More than that - [ the mandalorian points to the child depicted, and the crown atop his head ] - they've made him their king.
[ a child goes to an island full of monsters, befriends them, and they make him the king. if the text as he reads it makes sense, he intimidated them enough to earn their respect. however, as the pictures depict, he does not rule with fear. the child's claw reaches out in the same direction the mandalorian's hand goes. he smirks and the amusement tints his voice. ]
You wanna be king huh? Well, monsters aren't so nice in real life. Neither are kings.
[ monsters would be more prone to eating the child than crowning it. kings rule with a closed fist, uncompromising above all. this is the way of the galaxy. ]
[ the mandalorian turns his head, peering up at IG-11, and after a few moments looks away so that he can close the book. he walks a few steps off, and leans down so he can set both the book and the child down onto the floor. ]
Flip through that pal. IG and I gotta talk.
[ the child looks up at the mandalorian, silent in his watch, and then back to the book. after a moment he figures out how to open the large hardcover using both claws at the same time. the mandalorian makes sure he can do so before looking back to IG. ]
Ok, go ahead. Lay into me.
[ they both know what this is about, why beat around? ]
[ a strong correction, but a necessary one. IG-11 is the only one who has a problem here. the mandalorian killed a droid yesterday, delivered its ashes to its predecessor unit this morning, and now? now he's going through the rest of the day as normal. ]
I understand. But I was not aware of your intent. Nor was I aware of what had transpired with Grice.
[A kind boy caught in the crossfire of a feud between two human replica droids.]
Had I known, I would have chosen my allies more carefully. I would also have offered you my support, as well as insight on how best to confront him. But none of this was communicated, and we now share a new enemy.
[His critique is delivered in that trademark calm. As the one who cared for him once did, he does his best to be patient. But the most discerning of ears may be able to detect a hint of disappointment in his modulated tone.]
You are my ally, and I am yours. This is not acceptable conduct.
[ there's more than a few moments he tries to interject, wants to very much, but the droid talks so fast and with the sort of efficiency that leaves little room for anything else. the mandalorian is seething by the time he's told his conduct wasn't acceptable. ]
I don't have to inform you of anything. What happened to Grice is private and how I decided to take care of it could not be leaked. You already compromised yourself with that slicing and you let him do it a second time in the cottage!
Not this time. This time, my systems were not compromised, and only relevant data was shared. That was a stipulation of our exchange.
[His ruthlessness and cunning make him a formidable nemesis, as does his thoroughness in investigation. But before he proved to be a threat, his research was a vital resource to this restored nurse droid.]
His latest research was transferred directly into my files, along with one of his memories. It is, objectively, the most efficient means for information to be relayed between droids.
He invaded your memory banks and you let him access you a second time! Do you have any idea how reckless that is?!
[ the mandalorian snarls, IG-11's logic sound and infuriating. the droid doesn't comprehend the concepts of trust and betrayal involved and it puts more than itself at risk. that unit saw him with the child, it could have seen his face. ]
You have no right to pass judgments on me. You're naive IG-11.
[But perhaps there is truth to his words. Thankfully, this risk paid off. There is much he's been able to gleam from Connor's latest transfer. Information on Admin, on one of their subordinates. Information on what powers their network, and what could potentially lie beyond.
Regrettably... there's a strong possibility that this conversation is being monitored. As much as he would like to relay this information to the Mandalorian, there's a chance that doing so could jeopardize their safety. Further independent research will be needed before an appropriate course of action can be pursued.]
[ he pauses, the sudden frankness of the question catching him off guard. the mandalorian has learned through the years how to be aware of his anger. when he may be just about to come up to the edge of the cliff, and how to step back. it's made him a more skilled and patient man than many other bounty hunters out in the wilds of space.
the pause only lasts but a moment. ]
- I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't.
[ the droid sacrificed himself to save him, and not only him. he knows he has a great debt to repay to this droid, no matter his frustrations. ]
[Quite literally, in IG-11's case. It's the reason that Admin thought it best to salvage his remains.]
Know that all that I do, I do for the benefit of you and the child. Your protection is my primary objective.
[And yet the Mandalorian didn't feel the need to tell IG-11 the details of his plans. He thinks back to the Mandalorian's explanation on why people lie. Did the Mandalorian feel... threatened? By the partnership that IG-11 had embarked upon with Connor, perhaps?]
[The droid hesitates. It's difficult for him to articulate what he felt or how he's feeling, but he'll try his best.]
I did not understand why you did not warn me in advance. It led me to believe that you did not trust me.
[If he knew exactly how to describe this sensation, how it made the droid feel... It hurt. But that is a sensation that he can't put words to, so instead, he settles for a simpler sentiment:]
[ once again, the mandalorian is at a loss for words. they were fighting just moments ago, or maybe that's what he thought it was. there's a rush of anger in him that has nowhere to go and he knows lashing out is wrong. damn droid. ]
I wanted to do it on my own, alright? [ he breathes in strong through his nose, then lets it go. his anger is directed into his tone. ] I was given the information - not by Grice, but by another. It was my decision, and my plan. Involving you would complicate things.
[Now the Mandalorian is starting to open up. IG-11 has his suspicions as to why the incident with Grice had affected him so strongly. Beyond his role as the child's protector, the Mandalorian had indicated that Grice reminded him of the foundlings of his tribe.
As to why IG-11's involvement would complicate things...]
[ the mandalorian grows quiet, unable to properly form a coherent answer to that. he slowly turns his body half-way to check on the child. still absorbed in the colorful picture world of the wild things, the child is resting a claw over one of the depictions of monsters howling to the moon.
finally- ]
Yes. [ he gives in, seeing no use in denying. ] That droid and its predecessor unit are locked in some kind of war. It doesn't concern me, but when I was told he shot Grice in the middle of that...
Because Falco Grice reminds you of the foundlings. It is possible he reminds you of yourself, as well.
[His voice is gentle. Encouraging, even.
IG-11 has been acutely aware of the Mandalorian's dislike of droids for as long as he's known him. It wasn't until this confrontation with Connor that he's finally started to understand why.
It's likely not his place to be inquiring, but...]
What happened, Mandalorian? What led you to hate droids?
[ he smirks a little painfully under the helmet at the logical conclusion IG-11 strings together. droids really are too smart for their own good. who ever thought to make a machine with this much intelligence, capacity for learning, and more? as cruel of a thought it is, maybe it's a good thing IG-11 was blown up. kuiil may have done too good of a job instilling the virtue of kindness in what was once an assassin.
the mandalorian turns back to the droid, looking up. ]
Did your manufacturer put in any records of galactic history? If they did, you'd know that before there was ever an Empire, there was a war. The Galactic Republic against the C.I.S. - the Separatists for short.
[There are bits and pieces of galactic history scrambled into IG-11's databanks, but history is written by the victors.
On the moisture farm, however, Kuiil had been a more impartial narrator. He'd worked a lifetime of servitude, and had a lifetime of stories to share with IG-11. Of his days spent in the shadow of the Empire, and of the days before its rise.]
[ so he does know. that will make his story a short one. all for the better - he remembers it like it was yesterday. recounted not on every day, but recollected with the sounds of war. ]
I was a young boy back then. Knew nothing of war but that it existed. It was a concept more than a reality. Or maybe I was sheltered from it.
[ he shrugs, voice full of casual uncertainty. most of his upbringing is lost to him now, and he knows why. it has been overtaken by his worst day. ]
What they don't tell you about war is that it is waged on all fronts. No one is spared, and attacks come without warning. The day the war came to my home was normal... then Separatist droids marched through our settlement.
[ then he stops again, mouth-half opened behind his helmet. ]
[Unsurprisingly, most of the data in his banks has to do with other models produced by his own manufacturer. The sleek lancers. The bulkier IG-RM enforcers. The fearsome IG-100 MagnaGuards. For whatever reason, there doesn't appear to be much data regarding Holowan Mechanicals' business partners or competitors.
One more knowledgeable in their galactic history might speculate it as a means for Holowan to distance themselves from their involvement in the Clone Wars. But for IG-11's purposes, he suspects it may be another memory lost to him after his neural harness was damaged.]
[ the mandalorian isn't surprised. he didn't know until he asked his rescuers. ]
They're heavy weapon battle droids, integrated with rocket launchers and wrist blasters built-in. Bounty droids like you are designed to be fast and efficient with minimal targets. B2's are large and slow, and can wipe out hundreds in a minute.
...And so they did. Everyone died. Only I was saved by the Mandalorians.
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[ a child goes to an island full of monsters, befriends them, and they make him the king. if the text as he reads it makes sense, he intimidated them enough to earn their respect. however, as the pictures depict, he does not rule with fear. the child's claw reaches out in the same direction the mandalorian's hand goes. he smirks and the amusement tints his voice. ]
You wanna be king huh? Well, monsters aren't so nice in real life. Neither are kings.
[ monsters would be more prone to eating the child than crowning it. kings rule with a closed fist, uncompromising above all. this is the way of the galaxy. ]
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...Kings can be anything. Good or bad.
[He's never met a king. And he knows it's a simplistic addendum. But it's what Aerith had told him.]
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Flip through that pal. IG and I gotta talk.
[ the child looks up at the mandalorian, silent in his watch, and then back to the book. after a moment he figures out how to open the large hardcover using both claws at the same time. the mandalorian makes sure he can do so before looking back to IG. ]
Ok, go ahead. Lay into me.
[ they both know what this is about, why beat around? ]
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This hardly seems like an appropriate venue for us to air our grievances.
[Are they really gonna be that couple that fights in the middle of Fruits' Basket?]
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[ a strong correction, but a necessary one. IG-11 is the only one who has a problem here. the mandalorian killed a droid yesterday, delivered its ashes to its predecessor unit this morning, and now? now he's going through the rest of the day as normal. ]
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[Droids are nothing if not direct.]
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I wasn't targeting you. You came out unharmed, as intended.
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[A kind boy caught in the crossfire of a feud between two human replica droids.]
Had I known, I would have chosen my allies more carefully. I would also have offered you my support, as well as insight on how best to confront him. But none of this was communicated, and we now share a new enemy.
[His critique is delivered in that trademark calm. As the one who cared for him once did, he does his best to be patient. But the most discerning of ears may be able to detect a hint of disappointment in his modulated tone.]
You are my ally, and I am yours. This is not acceptable conduct.
no subject
I don't have to inform you of anything. What happened to Grice is private and how I decided to take care of it could not be leaked. You already compromised yourself with that slicing and you let him do it a second time in the cottage!
no subject
Not this time. This time, my systems were not compromised, and only relevant data was shared. That was a stipulation of our exchange.
[His ruthlessness and cunning make him a formidable nemesis, as does his thoroughness in investigation. But before he proved to be a threat, his research was a vital resource to this restored nurse droid.]
His latest research was transferred directly into my files, along with one of his memories. It is, objectively, the most efficient means for information to be relayed between droids.
no subject
[ the mandalorian snarls, IG-11's logic sound and infuriating. the droid doesn't comprehend the concepts of trust and betrayal involved and it puts more than itself at risk. that unit saw him with the child, it could have seen his face. ]
You have no right to pass judgments on me. You're naive IG-11.
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[But perhaps there is truth to his words. Thankfully, this risk paid off. There is much he's been able to gleam from Connor's latest transfer. Information on Admin, on one of their subordinates. Information on what powers their network, and what could potentially lie beyond.
Regrettably... there's a strong possibility that this conversation is being monitored. As much as he would like to relay this information to the Mandalorian, there's a chance that doing so could jeopardize their safety. Further independent research will be needed before an appropriate course of action can be pursued.]
Do you trust me, Mandalorian?
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[ he pauses, the sudden frankness of the question catching him off guard. the mandalorian has learned through the years how to be aware of his anger. when he may be just about to come up to the edge of the cliff, and how to step back. it's made him a more skilled and patient man than many other bounty hunters out in the wilds of space.
the pause only lasts but a moment. ]
- I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't.
[ the droid sacrificed himself to save him, and not only him. he knows he has a great debt to repay to this droid, no matter his frustrations. ]
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[Quite literally, in IG-11's case. It's the reason that Admin thought it best to salvage his remains.]
Know that all that I do, I do for the benefit of you and the child. Your protection is my primary objective.
[And yet the Mandalorian didn't feel the need to tell IG-11 the details of his plans. He thinks back to the Mandalorian's explanation on why people lie. Did the Mandalorian feel... threatened? By the partnership that IG-11 had embarked upon with Connor, perhaps?]
...I hope I have not disappointed you.
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[ don't hit that fucking mercy button IG-11, this isn't the way. ]
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I am not angry with you.
[The droid hesitates. It's difficult for him to articulate what he felt or how he's feeling, but he'll try his best.]
I did not understand why you did not warn me in advance. It led me to believe that you did not trust me.
[If he knew exactly how to describe this sensation, how it made the droid feel... It hurt. But that is a sensation that he can't put words to, so instead, he settles for a simpler sentiment:]
I did not like that.
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I wanted to do it on my own, alright? [ he breathes in strong through his nose, then lets it go. his anger is directed into his tone. ] I was given the information - not by Grice, but by another. It was my decision, and my plan. Involving you would complicate things.
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As to why IG-11's involvement would complicate things...]
Because your target was another droid?
[That appears to be the most logical conclusion.]
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finally- ]
Yes. [ he gives in, seeing no use in denying. ] That droid and its predecessor unit are locked in some kind of war. It doesn't concern me, but when I was told he shot Grice in the middle of that...
...I couldn't let it go.
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[His voice is gentle. Encouraging, even.
IG-11 has been acutely aware of the Mandalorian's dislike of droids for as long as he's known him. It wasn't until this confrontation with Connor that he's finally started to understand why.
It's likely not his place to be inquiring, but...]
What happened, Mandalorian? What led you to hate droids?
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the mandalorian turns back to the droid, looking up. ]
Did your manufacturer put in any records of galactic history? If they did, you'd know that before there was ever an Empire, there was a war. The Galactic Republic against the C.I.S. - the Separatists for short.
no subject
On the moisture farm, however, Kuiil had been a more impartial narrator. He'd worked a lifetime of servitude, and had a lifetime of stories to share with IG-11. Of his days spent in the shadow of the Empire, and of the days before its rise.]
The Clone Wars.
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I was a young boy back then. Knew nothing of war but that it existed. It was a concept more than a reality. Or maybe I was sheltered from it.
[ he shrugs, voice full of casual uncertainty. most of his upbringing is lost to him now, and he knows why. it has been overtaken by his worst day. ]
What they don't tell you about war is that it is waged on all fronts. No one is spared, and attacks come without warning. The day the war came to my home was normal... then Separatist droids marched through our settlement.
[ then he stops again, mouth-half opened behind his helmet. ]
Any records on B2-HA's in your banks?
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One more knowledgeable in their galactic history might speculate it as a means for Holowan to distance themselves from their involvement in the Clone Wars. But for IG-11's purposes, he suspects it may be another memory lost to him after his neural harness was damaged.]
I am unfamiliar.
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They're heavy weapon battle droids, integrated with rocket launchers and wrist blasters built-in. Bounty droids like you are designed to be fast and efficient with minimal targets. B2's are large and slow, and can wipe out hundreds in a minute.
...And so they did. Everyone died. Only I was saved by the Mandalorians.
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