He'd put things off entirely too long. How months had slipped by since he'd gotten the news, Leon really wasn't sure, but he could lay a pretty solid wager that he was still just as good at avoiding grief as he'd always been.
His brother was, by all accounts, dead. Granted… he'd only gotten the one account. And Terry had died before. Not one of those near-death-but-pulled-through deaths either; he had been killed and was brought back. At least twice, that Leon had been made aware of. Knowing his own penchant for getting in over his head and that Terry's was exponentially worse (or better, depending on one's perspective), he could only assume there were others. Terry and Shedwyn led bizarre lives; being married to a Meddler always did that, even if Terry was a Dragoon. The Silver Dragoons knew damn well they were so Meddler-adjacent as to be virtually indistinguishable by now: Adventurers, but they at least tried to adhere to military structure.
Still… Leon had no idea how to process it. And usually, if Terry was going to come back, he'd have done it by now. Or at least, Leon would have received word of it by now. Shedwyn kept him appraised, and if Shedwyn didn't, then Vember did. But…there had been nothing.
Talking to anybody else about it–not just about the possibility that Terry really was dead this time, but that he might not be dead–got frustrating results. Most of them used the word 'denial' several times. But it wasn't quite the same when the guy had actually come back from the actual dead before.
No body? No certainty. They'd found his armor, most of his gear, but no traces of the man. Which could have been because he'd been stranded in a desert and had that… melting…disease…thing… Goo evaporated, right? That was the running theory. He'd been stranded in the deserts in Uldum alone, gone too long without his medicines, slowly melted, and then burned away under the sunlight before anybody even found him.
Thanks, N'Zoth.
It still felt wrong, though. Maybe that was denial. Maybe that was why Leon hadn't talked to Shedwyn yet. Maybe she was grieving too, and could have used the company, and he'd been too up his own ass to think of it, and he was a terrible sibling and sibling-in-law.
Maybe it was a blend of the two.
Either way, he needed to talk to Shedwyn, so he made his way out to Duskwood. Either they'd both drive themselves crazy coming up with theories, she'd confirm it for him, and he could finally figure out how to process it all, or… gods, what else? Who knew. Meddlers…
Leon was not counting on the possibility that Shedwyn would simply not be home. Nor that their stead stood largely empty, devoid of pets or people, save a few attendant staff. One of whom had almost whooped his ass for getting past the wards (he was family, he'd been allowed ages ago) and actually knocking on the door.
Very wisely not moving as he spoke, Leon offered a weak smile. "…You must be th' nanny, then?"
The Pandaren slowly lowered her foot from its position one inch away from Leon's larynx. "Ah. I see the resemblance now. You are the brother, then. I am Shufen. My condolences to you."
"Ah…yeah, thanks… Is Shedwyn' ere? She's not answ'rin' 'er comm any, 'asn't in days."
"I would be surprised if she has answered it in weeks, given where she has been."
"I'm gonna regret askin', aren't I."
"That depends on whether you regret not knowing, as I was not permitted to tell you."
"Oh come o–"
"Specifically you. 'Do not tell Leon about this; he will do something stupid.' Her words."
Leon started to reply, but paused and rubbed the back of his neck.
Shufen shrugged one shoulder in a vague form of apology. "I would not have quoted her, but she advised that I do so because you would agree with her assessment."
"No wonder she 'ates it when I do it to 'er."
"It is very grating to be known so well, yes. That is why I will tell you anyway; she is doing something I feel is inadvisable and should probably be dragged kicking and screaming back here to take care of her living family and obligations."
Leon blinked. "Come again?"
"Shedwyn never really accepted the death of her husband. Asked me almost every day if there was word about or from him yet, even after the man's captain had started sending her military stipends upon his declaration of death. The banshee-queen shattering the sky like she did and all the horrible rumors about where our departed are going now… she leapt at the chance to find him and bring him back. Her children have been left in Ironforge with the Truthhammers. Executorship of her orchards was granted to me until her return or one year from her departure, whichever comes first."
"She what?!" The flash of panic was just that, coming and going almost immediately as Leon actually let the thought filter through. His shoulders sagged. "…' Course she did. O' course she did."
Shufen merely nodded. She'd already gone through the same mental hurdles months ago. "Indeed. So, I remain here, gainfully employed but incredibly irritated with my mistress, while hoping she survives and returns sane before the heat death of the universe."
The Gilnean could only smile at that last bit. "She rubbed off on y', huh."
"Ugh, do not remind me. Go, do whatever it is you intend to do about it. I have now devoted entirely too much direct thought to the state of my employer and friend and would like some very strong tea."
"Um. Right. Thank you, miss. Enjoy yer tea."
At the man's use of the word 'tea,' the Pandaren woman smirked, pulled a steel flask from her pocket for him to see, and winked. "Safe journey to you, Mr. Ambroce."
Before he'd had a chance to respond, she shut the door in his face and locked it.
Leon stood there for a minute or two in contemplative silence before he turned on his heel and spat in the dirt by Toffee's empty pen.
Of all the ways this visit could've gone, I was not ready for the possibility I might be right. Why am I never ready for that?
As he took to the sky, he heaved a tremendous mental sigh. If absolutely nothing else… he needed to find Shedwyn, now.
He was pretty sure Pin would get it, and Kaewynn would probably come around, but Valarin was gonna strangle him.
Originally a band of pirates containing two large ships, several transports, and a few starfighters, the Corsairs have since been reduced to a single crew on board a Geonosian freighter. They predominately raided commerce vessels like those of the Trade Federation or IGBC giving them the funds for their growing fleet and crews but in the midst of their seemingly unstoppable winning streak came catastrophe. Emboldened by victory they began to raid Republic vessels testing the waters with attacks on Arquitens and Consular class light cruisers and finding quick success resulting in an arrogance that made the pirates attempt to hijack a Dreadnaught class heavy cruiser with disastrous results. Ambushing the Republic craft the Krayt Corsair's modest 'fleet' struck fast but inflicted little damage to the ships powerful shields as turbolasers and cannons quickly began to shred their capital ships while a swarm of Republic fighters overwhelmed their small group of fighters. Despite this, a handful of transports made it into the vessels massive hangar which became the site of an intense firefight. After the endless waves of clone troopers ceased, from the wreckage only 6 survived: a Trandoshan group leader, a Mandalorian pilot, siblings who were newer members, a logistical droid, and a Geonosian engineer. The group wandered aimlessly around the empty vessel riddled with the corpses of their comrades desperately searching for any clones to fight; they had felt cheated out of dying alongside their friends and family but despite how they looked, there was no one left to fight.... At that point the Trandoshan entered a shuttle and prepared for takeoff with the rest following suit without a word as they left to Tatooine and went their separate ways. The Trandoshan saw that the Geonosian had a large ship she was selling, unusual as it was it certainly had potential and inspired he quickly asked her to purchase the ship to which he was able to convince her to come aboard to pilot it as it worked only for her species physiology. Reluctantly agreeing he quickly headed off to nab the siblings spinning horror stories of those worked for Hutts in order to scare the young pair into ditching their plans of joining the cartel and instead happily came aboard excited to jumpstart the Krayt Corsairs once more. The droid was less convinced as much as he simply wanted to leave Mos Eisley and simply decided to stay on board ever paranoid of a galaxy he saw as impeccably dangerous. The only one of the survivors not to join was the Mandalorian who left to fight in the Clone Wars. From there the Krayt Corsairs had returned though they did so with few credits and determined to evade facing the same fate twice, they opted for more legitimate work and joined the Bounty Hunter's guild which has lead them to modest success since.
The crew includes:
Lo-Sar the Trandoshan was already a higher up member of the Corsairs before their demise and held great wisdom and experience using his charisma and knack for manipulating people to always make sure his people come out on top. He lead a group of pirates whom he personally trained and while disliking combat himself, he posses great martial abilities and is more than willing to use them if push comes to shove. He elected himself leader of the reborn Krayt Corsairs acting as a father figure to his small crew and doing most of their Guild business and paperwork.
Shufen on the other hand was a Geonosian worker who tried and failed to kill her overseer in a bid to move up in castes. Her failure placed her in the gladitorial ring where she faced a pack of Anooba as well as a Katarn from Kashyyyk. Overtaking a guard and using them to bait the Anoobas while she took the guards static pike to fend off and kill the pack. The deadly Katarn proved a greater challenge and she emerged wounded, but victorious. Earning her exile she fled out in the galaxy with a freighter for transport and eventually settled on Jedha finding difficulty adapting to life away from Geonosis but finding work in a shipyard putting her manufacturing skills to work repairing ships and impressing her employers by being able to fix damage that most would see as career ending for a vessel. This skill with machines is what caught the eye of the Krayt Corsairs when she was working on one of their fleet ships and seeing a way to get free maintenance they promptly kidnapped her and fled. She gave little resistance and simply wanted to able to continue her tinkering of different machines becoming a mechanic for them through her curiosity. She was able to eventually return to Jedha gathering her few belongings and taking her ship to the Corsairs hideout on Tatooine. Since then she continues to operate as a mechanic on Lo-Sar's crew as well as a pilot finding a newfound sense of family and becoming close with Zio who's sought to remedy her lack of experience with galactic social norms.
“Twins” Zio Ethos and Yyys were newer members of the original Corsairs joining only a month before their untimely end. Zio’s parents were members of the Techno Union who died in an unfortunate mining accident while conducting business on Mustafar. While all were assumed dead, the native Mustafarians were able to rescue the Etho’s child, Zio. While they’re culture is certainly different from humans they nonetheless raised him amongst their clan and with his adoptive family he had a sister in Yyys. They grew incredibly close despite their lack of blood relation and when they reached adolescence the pair decided to leave Mustafar in an effort to find information on Zio’s birth parents. During their travels they ended up in Hutt bondage where Yyys was made a spy and servant and Zio a gunslinging enforcer. The skills they learned during this dark time of their lives ended up proving most useful when the Corsairs raided their master’s palace and they promptly switched sides. They had intended to work for Jabba after the Corsairs demise but Lo-Sar was quick to rope them back in
And lastly is R00-1 or Ren as he prefers. Despite his appearance Ren isn't actually a droid rather a cyborg in a robotic shell with his only remaining piece of humanity being his brain. He loathes his cybernetization and he came about this situation after being abducted and experimented on by a deranged doctor on Abafar. The operation left him mentally shattered kept together only by his new programming and struggling to come to terms with his new body and coming to despise himself as a result. His joining of the Corsairs was also not by choice and he was taken during a raid on a civilian liner where the pirates assumed he was the protocol droid of wealthy businessman or noble only to discover through his endless ramblings that he was just a self loathing and nitpicking cyborg. Annoyed by his nonstop talking they were about to simply kill Ren before he quickly warned the pirates of incoming security fighters and guided them through the specifications of their capabilities which saved their skin as they followed his instruction on how to evade them. After telling their tale to the rest of the crew they decided to adopt Ren and his vast knowledge to serve as a logistician of sorts and while he held no love for the pirates, he did his job seeing it as something to do in his empty life. After the years of recklessness Ren was actually glad the pirates dissolved and was intent on heading to a civilized world to lead a normal life before Lo-Sar roped back into his old position which he serves dutifully but with endless amounts of criticism and sass.
