OH to be Older than Dirt (Mandalorians, Dominion of the Wheel)

[Strider Garon]

4/20

"Thank you...?" Strider replied to [member="Daren Silvari"] , not knowing the man sides that he was chatting up the attractive woman he had given a drink to earlier. It was baffling the man new some Mando'a and in that had caught the Hound's attention. The Birthday boy would signal for another Corellian spiced ale before giving Daren his attention.

"I am Strider and you are?" It was obvious Daren knew who Strider Garon was, he had joined the b day celebrations and at congratulated him for it, though most were giving praise that Strider had actually lived this long. Still sporting the gaudy outfit he would take a quick swig of his spiced ale as he awaited for the stranger's reply.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

As every party ever, Rawnie was late to arrive. She didn't... like social gatherings. Too many people she didn't know. Too many faces. It was overwhelming. Still, her parents had known Strider, her mother said he'd tried to help her find her father once when he first disappeared. Since mom couldn't be here, Rawnie had taken it upon herself to go in her place. To congratulate him for surviving that long. It was really quite a miracle. When you lived to be 61, you were practically ancient. Rawnie knew she'd be very lucky if she lived to be 30!

"Come, cyar'ika," she murmured to her lover, checking her armor once before stepping inside, "Let's make this quick."

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith smiled just as she was to say something the Field Marshall [member="Strider Garon"] turned and greeted another guest.

He had just blown her off, with the traditional, thanks for coming routine. She looked down at the gift in her hand, he hadn't even taken notice of it. Tia had said that the Field Marshall might not receive her well because of the incident with her Uncle Ordo. But she had hoped.

The question she had wanted to ask now lay broken within her. She may never have an answer to it. She looked over to [member="Mantic Dorn"] .

"I guess the trip was not as fruitful as I had hoped it to be" Her words were soft clearly she was disappointed.

She could see that he headed to the bar she just didn't have it in her right now to follow him. She was the widow of a mandalorian warrior named Dar'yaim Balor, she was the mother to a son named Bud who would have been vod among them. Among the many titles she wore those two had been the most precious to her. This was the first time since they lived for a short time on Mandalore that she had seen this many mandalorians in one place, she was coming to realize she was no longer part of them.

She was more of Alderaan and the Republic now than she had ever been mandalorian. She was a Senator, a Minister, and a Princess titles which held meaning for those seeking prestige Faith did not seek these things at all. She was like Tia in many ways.

"I need to take a walk, clear my head" she could feel the emotions twisting within her a part of her life was now sealed by death completely.

Faith left the box on the table, perhaps what it contained would eventually find its way to the Field Marshall.

Faith half smiled and headed for the door. A widow of nine years. Nine years, over three thousand days and nights and now..what?

Faith wanted to run to take everything that was in her and have it drawn out with a syringe to rid her of it. She had one flirtation in nine years and then it was only in the ninth year that she allowed herself to do so.

It was a crushing pain that crept up on her. She had lost her courage the last time she had wanted to ask Sempra if he had seen any vessels that could be D's but couldn't do it at the last moment. She wanted to hold on to hope then. But even her mother told her it was time to acknowledge that they were gone. Lost. Assumed dead.

She could use a friend, the few that she had.

[member="Lady Kay"] | [member="Daren Silvari"] | [member="Gir Quee"]

 

[Mantic Dorn]

Objective [member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

Post 6/20

......

He could not help but feel concerned as the mandalorian elder walked off. Clearly there was something personal in between himand the minister.
What further surprised him was that as [member="Faith Balor-Organa"] turned he felt sadness... grief even?

He held back any comment as she expressed her wish for a walk.
Instead he inclined his head at her and stepped away to give her passage.
He distanced himself slightly from her as she made her way through the crowd and toward whatever her designation might be. But he was not far, always keeping her within sight. Whatever her personal needs she was still a republic minister and he was assigned to her. His intentions were not to be in her way but he still needed to perform his duty.

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lor grinned as he watched Rawnie check her armor. For somebody who didn't like parties, she'd sure gone to some lengths to clean up for this. The Chiss had somewhat followed her example, scraping the blood off his new armor... His trench-gam, he'd jokingly named it.

"So, Strider's kind of an old fart by most standards... Is he an unusually old fart for a Mandalorian?"​

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Rawnie shrugged as they walked together. She was trying to ignore, well, everything. Any looks she might be getting, any looks her lover might be getting too. It was just... so crowded.

"Most of us don't generally survive as long as him," she answered carefully, "It's not unheard of, but it's not common either. I'd say my own life expectancy is thirty five? Fourty? Depends on how much Lady Luck loves me."

That was being generous. She could probably make it to 45 if she really tried. But... she wasn't going to try. She had too much work to do.

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lor grinned again, more teasingly this time, and quickly squeezed Rawnie's hand before anybody could notice and point it out.

"What I just heard was, 'Yes, Lor, he is an old fart, but he's an old fart who can probably throw yor skinny ass across a room.' Sounds like a fun guy."

He nearly yelped as a pretty clearly drunk armored woman squeezed the aforementioned skinny ass as she passed by. Instead, he simply brought his palm up to his face.

"Let's just get me drunk enough to talk to people..."​

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The blonde shrugged, unaware of her fiance being grabbed by a passerby. All she could think about was how crowded it was here. How many bodies crammed into this space, laughing and drinking and... talking. What if they tried to talk to her? Her heart raced in her chest. She felt nauseous.

"The amount of alcohol I need to be able to talk to people in this environment would literally kill me," she mumbled, "And there is no honor in dying of alcohol poisoning. But you are welcome to drink yourself stupid, if it makes at least one of us happy."

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Tysk Willamina]

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"] [member="Doctor Azure"] [member="Strider Garon"]

Tysk was bored and overhearing the idea of an amount of alcohol had the clan mother of the Willamina's rising up as she headed over to see her. With a bottle and a pitcher. The dark red hair with black streaks through it and balancing the colors while her dress was tightly speaking. "Now that is a challenge kid, come on and drink this is one of the few times we party... and if you aren't drinking you are doing it wrong." She was grinning while drinking it with the other sisters following suit while she was also looking at Strider with a look on her face. "Plus knowing him we aren't going to have many of these."

 

[Faith Organa]

She walked a little faster than usual, she held her head high as she did so, wasn't that what she had been trained to do.

A label that said Recreational Viewport caught her eye she passed through the door quickly inside it was dark. The only light filtered from the large viewport that showed the black of space. Faith walked towards it everything in here reflected how she felt at this moment.

Dark.

Pressing her face to the cold metal frame as she looked out to the darkness, lifting her head she quickly looking around was she alone? She couldn't see anyone, with no one there Faith slowly slid down the frame into a heap on the floor.

She would never know the true fate of her son. Her husband she could reconcile to war for that was the way, he as he often joked was a war machine but her son. Yaim how had her son died? Was he scared? Did he cry out for her? Her mind tortured with the thought no longer could she bare the emotions or keep them hidden.

"OH GOD!!" She buried her face in her hands as she sobbed. Nine years of waiting to release the emotions that she had so carefully crafted to hide poured out.

[member="Mantic Dorn"]

Spoiler

Alexis - 3
Arla - 4
Satine - 1
Faith - 4
Total 12/20

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay wasn't sure what to think as [member="Strider Garon"] approached them. She just bowed her head to him and kept silent. He wasn't talking to her anyways. Her eyes then followed [member="Faith Balor-Organa"] and [member="Mantic Dorn"] as they left, the former looking a bit.....sad. She recognized that look, one that can be described as loss. She's had it herself. Maybe she'll be able to find her later. Kay didn't want to excuse herself when introductions were being made. That would be rude. And as a new-ish Senator, she couldn't have that kind of a label.

 

[Mantic Dorn]

Objective [member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

Post 7/20

--------------

He was doing his best to be the invisible shadow, but naturally she was ever aware of his presence. It did not take long to realize she was seeking solitude and as they entered the wievport it all came down on her. Mantic, who first had positioned himself by the door, felt the grief and realisation burst inside her. He swllowed and hesitated for a moment.

Then he silently crossed the room and reched out with a hand carefully placed on her shoulder. It ws meant as comfort, to let her know not only by what he said that she was not on her own.

"Minister," he began with a soft voice. "I know it might be strange to come from a jedi. I know that we often come of as insensitive and cold. But in fact our very purpose is to safe guard the good feelings in others." he paused briefly before continuing.

"Much like a politician, but for other reasons, we need to remember that what we do is not for ourselves, but rather a greater good. You do very much good. I for one admire your actions greatly, and I know your deeds bring good and stability to the many. I sense a loss in you and you are in your full right to grief minister." Mantic swallowed.

"Know that whomever or whatever you, at this time miss, is being served by your actions here today. What lies in your past can not be changed but how the past will be remembered is something that is in your power to see right."

"The mandalorians are warriors. Their history filled with violence, but we can not swear ourselves free from that same history. What we do is always intertvened. All you need to do is to send them a message that regardless of the past, now the republic is willing to discuss the future. The future for you, for us and the
remembrance of the past." he spoke with a low voice, not correcting or judging but rather finding something for her to hold on to.

He was off topic of course, unawre of what truly troubled her.
Mantic fell silent. He knew he often came off as cold, but he could not help but try to help this woman somehow.

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lor grinned at the woman who'd just walked up to him and Rawnie, shaking his head a little bit, and laughing.

"Got something a little more toxic in mind. Never tried to see if a Mando could mix a good Gargle Blaster before... Now would be the time to find out, I think."

He put an arm around Rawnie as subtly as he could as they walked towards the bar, hoping that his close proximity would be able to alleviate some of the social anxiety she was having right now, even if he was drinking himself out of his wits.​

[member="Tysk Willamina"] [member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Rawnie cleared her throat awkwardly as she was approached by a woman. She wished she had her helmet on. That way she could hide her discomfort. She was watching the birthday man across the room, knowing that sometime she'd be obligated to greet him.

Lorane put his arm around her and led her away, something rawnie was grateful for.

"Order something light for me?" She requested softly, "you know it doesn't take much..."

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lor gave Rawnie a one-armed squeeze as they came up to the bar. He was glad she'd asked him, seeing as he probably knew way more about drinks than she did. He looked at the bartender, raising an eyebrow at the sheer amount of glasses strewn in front of old man Strider.

"Mix me a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, and get her a... hmm... just get her some gin, I guess."

He shrugged at his girlfriend, leaning on the counter a little.

"Don't worry. That won't hit you as hard as a lot of the other stuff here."​

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"] [member="Tysk Willamina"] [member="Strider Garon"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

As the drinks were poured, she stared ahead across the bar.

"Don't get too drunk, Lor," she warned, "I don't want to have to take care of you..."

He was still there. Oh sweet stars above. She did not know what to say to [member="Strider Garon"]. 'Hello? Congratulations on surviving this long?' So awkward. ...

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Somewhere on the Wheel inside one of the manifold casinos, Elpsis was having fun abusing the Force for personal gain and profit. Doubtless her mother, [member="Coryth Elaris"], would disapprove. Or maybe she would not. After all, at least Elpsis was not smuggling weapons and drugs for a change!


Needless to say the redhead was not trying to cheat at the same casino as the one where a few hours earlier, she had made a bit of a killing by using precog at roulette. While she was the exact opposite of being good at forethought and planning, she was not that foolish. Fortunately the Wheel was filled with casinos and this was one of the cheaper, less secure ones. The owners had forgotten to secure the slot machines adequately and so there was nothing stopping her from manipulating the machines with telekinesis. Or simply predicting the way things would go if she focused enough for precognition to take effect. Yay for fake money!


Fortunately she had become a bit better at controlling her empathy, so the maelstorm of emotions and desires swirling through the casino halls still gave her a headache, but for a change it was more of the annoying and less of the oppressive variety.


(2/20)

 

[Daren Silvari]

6/20
---

Daren honestly had not expected a reply from the big man himself, he figured that he would have been blown off as nothing more than a simple party goer. Hope for the least, gain the most, eh?

He turned his full attention with a gentle incline of his head towards the Senator [member=Lady Kay] to [member=Strider Garon] and again inclined his head and spoke, "Daren Silvari, Representative of the Galactic Alliance. Formerly a member of the Republic, but circumstances were not in my favor, so I cast my lot in with a new power in the Galaxy." a respectable silence followed his words as he continued to eye the man. He was certainly larger than life, even more so with the attire that he was wearing - perhaps that was a norm for the Mandalorian people? He certainly hoped not.

His attention was briefly turned away from Strider when he caught Senator [member="Faith Balor-Organa"] leaving the room quickly, with a pained expression gracing her youthful features. Instantly, he regretted drawing the big mans attention away from the younger girl. He had not exactly been aware of the going ons of the entire party, as he had spent most of his time in conversation with Senator Kay. Which reminded him...

"Strider, may I introduce to you the honorable Senator Kay.", he swept his hand in her general direction and turned towards her, in the event that she had anything she would like to say.

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith tried to calm herself down she realized that [member="Mantic Dorn"] was trying to comfort her Except he didn't know why she was upset it seemed if she heard him correctly that he thought she was upset because of some failure as a Senator.

She looked down nodding, "thank you" the words came easily enough slowly she got up she was by no means helpless.

Her eyes red and puffy her cheeks blotched, she half smiled, and then looked back out to the black around them.

"Mando'ad draar digu" She sniffled a bit more (A mandalorian never forgets) taking the back of her hand she wiped her face. "Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc," her lips trembled, "ni partayli, gar durasuum Dar'yaim and Bud Balor" (I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal Dar'yaim and Bud Balor).

Tears rolled down her cheeks, she wiped them away again. She would remember them every day. She clenched her jaws tightly her grief was not for everyone to see, she rubbed her face again if anything let them think she was hot. She rubbed her eyes, staring at her own reflection in the viewport she took care of any stray makeup.

She looked at Mantic, "You've been very kind to me, thank you." She had one more thing to do. She did not feel she had the strength to go forward but D would have wanted her to do more, to be more, and to live life not hide in shadows.

"I have one thing to do, that, my husband would have wanted me to do" D was not a politician, nor did he care for all the politeness that coated words in sugar. He was direct, as she was direct. It was time to be direct.

She knew that mentioning her husband might confuse Mantic if he wished or asked she would explain.

"Mantic, if I may call you so, I am going back to the bar buying a round of drinks, celebrating life, saying goodbye and then..I want to go home" She needed to nail her courage, needed to feel like herself.

"I know we can do that, and I know you are here for my protection. So, are you prepared for such a thing?"

Spoiler

Alexis - 3
Arla - 4
Satine - 1
Faith - 5
Total 13/20

 

[Mantic Dorn]

Objective [member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

Post 8/20

-----------------

Mantic truly felt like a clumsy teenager without any sense on how to behave around the crying woman.

"There, there..." He tried and patted her back. He realized he had totally missed the point and fell silent as she began speaking in mandalorian.

"Senator, I do not pretend to know what you just said but if the bar is your new mission then thats where we will be going. Even though I feel obliged to inform you that my speciality is sith lords and not wine bottles." he took a bow waving his hand in an attempt to joke and ease her obvious pain.