Shadows of Bankor

The precision of the blaster scorch marks and the brutality gave Commander Serasai pause, she knew that Hrugos was a brute but this was far even for him. Something had changed, and she didn’t like the idea that this was probably going to get worse before it got better.

The slums were a trash heap but these were still her people and she was supposed to protect them but that got harder and harder as the Empire cracked down harder and harder. She had not seen carnage like this since the war and at least then the enemy was fighting back, here there was no chance.

It was going to be one of those days as she continued inspecting the damage

"Awful."

Qareme had taken some time to go to the slums, having heard rumours of an incident. She had not expected to see what she saw.

"Why?"

She had been mostly talking to herself, but she was aware of another.

“I am asking myself the same question,” Jin said honestly and then turned to the woman and added, “You live here?”

"Bankor is my home. These streets are my streets. These people are my people. It pains me that I could not help them when they most needed it."

Qareme turned to the being that addressed her. Looming large over the human.

"If you are here to cause more suffering, I request that you give the people time to recover from this. If you are not, then you are here to help, yes? You will forgive the question I hope, with your position and ties I wished to clarify your reasoning."

Somewhere nearby a man with a backpack walked through the slums looking at the scorching and uncollected remains of the unfortunate here and there with an incredulous look.

Shit man... what have I gotten myself into? It's like Caamas all over again...

He didn't know exactly why... but he knew he had to look for someone who might know the poor woman Riala. He'd been a kid who lost his parents to an executioner... and something in him told him he'd not be able to rest until he could make sure this new unknown kid had someone to look after them.

"I am not here to cause problems," she said flatly and then noticed Rannek and added, "I am trying to keep the peace, but that means different things to the Empire."

She said to Rannek, "You look lost, can I help you?"

"Thank you."

Qareme gazed in the direction of the the man, before looking back at the commander.

"Then you can help them, can you not?"

"I am trying to help them," she said with slight frustration. "But it's not helping that some people are antagonizing them either."

Rannek came a bit closer after being addressed and looked to the two women who appeared to be having some serious discussions about today's events.

"Yeah... sorry. I just got here today... Was looking for someone... or a place where one could inquire about someone... but I appear to have come on the worst day possible."

"Welcome to Bankor," she said honestly.

"I don't know everyone but I might be able to give you something, who are you looking for?" she asked.

"From what I hear she might be from this part of town... A woman named Riala. I ran into her this morning and she... got caught up in the mess of things. Apparently she's got kids... and I'd like to... speak with them." He replied.

Jin read between the lines and said, “Well that’s noble of you, I wouldn't know her but you can speak with Xanna she runs a soup kitchen and tends to know a lot of slummers. It’s not far actually, also a place to get a good meal if your short on creds."

Qareme has gone silent as the man asked after a woman that he had endangered. A small smile came to her face.

"You are a good soul."

He shook his head, “I ain’t any such thing... Just someone who lost their own parents in a similar mess.”

He nodded gratefully to the pair, “I’ll go check out this soup kitchen. Thanks for the help.”

Qareme Torth wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 25, 2020 9:04 pm

Qareme has gone silent as the man asked after a woman that he had endangered. A small smile came to her face.

"You are a good soul."

The commander figured she was referring to the stranger and agreed with a nod.

With the man moving onwards to the soup kitchen, Qareme looked back at the commander woman.

"Let us continue surveying the damage then."

She started off walking, not checking back on if the commander followed or not.

She followed and said, "You a bounty hunter? Private investigator?"

"Neither. I am simply a citizen who wants to look after those who cannot help themselves. Which, unfortunately, is a growing list. There is little I can do for something of this scale now though."

She stopped, turning back to the commander.

"Why have you come here?"

“It’s my job to protect and serve the people,” she said honestly, though she also wanted to see just how bad things had gotten. She had pulled her people out to avoid any… friendly accidents.

“This isn’t…”

She kept following and said, “That’s not an expected notion around here, compassion is a little low on the list of needs. You work with Xanna, the soup kitchen girl?”

"I have considered it. For now, there is little more I can do."

Qareme closed her eyes, taking a few moments before opening them and speaking again.

"You are from Bankor also, yes? What do you see around you."

"I see old buildings, people just trying to make it, and a hell of lot more blaster score marks then I like. People like to forget the gutter trash of the slums, but we are good people," she said honestly.

"Rygor has never been the best place and the Foundry made things better but these crackdowns..." she frowned at her own words and waved it away.

"This is my home, I just want to keep people safe, from each other, from the Resistance, and the Empire."

"Then we want the same thing. Peace. How to get that though is the question, and the answer gets harder to see with each passing day."

Qareme turned back to look at the homes.

"If they had some warning of what was going to happen, at least they would have a chance to hide."

“Maybe,” she said stopping to look at scoring.

“I only know so much and even if I did know something I can’t just… I have a responsibility.”

"I understand the weight of expectation. I can also hear the confliction in you."

Qareme turned to look at the commander.

"My only advice to you is to trust your heart. Be at peace with yourself and the answer will make itself clear to you. I know you will do the correct thing for the people of our home, but only you know what that is. Not I, not others. Only you."

The commander didn't like the words but agreed and said, "Maybe... no you're right."