IC: Beskaryc Taab/The Mandalorian in Black (NPC, restricted GM use only)
Nearing the Salis D'aar Spaceport, Bakura

"I'll take the job, but I want to know what it is and where we will be going." The Mandalorian in Black nodded at Ordo's assertion even as Taab wondered to himself why he hadn't asked that already. "And if we do work together I don't want to return to my family with nothing to show. They already think less of me. House Ordo is descended from great Warriors. If I have nothing to show, what good am I to them?"

"Fair enough" The Mandalorian in Black replied now, ready to address Asha's concerns when Drake cut him off with a simple "I'm in." Taab nodded, understanding all too well why he would accept without knowing terms. He was in a similar place himself, though since this mysterious benefactor of theirs seemed willing to tell them more, Taab refrained from jumping in just yet. Still he gave a curt nod to the Mandalorian in Black as he found himself under his T-Visor's gaze. That gaze shifted to Susulur Dha'tra who gave a heavy sigh. "I'm in. If possible I'll grab my ship and follow." The Mandalorian in Black seemed satisfied with that and stood back a little straighter now. Taab was reminded again of just how tall he was as he answered Asha's earlier question.

"All right then," The Mandalorian in Black kept his voice low as a ship launching from the spaceport screeched high overhead. Taab had to strain to hear the man now. "Job is out on the Kurosawa." Taab bit his lower lip behind his faceplate, he had never heard of the place before. "It's a small agro colony in the outer rim, maybe a hundred farmers there," the Mandalorian in Black explained as if he had heard Taab's unspoken question. "For the last few years it's come under the thumb of a local band of pirates who stop by several times a year to take what they want and well, as often happens, the locals have had enough." Taab nodded, he could understand that, he knew he shabla wouldn't put up with that sort of thing. "They can't fight back on their own, they lack numbers, weapons and any sort of training," Cowardly arutiise Taab thought to himself, then again for a mercenary, cowards often paid the bills. "So they hid what cash they could to avoid paying it out to the pirates, and have pooled it to hire whatever mercenaries they could find." He looked at the four of them, it looked like they were all that could be found. "It isn't much, but they scrounged up enough to fuel your ships for a time, and it's good honorable work." Taab found himself smiling now. It did seem like a decent job, and one that shouldn't be so difficult. Plus he didn't even have a ship, so that money could be used for something else in his case. Of course his lack of transport led to another complication. He piped up.

"I don't have a ship, how am I supposed to get there?" He was too proud to ask for a ride from one of the others, and supposed he would have to steal something appropriate from the spaceport but the Mandalorian in Black had other plans. "Don't worry about it Taab, it's been arranged." He began to lead them through the spaceport. "You'll all travel together on one ship, easier to keep a low profile that way," he explained. Easier to keep them under control too Taab thought, but didn't say. What choice did he have now anyway? "I can send word back to your clans to collect your POVs (personally owned vehicles) if you wish." He shrugged as if it didn't much matter to him. "They can bring them back to your clan strongholds for you once the job is done." That didn't mean much to Taab, he had no ship, though he wondered how the others would respond.

"Ah, landing pad 87...and your ship for the job." The Mandalorian in Black announced with a wave of his hand. It was a battered Kom'rk-class fighter, painted a combination of white and dark green, many portions of the hull were scorched black giving the craft a mottled, almost camouflaged kind of look. With the craft in it's landing configuration, the wingtips reached out into the dark sky over them. "The Blood Oath, she's seen her share of combat during the recent...unpleasantness," the Mandalorian in Black referred to the recently concluded Mandalorian Civil War, "but she is fully armed and fueled and can take you where you need to go and back again when you're finished..."

It seemed there was more to be said but a strange beast came bounding down the boarding ramp at that moment. Taab immediately recognized the gold skinned six legged predator as a strill and was instantly glad his buy'ce (helmet) was firmly in place with it's filters running. Shabla things smelled disgusting, and Taab finally realized what the familiar stench was that had accompanied the Mandalorian in Black when he had entered the bar. For his part, the Mandalorian in Black called out to the strill. "Mird'ika, yes, time for us to go." Taab looked at him quizzically as their recruiter turned back to them. "No, I'm not going with you. I'm already employed elsewhere, though part of that included recruiting competent vode for this job." He looked down to his strill which was now going from Mandalorian to Mandalorian, sniffing at each of them before giving snarling slightly in approval. "The coordinates are already programmed into the navicomputer," he motioned for them to board the craft. "So off you go, all of you, and don't shab it up."

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto, @MandoA101, @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC: Asha Ordo
Nearing Salis D'aar Spaceport, Bakura
Asha nodded to herself, eyeing the Blood Oath casually. She glanced at the other Mandalorians, only briefly before she walked towards the ship itself, turning towards the Mandalorian in Black as she passed.

"Thank you Alor." She smiles at him quickly before turning her attention back to the ship, eager to be doing something at last.

"I call gunner." Asha called out, ready to get going even if the others weren't.

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik @Mitth_Fisto @MandoA101

 

IC: Beskaryc Taab
Salis D'aar Spaceport, Bakura

"I call gunner." The Ordo woman grabbed the gunner position before Taab had even a chance to voice his own preference for that spot. "Well, shab," he mumbled to himself chagrined, but also amused by the recent turn of events. "Right. Send the word then." The one from clan Dha'tra simply nodded, taking the Mandalorian in Black's offer to inform his clan of his ship's situation before turning with the others to board the ship. "I call pilot." That Taab had no issue with. He was a competent pilot, but lacked experience, especially recently. Better to let one of the more seasoned Mando'ade sit behind the controls of the Blood Oath.

Taab looked to the last member of their entourage. His preferred spot was already taken, so he was willing to let the member of House Vizlsa have his pick, but was shocked when he ran off to an adjoining landing pad. "Guess he didn't want to come along after all," Taab shrugged to himself as he boarded. "I'll take the flight engineer's station and help with navigation." He called out eventually to the trio that had boarded.

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IC: The Mandalorian in Black
Salis D'aar Spaceport, Bakura

The Mandalorian in Black shook his head forlornly as he watched the battered Z-95 belonging to Drake Sanger lift up off the landing pad to follow after the Blood Oath. "He doesn't listen very well does he mird'ika?" He asked his strill which gave a low mournful howl in reply. The Mandalorian in Black shrugged, as he looked skyward and locked his jetpack mounted missile onto the craft as it ascended. "This should teach him to listen to instructions," and the missile was off like a shot.

The Mandalorian in Black smiled behind his faceplate, the shot hadn't even caused his strill to flinch. Excellent he thought as he watched the warhead corkscrew after the Headhunter. Evasive action was eventually taken, but it was too late, the seeking warhead was launched too close for any countermeasures to take effect, or before even shields could snap into place. It struck the Z-95 starboard side, where the wing root met the engine nacelle and exploded, taking the engine with it. The Mandalorian in Black continued to watch as the starboard wing crumpled before falling completely away from the remainder of the Headhunter, which fortunately enough seemed headed for a terminal ground/aircraft interface in the river. Things were going to be complicated enough now with the shoot down of the fighter without it crashing down in a populated area and potentially killing civilians.

The canopy popped off of the vessel and the Mandalorian in Black watched as Drake ejected from his stricken craft. It would be up to the others now if they wanted to risk coming back down to collect him or not. He wouldn't, but he hoped they would. If not it meant yet another recruit he would have to find. He reached down and stroked his strill's rough hide as the pair of them disappeared into the shadows.

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IC: Beskaryc Taab
Aboard the Blood Oath, skies above Salis D'aar, Bakura

As the fighter/transport (Taab thought it more of a gunship than anything else, but what did his thoughts matter?) lifted off from the tarmac Taab settled into position in the cockpit in the co-pilots position next to Clan Dha'tra. "I'm Taab, Beskaryc Taab," he said by way of introduction. He doubted any would know him, even by name, he wasn't famous and his clan was fairly insignificant. Still it would be best if they at least knew each other's names while on this job. It would get tiring yelling out "hey you, no the other you," to his pair of comrades, especially in a combat situation. Noting that the ship's engines were running to standard, he started to call up information on their destination when a flashing alarm on the sensor panel caught his attention.

"Uhhh we've got incoming." He was surprised, there hadn't been any alarm that they had been locked onto, and it would be folly to launch at an ascending ship without a sensor lock. "Hold, on...it's not aimed at us, it's going after a fighter that launched right after we did." He looked at the Clan Dha'tra before looking back to Clan Ordo. "It's the other guy's ship...The House Vizsla Mandalorian." Taab sounded surprised. "Was he trying to follow us?" He shook his head, his eyes wide behind his faceplate. "His headhunter is down, but he's ejected." Her looked back to the sensor screen tracking both trajectories as well as their own. "He is coming down on the campus of Tiarest University." He reported as he looked to his new companions. They wouldn't care where the fighter's wreckage was, only the pilot mattered. Or did he? "Do we go back for him?"

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto, @MandoA101, @TheSilentInfluence

OOC: Folks, I suggest you carefully read updates before posting. I clearly stated I wanted all player characters on the Blood Oath and even went through the effort to include the Mando in Black's offer to send word back to your clan/House regarding picking up your personal craft (to ensure they were all cared for in your character's absence from them). So while it kind of sucks to do things this way, I had no choice here. There should be room on the campus quad of Tiarest University to set the Blood Oath down to pick up Drake should y'all wish.

 

IC: Asha Ordo

Asha observed from the gunner's position, not reacting until she pressed the com channel's button for the ship. We can't leave him to the authorities. She thought carefully, adjusting her position and removing her cloak after taking her hand off the com channel button. She adjusted herself in her seat, heart thumping in her ears before she asked, "So, should we grab him? It'll be boring if we don't Vode."

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik @Mitth_Fisto @MandoA101

 

IC: Beskaryc Taab
Aboard the Blood Oath, collecting what was left behind, Bakura

"So, should we grab him? It'll be boring if we don't Vode." The female's voice carried out over the Blood Oath's interior comms. Taab wasn't sure how to respond to that, he agreed that they should go back and pick up the straggler, but wasn't sure if he was willing to call these mando'ade, vode just yet. Still, they didn't know what kind of manpower they would need on the job, and losing a quarter of your force before you even left seemed like a bad start. At the same time he considered himself anything but boring. Before he could make his opinion known the pilot, the one from Clan Dha'tra responded gruffly. "Fine. But he's your responsibility." Taab has to smile at that, though he had to wonder, just how far Dha'tra would take that. Feeling the craft swing around to pick up the straggler, Taab unhooked himself from his flight harness and moved aft. "I'll go secure our new cargo," he said with a grin hidden behind his buy'ce.

The ramp lowered without another word and Taab helped the straggler, to hop aboard. "OK. He's in," Taab yelled into the intercom as he closed the ramp and felt the craft accelerate back towards the heavens. He escorted the House Vizsla man up to the flight deck, keeping a close eye on him as he surveyed the lower deck of the Blood Oath. The rifle rack was nearly bare, though there were a half dozen blaster carbines secured there. It looked like those, and whatever his fellow mando'ade had taken with them would be it for this job. Hopefully it would be enough.

Arriving at the flight deck he could see the pilot was about ready to engage the hyperdrive and send them on their way. "I'm Taab by the way," he said for those that might not recognize his clan sigil. "Beskaryc Taab," he now gave his full name. "Figure if we're going to be working together, we might as well know each other's names."

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto, @TheSilentInfluence, @MandoA101

 

IC: Asha Ordo
Aboard the Blood Oath, Bakura

He's your responsibility.

Asha laughed out loud at the thought. She liked to help others, but she wasn't a babysitter. Asha grinned when she finished laughing, shaking her head before she pressed the com again. "I'm pretty sure we all have to look out for each other if we want to get through this job." Asha heard the Mandalorian named Taab introduce himself before adding, "Nice to meet you. I'm Asha Ordo, youngest warrior and tenth child to the leaders of Clan Ordo." She said it matter of faculty, not in a proud or ashamed way. It just was.

I wonder what mother and father would think of me now. Defending civilians. Is it any different from our clan I wonder? Children can't fight.

Asha leaned her head against her hand, lost in thought. She glanced around before hopping down from the gunner's position clumsily, knocking over a box and managing to right herself not so smoothly. "I'm okay!" She called out with embarrassment.

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik @Mitth_Fisto @MandoA101

 

IC: Beskaryc Taab
Aboard the Blood Oath, en route to Kurasawa

Taab kept his own counsel as the female, Ordo, introduced herself. She was young, as young as he was, by the sound of it and not well experienced. For a moment he wondered if they had been selected by the Mandalorian in Black for that very reason but he dismissed the thought. Nothing he could do about it now even if it was true, and if it was, he didn't know what it meant either.

He did smile in amusement behind his faceplate as she knocked something over and immediately called out, "I'm okay!" It was an embarrassing moment, and one that belied her inexperience. He regarded her again, unless it was all part of an act... he shook his head slightly. He doubted that was the case, there was no need for that sort of deception among...friends? Allies? Co-workers?

Or was there?

Meanwhile the Mando with the strange armor, Susulur Dha'tra, had introduced himself and removed his buy'ce. He wasn't human, but Taab had already worked that out on his own. Human's tended towards a few styles of armor it seemed in his limited experience, it was the non humans that tended to go exotic. And Dha'tra's was certainly exotic. Still, Taab raised an eyebrow as he looked through his T-Visor at the last member of the crew. Clan Vizsla wasn't known for it's inclusivity. If this was going to be a problem, best to find out now.

The man cleared his throat, "I'm Drake," he introduced himself, "and by the way, thanks for the save." On the surface he didn't seem bothered by Dha'tra though what was going on in his mind was anyone's guess. Taab had been taught from the time he could hold a blaster not to trust House Vizsla, but now wasn't the time to re-open old wounds. He regarded the three other Mandalorians as they stood in the cargo bay. "Well all right then, now that we know one another..." the young Mandalorian was clearly not uneasy with the situation, he just had no experience with working with Mando's he didn't know. "Lets look at our status, I see we only have a few extra blaster carbines...so it looks like we're on our own in terms of the weapons we brought with us." He pointed forward where the rifle rack was located. Nearby, secured to the bulkhead were several ammo cans, that he hoped were full of spare blaster cartridges.

"Has anyone heard of this planet we're heading to, or know what sort of opposition to expect?"

TAG: @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto, @MandoA101

 

GM Announcement:​

Well vode, guess I am going to make official what had been apparent for months now and lock down this game. We lost several players early, and never really recovered from what became a slow burn rather than an active flame. I do want to thank those that stuck with the game for as long as they did, even in the face of the obvious waning interest. I do regret that we seemed to have lost steam here just as the "real" game was beginning and the introductory phase was concluding.

However, though I'm locking it down this isn't necessarily the end, rather just a ba'slan shev'la. If conditions are right to bring the game back, we left off at a point where I can easily inject our characters into the game along with retconning any new ones in as well. So if I see a marked increase in interest in either of the Mandalorian fanclubs in EUC or SWC, we could see a comeback. Until then, remember the game is Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la

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