Su Cuy'gar, Ner Vode

[Sisk_Renelo]

The Shadow Veil
Approximately 3 Days Before the Convocation​

Sisk stood silently in the main docking facility onboard the Morut facing the docking arms. Although the plans that he had sat in motion would come together soon, today was a day to be celebrated. He had received word from the perimeter guard that several ships bearing Renelo IFF tags had been spotted coming through the Midas Belt. The rest of his Aliit was coming home.

He had made sure that they had received the coordinates of the Morut and a safe escort through the Veil, and through the Transparisteel window he could see the group coming in to dock. Perhaps they had run into each other outside the belt and decided to make the rest of the trip together, perhaps they had spent the last several years serving the clan in their own way as a group. However it had happened, he didn’t care. They were here, and he was about to be reunited with the rest of his clan.

As the ships docked and the long-lost warriors stepped into the station, Sisk was there to greet them with heartfelt words of welcome and gestures of brotherhood. Backslaps, handshakes, hugs, gripping each other like the family that they were, none of it was unacceptable for the men and women that came together again. Walking down the corridors to the mess hall it was as if they had never left each other, exchanging jokes and tales of battles that they had been through, together and separately. Sisk’s heart was light for the first time in years as he was surrounded by his vode, and right now there was no war, no Empire, no Rebels, just the Clan.

The mess hall had been hastily filled with Mandalorian food and drink, haphazardly piled high on the tables, Tihaar, Netra Gaal, uj cake, gihaal, stew, it was all on display while the smells mingled together to bring back memories of home, of Mandallia, of his wife and children and all his brothers gathered together to celebrate some trivial thing that had happened. Any excuse to come together and remember who they were as a people. When they had been the Protectors part of their mission had been to safeguard the Mandalorian Soul, and Clan Renelo had never forgotten that, laughter and joy as much a part of their lives as war and death. The two were intermingled for Mandalorians, and Sisk and his clan had never forgotten that. Clan members slowly filled the space, their armor left behind, and their spirits higher than thehy had been in years.

While they ate, Sisk had filled a mug with Netra Gaal and had raised it to toast. It felt odd to be out of his armor, the heavy plates stored in their storage closet in his quarters while he was clad only in the flightsuit that went under it. “Welcome home, ner vode. It has been far to long. The Clan has not been the same without you.”

 

[Arisalin]

Elias felt every beat of his heart, every expansion of his lungs as they filled with air, and every sensation that swept over him as he walked amongst his people for the first time in almost a year. He hadn't spoken a word in almost a month, and talking now seemed out of the ordinary to him. The cacophony of voices that echoed around the room were indeed overwhelming, but in his heart the tired warrior welcomed them. One thing was different to the Protector, besides the strange looks he received from the men he had once fought with. The air of hope, that seemed to waft about. An emotion that jumped from one spoken sentence to the next.

Maybe the glances of distaste he was intercepting from his brothers were all in his head. Maybe the shame for leaving that had grown inside of him was causing him to notice things where there was nothing. Elias could not trust his own instincts among his own people, a thought that shook him to the core.

Home did not feel like home.

'Enough.'

The thought was complete, and undeniable. He had to move on. A few slaps on the back here, a few other greetings there, and Elias found himself looking upon Sisk Renelo who stood raising his mug in toast a few meters away. Elias lifted his own, though already empty besides a few dregs of the potent liquid stirring at the bottom in response to his leader.

Not just his leader, but his friend. Elias stood tall, and nodded in the other man's direction in acknowledgement.

 

[Dargeth The Hunter.]

As he sat at the table next to the young Zabrack Maddi both ate quietly and Kyouteki glanced at all the Renelo's who had gathered and a few he recognized but alot he had only seen once or twice, as he looked to Elias he frowned seeing the man's face and eyes and seemed to know what was going through his mind. The same face stared back at him when he looked in the mirror, the days of the Renelo of old were gone and for a few it would never be the same, as he chewed softly on a bit of cooked meat he held a piece between finger's and he found the meat to be too soft. Looking to Maddi he watched the young girl tasting everything and he wondered what exactly the Jedi ate to have the young Padawan delighted at each new sensation, he chuckled briefly in amusement having found himself able to relax around her and he leaned back in the chair.

Even though he had left his Armour behind the leather pant's and long sleeved shirt had allowed him to bring an array of blades strapped to his body, as he watched the young girl trying to cut a hunk of meat with a normal knife he rolled his eyes and pulled out a secreted blade and flipped it to grasp it by the blade. Tapping the young girl on the shoulder with the handle she thanked him before taking it and using it to attack the hunk of meat, he had decided his own blade was better then her getting frustrated and using her lightsaber on the thing and scaring half the Renelo clan witless. Nobody had questioned Kyouteki much about her and when asked he promptly replied " student " and left it at that, he had found himself laughing gently as he watched her stuff her face with the meat, taking another bite of his own meat he shook his head and found himself glancing at the gathered Renelo's and was heartbroken to see so few compared to what they had been.

Lightly lifting a foot up to rest on the seat beside his backside he leant on the raised leg lightly looking almost peaceful and relaxed, but the relaxed posture like most Renelo's he was able to turn into a brutal killing machine in a moment and he glanced to Sisk. He studied the man for a second before shaking his head and tossing the meat left onto his plate and rose from the seat, moving to the door after motioning for Maddi to stay he stepped through it needing some fresh air and found himself sighing softly.

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk moved around the table to his warriors, clasping them on the shoulders as he walked past and calling them by name. "Elias. It's good to see that you still draw breath vod. When I didn't hear from you when I called the caln I was worried you hadn't survived. We need to talk you and I. Main observation room when we're done here." He moved down further and stopped by Kyouteki just outside the door. A smile crossed his lips and he nodded at the pair. "And my scout returns from his long exile. With a guest. I'll make sure you have bunks. It's good to have you back ner vod." A worried look crossed his face.

"Is there a reason you leave the table of your brothers? I would find it almost rude."

 

[Bantha]

She could have just stayed on her ship, eating more instant noodles, palp wafers, and god-awful dried meat rations. It was sickening, but she could be safe inside her ship and away from the people who she didn't know. They were aliens to her, just as she was to them. She owed the clan her life. They saved her after she crash-landed on Mandilla and took her in, adopting her as a member of their clan once they knew she was vode. But perhaps, in a way she was scared because of their seemingly unrelenting openness. 'No, that isn't the right word,' she thought, shaking her head. She struggled to find the right term in Basic to describe them. They carried out everything to its fullest extent, from war, to bringing willing (and not-so!) into the fold. That frightened the living daylights out of her, the defininte side-effect of living among the distant and restrained Filimisi Order.

The pull of good food, and in abundance at that, was what ultimately drew her away from the safe confines of her captain's quarters. Her plan was to quickly grab some food, find some corner to sit in, and generally avoid people as much as possible. Of course as fate would have it her own Alor was standing there just outside the door conversing with another clan mate. She gave a nod and a curt “Su Cuy'gar” in passing, heading toward the tables of food. The alcohol was quickly bypassed, substituted with a mug of water and a bowl of stew.

Now gazing out at the expanse of the mess hall, she spotted an oddly familiar face. Elias? Dodging various clan mates and returning greetings, she reached an empty spot near him and tilted her head toward the table. “Mind if I sit? Well, I'd probably sit regardless of what you said, but I thought I'd be nice and ask.” She set her food down and settled herself on the bench.

 

[Dargeth The Hunter.]

As Sisk came up beside him he nodded back and gently pulled out a small knife and twirled it between his finger's and he looked back to his leader and sighed, " company these day's does not interest me........blood does " his eyes hardened as he looked out the port to the star's and a sad sigh fell from his lips. " I saw you in the cell, the day she healed me " and he winced still not able to say the name of Sisk's wife still feeling guilty he had abandoned the clan in anger, he closed his eyes " if i'd stayed, if i'd fought, your wife might still be by your side " and he shook his head in anger.

As his eyes opened he looked at Sisk and he drew his lips back in a silent snarl " i want blood, they took my wife, they have taken your's, they have taken our clan's, i want them to pay ", his voice was full of barley contained fury and suddenly his hand gripped the knife handle so tight that his knuckles turned a ghostly white and he turned to face Sisk completely. " I want them all the pay, Sith, Empire, Jedi even the Cartel, they all need to be taught a lesson " and his eyes had changed over the year's of exile, where there was once a strong and casual intelligence hidden behind quietness was now almost the briefest glimmer of madness. Years of solitude had allowed the seed's to form then grow and now his blood and soul called for retribution, it could be either a path to self destruction or like a guided rancor he would be an aimed missile of destruction.

As he looked to Maddi through the door he nodded " get her a lodging, she'll need to contact lutomi, her Master was killed, found her hiding on my ship ", he chuckled " she's nifty with her lightsaber " and as if hearing them Maddi glanced up and studied the two men talking.