Mercy to None

Setting

One year before the battle of Yavin (34:3:5) on the planet Esseles (Ixion Chall's estate).

Characters

Vigo Ixion Chall, Narq, and Herto Ray.

"Time, how it slips past with a whisper and shrouds our lives, dreams, and memories." Vigo Ixion Chall stated contently as he looked out his window into the night, a gentle breeze sweeping across the marble floor. "Do you remember a young officer asking me about my past many years ago?"

Lieutenant Herto Ray stepped forward alongside Ixion, an expression of curiosity upon his face, "How could I forget my liege, I looked up to you then as I do now. I wanted to know as much as I could about you. In my age now, I realize it was foolish to ask such…"

"I was raised on our homeworld in a hive that reeked of the dead, and lacked the essentials of life. I killed my best friend at age seventeen for a piece of food and a weapon. I watched as his blood soaked my feet while I stole everything he held dear to him. Swift and without emotion was my swing, as is my personality to this day," Ixion Chall turned and looked at Herto his voice carrying the story of his past in a sorrowful tone of pain and suffering. His expression remained unflinching as he continued, his thoughts deep in the depths of the past…

"Give me the food, Narq! Don’t make me kill you...," a young Ixion Chall stood holding a rock in his hand. Another Niemoidian cringed in front of him, looking for a way past.

"Ixion we are friends, brothers! How can you do this to me!" Narq said with a crackling voice, "We can find food together!"

"No Narq, that shows weakness and fear of being independent. I will not show weakness! They are watching you know that, they will only select the strong to join the Trade Federation," Ixion said his hand tightening around the rock, "And I have already shown mercy…" With a swift and non hesitant swing there came the end to Narq. Blood pouring from the cracked skull over the dirt ground and the feet of Ixion. Quickly he hurried to grab the food and wood spike that Narq had carried with him. Why he did not draw it was no concern at the time.

"Swift and without emotion. Your best friend was he not?" a voice came from behind Ixion as he turned the wood spike in his hand and at the ready. "You realized your weakness of mercy and eliminated it, like a true leader," the voice continued.

"Show yourself!" Ixion screamed towards the voice which remained hidden in the shadows. He had never heard that voice in the hive. Without warning there came a shining object out of the darkness which landed at the blood soaked feet of Ixion.

"We will be watching you Ixion," the voice stated with distance now to it. Ixion guessed that they had moved away to leave as he bent down to pick up the object that had been thrown to him.

Trembling fingers grasped the small metal piece and wiped it clean of dirt as he held it up to be seen in the light…

"The light was dim in that section of the hive but I knew instantly what I held, the crest of the Trade Federation," Ixion stated with a sigh, "Still to this day I don’t completely know who spoke with me in the shadows. But I have my guesses. A year later I found myself on a Trade Federation ship as a young officer."

"Do you regret killing him?" Herto asked hesitantly.

"I lost a friend that day, but I gained a legacy. Do I regret that no, but in my old age I find memories creeping into my dreams. Nightmares, maybe, or just me reminding myself of what I had to do to get where I am today," Ixion placed a hand upon Herto’s shoulder, "I have done terrible things Herto, but regret is a weakness. You must do things without regret and without remorse."

Ixion walked up to the window and closed it with a quiet click, "Herto, we are facing tough times. Get a hold of our best members. We need to begin eliminating some competition. Do not let me down, and remember no regret or remorse."

Herto Ray looked at the Vigo and bowed, "I will not fail you my liege."