The Red Celebration [Mandalorian Empire]

[Yasha Cadera]

“But what about my Verd’goten, Daddy?” Yasha looked up over her dinner and swallowed, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. “And my armour? I worked hard, I took the shields down, Kade, Nar and I…”

Kaden looked about ready to panic. The pieces clinked into place.

“We’re coming back to Manda’yaim, aren’t we Daddy? We’re not… leaving like… Mama…” Yasha’s face fell as her shoulders raised. She looked between [member="Malika Mantis"], [member="Silas Mantis"] and [member="Preliat Mantis"], divining the horror in Kaden’s voice. They were leaving.

Daddy didn’t want his girl to be a Mandalorian anymore. She gasped and backed several feet up. Yet, [member="Ra Vizsla"] gave Yasha a command. “Tend to your father.”

She looked to her Mand’alor’s shoulder, then back to her family. “Stop it, Kade. Ra gave me an order, Daddy ain’t doing well and… and I must tend to my father. If Daddy is sick, and he’s going to Atrisia, he’s going with his Yasha.”

The child looked up at her father with a harrowed and concerned glance. Her lip wobbled, eyelids growing red and glassy. “We’re gonna enjoy my last night on Manda’yaim, Kaden… and I know where I wanna start.”

Yasha went to a table laden with food and grabbed slabs of meat on the bone and a bottle of whiskey. She walked over to where Khala and [member="Tahn Vizsla"] were jeering at [member="Kal Ordo"].

At first it appeared the Mantis pup was continuing the cruelty she began. As she took a blanket, Yasha walked up to Kal and stared him in the face.

“Ra says the planet was sick. It’s time to get better. It takes unbelievable aim to hit me in the chest while Kade was speeding through falling debris.” Heaving her shoulders with a huff, Yasha reached for Kal’s rope. “You’re one of us now.”

Clenching her gauntlet, Yasha released the wrist blades and cut Kal down. Grabbing his beard hair, she pulled his face up to hers with a growl, the blades pricking his neck. Something Tahn said… the way he moved around the man… A gurlanin?

“Act like it, or I will wear your hide as a new winter coat. Got it? You. One of us. Eat and shoot the other guys… or Tahn… you can totally eat Tahn.” Yasha growled, the frigid eyes of a hellspawn staring remorselessly back at the killer who himself held no remorse. In that, Yasha and Kal were identical, she understood. Once she was satisfied, Yasha pulled the blanket around Kal’s shoulders, fished a bacta patch and lollipop from her pocket and handed it to him with the opened bottle of whiskey.

“Your dinner’ll taste better when you wash the blood out of your mouth… I hope you like dark meat. You deserved what you got. Take it and move on… stop staring at my Auntie.” Yasha carried the meat to Kal. She stood on the nearest table, and shouted to the nearby crowd.

“Anyone else gives him grief, they answer to me! War’s done! We’re rebuilding and his aim is too good! If he causes trouble… his pelt is mine… I grew out of my coat.” If she was leaving Mandalore, at least she could help one more Mando’ad before their flight. She looked over at [member="Briika Tor-Munin"], and waved at Kayra.

 

[Zef Halo]

Caius couldn't help but smirk at the man's answer. A hunter's answer. An answer he could imagine his gone mother would say, the prowler she was.

The Thrill of the Hunt. Fett had heard it numerous times from his mother when she would take him hunting with her.

Perhaps this was it. This same feeling, thrill, that drove this man's actions. Not a set of codes, not a set of dogmas, but this.

In an odd, distorted way, Caius saw his semblance with the beaten up hunter. But he would voice nothing more in response to the older man, only silence.

At the appearance of a young but fierce girl which vigorously handled the dar'manda, Fett saw no more point in keeping his presence at the scene. He ventured forth, passing by the little devil wordless, heading back into the crowd losing himself before he could hear her bold announcement.

[member="Kal Ordo"] ; [member="Yasha Mantis"]

 

[Ra Vizsla]

Ra didn't really pay much of the others any mind. Tonight wasn't about leadership, or uniting, or even celebration for him.

He needed answers.

These questions drove Ra as much as they would his enemies. Why was he alive? The kindling he had lit aflame with the Crusades had been extinguished almost as abruptly as it had began. His death was circumvented around all corners of the Galaxy. Ra, arguably the most boisterous Mand'alor since Mandalore the Ultimate, had been laid to rest. And while he had confidence that Manda'yaim herself had a hand in his return, while he was assured that his existence was a calling to usher his people into a grand new age, Ra felt he deserved these answers directly.

He was unlike most Mandalorians. Most had forgotten their faith, and those who hadn't didn't dare to seek a direct confrontation.

But the Undying needed to know.

Had to know.

Why me?

Ra began to gather wood for his fire, his body undisturbed by the harsher climate, his will unbroken without the answers. Something had called for him. Ra needed to know exactly what that meant, and he would seek his answers directly at their source.

 

[Silas Mantis]

Before he could respond to Kaden, his brother spoke. Oddly enough he seemingly acknowledged, after all these years, that something was wrong inside him. Also mentioned was [member="Ra Vizsla"]'s wrong-ness. The man had come back from the dead, and while he chanted proudly that it was because Mandalore herself woke him, Silas couldn't help but suspect a darker truth. Even if it was the will of their home itself, surely there were some curses which accompanied such a blessing? [member="Yasha Mantis"] had come back from the Nether different than when she'd entered, surely Ra himself had been altered somewhat.

"When I was sixteen years old," He began, setting his natural hand on his brother's shoulder in reassurance. "I left home to find you, to save you ori'vod." Silas continued, looking to Yasha and [member="Kaden Farr"], gifts in his life he'd never have known if he'd stayed cooped up on Ordo. Though maybe [member="Malika Mantis"] would've dragged him along later, but it wouldn't have been the same. "I know I left after, but I-never again Preliat. Whatever battle it is you're fighting brother, know I am always ready to fight it with you."

Turning his attention to his ward who was narrowly avoiding a kick from Silas' elder, his expression twisted into a reluctant, soft smile. Teaching moment. He wasn't sure if he knew exactly how to handle this. "Kaden, we can visit, always. But Preliat is her father, and until Yasha is fully grown she will do as he feels is best." Silas stated. He knew that his brother, more than anyone, Preliat had earned his reprieve from battle. He'd given everything, and now he only wanted to raise his daughter, to raise what little he had left.

Pulling a beskad from his back, he flipped the Concord Fang around so that the hilt was offered out to his ward. "Take this, you have earned it. I know this is hard news to endure, but this is a celebration, and you have much to celebrate. I am proud of you ad." The gift would not soften the blow of Yasha's impending departure, nor was it meant to, it was only meant to further signify how proud Silas was of the boy.

"Take her home if you can, let her meet mother, let mother see you, just this once." He suggested to his brother, half pleading as the two brothers seemingly prepared to part once again.

 

[Tal Vizsla]

Tal sat watching, perched above and away from the festivities in the night below. He'd seen and celebrated many victories in his life, or at least remembered doing so, but tonight he wasn't in much of a celebratory mood. Another chug of ale helped quiet his raging thoughts, and the ruckus at the hanging tree pulled his attention. He knew who [member="Kal Ordo"] was, strung up to be a punching bag for the victors. Knew that it had been he the Umbaran was hunting throughout half this bloody war. Knew it was him that had shot the Mand'alor, and tried to kill Tal himself in Sundari.

Honestly though, he didn't much care about any of that.

Rising from his stump as those surrounding the man went their separate ways, he made his way down the hill and to the tree. Rather than confront him as the others had done, however, he simply put his back to the tree and sat himself down, gazing on at the party before them both. Another chug of ale and he fnally turned his head to regard the captive, catching his gaze and following it to the blonde woman. A shapeshifter, if the reports he'd heard were accurate.

"Beautiful, isn't she?"

He didn't really expect a response, and a moment later simply continued.

"All that death. Vod slaughtering vod over something that should have cost only one life. Does that seem right to you?"

 

[Not Ordo]

He fell to the ground in a heap and cast a look up at the man who seemed to take his answer in stride. Slowly he pushed himself onto his back and stared up into the trees as the girl, the scrappy puncher, began to speak as if she spoke for every clan.

She was close, close enough to grab and kill. He thought idlly for a moment as she talked of shifting and sinking his teeth into that scrawny neck but he was taken aback as she handed him food. He didn't fully understand the change in attitude. Maybe it was the result of her trauma? Seeing too much too young? He suspected she was either trying to poison him ir she was crazy. He propped himself on an elbow and looked the child in the eyes.

"Got it." He grumbled, eyes flicking back to the blonde woman unintentionally.

He took the whiskey and poured it into his mouth without a thought. The sweet burn brought a little light to his yellow eyes before he took the food and began tearing into it ravenously. His eyes flicked up to the child and guilt settled into the back of his mind like a foreign invader.

"Thanks," he said around a mouthful of food, "Sorry."

He sat eating when the one Mandalorian he hadn't wanted to see again walked up and followed Kal's gaze to Malika again. A combination of rage and embarrassment surged through him and he put a hand down to push himself up. He looked away from the blonde and settled back down to look at his plate and whiskey.

"You could fill a planet with what ain't right to me." Kal growled out slowly. "A few planets."

He very deliberately did not look back at the blonde. She wasn't Her and she had no right being close. No right, at all.

[member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Caius Fett"] [member="Ra Vizsla"] [member="Silas Mantis"] [member="Malika Mantis"] [member="Adora Namadi"] [member="Dorn Skirata"] @Everybody on the other pages.

 

[Tal Vizsla]

"Heh."

There was no real humor in the chuckle, but more than a small amount of understanding. While he may technically be less than ten years old, his body had weathered enough for half a lifetime, and his mind many thousands of times that.

"The galaxy doesn't care about men like us. Or what we think is right. Took me a while to learn that."

He took another chug from the mug in his hand, half tempted to ask [member="Kal Ordo"] about his reasons for attempting the assassination of mand'alor. Though in all honesty, he was pretty sure he already knew.

"He was just there. Wasn't he? You saw your shot, and you took it."

He couldn't blame him for that. It hadn't been long ago that he'd been the exact same way.

"He was a challenge. Something bigger than what you'd hunted before. Just imagine if you'd gotten away with it."

His gaze shifted to the side, and violet eyes regarded the Gurlanin next to him.

"You would have ended it. That one life would have been yours to claim."

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Tal Vizsla"]

He looked over slowly, his yellow canine eyes filled with sudden focus. Half a chunk of meat still sticking out from between his lips. A thick tongue pulled the meat into his mouth before he brought brought the whiskey bottle to his lips to wash it down.

It was no wonder this one had tracked him twice. He thought like a hunter. Kal looked back down at his plate and thought for a moment about the hunt that this one would make. It could be glorious. Blood pounding in his ears chasing one another from place to place matching wits and speed until one's teeth tore out the other's throat.

"Yes." He said not looking back at the Mandalorian. "Monroe was lesser prey."

He glanced toward where the blonde woman was and returned his eyes to his plate to shovel the last morsel into his mouth. The whiskey was numbing the pain but he needed bacta and he needed to hunt something for himself. This meat had no blood.

 

[Tal Vizsla]

Tal's eyes wandered to the largest of the blazing pyres. The one that held the body of Monroe.

"Ra proved that. You pick your prey well."

Then he glanced up at the tree branch that had held the other man mere moments ago.

"Maybe just a little too well."

Pushing himself to his feet, he shook his now-empty mug and frowned down at it. That would need to be remedied.

"Try not to bleed out, old man. We're not done yet."

Parting words as he trudged off toward the festivities, in search of a dispensary to refill his mug. As much as he couldn't blame the man for trying to kill him, the hunter in his own heart couldn't let it go. They had both tried and failed to make prey of the other, and he knew in the very depths of his soul that he couldn't just let that go.

Someday, he would have to know.

[member="Kal Ordo"]​

 

[Judah Lesan]

Aden was a little late to the pyre, but only because Valen had still been asleep. He told Mesh'la to leave with her mother and that he would catch up. The young boy needed his naps to grow into a strong warrior. Had it not been for the boy the two adults would not be together at this moment. Aden was eternally grateful that his son had given him the second chance he needed. Things were still a little slow, but the two had made the decision to remarry and had runited in every sense of the word to be the unit they had been before all of the poor decisions and war.

Valen was happy. His giggle could be heard across the open space. The boy's eyes grew wide at the sight of the funeral pyre, and Aden explained what it was. It was both an honor and judgement. Ra was gracious though. Despite what Mia had done he did not deny her the pyre her other actions deserved. She still died a Mandalorian, and he death would be celebrated as it should.

"Look Val'ika, there she is, and look who is with her!"

His arms reached out for Mesh'la and Briika, calling out to them. Mesh'la was the only who came however as Vilaz held Briika's attention. Aden looked around for [member="Kad Tor"], but it seemed he was late as well. In fact, Kad was not there at all. It was unlike him to be this late to something.

"You look... Everyone seems so relaxed for once. It is different to see a gathering of the vode and see their beskar absent."

Aden had caught himself. He was going to comment on how pretty she looked, but the young sniper knew better than to do so in a public gathering like this. They were Mandalorian afterall.

[member="Mesh'la Garon"] | [member="Briika Tor-Munin"]

 

[Kaden Farr]

Kaden was still upset that Preliat was going to take her away. Didn’t he understand that Yasha was not just his best friend, but they were family. She had made him feel as though he belonged after losing his parents. Yasha was the reason he had Silas now. [member="Preliat Mantis"] shrugged it off. The man didn’t like Kaden.

Silas tried to calm him down. The knife he handed him was beautiful. There was a rustic look to it and it fit in his hand. He kept it in his hand as he listened to what Silas said. Kaden nodded and then gave the warrior a hug. [member="Silas Mantis"] was more a father to him than any of the other men had ever been. Kaden smirked as he thought it all started because Silas lost his arm.

His Yasha. That was not Kaden’s Yasha. It was hard to process because he knew she needed to go. He didn’t want her too, but he knew she had too. Kaden sighed as he nodded to Yasha. ”I know you have to, but...” he stopped and just followed her. If this was her last night then they would have fun.

Yasha went right to [member="Kal Ordo"]. She was nice, nicer than she needed to be. This was why he liked her. Yasha was decisive and gave everyone their chance. Kaden could learn from here in that regard because he was still mad that the man shot his Yasha. No matter what had been said, she was still his Yasha. The plate of food she was giving looked good. In all of it Kaden had forgotten to eat.

[member="Yasha Mantis"] | [member="Malika Mantis"]

 

[Alleycat]

Mesh'la gave [member="Vilaz Munin"] a smiling nod as they passed each other; he going to join [member="Briika Tor-Munin"] and her younger sister, [member="Kayra Munin"], and she to reunite with her husband and son. The petite medic was dressed like her mother in a shieldmaiden dress with hair down in long, loose curls.

The golden blonde smiled brightly at the very excited two year old atop his father, who proceeded to launch off [member="Aden Garon"]'s shoulders at her as she came beside them. Mesh'la reached for the young boy and caught him, swinging Valen around in her arms tickling his mid-section playfully, then placing his small booted feet down on the ground with one of his little hands held in hers.

Electric blue eyes gazed up into Aden's dark ones as the well-muscled sniper nearly let slip that he thought she looked pretty. Mesh'la felt a bit of heat prickle her face as a blush tinted her cheeks.

"Elek... And you can definitely pull off an jag with or without yours," Mesh quipped back with a warm smile that had been absent until just recently as the young couple had finally reconciled their marriage after a year and half separation, then she peered back over her shoulder to where some Mandos were having fun with a strung-up insurrectionist. The man deserved what he was getting yet the brutality was disturbing at the same time. Honestly, Mesh'la just wanted to move on from this, and look forward to better times.

"So... who's hungry, hmm?"

"Me, buir'ika. Me!" Val answered, tugging on his mother's hand in the direction of the food tent. Mesh chuckled an okay, then reached for Aden's arm, pulling him along with them.