And Now His Watch Is Ended

[Vencu]

Mandokar, Taung-class Star Dreadnought, Joint Operations Fleet, Alsakan System

The massive armored shutters to the ventral hangar were wide open, exposing a number of smaller craft to the vast expanse beyond. Several Shukala-class Gunships were being held in place by docking clamps in the center. All around them, an array of flight decks were set within the bulkhead, each one hosting squadrons of starfighters, dropships, or support craft.

Corden stood on one such flight deck, a sub-hangar that was reserved for his own personal use. His ship, a rare Kyramud-class Gunship, had been moved to the far side of the small hangar to make room for the arrival of another vessel. On his left and right, flanking him, stood a group of clan leaders. Yagol Vau, Chela Vhett, Goran Sornell, Udes Cadera, Jag Marec, Shola Copad. They were the only clan leaders that weren't occupied elsewhere, so he had asked them to meet him here aboard his flagship, knowing they would want to be present to lend their own ears and voices; to bear witness and to take the news back to their respective clans when all was said and done.

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk checked his instrument panel, bringing the small transport back in line towards the bay. He had foregone one of the other gunships for this, as they were still involved in the pull back of troops and hunting down stragglers. Besides, he could deal with it. his brothers used them all the time, and Sisk never forgot his roots. With a delicate hand, he entered the bay, and set the transport down with barely a bump. He stood, clipped his buy'ce onto his belt, and walked through the troop bay, the 3 Protectors he had brought with rising and following him down the opening ramp.

He scanned the bay, and was surprised at the assemblage. Multiple Clan leaders flanked Vencu, armor gleaming, many of their faces hid by their buy'ce. 'An august assemblage. It seems I'm underdressed.' His armor was still caked with dust and blood, coming from the surface as he had, with barely time to dock with the Tor and switch ships. Sisk strode forward, his black cape, tattered from blasterfire and melee weapons swishing above the floor. As he drew closer, he nodded his respect at his fellows, and then turned to Corden.

"Mand'alor, you called for me?"

 

[Vencu]

"Su cuy'gar." Corden said with a nod, reaching out to clasp the other warrior's arm near the elbow, forearm to forearm, "I've pulled you away from your duties for good reason. We have something important to discuss."

Corden pulled away and let the hand fall to his side, fingers hooking into his utility belt. Not one to mince words, he continued, getting straight to the point. After all, there was still a war to win and this had to be settled before the final push.

"I've decided to disband the Protectors. They served a purpose once. They guarded our borders while the rest of us were away fighting, but now we fight side by side. There's no point in fostering this divide and carrying on like one is any different from the other. Not anymore."

"Mhi'cuy Mando'ade; vode an." Chela Vhett spoke up from Corden's right, her Concordian accent distorted by her helmet rebreather, "We're fighting the same war with the same weapons, the same armor, and for the same reasons. Why call each other by a different name?"

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk rocked back on his heels, the news stunning. After all they had done, all the brothers he had lost in the defense of his people... It felt like a kick in the gut. His mind whirled, trying to form words, an objection. Anything. "This is... unexpected." It was an understatement, to say the least. But Sisk couldn't put his feelings into words. At least not yet.

"While it's true that we fight together now, what will happen when the war is over and we return home? In times of peace, many of the Clans have shown a unwillingness to work together. Ideologies, methods of battle, communication, values, they all differ. The only thing that links us together is the Resol'nare." It came out harsher than he meant, the tone to his voice a natural defense reaction.

"Who will man our outposts? Who will keep the watch? I've heard the whispers, sat in on the discussions. Most of the verde are eager to return home to their families and farms. And after a campaign like this, who will come forward to shield us if not the Protectors?" He was speaking from the heart, and it showed, his eyes focused, his tone sincere. While the Mandalorians live for war, every warrior needed time to breathe and focus to to other matters. To Sisk, this seemed like cutting off the shield arm of a warrior.

He turned to Chela. "When the raiders came to Concord Dawn, who was there to fight for it? Most of Fett was away fighting on the front, and It was the Protectors who came to your aid." He turned again, focusing on each clan leader in turn. "We have fought for all of you, laying down our lives so that your clans might continue." He turned, slowly, his cape seeming heavy and cumbersome, the kama he wore seeming to wrap itself around his legs.

"If we are disbanded, where will we go?" He was dead serious, his voice dropping low. "We are not farmers. We're not shipbuilders. We are nothing but warriors." He turned back around. "And do you honestly believe that our clans will let us reenter our old lives with no stigma attached? I've heard the whispers when we pass. We put those aside because we knew our path, we knew out duty, we knew our oath. Without those, who are we?" Sisk shook his head. "We gave up everything when we took our oath. Our family, our name, our very lives, because we knew that what we were doing was the way to insure our people thrived and lived in peace."

 

[Vencu]

"No one will forget what you and your warriors have done, Renelo." Shola Copad said, stepping into view, "We are all Protectors in a sense. Every Mando'ad has a sacred duty to protect our home sector and many will assume that duty full time when the war with the Alliance is won."

"The whole lot of us will be charged with protecting our territory and securing our borders, just as we have done in the past." Goran Sornell added as he slapped a gloved hand on Shola's armored shoulder in a show of support, "Why should it only fall on a select few? It is every Mandalorian's responsibility."

"And you and the other veteran Protectors will be leaders in that effort. You will teach new generations of warriors how to protect our borders and solve the disputes of aruetiise who pass through or live within." Chela continued, closing the distance between herself and Sisk and raising an arm and closed fist over her chest plate in salute, "All of you will be welcomed back to your clans with feasts and drinking. You've done us all a great service, but one the rest of us should never have delegated in the first place."

Corden nodded slowly, still watching Sisk closely, "It's time we were one again. It's time we shared our responsibilities. We can't continue to divide them amongst ourselves. That won't bring unity, only resentment. I know it won't be easy for you or your warriors, but it's the right thing."

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Many of the Protectors do not want to return to the infighting and politics of the clans." His face was stern, a blank mask to hide his feelings once again. "Myself included. I can not return to Bralor knowing what we face. I have said it before, and I'll say it again. The Sith will not rest on their laurels. After the GA has been destroyed, we will be all that stands between them and utter domination of the galaxy. It might be a year, it might be a decade, but they will come. And on that day, this choice will be looked upon as rash." He drew himself to his full height.

"And this I swear, on that day, we will stand as we always have, for Mando'yaim and its people." A Sith escaped his lips. "But we will honor this decision, Corden. We will disband. But those of us of a common mind will find a clan that can support our creed." His right hand brushed the Protector symbol on his left breast. "Once a Protector, always a Protector. When we are needed again, all that is needed is a call."

 

[Vencu]

"There hasn't been infighting since the civil war. I saw to that personally." Corden said, his irritation at hearing such a baseless claim evident in his tone, "I want us to stand united against our enemies and you would have us stand divided, relying on a hardened few to fight the wars for the majority. If your warriors see cancer growing within their old clans, tell them to get off their lazy shebse and cut it out. Problems won't fix themselves."

Corden took in a deep breath and then exhaled, the sound oddly metallic as it filtered through his rebreather.

"The Protectors, just like any other Mandalorian, have a duty to defend and sustain their respective clans. If those clans are plagued by infighting and politics as you say, the fault lies with your warriors. It was their responsibility, which means they failed to adhere to two of our core tenets, both defense and clan. If they refuse to disband or run away from the problems they allowed to thrive in their absence, then they will have refused to answer my call, ignoring a third. If you and your warriors want to form your own clan or merge with another like-minded one, see to those neglected responsibilities first."

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk bit back an angry retort, fighting to keep his voice level. "We do not run. And the politics of the clans are not their responsibility. Those are matters for the Alor. The politics lie with them. The Cabur have shown that the verde, when pulled away from the long seated strife, function just as well as any of the clans. Others were meant to learn from the example we set." He drew in a breath, and continued. "I would never have us stand divided. The Protectors filled a purpose, one that was needed. Stating that I believe they are still needed is not advocating division. That is the exact anathema of what we have stood for. We united warriors of all clans under a common cause, showing them that there was something bigger than a name to fight for."

He turned, and gestured to his warriors. "We took an oath to safeguard all of Mando'yaim and its holdings, regardless of clan or creed. From that, there is no going back. Markus, Caleb, Jiang, do you wish to return to your clans of birth?" Caleb stepped forward, the youngest of the three, only 17 years old. His voice was still finding its own form, and it showed as he spoke.

"Vau holds nothing more than a name for me now. I fight for the Mandalorians as a whole. When Mand'alor calls, I will answer, but the choice of my path lies with me and me alone." He nodded respectfully, and then stepped back. Jiang spoke next, a gravely voice coming from the older warrior, who had reached 47 standard years just last month.

"Skirata was the place of my birth, my clan for most of my life. But I have no reason to return to the same way of life I knew before. My purpose has become clear, and I cannot fulfill that role within my old life. I answered your call, Mand'alor, and joined something that I believed in. I still do. While you have my blade when you need it, you do not have my purpose." He coughed, his discomfort known, as he was a man of few words, and his small speech was more than he had said at one time in years. Markus was the last to speak, stepping forward several paces and standing beside Sisk. He took a deep breath, and his deep voice echoed through the bay, a voice that was meant to be heard above the field of battle.

"Mand'alor, I know it sounds disrespectful, but it is actually anything but. We all respect what you have done for the clans, especially in the wake of the Civil War. You united us as we hadn't been in almost a thousand years, and to do what you did, it took a strength that is rare." He took another breath, looked at the gathered clan leaders and continued. "I grew up in Bralor, and fought in the Civil War, while most of my clan functioned as medics and techs. I have seen the ways the clans were divided, and I see the way they are now. I joined the Cabur because it was something I could believe in, something that gave me a greater purpose. I left with the full blessing of my Alor, and I know that if he were here, he would support our decision." Markus sighed faintly, as if worried, and spoke from the heart.

"The strong survive and the weak perish. It is our way. Rule through might, leaders through strength. Those that cannot do it for themselves are swept away for those who are able to take their place. Clans rise and fall, but Mando'yaim is forever. I believe this with a full heart, and nothing that you say will change my mind. I am a man, and I have my own thoughts, and they will not be influenced by those who are not myself. As with my brothers, I will answer your call, but my path lies with me." He looked at Sisk, and Sisk nodded, the gratefulness evident in his eyes. Markus stepped back to his vode, and assumed his position once again. Sisk waited for a moment before turning back, taking in the gathered clan leaders.

"We live by the tenets, and will disband. It is Mand'alor's order, and we shall follow. But I will not force those who do not wish to return to their clans to do so. It is their choice, and their right as free men to choose their destiny. Our loyalty, as always, lies with Mando'yaim and you. But loyalty does not mean servitude. It is not for one to dictate the life of another, that goes against what every Mando holds in their hearts." He shook his head slowly. "As always, I am your man, Corden, bound by loyalty and respect. But those qualities do not give you the right to force me into a decision that is not my choice. I am my own man, and I choose my own way. We do not abandon the tenets. When we left, we were but verde, fighting at our Alor's order. But we have grown, and become better men. Mandalorians leave their clans all the time, searching for a better life. That is all we ask. The right to choose our own life, our own clan, our own destiny."

 

[Vencu]

Corden nodded his helmeted head, considering all that they had said. He was pleased that the warriors had spoken their minds, but the clans they had left so long ago might resent the fact that they chose not to return and instead create their own clans. It was their decision to make, though, "Do what you will. Form your own clans and build them up, but know that I will not tolerate infighting between your clans and those you left. Your warriors will be held to the same standard as all the rest."

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk nodded, pleased. "Although we may not hold the name, our oaths still bind us. There will be no aggression and infighting between us and our fellows. We respect them as verde and as vode. No matter where we go, if they call, we will answer. That is my solemn promise." He stepped forward slightly, and asked a question that had been bothering him as of late. "While we speak of the Clans, there is a matter that has weighed heavily upon me. Apollo has been missing for over a year, and his clan has fallen to the hands of a military junta. Despite my searches and scouts, I have found no trace of him or his Ironfists. Has there been any word?"

 

[Vencu]

"None." Corden replied, shaking his helmeted head from side to side, "The last I saw of Apollo, he was fighting on Brentaal. Ordo took heavy casualties there and with no word from him after the battle, many assumed he had been killed. There were too few warriors to rally and rebuild, or so I'm told. What few survivors there were joined other clans. Still, a few stubborn Ordo can be found here and there. The clan itself is a pale shadow of what it was before, though. They've lost identity and purpose... Why do you ask?"

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk squared his shoulders, and looked at the assembled clan leaders. "War materials and supplies from Ordo have waned significantly over the last year. I hear rumors of empty factories, listless warriors, and deviation from the tenets. This is unacceptable. Ordo is a storied clan, one with a proud history, and it shall not fade into the night, not when I can do something about it." With a meaningful glance at each leader, Sisk met this challenge head on, just as he always had. "It is obvious that we can no longer depend on Apollo, if he still lives at all. To keep the clans united, we need to insure that our material does not stop in its flow, we need to insure that our warriors see that honor never dies." He touched his chest lightly, and bowed his head.

"I cannot allow this to stand, Corden. Ordo must not die. I will take those who wish to go with me, and rebuild the Clan to its former glory. We will remove the corruption by striking the head from the snake, and allow the body to grow anew."

 

[Vencu]

"Earn their trust and respect and I suppose the few that are left will welcome you as their new leader. Don't rush in promising change, though. They may not take kindly to that, especially after losing Apollo. Just remember that they won't be rebuilt overnight, even with your former Protectors to bolster their ranks... but you have my blessing, if that's what you're after."

"I suppose we'll be calling you Sisk Ordo before long. Best of luck with that, vod." Chela commented, "Don't think it will be easy, though. Ordo are a stubborn breed. More stubborn than most other clans, anyway."

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk nodded slowly, and thought for a moment. "If there's one thing I'm good at, its being stubborn. It will take some work, but it will be done. Ordo will see true glory and honor return." He extended his arm to clasp Vencu's. "There are many plans to make, Corden, and a campaign to be won. I will let the verde know. Our last battle will be a glorious one."