Ask Mandalore Hunting a Badger

[Indy Sati]

Ever since being on Jedha, Indy felt an edge of anticipation. Not just for having the Fallen Blade, but finding out, slowly, bits and pieces of its' history. She had no real proof of its' last owner, apart from a Jedi vision. If she was ever to catalogue it properly, she would have to go to one of the places most likely that a Mandalorian might have lived so many thousands of years ago.

Sundari.

There were notes in the Archives, painstakingly restored after not only the Great Purge, but the Emperor's orders. What chance did she have finding out about a man from a proud warrior culture, except for the echoes of the past? Especially to find out how he might have had such a powerful Dark Side weapon?

Needless to say, she didn't carry the lightsaber with her just yet. Something about it felt wrong, sickening almost. There were legends, stories of its' origins, and she was reluctant to use it until it would be catalogued on Ajan Kloss or purified for use. She wasn't certain yet what she would even do. It was one of the reasons why she was here, helping Roland any way she could. But at the unfortunate arrival of Adenn and Talon when she was with Roland, she was now marked as she really was.

Aruetii. Outsider.

She wasn't quite able to look Roland in the visor since almost losing her temper when the yellow-armored Mandalorian had approached her. It wasn't really the Jedi way. But also, it was humiliating. Did they assume that by telling her the Sith was dead all things would be fine? But more than once she knew that even by having most of her concealed wasn't enough here. There were plenty with their faces and heads uncovered, but there were a few, like Roland.

She finally glanced up at him, meaning to ask where someone like her could possibly ask to access any archives. But instead, another question tumbled out from her lips, giving him a sideways glance.

"For Mandalorians here... I've noticed some without their visors on. Is that... normal?" It was also a way to feel her way around, to make sure she didn't stand out as much as she felt she did. After all, this was his city. She was curious.

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

At hearing Indyana's question, Roland looked at her and then around to see a few people wearing Mandalorian emblems, mythosaurs and other obvious signs that they were associated with the warrior culture. "The Way of the Mandalore...it's a way of life some of my people have adopted..." His eyes lingered on some of the strangers without their helmets on. "...to stay safe and hunt what would hunt us." That had been the Galactic Empire and its persistent descendant organizations. The Sith have been around longer. But it wasn't the Sith that caused the Great Purge. It was carried out by people and it had cost many Mandalorians their lives. A bittersweet sensation ached in Roland's chest, a mixed feeling he didn't entirely understand himself. Wasn't not needing to wear a helmet the whole point?

The other person not wearing a helmet was the Lieutenant's Jedi cohort. His helmet turned again to the side, noticing something else down one alleyway. A red helmet and pauldron moving out of sight caught his eye. "We'll have to have a study session some time." He said and started heading in the direction of the Mandalorian.

Roland was sure it had been a Badger. One turn down into a wider alley that was more like a narrow street, there was the Mandalorian again heading out into a plaza with a ship landed on top of what had probably been a sculpture but now the crumbled artwork lay at the side allowing a the vessel to dominate the center of the area. The red armored Mandalorian didn't show any sign of noticing the two tailing them though there were still other Mandalorians in sight.

Across the plaza where the crimson warrior was headed, having been obscured from the parked ship, was an old shopping center. It's escalators having long since halted. Crumbling pieces of artwork and signs of the elements having encroached on the building. A wookiee walked down the other escalator and grumbled loudly as it passed by, an obvious patch of fur missing on its bicep where it had been shaved and showed an intricate tattoo of a rancor skull. The crimson Mandalorian to turn its head over their shoulder at the source and saw the Rook. "Following me?" The feminine voice looking towards Indy for a moment. "That's usually a bad idea. Especially for outsiders."

Roland looked back at the wookiee who hadn't even slowed its walk away, oblivious. The lieutenant could see the obvious black sigil of a badger against the shoulder plate of the warrior as well as a pair of jaig eyes on her helmet. "I'm looking to get a tattoo." The helmet of the woman was still focused on Indy. "...and you...?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Indy Sati]

Fair enough. She could sympathize with wanting to blend in, to be less obvious to avoid persecution. It was what the Jedi had to do since the beginning of the Empire; to be obvious meant death. It was only recent Jedi could even show themselves to be Jedi; she found it hard herself to wear the traditional robes even during ceremony, so used to hiding that wearing them felt like pretending to be someone she wasn't.

In a way, she envied his dedication to the Way.

"...I understand," she murmured back, eyes downcast.

She kept herself in silence, until Roland suddenly changed direction, but at his words of a study session, she quirked a warm grin. "Y'know, I'd really like that." But once again, fell into silence as he followed the red armor down one street, then into a... she peered up around the massive structure, both brows raised in surprise.

A shopping mall?

She followed, keeping pace with Roland. He seemed in full Ranger mode somehow, and the roles slipped back easily into place. She wasn't just here as a friend, but as a historian, a Jedi. Still, though, when they talked back and forth, she was relieved they used Basic. She knew some Mando'a, but most of it was through historical text, and if she took her time and the other person was patient, she could understand. But it was a mite impractical to carry a translator datapad and type out every word phonetically.

The female, however, didn't seem to take her eyes off the Jedi. She had a feeling that if she saw the woman's face, the Mandalorian would be intensely scrutinizing her. She looked back, eyes calm. "Information about someone from thousands of years ago," she replied, not attempting to be cryptic. She winced inwardly, realizing she probably sounded that way. But since Roland was here for a reason more achievable than finding anyone that knew of the person she was looking for...

"A tattoo also."

Not that anyone else saw her other tattoos anyways, this seemed a once in a lifetime experience. And she was curious about what made a Solus tattoo artist different. She also had the feeling, however, that lying wasn't going to solve anything nor get any answers. Sticking to the truth felt like the best option.

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

The emotionless visor of the female mandalorian accepted Indyana's response. "ha!" The female Mandalorian said singularly before looking once again to her kinfolk. "Whatever..." She said with a chuckle from behind her hlemt. " see you around snake boy." The woman said and finished her descent along the escalators. Her visor though, never seemed to be outside of what could be considered peripheral vision for a Mandalorian.

Roland sighed after the woman passed. There was a tenseness in his body. Not a sensation that made him afraid for himself, but instead for Indyana. She was here for him. So if she got hurt, it was on him.

Once she passed, Roland looked after her and then turned to look at Indy for a moment and then turned to head back of the escalator. The two continued to walk for another minute or Roland saw the obviously crimson clad warrior stood leaning out the side of a door. His posture was casual though Roland knew better than to think he wasn't being watched.

Inside the shop was a less armored Mandalorian than most. Infact, the woman only wore a chest plate and had a dire badger padding along the ground behind her. <"Rawl, let me guess. You want a snake...">

"Not just me..." His helmet turned as he replied in basic. "She wants some ink too." It had been a bit of a surprise to Roland as well. The woman had been not seemed the type to get a tattoo. Then again, Pantorans had facial markings don't they? Hm, probably should ask about that.

Seeing the artist's skepticism, the Rook took another step into the tattoo parlor. <"Hi..."> She continued to look past Roland, towards the obvious non-mando.

"Shoulder is where I want it." He said simply and began pulling off his left gauntlet armor pieces. Setting them aside, the artist turned to begin prepping her equipment.

Roland would take off any and all pieces of armor for his left arm. "This." he said and showed a design of a serpent on a datapad. The helmeted woman took the device and looked it over for a minute. "Seems doable. You?" She asked towards Indy, though she was going to have to clearly do their tattoos one after another. The tattoo the Jedi wanted would likely be within the skillset of the Mandalorian tattoo artist. The tools she had at her disposal were more than enough to accomplish the task of getting a simple tattoo.

@Killa Ree

 

[Indy Sati]

At least the red-armored female hadn't taken a shot at her. However, Roland seemed on edge for a few moments; was he worried about her? Nah, he couldn't be... he was more than capable of handling himself, as was she at handling for herself. Still... she found herself smiling slightly beneath her veil. The concern was touching. Still, they moved on, and yet he still seemed to be looking out. She knew they were being watched, but something about what just happened seemed to put him even more on edge.

Still, she understood 'Rawl' and 'snake'. That was a start. She had to mentally tally her limited knowledge, but she could piece some of what the tattoo artist was saying. Bits and pieces could fall into place... but Roland answered in Basic. She wasn't certain if it was for her benefit or not, but... she shifted her gaze towards his. For a moment, if he looked, he would see a flicker of gratefulness in her eyes.

She nodded past Roland, and though her smile was unseen, eyes warmed slightly. "Hey."

And then straight to business. Thank goodness. She wasn't up to debates of culture yet. She didn't see what Roland had in mind for his, but she drew up her datapad. She wasn't certain when she would get this one done, but it seemed like it would happen today. She showed the image, her own voice low. "Just on my shoulder as well," she spoke quietly, gesturing to the one on her left. It was a simple design, but one that had great meaning to her. Just what... he wouldn't know yet.

She tried hard not to glance over at Roland's arm, but she couldn't help just the slightest glance as she turned away. He was wordlessly allowed to go first; she would sit and wait. While she did, she shucked off her jacket. The button-up she wore beneath the blaster vest cut off at the shoulders. He would see, if he looked, a pattern on her other arm, of strange swirling design and sharp geometric lines up and down her right arm. At the peek V of the front to her blouse, there seemed to be more patterning as well, but she didn't look up at him straight away.

She would wait patiently. There was time enough as well.

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

The tattoo artist finished preparing her instruments. Her eyes looked over the existing ink on Indyana's arms and gave an impressed nod. She wasn't the only one that had not expected to see so much in the way of tattoos already on the pantoran's arms and body. Underneath his helmet, Roland's brow was raised at the surprise. "Damn."

Circling around the solus he would get a better look at the Jedi's existing full sleeve.Roland didn't know the Jedi Order could be relaxed when it came to that sort of thing. His own unmodified arm which he had revealed, hooked a thumb into his belt and watched quietly while the artist began her work.

"How long have you had that one?" He would ask over the sound of the tattoo being applied. There were things he wanted to ask the Solus clan member before they left. His eyes looked more towards Indyana, wondering if she would pick up a conversation while the work was being done. It could have been someone a Solus clan member would know. Then again they didn't keep records much these days. His mind wandered towards the records that the Sector Rangers had access to and thought about what kind of archives might exist that remain unspoiled by either the Sith Order and it's ancestors. As a Mandalorian, he knew of the Great Purge and how the Galactic Empire had tried to erase his people's culture. There were places they could reach during that time when they had probably took control and hoarded Mandalorian artifacts or destroying them.

"So you're not a mando I take it." The woman said to Indyana more as a statement than a question. "Don't worry. Not a problem for me. As long as you pay." She wasn't wearing her own helmet though it wasn't too far away. "you can drop the..." She raised a hand to her face and gave her finger a wiggle. "...if you want. Just put it back on before you head out." She finished by giving Roland a look that was separate though equally as scrutinizing.

It would take a couple of minutes for him to type up the requests and plans made for trips he was planning. Roland stopped himself as he realized he was automatically calculating the logistics of Indyana joining him. His eyes looked towards her for a moment and kept charting routes and a vague itinerary. For a moment Roland thought he heard a clicking noise of some kind before trying to focus on it and then losing it. It kind of sounded like nails rapping on a counter top for a moment. "hmm."

@Killa Ree

 

[Indy Sati]

Blinking back to awareness at Roland's statement, she flushed and grinned at the look he was no doubt giving her. She couldn't quite explain it, but somehow he seemed surprised. Hadn't he seen glimpses of the work done when they sparred on Ajan Kloss? Though, granted, he would have been more focused on her general movement than appearance; she normally wasn't sleeveless, either.

A finger traced up one jagged curve along the line of her bicep, smiling. "Since I was fifteen; I joined around that age, and got them as a tribute to my ancestry, and to some of my favorite studied cultures at the time." She flipped over her wrist, showing off jagged lines of what seemed like a Nexu head, bordered by those same sharp lines to cut off neatly at the wrist. "Pantorans paint their clan sigils in gold on their cheeks to signify their family; with being taken away from them, I couldn't do that anymore. So I paid tribute in my own way, in my own version of a clan."

She leaned back, then shrugged at the tattoo artist's statement, a faint smile crinkling at her eyes. "Guilty. But I'm looking for one... it's a very long shot. I'm a historian, hoping to find information on someone from Clan Solus thousands of years ago by the name of Koil." She deliberately kept her tone casual, but golden eyes took in much. She also heard the sound... speaking of.

Didn't the woman have an animal here somewhere? And where did they go?

Nonetheless, Roland seemed to keep tilting his visor in her direction, and for some odd reason she felt like flushing further purple. Hardly dignified.

If you thought my sleeve was impressive, you have no idea about the rest of it, Roland Rook, she thought with a slight smirk at the tilt of her lips. It was a long shot though, for any of Solus to remember Koil, but she had to try, and she had a feeling some sort of conversation would beat none at all.

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

Hearing Indy's answer made Roland smile a bit. Taking it and making it her own, that was something he admired about her. "I can relate."

The tattoo artist didn't stop working on the tattoo, not at first. "qoyl...like a snake coil? Hmm." She gave it some thought, stopping for a moment, touching up in some areas but pausing since she wasn't focusing on the tattoo anymore and didn't want to mess up. "Well...if your a historian you might mean...well there was an old Koil Solus I think but don't know much about them."

Now that she had an idea she sounded confident that was the lead they were thinking of and went back to working on the tattoo. "And...do you happen to know anything else about them?" Roland asked after the tattoo was resumed. "Not really. You could look around Concordia or Concord Dawn, rest of Mandalorian space if your feeling dangerous. A lot of us Solus keep to ourselves too you know but we never really ever left." The pain of the tattoo would spike for a moment but it was just the woman being cheeky with the outsider. "Territorial lines up with the reputation." He said for Indy's sake. Just because he was wearing Mandalorian armor wasn't going to make him friends with everyone they came across wearing a T visor.

Roland understood another meaning with what she said and it had more to do with interclan politics, something he had become more aware of as of late.. While Rooks scattered in their survival, going where ever it was, did whatever it took, Solus had been stubborn in their own way and held their ground. But that was something that was in the past and couldn't be changed.

@Killa Ree barely a success

 

[Indy Sati]

She did eventually relax into the chair. Listening to the Mandalorian tattoo artist, she nodded along, but paused at the mention of Concordia or Concord Dawn. Two planets well known to Jedi historians; there was a brief moment where she paused, obviously considering the options that stood before them. "Just knowing their name is known is more than I hoped to learn, thank you," she spoke up quietly.

But Roland seemed to keep glancing her way, and she tilted her head at him. What was he thinking?

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

The rest of the woman's tattoo continued without any other questioning. Some music played in the distance and echoed through the former shopping building as some drums beat and then died out after a bit.

Getting out of his seat he moved over to take Indy's spot for the tattoo artist. Reviewing the image it wasn't long before the Solus clan member got to work. It hurt but it didn't surprise him. His right hand clenched every once in awhile throughout the process.

"Have you seen any other Rooks recently?" He asked during the time. "Trouble finding your kin?" The man grunted a little as the needle pushed against bone a little harder than before. "Something like that."

"Well they also been heading to Bandomeer and Concord Dawn." She shrugged. "The rest...don't know anything else really." They continued the rest of the time in silence. It was information he already had heard but hadn't been able to check it out as a lead until now. This meant it was still up to date information at least. "I'm also in need of an armorer." His free hand dragged across some of the damaged plates, one of which had been a sniper bolt on Jedha. "They're not here. Not in Sundari I mean. But they visit sometimes. Stick around for a few weeks and you'll be able to cross paths with them. Probably." She added with a bit of a mischievous grin without looking up.

Looking down at the finished tattoo, Roland would thank the artist and pay for both their ink. "Let's head back." he said and grabbed the rest of his dismantled armor pieces that had been set aside. They had spent a fair amount of time for the artist to do her work on the two of them and the hour was getting late. "We can head to Concordia first I think." His priority right now was still getting more information about this Koil. He would come back another time if there was any other inform

@Killa Ree Successful

 

[Indy Sati]

It was a little sore where the Mando tattoo artist had deliberately gone a little harder to tease the Jedi, but she didn't seem bothered by it really; when she swapped places with Roland, she couldn't help glancing over at his arm again. It was strange to see a portion of him without armor; he was pale, and unmarked with other tattoos it seemed.

Not that there wouldn't be any others elsewhere... a coy little thought popped into her mind, but she brushed it aside, carefully covering over the new ink as she always did to protect it, and then her jacket over that. He was mostly silent; thank goodness for that, she wasn't the chatty type to begin with.

It was when he gestured to his armor, and the score mark from Jedha, that the Jedi winced slightly in guilt. It was her fault he got hurt in the first place... well, and her hurt as well... and both of them getting caught in the sandstorm... and getting caught in this mess...

But hey! She got a new tattoo!

He went ahead and paid for them both before she could even offer to pay for her own; she nodded once at the tattoo artist, then glanced up at Roland as they began stepping out, a smile glittering in golden eyes.

"Man with a plan. One thing I like about you, you know." Her tone was light; she felt a weight slipping off her shoulders. For the first time in ages, she had a real, solid clue to go by, and someone recognized the name as someone who was once real, not just a rumor or a folk story!

Off to Concordia it was! She nodded along once, stride tall and with a wide smile on her lips. For the first time, she was on a mission with a real, attainable path ahead, and a good person who was willing to help.

With all this fortune, what's the worst that could happen?

//End Thread

@Darasuum