Ask First Time

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

Larrik was moving through the streets of Worlport, being careful to stay away from the sight of the local security forces. While the cops would always turn a blind eye to the dirty business that the big fish of Ord Mantell were involved in, they weren’t so sympathetic with small fry like the Morellian.

The last time that he got caught by them, Larrik received a beating. Due to that, his boss also hit him and it was even worse than what the cops did. However, the worst part was staying without food. Since that time, the Morellian became more careful while moving around the city, always lurking in the shadows.

After all, he was sort of a spy. Larrik's job was to use his stealth to watch over people for his boss, then the boy should come back to tell him all that he saw. This time, the Morellian were ordered to find a bunch of Mandalorians that arrived in Ord Mantell. As always, his boss didn’t tell him what he wanted with the bucket heads, but he seemed to be nervous in talking about them and it made the boy’s concerned.

If a large Dowutin was afraid of them, what chance would Larrik have if he got caught? However, if he wanted to eat, the Morellian needed to spy on them. Besides, he was confident in his stealth skills. Mandalorians can’t be fast with their armors, right?

—------------------------------​

Present day…

Larrik was jumping up and down on his seat near Hauron. It was going to be his first proper training session as a foundling and he was pretty excited because of it. Since the day that he accepted the offer of joining the Mandalorians, the Morellian had learned many things with the Rancor Squad. However, now was the moment to put them on practice.

“Now we arrived, right?” he asked, while the ship descended in the atmosphere. Hauron had been piloting since they left the base, and Larrik had pestered him with questions like this one from time to time. He also couldn’t stay still, always moving to look at the window or grabbing his datapad to look at some cartoon channel in the holonet. The Morellian also had drank a lot of choc milk, really a lot.

He would do anything to distract himself from theee fact that the ship was moving like a turtle.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Six Months ago...

Ord Mantell was one of man locations Hauron Solus was scouting on behalf of Rancor Squadron. There were certain aspects of the criminal underworld that the Group Leader wanted to tap into. The planet had a history of lawlessness and nothing had seemed to change that over the decades and centuries of the planet's colorful past.

This was not the first time mandalorians would be visiting the world. Most recently Death Watch were reported to have fought in the Battle of Ord Mantell. It was said to have ended in a separatist loss with the famed General Grievous and Count Dooku losing. The man was optimistic with how he as a mandalorian would be recieved. At the minimum he expected to be respected but only time would tell.

The Werda Kom'rk was parked and secured with the S3 smartship AI onboard along with one of Hauron's Captains and a few lieutenants. It's bladed wings pointed skyward in its landed position. Exiting the ship were nearly a dozen armored warriors lead by Hauron Solus. He gave orders for them all to spread out and go about their mission objects in small teams. They all nodded and went their separate ways.

There were certain matters that only the Rally Master could accomplish on behalf of Rancor Squadron. He headed towards Herglic's Folly. His armored form making subtle clinks with each step. Underneath his helmet his head tendrils twitched, making him feel like he was being watched. But he was on Ord Mantell after all. It was to be expected.

---------------------------​

Today the Werda Kom'rk was carrying fewer warriors inside. It was the foundling's first "practical training" mission and it was Hauron's first time being the teacher. He was a little nervous but felt confident things would turn out well.

"Yup." He answered coolly as the ship came in for a landing. "Nervous?" He wondered if he had been this energetic when he was being first trained by his adoptive father. Maybe it was just impatience. But maybe that meant today was the perfect opportunity for the cadet to learn that lesson.

The multi-role starfighter was capable of flying fast, second only to an interceptor or dedicated combat fighter. But even the ship at the Solus's control was moving at a fraction of its full speed. He did not want to appear a threat to any of the locals or be a nussiance to the bustling air traffic. Numerous trade ships were still passed by the nimble rotating wings of the kom'rk until he brought it in for a landing.

"Use the bathroom before we leave. We might not have time for a fresher break later." The badger had observed the foundling drinking plenty of chocolate milk along the way and had the wisdom to know it was a recipe for a full bladder.

@LouJoVi

 

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

Larrik was watching the Mandalorian since he saw the guy leave his ship. His boss had informed him where the warrior had landed, so the boy could wait for them while hiding among the shadows of nearby buildings. He saw a bunch of helmeted dudes around the vessel, but his attention was drawn to only one of them. By the way that he was talking with the others, the Morellian concluded that he was the kingfish here.

And the boy was sure that his boss would be happier if he went after the leader.

Due to that, Larrik decided to ignore the other Mandalorians and went after their leader. Without any doubt his boss would be more interested in him. The boy ducked behind some trash cans when the armored man passed near the alley where he was hiding. He was able to have a good look at the guy’s armor. It was really impressive.

And a bit intimidating, but it wasn’t going to be a rusty piece of metal that would scare him.

Once the Mandalorian passed, Larrik left his hiding place and went after him. He moved slowly, trying to avoid making any sound. However, his worn shoes would make some faint step sounds while he walked. Whenever the guy looked back, the Morellian would jump behind trash cans or inside an alley.

By the path that the Mandalorian was following, they would end in the Herglic’s Folly. Larrik had a bad feeling about it. His boss's turf was there.

—-----------------------------------------​

Present day…

“Nah!” Larrik said, while turning to look at Hauron. He had stopped jumping up and down in the chair, but his right leg was shaking frantically. “I’m excited! It’s the first time that I’m going to do something on the field as part of my training!” his eyes were shining with excitement. The Mando’a and fighting classes were nice, but going out and putting his knowledge to practice was far better.

As soon as the ship landed, Larrik removed his seat belt and rushed to the vessel’s exit. He would stop briefly to pick his backpack, which was filled with everything that the boy would need outside. Well, except a weapon. He didn’t count his dagger as one, since all the Mandalorians used things more impressive than it. Since he was still learning how to use a blaster and vibroblades, the others didn’t allow him to carry any.

He wondered if Hauron would be nicer and lend one to him.

The Mikkian’s comment about using the bathroom made Larrik scoff. “I’m not a baby anymore.” the Morellian pointed to himself with a proud face. “I'm ten years old and I can control my pee.” then he looked at Hauron with big pleading eyes. “Besides, it would be more important if you stopped to pick some weapons before going out, so you could lend me a blaster. Pretty please?”

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Six months ago...

Hauron walked along the streets and pathways towards his destination. The man was cautious and kept an eye on his surroundings. That being said he did not have eyes in the back of his head. Reflective surfaces however did lend a hand when it came to seeing at angles his eyes could not or directions a tail might not expect.

This practice came in handy allowing the bounty hunter to spot someone following him at a distance. Once, twice, he spotted them confirming he was being followed and by someone who was warry enough to get out of sight before the mandalorian could lay eyes on them. But the Solus did not want to let his "admirer" to know that they had been made and as such, Hauron continued on with his business like he was none-the-wiser.

The man would eventually come to stop in front of an establishment guarded by two IG-100 droids better known as "magna-guards". They each sported stun staffs as well as blaster rifles on their backs. Their intimidating appearance rotated their heads and swiveled to watch the mandalorian with their red optics. But the Solus was not bothered by the cold attention.

"Is your boss in?"

He would repeat himself in Huttese if necessary.

---------------------------​

Present day...

Hauron could relate to Larrik's situation. He had been eager to prove himself not only to his betters but to himself. The theoretical training had been completed but now the practical hands-on training was nigh. "Good. Just don't think you've learned everything. There's plenty to be learned in the field you can't learn anywhere else."

The ship touched down and would begin cycling down. Hauron made sure it was safe and secure before collecting his things but the foundling in his care was already waiting by the exit. He could not help but crack a slight grin at seeing the energy in the kids body language. It made him feel old.

"Even adults need to pee." He said shamelessly. His helmet cocked to the side giving him a knowing look and last chance to use the bathroom before they left.

The matter of arming the foundling was of importance to Hauron especially on their given mission. "You think you are ready for one?" He asked seriously. The mikkian's eyes squinted slightly behind his visor as he regarded the child.

"If I were to allow that...what would you pick?" He stepped towards the weapon locker and typed in his code, making sure to keep it hidden from Larrik. The lock deactivated and the splendor of the mandalorian's armory was presented to him. This was an important lesson on its own and he was curious to see what the ten year old picked.

Spoiler: Armory

• Blurrg 1120 - small spare blaster pistol.
• Combat fusion cutter.
• DMT-254 - Deuc slug rifle.
• Foesweeper - stun scatterblaster.
• Galaar-15 blaster carbine - heavy mando carbine.
• Q-8 quicksilver - light blaster pistol.
• A few sets of shockboxing gloves.
• SG-82 sonic rifle - anti-force sensitive weapon of choice.
• Striker projectile pistols - slug throwers
• Spare vibroblades...like a lot.
• 2x Westar-35 - Medium mando blaster pistol with additional features.
• 2x Westar-55 - heavy mando blaster pistols.
• Extra grenades, breaching charges, etc.

​

​

@LouJoVi

 

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

Larrik followed the Mandalorian until the guy stopped in front of a very familiar building. It was his boss' hideout. From outside, it was a nightclub that only the richest individuals visiting Ord Mantell could enter. There were even two magna guards protecting the entrance. However, secretly crimes and shady business were made there.

Hiding behind some trash cans on the other side of the street, Larrik watched the droids move to place their staff in front of the entrance. “You aren’t allowed to enter. Go away.” one of the droids said, already activating their weapons. The Mandalorian would be in trouble, the boy always thought that they were scary.

While the armored man was distracted dealing with the droids, Larrik rushed from his hiding place. He moved around the building by going through an alleyway, reaching the backdoor. The employee’s door, as he liked to say. Once he crossed it, the boy beelined to his boss’ room, which was located on the second floor, from where he could see everything that happened in the nightclub.

Seated behind a table was his boss, Trosh Markar, the largest Dowutin that he had ever seen. Not that Larrik had the opportunity to see many individuals of this species. He was dressed in one of his fancy suits, a stark contrast to the rags that the boy was wearing. The Dowutin was staring at the child, making him get nervous.

“Hey, boss! I was following the Mandalorian and he came here.” Larrik said with a small smile that immediately disappeared when he saw Trosh rising from his chair. “I went to warn you about it.” the Dowutin was getting close and the boy was starting to panic. “I think that the droids will kill him…”

He couldn’t say anything else because Trosh grabbed him by the neck. “I already saw the Mandalorian at my door. This is the second time that you brought me critical information too late. You are useless.” the Dowutin easily pulled Larrik out of the ground and started to choke him. “I said that there wasn’t going to be a third.”

The boy tried to fight, but his skinny form was nothing in front of Trosh. When his vision started to get black, Larrik understood that his end had come.

—------------------------------​

Present day…

Hauron’s comment made Larrik look toward the bathroom. He wanted to go to the field immediately, but maybe missing some seconds to pee wasn’t bad. It would mean that their mission wasn’t going to be interrupted. As if agreeing with him, his bladder started to give signals of being full. With a sigh, the Foundling looked back at the Mandalorian. “Fine, I’ll go pee.” he said, before rushing to alleviate himself.

Once he finished it, Larrik washed his hands and returned to Hauron. Now was the part that he had most anticipated, deciding about his weapon for the mission. “Of course I’m!” he said, barely giving time to the Mandalorian to finish his question. “I’m doing very well in my firing classes.” there were some incidents, but nothing serious.

Larrik really tried to spy the code that Hauron was putting in the weapon locker, but the Mikkian was good at hiding it from him. When he saw the weaponry in front of him, the Foundling made the face of a child inside a candy store. There were so many options that he couldn’t choose.

With the Mandalorian’s permission, Larrik moved to grab what he wanted. Obviously one of the largest weapons, the DMT-254. With a smile at his lips, the boy tried to grab it. However, he immediately noticed that it was too heavy for him. It would be impossible for him to carry it around. The Foundling immediately came to the conclusion that at least for now, he would need to use something smaller and lighter.

“This one.” Larrik said, pulling the Blurrg 1120. “It’s light and small. I can carry it without any problem.” he smiled at Hauron, before looking at his weapon. It was the smallest blaster in the collection, but he was also the smallest in the Rancor Squad. They were perfect for each other, at least for now.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Six months ago...

The last thing Larrik would see before he lost sight of Hauron was the Mandalorian looking between the two droids and letting out a visible sigh with a subsequent raising and dropping of his armored shoulders. Shortly there after two near-simultanious blaster bolts would be heard by those inside the building. They were followed by another similar simultaneous blaster bolts.

Club security waited by the front door with anticipation. Gangsters got behind cover and waited for the mandalorian to come busting in the front door. Hauron had come when there would be few customers in the club and most of them would be too busy enjoying the music to notice the shots fired outside.

The front door opened and blaster fire rained around the opening and fired through it as trigger happy gangsters wanted to hoze the mandalorian with plasma. But the mandalorian was not in the doorway. Instead a small sphere rolled into the club and released a burst of smoke that covered the front half of the club's interior with dark grey smoke.

Hauron entered the room with his vision modes active, seeing the outlines of the enemies in the club. His twin westar-55 heavy blasters fired one swift bolt after the other into the armed security. The magentic accelerators causing them to be practically thrown back by the impact of the shots.

On the second floor, people in the boss's room would hear the sounds of battle beneath them. Yells and screams, the music stopping followed by more blaster fire. The office on the second floor had one wall shared with the interior of the club, allowing Trosh Markar the chance to view what was happening below.

Hauron raised both blasters and fired at the glass wall separating him from Trosh's office. Next, bending his legs and pushing off into a jump, the mandalorian's jetpack carried the Solus onto the second floor. His feet crunched on the broken glass. The two smoking heavy blaster pistols were aimed at the Dowutin's back but he appeared to have a child as a hostage, or maybe they were an employee. It was hard to tell. The cold T visor of the mandalorian's helmet stared at Trosh as he looked over his shoulder at Hauron who had just blasted past his defenses. "Let go, now."

---------------------------​

Present day...

Hauron was glad Larrik was choosing to use the bathroom. It was a lesson best learned early on because pissing yourself is an embarrassing experience especially as an adult. It was a small show of wisdom but valid all the same.

The rally master question was not meant to sound skeptical of the kid's marksmanship. It was more of a self-awareness question to see if Larrik felt he was responsible enough for one. They were going to be entrusted to defend themselves just as much as the mandalorian beside them. He needed to know Larrik was confident in his own abilities and not just saying what he thought Hauron wanted to hear.

As the foundling tried to pick up the large rifle the badger crossed his arms and tilted his helmet to the side. Underneath the visor the mikkian had raised an eyebrow while watching Larrik struggle with the weapon. He made no move to stop him and had meant what he said when the child could choose what he wanted. It also meant he would be carrying it for the entire mission along with ammunition.

Hauron shoulders relaxed a little and he let out a breathy chuckle. He nodded and picked up a few spare ammunition packs. Dropping down to one knee he put the ammo in one of Larrik's pouches. "Good choice. You know that was my first blaster too?" It felt poetic to see Larrik wield the same blaster Hauron had used growing up. It was the perfect size for Larrik and had some good stopping power to boot. Not to mention it could be snuck through security very easily compared to other sidearms. The mandalorian helped the foundling with his holster and everything else before they were ready to leave. "You've got your commlink, flashlight, rations, everything all good?" He felt like he was fusing over the child but could not help himself.

@LouJoVi

 

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

When Hauron arrived in the room, Larrik had already fainted. Trosh couldn’t crush the boy’s throat, because the Mandalorian appearing behind him made the Dowutin drop the unconscious child on the floor. He was scared, not having thought that the armored man would defeat his defenses so easily.

Trosh raised his arms in panic. He was away from his table, being incapable of grabbing the blaster that was hidden in one of the drawers. That boy really had ruined everything. He should have killed him years ago. Without much choice, the Dowutin decided to appeal for Hauron’s ambitions. “Look dude, whatever they offered you for my bounty, I can give you even more!”

He started to offer credits and even part of the ownership of the club, when Larrik groaned on the floor. The Dowutin furiously looked at the boy. “I can even give you this shit as a slave! He is still alive, so you can sell him to the Zygerrians or another slaver guild.” he offered a hand to the Mandalorian. “Do we have an agreement?”

—-------------------------------​

Present day…

Larrik blushed with Hauron’s praise. He was still getting used to having his efforts praised, in this case real praise, not the lies that his old boss used to tell him. Besides his happiness, the Foundling was amazed by the coincidence of having chosen the man’s same weapon. What were the chances of it happening?

“I had no idea! Did you use it in many missions?” he asked, curious about Hauron’s past as a Foundling. He had read some stories about how the Mikkian was rescued from the Zygerrians by the leader of the Rancor Squad. However, he wanted to know the details of his time in the rank that Larrik was at the moment.

“I have everything here! I’m ready to go!” he showed his full backpack to Hauron. Larrik was starting to see that the Mandalorian was a bit over-protective, helping him organize all his stuff and see if he was fine. Rather than thinking that it was annoying, the Foundling felt that it was comforting. He finally had someone that cared for him.

Or at least it was what he believed that Hauron thought about him.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Six months ago...

Hauron watched the dowutin release the relatively small child. The kids body was limp from falling unconscious. The Mandalorians' menacing T visor stared back at the pleeding gangster while Hauron's eyes lingered on Larrik. But Trosh had made a mistake in mentioning slavery. It would be the last one he ever made.

*PEEWN* The mandalorian's westar pistol fired, shooting the large man cleanly in the head. A smoking hole marked the man's forehead right between the eyes. The heavy frame of Trosh fell face first onto the ground and thankfully avoided crushing the kid near his feet.

Hauron had not come here for a bounty. Rancor Squadron was to make a foothold on Ord Mantell and they could have had an amicable meeting. But this was how things turned out. It was probably for the best he eliminated Trosh lest it come back to bite him. The rest of his gang was still around to deal with but with the Squadron's numbers they would be able to make progress in a few weeks.

The Rally Master strode over to the unconscious child and checked his pulse. He was alive with no lasting injuries. He gently jostled the child with a gloved hand, shaking him firmly to rouse him. "Hey kid, you okay? Time to wake up."

---------------------------​

Present day...

"Oh yeah. Well.. I carried it with me a lot but I didn't have to use it very much." Hauron answered Larrik's question, adding a few nods for emphasis. "It was by my side for years. I took it everywhere with me. Only when I became a full fledge warrior did I allow myself to upgrade to a pair of westars and even then those didn't have as much recoil as these." He patted the two westar heavy blaster pistols he carried. However, a set of Westar-35s had been the mandalorian's choice of sidearm for awhile until he desired the greater stopping power. "Just wait until you can shoot that blurrg with either hand and then I'll teach you about shooting two blasters at the same time. Its harder than it looks."

Hauron could see Larrik was ready to head out. "Oya!" He approved and closed the weapons locker, securing it before going over to a separate wall panel. Tapping a few keys the modified Zephyr G swoop bike held in the cargo hold would lower and be dispensed onto the ground beneath the ship. "We'll take the swoop to save time and fuel."

Swinging a leg over the seat, Hauron got onto the swoop bike and started it up. The vehicle was souped-up to be faster than normal and thrummed louder than was the standard. The badger waited until the foundling was onboard and holding tightly before taking off, the bike howling as it accelerated. Hauron liked to go fast but did not want to lose the foundling in the process.

The two passed building after building, street after street. The city landscape and architecture changed slightly but went by in a blur all the same. However a large semisphere sat on the horizon. It was a control core and one that belonged to a sect of Death Watch mandalorians if rumors were to be believed. They were likely descendants of the Kast and Saxon clans that had worked for Darth Maul's Shadow Collective during the Clone Wars so there was no telling what to expect. However the Rally Master knew that their facilities were more than capable of producing high quality munitions. Proton torpedo's, concussion missiles, even with money and resources Rancor Squadron still need to have a viable manufacturer. Larrik would also get some exposure to how diverse the mandalorian community could be, for better or worse.

@LouJoVi

Spoiler: Dice

Rolled to see quality of control core/DW hideout
71/100 Success

 

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

Trosh stared in horror when the Mandalorian pointed the weapon at him. “No, wait! We…” he only had time to say it, because soon a blaster bolt hit his head. The enormous Dowutin collapsed on the floor, nearly crushing Larrik. The boy could only stare with half-lined eyes the corpse of his boss lying on the floor.

If he wasn’t feeling so weak, the boy would have laughed.

Who was dirty now?

He was close to fainting, but someone poked him. Opening his eyes, Larrik was able to see the Mandalorian standing next to him. “I’m awake.” he said, before coughing . “What do you want with me?” there was no reason for the armored man to maintain him alive, since he was meaningless in the business that Trosh used to have.

The Mandalorian should have been more concerned with Trosh’s brother's arrival.

Which would be pretty soon

—----------------------------------​

Present day…

Larrik watched Hauron pat his weapons, while still holding his small blaster. He wondered how long it would take for him to start using the large ones. “Wait, are you going to teach me how to be able to fire with two blasters at the same time?” it was another reason for him to gain bulk and strength to hold the blurrg. Maybe he should eat more and do exercises.

Since the Foundling already went to the bathroom and they had picked their weapons, the two were prepared for the mission. Larrik followed Hauron toward the swoop bike, joining him there. “Okay, but be careful. I heard that Last time that you used it, you nearly crashed against a tree. I don’t want it to end like a pancake.” he said, remembering a bit of gossip that he heard from other members of the Rancor Squad.

While the vehicle moved, Larrik held on to Hauron, trying to not fall from the bike. He had noticed that the number of buildings around them had been increasing for a time, with the Foundling immediately thinking that they were near some type of town. “What place is it?” he asked, screaming through the sound of the wind around them.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Six months ago...

Hauron looked from the child to the dead dowutin and then back to Larrik. "What's your name, kid?" He wanted to know what to call the little scrapper.

Regardless of his name, the Rally Master would answer his question eventually. "I want you to make a choice. You can stay here, fend for yourself like you've probably been doing, or you can come with me. Would you like to be Mandalorian?" His left gloved hand extended and opened, offering to help Larrik up. Children were sacred and needed to be protected, a sentiment Hauron continued to believe in and shared with all mandalorians.

Even if the child rejected his offer and ran away he would not do anything to stop him. The sound of metal on hard packed earth and concrete echoed up the block towards the club. It signaled the approach of a single wheel bike. Riding on the armed personal wheel bike was none other than Trosh's brother, It saved the badger the trouble of going to look for him.

Spoiler: Dice

reinforcements
1/20 only 1

---------------------------​

Present day...

Hauron nodded. "Eventually. But you have to show you can master one before two." It was good to set a goal and see the progress Larrik would make. Plenty of kids would rather play games but Hauron wanted the foundling to remain motivated on self improvement and not lose sight of it.

The Rally Master chuckled at the foundling's wit. "Oh? Who told you that?" Was someone talking crap about him behind his back. It was probably just an officer giving him a ribbing. Hauron did not take offense and would pilot the bike safely, remaining in control throughout their journey.

Hauron cleared his throat as he thought about the control core ahead of them that was quickly growing larger. "It's a factory run by a sect of mandalorians called Death Watch or at least their descendants. They follow a more militaristic way of life and may not be as welcoming as Rancor Squadron." His tone would hopefully convey the seriousness of the situation. But he did not want Larrik to feel jumpy. "They're our estranged brothers and sisters, Larrik. I don't want to fight them if we don't have to." That meant keeping their weapons in their holsters until it was absolutely necessary. Otherwise they would likely escalate a tense scenario. That being said, Hauron had heard about the Death Watch, the shadow collective and could see some similarities to the Crusades attempted by the previous Mandalores.

The two mandalorians soon came within the shadow of the large looming semi-sphere. A surrounding series of buildings provided a wall of sorts and buffer between the rest of the city and the control core. Even from a distance it was clear there was a checkpoint with blaster turrets and guards wearing a variant of mandalorian armor.

The swoop bike came to a slowed stop and a male and female mandalorian in red and grey plates. <"You're alive."> Hauron greeted the two mandalorians in the traditional way despite never having met either of them. Hs tone reverted to a proffesional and serious voice now that they were in front of strangers.

<"Hauron Solus. We've been expecting you."> The female replied and gestured for him to continue onward. <"Follow the ramp, it will take you to a motor pool. You can park your bike there. An escort will be waiting for you."> The other guard added curtly. Their T visor lingered on the young foundling. A slight hint of surprise and curiosity it seemed that the Group Leader would come with a child. As far most of the galaxy knew he was a bachelor without any offspring of his own. Maybe this would spawn some unnecessary rumors in turn. Crashing speeders were probably the least of his worries.

Spoiler: Dice

Rolled for state of mind for the Death Watch
Result: amicable
80/100 success

@LouJoVi

 

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

“L-Larrik.” he said, before having another cough fit. The boy mentally cursed the fact of Trosh being strong. The Dowutin nearly crushed his windpipe and the dude didn’t even need the Force to do it, like how people used to say that the Sith used to do when they were pissed. He moved his hands around his neck, already expecting that bruises would appear on it.

The question made by the Mandalorian caught him by surprise. “Why are you asking it?” the dude didn't even know him and was already offering an opportunity to join his group. Larrik couldn’t find any sense in what he was saying. This man was really strange.

However, Larrik didn’t want to stay here alone. Trosh’s brother would send his people soon and he doubted that they would be friendly with him. So he said what someone that wanted to survive would say. “Yes.” then he immediately followed the helmeted guy, not even sparing a second to look at the dead Dowutin.

Unfortunately, when they reached outside the sound of a speeder bike alerted for the arrival of Trosh’s brother, Karkon. The Dowutin was even more threatening than the other, with Larrik immediately getting behind the Mandalorian. “What the hell happened here?” the guy said, staring murderously at the helmeted man.

—-----------------------------------​

Present day…

Larrik gave Hauron a sly smile. “I’ll never reveal my sources. Trust among brothers is important!” he said playfully, reciting what some members of the Squad used to say. Besides not wanting to cause trouble to the person that told him this story, the boy also didn’t want to lose a good source of gossip and fun stories about the Rancor Squad. He loved hearing them during the breaks of his training.

He paid close attention to Hauron’s explanation and compared this information with what he was seeing in front of him. The armours of the two Mandalorians weren’t much different from what the people in the Rancor Squad wore. However, the way that they talked and looked at him made Larrik feel uncomfortable.

The boy decided to remain close to Hauron while they remained in this place. Going out to explore seemed to be a bad idea.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Six months ago...

Hauron was glad to hear the child speak. It meant he was not too severely injured. "That's a good name, Larrik." It sounded strong as he said it aloud.

The Rally Master would not answer the child's question in that moment. Hauron saw a bit of himself in the kid but it felt like the right thing to do. With Larrik's situation the scrapper would end up either getting killed or becoming a bounty the man might hunt or worse.

The mikkian smiled underneath his helmet and gave a nod as he helped the foundling up. There were files and things worth searching for. "Hold on." He told Larrik a he walked around behind the desk and searched drawers. Sure enough there was a drawer with a lock. Hauron searched the dead man's body and found a key and a moment later used it to open the locked drawer. Inside were stacks of credits, a fancy blaster, and a datapad. The Mandalorian slid the entire drawer out and off its railings to carry it under one arm.

Hauron had never seen a wheel bike in person but it was an interesting contraption. The individual who was no doubt Trosh's brother by reports. The Mandalorian stopped outside the club facing the last surviving family member of the gang. The badger raised his freehand still wielding his heavy blaster and shot the Karkarodon. When he fell to the ground Hauron stepped over him and fired a second shot into his head.

"Come on. You can ride in my lap." He said to Larrik as he stepped over the smoking body. There was only one seat in the wheel bike and with the added cargo he would need to drive slow. But shortly enough the two would return to the rest of Rancor Squadron. From there they would be able to begin Larrik's new life as a Mandalorian foundling.

What's more, the information that Hauron would find on the datapad would tell him all about Trosh's operations. This would help solidfy Rancor Squadron's presence and give an idea of what everyone else was doing. Hauron now had an idea of the former gang's competition. But most importantly a conversation between Trosh and a smuggler spoke about an expedition to search a Venator class star destroyer on a mysterious moon somewhere between the Ord Mantell, Mandalore and the Core. The last entry seemed to speak of finding the coordinates of the salvageable capital ship.

Spoiler: Dice

Rolled for bonuses
93/100 rousing success
Adding a clue for Mandalorian Vault

---------------------------​

Present day...

Hauron would chuckle at Larrik's cheeky answer. He was a cute kid and it was hard to not find him fun. Though even the Rally Master had to admit sometimes he drained his battery. At times Larrik had boundless energy and even in the prime of his life, Hauron found it difficult to keep up. But then again, the training regimes of a Mandalorian tended to help in that regard.

When it came to speaking with the Children of the Watch, Hauron gave cool "Thanks" before continuing on with his speeder. Once he got out of earshot of them he whispered to Larrik. "Not exactly the warmest of welcomes but it will be okay." He did not take the coldness of their greeting personally. Mostly he was just trying to reassure Larrik.

Eventually he would park the bike smoothly in the motor pool. There were numerous other military grade vehicles and no less than a dozen heavily armed Mandalorian guards in the vicinity. No doubt there were hidden turrets and other failsafes should the factory come under attack.

Standing out among the guards was a group of four. Leading them was a woman in primarily red armored plates though she doffed her helmet after seeing the two new arrivals. She was followed by a more petite being, a foundling of her own by Hauron's guess. The other two seemed to be additional guards.

"Rally Master Hauron Solus. I am Simera Gedyc. We've been expecting you. Please, follow me." Her eyes lingered on the younger of the two but finished her about-face and addressed the guards. "You two can go." The stoic guards looked at one another and then marched off without another word. The T visor of Simera's companion continued to turn in the direction of Larrik before panning elsewhere.

@LouJoVi

 

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

Larrik watched Karkon climb down, his already ugly face even worse due to his anger. The boy thought that it would look even more terrible when he discovered that his brother was assassinated. He hid behind Hauron, not wanting to stay between them when the two adults started to fight.

To his surprise, the entire thing was completely anticlimactic. The Mandalorian simply pointed his blaster and fired, making Karkon collapse on the floor. Another bolt and he laid lifeless. “That was fast.” he said, before rushing after Hauron. Larrik had no interest in staying near the body.

Who knows if he could still be alive?

He grimaced with the necessity of sitting at Hauron’s lap, but complied with it. Leaving this place was more important to Larrik than his pride. Before the vehicle started to move, the boy turned to look at the helmeted man. “Are you going to share with me some of the credits that you stole? I saw you picking it when you thought that I wasn’t seeing.”

Only because the Mandalorian was offering him a new life, doesn’t mean that he wasn’t going to want some credits.

You need money to start a new life.

—------------------------------------------​

Present day…

Larrik smiled when he saw Hauron chuckle. The Rally Master could be so serious sometimes that the Foundling had taken for himself the mission of making him laugh. Being honest, he had already expanded this mission to make all members of the Rancor Squad laugh. He had mixed success so far, some of them were too serious.

However, Larrik really doubted that even the best of the clowns in the Galaxy would be able to make these Mandalorians that were around them laugh. Even those without helmets looked too serious, like they waited to be attacked at any moment. The boy would have hated to be part of them, he was sure of that.

Even the woman that was going to meet them seemed to be too serious. However, what Larrik considered most strange was how her companion had stayed some time staring at him. It was only another reason for him to stay closer to Hauron.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Six months ago...

Hauron stowed the contents of the draw in the saddle bag of the wheel bike for transportation. "Sure. What are you going to buy with them?" The two individuals would get on the wheel bike before speeding their way back towards the rest of Rancor Squadron. He was curious what a kid wanted with money. Was it ice cream bars, candy, maybe a blaster or a star ship? He thought to himself. Now was as good a time as any to get to know Larrik a bit better. The Rally Master had plenty of money but he also knew that it was important to teach the value of currency. Maybe he would work out an allowance for Larrik.

---------------------------

Present day...

Hauron could feel Larrik draw closer to him. Their surroundings were not relaxing though he had a feeling that was intentional. This eventualy changed after the guards left and the group arrived in a large hall. It overlooked a portion of the city and was far from a standard addition. Hauron found himself look around at the change in architecture and recognizing Mandalorian designs.

"Do you like it?" Simera smiled with a tilt of her head. "It cost a pretty credit, but mother felt it worth it to have something to remind us of home and our culture." The straight and angular lines were certainly mandalorian. Little to no rounded edges or circles were incorporated from what he could see but it was beautiful non-the-less. "Impressive." Hauron managed as he admired the room. Everything else in the control core and neighboring buildings seemed Mantellian or Separatist design.

Simera walked around the table until she stood at the head of it, taking a seat and gesturing for Hauron and Larrik to do the same. "I'll cut to the chase, rally master. We've known about you since you're arrival six months ago. You dispatched a few street thugs and made a show of it. Hard to miss if I do say so myself. It was only a matter of time before your people and mine crossed paths but my question is "why", why are you here and what do you want with us?" It was clear they still thought Rancor Squadron might be a threat to them. But Hauron wanted to remove such concerns.

"I'm here to do business with you, Chief Gedyc." He used the honorific title sine she was the one in charge. "Rancor Squadron needs weapons and armor. Our ships need maintenance and munitions resupplied just like any other. You may believe we are different but I think we're more alike." He reached up to unseal his helmet, removing it and revealing his face to the woman. It was the first show of good faith he wished to display. "Mandalorians are coming upon a new age of industry and I want you to be a part of it. With growth comes competition and in this galaxy corporations wage war with one another. I'm asking you to become the production side of Rancor Squadron." It was no small matter to consider. Her face was a myriad of expressions but still hard to read completely.

"Interesting. I'm sure I can convince the rest of my clan to get on board too. There may be grumbling at first. and I will both be happier with some incentive." Her eyes remained on Hauron, occasionally distracted by the head tendrils that moved around him. "Compensation will be generous but I understand. Did you have something in mind?" He did not want to throw out offer after offer for it to get declined.

"There's a zone on Ord Mantell that has numerous ships that used to belong to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. It's a grave yard of what used to be the droid army of the CIS. It would go a long way to help kick off production if we could salvage from them. There are believed to be rogue droid armor and starfighters that patrol the nearby area that have kept us from securing it. If Rancor Squad clears enough of it, we will make whatever you want." She smiled in a way that said it would be a difficult task. But that was also why the Gedyc was asking it. This would prove furthermore that they were willing to sacrifice and work together for a greater good.

"I think we have a deal." Hauron said, letting a smile come to the corners of his mouth. Simera matched his in kind with genuine warmth peaking through. "Aye. Let's have tea then!" She called for an attendant who would bring out cassius tea. Four cups of tea were brought out to toast to their shared future. Simera's young companion removed their helmet to reveal close cropped blond hair and brown eyes. They looked to be similar in age to Larrik though her expression lingered on apathy.

 

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

Larrik frowned with Hauron’s question. He didn’t think that he would need satisfaction from a total stranger about what he would spend the money with. Although, he really had accepted to join the Mandalorian’s band. Then he really owed the dude some explanation. “I’ll buy food, okay? I can’t remember the last time that I ate something that didn’t come out from the trash.”

As if justifying his answer, his stomach made a sound. He really wanted something to eat.

—-----------------------------------​

Present day…

Larrik looked at his surroundings, while changing his weight from one foot to another. The room made him unnerving. It was very different from the place where the Rancor Squad used to gather. This place was lifeless, reminding the Foundling from his old boss’ office. Even the sigh through the window didn’t change his discomfort.

The boy didn’t pay much attention to the conversation between the adults, trying to come to terms with the uneasy feeling that he had. It only got worse with the fact that the one wearing the helmet seemed to be staring at him from time to time. He avoided looking at them, preferring to look at the window and the city beyond it.

He felt relieved when the conversation came to an end, but wasn’t very happy with the fact that they would still need to stay here some more, this time to drink tea. He picked one of the cups, right on time when Simera’s companion removed the helmet. Larrik stared wide eyed with the fact that the girl was nearly his age. “Hi.” he muttered, not sure of what else to say to her, after having avoided her during all this time.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Six months ago...

This was Larrik's first opportunity to spend money and make a choice for himself. There were worse things for a kid to buy. "When we get back we'll get you a all the food you can eat, for free. Then if you still want to spend your money on food you can." The mandalorian did not want the foundling to be worried about their next meal. "You won't ever have to worry about going hungry as a mandalorian." But just as importantly as making him feel secure, Hauron wanted Larrik to be able to make his own choice with the credits. It did not matter if the mikkian thought a food was junk or a delicacy. The new life of Larrik the mandalorian was going to be better than before.

---------------------------​

Present day...

Hauron looked to Larrik after they were served tea. The foundling seemed uncomfortable and the rally master made a mental note to ask him about it later when they had some privacy. The two leaders and their wards each took cups of tea. The Gedyc youth blinked a few times and replied with a simple "Sup."

Hauron and Simera raised cups towards one another, knowing how to perform the traditional toast maneuvers and then imbibing the tea. "To our future profits and prosperity!" Hauron nodded slightly and responded in kind. "To growth and friendship." With that said they drank from their cups deeply.

Afterwards Hauron and Simera would have a bit of small talk and then hash out tedious details of their operation. But rather than bore Larrik he excused the two of them. "We will be in touch. Thank you for your time and hospitality."

End Thread​

@LouJoVi

 

[Larrik]

Six months ago…

“For real?” Larrik asked, not believing in what he had heard. Since he became an orphan, no one ever gave him free food. To have it, the boy would need something in exchange, because he grew up knowing that there was nothing free. This knowledge even made him doubt what Hauron was telling him, going as far as thinking to ask if there was a catch. However, the Mandalorian seemed to be honest. So, he did something that never did for a long time.
Hope. For a new and happy life.

—-------------------------------------​

Present day…

The answer of the young Mandalorian sounded so robotic that Larrik didn’t even try to ask their name, preferring to stare at the cup in his hands. He couldn’t wait for this meeting to end, then he would return to the rest of the Rancor Squad and away from these weird people.

At this moment, the Foundling felt grateful for having been rescued by a Mandalorian that was normal.

He watched Hauron and Simera do a toast, before drinking his own. After finishing it, Larrik concluded that the Rancor Squad’s tea was far better than this one. The Foundling would mention it to the Rally Master when there were only the two of them.

When he saw that Hauron was already leaving, Larrik returned to his side. “Yeah, thank you.” he said to the two, before following the other Mandalorian away, happy for finally going to get away from this place.

End Thread/

@Darasuum