[Khar'Shan] Mended Pieces (Closed)

Ekarn thought about what to say next, a deep sigh escaping. This was not something that came easy, but it would give hiswords more context.

"The truth of the matter is...I saw what became of Ivoraq, what the Reapers did to my home, and seeing it with my own eyes...it became too much for me to bear. I returned from a war, only to find almost nothing to come back to. Not that I was expecting to find much...but I had hoped, someone, something, was still there."

It would be Honourless to tell him it was because Ivoraq lacked Faith that it was ruined. To take such Pride in his Suffering...no, she would not. In the months since Chana began to Walk, she had seen what ruins lie beyond her paradise, and it was not her Path - not the Meaning - to rub Khaljah's survival in the Eyes of those less Fortunate. Such Pride would tumble towards Folly, towards Corruption, too easily.

No, that is why she Walked. To Guide, to help Unite their Eyes, their zayn’ir, and show them what the Names were capable of, what Peace was brought by following the Traditions, and relying on the Strength of the People.

And Chana Learned. Somethings were not so easy, and when stepping back to the physical beginning failed...

"Are your Eyes and your Soul complete and United, Ekarn?" she asked softly. When one beginning was of no aid to finding one's Path, it was Said that one must step further back, to another beginning.

"I'm..." This wasn't exactly an easy question. I'm not sure.

It was then that a commotion could be heard outside the room, that of landing shuttle. Ekarn was confused, there weren't expecting any shipments for the camp today.

Unless...

"Wait here." He said to Chana as he left to investigate.

Chana frowned, laying the fabric scrap down on the page before getting to her feet. She could hear the shuttle - at least, that's what she assumed it was. The sound itself was unfamiliar, not at all like the engines she was used to hearing. Normally, such a thing would cause Curiosity to rise in her, but there was something...unnerving about this.

The other batarian's akhtum, his body language, had been agitated and concerned, anxiety that made it as far as the subtle undercurrents of the People's common vocals. Ekarn had scarcely been entirely relaxed for most of the conversation, but this was hardly just mere tension.

No, there was a problem.

Very carefully, she wrapped the Mantras in the remaining square of cloth, and packed away her belongings. Once the bag was properly set on her shoulder, she picked up the staff, hands wrapped around the chimes to silence their whispers. There was shouting, over the sound of the shuttle, strained noises that made her ears prick and her upper eyes shift and blink rapidly, as though sensing...something.

The priestess took a few steps towards the door, and slipped outside, quiet as a slave.

Outside, Chana would see another shuttle landed near the central landing pad of the camp, Ekarn and a few other workers stood behind the foreman as he addressed the occupants of the shuttle. Said occupants were all armed.

"What is it now Kaetek?" The foreman said.

"The people under my protection are lacking a lot of basic needs." Kaetek said "Food, medicine, clothing, even clean water. Needs that are not being sent to our camp."

"We already gave you our cut three weeks ago!" The foreman argued.

"Situation has changed, we've been getting more refugees into our area, and that means more resources needed to care for them all. I'm afraid your...present contributions are not enough."

Behind the foreman, Ekarn was scowling. Kaetek Nab'Uori had more than once coerced them to hand over food and supplies meant to aid other settlements to himself, under the pretense of "providing" for people under his care. In reality, he was nothing more than a thug extorting others for his enrichment.

Unfortunately, Kaetek had guns, they didn't. So scowling was all he could do.

From her position behind the generator's building, Chana's upper eyes blinked rapidly, skin pricking. Her hand clenched tighter around her chimes, afraid that the noise might startle the armed men into firing.

Like shuttles, these guns were unfamiliar to her, though they were more common than shuttles. The farmers in Khaljah used rifles and shotguns, but those were made for shooting wildlife that would prey on the farm animals or destroy the crops...or deal with occasional unwanted trespasser who made all other options null and void. But those guns hadn't changed much in who knew how long - the guns in the line of sight now were hardly antiquated, the products inspired by alien designs and run much the same as the ones belonging to the strange creatures that existed outside of Batarian space.

Blasphemous things.

The conversation didn't aid understanding, either. She could see Ekarn's scowl, obviously there was something wrong. She crept a little closer, trying to get a better idea.

...Protection?

In Chana's view of things, there were only three types of People who claimed to have others under their protection. As this man lacked any sign of priesthood, nor the tone of a politician or official, there was little else she could assume.

And his words had a slime to them, the tonal shifts of his voice and undercurrents of his tone indicating a patronizing threat - subtle, but enough that everyone could understand it for what it was, even if they didn't wish to point it out.

There had been rumors of gangs terrorizing the populace, especially the relief camps that the Ascendancy was still trying to grasp. She hadn't yet encountered one, in all of her Wanderings.

Until now, it seemed.

"There are other settlements that need those supplies. My men need food and water. I give them to you, and we won't be able to help either." The foreman protested, his tone remained calm as possible, but his body language, posture and gaze betrayed quiet anger. Something Kaetek was well aware of.

"Ganto, there's no need to be angry." Kaetek said. "All I am asking is that you send some extra supplies to my camp. I'm certain you're aware that Khar'shan is a far more...uncertain world these days. Regions where the Ascendancy have yet to establish a presence of legal authority. Certain men who are more than willing to prey upon the people to help themselves in times such as these." Kaetak stopped for a moment, lighting a chark stick."I have, with great expense of resources on my part, might I add, offered your men protection and other services. Need I remind you where your shuttles, loaders, and other equipment came from? But if you are...unsatisfied with our partnership Ganto, I'm more than willing to dissolve our arrangement and let you and your men be. I just hope you'll be willing to leg it on your own, because the others, they're not quite as accommodating as I." He finished, blowing a puff of smoke at Ganto's face.

It took all of Ekarn's willpower to not lunge out and strangle Kaetek then and there.

Pretty words, with hidden, threatening tones. Batarians were far more subtle than the krogan she'd once encountered, the great reptile with many teeth that once announced a desire to eat the young priestess in front of him. Instead of teeth, however, this predator had silky words and powerful weapons.

There was Strength and Honour in protecting one's lessers. However, there was Weakness and Cowardice in manipulating that protection for personal gain with half promises and empty truths, and blackmail was often a symptom of Corruption and Folly. And when all those around you could taste the Dishonour you exude with the slime in your mouth, there was certainly no recovery from the Retribution that would be brought down upon you. This man - Kaetak - used blasphemous objects to assert his Strength, spoke with no Honour, and radiated Pride-fallen-to-Folly.

And he dared to use her Caste as his reasoning, dared to Disrespect her Elders and her Peers by insinuating that they were not doing enough! Chana's blood boiled, and her hand gripped tight to the chimes.

No more of this nonsense. The chimes slipped from her hand, falling from her fingers like water, bringing Song and Whisper with them as they echoed over the ocean waves and Spoke through the salty air.

"And who," she asked quietly, her head cocked to the right as she stepped into Kaetak's sight, not far from where Ekarn stood, "says that the Ascendancy has no legal authority here?"

Kaetek's eyes met Chana as he replied with his own nod to the right. "You from Khaljah girl? I've heard that accent before." He said, taking another drag on his chark stick. "You have no idea what its like here, do you? Sure, your homeland was spared what the Reapers did to rest of the planet. Elsewhere, we have people starving, no clean water, or shelter, not even a blanket to wrap themselves in. All that and looters fighting each other over those same things with no police or authority to keep them in line. Your Ascendancy keep talking about "Healing" and "Starting anew". But here, there is no healing, only reality. And the reality is, men like me is the reason why the many of you have warm food in your bellies and place to stay. The reason the sick have medicine and the old have blankets. And the reason why you lot are not killing each other over the goods you take for granted. I've done more here than all your priests' empty platitudes combined."

He walked up to Chana, ignoring Ekarn's contemptuous glare. "So here's my question, what right do you have, to question what I do?"

Casteless fool.

In her Walking, she had seen more of the lives that he spoke of then he probably ever would. She had done what she could, offered the support of the Ascendancy. She was a Walker, not a Mouth, so she was not there to Preach - and Learning, Guiding, these required that she often be the aid, the ambassador of her caste to the lessers who needed the help, those she was sworn by birthright to protect.

No, when she left, things were far from ideal, but they were hardly as bad as when she arrived.

And she, at least, did not need to use thinly veiled threats and weapons to 'help'.

But he made valid points. For many, promises of better life, that Faith would make all right, was no comfort during the cold nights, or when bellies went empty because such promises were never immediate. It was a Shame she knew well, but one she would not have rubbed in her face by some Honourless cretin.

"You are right," she admitted softly. She had the Humility to do that much, at least. "You have provided much to these people, in terms of immediate aid, and for that, I bear the Shame. Prayer itself cannot wrap the cold in blankets, or feed the hungry, and Faith is often hardest to touch in such painful circumstances. But I do what I can, where I can - and I do so without demeaning myself to the same level as the robbers and looters that you seek to 'protect' people from. The only thing that separates you from the masses of Dishonoured, broken thugs is charisma and the willingness to lose your Pride by hiding behind threats and weapons made from alien hands."

Chana looked away - he was not even worth her sight. "I could have you killed for your Disrespect, casteless, and I assure you, my caste Elders would hardly object, nor hold themselves back. But I will not stain my Honour with such an act, even if you defy Order and Tradition. Your own Shame should hold your life hostage, and that will be your choice to make you face the realizations of your Cowardice, your weak Nahkt and Disunified soul. That is why I have every right to question your motivations, your actions - because they do not come from a desire of Honour, merely Weakness."

It was an argument she had made many, many times, far too often. The words came almost robotically, through the emotions that flowed through her speech were real, and Honest. It was all she could to hide her weariness - this, after all, was what she was to Learn.

Kaetek shook his head, and laughed. "Check this out boys, we have an idealist!" His cronies sniggered in response. He approached Chana, nostrils flaring as he started directly at the young priestess.

"Now, my mother told me to respect the religious caste, bless her soul. And it wouldn't exactly do me good to offend her. So I will let what you said about me slide. However, while you are here, I expect you to know who is in charge here, and to not step out of line. As I said, the homeworld isn't exactly safe to travel alone these days...And it would be such a tragedy to see one such as yourself to befall to an unfortunate circumstance, am I right?"

With that, he turned to Ganto. "I understand this is a difficult situation Ganto, so I will give you some time to ponder my words. I hope you will see reason and make the right choice." He said before climbing aboard the shuttle.

As the craft took off from the camp, Ekarn went back to the generator room, and proceeded to pounds his fists on the wall. Frustrated, angry, that Kaetek was able to exploit them for his wants. And here he was, unable to do anything about it.

Ah, so he was done with the veiled threats, it seemed.

Chana did not respond, nor rise to the bait - merely allowed her eyes to wander elsewhere, judging Kaetak far beneath even that small sign of Respect. She had all rights to do as she had promised - her Caste was steps above his, and the amount of Disrespect he had shown would have been paid in lifeblood if he had spoken to anyone less Merciful. Perhaps he would come to realize his Shame, and take action to atone, but...in all likelihood, he would continue as he was, until someone set his Path right, or he wandered Urakh for Eternity.

When the shuttle lifted off, and the threat well and truly gone for the moment, she glanced towards Ekarn's back as he disappeared, then looked up at the foreman, lower eyes closed in Shame. "I am sorry we have not done enough for you, that such broken souls speak Truth when they say they have likely done more for your immediate comfort than any Prayer would. I will bear this Shame, and offer a promise that it will not always be like this."

Tradition said that Shame was a black mark, one that forever tarnished your Honour unless atoned for. And, according to Tradition, there were only two ways that one could atone for such - exile, or death. She bore the Shame of herself and her Caste, in knowing that they allowed thugs and casteless to be the better protectors.

The dagger she carried suddenly felt heavier.

Ekarn kept hitting the wall as his fists were beginning to bleed. This was likely going to hurt his hands in the long-run, but at this point, rage and anger had overtaken the pain.

Outside, Ganto sighed as he turned to Chana. "I know your people are doing the best they can, so there is no need to apologize. And let me say this, you said what we've all wanted to say to that bastard for months. I can't because, like it or not, I need his support if I want to help the others."

"And that would also be my Shame to bear, for the potential difficulties my words may have brought to you," she answered sadly, looking back towards the generator room her new-found friend had disappeared into. The group that had gathered was already dispersing, radiating dissatisfaction, anger, pain...

Chana nodded her head to the foreman respectfully, then went back to the warmth of the hut. Walkers were not expected to be entirely self-sufficient, nor did she have the Authority to make certain decisions. When Khaljah had been isolated, Walkers played messenger, bringing confidential requests and notices that were too sensitive to be transmitted electronically from one monastery to another.

Now, with all of Khar'Shan to wander upon, Walkers served as advanced scouts of sorts - bringing messages to Elders of areas like this, where the Ascendancy's touch had not quite fully reached, of places where a Mouth might be of more use, and Teaching required.

However, such missives would have to wait. Hands reached out to capture bloody fists, pulling them away from the wall. "This helps no one," Chana murmured, intent on not letting go if Ekarn seemed like he was just going to go back.

Ekarn felt Chana's hand upon his bloodied knuckles. "No it doesn't, it felt good though."

He sat down on the bench facing Chana, silent as he pondered his thoughts, than spoke. "...There was a woman I knew on Ivoraq, her name was Mi'Shei, whom I had been friends with since childhood. We were both of the mining caste, though her father was the local superintendent for my town's mining company. So her family had slightly more prestige than mine...I am not sure how to put it, but let's just say we were quite close. I felt I needed to prove myself to her somewhat, beyond just my caste. And I wanted the opportunity to serve my people beyond just my homeworld, so I joined the army." He paused for a moment, trying to recollect his memory. "In the military, brotherhood and camaraderie is a fact. We are all one unit, and we depend and support each other as such. I came to know my comrades, their names, their homeworlds, their loved ones." Ekarn seemed lost in thought, recalling the names of old comrades, Uatin, Rarnak, Lepa, Yae'han...Their souls now enjoying rest at Uq'Kest, the Forests of Peace for fallen soldiers.

"Er, forgive my indulgence in old memories. While I was striking my own path with the military, Mi'Shei...We had grown apart during my enlistment. My unit was part of the Internal Forces, so we more or less were deployed on a constant basis. Disaster relief, slave revolts, border security. Finally, my unit was granted some leave, and I contacted her, said I would be returning home. An opportunity to catch up on old times" Another pause. "Shortly thereafter, the comm buoys started going dark. Then came the reports that an enemy force had invaded Khar'shan. By the time my unit was mobilized, the Reapers had effectively taken the planet. We were forced to abandon our homes, seek aid and sanctuary from the humans, so that we could live to fight another day. We fought our enemies from the Traverse to Earth itself. Each day, losing more and more of our brothers and sisters-in arms. There were one hundred and seven men in my company prior to the war. At the end, only fourteen of us were still alive." As he said this, Ekarn's tone betrayed no sign of cracking. But his expression, his posture hinted otherwise.

"We spent months on Earth, waiting for the relays to be repaired. Hoping...hoping there was something left to go back to. We return home to find the Hegemony dissolved, the Confederation taking its place, and the struggle to revive our people in front of us. All the while I had this fantasy, I would return to Ivoraq, everything as it was, hoping the Reapers had ignored it. And I would find Mi'Shei waiting at the spaceport, smiling, my arms wrapped around her...When I returned to Ivoraq, all that awaited me were but ashes and ruins. She wasn't there, no one was." He took a few seconds to rub his temples, trying to maintain his composure. "Despite all that, I did not want to see all that we had sacrificed be in vain. I wanted to help restore our people, in anyway I can. Hence why I came here. I held no pretensions that our task would be easy. But I felt, if we had managed to survive the Reapers, we would face this challenge together." And it was here, the composure finally started to crack, an expression of anger on his face as his hands clenched themselves. "And yet, I come here, to find my people squabbling over scraps of food. Placing their needs as above the good of all. And seeing scum like Kaetek abuse the weak, exploiting the people we try to help for his own wants! I came here expecting our people to rise from the ruins, proud and unbroken! Instead, I find nothing, but a world of beasts! And nothing I do, matters!" He finished, taking the time to collect his breath. "As if, everything I have done, everyone that I have lost, has amounted to nothing..."

Part of the training she had gone through was not just on matters of Faith. Te'heri meant not merely a religious figure, but a counselor, a healer, a person to Seek when the times were hard, and all you had left were knees upon which to fall. Chana liked to believe her Path brought her closer to the aid of those who needed it most - and despite the Shame in not being able to bring the comforts of blankets and food and supplies, she could still be the voice of soothing, and her prayers could still bring something - so, perhaps, her Shame was lessened with such knowledge, and her atonements would be Strengthened.

She remembered a merchant who wept upon a promise to pray for his fallen children, young Souls ascended through their Eyes to wander the wastes until they were tried and tested for entrance into the Fields. A little girl, who had offered Chana a gift of her most prized possession - a stuffed doll - in exchange for a Blessing on her sick mother and father. A gift that had been refused as a matter of Pride, but one she'd found hidden at the bottom of her bag within hours of leaving that town anyway.

"Only if you let such thoughts become Truth will that Truth be revealed," she answered soothingly. She could not relate to his loss - Khaljah still was as beautiful as ever, safe and untouched by darkness. Ivoraq and his Mi'Shei, they were gone because of their lack of Faith, Corruption rooted to the very foundations of the planet, so that Destruction was the only Salvation the Divine could offer.

"The Damned will always find ways to feed their Folly and Cowardice - it is those who recognize such that will be granted Peace in the Afterlife, and those who rise above it." She smiled, weakly, beginning to bandage his hands, pulling salves and linen from her bag. "That you have the Clarity to see what the Truth is, says much about your Faith, and your actions are far from Unworthy of the Name of Strength."

Carefully, she applied the salves, then wrapped the bandages slowly, weaving the linen through his fingers. "It is never for naught, no matter how it may seem. All that we have lost will be regained, and your Mi'Shei would be full of Pride in what you have become, in her Honour and Memory."

"I suppose you are correct." Ekarn said as Chana bandaged his hands. "I am just tired. Of all this greed and selfishness I see with Kaetek and his ilk. We should be trying to help one another rebuild this world, not to exploit the weak to suit their wants."

"So don't let him get away with it," Chana said sternly, tying the bandage off. "He has made himself Honourless, casteless by his deeds, and has no right to demand anything of you or the others. He put himself outside of the Order, and shown Disrespect to his betters."

And he, even with his guns, was not the only one who could spew silken threats. Regardless of what his ultimate actions may be, the consequences were inescapable, especially under the Ascendancy. Did the People think Khaljah without its own defenders, that it was some peaceful utopia without its own sons of battle? War ran in the blood of every Batarian, and while the Ascendancy preached Peace and Unity in times of recovery, it would be laughable to assume the Tar'isi preached total pacifism - only that words should be spoken first, that diplomacy might try to avoid the loss of life....and when it could not, only then could blood spill.

"You already have the Clarity to see his Cowardice. Now, find your Cunning and your Courage, and remind him of his place. You must not submit."

"Something has to be done." Ekarn said. "Kaetek has power due to force and tribute. But take away his guns, and he becomes impotent. If the other camps and settlements can try to form some kind of resistance, he would be outnumbered, his influence completely curtailed"

He thought next of what to say, pondering how such a course would take. "But on the other hand, would that be the right course, to beget force with violence?"

"Should violence be the first course? No." Chana sighed, putting away the bandages. More than once, it became clear how much Tradition had been diluted by the Corrupt, and now was no different. Trying to explain the proper way, where the lines between concepts truly blurred, rather than where the People outside Khaljah thought they blurred, had become normal, routine...

Almost as robotic as explaining her Faith, her Purpose.

"But you do need to find a solution. He certainly cannot be allowed to continue as he is."