Old Dogs

[Davon Karr]

Gandim slowly nodded his head. "We'll get you a smaller blaster. We don't need you shooting, we need the fact that you know how to fight this kind of war."

Davon knew that was the truth. He'd fought several guerilla campaigns in his time, knew what it was to be out matched but to slowly turn the tables.

He patted his rifle. "This guy has done right be me for a long time wouldn't seem right to abandon him now. Besides don't know if it's my age or...or just today."

"We shouldn't tarry," Gandim said. Davon heard him swallow. His eldest was showing the signs of age himself. Most around here had morellian lineage and took a long time to age, but Gandim was seventy five now and had plenty of lines.

"My armour, I've kept it serviced."

"Of course."

"Ferrocarbon powered frame. This old boy will seem light as a feather when I'm in. Help my get suited up once more."

"It would be an honour."

 

[Davon Karr]

The boot sequence took just a few seconds. The HUD came to life and gave him a diagnostic of all systems. Batteries were at seventy percent. Two flexible modules sat comfortable above each hip. Even fully armoured there was access to them. It was easier to replace the battery with a fresh one than sit down for a thirty minute recharge.

The augmented endoskeleton kicked into life. It was already well designed such that standing still the thirty kilos of beskar, arnourweave and various components didn't feel heavy. Now when he lifted his arms and took a fee steps it felt like a second skin. It was a second skin, his beskar'kandar.

 

[Davon Karr]

Gandim gave him a deferential nod as he stepped forwards. He picked up his rifle and shouldered it in one smooth motion. The moment his hand touched the grip a screen appeared in his HUD with ammo count, grenade type, range and even a circular screen with the view down the sight.

Davon shouldered the rifle. It held stock still. "Better," he grunted. "What channel are we using?"

"Band C, channel six seven three."

"Channel addition, name Agamar, Band C, channel six seven three."

THIS CHANNEL IS ENCRYPTED

 

[Davon Karr]

Gandim passed him a data chip, which he slid into the interface on his left forearm. A holo-display and keyboard appeared above that arm. Gandim reeled out the code just to open the data. It included a new encryption algorithm which Davon had to load I to the suits firmware, then the keys to decrypt the waveform, then a final key to get into the command data network itself.

"They're not messing about," Davon said. The mandalorians were exceptional at every aspect of soldiering. Weapons forging, starship manufacture, signals, voice networks, logistics. A military force wasn't just a collection of rifles.

 

[Davon Karr]

One by one, Davon loaded three high explosive grenades into his 37B.

"They've put together a full TaskOrg," he said with a chuckle to Gandim. His HUD was flicking through the information available on the battle network. "Suit, set these channels to purge all encryption in the event of my death or on the phrase 'Purge Agamar crypto flash blue'. Open command channel."

OPEN

"Davon here."

"Are you on your way? We've set up a session in the IGBC building."

"No I'm not coming there, we need to move on the depot outside of town. Hit them hard and fast and grab the weaponry there. Why is there an airborne recon unit and fast armour on the roster?"

" The civvie drones we rigged and Jake's armoured car with a repeater on the back."

"Right. I'm keeping the channel open. Meet me on West Street with out 'recon squad'."

"Yes sir."

 

[Davon Karr]

"Disengage strength augmentation," Davon said quietly.

DISENGAGED

He lifted his 37B again, felt the press of the stock against his shoulder. It didn't tremble in the slightest.

"Figures," he said. It wasn't the power armour that brought that back, it had been the ritual of putting the armour on. "Power armour has always been more useful for letting my carry all my crap up mountains than it has been for punching things anyway," he said to Gandim. "Let's get out of here."

Rifht now he wanted nothing more than to get out of this house. Personal tragedy was one thing, but if he didn't think about it, didn't think of the loss, but framed it as a war time casualty. Maybe then this pain might dull. Every second he was on the verge of tears.

 

[Davon Karr]

Whilst he didn't like to have his forearms covered in gadgets as some mandalorians did, Davon emerged from the family home covered in weaponry. He preferred to keep his forearms free to swing his beskad. That wickedly curved blade adorned his back once more.

It had no name, no decoration. It was a functional weapon, balanced to perfection. He knew every notch and nick. It still showed the scars of the Battle of Siast Valley where he had carved a glory seeking Sith Acolyte in two to end the battle. Seventy years, he reflected. That had been Seventy years ago.

Without warning he raised both arms and brought them crashing down on the brick wall that separated their house from the neighbours. Beskar clad and with an augmented strength frame it crushed stone flying. He screamed at the top of his lungs and kicked clear through it.

Gandim didn't say a word as the head of the family took his sudden rage out on the brickwork.

Huffing and puffing, Davon stood there in the rubble.

"Just testing the systems," he lied.

"Of course. In case you need to run through a brick wall."

"Ive done that more than a few times."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Davon refused to look back at the house. He didn't want his eyes to rest on the bench where Stahl should have been sat. It had been their evening Sabacc partners on the command net.

"Let's go."

Hw didn't look back.