OA note - sorry if I lost anybody, but the -42 BBG reference (Chapter 6) is a personal flashback on Kal's part to a war he fought a long time before he even ran into the Nulls or Kamino. He'll apparently be visiting there at random intervals so all I can say is note the time frame - or the apparent lack of relevance to current happenings - for his departures back to the 'ole days'. I hadn't originally anticipated doing the flashback for Kal of a battle that took place over 40 years before Geonosis, but he felt the need to go there, and he has some general buried memories that need to come to surface. What can I say? Kal is running the show - I'm just along for the ride.

(And a Mandalorian language primer for those who may not have visited KT's site (and if you haven't, why the shab not?):

ruus'aanyc - Reliable, Trustworthy

shabla - 'screwed' up - but stronger - just imagine - and if you can't you're too young to be reading this

osik - referencing fecal matter - and if you don't know what fecal matter means you're still too young to be reading this

beskar'gam - armor

buir - father

rangir - 'To hell with it'

hibir - student, novice

mir'sheb - smart ass

Ret'urcye Mhi - Maybe we'll Meet Again; Goodbye

Recovered from the journal of Kal Skirata

Being introspective is shabla overrated and for those who can afford the leisure of sitting around second guessing themselves and everyone else. Why the osik am I writing this crap anyway?

Kal stood hunched over, his hands upon his knees, attempting to catch his breath when he suddenly heard the loud static burst from an incoming comm. The HUD indicated that it was Niner making the call. He instantly snapped to full-attention, back straight, eyes sharp and searching, glancing to the notes made on his datapad, his full attention on the business at hand. Bard'ika caught the sudden change in Skirata both visually and in a realm Kal could never understand. Jusik shifted his mindset as well, rushing out of the homestead to find and retrieve Ordo and Jaing.

"Skirata here", Kal replied to the comm.

"Sarge, it's Niner. We're inbound to your location... Darman, the rookie, and myself. Just wanted to give you a heads up, buir."

Kal paused, shab he thought to himself Niner's finally calling me father. He set that aside for a moment to pursue the greater concern.

"Niner you're doing great ad'ika, I am so proud of you, don't you forget that. How is Darman doing?"

The silence stretched on until finally Kal would have been able to determine there was a problem regardless of Niner's response, but finally it came, "Dar's having issues.. Well one issue. He's pretty upset that you're allowing jetii to live on Mandalore".

Kal swallowed and held off the desire to mentally berate himself - he could do that later. But he'd known it was coming. The only true question was why he hadn't been called to reckon sooner. And he really couldn't blame Darman, Dar was simply the only son of his that apparently felt comfortable calling him to task for the number of jetii that had found safe haven on Manda'yaim - compliments of Kal himself. He couldn't find it in his heart to blame Darman, not at all. He exhaled and berated himself for becoming right maudlin in his old age.

Kal brought his thumb and index finger to his nose, pinched hard and exhaled,

"So is Darman in the talking or shooting mindset, Niner?"

Niner responded instantly, "He was ready to start shooting but I think I convinced him to at least stop and try to talk things out first". There was another pause over the comlink, then in an out of place soft, husky voice Niner continued, "I want to come home. I want to see the rest of my brothers again, and I want Darman and Rede to be a part of the family. Rede is really coming along... I think", another long pause which Kal didn't dare interrupt, "I think we could talk him over. Away from the Empire and to becoming Mandalorian."

The silence dragged on as Skirata considered. An ARC Trooper like Maze can't be convinced to completely dump his indoctrination, but a fast-job like this Rede kid is going to willingly desert and embrace the Mandalorian lifestyle? Kal bit his bottom lip and considered the ease and implied trust of having Niner, Dar, and Rede landing straight at Kyrimorut versus the fact that Rede was a wild card and - as much as it hurt him to think it – Darman was quickly becoming an unknown as well. What to do then? A father's love and implied trust towards two sons versus all his other sons as well as the need to keep Kyrimorut a secret. He paced the length of the room then turned to nearly walk into Ordo. As always Ordo was gentle with his buir, absorbing the impact. He simply placed a hand on Kal's shoulder and looked down on his father with an upturned eyebrow. An answer then, so far as Skirata was concerned.

"Niner, set your coordinates for Keldabe. We'll meet you there."

Niner paused, so they weren't to be trusted with the coordinates of Kyrimorut, not yet anyway. At an instinctual level he understood, but it still hurt just a bit. "Roger that Kal'buir. We'll see you in Keldabe. Ret."

Niner closed the open channel to Mandalore and then turned to address the next in his list of problems. Darman was sitting on the floor of the shuttle, arms crossed tightly and visor glancing towards the floor. In the past Niner knew that behind that helmet Dar would have been as impassive and unreadable as if he were asleep or dead – but that wasn't the case anymore, now he could only imagine the maelstrom of emotions erupting in that head. Niner clicked over to the private two-way link that he could open between himself and Darman - compliments of the Nulls.

"Dar? Dar?", Niner waited for a response and receiving none finally hollered, "Dar!" That finally made Darman flinch, unfortunately it got Rede's attention as well. As Rede scanned the interior of the ship Niner gave him the stand down signal. Finally Rede returned his attention to his HUD while Dar returned his gaze to the floor. But Niner had Dar's attention even if his physical appearance belied that fact. That was of course a clone's greatest camouflage skill – the ability to seem non-engaged even if having a full out row over the internal comlink.

"What is it, Sarge?" Darman asked. Niner clicked his teeth then responded, "I've got coordinates from Kal. We're to meet up and Kal will explain everything. And would you calm down and not spook Rede?"

"So what is the kid up to right now?" Darman asked.

"I assigned him to review Mandalorian history... the history as written by Mando's and not by the Republic, or the Imperials rather. I also thought he should learn Vode An and Dha Werda Verda since it's apparently not part of the flash training anymore." Niner heard Darman chuckle over the link.

"So you're a Mando now, are you Niner? And you're recruiting as well? I'll still slot the kid if he messes with the game plan."

Niner dropped his Deece so that the sight was flush against the floor then rested his head against the butt of his rifle and sighed, "Look, you hate Jedi and that kid has wasted more Jedi than either of us. What more do you want from him? And may I remind you that you and Atin were all for jumping the fence and that I was the last holdout?"

The silence dragged on until Niner felt that he may have overstepped the bounds with Dar when finally he heard a response, "Things change Sarge, things change."