Ask Mandalore Sharing is Caring

[Hauron Solus]

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Spoiler: Music

Song

The last time Hauron had visited the Citadel had been years ago along with his father. While Kotii had left the after party early, Hauron never attended and had to leave before joining in much of the festivities. but there were still many members of House Solus that knew him and even more than before now that he had gained some renown as Group Leader of Rancor Squadron.

Private messages were sent by encrypted methods to a few armorers, telling them to send their apprentices if they wished. The Solus Rally Master was transporting beskar, phrik, and other materials for using in the forge. There were literally tons of food supplies and machine parts needed for repairs. There was at least one simple but effective forge in the Citadel to serve their purposes today.

The Citadel would be filled with more than just Solus mandalorians today. Rancor Squadron members were not all from the same clan or house and for some this was their first time visiting the Citadel. But others were returning and immediately greeted friends with forearm shakes and pats on the pauldrons. Many of the non-armorers went about their business which was most of the mandalorians. The secrets of armor smithing was not something easily shared even among their own and many of them knew better than to try and sneak a peak or eavesdrop. It was an open invitation anyways and even the inexperienced were welcome.

Hauron had help moving a large crate into the Citadel and towards the forge. His tool chest was emblazoned with a freshly painted mythosaur skull and on either of the badger's hips he carried a new weapon. One was a battlehammer and the other an armorer's hammer, both of which were entirely made of pure beskar and shone against the black kama he wore around his waist.

@Rue "null" tepmuart had volunteered herself to be the first to teach today and Hauron had agreed. He was a familiar to a degree thanks to his upbringing. But the mikkian never claimed to have mastered the craft. The man was capable adequatly maintaining his gear but he had a lot to learn. His adoptive mother had taught him a few things for one but he needed to keep those skill sharp and prevent his talent from going to waste. While the badger was a Rally Master and leader of Rancor Squadron, today he was also a student.

@Hastur

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

the tepmuart walked, seeing countless friends, lovers.. family, greeting one another, after a long day, or month, or even year.. who truly would know besides the greeter and the greeted..

For rue, underneath the armor and helmet that masked her humanity, her hurt, there was... Envy, they all had someone or something waiting for them to return to, while rue had only a graveyard, a place on Concord dawn that used to be so lively with the hopes and dreams of a proud and noble group of people, gone, just like that.

Her eyes softened, it may had been too late for her family, but she was glad to see others need not suffer as she does.

she continues to stride, watching hauron lift his large crate, she made sure to keep pace with them.

<"my friend, what did you find?">

On her back was her hammer, well adorned with the symbols and insignias of her clan, it was larger than most, made for hammering songsteel as well as beskar, requiring even a normal sized mandalorian to use two hands for it, compared to her? The thing was quite big.

@Darasuum

(ooc: apologies, forgot to tag!)

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron was not the strongest of mandalorians. In fact he had an trim and athletic build that had become more toned as of recently. More physical demands required him to adapt and he found his bodysuit becoming tighter in certain areas as his bulk filled it out. Maybe he would reforge his own armor.

He grunted as the large toolchest was put into place. Hearing Rue's voice he looked to see her standing nearly a full head shorter than him. But he looked back towards the box with a mythosaur skull on it. <"Oh this?"> He tried to sound non-challant but he was exceptionally excited about its acquisiton. <"I liberated it from Coruscant. I felt it was better put to use in a proper forge rather than collect dust in some collector's basement.">

His visor turned back to look at the Tepmaurt mandalorian. <"I don't think you had that nice hammer the last time I saw you. What else is new with you?">

@Hastur

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

Rue looked at him, taking the hammer off her back to look at it, here it comes... might as well be upfront about it now.. she could feel her grip tightening on the shaft of the hammer.

<"Oh... this... well.. I haven't used it since I last forged for a certain mandalorian with the name of creme-.">

she couldn't even bring herself to say his name in full anymore, the wound still fresh in her mind, she bit back the bitter envy she felt now, now was not the time for emotional baggage, nor was it the time for resentment, she looked down now, before she sharply inhales.

<"He was very near and dear to my heart, so when he died, I nearly lost my passion for smithing completely.. It's been sitting, gathering dust in.. what used to be my clans home on concord dawn..">

she shakily sighs at the question, looking up into his visor now. Kriff.. the rally master really had the annoying habit of making rue want to just be honest, it was all spilling out now.. she had to recover, now, or she would karking break down, but she simply had to know his side of the story, or else she wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

<"Don't concern yourself with me solus.. my brother was sick, It had to be done, he knew it, you knew it, his daughter knew it.. I knew it..">

her voice seemed to waver at that last part.
<"but can I ask something?.. did.. did he suffer?..">

She now quickly shook her head, seemingly to dismiss her question, she quickly turned towards the path to the forge, getting ready to move.

<"Forget it, you didn't come to give some sick fool her closure, let's get to work.">

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron's brow furrowed in a bit of confusion at detecting a bit of distress coming from Rue. Krehmeh? He thought he caught a persons name. They were dead, then it slowly dawned on the Solus who she was talking about. Cremek. It was not difficult for him to eventually draw the conclusion given the woman's clan and its association.

There was a lot to unpack with what she said. Hauron was glad to have his helmet obscuring his face because it helped prevent him accidentally making the wrong expression. His lips parted as if to speak an answer to her question but she stopped him from uttering anything. Without a sound his mouth closed just as quickly it had opened.

Moving on from the situation he would not push the subject further. Hauron instead chose to concentrate his attention on learning how to perfect his craft. Other mandalorians brought in containers of beskar for them to use. He had discovered a great many mandalorian bodies on Dxun and their beskar'gams had been collected and identified if possible. They were being returned now in their original plate form but many of them could not be identified and had been melted down into transferable bars.

Hauron would try his best to begin working on a helmet. The Rally Master had also brought plans for a buy'ce he intended to give to Jace. Maybe this would not turn out perfect but he could keep trying until it was right, until it was perfect. The badger focused on the forge and time would not matter. Sleep and food would soon be forgotten as he became consumed by the work before him.

@Hastur

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

rue was unaware of what was happening under the rally master's helmet, but rue had never done well when it came to hiding her emotions, she was simply just too expressive.

Rue, as always, just smiled and pretended everything was fine, and simply shook her head, she was angry with herself for saying too much, should have just left it alone, but what the hell.. how could she? Despite cremek being dangerous, cruel, and a stain on rue's family name forever.. he was still her brother.. and all she had left. She found some sad humor in it all now.. Mandalorians were supposed to protect themselves AND their families, and she couldn't even save those closest to her.

As they worked together, the cheerful and energetic side of her returned, it felt good to work again.. To fulfil her calling, it made her feel alive again, the forge, in her mind, was a place she felt she could truly be without remorse, putting her heart and soul into every craft she fashioned, and so, Rue puts genuine effort into trying her best to show hauron everything she can, making sure to stick around as long as she could, Rue even willingly shared her family's secret of how to properly work songsteel, after all, what was the point in knowledge when you're the last one left who holds it, can't take it with you to the long march anyways, and the twins tradition needed to live on, their fire had burned since the age of the first galactic empire, a survivor's fire, she didn't mind which form it took.. Solus was a friend, and there were few who knew how to work and create master-work creations out of songsteel.. This would be her gift.

As the lesson continues, Rue only took a few moments every so often to cough her lungs out, intentionally pushing herself as far as she could each time, to her, this was worth the pain she was enduring, she may be slowly withering, but like hell that was going to stop her from putting her blood, sweat, and tears into assisting the rally master in his task. She wanted to ignite that same fire in Hauron that once burned so fiercely in her, establishing a true love of the craft.. She guessed in a way, the rally master was going to be her successor in a way, before she found smithing to be too stressful on her body, and be forced to retire to concord and become a farmer.. if she could even accomplish that by the time she's forced to cease following the way of beskar..

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

The armorers worked on more than just beskar in the forge. Hauron was grateful for the knowledge Rue shared with him on songsteel. He asked her about other materials such as plastoid and durasteel. The science of smithing would be studied intensely by the Solus rally master. Beskar was not always so plentiful so it was good to learn about the alternatives available.

The badger pushed himself to his limit as he worked in the forge. Hauron checked his dataphone occasionally but often went hours or even the whole day without looking at it. He noted Rue's cough but believed she would brush off his concerns as she had so far so Hauron said nothing and let her continue to mentor him.

There was more than just the shapping of material that he learned. With the discovery of a new and secretive hyperspace route, Mandalorians were able to get high quality electronics from Vulpter. Furthermore they had access to the deep core to a degree greater than most other galactic travelers. He probably had the means to create an advanced Heads Up Display but did not want to damage the expensive parts yet on his first attempt.

The helmet he made for Jace came out better than he could have hoped. Sweating, tired and hungry, Hauron was satisified with the product. Looking to Rue he was smiling despite his exhaustion. <"Thank you, Rue. I couldn't have done it without you.">
He was far from finished and would returned back to the forge eventually. But the least he could do was take a break even if it was for just a few hours.

@Hastur @Sreeya

Spoiler: Dice

Rolled for first attempt at making helmet for Jace
96/100 Rousing success

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

When hauron finished, rue returned with some basic food and drink, after all, it was the least she could do for him, she eyes the finished result of the rally masters attempt, beaming, she took off her helmet to get a full look at it.

expertly done!

she then looked to the smiling rally master, looking sorrowful for a moment.

<"You know, last time I saw a person smile like that, he was assuring me that his intentions for our home were honorable, then he went mad.. The road to the void is paved with good intentions, as they say..">

she sighs, shaking her head gently.

<"There's no need for thanks, my only wish is for you to keep doing right by others, and not fall into the same trap of corrupted determination he did.">

<"Can I ask a favor?.. I know it seems impossible, and I know you hate sith, but, there's this girl, his daughter, she's just stepping into that brutal world now that her father is dead, no ones protecting her, it may have been too late for him, but it's not for her, you see?.. eventually.. she will come for you, and..>"

she trailed off, before refocusing.

<"She needs help, even if she doesn't realize it.. Don't let her be another cremek if you can.. the galaxy doesn't need two of them.. I know, and I hate to ask this of you, but with my body failing me, I worry I wont be able to soon..>"

She kept her voice low and quiet, as if she was worried about being overheard and perhaps judged, she looked away, her pride slightly stung.

<"I-I just want my family to be safe.. i'm no sith lover.. am I bad for still caring?..">

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron knew grief was complicated and did not understand or agree with everything Rue said but he let her speak. Part of him wanted to say something sassy make a jab at Cremek's memory. But there was no point to it. The man was gone and but now Hauron learned that he had a kid. But also someone that might come after him.

If the Rally Master were not already exhausted from working in the forge he might have the energy to make a kneejerk response. But instead he closed his eyes and placed his face in his hands. Slowly he pulled the callused palms down his face as he let out a deep sigh. <"No child is guilty of their parent's crimes. You know the saying "nobody cares who your parents are, only the parent you will be." Only, Cremek...and the Dark Side...may have already corrupted her."> He knew enough about the Force to know it was not just as simple as the Jedi and Sith fighting one another. <"It is not wrong of you to care, Rue. I won't judge her on her father's mistakes if that's what your asking. But her wrong doings are her own."> She was asking him to give the child a chance, the same chance at redemption that Cremek had taken and more. She was asking him to risk his own life to save this kid when they might not even want to be saved. It was an impossible thing to ask and yet Hauron heard it and had opened his mind. <"I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best to give her a chance.">

@Hastur

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

"That's enough to put my mind at ease.. but if all else fails.. if she's too far gone.. give her a warriors death when she comes for you."

She smiled sadly, acknowledging the gravity of this request.

"but that's enough grim nonsense.. let's focus on here and now, I brought food, and drinks, you've been working hard, my treat."

She motions to the food she brought, her more jovial demeanor returning as she smirked warmly.

< "well, if you can take the spice that is." >

she challenged, looking at the Tiingilar.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

He knew it could not be easy talking about family members like they were already dead when they still drew breath. A solemn nod of from the Rally Master would be his response. He took a deep breath as they segwayed to lighter subjects.

<"Let's find out. I like it spicy."> He had a recipe of his own that he liked to make. A Solus often accepted challenges and Hauron was no exception in this regard.

<"How is the Tepmuart clan these days?"> He wanted to stay up to date on current events. The Citadel previously owned by the Skirata clan but now was under clan Solus's control needed maintenance and attention. Engineering and construction droids moved about to facilitate the improvement efforts in the background.

@Hastur

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

Should the rally master dare, he would find the soup was.. wow, spicy, really, really spicy.. yup, it had a kick all right.

"Where do you think varsuuth came from?.. as for those who didn't follow his foolish promises, I honestly have no clue, I dont know when the last time I saw a tepmuart was."

She says, taking a sip from hers, well used to the simply ferocious heat that would assault her senses.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron reached up and unsealed his helmet, removing it fully as they came to eat. He could smell and tell it had some high level of spice to it. The mikkian's mouth was salivating at scent of the hot meal. <"Free food is free food."> He liked that saying and could respect the manners of his mandalorian culture. It was rude to turn away an offered meal especially when it was hard to come by food for some.

He ate not one bowl or two, but three along with plenty of bread. The man had built up an appetite and it helped make the delicious food taste even better. He managed to finish chewing long enough to ask a question. <"Why don't you try joining another clan?"> The blue skinned Mandalorian was sweating both from his earlier exertion and from the spiciness. But the heat of the forge nor the food kept his tenacious nature from continuing on. The Solus did not want to stop something that he enjoyed afterall.

@Hastur

Spoiler: Dice

Spice tolerance
88/100 rousing success

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

<"Yup, free food is free food." >

Rue, on the other hand, made sure to take it slow with her bowl, only finishing her first one by the time the rally master finished their third.

<"Uh..">

Oh no, now that was a question she really didn't prepare for, one that she did well..she really didn't have an answer. oh geez, how to go about this one, huh...

<"Well, to be honest, I don't know. Then again, who would even take the Mandalorian with a big black mark to their name, I'm not completely innocent you know, I listened and helped Cremek, who probably caused the deaths of hundreds, that and a family connection to Sith, I would be weary about both those factors if I was anyone else. Honestly, I'm surprised you aren't." >

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron kept eating, sipping at the broth and taking bites of the spicy food. Occasionally he would grab a piece of bread and dip it into the stew before taking a mouthful of the hot cuisine. The mikkians red irises watched and tracked the myriad of facial expressions that appeared on the armorer's face across from him.

She was confessing to him, in a way. Rue was guilty of making mistakes but that did not make her outright evil. <"Do you think you are the same as you were then? Would you do it all again the same way without changing anything?"> Hauron was asking if she regretted her choices. These were things she needed to answer if she was going to move forward with her life.

<"What is it you want Rue, really? Do you want penance, freedom...to forget?"> He shrugged in genuine curiosity. <"I have plenty of room in my heart for more hate. But there are people more worthy of my wrath than you. Plus it helps you taught me about songsteel."> Hauron added a wink at the end to ease the tension but there was a very real and subtle hint of warning was laced in the truest of statements. He was aware of Rue's association to Cremek and could indeed find new reasons to dislike the related armorer. But the main problem weighing on the Tepmuart's mind seemed to be the actions she had taken or not taken. Only Rue would be able to overcome that obstacle and it would be a conclusion she would have to arrive at alone. Only she could decide how she lived the rest of her life regardless of past transgressions.

@Hastur

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

"Maybe, if I could do it all again I would give him a warrior's death, no, I would have shot the one who dragged him down screaming down that path, as I should have done, monsters aren't born, after all. I would ensure justice was fairly done, the fact she can claim morality when she dragged her son into that.. madness.. then proceed to run away to the Jedi? despicable, it boils my blood thinking of it."

She grimaced, in a rare show of hatred, rue was forgiving, she never judged, never looked down upon another for their sins, save for one, one woman, for she had her eternal contempt, nothing would please her more than getting her mitts on her adoptive mother's throat, and tearing it out, she owed cremek that much, and nothing enraged her more than the prospect she fled her reach within the jedi's ranks.

"What.. I.. want.."

she gives off a deep inhale, seemingly calming down from her small little rage.

"I just want to protect what I have left."

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

By the sound of it Rue's mother was the one she blamed. She went on to say she only wanted to keep what remained. But Hauron had his doubts. "So if she was standing in front of you what would you do?" To the Solus it sounded like she would exact revenge if given the chance. He was not sure if it would be justified but the man hardly knew enough to dare taking the high road.

After she answered, Hauron had finished his next bowl of stew. He put the spoon in the bowl empty bowl and pushed it away from him. His appetite was satisifed but now he turned his full attention to the woman who had just mentored him on the art of armor crafting. "No offense, but your niece is with the Sith. Your mother is with the Jedi?" The question was rhetorically so he continued with little delay. "The rest of your family are dead. Your own health is failing and you aren't willing to fix yourself. You say its a badge of honor, reminders... but sounds to me like you're using it as an excuse to die slowly. I didn't peg you for the "laying down" type. So tell me Rue Tepmuart, what do you have left to protect?" It was a depressing reality she was living in but not without hope. Whether she had fallen to despair would be shown by how she answered. After so much loss he could not blame her. But the badger non-the-less had the desire to help her if he could.

@Hastur

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

"I-..."
she trailed off, not having an answer for that, what would she do?.. she had never truly thought about it, for years she's fantasised about it, running what she would say and do in her mind, over, and over, she wanted nothing short of bringing her to their knees, but in practice?.. What would she do?..

she remains silent as he bombards her with questions, why?.. she couldn't understand it, why!?.. why does he care!? It confounded the armorsmith, but if the rally master wished to use her pride to spurn her, then he succeeded, she was a tepmuart after all.

"I'M NOT LAYING DOWN LIKE SOME SNIVELING COWARD! I- "

she fell silent once more at his final question, what did she have?.. what was left now to defend?.. A barren rock that's had its southern half nuked away?..

"I.. I dont know.. Maybe I am."
she exhales briefly.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron's expression remained calm even when Rue raised her voice. A few heads turned and sideways glances from the other mandalorians around the mess to see the commotion before going back to their meals and respective conversations. The Solus was glad to see her bark back at the insult. It meant she still had the energy to fight or at least be stubborn enough to argue. Both Tepmmuart and Solus clan members were alike in that regard. It was better than nothing. But she was still clearly unsure of herself.

Rue had no answer for Hauron other than uncertainty. That was part of the problem. <"You might feel like you're alone but you're not."> His eyes stared across the table at her, unflinching as he comforted her with the statement. <"You're as much a mandalorian as I am. Even if you are traveling deep in space or living on some backwater planet you are never alone."> His head tilted down to look at his armor. A few of his finger tips brushed against the paint on the chest plate and in doing so wiped away some of the soot that had collected there from the earlier forging session. <"In life we have eachother and in death we join as one."> The armorer had a degree of faith in the ancient religion but he could not be completely sure it was true. But he chose to have faith in the belief to some degree. <"I hope it will be a long time before you join our ancestors, for my sake and yours. The galaxy is better off with you in it so please...try to find something worth fighting for."> He was afraid that for one reason or another Rue would end up dead or worse. Hauron did not want that for her or any mandalorian. Even if she had given up on herself he wanted her to know he had not. <"If you change your mind about joining Rancor Squadron or House Solus let me know.">

@Hastur

 

[Rue "null" tepmuart]

Rue remains silent for a second after listening to the solus, pondering for a moment, She sighs, looking at her helmet, the three scratches that adorned it, she listened to the rally masters words, staring into the T visor of her helmet. She clicks her tongue in thought at his words, there was something about the rally master, she couldn't put her thumb on it, but there was something about them that made her believe, she nods in thanks for his words, before speaking.

"Dead on the mark, huh?.. Tell you what.. I'll bite solus, if you want me in i'll join both, no sense in letting my skills rot, eh? Besides from what i've seen, you all seem like a good lot, if you'll take me, it will be an honor to smith more for all of you."

It seems rue had found her fire once more, and the brazen, stubborn, and happy go lucky mandalorian returned.

@Darasuum