It's Not Yet Day [Clans of Mandalore Dominion of Domhanda]

[Tamar Gred]

Tamar watched [member="Mig Gred"] with a joyful care. The man constantly got distracted by what fascinated him, his intelligent mind consumed with figuring things out. Endearing and just a little bit challenging, that part of Mig made Tamar want to steal his attention. Every victory in that regard was one to record in her journal at night, after the children under her care were safely and swiftly put to bed.

While she sat and waited for Reyn, Girak-Kaine, Magnus, Achani & Azure to fall to sleep, Tamar wrote of her new Mandalorian life. It was a way to claim her independence, a proof that she lived as a free woman, working a job she enjoyed.

She did so love the children.

But now there was more in her life, than serving Clan Cadera, and House Fitz Kierke. There was an entire wealth of Mandalorian culture, and today of Anam crafts. Nobody looked down upon her for her origins, or her life of service. The Anam were warm, friendly and creative. She could only imagine what it was like for those with [member="Auburn Sioda"].

“Meditating… yes, you were.” Tamar couldn’t help the saucy grin. She set her hand on his cheek for a second, running her thumb along it. “If you want to know more about pyromancy, I’m sure we can ask… either here, or maybe [member="Ginnie Dib"]? I’ve seen her make creatures out of fire, when I was babysitting her twins, Rhae and Amaa.”

Preening slightly, Tamar dug into her basket to show Mig her wares. “This bowl needs paint… can… I pull you away to help me paint it? Or… they have a booth, where they are making a baked and fried confection? And I’m longing to try them. Please?”

 

[Adenn Kyramud]

Adenn nodded in thought to [member="Auburn Sioda"] words. What she said may be true, but something that she didn't find useful could be useful to others. Case in point, the songsteel they had would be very useful. Then [member="Yasha Cadera"] said she'd have [member="Kaine Australis"] remove [member="Adara Raxis"] from the negotiating room, and keep her out of sight. Sighing to himself, Adenn closed his eyes in frustration before opening them again, he didn't say anything though, after all he didn't want to be seen undermining her authority, or trying to at least.

Then the little girl spoke up and Adenn couldn't help but smile slightly, she was trying, she really was. That's all one could really ask out of a girl so young. Thus when [member="Darlyn Excron"] comforted her, he nodded his head in thanks. Then the queen spoke once more, so Adenn returned his attention to her. He listened as she spoke of the true reason she had called them here, and frowned slightly. Though when she did her little presentation with fire, Adenn kept an eye on it and her. It was an impressive display, and would've been more impressive had a sudden thought crossed his mind; what if the sprinkler system went off above it then and there. Smirking to himself, Adenn kept listening, but still had a smile on his face.

So, these priestesses were causing trouble for the queen, so she wanted the Mando'ade to deal with them. It sounded simple enough, but it all boiled down to one thing, would the Mand'alor accept. The answer to his unsaid question came quickly, the Mand'alor said they'd help the queen, and thus they would. While the speech was a bit unnecessary, it got her point across, and Adenn chuckled lightly to himself. Thus when [member="Tyran Numeck"] spoke about getting information, Adenn nodded to second the statement. They would need information to deal with these priests, so he spoke up then too.
"Along with that information your highness, how would you like them to be dealt with? Will you do as the Mand'alor suggests and use a more permanent solution, or will you allow something like politics to deal with it. That also brings up something else, who are we to deal with? No doubt there are some who are in favor of you and others who aren't, those who wish to regain their power and others more like yourself. Who do you wish dealt with, and how should they be dealt with." Adenn tilted his head questioningly to her then, waiting for her answer to his questions.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"It's a bit more delicate than that Adenn. The Anam disapprove of violence if you weren't told, a permanent solution like I feel you're implying would do more damage than good. Which would mean any deals made today would be at risk of being dissolved under new leadership. That said, the people are very trusting and rather poor liars. A couple of individuals could rather easily fool them into outing themselves intentionally or not, I can't imagine they'd be able to hide their intentions well from any hunters we have available." He paused a moment to think, and fiddled with the blaster in his hand a bit. He appreciated their willingness to actively help Auburn but, while Yasha certainly understood what was needed he was concerned it wouldn't be so simple.

He leaned over and gave Auburn's cheek a small kiss before moving to pace behind her, once again spinning the blaster in a particular fashion in his left hand. "That said, it looks as though most everything is agreeable if Auburn doesn't mind me speaking for her. Travel, culture, and songsteel for the security of an ever recovering planet and its people. The specifics can be handled as the situation demands I feel, considering the unstable situation everything is in. But all in all a good deal, wouldn't you agree Auburn?" He turned his face a bit so Adara and Kaine at least couldn't see him practically begging with his expression, the eyes specifically, for Auburn to in fact, agree.

[member="Adenn Kyramud"] :|: [member="Kaine Australis"] :|: [member="Yasha Cadera"] :|: [member="Adara Raxis"] :|: [member="Auburn Sioda"] :|: [member="Tyran Numeck"] :|: [member="Anora Vahn"]

 

[Auburn Sioda]

Auburn listened carefully to [member="Yasha Cadera"] speak. She had many good points, but that wasn't how the Anam worked. The queen's lips were pressed into a frown as [member="Tyran Numeck"] put his two cents in. Ruthless? Auburn cast a worried glance at [member="Darlyn Excron"], concerned. These Mandalorians did not understand the Anam, and it worried her. Auburn wrung her hands together in thought. Would she be forced to explain now, as [member="Adenn Kyramud"] requested? Her inner turmoil ceased, thankfully, when Darlyn kissed her and took over.

"Y-yes... Specifics can come later... I will look into it more myself, and get specific names... And the mining... We can that discuss later? For now, Domhanda and the Anam will join as a member of your territory. The Clans of Mandalore are free to come and go as they please from Domhanda." Auburn smiled, and subtly reached for Darlyn's free hand. "Now that the formalities are over, I believe food and drink is in order."

[member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Adara Raxis"] [member="Anora Vahn"]

 

[Niamh Jones]

“Hush your whining child, I’m only 57!” Niamh huffed as one of the servant boys attempted to take the tray of mead from her grasp. She had organized food and drink to be brought in to the meeting hall once the Queen had solidified an alliance with the Mandalorians. It had taken shorter than Niamh thought it would, but everything was well prepared as the servants were called.

Niamh lead a group of four other servants into the hall, each carrying a tray of either food or drink. As the trays were set on the table by the other servants, Niamh stood back until all the food and non-alcoholic drinks were set, and smiled curiously at Adara Raxis, curious as to what a child so young was sitting in a meeting of adults for. “Food and drinks, as you requested, Your Majesty. Is there a-”

The sound of the wooden tray clattering to the ground, and glasses of mead breaking echoed through the hall as Niamh dropped it all in shock at what she was seeing. Her husband’s gun. The way her husband spun it. His curly red hair. Those precious blue eyes. That same, adorable, goofy smile.

“Darlin’?”

[member="Yasha Cadera"] [member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Adenn Kyramud"] [member="Tyran Numeck"] [member="Anora Vahn"] [member="Darlyn Excron"] [member="Adara Raxis"]

 

[Darlyn Excron]

[SIZE=11pt]The spinning stopped, and with a loud clatter Darlyn’s blaster fell to the floor and skid across the ground with a sharp scrape. The word spoken had shaken him to his core, and his eyes were wide with disbelief. That [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]voice[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt].. That [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]word[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt].. The [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]way[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt] it was said. Not only was it familiar, but he knew just who spoke those words to him. For the first time in a long time, perhaps in his life, Darlyn thought back, remembered. Remembered so clearly…[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]He could see his breath in the air, staring at the door to his home. Locked, closed, he couldn’t open the doors no matter how much he tried. Shut so tight he could see his hands turning white from trying to pull so hard. Soft whimpers left him as he stepped back, turned towards the streets. Arkania was.. Cold. So cold… where was his family? Where was Mommy? He was with them all morning, but snuck out at one point to play with some kids from down the way. Why weren’t they home? Why wasn’t his sister calling him back for dinner? Why was the door locked if Mommy never locked it while she was home?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]He rubbed his arms and began walking down the street. Maybe they’d gone to the store? He hoped that was it, and walked steadily that way. Mommy sometimes took everyone shopping, but she’d leave him home alone if he didn’t answer her call. Mommy must’ve thought he was asleep in his room... Yet when he arrived, they were nowhere in sight. Surely they’d have seen him, or he them. Why weren’t they here? Why wasn’t Mommy here? It was so cold on the streets of Arkania, the little boy couldn’t understand why his family wasn’t looking for him. He kept rubbing his arms, and called out into the darkening, empty roads…[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“Mommy… where are you? It’s so cold.. I want to go home.” What was loud in his memories, Darlyn spoke in a distant tone, lost in his memories. [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]No no no no no no… why was he alone? Home.. home they had to be home by now. They had to be home, had to. He just needed to run home.. Run fast as he…[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Darlyn’s memories came to a halt as he tried to focus on reality. But that thought to run was as much present here as it was then, and he couldn’t bear to face the reality surrounding him. He took off running, straight for the window. He had to get out, and he jumped with enhanced legs towards the window….[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]… Only to bounce back onto the ground with a loud thud. “Kark! Gah I thought that would work, what do you make windows out of??” He grumbled with a hand to his head, back to reality as it was.[/SIZE]

 

[Mig Gred]

Mig couldn't help but smile as [member="Tamar Fitz Kierke"] placed her hand on his cheek, and rubbed it with her thumb. Yeah, his mind would often wonder and focus on thing that intrigued or frustrated him, like his inability to get any farther with his pyromancy, but he had managed to find someone who was willing to put up with him, and pull him back to reality. She then suggested that he could either ask the dancers or a vod she know, [member="Ginnie Dib"] . The man chuckled, internally face-palming. Hang on. Did she just say...?

"Wait? Ginnie can create creatures out of flame? Yeah... may need to ask her about that." He then smiled as Tamar pulled out her bowl. It was already quite nice, but she was hoping that he could help paint it with her. She was also excited to try some of the local food, which honestly didn't look half bad. He smiled, taking hold of her hand. "Of course. No reason we can't do both either, cause those pastries do look pretty good."

 

[Tamar Gred]

“She does! Ginnie made a dragon out of fire, once. It’s how she met her riduur. Lives on Erebos, near a clearing Yasha and I looked at for a home in the jungle, with botanical interest for Yasha’s research. It’s a beautiful, if arid place. Reminds me of home. The jungles of Panatha are...” Tamar looked far off, a serene smile on her face. “It’s a beautiful planet. But! Erebos is beautiful too. We can go? When you’re not working.”

[member="Mig Gred"] took her hand, and Tamar burst into a bashful grin. She seemed lighter, walking across a fare with her sweetheart.

“Yes, lets! I want to eat a whole bunch. They look fantastic. Are you hungry, yet?” They walked on, to the table where paints and pottery laid out with artists teaching tutorials and helping the Mandalorians set up. Tamar found a spot in the sun, her caramel skin soaking in the rays.

“Which colours? I can’t decide, they all look so wonderful.” Tamar’s station was scattered with pigments suspended in oils, for use with her bowl. She slid her chair close to Mig’s, trying to decide between the reds and the blue shades.

 

[Mig Gred]

Mig smiled as he watched [member="Tamar Fitz Kierke"] face when she described Erebos, and by extension her homeworld, Panatha. It was always nice to hear how she talked about it. She then suggested that they could visit at some point, which Mig definitely seemed to like the idea of. "Yeah. I'm sure I can make time soon. Maybe would could make a few days out of it." He enjoyed spending time with Tamar, so making a training visit into some time to spend together would be great too.

He then smiled as he saw how bashful she seemed at him holding her hand. The man chuckled slightly, looking over at all the food. "Yeah, I could use a bite. Let's see what they got." He then walked over, looking at everything and pointing to a cream filled pastry. "I'll take one of those please, and... what do you want Tamar?" Once they had gotten some food, Mig would follow his sweetheart to her station. The man chuckled lightly as he saw all the color, and sat down. He looked at the different colors as Tamar asked what colors would be best.

"Hm.... Maybe combine some of the reds and blues?"

 

[Tyran Numeck]

Tyran raised his eyebrows at Darlyn. If violence was abhorred by the Anam then why had the reached out to the Mandalorians? Sure they were an honorable people but at their core they were soldiers, highly trained killers that sold their skills for the highest bidder. Subtly wasn't at the forefront of their skillset either, at least not one hundred percent of the time. With the discussion seemingly done Tyran turned with the rest of the Mandalorian delegation and began to walk out of the meeting chamber as the servants came in. He looked at [member="Adenn Kyramud"], "Does it strike you as odd that a people who hate violence are making a deal with a people who deal almost exclusively in violence? Don't know what they expect us to do but I'm sure Yasha will figure it out. Now it's time to have some fun."

He grabbed two of the glasses of mead that were wandering by on floating trays and made his way over to where [member="Anora Vahn"] had been standing quietly and waiting. "So what do you make of all that?" He asked her as he handed her a drink.

Then there was a loud clatter as something fell and broke and instantly Tyran was spinning to find the source of the noise expecting the worst but only seeing one of the handmaidens picking up the broken glass while another stared at Darlyn as if they'd been long lost lovers.

[member="Yasha Cadera"] - [member="Kaine Australis"] - [member="Darlyn Excron"] - [member="Auburn Sioda"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

[member="Tyran Numeck"] and [member="Adenn Kyramud"] were right. This wasn’t Mandalore’s battle. The Queen [member="Auburn Sioda"] invited Mandalore to Domhanda, yet spent her entire momentum in explaining why the Anam were pacifistically unsuited to the Clans. Help offered was rebuffed with ‘please be gentle’. All in, Domhanda saw value in becoming a member planet of the Clans of Mandalore, and that alone made the trip worthwhile. The songsteel mining rights would be no harm, either, nor would the trade deals to be made. New routes could open up vast sectors to their northern borders. Yes, Domhanda was strategic enough to embrace.

“You brought a race of warrior-agriculturalists to your planet, for the sake of strengthening your rule, and you think our help is ill suited to you?” Yasha leaned against Tyran’s chair and cocked her head to the side. “Queen Auburn. That is why we’re effective. You will get no results from us if you neuter all we do. You could learn about correct levels of force for various situations. We do not always answer situations with bloodbaths, that is for those, who do not understand the intricacies of true Mandalorian life.

But I will not have our hands tied fully behind our backs, otherwise you could have done this yourself. Find us the names of the suspects. Or, we can also begin a mission of espionage for those of us with such gifts, and root them out. Tyran is correct. We have skills beyond weapons fire. Yet, inaction destroys all possibilities, eventually. Well. The deed is done, and we will help you… thank you for your hospitality, Queen Auburn, and we shall discuss more details at a later time. For now, I have a Princess to assuage… fare-”

Crash!

Yasha was on her feet the second the glasses crashed to the ground. At first expecting an ambush or attack, what she found was far more troubling and domestic.

“… Darlyn?” [member="Darlyn Excron"] whispered like a child, causing both Yasha and @Adra Raxis to blink at the man. Then, he ran for the window and Yasha sprinted. Even in her dress, she rushed to catch him, but in his distress he clanged off the window and landed on the ground.

“Darlyn! What in Manda got into you!? Who… who is that woman? Is that your… but your mother…” Yasha crouched to help Darlyn up, checking him over and looking to [member="Kaine Australis"] with utter confusion. “You! Clumsy woman, what business do you have scaring my Uncle?! Speak now. If you wish harm upon him, you will not get close enough to reach out a single finger.”

Adara on the other hand perched off her chair to traipse closer to [member="Niamh Jones"]. “I can do that for you, Ba’vodu’s Buir.”

Raising her hand, Adara’s eyes went black and red, her entire body flooding with a purist expression of the Dark. The glass and mead were under her will. They obeyed out of her dominion, vibrating and shifting onto the wooden tray, while one glass reconstructed to hold the spilled liquor. Proud as can be, Adara grinned up at her father, unaware of how it felt for those round her to see an active expression of her power.

 

[Auburn Sioda]

Auburn listened to [member="Yasha Cadera"]'s words with pursed lips. While true she had invited the Mandalorians to Domhanda to help secure her power, Auburn did not expect their first suggestion to be violent. The Queen sighed through her nose as [member="Niamh Jones"] led servants in with food and drink, and relaxed at the thought of finally having proper mead in her, until everything froze. The clatter of wood on stone, glass shattering, Darlyn whispering as though he were a child, and then crashing into a window himself, Yasha rushing over to him. Auburn barely had any time to process everything that transpired when [member="Adara Raxis"] used her powers to repair the broken glasses.

"Th-thank you, Adara... Niamh, is he..."

 

[Niamh Jones]

Niamh flinched back as though shot when she heard what [member="Darlyn Excron"] whispered. When her son sprinted towards the window, she nearly screamed as she reached out to stop him. She rushed over as much as her dress would allow, before being yelled at by [member="Yasha Cadera"]. Slowing in pace, Niamh look at Darlyn with tears forming in her eyes, reaching out slowly.

"He... He's my son... By the gods my son is alive... My little Darlin' is alive." Niamh let out a choked sob as she fell to her knees next to the two, and reached out to cradle Darlyn's face. "My baby boy, I never thought I'd see you again... I'm so sorry I failed you all those years ago... I'm so, so, sorry my little Darlin'."

 

[Darlyn Excron]

HE was, oblivious about everyone around him honestly. The people talking, the concern they had, in his state of mind he couldn't even process their sounds of distress as he'd tried to escape the situation. Barely back in reality in time to hear the anger and defensiveness in Yasha's voice, and his mother again. The sadness in her voice.. he felt it tugging at his heartstrings he really did. He let Yasha help him up a bit, getting off the ground so that he could dust off his purple suit, and got a good look out the transparisteel window. Nasty fall, he'd probably have managed but it wasn't pleasant.

He took a breath, squeezing Yasha's hand a bit as he turned around. It, took a moment for his memory to return properly, and he never let go of Yash's hand as he waited for it to click. The voice yes, it had been enough, but seeing her look so young, it almost looked like she had when last he'd been with her. Almost exactly... it honestly almost made him weak in the knees a bit. Credit where it was due though, he managed to not fall down, and let his iron grip on Yasha's arm go slowly.

He walked a bit back up to her, and reached down to hook his arms under hers, and sighed quietly as he barely managed to slightly pick her up, not fully onto her feet but onto his level. "Come on mom... you're better than this. Stand up right? Didn't forget your lessons on posture did you?" Despite trying to make a joke his voice was pretty, humorless. Not in an angry sort of tone but as though barely holding back from crying into her shoulder. "We can do this later okay? Just.. not in front of my niece?"

[member="Adenn Kyramud"] :|: [member="Kaine Australis"] :|: [member="Yasha Cadera"] :|: [member="Adara Raxis"] :|: [member="Auburn Sioda"] :|: [member="Tyran Numeck"] :|: [member="Anora Vahn"]

 

[Yasha Cadera]

What was the woman doing? Yasha blinked in a most awkward and unwitting fashion. Was… [member="Niamh Jones"] crying? At their feet?

“… I cannot fathom how this planet functions.” Although her sentiment was geared to her fellows in the room, Yasha pursed her lips and blinked as she looked between [member="Darlyn Excron"], [member="Niamh Jones"], [member="Auburn Sioda"] and the retreating form of her daughter [member="Adara Raxis"] & husband [member="Kaine Australis"], who were quick to vacate so little Adara could learn to knit… and so Kaine, [member="Tyran Numeck"], and [member="Adenn Kyramud"] could enjoy their libations in the fresh air.

“Hey! Kain’ik, you traitor! Don’t you leave me… here…” They were gone, and Yasha whimpered as Darlyn staggered into her, holding her hand in a vice grip. With a sigh, she held his in return, focusing now only on her uncle, and this tearful, yet emotionally bare reunion.

“If he’s your son, you’re terrible at galactic news. Darlyn has not exactly been a hard man to find in his time.” Which, Yasha might have added, included Darlyn trying to pitch himself out of a castle’s window. She’d best call Doc and get his head checked for a concussion. Niamh was crying about being sorry, and the act only bristled across Yasha’s spine.

Sorry. A parent was sorry for abandoning their child. For failing and leaving him in the cold? There was no simple apology or show of tears to make up for Darlyn’s pain. Yasha held her uncle fast, protective as a dragon to their hoard.

“Ba’vodu, you don’t have to confront this right now. You should sit down, let me look at your head, you hit hard.” The emotions swirling around Niamh and Darlyn stabbed at Yasha’s gut. She knew the despair of growing up without her parents, one through death, the other through a drug induced haze, from which she was removed for all but a few meetings. Abandoned by both, Yasha lived for years knowing love, parental love, had its’ limits.

It wasn’t until [member="Gray Raxis"] and [member="Baiko no Kaho"] came into her life that Yasha learned what true parental love was like. That it could be present even when a parent disliked their child’s decision. A parent unconsciously returning, with great shock and unleashed emotion neither settled her, nor decreased Yasha’s wish to whisk Darlyn away in a protective embrace, and give him the time to breathe.

His hand slid from hers, and Yasha was loathe to let it go.

“Darlyn…” He picked the weeping woman up, and Yasha’s heart stabbed in her chest. Was she better than that? “I will not abandon you in this moment for three dozen planetary systems and a successful military campaign.”

Family functioned best as a unit.

 

[Niamh Jones]

Niamh cried as [member="Darlyn Excron"] helped her to her feet. She sniffled as she smiled, and cradled his face in her hands. "Eyes forward, back straight, walk like you own the planet." A small, quiet laugh escaped her lips as she rubbed his cheeks. "Oh you've grown so much my little Darlin'... But... If you're such a public figure, how did your sister never find you? She's been searching for you for almost 15 years now."

Niamh frowned as she inspected his head where he ran into the window with a motherly touch. "How's your head feeling, Darlin'? Windows on Domhanda are very... sturdy."

[member="Yasha Cadera"]

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"Guess she's just terrible at finding people." He gave a half smile and gently patted his mother's shoulders. Honestly he was, kind of unsure what he remembered. He was mostly going off of assumptions, he assumed she'd taught him something about posture after all. Though the specific words escaped him, as did the existence of his sister. Beyond his mother and Father, he remembered very little, and placed the blame squarely on the latter's shoulders. He'd always been in charge so why was this any different... regardless he seemed to have calmed the situation a bit, and slowly separated from [member="Niamh Jones"] and moved back a bit towards [member="Yasha Cadera"].

"I'd give me up for that, seems to be a heck of a trade deal honestly. Well ah, Mum, this is my niece. Yash this is Mum. I'd say this wasn't how I expected to introduce you but that assumes I expected to introduce you. Honestly I really wish I could wind back a bit and get myself sick so I didn't show up today and this could be way less stressful on my blood pressure. That or those windows actually are pretty sturdy and I probably need a chair..." He reached out and pulled one up to himself with the Force, taking a seat basically in the middle of the room.

From the way he sat back, leaning almost towards his niece Yasha, it was pretty clear the situation still had him on edge. He wasn't by any means angry at his Mother, once more that was funneled into his murder hate towards Dad. But he still didn't know what to feel, and while his mother's gentle hands felt genuine it was still something he didn't remember how to react towards. "So ah, mm. Now what?" He asked, almost looking back at Yasha as though she had the answers.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

How dare this rejection-inducing woman touch Yasha’s uncle?! When [member="Niamh Jones"] touched the face of [member="Darlyn Excron"], who was essentially a stranger to her, Yasha almost yanked her arm off. A low growl strung through Yasha’s throat. The woman took liberties above herself, on a man Yasha loved. Family.

Had this woman not understood she’d abandoned her son? That she hadn’t found him? A child? Did she not see that Darlyn was gravitating away from her, besought and uncomfortable? Where was her idea of boundaries? Of giving Darlyn the space he sought by sitting down, leaning toward his Niece.

“Are all Anam so disregarding of others’ personal space or are you unique, woman?” Yasha stood closer to Darlyn, amber eyes narrowing.

“Nobody is giving you up, Uncle. I forbid it.” Parents. All parents ever did was abandon and destroy their young. Damage them from the cells in their skin to the essence of their faulty expectations. No, Darlyn didn’t know what sort of person [member="Niamh Jones"] was, none of them did. All they knew about her was that she walked into a room and dropped a tray. She could have lied. Seen Darlyn’s rise to power on Commenor and researched his origins. Changed her skin. More had to be done to confirm this potential return. And since Darlyn was incapable at the moment of thinking rationally, Yasha would see it done. This woman required investigation, not chances to slip something against Darlyn’s skin. Doc would ensure she hadn’t.

“It’s okay, Uncle Darlyn. I’ll get Doc Allard for you, he’ll be two blinks.” Lowered on her haunches, so she could be at eye level with Darlyn, Yasha set her hand protectively on the chair’s arm. “Now, we breathe. Your… mother gives you space to figure out your own head and how you feel. And when you are ready, our family may welcome a new member. Here, sit. I won’t let anything terrible happen… you did that yourself with that danged window.”

Doc, as he was called, was a rather square shouldered Mandalorian rushing in without a helm on beskar’gam painted with medic symbols. He carried a kit on his back, and rushed to bring out a scanner and check the back of Darlyn’s head for damage.

“If you are Darlyn’s mother, then you will understand distance is required to ensure his safety. Please, do what you did best, and step away. For now. Doc. Check this woman’s gene code against Darlyn’s. See if she’s mistaken about his parentage.” The caramel skinned man glanced up at Niamh, and sighed.

“Elek, Mand’alor.. His head’s fine, although I wish it wasn’t. If he’d hit harder I could hospitalize him and push IV fluids to end the dehydration.” Did the man drink nothing but liquor? Doc Allard raised his scanner, and a thin beam of light washed momentarily over Niamh. He tapped at the data idly, waiting for it to process. “Mand’alor, please breathe.”

Yasha heaved out a deep breath she wasn’t aware she’d been holding.

“Come home with us, Uncle. This can wait.”

 

[Niamh Jones]

Niamh flinched back at [member="Yasha Cadera"]'s harsh words, and glanced back at [member="Auburn Sioda"] to see her Queen barely containing her frustration. Niamh frowned, and stepped back from [member="Darlyn Excron"] sadly. As much as she hated to admit, the Mand'alor was correct. She was overstepping, and made Darlyn uncomfortable. However, when Yasha rubbed salt in the wound, Niamh had to quickly intercept her Queen, grabbing the other woman's shoulders.

"How dare you! I'll not have you say such things to one of my people!"

"Auburn, please, calm yourself... The Mand'alor is correct. I've overstepped my bounds, now go. It's time for you to go enjoy the festival." Niamh smiled, though clearly upset, as she squeezed Auburn's shoulders. Auburn frowned angrily, before taking a deep breath.

"Right, of course, the Festival... I'll... need to see if I can find something for Aine..."

"Ah, right, she couldn't make it home... We'll have to find a way to contact her soon... But for now, go." Niamh gently pat Auburn's shoulders, as the Queen stepped away from her. Auburn quietly walked over, and placed a kiss on Darlyn's cheek, before leaving the hall. Niamh let out a deep sigh before turning back to face the others.

"Please, take no offence to Her Majesty's outburst. She's fiercely defensive of her people, especially after... the disappearances 12 years ago. I hope her actions do not negatively affect the alliance. I'll... leave you all be now. You're more than welcome to stay and enjoy the festival, if you wish." The pain in Niamh's smile would be evident as she left the room.

 

[Tyran Numeck]

Tyran walked with Anora down to the festival and it was a much more pleasant air than the one in the meeting chamber with the Queen. Poor Yasha had been left behind while the rest of the Mandalorian delegation went off to take part in the festivities and the fine alcoholic beverages that the people of Domhanda had put out for their guests. The drink he'd found himself with was an aqua color and lightly carbonated and so far he didn't dislike it.

"Don't know what the Mand'alor is going to do with this particular contract." He said to his companion as they took in the festivities on the streets. "The Queen here wants us to solve her political problems non-violently. It's not impossible but for the most part that's not what we do."