BiB: Will Mando for Credits

[Tagal Saxon]

Having the blueprints for his armour was only part of the mission though. Being able to make his own armour was good but there were some functions that he had never actually gotten around to learning how to make and chief amongst those two were jetpacks and wrist rockets.

He knew how to make jump boots and he knew how to make some of the other wrist-based add ons but he wasn't about to mess around with a jetpack or a wrist-rocket launcher until he had actually gotten them made professionally by someone who did know what they were doing. Once he had them he would go over their designs and likely make sure he could make them himself in the future but that wasn't something to focus on right now.

Right now it was time to focus on actually convincing the vendor to sell to him and Skuld as well. Skuld was still in her Stark armour so there might be trouble... alongside the fact that Tagal was going to ask for the blueprints as well as the sale.

They had brought along a fair amount of credits but he honestly wouldn't say it was enough to buy the add ons and the means to make and maintain them himself in the future so he doubted it was all going to be plain sailing.

"What's the bet we have to punch someone?" he asked Skuld as they made their way through the main market street, "Keeping in mind that it's the middle of the working day - no one's going to be too fed up from their work just yet."

Or maybe they would? Either way, he was reasonably certain that someone needed to get a good punching to make sure this ended in their favour.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Why was she here again?

She snorted, lips curling into a half-grin of amusement. "Tagal Saxon, I wouldn't bet on anything if it meant me losing more credits. Your people do not like me by default; a punch or two is needed. For establishment of character, of course." She seemed to think that thought funny; strange how such a warrior culture could be so proud of their ability to war, and yet so many of them did not always do that very thing.

"They will want to fight me anyways; for your gods' glory, I can imagine," she muttered, mostly to herself. Truth was, she itched to be off this planet. The baleful stares and side whispering was starting to get on her nerves; didn't they know she was just as reluctant to come in as they were to see her? Nevertheless, if she mentioned this to Tag she would never hear the end of it.

So instead she squared her shoulders, and gave him a sideways glance. "Tell me... why in Odin's graces did you drag me here again? Apart from your twisted sense of humor?" Only he would catch the mild amusement in her tones, but her posture was deceivingly relaxed; any who attempted to attack the woman would be met with several nasty surprises.

A Mandolorian companion would be the least of those surprises.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Yeah there was a high chance that she would lose her credits if she made a bet against him on the matter of whether or not someone would require a good punch before they reached the part where they actually progressed and got what they wanted. She had been around him long enough to know that he really didn't get people on board without some form of violence. Of course considering where they were?

Punching someone's teeth down their throat was equal parts likely to get them respect as it was to anger someone enough to try and do something about it.

"Punch someone's teeth down their throat and you'll make my day."

He might be a smith but he was still a Mandalorian damn it and sometimes violence was just the best damn way to get what you wanted. Why had he dragged her here?

"Oh that part is easy." he raised an eyebrow and smirked, "I'm not sure I'd trust you in the port on your own. I'm reasonably sure I'd leave you alone for ten minutes and you'd have conducted a hostile takeover of Mandalmotors."

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She never bet unless it was an absolute sure thing. This mission? She was not sure about anything, even Tagal Saxon. It had been a long time since he had ever been surrounded by so many of his culture; perhaps it left him on edge as much as she felt when they visited her old home world of Ando Prime. She certainly felt like a varlwulf in a cage right now; nowhere to pace, itching to gnaw at something maybe. Or to fight.

Ja, a fight would just about do it for her; this itch between her shoulder blades just would not ease up, it tingled in her palms, ached for her to lash out at someone who would muscle their way over if any dared. Truth be told... she wouldn't have minded beating the pulp out of any arrogant Mandalorian who would give them trouble.

"Would I?" she remarked dryly, her laughter low in her chest as she strode beside him, lips twisted into a half-smile. "Good to know, malmhaus... perhaps I'll do that before we leave, ja?"

Her laughter burst out when he mentioned her takeover; she had to admit, it had its' appeals, but...

"Theirs is not quality with yours," she shrugged, with a small wink in return. "It would not be hostility; it would be a mercy based on the ships I saw."

Some of those designs... what were they thinking? No wonder Tagal had some curious taste in aesthetics...

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Tagal felt a small surge of Mandalorian pride that had him wanting to defend Mandalmotors but if he was being honest with himself? He had seen some of their more recent design decisions and he wasn't really a fan of them. Sure, they still did what they were supposed to do but some of the newer models lacked some of the soul and heart that he felt some of the older models had in spaces. Of course he was perfectly aware that this might very well be just his own bias based on what he had grown up looking at in the sky when he was a kid growing up.

So he didn't bother disputing it, he just smirked a little bit and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah - just behave alright? This guy might give us a hard time as it is."

Pressing the button on the side, Tagal stepped through the doorway of a local store. The store's interior was cold, chilled by an AC unit, and there were two guards on hand. Already they had their rifles aimed at both Skuld and Tagal, though it was clear from their posture that this was honestly just because they had stepped through the door and nothing personal.

Standing behind the counter was a mousy-looking man in his mid forties, leaning against the counter and actively working on a Mandalorian wrist rocket launcher with a tiny-limbed tool.

"The hell do you people want?"

Well he wasn't the rudest Mandalorian they'd met today at least.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She snorted at the idea of him thinking she could behave; she wanted someone to be stupid enough to challenge her. But it seemed most wanted their distance; fine. But she knew her comments nettled him as well; she could hardly help it. Her own tastes were simple, hard and plain; any decor added on for the sake of it was her biggest annoyance this side of the galaxy.

She delighted in this cold temperature; finally something acceptable as temperature. It was a massive relief for the Deucalian, who would never admit that the temps here were annoying enough to make her want to punch things already. But the guns pointed at her were enough to make her want to reach for her ax; instead she relaxed, and raised an eyebrow.

So... this was interesting.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

The hell did they want?

"Well for starters we're customers so we'd like to be able to have a conversation about buying some products here without having to stare down the barrel of some blasters." Tagal declared bluntly, not taking his eyes off the owner, "If you don't get them to lower their weapons I'm going to shove both rifles up your arse and pull the triggers until the guns go 'click'."

There was a moment's silence before the owner of the store just snorted in amusement and waved his hand. Both guards had a little bit of a chuckle before lowering their weapons and moving over to the door, allowing Skuld and Tagal to move up to the counter. The owner gestured with a hand and Tagal took that as his cue.

"We want a jetpack, a wrist rocket launcher... and the blueprints to both so I can maintain them myself, with her assistance."

The owner paused for a moment before frowning.

"Alright - and why should I give you the blueprints? For credits?" He shook his head, "You might talk like a Mandalorian but you might still be a milkdrinker. And what about your woman? She mute or something?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Her icy blue eyes narrowed at the shop owner. When they had initially stepped in to guns pointed, she instinctively reached her hand for her own blaster, only pausing from withdrawing because Tagal seemed unimpressed. She wasn't going to deny, hearing him be like this was a nice change of pace; at least he did not take the man belly-down because of his attitude.

She could feel her shoulders stiffen in indignation, blue eyes flashing. But a feral smile graced her lips when she responded, her voice low and hard.

"Nei. His woman only talks to people who don't need to wave a gun to prove a point...Especially to those that call her man a milkdrinker," she replied, face cold and nearly expressionless. If they didn't know her, they would have thought her bored... but Tagal would have understood. She was seething. Her hands would not dare reach for her blaster right now, but her blades and ax were not far from reach.

Despite the cold air, she was now in a foul mood. She would have even been willing to take down the two guards just for fun, but meantime her posture remained, icy eyes not leaving the smaller man's face. She would not be cowed by any sharp-mouthed Mandalorian any day.

But then she quickly muttered under her breath, "Það er aðeins einn byssa sem ég huga, og hann þarf ekki að veifa því til að sanna sig," before perking a black brow, challenging and cool.

Not today, was she going to take any foul to Tagal Saxon, especially on Mandalore.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

The shopkeeper assumed that Skuld was his woman and yet Skuld didn't actually correct him on that bit - maybe that meant that the cold woman was warming up to him more than he expected? More than he had previously thought? He didn't know but what he did know that the shopkeeper was probably wishing he had just been civil at this stage.

Said shopkeeper looked uncomfortable.

Tagal himself? We he understood some of what Skuld muttered under her breath even if the shopkeeper didn't. He had been teaching himself some of her language and it seemed to be coming in handy. His cheeks flushed slightly but he did his best to get over it quickly before she could see. Thankfully the shopkeeper spoke.

"How much have you got?"

Tagal showed him his budget on a small datapad and the shopkeeper shook his head.

"For that amount? No blueprints but I figure that's what you really want... so tell you what. I've got two bounty hunter contracts I need done. You do them for me? We're square."

Seemed fair enough to him. Tagal nodded once and shook the man's hand as he got the data on the bounty targets transferred to his datapad. Gesturing for skuld to follow, he left the store.

"... only one gun you mind huh?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

So the man before them seemed uncomfortable at this thought that he was insulting her man. Good. She wanted this done and over with; she didn't even want to linger and talk shop any more than she had to. It was a nuisance to wear armor in a space that her head was a sought prize for their culture; she had endured dirty looks and whispers that she could understand, and men and women alike trying to eye her up for her skills and abilities, and she had just had it up to her eyebrows.

She didn't even look at Tagal, but he... shifted? What, did she say something in Mando'a without thinking? Nei... it was definitely her language.

She followed after, glaring openly at the guards, if they tried to move in her direction. But when they left and stepped into the street...

Irritation bloomed to shock in her face. Her cheeks went pale, her eyes widened. She quite literally froze in place.

Almost immediately, her shock turned to irrational anger. Embarrassment. A toxic combination. Immediately color flashed back, and her eyes flashed an icy sheen.

She took a swift breath in, then exhaled sharply, jaw clenching, eyes narrowing. Her fingers dug into the armor covering her hips, and then stalked forward, brushing past him. She couldn't help being embarrassed, it was humiliating enough that she was being stared at like a varlwulf's next meal by multiple veiled hostile gazes, but he understood her!

"You could understand me?!" She hissed, cheeks flushed a pale rose as she suddenly wheeled back on him. "You could have told me!" She parted her lips as though she were about to say something else, but growled instead, crossing her arms defiantly.

"...Ja. The only one. Don't let it get to your head," she snarled, then turned back around once more, heedless of the crowd.

If anyone dared give her any kark now, she wouldn't just knock their teeth out.

She'd absolutely demolish them.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Her reaction was priceless.

He honestly wished that he had been recording it because he doubted he would ever be able to see her this struck dumb ever again. She looked like she wanted to explode at him, sink into the floor and splutter out an explanation all at the same time. It was a rather strange mixture when you thought about it but it worked undeniably in his opinion. It was immediately worth all of those months and weeks learning some of her language.

It had been time well spent just for this.

He smirked a little bit as they wandered on back towards their ship, definitely not in a hurry.

"I could have told you." he agreed before smirking, "But that would have been far less fun than what I actually ended up doing in the end now wouldn't it?"

His smirk deepened.

"I wouldn't dream of it." he assured her before adding, "Didn't think my gun had cowed you so much... you still a fiery little Ice Witch?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She wished she could absolutely trammel him without feeling guilty for it later... so instead, she substituted it for a hard punch to the shoulder. Her icy eyes narrowed, but the color deepened on her cheeks. Her teeth gritted and her eyes narrowed, voice almost wintry when she did finally bother to speak.

"Watch yourself, Tagal Saxon, if you want to keep your gun," she growled sharply. "Does that still answer your question, malmhaus?"

She didn't wait for an answer, but turned on one heel, plowing ahead.

It was a shame the ship was still so far away. But she wasn't going to hesitate beating the kark out of their punching bag when she got there. At least in their ship she could strip to something far more comfortable to pummel something to oblivion over. And then take an icy shower... try to sleep off the humiliation. She wished she had known sooner.

How much of what she had said over the last few months could he understand?!

She dreaded knowing that answer... and she wanted out of this horrible planet as soon as physically possible.

/End Thread

@Nefieslab