for Rundu.
Once they were inside the ship, Sinead told him about the Neimoidian and his proposal. While she spoke, the kid waddled back and forth between Sinead and Mando, making small discontented noises whenever they didn't give him enough attention.
"And he wants to meet after the fight?"
"Yeah. He thinks I'm your handler." She wrinkled her nose. "Look, I know how this sounds, but this is the fastest way-"
"That's what you said on Celvalara." Mando crossed his arms over his chest.
"And I was right. Sort of. We never would've gotten the lead if we hadn't gone to Luria."
"You sure there's no other way in?"
"I circled it three times and didn't find any, every door is guarded. Look, I'm not asking you to fight in the pit, just ... pretend for a little while, long enough 'till I can get into wherever they keep the records." She looked at him earnestly. "Please."
Mando sighed heavily, his voice modulator rustling. "Okay. But I have a bad feeling about this."
A smile broke out on Sinead's face. "Thank you."
He made a noncommittal grunt and turned to take stock of their rations.
Sinead felt small hands tug on her pants and she looked down to see the kid stare up at her. He cooed happily when she picked him up.
"I'm sorry we have to leave you again," she murmured and shifted him to her hip. "It won't take long. And you'll be safe in here."
The kid yawned, showing a row of tiny sharp teeth.
She pulled the little doll out of her pocket and held it up to the kid, whose eyes grew wide and he let out a chirrup.
Mando turned at the sound. "Where did you get that?"
"From the market. I think he likes it."
The kid examined the tiny helmet before hugging the doll close.
"Mhm."
It was dark when they finally left the docking bay and the atmosphere on the street had changed; excitement thrummed through the crowd, everyone moving like in a trance towards the arena. Every house glowed with light and sound spilled into the street. Sinead kept close to Mando whose intimidating figure parted the crowd like a firaxan shark hunting a school of fish. The air was filled with shouts and laughter.
Spotlights around the arena made the building look like it glowed from within, and great big banners flapped in the wind. Loovria's crest had been carved into the stone above the main entrance, and Sinead shuddered when she passed under it. Excitement had given way to feverish bloodlust so thick she could taste it on the tip of her tongue.
They followed the crowd up a long flight of stairs, thousands of feet thundering on the worn wood. It felt like the entire population of Strako had come out to see the fight. Mando squeezed himself through a gap in the throng of people, dragging Sinead with him and they ended up on a landing close to the top.
The Arena was impossibly big, much larger than from the outside and the air was filled with the sound of thousands of people finding their spots on the packed stands. The roof was open to the night and strong spotlights lit up the sand-covered floor. A band of mirrors ran all the way around the top of the arena.
The crowd surged forward and they with it until Sinead was pressed against the railing, Mando's armor digging into her side.
"Sorry," he mumbled and tried to shift away from her, but the press of the crowd made it impossible.
"That's alright." She kept her eyes on the arena floor below them. His presence beside her was a reminder that she wasn't completely alone.
On the lowest ring, Sinead spotted Rundu sitting in a small box being tended to by a servant. His bodyguard loomed behind him like a shadow. Further along, nearly opposite Sinead and Mando, there was a bigger box with heavy red curtains that were pulled aside to reveal a raised throne wrought with gold and rubies. Here a gaunt Pau'an overlooked the arena. Behind him were a row of guards. Beside the throne was-
Sinead grabbed Mando's wrist. "That's a Hutt!"
"I see him. I don't recognize him."
"Neither do I."
The Hutt sat on a bed of pillows where he could watch the coming fight with ease, his fat body glistened in the light.
"Still think this is a good idea?" said Mando into her ear.
"As long as we stay away from the Hutt, we should be fine."
Mando sighed, but whatever he was about to say was drowned out as a Nautolan stepped up on a raised podium above the golden box where a microphone rose from the ground.
"CITIZENS OF LOOVRIA-" His voice boomed through the arena- "VISITORS, DIGNITARIES, SPONSORS, OUR EMINENT LEADER." The Pau'an raised his hand to thunderous applause. "WELCOME TO THE ARENA. TWO WARRIORS WILL ENTER THE BATTLEGROUND, BUT WHO WILL STAND VICTORIOUS?"
The crowd surged forward again and pinned Sinead against the railing.
"OUR FIRST FIGHTER TONIGHT HAS COME ALL THE WAY FROM NAL-HUTTA, THE VERY PEARL OF THE HUTT EMPIRE." A small section of the arena floor descended and a Trandoshan came tearing up the sandy ramp, roaring loud enough to drown out the announcer. He wore a thick leather harness and carried a wicked vibro-sword and a small plasma-shield that glinted in the harsh light. "THE REAVER OF ULMATRA!
"ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE HAVE BORVAR 'THE YRRYK' GELL FIGHTING FOR THE GLORY OF LOOVRIA." The announcer was hardly done talking when the spectators exploded in cheers. Another section of the arena disappeared and a Besalisk walked slowly up the ramp, looking bored as he watched the Reaver approach. He reached behind and grabbed four electrostaves strapped to his back. They met in the middle of the arena.
"THEY'LL PROVE THEIR WORTH ON THE BLOODIED SAND, BUT ONLY ONE WILL LEAVE WITH A SHOT OF BECOMING THE TRUE CHAMPION."
The fighters stood a few feet from each other, trying to stare the other down. Gell turned his electrostaves on and twirled them in the air until they were nothing but a purple blur, and the Reaver let out a howl that sent a current of fear running down Sinead's spine.
"LET THE FIGHTING BEGIN!"
The echo still bounced between the walls when the Reaver threw himself at Gell with lightning speed, ducking under one electrostaff and raising his blade.
Gell struck down with another electrostaff and the Reaver had to lift his shield and sparks showered the two fighters when they met. The Reaver danced out of range of the twirling staffs and darted around the Besalisk, who turned to watch him with unblinking eyes.
A wild dance began where neither of the fighters could get close enough to the other to strike the killing blow; Gell's swirling electrostaves made sure that the Reaver couldn't attack and in turn, the Reaver flitted back and forth too quickly for the much slower Besalisk.
Sinead tasted bile at the back of her throat but couldn't tear her eyes away. The spectators pressed in from all sides and made it hard to breathe.
Gell caught the shield with a direct hit and it flew out of the Reaver's hand, skittering across the sand until it hit the wall of the arena with a loud crack. The Reaver ducked under one staff, and thrust up with his blade, cutting off one of the Besalisk's hands. The appendage fell to the sand still holding the electrostaff. Blood dripped from the stump.
It seemed like the entire arena held its breath.
"FIRST BLOOD HAS BEEN SPILLED," screamed the Nautolan and the spectators responded with a wall of sound that Sinead felt deep in her bones.
No one screamed louder than Gell, who struck out with all three remaining staffs and hit the Reaver in the chest; he flew through the air straight towards the stands. Just before he hit, he slammed into an invisible wall and tumbled down onto the sand. There was a strange shimmer of blue at the point of impact which gradually disappeared. A shield. Smart.
The crowd screamed as one beast, but the howl was strangely dulled for Sinead.
The Reaver got to his feet and darted to the side just in time to avoid an electrostaff to the chest again. He sprinted to where his fallen blade lay in the sand and picked it up, jumping aside to narrowly avoid another attack. Gell howled in fury and pain as he forced the Reaver back against the arena wall. Chants of 'kill him' could be heard among the screams.
Sparks flew through the air as one electrostaff hit the wall. The Reaver feigned to one side and as Gell lifted the three remaining staffs to block him, Reaver shot forward and his blade caught the light before it plunged into Gell's shoulder. Gell screamed as the Reaver tore the blade out in a spray of blood and sliced the Besalisk across the chest.
Sinead was stiff with horror as she watched the Reaver drag Gell into the center of the arena. She tried to breathe but her chest constricted painfully as the smell of blood reached the higher stands.
If Kyen had been there, then ...
The Reaver lifted his head and howled, the sound reverberating between the walls, and he was answered by the frenzied audience.
The Pau'an stood slowly from his throne, leaning heavily on a cane as he stepped up to the railing.
A hush went through the crowd as everyone leaned forward to get a better look.
He waited until there was absolute silence, then, with an air of gravitas shook his head once.
The crowd exploded in a deafening scream.
The Reaver turned to Gell and brought his blade down on the Besalisk's neck, chopping his head clean off. It rolled in the sand leaving behind a trail of blood.
Sinead felt hollow. The announcer talked but she didn't register the words. She watched numbly as attendants appeared from trap doors and dragged the lifeless body off the arena floor. After the Reaver was escorted away as well, another fight began, this time between a human and a nexu. She watched the Pau'an sit passively on his throne.
"Sinead?"
A hand touched her shoulder and she jumped.
"It's done," Mando said, gesturing to the arena that was now painted red with blood.
She nodded slowly and tried to clear her head.
The crowd swarmed to the exits like ants clamoring to get out and this somehow felt worse than before, being trapped between so many bodies, the smell of sweat and blood mingling in the air.
A hand shot through the crowd and grabbed her wrist, pulling her out of the mess of people and into the still packed staircase. Mando looked down at her. "Let's get out of here."
She cleared her throat. "Rundu wanted to meet us, or you more specifically. Said he'd find us after the fight."
"In this crowd?"
"He knew when we landed in Strako, I'm sure he has a way of finding us."
"I don't like this."
Neither did Sinead, but the desire to find Kyen easily overrode any consternation she was feeling. "Just let me do the talking, alright?"
They had made it to the bottom landing when Rundu's Wookiee appeared in the throng of people, standing at least a foot taller than everyone else. When he spotted them, he growled and motioned for them to follow him down a wide corridor less crowded and hung with gold mosaics that depicted raging battles with twinkling rubies as blood.
The Wookiee reached a red curtain and pulled it aside to reveal a long room that curved around the arena, where sponsors sat in soft chairs, being waited on by demure servants. The lighting in here was different, softer, and more intimate. When the Wookiee dropped the curtain behind them, the sound of the arena became a soft murmur.
As they walked between the wealthy patrons who pointedly ignored them, Sinead tried to rid herself of the remaining fear that clung to her heart and made it hard to breathe. She focused on Mando's presence beside her, letting his agitation anchor her to the moment.
On the opposite end of the room, there was a row of alcoves set into the wall, and she spotted Rundu sitting alone in one, sipping out of a golden goblet. He stood up when he saw them approach.
"Ah, Madame Farr, I am glad to see you again. I see you brought your Mandalorian."
Don't say anything, don't say anything, don't say anything. She hoped if she thought it loud enough, Mando would somehow hear it.
"Nice to see you again," Sinead said, forcing her voice to stay even, and sat down in one of the plush chairs. After a tense moment, Mando sat down beside her, his body stiff.
"I hope you enjoyed the best of what Loovria can offer. It was quite the show, was it not?"
Sinead forced a smile. "It sure was."
Rundu grabbed his goblet and twirled the stem between his fingers. "Have you done any more considerations as to whether or not this is the place for you? As you saw before, the Strako Arena offers far more glory and challenge than any other arena in the galaxy. Making it to the top not only requires brute force but skill in battle and cunning." He looked at Mando with praising eyes. "I believe a Mandalorian is up for the task."
"Before we say yes to anything," Sinead said, before Mando had a chance to react, "I was wondering if we could get a tour of the arena? I've already seen the splendor from the stands, so I'd rather like to see what you have hidden away."
Rundu chuckled, a sound that made Sinead's skin crawl. "My dear, I'm afraid that is not possible. I don't own the arena, I simply represent the fighters."
"Who's the owner then?"
"That would be the Master, the great Vylum Kemet, but he doesn't like the public poking around. If you were to become a fighter though, you will get many perks."
Sinead nodded and chanced a glance at Mando, who stared straight ahead, still as a statue. "Before we make a decision, there's something I've been wondering ..."
"Go on."
"I heard a rumor about this place, that your fighters weren't ... exactly free to decline the fight if you know what I mean." Sinead's stomach flipped as she said it.
The effect was immediate; Rundu gasped, and the Wookiee who had stepped back to stand beside him growled so deep that she could feel the vibrations in the air. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mando tense up, his hand inching towards his blaster.
"Loovria outlawed such practices years ago, I assure you, and I will not tolerate such slander." Rundu gestured angrily at her and nearly knocked over his goblet. "This is not the Outer Rim where disorder and anarchy rules. Here we follow the New Republic's laws, you are welcome to ask anyone."
He made it sound like it was ancient history when the New Republic only came to power five years ago.
She held up her hands. "Just curious."
"Curiosity is a dangerous thing to indulge," Rundu said. "Take care it doesn't lead you somewhere you aren't supposed to go."
The air was thick with tension. Sinead cleared her throat. "If that is all, I believe my companion and I'll return to our ship. We have a lot to discuss." And she honestly wasn't sure if Mando was going to last much longer.
Rundu made a face, he had clearly expected an answer that moment. "That is understandable, I suppose. Please, don't hesitate to call on me if you have any questions. I promise you'll find much fame in Strako."