We spent it in idle chit-chat, accented by the *clink* of glassware as we sought to chase away our inherent nervousness over what was to be with what was at hand. Food and drink went well together, going a long way toward bringing at least a facade of relaxation to everyone's demeanor, but I seriously doubted that was the case. At least it wasn't with me.

Nevermind the three Corellian ales I tossed back like water; I was still wound up as tight as a Toydarian's cash-box.

At some point during this time of quiet camaradarie Captain Joao disappeared, no doubt heading forward to check our status. It wasn't long before he returned with the announcement that we were about to revert back to realspace; I rose to stow my dishware and then head forward myself but stopped.

"Do you need to contact anyone on your homeworld, Master?" I asked, turning to Kyan, who had remained exceptionally quiet for the duration. "I'm sure Captain Joao will let you do so from Communications on the bridge."

I cut my eyes to that worthy, who merely gave a nod before heading off once more, presumably to said bridge. Feeling somewhat awkward at that point, uncomfortable because I knew sure as Khaandon made little green worrts that Terrin wasn't the happiest of campers to come down the proverbial pike, I just stood there waiting for someone else to make the next move.

[ 09-11-2012 09:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

“Captain Joao,” Kyan called. “Before we revert to real space it might be best if I contact my clan to let them know of our imminent arrival. For that I will need your help with this communications terminal.”

Quickly scanning the room Kyan could see or more accurately sense a clipboard on the back of one of the chairs. Snatching it up along with a writing utensil Kyan could slowly write out a set of numbers on a piece of durasheet and handed it to Yaoksi.

And he didn't like the feeling of not knowing exactly how he was going to contribute to any of this. I could have at least provided a ship. It's what I do, after all...

Shaking himself from his darkening thoughts, Terrin directed his gaze to Galen, who truthfully was looking apprehensive herself.

Well duh, a shoulder devil popped up and snorted. She's the one who will be walking into the Rancor's Pit waving a white flag, not you. At least...not yet.

Reaching out, he took one of her hands in his, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Are you sure you are going to feel comfortable with a Mandalorian ship?" he queried, quickly following that up with, "I mean, I know you're good and you can fly anything that you want, but I'm sure I can pull some strings if needed."

He quieted, looking into her big baby browns, and swimming in them while the moment allowed him to do so. While he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if she didn't fully believe that he trusted him, Terrin wasn't sure he would be able to forgive himself either if the reservations he had regarding this came true and something happened to her...

[ 09-15-2012 08:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

I took the proffered clipboard from Kyan, and after giving it a quick glance turned my attention to the communications console. Moments later, and the initial hail was sent.

"There ya go," I said as with that I rose from my seat and indicated that Kyan take it. Inexplicably, though, a sudden chill targeted a spot between my shoulder-blades.

Great Universe, but I hope they take us for what we really are! the thought slammed through me as Kyan made his careful way to the seat I had vacated for him.

We are, after all, appearing in their immediate space out of thin air, so to speak. I hope they listen first and blast later; these guys have made a history of hiding from the rest of the Galaxy...

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

I struggled with the plan that was niggling around in the back of my head, deciding how clean I wanted to come with him. And with Kyan. At the moment I was standing at a crossroads, a Nexus if you will; from here there were some heavy considerations to study before my final plan of approaching Sissy could come close to being implemented.

I drew in a deep breath.

"Terrin, I-- I don't think any of our ships would be, ahh... well received. I think she'll listen to me once I can capture her attention, and she's going to be curious about Kyan. Raising that curiosity is going to be a lot easier if we're in a Mandalorian ship. I think there will be a greater chance of her staying her hand against us; remember what happened to the Imperial blockade."

I paused again, chewing my lip as I waffled further, debating with myself as to whether I should fill him in on my other wild scheme. Believe it or not, this one was a bit more hairy than simply showing up in Sith space in a Mandalorian ship... but it was one that would make me a whole helluva lot more comfortable then Plan A.

Plan B... well, it involved middlemen. And everyone knows what happens when you get too many cooks trying to bake a single cake...

I planted an ingenuous look on my face, and continued on, heading to the bridge where I found Captain Joao rising from his seat to offer it to Kyan. I gave myself a mental nod of approval.

I'd clear this with Kyan, en route, I finally decided.

Then I can finish spilling the beans...

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

“Aliit ori'shya tal'din,” said Kyan. “Ba’vodu Bes’in ni gar’ad’ika Kot’racyn, gar’paani duumir Challenger.”

Letting go of the transmit button and sent the message across the open channel. He was confident that there was nothing in the message that would be seen as unusual even to those that spoke Mando’a it would appear to be a normal message. The key to his message was two parts; first was in addition to the voice filter Kyan was using the audio signal contained a unique ID code that his clan should recognize, second was the phrase Kyan used in the message to let them know his message was made in the clear and not under duress. Tapping on the side of his helmet twice in quick succession the voice filter canceled itself and Kyan removed it clipping it back onto his belt.

“We should be good,” continued Kyan. “Mandalore isn’t big on laws and procedures so there is no formal process of requesting permission to land except if you want to use one of its space ports. We are not going to need one of those, when we arrive in system head planet side to north of the equator on the largest continent. Head to the nav beacon for Keldabe Mandalore’s capital, from there turn north west for 500 or so kilometers until we reach a lake in a forest near a mountain range once there we will receive instructions on where to land.”

Kyan leaned back into the chair and turned his attention to both Galen and Yaoksi.

Trust is a two way street, pal, it blathered. Is she trusting you enough to tell you everything? Or is there still something else?

He wished more than anything that there was more he could do than simply help with this coalition and calling at the designated times Galen had mentioned. But then [i[that[/i] was when he remembered something, or rather someone, he'd forgotten, at least til just now.

He kept this to himself, however, and headed back to the galley where Link had been left sitting, now alone.

"Fighting may not be the way to handle all of this, but we sure as kriffing Hell need to prepare ourselves...and not just for fighting. We need to make allies, starting with the Mandolorians, and stockpile supplies. After all, whether anyone else believes us regarding the Vong and allies themselves with us, we are going to need weapons, first aid, and food. And this we can get whether or not we have one ally or many. And I am certain you have connections for that..."

Cause I can most certainly provide the storage, came a mental addendum, one he would share shortly just as soon as he was certain Link knew her idea for the coalition was valued, and needed.

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

“There is a reason why I’m the best slicer in the galaxy,” said Link. “Its not just that I have better skills, its that I know how to get the job done without drawing too much unwanted attention. The problem with your request is scale.”

Link leaned in close resting her elbows on the table.

“In order for the Coalition to actually work we need to maintain its secrecy until we are ready to take on the vong and potentially the Empire at the same time,” explained Link. “I can acquire all the things we need just not in the numbers needed to equip an armada that could take on the Empire and the Vong, at least not without drawing unwanted attention. We don’t actually need the resources you described at least not yet. It will never be possible to put everything we need to fight a war in storage we will always need more. What’s more important is the means to make more of what we need and that’s infrastructure.”

Link didn’t exactly know how she knew all this information to plan the logistics of what they were proposing. She didn’t fully realize that in her understanding of how to exploit a system for her benefits she had acquired the knowledge of how those systems in turn operated.

“I can make the necessary introductions, but they will need to see that siding with is in their best interest. It will be much easier if the Mandalorians were on our side as the public side of things a legitimate front to our group.”

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

He trailed a moment, figuring Link probably at this point had decided he had either lost his mind or that he just simply didn't know what he was talking about. And maybe both were the case. But he agreed with Galen...

...he didn't think fighting was going to be the answer to all of this. "Like Galen said, I just don't think fighting is going to be the answer to all of this," he then said aloud. "We've got the Empire...a potential baddie...but still part of this galaxy. On the other hand, we have the Sith...some of them good, some of them perhaps not so much, but all of them here from another time and place. Then we've got the Yuuzhan Vong incoming, a true big and baddie, from another Universe."

He paused chewing his lip. "And there are all of these things that Galen and Kyan have seen, things dark and ominious and unknown and the truest threat to us all."

Quieting again, Terrin tried to figure out just where he was going with all of this. He didn't know if Link would buy it, but he was seeing the need for this Coalition she had suggested, and smartly so, for perhaps an entirely different reason than they had initially proposed.

"We have some foreknowledge of what is to come...and I think instead of using it to save simply ourselves and our potential allies, it might be the time to prepare ourselves to protect those who don't know what is coming and won't even believe it if they are told. Cause if I truthfully admit how I feel regarding fighting against the Sith, the Vong, and the dark and unknown forces, based on what I know...

...I honestly believe we don't stand a chance unless we put away or differences and somehow stand together."

[ 09-16-2012 08:56 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

“I understand we shouldn’t actively pursue the idea of fighting the Empire,” agreed Link. “But like it or not the Empire will eventually find out about us, and what do you think they will do when they find out we are subverting their authority or stealing their resources. I’m just saying that we should at least have some sort of contingency in place or at least acknowledge the very likely possibility that we may have to fight a battle on two fronts with the vong and the empire.”

Link knew better than to suggest that they could take them both down but the possibility still remained that they would have to take both on.

“When it comes to the people who won’t believe us about the vong and the Sith I have a suggestion,” said Link. “Don’t tell them the real reason behind the coalition. Besides the Mandalorians who Kyan already told about the vong is there really a need to tell them about the vong. There are plenty of groups that hate the Empire, if we simply tell everyone our goal is to overthrow the Empire they may join us and bring the infrastructure we need. Then when the Vong show up and finally kick the Empire’s teeth in they will see a new threat greater than the Empire we need to handle, heck the Empire at that point might beg for our help at that point.”

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

"I'm not sure we should lie to them by omission or not. I agree I they won't really believe us without proof...

...but then again I'm not sure how any potential allies will feel if they join us believing we're trying to overthrow the Empire then potentially find out we are aware of a threat far greater."

He quieted, pursing his lips, thinking. As he considered, he wasn't quiet believing where his thoughts were carrying him. "Maybe we should keep in mind, too, that there are others out there...people in the Empire like Tarnus, some of the Sith, and some of the people who have been involved with the Sith who know enough to be aware of this threat or believe it even if they aren't aware of it now."

He paused again, trying to figure out exactly where he was going with this. "I mean, we need allies who are knowledgeable about what is incoming, and not necessarily just those who have powers like the Sith or the Jedi would. We need people who have specific skill sets...supplies, tactical abilities, fighting abilities...

...like the Mandalorians. I'm not saying we need many allies, but we do need the right ones."

Terrin paused, pursing his lips a bit. "I just think it's something we need to develop further, with everyone else, and even when we get to Mandolore once we have established our first potential allies."

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

Why is it so much easier to do things the illegal way? Guess one of the things I’ll have to get use to.

“I understand what you’re saying,” answered Link. “But when it comes to the Sith you know more than me. I suggest you focus on who might already know of the Sith with the skills we need that we may be able to recruit. My sources tend to be more specialized for what we need but they may be able to fill in the gaps we have or introduce us to those who can. This is getting to far into the realm of hypotheticals. First things first we need to focus on the Mandalorians, and then we can decide our next move from there. I think we should probably join the others who knows how soon it will be until we land.”

Link quickly secured the cup and plate she had been using in the galleys sanistation then proceeded to the cockpit. Upon entering she saw Yaoksi, Galen, and Kyan all sitting around the comm station discussing some matter. She did not want to interrupt their conversation and figuring that if it pertained to her Yaoksi would fill her in later. Instead Link took her seat in the copilot’s chair and tapping a few buttons she pulled up the technical manual for the Challenger.

If I’m going to be a good first mate to Yaoksi I’ll have to learn more than slicing and thievery, eventually I’ll have to learn how to operate this thing.

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

And now clones and droids are added into the mix, a mix one already filling me with more than a bit of trepidation since it was dominated by a race of people who liked hiding behind ominously visored helmets.

All the time.

But hey, I'm just the pilot...

"All right then, thanks for the head's up, here we go..."

With that I sent Challenger arcing gracefully down into the atmosphere of Kyan's homeworld, traveling quickly (and I hoped to hell unobtrusively) from the hard vacuum of space into the outermost fringe of its ionosphere, feeling the light bumps produced when my baby sleeked through thermal pausal layers and kept heading for the surface. There wasn't much to be seen, just clouds which revealed a dim patch of distant green as here and there they broke enough to show a tantalizing glimpse of the world below. Down and down we went, with me doing my best to be nonchalant about the entire ordeal, even though my heart was stuck somewhere between my throat and my sinus cavities.

I shot a sideways glace to Link; bless that lil gal's heart, but there she was calmly studying ship's specs while I was shaking in my boots.

I firmed up, shifted in my seat, lifted my chin. Something hollered on my console, and values began scrolling across my navigational monitor. It only took a moment to type them into the computer, and seemed to take even less time before I had an announcement to make.

"Reaching coordinates in - 5... 4... 3... 2...

"One."

A slight boomp accompanied the last word which fell from my lips. Immediately I started playing with my console, powering down the ship, letting it outgass and click and murmur to itself, while yet keeping it battle-ready enough to spring from the surface at the drop of a proverbial pin.

I turned to look at everyone.

"We're here," I said unnecessarily, waved my hand, and hoped like hell everything was going to be ok. The ball was most certainly in Kyan's court sure as there's Treasure on Roon, as Galen was wont to say.

[ 10-04-2012 01:54 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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

Bes’in knew this day would come eventually. Most Mandalorians doubted Kyan would return, others thought him dead even members of his own clan. However there were few from Kyan’s generation still around so it was no wonder everyone thought the first Mandalorian Jedi was dead.

Most of my own children are dead, and my grandchildren are only a few years younger than Kyan. A parent should never have to out live their children, but then again most children don’t have a droid for a father.

The Challenger’s engines roared overhead as it settled in hovering above the clearing. Bes’in made no movement to betray his location, confident that the rich veins of Mandalorian Iron that ran through the ground beneath him would help him blend in on the ships sensors. By now reports were coming in across the lower frequencies that no one bothered to broadcast on or track anymore, reports by those whom Bes’in trusted as part of his clan. They told him how the Challenger, the ship in Kyan’s message, had followed the proper procedure his clan had prepared from strange vessels to make contact with no sign of being followed as well.

To most outsiders this level of security borders on insane paranoia, even to many Mandalorians. But if they knew the risks our clan took during and after the clone wars, along with our true mission they would know it was all justified.

Satisfied that the Challenger was indeed what his nephew Kyan said it was Bes’in hailed the vessel.

He was so caught up in what he was seeing that the blaring hail coming across their comm’s startled him and snapped him back to reality. The message was quick and to the point, if it was indeed Bes’in then procedure had indeed been followed for him to make contact. Kyan knew this place well and likely it was Bes’in in person, his metal body would be hard to pick out on scanners against the rich Mandalorian Iron deposits present in the ground. He reached out his senses looking for a the voids in life he felt. Nearby he could see the outline of a droid, probably Bes’in, but he could sense other voids several miles away this time in the shape of artillery cannons and if Kyan were to talk a bet already prearranged on the clearing their ship now resided.

But... that doesn't explain the instructions sent to land somewhere else...

I flipped open a relay to make reply to the somewhat commanding voice that undoubtedly belonged to someone of small patience, if I judged Kyan's meaning to its fullest extent.

"Ahh... Mandalore, this is Captain Yaoksi Joao of Challenger," I began, trying to sound casual. "We have already made planet-fall, having followed previous instructions. If you have new ones you wish for us to follow, please issue them. We most certainly do not desire to be at a port not intended for us.

"Otherwise, I will lower gangway for disembarkation, over."

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

...from what potential allies they could seek out to what in all the Universe Galen was up to that she wasn't telling him about.

And that the last time she had been up to something, he'd been stupid and let her go alone and she'd almost been killed.

Terrin knew he had to have a balance of trusting her, believing in her abilites, and being able to trust his own gut.

And being able to tell the difference between being overly concerned and protective and sensing a true threat.

He was, after all, no Jedi.

The communit on the Challenger and the voice on the other end finally managed to jar Terrin from his thoughts. He agreed whole-heartedly with Yaoksi's well-thought-out reply, and realized with a start that he was going to have to, at least for the moment, focus on the here and now.

"Is he aware of how many people are onboard the ship?" Terrin queried, drawing strange looks from at least a couple of people. "I mean, maybe he is being hesitant because his scanners are sensing multiple lieforms on the ship and...

...unless someone has aready informed him of course...

...he doesn't know who or what we are and is being even more cautious by asking you to move the ship."

(((OCC: Oh my, I hope this post is not too lame. Let me know if it makes absolutely no sense and I'll edit...)))

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

What was he talking about, better yet why is he broadcasting on an open channel to all of Mandalore?

Bes'in exited the standby mode he was in and went to full power. His photoreceptors came back on-line showing the vessel had indeed landed in the clearing directly in front of his current position. However his sensors indicated the ship was hovering over a kilometer away. It was possible that the concentration of Mandalorian Iron was throwing off his sensor readings, but Bes'in had another theory.

That is the last time I buy anything from the Hutts.

Bes'in Shut down his sensor package until he could have it replaced, for now he would have to rely on his armor's systems instead of his own internal ones. He exited the forest and entered the clearing walking up to the vessel parked there.

"Disregard my last transmission lower your boarding ramp as you requested," replied Bes'in. "And stop broadcasting openly on planet wide comms, my clan has gone to great lengths to keep prying eyes away from this area we don't need an arutii drawing suspicion."

Do I sense blaming the Hutts from now on every time anybody's equipment malfunctions??? LOL!))

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

I shot another look at everyone, this one filled with just a tad wee more unease than earlier. With a sniff meant more to bolster my own suddenly waning confidence before the sudden question of what the HELL could we be thinking of, being here of all places, on a planet not many people really knew still held a healthy population of what has been come to be known as THE warrior race to end all warrior races...

...I turned back to the boards.

"Ahh, sorry that, Manda- I mean, Be'sone Skirtata, umm... sorry, I mean..."

I sat back with a frown, closed the link with a solid flick.

"Can't pronounce the name anyway; he'll get the idea, won't he?"

This latter was directed toward the others even as I reached out and toggled a few more switches in rapid succession. The air was filled with a deep bass rumble as the primary hatch slid open, allowing our walkway to eject itself perpendicular to Challenger's hull before altering direction and lightly hitting the soil of Mandalore. A final, solid-sounding thump announced all was ready for us to disembark.

Way too soon for my liking. I blinked, clenched and unclenched suddenly sweaty hands.

"Here we go," I muttered to no one in particular, then posed a question to Kyan.

"Hey, what do you think? Should we all hit dirt, or do you think it a wise idea for someone to remain behind and, ummm, babysit Challenger?"

Like me, for example.

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

Kyan reached out with his senses to get a feel of the situation. All he could sense out of the ordinary was a droid, most likely Bes'in.

"Captain don't power down everything just yet," Kyan continued. "From what I can tell he is just outside the clearing waiting for us, but there is no speeders, no vessels nearby. This sites purpose was to ascertain the identity of new ships and conduct trade. Typically one of the clans own vessels would be here on standby. Bes'in didn't bring one I believe his intention is to take us directly to the clan's village. I'll go out to meet him to see exactly what he is planning."

Kyan didn't wait for anyone else to follow him, he simply donned his helmet and walked down the boarding ramp and waited at its base. He looked right at the droid he had sensed earlier.

Stepping fully into the clearing Bes’in strolled over to Kyan stopping only for a moment to lay a hand on his shoulder and to give him a quick greeting.

“Good to see you Ky’ika, come with me.”

Bes’in didn’t need a tour of the vessel or Kyan to guide him he was quite familiar with the schematics of the YT series of vessels. So it took him little time to move through the Challenger to the cockpit with Kyan in tow. He could read that all eyes are on him, a sight that was unfamiliar to him for some time given how little he has left Mandalorian territory since the closing days of the clone wars.

“I’m Bes’in Skirata,” he announced. “Chieftain of the Skirata Clan, I understand you have some business with us but first we have another matter to take care of. Your vessel is visible from orbit and my clan isn’t exactly popular with the current Mandalore or his Imperial masters . We need to move it before they wonder why someone is so far out in the middle of no where.”

Bes’in didn’t ask for permission as he leaned over the display that showed a topographical map of Mandalore. He zoomed in on a mountain range near their current position and pointed out a valley between several mountains that appeared to house a large glacier within.

I didn't wait for any further instruction, for I sure as hell didn't want to perturb this entity anymore that I possibly had to. Rolling my eyes just the slightest, I returned to the console.

"All righty, then!" I announced with false bravado as I let my fingers tell Challenger that her master was a nutcase, and couldn't decide where he wanted to make final port. If my purty ship agreed with that somewhat frivolous thought she didn't say anything about it, but obediently raised the ramp, closed the hatch, took herself off of standby mode, and left the ground.

We flew through the skies of Mandalore, keeping a low profile -- at least I hoped so -- by flying as close to the ground as possible. That way, hopefully, ground-to-air sensors wouldn't detect us; it was somewhat like full-blown atmospheric craft flying "beneath the radar," as it was called back in the day. Time passed in oppressive silence; even Danner's spunky lil wife didn't offer so much as a peep of a comment, which I thought somewhat odd for her. I didn't say anything either, though; just attended to my console with the degree of studiousness that a Toydarian guards his cashbox.

At length a proximity light began to blink a genteel green. I leaned forward and flipped a switch, thus changing the forward screen from monitor to real life. A view to end all views materialized all around us.

Oh... wow.

That somewhat inane thought was all I could muster in response to the overwhelming indifference of the terrain over which we now found ourselves flying. Range upon range of snowy peaks wrinkled the landscape beneath our wings, for Challenger had of course altered her altitude to prevent us from becoming bugsplat against the rock. Some of the mountains bore a mantle of green on their lower flanks, but for the most part nothing much was displayed below other than stark snow and ice, here and there highlighted with a tawny splash of bare rock. A brilliant blue sky provided just the right contrast, with little cloud-puffs here and there mirroring the blinding whiteness of the snow.

It was beautiful... but cold. Oh so very cold... and frightening as hell. What if--

I couldn't help shivering and then blinked, the nasty thought which had tried to form nipped in the bud by the proximity sensor which, striving to gain my attention in earnest was now meeping impatiently at me. Yanking my eyes from the screen I returned to the controls, slowed our progress, and aimed toward a particular U-shaped valley bordered on either side by the towering mountain giants. It seemed to be half-filled with a river of intensely blue ice, slashed with the deeper blue lightning bolts of myriad crevasses, and mantled with yet more blindingly white snow. Coming over the area indicated by the sensor display, I placed Challenger into a holding pattern, then turned to our somewhat discomfiting passenger.

"Ok, we're here," I announced once again, crossed my arms, and waited uncomfortably for further instructions.

[ 10-24-2012 01:38 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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

Taking control of the comm station Bes'in sent a short coded message out on a low band radio frequency, one not used or tracked by most people any more. His clan was not most people. Bes'in stood waiting knowing that all with the exception of Kyan would be in awe of what they were about to see.

The field of snow that surrounded the glacier began to shimmer and dissolve revealing a valley of fertile farmland and one ever conspicuously large structure. All of this was under overlapping domes of several energy shields that could undoubtedly handle a sustained barrage from orbit. In time that too discover away, leaving those on board standing in silence. That silence was only broken when a voice came back over the comms.

"Challenger vessel this is Cuy'val Dar control, We have cleared you to land on pad seven landing lights have been activated. Cuy'val Dar control out."

On cue a ring of lights on the main structure lit up revealing where the Challenger was to land.

"I hope you appreciate the trust Kyan has placed in you," Bes'in said. "Most Mandalorians outside of my clan have never seen this place. So take this to heart when I say welcome to New Kyrimorut."