The Crooked Path

[Arla Ordo]

She was Alor of the Clan, she had medals that said she went into battle, she had tried tanning, fixing ships with [member="Azrael"] , engineering with [member="Anija Betna"] , small arms repair and even considered a brewery but none of what she had done had ignited a passion within her. None of it made her feel like she had purpose.

Yes she made decisions, but that was just what someone did when they had to.

Having a passion about something that blossomed into a purpose that was slightly more difficult.

Even her sister [member="Ginnie Ordo"] had purpose and [member="Buruk Surhaai"] too what was it that would put the fire in her veins. She just wasn't sure and she had not met many among the Vod who seemed to have this same problem. Everyone it seemed had purpose, so she was a good hunter that led to her helping others.

She did not want to be a medic like [member="Briika Tor"] she wanted.....Arla took a drink maybe she could arrange for a round robin of things to do..maybe there was someone else who could relate to this. Maybe.

Maybe was a five letter word that seemed to be giving her a lot of grief.

[member="Zephyr Carrick"]

 

[Vora Kaar]

There's always a reason for everything. People act out of Love, Passion, Hatred, and even Fear. But what was my reason? I wanted to protect my family and friends, but why? I cared deeply for my family, but what was it about them that made me want to fight, and even die for their causes. I had friends who trusted me, and considered me an ally. How? I had so many questions about this. Isley had said I was the man who people could look to if they wanted to know more about him. Was it because we were both Mandalorian? Heritage? Upbringing? I didn't know why people said anything about trust around me.

I wanted to forget these questions. Even if it was just for an hour or two. I wanted to just be in ignorant bliss of the questions of life. A girl passed me by on the sidewalk. Happy as can be. Talking to someone through her device, and was cheerful. Was she ignorant of the questions, or did she find the answer to them? I hated being confused. Its likely why I found a liking to my former Master Jericho and his thirst for knowledge. I don't know why he did it, but I knew he wanted it for his own reason. His own ideal for living, and breathing.

I wanted that answer, or to be devoid of the question all together. I was lacking in work, and on my studies because of this one damned question that was stuck in my head and never seemed to leave. Even Gale could see I was troubled and tried to help the best she could, but she was just... there. She wasn't anything more than someone I knew.

Walking through the doorway, and making my way to sit down on the stool in front of the counter, I ordered a simple beer. The bartender once more giving me a hassle because I looked too young to be drinking, and had to provide ID. After putting my wallet away, my prosthetic arm clinked slightly against the glass filled to the brim with frothy beer. The white fingers oblong and deformed behind the mug and the bronze liquid inside. Closing my eyes, I took a hearty swig and gulp before setting my head in my left hand. rubbing my temples with my thumb and middle and ring fingers.

I needed a nap when I got home.

[member="Arla Balor"],

 

[Arla Ordo]

The door opened allowing light into the the dimly lit bar. She turned to see if she knew the form as she squeezed her eyes tightly to block out the light she looked and saw no one she knew. She turned back and looked at her drink, the amber fluid rich in color, full in taste, and yet she couldn't seem to get enough of it to help her make a decision.

A stranger sat down on the stool next to her, she glanced over. When he reached for the glass set before him she knew instantly he had lost more in some battle than she, how does one deal with that? She wanted to ask, she did have some manners. She was taught that..

Beer the order of the day, now how to break into conversation, "Hi" she mustered, "I'm Arla, I don't think I've seen you in here before, this your first time?" She had noticed that they asked him to show ID he was young looking. Was she so old? Oh that was not something she needed to think about right now..she wasn't that old...well maybe for a mandalorian she was.

Feth.

[member="Zephyr Carrick"]

 

[Vora Kaar]

FIngers still rubbing my temples, I could hear the various screens going on about some high stakes Pazzak game going on. Honestly? I have never played, and so I didn't get the point of it. I wasn't one to understand card games. Hand me a sword and an army, and I could show you exactly what to do to beat them. This? Not a clue, nor care in the world. Looking to my right, The woman had said her name. It took a moment for it to register as Aria. Shaking my head as though I were trying to lose the cartoon confusion symbols over my head, I opened my eyes wide and bowed my head towards the woman.

"Here, yes. Drinking, no."

I turned away from her for a moment and took a sip of the beer. She herself had one. It reminded me of a time I had with a friend back before I had joined the Mandalorian Knights. Before I decided to forge my own path. How innocent was I? Looking back at her, I decided to keep the conversation going. I had nothing else to do tonight.

"Sorry if I soured your night miss. The name's Zeph."

Extending my right hand, I intended to shake her hand. However, I noticed I was shaking hands with my prosthetic limb. I shook my head once again and changed hands. I didn't know if she thought it would be impolite of me to give her a false limb instead of my real one. I guess I was just still used to using my right hand from muscle memory.

[member="Arla Balor"]

 

[Arla Ordo]

"Hi Zeph" Arla went to take the extended but saw he changed hands, "hey don't worry about that, prosthetic is as good as real sometimes better. Is it titanium? Do you set alarms off at the space port?" She smiled as she clasped his left hand, and smiled.

She half turned and let the hand go, "Do you mind if I ask how you lost it?" It was curiosity more than anything, she had been quite fortunate in her battles, guess you could say the only damage was internal. New to here he said, not new to drinking well that was good she supposed. Anyone new to drinking would be on the floor after a couple of drinks usually were trying to out gun everyone in the bar.

Course there was that one night she danced on the bar, and...well that was a time ago. Odd thing about alcohol it took away every shred of control someone had when they had too much, Arla learned the hard way and no longer went that route, no she stayed sober after all Avrum did not need to see her intoxicated.

[member="Zephyr Carrick"]

 

[Vora Kaar]

She didn't mind me having a cybernetic arm. Even as I shook her hand, she said that sometimes it was better than a normal arm. I never wanted to be on the wrong foot of people. Even moreso with women as a whole. My father taught me to hold them to a much higher regard than myself. Sure, some had to do some unscrupulous things to get the credits to survive, and honestly, it wasn't the girl's fault. It was the men taking advantage of her.

I never wanted to do that. Hence why I shook with my left hand instead. I didn't want.... Arla feel like I was mistreating her. She then asked if it was made out of titanium. I shook my head as she then continued into asking me about how I lost the arm. I breathed in a little as I let go of the woman's hand. Her hand was soft, yet firm when grasping my own. She had worked before, but didn't do so much that her hands would have calices like mine.

"I rushed into an op against my superiors orders. Got shrapnel in my arm, and we had to fix it in the field. Didn't go so well, and it was removed to prevent having a dead limb. It's made mostly out of Mandalorian Steel"

Turning back to my drink as I spoke, I took another swig as I finished.

"What are you doing here Ma'am? Kind of wouldn't expect you to be here."

[member="Arla Balor"]

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Zephyr Carrick"]

What was she doing here, well, she didn't know how to ansewr or rather if she should answer with truth. Eh, truth it wouldn't hurt anything right. She looked around as if checking to see if anyone would be listening not that they would report her to anyone, least, "Contemplating my path. I um..don't feel like I." She took a sip of her drink as she turned and looked at him,

"I don't feel passionate about what I do, maybe I need something more. " She tried to smile, "ever feel like that?"

Goddess it would be great if he said yes because it would pay to have someone to talk to that understood that confusion she felt, the lack of luster, that....sadness about it all.