Mixing business with pleasure.

[Velana Accendo]

A murmur escaped her lips as she finally stirred, opening one eye to see that the lights in her room had been set to a low, unobtrusive level. Blinking both dark orbs open, she shifted beneath the ample covers and finally realized she was ensconced in the center of her bed, and quite alone. She spared a glance to her datapad on the desk across the room, propped up on it's side to display the time. It was nearly 0700.

She sighed softly, pulling the covers back up over her bare shoulder as she curled into the warmth beneath. Velana knew he would have duties to attend to, which did not include lingering in bed, no matter how delightful the evening had been. Had they been any place other than the base, the sting of waking alone again would have been much worse.

The brunette savored the warmth and was loathe to leave it, though she did eventually do so...when it was much closer to 0800. She availed herself of the attached refresher, and took her time getting dressed and carefully combing through her thoroughly mussed curls. It was her usual comfortable leather pants and boots, this time with a thick knit sweater instead of another vinesilk blouse.

Velana settled in at the desk, having left the door slightly ajar, and turned her attention to the slew of messages that waited on her datapad. Blizzard or not, even she had a bit of work to tend to.

 

[Vykar Khel]

He awoke before she did, because he wasn't going to be late to the mess line. Food in his belly, a good night behind him, he was getting out of the firing range as she woke up. With his armor on, he walked down the halls with a companion in tow, speaking of nothing as the mood arose, which wasn't particularly often. They were heading out on patrol, and just before it was time for lunch, he returned to her room. He knocked, as was polite, and his friend had left him the hour before.

Regardless of what had occurred, knocking was still the polite thing to do. This was her home while the blizzard raged - two days more of the scanners were right - and that meant he needed to keep her occupied over the next pair of days.

That meant showing her around the base, and maybe teaching her a bit about the Mandalorian way of life. Anyone with a bit of experience to draw on was better for them in the long run than dealing with the incessant rumormongering that abounded about the culture. His helmet was on, but he waited patiently, hands clasped together in the small of his back.

 

[Velana Accendo]

She heard the footsteps approaching her door before the knock echoed through the small room, and she called out even as she read through the message open on her datapad. "Please come in."

Frowning, Velana read the message again and swore under breath in a string of colorful Huttese that left little doubt as to her opinions on this particular client's parentage and sexual preferences. Blinking, she read the message a third time and then hastily closed it, struggling for a moment to compose herself as Vykar entered the room.

The brunette took a deep breath and gently pressed her fingertips to her cheeks, willing the warmth of her frustration to recede. There was very literally nothing she could do about the matter before she next returned to Corellia, and as such, was determined to ignore it until then. With luck, she thought absently, it wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass.

Rising from her seat, she smoothed out her sweater and vest, offering a slight smile as she greeted him. "Good afternoon...I trust you've had a productive morning?"

 

[Vykar Khel]

With permission to enter, he stepped across the threshold, stopping just inside the door - far enough for it to close behind him. A brow lofted beneath his helmet, but then again, he shouldn't be surprised. She clearly was used to traveling the hyperlanes, and had likely been in her fair share of shady cantinas. You didn't live the life of a solo transporter without winding up in some woebegotten hole in the arse end of somewhere-you-shouldn't-be. That was one of the first things he'd been taught; never underestimate anyone.

So he shouldn't have underestimated the bile she could spew from her lips, and he certainly shouldn't underestimate where it came from. She might not be trained to Mandalorian standards, but combat was never fair.

"As productive as any other. A short patrol, just to make sure no one is using the blizzard as cover for an attack."

He was almost going to ask how late she'd slept, but decided against it. "Augurs put the storm at a two day duration. I was planning on keeping you occupied." And judging by the helmet, it wasn't a come-on.

 

[Velana Accendo]

The brunette canted her head to the side, considering the possibility of the attack on the stronghold. Dark eyes blinked as she met his 'gaze', albeit through the visor of his helmet. "Wait...really? Does anyone that stupid actually exist? Attacking an entire base filled with trained Mandalorians?" she said with a measure of honest surprise in her voice.

Glancing back down to her datapad, Velana noted the flash of another incoming message and promptly ignored it. It wouldn't be worth ruining her mood by reading another poorly worded list of threats, she'd save that 'pleasure' for another moment she had to herself. It would need her proper attention to return the message with a sharply worded retort that didn't earn her too much trouble.

Dark eyes returned to his helmeted visage and she lofted a brow as she tried to repress her smile in response to his words. "Then I shall consider myself occupied for the next couple of days. Perhaps you could tell me more about Mandalorian culture as well...I have a few hunter contacts on Tatooine but they're not the most talkative pair."

 

[Vykar Khel]

"You can ask questions over lunch, then." He says, turning on his heel and opening the door to step out into the hallway. It was around that time, and she would need some food before the day continued. It wasn't far to the mess, and she'd find the food here to be good. Nothing special, but likely better than anyone would think. Mandalorians had a reputation for eating rations, but, in truth, they liked things both sweet and spicy. It was why, before you left for a place to sit and eat, there was a bevy of spices.

Nothing rare, nothing extravagant, but enough to get your nose running and add some flavor to what otherwise would be bland protein and carbs. Taking his tray to a corner, past a group arguing over bolo-ball and beyond a pair playing cards, he settled himself into a seat and reached up to remove his helmet, setting it aside. There was only one other seat, and it was across from him.

"So, Tatooine." He begins, "You know some Mandalorians there?"

 

[Velana Accendo]

Soft steps carried her behind the Mandalorian warrior, down the hallway to the mess. There was nothing extravagant, no delicacies from far flung worlds, or rare ingredients that were difficult to find. It was relatively simple but it looked hearty, and the array of spices was enough to make her quite happy. She chose those she recognized and added them to her meal, and grabbed a cup of coffee before seating herself across from Vykar.

Velana savored the first few bites, letting the spicy heat wash over her senses before answering his question. "I do. There's a pair of female hunters I met a few years back, who work together out of Mos Eisley. One's name is Ralize, and I think she said she was Clan Tor once, but she tends not to talk very much. E'vi is Clan Ordo, that I remember clearly....she usually takes the requests I send and stays in contact. I go to them whenever I need anything related to krayts or sand people."

The brunette took another few bites of her food before asking a question. "How many different clans are there, out of curiosity? And how are they organized? Do they each specialize in something?"

 

[Vykar Khel]

He knew the clans, but not the women. Unsurprising, really. His carefully, diligently, with the motion of a clockwork robot, brought the food to his mouth, chewed, then swallowed. He spoke in the moments he went to slip food onto his fork, never opening his mouth when he chewed. "Too many to count." He admits, "A clan is often a family unit, but it can be larger - just like non-Mandalorian families can range in size. Beyond families are houses, but whether or not Clans hold fealty to a House rather depends on who's in charge, and the time period you're discussing.

There was a time, during the Republic, the Mandalorians were pacifist. I'm rather certain that particular historian was off his rocker, but, should that be true, it just goes to show how much has changed." More food, a pause, swallowing.

"But as with most families, there's a hierarchy, and for us, we defer to the Clan leader and his chosen council of advisors. I've heard of some clans that obey just one leader, and others that work purely on the council system." He frowns at that. "There are as many ways to rule as there are to be ruled."

His eyes flicker over to the card game for a moment, then back to her, amber slits as intent as ever. "Specialization is dependent on the clan. Some are known for their metalwork, or their piloting, and some are just a collection of differently talented individuals who happen to share a name." His shoulders heft into a shrug, "We are an inclusive culture, and there are as many ways to be a Mandalorian as there are species within our ranks.

It usually surprises people, but back on the homeworld, we have doctors, and lawyers, and dentists, teachers and secretaries and the like. Sure, they all know how to fight but... it's not fistfights and drinking all the time. We don't live on a world that's a gigantic military camp, despite what people think."

 

[Velana Accendo]

"It sounds almost too good to be true, honestly. The inclusiveness, that is...you really don't find that anywhere else. You sure as hell don't find it in the Tapani Sector. House politics and noble maneuvering are an absolute hot mess." she wrinkled her nose in distaste, biting her tongue before she said anymore and turned her attention back to her meal for a few moments. Mentioning it had been an accident, and she sough to come up with a question to deflect, though she gave a moment over to briefly admiring his armored shoulders.

Taking a sip of coffee, she canted her head to the side and met his intense amber gaze with her own dark eyes. "What about the...hmm. I used to know the word for this, hold on a moment." Velana blinked, taking another sip of coffee and trying to remember the term she'd heard once, years ago.

"Alright, I can't remember...there's a sort of code of conduct, yes? A set of something akin to rules, and I know there's a special word for them that I'd heard once but it's just not coming to me."

 

[Vykar Khel]

He nodded, knowing what she meant. If she'd been a noble, it would make sense. If there was one constant in the galaxy, it's that the richer your family was, the prettier you were - guy, girl, or some other gender. "Resol'nare." That was the word she was looking for. "It translates, roughly, to the Six Tenets, or Six Rules, or, well, you get the point." The corners of his mouth tightened in what might have been termed a smile. It was hard to tell, considering it appeared for only the span of a heartbeat before disappearing.

Setting his fork down, he raised his fingers as he explained, counting up the rules. "Education, Armor, Self-defense, Family, Language, Leader."

"Your children will be educated in the ways of the Mandalorian. They will wear our armor, tailored to our individual tastes. Perhaps the most commonly understood rule, self-defense, is why every Mandalorian is a trained soldier. It also directly feeds into the next one; Family. There's nothing more important to us.

The language is so everyone can communicate, as well as a means of binding our disparate heritages together. And, our Leader. We obey them." That same fleeting grimace-smile.

"As for the novelty of inclusiveness you mentioned, well, it's like any family, really. You obey the house rules, and you're one of us. You don't... get out."

 

[Velana Accendo]

"Depends on the house rules, doesn't it. Those sound much easier to follow than...than others."

Velana gave herself time to breathe deeply and tore her gaze away from Vykar's, in spite of wanting to catch another one of his faint, fleeting smiles. She concentrated instead on eating, and taking sips of her coffee, while her mind did it's level best to wander off into a morass of guilt, rage, and emotion she did not want to deal with in the middle of a mess hall filled with Mandalorians. They really didn't need that kind of display.

Locking it down and gathering her composure took a fair few moments, more likely minutes, during which there was a parade of expressions flitting across her features. With any luck, Velana mused, no one would notice too much, as by the time she lifted her head, she'd schooled her expression into something much more even.

"What's the training like and how early does it actually start? E'vi once told me she'd given her son blunted daggers as a toddler, and I'm not entirely sure if she was joking. She's...nice, but a bit odd. Personally, I think she's been stuck on Tatooine too long."

 

[Vykar Khel]

He ate while she worked through her problems, or, at the very least, her myriad thoughts. Whatever her family problems, they didn't know each other well enough to discuss them, and she certainly didn't seem to be in the mood to humor discussing them either. So he ate.

By the time she had collected herself and began to ask her next question, he had cleared off his plate and was sipping at his water. "She might not have been." He admits, avoiding giving the shrug he wanted to. "It depends on the parents, and the clan, really. I know I learned to read later than my cousins, but I was the first to master using a jetpack. Every child is different, and thus the training begins at different ages. At least, that is, martial training.

Once they're in their early teens, however, they're expected to be able to defend themselves."

 

[Velana Accendo]

Not that she had expected him to pry, but it was a pleasant feeling to be allowed a quiet moment to gather herself without the questions that most others would have blurted out. Manners and a measure of consideration wrapped up in a handsome, if complicated to understand, package. It was intriguing, and worth giving more thought to when she had a moment to herself.

Her head tilted to the side as she finished her meal and considered his reply. "Seems a reasonable course of action. My brothers were afforded the ability to learn the more martial arts and had tutors for whatever manner of weapons they chose. Vulcanus, the eldest, often let me share in his vibroblade lessons much to the ire of our parents. Would that they had a more Mandalorian approach to self defense, at least."

She sipped from her coffee, fingers cradling the mug to preserve the warmth within. "I think I'm out of questions for the time being...would-" Velana frowned as she was interrupted by the pervasive beep from her comlink, withdrawing it from her pocket and reading the scrolling text across the surface. It was soon silenced and tucked away once more, as she muttered softly about hating making runs to Kessel.

"My apologies..." she began, meeting his gaze once more with a slightly sheepish smile. "...I was going to ask if it were at all possible to observe some of the other creatures you have within the compound. I will understand if it isn't...I don't wish to intrude or interrupt in any way."

 

[Vykar Khel]

The beeping was almost amusing by this point. For him, that is, not for her. A brow shifted, ever so slightly, into a raised position and a flickering smile appeared over his lips. "Your boyfriend?" He asks, noting how insistent that particular individual or individuals was.

He didn't respond to her next question, if only because he was more interested in her response. Not because he figured she actually had a boyfriend, but because he figured there would likely be a lengthy 'these damn people won't leave me alone.'

 

[Velana Accendo]

Again with the flickering smile. It was enough to distract her from his query for a moment or two, until his silence and her mind both caught up to one another. Her features fell for a brief moment, before she schooled them back to neutrality, and lofted a brow of her own. "Women like me don't have those." she replied quietly, leaving him to interpret the sentence as he wished.

Setting aside her now empty coffee mug, Velana folded her hands together in her lap. "This particular client of mine has issues with personal boundaries. It's the fifteenth message he's sent about procuring him a rare fungus from Kessel, today alone. Waiting out a blizzard on Tandral IV in the middle of another client's request means nothing to him. I sent a message out to all of my clients yesterday that I would be unavailable for new business for a few days that he's choosing to ignore. I may just blacklist him and be done with it. I hate going to Kessel anyway, in spite of the credits being good."

 

[Vykar Khel]

He snorted, though whether it was to her first or second response, it was hard to say. "Mm, doesn't seem the type to take no for an answer. That, or he doesn't really want that fungus." His head tipped to one side, but a woman like her didn't need to be told that men were beating down her door. She wasn't 'Mandalorian attractive' but she didn't need to be - people came in all shapes and sizes, and beauty varied just as wildly. That also meant, however, that attraction did as well.

Which was how you wound up with fifteen messages in a day asking about fungus.

Fungus? That baffled him. Of all the things....

"Or maybe he just wants a fungus, I'm not entirely sure." It was the sort of dry humor he could pull off, because it was the only humor he had.

 

[Velana Accendo]

Velana snorted a soft laugh in spite of herself, lifting a hand from her lap to cover her mouth. His dry sense of humor suited him, and she absently wondered if he could manage any other sort. The idea of him telling a knock knock joke, however, seemed absurd and she gathered her scattered thoughts a moment later.

"To be honest, I don't think he wants the fungus this time around...although I admit, he is always this...persistent...ok fine. I'm blacklisting him like I should have the first time he pulled this kind of stunt." she wrinkled her nose, a faintly sheepish expression flickering across her features. Sometimes it took an outside observation for the reality of a situation to be truly obvious.

 

[Vykar Khel]

He nodded, "A smart decision." And an important step to take. Sometimes you just had to steel yourself and do the things you didn't want to. Bite the bullet, as it were. Frankly, he'd have probably delivered the package, broken a few bones, and then never talked to the man again. But different lives and different training.

"You were saying something about beasts?"

 

[Velana Accendo]

"I was."

Velana straightened up slightly, fingers absently tugging at her sweater, while her expression warmed with bright-eyed interest. Since she'd been escorted to the observation point the day prior to see the clamberwolves, her curiosity about the other creatures they had within the compound grew.

"I was hoping you might be able to show me some of the other beasts you have around the compound. If it's permissible, of course. I don't wish to intrude at all."

 

[Vykar Khel]

He seemed to consider it for a moment. In truth, it was less where he could and couldn't take her, and more where he could trust her to be safe. Granted, as with any military installation, there were certain areas that would be off limit, but he knew she wasn't asking to see, for example, the base power generator, or take part in the command center decision making.

She wasn't even asking about security protocols.

So it funneled itself down to 'where we should be safe,' and from there his mind only had one answer. "I can take you to the aviary." He says finally, "It'll be safe for you there."