Kyrimorut,
Mandalore.
A'den left Buir and Vau still arguing, he could hear Vau's voice booming, berating his father for his actions over Zey, as if he could have stopped him coming if he didn't know. It had been a while since they had a set to like the one taking place now. Both of them could have slotted Zey; perhaps Vau still would but then they would have to deal with Maze.
Maze could be an awkward chakaar.
The clones needed Kina Ha, and Scout was more like Etain than any of them liked to remember, even though he was sure she was her own person, as the Nat borns were fond of saying, just as Etain had been. Ordo was there keeping an eye on things, he'd be more than enough to pull them apart. So the truce hadn't lasted long and the last A'den heard in the argument was Vau declaring Jango had been a part of this plan for killing all the Jetii from the beginning.
That was a big jump but then Vau knew Jango better than anyone else here.
A'den sat in his favourite spot.
"May I?" The request disturbed his thoughts.
"Well. Your voice was one that I never expected to hear again until a few hours ago. You certainly surprised Ordo and upset Buir."
"And you?"
"I was upset for Buir."
"Kal?"
"Yes." A'den nodded to the space on the tree trunk next to him.
I'm sorry." The shrunken grey haired man who had previously played a large part in A'den's short life, was intruding in it again. "But I just couldn't ignore the anger and guilt radiating from you. At first I thought it was Kal's but his is different. Then when you appeared….."
He shrugged in reply.
"But there's something more." It wasn't a question but a statement, "There's always been something or someone more with you. I could sense it occasionally."
"My wife." It didn't matter whether he knew or not now. He wasn't his general anymore.
"Wife? I had no idea. How long?"
"Two and a half years."
"That long. Have I met her?"
"Not yet. She couldn't get away."
Zey frowned.
"From Coruscant, from the Empire."
"I'm sorry." The once large man sank even further, "I really didn't know what was going on in my section, did I?"
A'den raised an eyebrow.
"Jusik, Etain and Darman, the child…."
There was nothing more to be said on that.
"So, you and Maze?"
"Like I said before, until the last second when the blast flew past my ear to hit the wall, I still thought Maze was going to kill me."
A'den sniggered, "You can never know which way an Alpha would go at the best of times. He probably didn't know himself until the last minute."
"True." Zey was always able to get on with this Null. "I know if I say that you remind me of him, you'll take that as an insult. It's not meant as one. I hold him in the highest regard, as a friend."
A'den glared at him, them let out a guffaw that would wake the dead if there had been any around there.
"That's the best thing I've heard in weeks."
"Mind if I stay? You've picked a good spot."
"Fine….I warn you though, I am not going to meditate with you. You can do that with Maze."
The mental picture of himself and Maze meditating together, Maze with that look on his face, lightened Zey's otherwise depressing day.
.
Keldabe, Mandalore
"Lieutenant, report back to base for a briefing."
His Captain, some jumped up mongrel, was giving him orders, he wasn't a real soldier; not even like the Garrison Commander and they'd only been out on patrol for thirty minutes
Another message popped upon his HUD from him. He was impatient too.
"Come on Sergeant, we're needed back at the Garrison, some Security Consultants we need to meet. The captain's getting his kute in a twist."
"Sir?"
Coric had forgot these new ones didn't know Mandoa.
"His underwear wrapped around his short and curlies."
"Sir?"
"Never mind I'll explain later. Back to the Garrison."
"Yes sir." He replied immediately, no banter in this man's army now. Coric set off at the double and his Sergeant kept up with him, as they made their way through Keldabe's old winding streets back to the Garrison.
They entered the briefing rooms, pulled off their helmets, stood at ease, or at ease as the new ones could manage and waited near some of the chairs already laid out. When the Commander entered they stood to attention, synchronised. Coric hated consultants and when he saw these two, he knew why.
At ease, Gentlemen." There was a scraping of boots on the floor. "Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to a couple of allies who will be acting as consultants for the Imperial Army during its stay on Mandalore.
"Dred Priest and Isabet Reau. They have a particular insight into the Mandalorian culture."
I'll bet.
A number of identical eyes fixed on the Mandalorians and they knew it.
They both wore versions of Mandalorian armour, which had sigils on them, both the same, which Coric didn't recognise. Coric also knew exactly who these pair were and didn't like the idea of working with them. They had been infamous on Kamino, even among the rank and file. Members of the Cuy'val Dar, like Skirata, they were training sergeants, who trained the Commando squads.
The General troopers and cadets weren't trained by them but they knew who they were and kept out of their way; they were a sadistic pair from the rumours which spread like wild fire through the enclosed confines of Kamino. The rumours of what these pair did to their trainee Commandos; if you survived their training you ended being a brutal chakaar at best, a psychotic killer at worst, not many had survived the war. These same rumours said they were worse than Vau. And they had all seen Vau, stalking the corridors with Jango and that golden haired animal of his. Everyone noticed because he was usually with Jango and they were all curious about Jango, when they were young.
That soon wore off.
Coric remembered Priest and Reau running an illegal fight club, the Commandos mainly frequented, the odd trooper might try and give it a go but they didn't last long against a Commando, who had muscle and weight in his favour not to mention the special training, but these fights were more like old world bare knuckle brawls, and some had been to the death. Then they suddenly stopped. More rumours abounded, that it had caused dissension amongst the trainers and one had even taken a pop at Priest and Jango had to intervene.
Pity he didn't do a karking better job and finish him off. Thought Coric.
The hairs on the back of Coric's neck stood up, he had a bad feeling about all this. The Commander continued.
"Some of you may recognise them from Kamino."
The Commander had been doing his homework.
"They tell me that's in the past, as is Maul and Kryse. This is a new beginning for Mandalore and they want to be part of it."
He let that sink in.
"The 'Consultants' will be liaising with me on how best to deal with some of the least happy, and more troublesome, inhabitants of Mandalore, the ones who do not want the the Empire here. Full Stop."
Coric saw Priest and Reau appraising the men in front of them, then watching him carefully; they would know he had been cross trained and it was not by them. Both gave him a cursory nod; he returned it but no Mandalorian handshake for him, even if he was a Commando. He was the only one in this Garrison and was grateful he had his bucket on, that way he did not have to even consider them if he didn't want to.
.
Daro, Outer Rim Territories
Ryssa felt the Venator star destroyer drop out of hyperspace and manoeuvre into an orbit matching the planet's own; they appeared to be at their destination. She stared through the observation window at the planet below, there seemed nothing special about it. Brown and green land masses showed through the swirling wispy clouds.
"EmDee, can you work out where we are?" Nobody had said anything to her during the journey through hyperspace, in fact they had pointedly avoided answering any questions about where they were going, very politely though.
"This is the planet Daro, Outer Rim Territories," replied EmDee. "All the information held indicates that although it has a temperate climate and is suitable for colonisation and agriculture, there are no official settlements or installations here." His processor hummed slightly, "There is a large multi floored structure built into the interior of a mountain, directly below the orbit we are currently keeping."
There was a ping at her door, after waiting a few seconds, she opened it.
"Ma'am, your shuttle is ready. I'll be escorting you to the surface, to the Garrison. What do you have to unload?" This was the nearest indication they had as to where they were going, Ryssa pointed to the crate, it hadn't left her side she left Ryloth, everything else was in her bag, personal items, what little she had.
"Where exactly are we?"
"I'm sorry Ma'am, I'm under orders not to advise you of that. If you please." He gestured with his hand. She followed the trooper out of the door; he was a clone, she recognised his distinctive accent.
The shuttle took a circuitous route to the garrison and she could see why; it was not until you were almost on top of the mountain that could you see the Garrison but once in sight you could see the size of it. Built into the mountain, it was several stories high. The shuttle swung around to alight on the landing platform, settling gently. The pilots waited for the clamps to engage fully before opening the door. She stepped off the shuttle followed by EmDee and the clone with the repulser lift, immediately she was buffeted by the winds they were so high up.
So, this was Daro and presumably War Mantle.
Her heart sank as she saw it; a garrison full of Clones and Imperial recruits who actually wanted to be here. She followed the clone into the main area, he seemed to know where he was going, after taking one final look at the outside, rolling hills with lush vegetation. They entered the building and walked to the lifts, she saw that the infrastructure was reminiscent of ARCA barracks.
Em Dee followed her obediently in to the main building scanning the whole area as he did so, attempting to detect any weak spots.
The clone took her through to the QuarterMaster to upgrade her code cylinders and then onto the Med Bay she was to be working out of. It was the same layout as most and had the same antibiotic smell, infused with a hint of musty Bacta. Within minutes her datapad pinged with her latest orders; she scanned through them, it just seemed more of the same but no mention of the chips.
She and Em Dee settled down to sort out their new Medbay.
.
The Clone Commando's patience had been worn so thin with Nat borns today, so much that it finally snapped, not that it he had a lot of it any ways, not for them. He strode down one of the over long corridors.
"Why the Fek do they have to make them so long?" he muttered, "same with hospitals." two of the newbies dodged him just in time. "Improve ya' spatial awareness, chakaar." He shouted after them, not breaking step. He'd heard there was a new medic in town and was just going to check them out. See if they had as big a stick up their shebs as the previous one not that he knew his shebs from his kovid.
He found the med bay they had set them up in. The other one was unusable for a few days. Can't think how that happened, he mused.
He turned to go into the room and stopped. The image wasn't what he expected. He leaned against the door frame admiring the view. There weren't any sticks up those shebs but he knew what he would like to do. He let a few satisfying seconds pass by.
Gregor, this is a recce. Head in the game, vod.
"Well hellooo!" He breathed out the greeting. The medics head shot up.
"Can I help you?" She asked in all innocence.
Fek, she's got a karking clanker with her.
"You're new here." He looked her up and down. She followed his eyes.
"I am."
He watched the Clanker, it was stocking up the supplies. He ran his hand through his hair, before he walked into the room.
"Do you have a problem?" Ryssa asked.
"Not now."
"I'm sorry, I'm the new medic, Doctor Baey."
"Pleased to meet you." He stared down at her.
She's a small one.
"Do you have a medical problem?"
"Oh yes. Headache."
"What's your name?"
"Gregor, Captain." He gave her his best smile.
Ryssa tapped on the datapad but nothing came up.
"I'm sorry, I'll need your designation as well. I'll get your records up then do an examination."
"CC-5576-39."
"Sorry about that." She read down his medical records. "Do you get headaches often?"
"Depends."
"How do you mean?" She scanned his head, other than the expected after effects of the two explosions he'd survived, there was nothing too wrong. She avoided the chip area for the moment.
"Been blown up too many times. That and training Nat borns, all the newbies. Fekking mirshebs the lot of them."
She stared at him for several long seconds before saying, "Are you in pain now?"
"No. Just admiring the view."
Ryssa shook her head, ignoring the comment. "Well if you don't need anything….."
"Who said that?" He grinned at her, eyes undressing her lecherously.
"Not going to happen."
He rolled his head around his shoulders.
"Spoilsport. Just when it was getting interesting around here."
Ryssa sat down, "So why isn't it interesting enough for you?" Her eyes flicked over to EmDee, he was watching carefully.
"I'm training the newbies. The Nat borns. My own replacements." She noticed his voice had a little squeak to it occasionally especially when he mentioned Nat borns. After surviving two explosions, she would have to keep an eye on him. It made sense to take him from active duty and put him training.
"Are there a lot of commandos doing the training?"
"All of us doing the training are commandos."
The clone was obviously not dangerous otherwise EmDee would have been at him in a flash.
"Are there a lot of Nat borns?"
"All the new ones here are Nat borns. You ask a lot of questions."
"Just getting up to speed. Not everything is in the official records. Just getting more intel on my prospective patients. If you've still got a headache, I've got some pain killers."
"Nah. It's gone now." He jumped off the gurney and headed to the door. "Be seeing you." He gave a sloppy salute and headed out.
.
Kyrimorut.
A'den watched as Qail stepped inside the sealed unit to test the F36 antidote. She's got guts he thought, watching Sull and Spar observe the proceedings from the opposite side. He looked around, everyone seemed to be watching her. The silence was deafening; it had never been this quiet since before they all arrived here. He checked his chrono. She would have to be in there at least an hour and then if she's not dead, the rest of them got to be jabbed and a walkabout in Keldabe, even him.
He saw Mij and Scout, watching her anxiously. Those three seemed to have morphed into some kind of family, which was the best way he could describe it. Mij deserved it. He'd been single a long time and he still said he had unfinished business, vowing to get the chakaar who killed his wife. Mij had several people on a list that he wanted to get rid of, despite being a Doctor. He had once said to A'den that the galaxy is a better place without certain people.
A'den could appreciate that sentiment.
Vau approached, the smell Mird exuded reaching A'den's nose before Vau was anywhere near him. He didn't react as much as Ordo would, who couldn't stand the smell. You got used to it after a while. It never bothered Jaing at all. Vau stopped, standing next to him, tall, upright, imperious, as always.
"What do you need to go look for her?" He was staring at the sealed unit which contained Qail.
"Who?" A'den always checked exactly what Vau was asking before replying to one of his questions.
"Who do you think? Your wife, of course."
"A ship with hyperdrive capability and the right time."
"The time could be soon and I have a ship ready."
A'den resisted the urge to turn and stare at the black armoured Mandalorian but he knew all he would see an impassive face.
"Why?"
"You seem to need her and I may need you to help with finding RC ….Sev."
"You still going back to look for him?"
They watched the Doctor be decontaminated, the mist swirling around her. She stepped outside coughing and smiling as Mij walked up to her.
"Yes. He should never have been left behind."
He didn't mention the rest of Delta squad; maybe he had something else up his sleeve for them and was keeping quiet about it.
So it looked like the visit to Keldabe was on. He had initially been intending to pick up some information but now a plan formed. Vau's ship and the Keldabe walkabout, this was the time. All he had to do now was wait for the doctor to produce more of the antidote.
.
He stood in line behind Sull and Spar, waiting for Qail to jab them with something small and sharp, then it's plan the walkabout in Keldabe.
"No sign of her, Vod." Sull was the one to speak.
"What about Ryloth?" Muttered Spar.
"No image, ner vod. Can't verify."
"I said anything." A'den growled, he had reached out to them as a last resort. They travelled off world, even with the Empire roaming the sector. "So what happened on Ryloth?"
"The Empire's going soft and supplying medical treatment to the civilians, even as they're rationing Bacta. Rumour was, it was unauthorised to start with then the Empire hijacked it as a PR exercise. Started with a female Imperial Doctor. Could that be familiar?"
A'den knew she would do that. If there was someone to treat, she would do it.
"What happened?"
"Don't know anymore." Spar was watching Qail carefully. "This Doc looks alright."
"Some of the regular troopers disagreed with the Empire, staged a bit of a mutiny and are still there, in prison, the regs defied their chips. Unheard of." Sull added, arms folded.
They got to the top of the line Mij, Scout and Qail were efficient in giving the inoculation and the virus. You got a sore arm, muscle aches and a runny nose in a few hours but nothing else.
"So, what have we got to do now?" Spar asked.
"Wait about 12 hours for the virus to multiply in your system." A'den advised.
"Then wander about Keldabe, touching things, sneezing on people, not washing your hands, but maybe that's not a problem for you." Maze added, he had appeared behind them. He obviously didn't have much time for his brothers.
"Thanks for the info ner vod. I'll leave you three to your…discussion." A'den went looking for Vau, the lesser of two evils.