Open Your Mind (Hana Kae)

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Hana Kae"]

Location: Dxun, Homestead

The small village was home as the sounds of the people within rose up. Painted green and brown homes blending into the trees as there were branches strewn overhead to obscure the foot paths they had. Gear and food being cooked on grills that were made from bricks and containing large slices of meat. The small pets from the clan were not in their cages but roaming around as Basaba was pulling herself up on a thick branch.

Her mechanical arm gripping the thickest part of the branch while her fleshy one was wrapped around. Thick sap was leaking and crusting on her mechanical arm as the sliver where the cortosis blade ejected from was in view. Her grunts of exertion could be heard while sweat gleamed down her and she dropped down standing tall in her tank top and boots. Her neck popped at she rolled her shoulders and neck with a small snarl.

She was looking at the area around their home and there was a number of her sisters walking around. Varied armor colors and each of them working as from the mountain they were in at the forges. She wasn't wearing her armor yet but there were knives in her boots and thighs. The small tight lipped grin came to her while she sat down and was given a basin to wash her hands. Her one hand running over the mechanical one.

Slowly that brought her attention up to some of the sisters as they walked around, it was ceremony mostly... Her sisters that had children were seeing their sons for the time of the year before they went back to Mandalore. The world had a homestead that was able to care for them and she cleaned her arm off of the sap before running the wet hand through her hair. She caught a tower that was thrown to her and wiped at her face.

The sight that came to her was something she couldn't resist as she took the kid into her arms tapping her nose. "Hello little one." She was looking at him and then looked at her sister who had had the baby as she raised her up to kiss the little girl. The boy was still in his mothers arms and Basaba did the same to that one, looking at the thick black hair before sending him back to her and rising up as she walked through towards her shack.

 

[Hana Kae]

This world was formidable. It was not what she had expected when taking a ships captain up on an offer of transport. He had said that he was going to Dxun, far from Lipsec, but she had expected this world to be a little more like she saw on the holos, a little more civilized. Instead, it was more like Lipsec than she had expected. While surprised by this, she was not at all unprepared. She had grown up in a similar environment. She had fought and defeated the Great Beast of Xextos, and she would fight whatever this world had to offer too.

And so it was, as she ventured towards a settlement known for its great warriors, that Hana's first encounter with a creature not of her world was with a Zakkeg. The armoured beast had been feasting on some non-descript corpse when Hana had first seen it. It was surely the fact that she knew it was there first that saved her life. She and the Zakkeg had proceeded to cat and mouse about the jungle, Hana clearly the prey and the Zakkeg clearly the hunter. Vines were swung upon, as the jaws of the great Dxuni beast snapped behind her. The chase finally ended with Hana tangled in what appeared to be living vines. From behind the leaves of a nearby plant, a flora based jaw came forth to begin snapping at the Zakkeg. The flora seemed to conclude that Hana was not the largest threat, but more a meal to savoured after the Zakkeg was driven off. Hana knew that this was her opportunity.

With both arms pinned, she managed to twist the hilt of her retractable double-brand towards the vine that held her. With a lot of squirming, the button was able to be depressed, and the blade extended. The vine was cut, as was Hana's back, but the flora based creature let out a loud hiss as it recoiled and dropped the Echani to the ground. Hana retracted her blade and rolled back as the Zakkeg pounced on her, it's jaw dripped saliva and the blood of its former meal. Without hesitation Hana thrust the hilt of her weapon into the mouth of the beast, and depressed the button. The Zakkeg's claws ripped through her attire, gashing her arms, as its eyes widened in shock. Two blades now protruded from awkward angles one on an angle through the base of its jaw, and the other through the brain cavity of the creature. It slumped, landing on the Echani woman with all of its weight. She was pinned.

The flora beast heard the death of the Zakkeg and emerged to claim its meal. Again, Hana struggled to free herself. The jaw of the Crasna grew wider and wider, growing ever closer to the Echani. Hana's hands went to her belt, and pulled to hand the telescoping staff that was a symbol of her rank among her people. The Crasna's jaw lower over Hana, and she opened the staff. The jaw of the Crasna, stuck open, began to strain trying to remove the obstacle that prevented it from feeding. Hana retracted her double-brand, and crawled out from under the Zakkeg. A couple of jumps later, a slice here and slice there...it was all over.

______________________​

The visage of Hana that a young Madalorian child saw was one of a disheveled, bloodied woman. Her red leather garments cuts open on her arms and back, blood dried and encrusted around its edges. Her white hair, muddied and smeared with the green slime of the dead Crasna, was the opposite of the appearance with which she prided herself. Her eyes however, they were defiant, resolute, and strong, despite the staggering gait of her entrance into Homestead.

[member="Basaba Willamina"]

 

[Noah Corek]

[member="Basaba Willamina"]

Behind Basaba would come a laugh, a laugh Basaba would know well from the many missions the two had pulled together. "One of the few things I thought I'd never see in this galaxy and one of them is you kissing a baby." Noah laughed loud enough to gain the attention of others around them. "Bic b urnr sis naas at cuyir pu'ya be. Gar ganar haa'taylir ni narir bic at Mel, ra ret o' Levy!" Noah spoke in Mando'a, a tongue Basaba was probably more comfortable speaking in especially here.

(OOC: Sorry for the short post, a little pre-occupied at the moment.)

 

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Hana Kae"] [member="Noah Corek"]

Basaba straightened up as she heard the laugh and there were stares from around the area. The different sisters stopping and looking as more and more the general outlook of the clan came into view as they seemed confused and Basaba turned looking at Noah. He was involved with Levy which well meant a few things... one she was going to choose him as a mate and send him to the colony on Mandalore with any male children... or two she was going to have fun with him... For the moment either option went on pause as something flashed in her head for a moment and she was moving.

The sounds from the far end said someone was coming out of the jungle and she had to remember to get them a better camo shield then paint as she mantled over a barricade and the entrance to the village between thick trees with vines and a canopy casting them in shadows. The woman she could see covered in blood, scraps and damaged clothing had more of her attention then Noah who she was going to make swear secrecy of that moment on threat of painful death by reeds going into his eyeballs. Her hand went to the knife on her boots as she tested the CO2 release with a hiss of air.

She was looking at the woman and took in the sight of her without speaking. eyes narrowing on the gunk, mud and goop from different creatures on the planet and it was obvious she had taken the long way here while Basaba stepped forward with the sight of the other mandalorians in position with weapons. Her mechanical arm ready to eject the blade while she spoke. "You look like you have gone through the ringer. I am going to guess you took the long way here instead of the trail." By trail she meant dense overgrown pathway but hey couldn't be to picky as she offered her mechanical arm for the woman to lean on.

 

[Noah Corek]

[member="Hana Kae"] [member="Basaba Willamina"]

Noah followed behind Basaba at a more leisurely pace. Noah was dressed pretty casually in his standard Omega Pyre fatigues with it infamous and distinct digitized grey, dark greys and blacks that was the standard camoflague for all Omega Pyre armor, armored vehicles and of course fatigues.

When Noah saw the girl who had wandered and saw the injuries that she had sustained but just like Basaba he was weary of her, you didn't just end up at a place like this unless it was intended, that or the girl had the very unfortunate fate of stumbling upon a clan of warrior women that which made Noah shiver sometimes.

Reaching behind him and into the small of his back and pulled out one of his custom M9-T11's and cocked the hammer, waiting for the woman to fuck up so he could put her down.

 

[Hana Kae]

The Echani did not take the offered support. She was not disabled, just injured. Her pride would not allow her to grant a show of weakness to a people that she had only just met. She stood still, watching them all move. Numerous of them readied their weapons, blasters some of them, and blades for others. This was clearly a people of war. Hana respected that. As an Echani she delighted in combat, and even more in the art of combat. These people were clearly not simple thugs, but efficient killers. The killing part left a little to be desired for it gave no chance for your opponent to grow as a warrior if you killed them. It was clear though that this village was battle hardened, and thus the idea of them being killers was understandable.

Her eyes darted back and forwards, watching the subtle movements, picking up on quirks of people's personalities from each micro-expression. It was the way of the Echani, reading body language more than words, speaking by movement more than by words. The young children looked frightened, but resolute. Clearly they got that by the example of their elders.

"Tell your young ones," she finally said after a few tense moments, "that they need not fear me."

She looked at the woman who had offered her help. Clearly she was a leader among those present. "Your trails may need a little work," she offered the advice with not even the hint of sarcasm or humour.

Glancing at what seemed to be the only man in this village. "Are you the father of all these children?" She enquired, brow quirked, "husband to all these women? Your loins must abound with seed."

[member="Noah Corek"][member="Basaba Willamina"]

 

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Hana Kae"] [member="Noah Corek"]

Basaba looked at the woman keeping her eyes on her while her other hand motioned the others down. There was the small joke that got a snort of acceptance from her while Basaba eased a little the tension from her shoulders. Instead of looking angry and ready to fight she looked less angry and ready to fight. Then came the comment about Noah being husband to all of them and she narrowed her gaze again before something came that few saw. She laughed, something from deep within her chest while the others did the same at the notion of Noah being their husband of the sound of the child having him their father.

"I think you need water you are delirious."She motioned with a hand and one of the little girl came up as she spoke. "Set some water aside and make a sandwich for this woman. We have a guest." There was a look from the little girl and then she was running off to do as ordered and Basaba turned to look at Noah as there was some humor in her voice. "Come on you can come to I suppose." Basaba was then leading the way back into the village as the sisters moved around keeping that wariness you had when something was happening. They were going about their business and still ready should an attack break out.

The rest of the village was much the same, houses built between the trees and made to blend in, sections where they had dug out paths and areas for crates of supplies. The little girls were playing as at certain points the sign of a wall and barrier could be seen, or the vague image of a turret. The village might look simple but it was on Dxun where the smallest of creatures could be dangerous and so they had adapted. One of the little girls was playing with a maalrass as she taught it she was in charge of it and their games were helping her establish that dominance. Basaba let them go through towards a large table.

The sight of it showing more of the sisters working to cook food while the sound of sizzling meats came, the boiling of water and some were cutting vegetables. There were more children at the years before their trials and several of them were boys who turned and milled around to the other end of the table. The little girl who had been sent off was returning with a bladder of water as there were others looking from the doors. "Sit and talk, I do not recommend going back out there covered in blood. That is how you attract drexils and devourers." She sat there looking at the two of them and holding at the ready as she was brought a bladder.

 

[Noah Corek]

[member="Basaba Willamina"] [member="Hana Kae"]

Noah rolled his eyes as the laughing ensued and light punched Basaba in the shoulder but still had a grin on his face. "I'll have you know Basaba that I'm a great father and once upon when I was still with the Republic I was married for nearly two years." Noah informed her before his face hardened over his mention of his marriage.

Quickly shaking it off Noah followed behind Basaba and stopped outside the door and gave the women some privacy, there were many things that you could say Noah was and a gentleman was certainly one of them. You could also say he was a bit of a womanizer, a killer, a mercenary, a cold-blooded killer and one of the best sharpshooters east of the Rimma. And those were mostly true.

Pulling out his blade and his family datacron, taking his blade Noah made a small cut on his thumb and dropped a few drops of blood on the datacron. This wasn't required to open the datacron but it was a Corek family tradition when opening the datacron. Wiping the blood of his blood of the datacron and blade with a small rag he kept in his pocket and put the blade and rag back and opened the datacron and began to do what he was doing before, studying the combat style of his ancestors.

 

[Hana Kae]

Brow furrowed, Hana followed after the woman. She was confused by their laughter. Surely, there was nothing to laugh about regarding the parentage of these children? Was there something she had missed. Clearly, the man was not the father of all of them, perhaps only a few? She would surely find out as time passed. This world and people were curious.

Sitting, Hana received a cup of water from one of the little girls. The Echani smiled calmly, "Thank you child. You honour me."

She cast her glance towards the door. Noticing that the male waited outside, she wondered if, like her people, this was a matriarchal society. Perhaps it was not their custom to allow the men into the same abode as a woman? No, there were too many children for that to be a blanket statement.

"I am come from a world known as Lipsec," Hana simply said before taking a sip, "we know little about the galaxy. You might consider me a scout of sorts."

She looked at her arms, noting the blood had congealed and begun to harden. "Do you have medical facilities that I may use?" She said, "your neighbours were not as welcoming."

"What do you call your people? You seem to be warriors? Are you currently at war with someone?" Her questions came thick and fast, she was hungry to learn all she could.

[member="Noah Corek"] [member="Basaba Willamina"]

 

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Hana Kae"] [member="Noah Corek"]

Basaba listened to her bout the world she came from well the name mostly. A scout from another world had chosen Dxun as her place to visit... There was some humor in that but Basaba kept her face straight also hearing Noah as she was asked for the medical area. Which wasn't far as she pointed and rose up. "It is just over there, we'll bring you some food and more water as well as some clean cloths." The woman rose up taking a moment to look at Noah and she spoke. "And you didn't bring your daughter here, on the few days where the males are able to come and visit. She could be playing with her future sisters."

She gave him a look but also understood from what Levy had said he didn't want his daughter involved or in danger and Dxun for the unaware could be very very dangerous if you were a kid. Still she motioned him forward to clear the doorway and let them get to the medics while another group of children ran past with the sisters chasing the brother. His brown hair short as he ran over and hid behind Basaba's legs from them. She heard the question about them being at war and chuckled a little as she held a finger up to wait a moment. "And why are you hiding? Mother no doubt wants to hear all about your year."

The little boy moved a little hugging her and Basaba lifted him up while he was mumbling and she chased some of the kids off then looked to Hana. "We are the daughters of the Willamina clan and this is a time of celebration not war. Tomorrow we'll go back to fighting our enemies but today. Our brothers, our sons and for some their husbands are permitted to be in the village. Some for mating purposes and some for visiting. Others like Noah here are around because he is being judged as a potential mate to our sister." She said it showing a grin while walking up to the building that was tucked between the other homes.

The medical area was a large single room with clean wall in the jungle and a lot of filtration for fresh air to get rid of the heat and some sickness. Basaba set the boy down and patted him off while entering where several beds were setup for anyone who needed medical attention or for any problems while she offered one f the areas to Hana for her to use with a gown for now. She had a table set for any weapons the woman might have as well as while she was standing there some of the other sisters who were wearing medical outfits as they offered a smile. "Please for a guest to out home we are here to help you."

 

[Hana Kae]

Hana looked around, a little surprised. That was why she saw so few men folk. They were mating. "This is an important day then," she said apologetically, "I do not mean to intrude."

She thought for a moment about the wars that they were to fight, or were fighting. "The Clan Willamina...who are you at war with?"

It was a genuine question, as she stood to go to the med center, she was curious as to the state of politics throughout the galaxy. Looking towards Noah, Hana smiled. "Also...what makes for a suitable mate for your sisters? Are there any tests that this one must pass?"

She was guided to the med suite, and lay down to have her wounds dressed and tended too. "Your village seems very well maintained. You must pride yourself in this place greatly."

[member="Basaba Willamina"] [member="Noah Corek"]

 

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Hana Kae"] [member="Noah Corek"]

"For them yes." Basaba was looking at the woman and remaining there. She didn't have a mate or someone so she got to do this and roam around. She was thinking about the rest of the questions and they were mandalorians they were at war with everyone not them and at times no one... But that had proven dangerous and it was better to have a focus. "We are at war with the sith and their allies in the north." Watched the woman getting herself cleaned up and wounds tended though Basaba moved a little to look at Noah and she ran a hand through her hair. "He is suitable, strong in a fight, cares for family and has been vouched for. Normally he'd have to fight one of the Drexil's here on the moon."

Basaba finally motioned some of them off to chase away the curious ones while taking over cleaning some of the wounds to dress them Her eyes mostly looking for a sense of deception from the woman or inclination she was here for hostile action. That was the basics of her always looking for the danger but she did take a little bit of pride in the compliment about their homes. "We take care to keep it in order, the animals of the moon will if you are careless fight you. The earth of the world is littered with the bones of those who thought otherwise and were wrong." The small smirk on her face though was there when she finished. "So what kind of scout are you? To test our defenses? Or to extend a hand?

 

[Hana Kae]

"The Sith?" Hana said, ears perking to the news instantly, "I have heard the word...fearsome warriors are they...are they nearby?"

At the comment of carelessness, Hana smirked. "Perhaps it was a little foolish of me to go wandering through a jungle on a world that I have never been to before...but your paths are not well marked at all."

She stood, wounds dressed, and feeling considerably better. "Perhaps this place is a place you want people to not find?" She looked outside to the children running about, "with good reason too."

"I am neither type of scout," she acknowledged, "my people have been cut off from the galaxy for millenia...we know little of its politics or how our people fear in the galaxy as a whole. I am Echani. Have you met many of my kind?"

[member="Basaba Willamina"]

 

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Hana Kae"]

An echani.... Basaba stood there looking at the woman and her first instinct when facing an Echani was to feel the lithe muscle they had from wearing no armor and dancing around. She held that back mostly looking at the woman's hair which gave it away mostly but she wasn't presenting herself as the few echani she had seen. They stuck their noses up at everything and annoyed her to no end. This one at least had the courtesy to be friendly. Went a long way. "My people have faced the Echani, and fought them. Their weapons are light and they dance far to much to get through most of our defenses."

She left out the white hair that was tactical disadvantage while she was moving a little though and offering her a chance to get out of the placce. Into the fresh air while she was speaking. "If your people have been cut off from the others then we have something in common. Dxun has hid our clan for many centuries and when the galaxy fell into darkness we were here among the beasts for even longer not going to Onderon even until the call of the Mand'alore came." She walked a little proudly though while wondering more of the woman. "But you are a long way from Eshan, I can take you if that is what you seek."

 

[Hana Kae]

Hana smirked at the mention of their dancing. "Echani view combat as communication as much as they do violence," she said calmly, "what you view as dancing is our way of reading you. Be very assured, the next time you face those same Echani in battle...they will be more well prepared than the first. They will likely know you better than you know yourself."

She did stop though, to look over the Mando. "Why were you fighting my people?" She queried, "am I among foe or friend?"

In her experience on Lipsec, people often painted each other with broad strokes across racial boundaries. Hana was a little concerned now that these people thought of her as a mortal enemy simply because of the colour of her hair and eyes.

And then...the offer.

"Eshan...I am not familiar with the world. There are many Echani there?"

[member="Basaba Willamina"]

 

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Hana Kae"]

"You are among friends here." They weren't at war with the echani now... other times sure, mercenaries sure but they were not at war with them. A smile though came at the mention of Eshan and it was more curious to her offering a place to sit again and drink or eat. "Echan is the capital for the Echani now, their homeworld. If your people wish to reunite with them that is where you should go but you survived the jungle, you found your way here. If you want you could stay and teach this custom, my clan adapt to learn from everyone and it is how we have survived on this Demon's moon." She sat down while some of the food was laid out and got a small wooden bowl of berries offering them. "There is a fire ceremony tonight if you are interested, the children have a chance to impress and show their skills with their weapons before going on a hunt to become adults to end the ceremony this year."

 

[Hana Kae]

"I accept your offer to be taken to this place called Eshan...I wish to meet my people."

In the mean time, she was more than curious about the people, and she still had no clue what they were called aside from their clan name.

"I also accept your invitation to attend this ceremony. Your graciousness will be honoured by our people."

[member="Basaba Willamina"]

 

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Hana Kae"]

Basaba looked at her and gave a nod while she spoke to one of the sisters. "Prepare another place tonight for our guest." The girl have a nod of her head while going off and Basaba was extending her arm for a shake. "Your people will benefit from you and we shall depart in the Yaim'la come the end of the festival." There was still much to do and Basaba had to get ready as the sun was starting to come down. The sounds of the others getting prepared as the sisters started prepping a large fire pit in the center of a battle circle. Thick logs carried in by large women and others setting up the stones while still more were gathering. The sounds of others coming out of the homes brought attention. The children there were going to be there getting prepared while they were all standing in one area. Their eyes focused and looking ahead with their mothers behind them. Multicolored armors appearing around the outside as it lit up and cast a glow around them. Painting helmets in an orange light, their husbands in armor just the same as Basaba set up a place for Hane to stand and watch. She was in her tank top still and there was a lines of paint on her face. Basaba threw her hands up. "We begin."