Private Nothing is written

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Location: Tammuz-an, Outer Territories, Fortress Toda

Objective: Greet and brief arriving Si'kahya squad

Tag: Saul Vizsla

A door slid open and Minerva walked out at a brisk pace, before running steps echoed behind her. Soon a blue skinned gaunt faced boy with brown hair wearing an orange uniform with a red officer hat came alongside the Mandalorian.

"So they're coming at last!" The boy exclaimed, who was no more than ten years old. Minerva said nothing but she understood the kid's excitement. He was about to meet a full unit of Mandalorian commandos after all. Feeling the lad's excited eyes on her helmet she answered as they walked on.

"Indeed they are Hazi. Now remember what your father just told you. Be on your best behavior and save your questions when it is appropriate."

Nodding acknowledgment Hazi remarked.

"I know, I know. My lord father wants me to represent our family proudly. It's just…"

"You want to join us in combat." Minerva finished for him before shaking her head.

That was out of the question. Hazi Toda was far too young to fight in battle. Of course it was hard for someone like him to accept that having been raised as a future warrior by his great chieftain of a father. Taking a guess at his frustration the armored woman then said without turning her glance to him.

"One day you will grow to be a warrior if you choose to continue on that path. Until then, prepare for that day to the best of your ability. Now let's focus on the task ahead."

Hazi nodded again as they both heard the wind howl from the eastern mountains. They stopped in the middle of the platform. Ahead of them on each flank a dozen blue Tammuz-an in black combat attire lined up. Each was armed with a staff blaster and stood professionally in formation.

While her young charge tapped his left foot in eager anticipation Minerva finally glanced over to him. Beneath her helmet she couldn't help but smile. His eager disposition reminded the Mandalorian of her younger self. Extremely curious about everything and wanting to prove to be a brave fighter.

He is really good at Dejarik. Definitely has the makings of a strategist.

Subsequently Hazi who was staring up at the sky for the past few minutes quickly pointed up.

"They're here!" He declared excitedly his brown eyes now wide as saucers.

 

[Saul Vizsla]

The Enclave ship touched down on a landing pad and shut down, before the boarding ramp extended down. But instead of an entire squad walking out, only one Mandalorian strode down the ramp as his kama idly flapped in the wind. One hand rested on the grip of a pistol while the other adjusted the fur collar across his shoulders.

"Well, goo' day to ya." He spoke up casually as he approached the other Mandalorian standing with a young boy. The boy's choice of attire stirred up some curiosity as his visor lingered, but that was a concern for later. "Sorry for th' bad arrival. Rest o' the squad had to be sent to... somewhere else." He wasn't going to disclose their operations in front of the boy. "Name's Saul Vizsla. An' who migh' you be?" He introduced himself as he reached out with a charming smile behind his visor to shake the woman's hand.

"Until we ge' more info, we're all tha's goin' to be busy here. Cannae spare the extra manpower on this one jus' ye'." He explained as he nodded back to the ship. Finally his attention turned to the young boy next to Minerva. "An' you? Wha's yer name?" He spoke with a more gentle tone as he held a hand out towards the boy.

Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Objective: Escort fellow Mandalorian for briefing

Tag: Saul Vizsla

As soon as Minerva saw that only Saul came out she realized there won't be reinforcements. Hazi and the other Tammuz-an looked surprised and disappointed. Lord Toda is not going to like this. Her suspicions were confirmed as the other Mandalorian explained why the expected squad were transferred without revealing details. At his introduction she nodded, shaking the offered hand.

"Minerva Fhirdiad glad to see you despite the circumstances."

Letting go she crossed her arms over the chest while Saul Viszla met her young charge. The boy stood at attention in a military posture before declaring.

"I am Hazi Toda, son of Lord Nirgal Toda of the Outer Territories. O-on behalf of Tammuz-an I welcome you."

Once done a sigh escaped Hazi. He had been practicing that one. Deciding to give him a break, Minerva intervened.

"It is regrettable that no further warriors can be spared. All the same we will manage."

With a wave of her hand she signaled Saul to follow her and Hazi. Once the trio went onward Minerva switched to helmet comms so neither the noble's son nor anyone else could hear them.

"So where was the squad sent instead? Is it something to do with the Sithspawn again or more undead?"

 

[Saul Vizsla]

Saul blinked at the boy's formal posture and introduction. He was clearly nervous, though Saul wasn't cruel enough to put any more pressure on the poor boy. "Well then, pleasure t' mee' ya, lad." He spoke up, giving the boy a formal salute. Minerva spoke up again, drawing the Galidraani's attention back to her. "Of course we'll manage! Who said an entire cohort of us is needed to ge' things back in shape." He quipped with a smirk as he walked with the two.

The moment her voice came through the comms, Saul hit the switch for his annunciator on his vambrace as he kept his gaze forward. :: Karkin' virus is actin' up again. More Siks'ere needed t' ge' things back in control. We cannae spare an entire squad for something we don' fully understand ye' for the moment. If me an' ye cannae sort i' out, they'll check t' send support fer us. :: He explained with a hint of annoyance in his voice. :: Let's jus' hope an' pray tha' a cure, or a' least a vaccine, can be figured out." He continued with a sigh, sparing a glance at her.

Realizing the awkward silence outside of their comms, Saul turned his annunciator back on and gave the young boy a light nudge. "So wha's the plan, lad? You goin' to enrol in the marines next year? Ye look like ye know how t' command a company already." He quipped with a grin. His gaze returned to Minerva. "So where are we goin'? Go' any leads yet tha' we can check?" He asked her casually as he looked around them.

Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Objective: Escort fellow Mandalorian for briefing

Tag: Saul Vizsla

Upon the quip Hazi's jaw initially dropped before realizing what the new Mandalorian meant moments later. Allowing a smile he shook his head in amusement.

"Lord Father is still teaching me how to fight and lead. But if you play Dejarik by any chance and should we have the opportunity I would be happy for the challenge."

Minerva laughed before remarking. "Trust me Vizsla, Hazi here is very good at it. Ya better watch yourself."

Humor aside she was concerned by what that accused virus is causing. Hopefully a vaccine is made quickly or else… Not wanting to dwell on that worse scenario any further Minerva instead focused on Saul's question while they entered a very busy hangar.

"We're going to meet with Lord Toda for the briefing. He will explain the situation better than I could.”

The intercom sounded in the Tammuz-an language as soldiers, support staff(humanoid and droids) and a few pilots occupied themselves with their tasks. Yards away Minerva pointed to the center where a tall muscular blue man in his late thirties stood surrounded by several staff officers talking among themselves. Most of them wore orange uniforms with caps but Lord Toda himself wore a beret instead in addition to a royal purple sash tucked to the left hip and slung over the right shoulder.

The right side of his face bore a jagged scare that ran down from above the eyebrow to the upper jaw. His right eye was completely white and his expression fierce as a Nexu.

Lord Toda looked up from a datapad noting his son and the two Mandalorians coming his way. Saul would quickly see the proud noble raise an eyebrow in question before fighting back a sigh. He already guessed what's going on. A minute later Hazi stood at attention before his father and declared.

"Hail Lord Father we have brought the warrior Saul Vizsla who has come to aid us."

Nodding in acknowledgment Lord Toda answered. "Well done boy you can stand at ease."

Complying with the order Hazi did that and moved to the side as his father examined Saul with his one good eye.

"It appears that the Enclave could only spare you and Minerva here as well from what I can see."

Again suppressing a sigh the chieftain went on. "Well it's better than my royal nephew can spare right now."

One of the adjacents aghast at that comment said. "My milord you can't-

"I'll say what I want! While his highness was still in diapers I was fighting for my life in these lands!" He retorted with a warning expression that rendered the aide into fearful silence. Turning back to Saul he remarked.

"I assume you want to know what exactly is going on here. Would that be correct?"

 

[Saul Vizsla]

Saul laughed at Minerva's comment as he glanced at her. "Well I'm bloody terrible a' it!" He quipped, glancing at the boy. "Though I'll still try me luck with ya a bi' later, lad." He gave the boy a nudge as they made their way to meet his father.

Upon reaching the tall noble, Saul came to a halt beside Minerva and waited patiently for the man to address them. He calmly studied his features, as well as those surrounding him for a moment. The discipline the boy showed towards his father was admirable. The nobleman finally spoke, dismissing his son before making a comment that earned a smirk from the Mandalorian. "To be fair, sir, two of us is all ya need. We can take on an army if needed by ourselves." He quipped, talking a bit slower. He knew that his accent sometimes was a bit difficult for some people to understand.

LLord Toda went on to ask if Saul knew what was going on, earning a light shake of the Mandalorian's head. "Unfortunately no' sir. Details given to me were rather vague. Somethin' abou' an underground group?" He answered as he reached up to remove his helmet. He spared a glance at Minerva before his eyes focused on the nobleman again.

Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Objective: Keep watch while Lord Toda explains

Tag: Saul Vizsla

Cool beard I must admit. Thought Minerva as she kept her own helmet on. Crossing her arms over the chest she stood by as Lord Toda nodded.

"Yes, it is a group of insurgents who called themselves the True Sons. We have already eliminated many similar groups on the planet but this one has proven to be the most troublesome."

With the wave of his right hand Toda beckons Saul to follow him over to a table that shows a holomap of the region. One of the aides flipped a switch and the map transformed, narrowing the focus to the eastern mountains.

"In that province this band of rebels have been using the terrain to their advantage while they ambush our patrols and raid outposts and the nearby villages. We suspect they have built a network of tunnels throughout there. Not only that, they have proven to be more organized than the other bands and more heavily armed with forgien weaponry."

Letting those words sink in for almost a minute Lord Toda went on.

"My sources tell me that the True Sons have smuggler aid but we haven't been able to pinpoint their rendezvous points nor find their main base so far."

 

[Saul Vizsla]

Saul kept quiet and listened carefully to every detail the man gave them, following without hesitation to the holotable. He pulled his datapad from a pouch and noted down any and all information that could prove useful for the hunt ahead. If it could make his and Minerva's life a little bit easier, he was writing it down.

"Smuggler's only have one way on an' off the planet, sir. We'll find 'em, one way or the other. All I ask is that we have unrestricted access for our investigation. If they're in the middle of nowhere, or righ' in the middle of yer city, we'll need t' find 'em." He looked up to the man as he put his datapad away. Once everything was sorted, he returned to Minerva and gave her a nudge as he passed her. "Come on, we go' a job t' do." He muttered as he slid his helmet back on. He led her back to his ship, where he removed his helmet again and set his datapad on the table in the mess room. "Organized rebels an' suspected smuggler aid. I think this one will be interestin'." He quipped with a smirk.

"I think a good start will be t' figure ou' where each attack's taken place. Pin i' on a map and see what matches up. Otherwise..." He looked at his notes for a moment as he thought over their options. "Air traffic control will be a good spo' t' check ou' as well. See if there's any traces of odd flights." He looked up at Minerva. "One way or another, they've got to have left us a trail somewhere. Wha' do you think?" He asked as he pushed off the table and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge for them both.

Minerva Fhirdiad