I'm getitng a little handsy.

[Garza]

Mandalore

The planet was home to a great culture know as the Mando'ade. Or in other terms. Mandalorians. I had become part of the culture after discovering my father was once a Mandalorian Knight. It was her that I felt like I found a second home. My first had been with the Silver Jedi. Being with them as I was considered one. Not that I was leaving them. No far from it. I was only expanding upon myself with the training of the Mandalorians. I had grown fond of being with a few of them. Most notably [member="Ijaat Akun"].

We had fought side by side on Orde Canfre, as well as Aeten II. We were slowly becoming stronger every time we saw one another. On Orde, I showed him up a little by risking my life against a horde of Vong so we could have a tactical retreat to a hill. on Aeten II, he showed me up with a huge new set of powerarmor that was more like a bipedal tank. The thing was so huge. And I felt a little left out. So I needed to amp it up next time we fought in battle together.

I needed Mandalorian Armor. But first, I wanted one thing most of all. Crushgauntlets. Man were they powerful. Beastly things that could increase your natural strength well over five times. Lightsaber resistant, blaster resistant. So much so, you could literally grab the blade of a lightsaber, or so I heard. And there was only one man who I knew who could make things like this. And that was Initiate Akun. For his rank, he was kind of old. Older than me atleast. I considered him my older brother in some respects. I mean, we did call each other Vod for a reason.

I had come to his place. Making sure it was the right one. Knocking on the door as I stood there in a simple shirt, pants, and boots with a lightsaber on my belt and a hammer as well. Both of us used hammers. I had a simple battle hammer made out of Cortosis weave that I could use against the hordes of foes. He had a warhammer that was probably lighter than my set of armor. Making concussive blasts with it in such a way, that only by the force could I do that.

None the less, I yelled out as I knocked at his door.

"Open the damn door you fart! I wanna talk to ya!'

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Some or something was pounding on the door to my shop. I almost regretted leasing the place and not remaining in seclusion on beskar'yaim. But after the spending spree on my power armor, something was needed to keep the lights on. So he had hung his shingle out, as the old saying went, and began to look about for someone or something to commission him. Sadly though, very few people were willing to pay the cost a true master smith should command, and those few who would, often knew his past and were still skittish around him. But not matter, somehow he would make it. Worse come to worse he could mine a bit of the beskar on his island and sell it, it was an exceptionally pure and fruitful, if small, vein.

Shrugging up from his chair, Ijaat dusted off his tunic and breeches, straightening his belt where his beskar saber hung gleaming in it's sheath. Whenever he was out of armor the thing was practically glued to him, as were the intricately carved and inlaid crushgauntlets tucked just behind the sword belt he wore in the small of his back. Fine supple grey boots with brown breeches tucked into them. A golden trimmed tunic of forest green capped off the outfit, all of a modest working-man's cut, if not of a slightly finer than usual in material and accent.

Opening the door, he stood, spied Xander and shaking his head he stepped back to allow the younger man into his shop, finely gleaming weapons and armor hanging on the walls of all sorts of materials exotic and mundane. Nodding to the young force user, he smiled at him and raised a fist in mock threat.

"You know, one of these days you'll call me that and i'll dislocate your jaw. What do you need punk?"

[member="Xander Carrick"]

 

[Garza]

I smiled as he moved out of the way with an almost sarcastic nod towards me. A Mock threat followed which I knew he could come up on if he wanted to, but don't think he would considering at any moment we may be called into battle. Sure maybe after one. And I wouldn't mind it. There were sometimes everyone deserved a good right cross to the face. Considering my past of insubordination, and going against the Jedi Code a few times, its not like I didn't deserve one.... or four.

I smiled and looked around as his shop was filled with different weapons. A few rifles just for the sake of having them. Some standard crushgaunts, a beskad or two. maybe even one of them special flutes that I couldn't even pronounce. Nonetheless, this was a place for a real job, and a hard worker. Turning around to his question of what I wanted, as well as the name of punk, I threw out my own comment.

"I'm older than you think. You might get your own jaw banged up for that."

I smiled at the jest. Reaching over to the Crushgaunt, I held it in the air before tossing it to him.

"I want two of these for my hands. Although, I noticed you had rather special ones back on the field. I want some to incorporate my fighting style, as well as my personal preferences."

I smiled and turned around as though this was my house. Walking over to a nearby chair, sitting down and propping my boots up on the table as though I owned the place and paid the bills. Jesting him with my words as though I questioned his ability to perform as a Beskarsmith. While it was all fun and games, the idea behind it was not. I wanted something that would aid me in the killing, and destruction of war.

"You can do that right?"

[member="Ijaat Akun"],

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Ijaat eyed Xander cooly as he handled the crushgaunts, talking about his want for them. The compliment paid to his skill, and the irreverence and light heartedness again stirred something in him, and despite himself he found the smile returning as he walked over to Xander and unceremoniously kicked the chair out from under him. It was a cheap chair, the kick shattering the rickety legs and depositing the mandalorian on his arse with a thud and relatively no damage. The whole affair was done without ceremony or preamble, and Ijaat's smile never once slipped as he turned about and grabbed a glass of water from the counter, sipping it before speaking. As he spoke, his eyes grew almost tired from memory.

"I swear your buir must have raised you in a barn lad...As for those gauntlets you're fondling... They're more than just another weapon... They're a status symbol, a mark of deadly intent and ability... Feth, they were outlawed so many times it's not funny, but every time their use is needed when the hour is black and long... Tell me... Do you know the weight of the burden these carry? Do you know what it means to wear them? What it says about you, as a warrior? What others will think when you break this taboo?"

Here he turned, eyeing the boy who was honestly not really a boy even though he called him such. There was a likability to him, a bond the two shared forged in combat. They fought well together, enough so Ijaat sought him out on the battlefield to wage war next to him. That was something he had never done, almost always preferring to fight alone and in his own ways. But they had stood shoulder to shoulder against a horde of Vong, and when Ijaat had fallen, it had been Xander to drag him up the hill and cover him. There was no question he would make the gauntlets, but he wanted to make sure the boy knew the reputation he would get for having them...

[member="Xander Carrick"]

 

[Garza]

Ouch.

Kicking the chair out from behind me. I fell back and onto my ass. I fell onto my back as the front legs were barely on. However I stayed still as the Mandalorian was chewing me out for "living in a barn" He continued to speak on about how the gloves were more than just armor and weapons. It was not just an item that I could possibly use. It was a symbol. A way of life. A privilege to use such an item. I was still learning the way of the Mandalorian life. To others among the Mandos, I was a child in their culture. While I was still an adult and a Master of the force, I was a child in their eyes. I closed my eyes for a second after he was done speaking.

I stood up. Knowing that what I had done was wrong. Walking over to him with the glass of water, I shook my head. Speaking to him calmly and easily.

"Then teach me what it means."

If I wanted to use them, then I had to know what it meant to use, wear, or even have possession of them. They were a symbol in which I needed to understand. I wanted to be a Mandalorian not in heart, or in battle, but in mind and spirit as well.

[member="Ijaat Akun"],

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Nodding, the mandalorian blademaster reached out with a hand to the lad, one scarred and weathered by time, tragedy and years of hard work. It was an offer of support, and agreement. There was strength still in his body and limbs, and a keen mind hidden behind the snark and alcohol. The longer he mourned Nyr, the longer he realized it likely wasn't ever meant to be, and the more distant the memory became of her smile and laugh. Moments like this, with this lad, helped him remember he could live on despite the pain and anguish. That he had done so before, and so surely it would be easier this time, given he knew the way, so to speak.

"Well c'mon, get up off the floor and we'll talk about your ideas for the custom parts. The basic micro-ionising and beskar bits are easy enough to do. And i'll teach you what these gloves mean to mandos... It's a warning sign for our people, at the base point. A warning sign that the one who carries these bears a great power, and has thus accepted the even greater responsibility of it's use and exercise..."

[member="Xander Carrick"]

 

[Garza]

Nodding to the man, I gave him my hand in acceptance to learn more of the Mandalorian way. I wanted to be accepted in a place that my father once had been. To do that, I needed to start the process all over from the bottom again. If by creating my own Mandalorian armor and even using Crushgauntlets, then that might raise my status on the totem poll just enough to get noticed. I didn't want to become some great leader, I didn't want some fancy title. All I wanted was a family that I could call on as brothers and sisters.

Already I was learning more that the symbol of using these was about having responsibility and power. One that needs to be kept under tabs as there are some in this Galaxy who want to abuse these great powers. It was my job, with these hands, to stop them with the tools I was given. Nodding, I looked at him clearly focusing all of my attention to him. Making sure I was taking in every last detail.

"What else is there? And where can I see some designs to get myself started on what I may want?"

[member="Ijaat Akun"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Sliding over the bar with surprising grace, and likely in a feat he could never repeat in a million years, the beskar smith came up with a holo-pad which he slid to the counter and flicked on. Designs hovered above it, some featuring wolverine like claws, other energy shields, disc shooters, flame throwers and even one with a wrist blade hidden in the inside of the forearm. Overall it appeared, beyond just being able to crush and smash your enemy to death, Ijaat had turned the dreaded shuk'ork into an art form, as he oft did.

He gestured to the projector, eyeing Xander and nodding as he spoke.

"As you can see... We can do a lot to them. The important part is to keep the palms mostly free, as that is where you get the most power and strength enhancement from. There are various accessories... Mine, for instance, has ostrine and ionite in them... The ionite is especially deadly to droids and shielded things. Electronics in general, for that matter.. Even EMP hardening doesn't help with it... I put the ostrine in to leave flash-burns from the hypothermic effect of the substance and because it is hellaciously lightsaber resistant. So they're great for boxing, basically anything I hit will be hurt. It's just a question of your fighting style... See anything that catches your eye or gives you an idea lad? As for what else there is? Well... We'll talk as we decide and I make them... There's plenty to tell...."

[member="Xander Carrick"]

 

[Garza]

I looked at the combinations of weapons that could be put on there. I just shook my head as the man clearly had too much time on his hands when he was not in a battle testing out his new toys. However, I could see why he would like it. Raising my hand, I flipped through the ideas. Shaking my head and having a distasteful look for things like wrist blasters and flame projectors. Those would never happen. However, I pulled out ideas that I wanted. The spiked knuckles looked nice. Seeing as how they would rip and tear through flesh causing a lot of damage. Even armor it would make good to use. Alright, so I wanted the spikes.

Even as the man talked he had to materials other than Beskar on them, in which would cause freeze burns, and almost like an EMP shock for droids and shields. At least, that's how it seemed. So he could literally punch anything and it would cause pain. I liked it. Nodding my head as I went through, I also saw the hidden blades. Already knowing what to do because I have used those in the past when I was a Jedi Shadow. Looks like I would have those.

I continued to look, but all they had was weaponry on them. I wanted something more. Something that mixed it up. I smiled. Raising my hand up for Akun to see the metal bracelet on my left wrist,

"Can you integrate something like this into the left gauntlet?"

Activating it, the little holographic came up with all the programs that I had installed. Mainly to connect to my armor's HUD, my ship, droid companion, speeder, and had a little extra room for information on maps that I had.

"Sometimes there are more practical things than weapons vod. If you can, I would like ones much like yours, only I want the spiked knuckles, the hidden forearm blades, The hologram piece, and maybe an extra slot for my right hand should anything come up."

I was a simple guy with simple tastes. I liked the effects of the two metals. So nothing much was really needed for the gauntlets.

[member="Ijaat Akun"],

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Looking at the device Xander wanted in the left gauntlet, I screwed up my nose a bit, but nodded in assent, tapping one design to select it primary and then tapping it twice and swiping to make an 'exploded' view of it with various parts isolated and expanded, promptly pulling out a holo-quill designed to work with the pad. Holo-quills were antiquated tech by most standards, but it was a way to feel more connected to your work as you designed it, and Ijaat preferred that. It afforded him an affinity and closeness, like a conductor swaying in time to his music as he silently urges a symphony to crescendo.

Indeed, as he sculpted in a mounting bracket system for the little wrist thing, Ijaat swayed a bit, humming absent mindedly. There was a lot to consider in constructing shuk'oruk, so he took his time in the design, checking servo placement for ideal power routing and focus, and the pulled up a metallurgical sub menu on the projector. Much like he did for his, he selected ostrine first, adding the spiked knuckles, with space for two ionite ones in between them to give good coverage.

Looking up, he eyed Xander and nodded to the projector as he worked.

"This close so far?"

[member="Xander Carrick"]

 

[Garza]

Looking over the design after Akun had began working on it, I looked at the spikes in which would allow more damage when punching. Easily could dent armor or even break it. I smiled as pieces were changed up and a slit in the wrist was added to the left to allow the bracelet to attach. Fitting snuggly onto the wrist and allow activation. I nodded my head as he turned it to me. Asking if this was close so far. I looked to my hand as I closed my fist and imagined it being on there. The design of the Spikes were not really how I wanted. I reached out slowly for the holpen, and kind of asked with expressions.

After getting it, I adjusted the spikes to be more forward facing on the knuckles. Almost an 80 degree angle with the fingers so that if I can stab, there is a higher chance of penetration. I then handed the pen back to my vod, and then nodded my head in sure that I wanted it like this.

"Looks like a pair of crushgaunts to me."

[member="Ijaat Akun"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

"Not a bad adjustment... Little more vicious for tissue damage, but that's all down to how you punch."

Turning the pad a bit, Ijaat began to daw out a sculpt of a long, thin blade. It would be able, as initial designs showed from his manipulation and tweaking, retract into a beskar housing on the underside of the glove, functioning as a last ditch parrying dagger, or a slip and surprise of a hidden blade, especially vicious for that quick stab or pierce. The metal was, as of so far in the process, yet to be selected, and he gesture to the design with one hand as the other drew looping bands secured through the forearm part of the glove and to the forearm itself in small bands of beskar that were left to be slightly flexible.

"Now tell me... You want these hidden blades made out of beskar, or did you have something else in mind? And how does that design look thus far?"

[member="Xander Carrick"]

 

[Garza]

"Probably going to go with beskar. Seeing as how if it's very durable anyways, it could be easily used against light to maybe even medium armors. And parrying a lightsaber will be very useful if it comes down to it."

I looked it over. After his hands moved away from it, I spun it around slowly to see the entire design. Looking at the housing to hold the hidden blade, the indent in the left forearm for the bracelet to fit snuggly, and even the ability to have maybe something added later on for the right hand, I pushed it away from me towards him. Nodding my head with a smirk on my face.

"I feel sorry for the poor shmuck who has to deal with anything like that..... luckily it won't be me."

[member="Ijaat Akun"]