Ask Do You Want to See My Ship?

[Maryenne Vennen]

With the agreement reached between Maryenne, the Endless Watch and the Rancor Squad, the Mandalorians officially received a portion of land in Gatalenta where they could settle. Now they were starting to settle in the area, organizing their headquarters before starting to train the planetary defense forces.

At the moment, Maryenne was traveling to the settlement established by the Rancor Squad. Since the day was pleasant, the Senator decided to travel riding her white horse Fanuilos. The mare was part of the herd that was owned by her family since the times of the Old Republic. The animals were imported from Endor at the time, but now lived in farms of Gatalenta.

She was dressed in an outfit that allowed her movements to ride, but were still formal to meet with her new allies. Maryenne was also traveling alone, with her brother staying with Florian in the capital. For some reason, Joscelyn had a smirk when the Senator said that she was going to visit the Mandalorians.

He was so strange.

Once she arrived in the settlement, Maryenne would seek Hauron Solus, the leader of Rancor Squad.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Spoiler: Music

Song

The more that Hauron researched and learned about Gatalenta the more he grew to like it. The planet outlawed slavery and if any such person were brought to the planet they were set free. The beautiful landscape, temperate climate and the interesting culture of the planet's people all motivated the mandalorian to take good care in directing his forces. They were going to be responsible for making it a planet capable of defending itself. If all went well then maybe Gatalenta would become a new colony of sorts for mandalorians outside of mandalorian space.

Rancor Squadron would be on their best behavior and some even began trading with the locals. The initial arrival force had landed and were establishing the settlement. The mandalorians did not need a great deal and what they did bring could easily be loaded or left behind. In time there would be fortifications set up and habitation arranged along with more infrastructure but even just a simple landing strip was enough for the mercenary warband to work out of.

A single corvette was parked on the surface and dwarfed most of the other ships. Kom'rk or "gauntlet" starfighters and fang interceptors had landed and were being seen to by flight crews. But many of the warrior people were relaxing. For mandalorians this meant sparing, drinking or finding some other form of entertainment. The Senator would receive stares as she approached the settlement. They were told to expect her after all.

Most of the mandalorians out in the open wore their helmets or had them close at hand but none jumped to put them on when Maryenne came into view. It was clear some just lived by different practices though there was a diverse number of species and clans with an array of paint schemes. There were a few that did not wear helmets but today Hauron wore his today in the sun. The black helm with red tinted visor was matched by the rest of his freshly painted plate. Around his hips and protecting his thighs was a black kama edged in red. The rest of his armor was touched up and repaired of most scuff marks though some of the major strikes still showed. It only added to the seasoned appearance of the rally master. Only foundlings had unmarked armor and it had been many years since Hauron had been one.

Standing among his comrades Hauron saw the senator approach on horseback. The sight made him raise and eyebrow and smile curiously. Taking a few steps away from the group discussing explosive achievements he walked to meet Maryenne. "Good day, Senator. You're looking regal today. I'm glad you could make it." His helmet turned away from the beautiful rider to look at the magnificent creature carrying her. "That's quite the pretty creature. I didn't take you for an animal lover." It was certainly different from a rancor. He walked towards her and eyed the horse, wondering if it would react to him getting near. The Group Leader extended a hand, offering it for the woman to take and dismount if she wished.

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

Maryenne pulled the reins of Fanuilos when she approached the Mandalorian settlement. The mare slowed down to a canter, allowing the Senator to move through the camp without disturbing the warriors. From the reports that she received and what was in front of her, their settling was going well.

She noticed the Mandalorians staring at her and Fanuilos. Maryenne simply smiled friendly at them, after all the Senator had warned that she was going to visit the place. Even if she met with Atuu and Hauron, the Gatalentan was still curious about the armored warriors. Her culture and theirs were so different, totally opposites. However, now they were there to help her planet prepare its defenses.

Some of the Mandalorians weren’t wearing their helmets, allowing the Senator to see that there were different species in the Rancor Squad. She grew up with the idea that peace was the only way to bring everyone together, but to her surprise a warrior culture was doing it for centuries.

When she saw Hauron approaching, Maryenne immediately made Fanuilos stop. Like during their meeting in Osarian, the Rally Master was wearing his helmet and armor. “Hello, Hauron! Thank you for the compliment.” she smiled at him, while watching the man carefully approach the horse. “You don’t need to be afraid. Fanuilos is pretty docile, unless you want to attack her.” as if answering her, the mare neighed.

The Senator accepted Hauron’s hand, saying a ‘thank you’. She climbed down the horse and removed the gloves, then turned to pet the horse’s head. “Well, we only meet for business, you couldn’t know that I liked animals. Do you want to touch her?” if he had a positive answer, Maryenne would held the horse's reins for him to touch the head. "How are your people settling? Is everything fine?"

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

He gave her a casual nod and spoke a 'you're welcome'. Maryenne used his first name which caused Hauron to smile. He took it as a sign for him to not be too formal. The rally master's attention turned to the senator's steed. "Fanuilos." He said the horse's name aloud. "I wouldn't dream of it." Animals shared a special place in his heart. The Solus despised animal cruelty even in war but they loved to bring companions into battle with them.

After the senator dismounted and another 'thank you' and 'you're welcome' happened he looked back between the horse and its master. "Fair point." Hauron wanted to get to know Maryenne better. "May I?" He asked to be sure.

With confirmation he would extend a hand and pet Fanuilos. Her fur and hair was a different texture than he was expecting through the gloves. "They're getting acquainted. Everything's coming along well, more than we're used to in fact." Mandalorians tended to favor dangerous climates with violent wildlife to act as a natural defense. But Gatalenta was practically a paradise world in comparison to most. "I think some of them are most excited about the teas you have here. I know I'm looking forward to trying some." It was a tradition to drink tea and usually with a toast to one or another's health before going into battle. But he doubted the gatalentan tea was like the cassius tea his kin consumed.

The Group Leader remembered why the Senator had come. "My flagship, the Dralaalar will be arriving shortly. While we wait I can pour you some tea or show you around. Are you hungry, Maryenne?" The berex class carrier was en route. In fact it had already exited hyperspace and was making its way to the planet's surface. It held the two seater interceptor that Hauron wanted to take her for a ride in.

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

”Then we are two. I would never hurt any animal.” Maryenne loved animals, to the point of being one of the contributors of the Galactic Wildlife Fund. Her passion for them started when she and her grandmother visited the Coruscant Zoo for the first time when she was only six years old. It wasn’t an amazing experience, sadly the place was ravaged by Raze’s abominations.

“Of course! She is a good girl.” she watched Hauron touch Fanuilos, who remained calm during it. It was curious to see a Mandalorian being so gentle. Maryenne, like many others, had heard the stories of how they were violent warriors. At first, she was even afraid of having proposed the treaty with them. However, during their conversation, she had learned that they weren’t the barbarians that people used to say.

“I’m happy to hear that! I was afraid that our peaceful lifestyle and calm plains would leave you all bored.” she said playfully, while following him through the settlement. Using the reins, the Senator pulled Fanuilos after them. “If you want tea, I’ll be sure to make sure that a load of several types will be brought tomorrow.”

Maryenne was taken by surprise by his invitation to eat. “If it wasn’t a nuisance, then I’ll love it!” the Senator smiled. In fact, she was really hungry and believed that it would be impolite if she refused it. “Is there a place where I can leave Fanuilos? I don’t want to leave her walking around. It can disturb your work.”

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

If what she said was true Maryenne seemed to be far more gentle and kind than Hauron. The mandalorian had hunted animals and fought enemies of all shapes and sizes. But he could respect the care she gave for life. It was often a characteristic taken for granted in this day and age.

Hauron was glad his petting of the horse was accepted by both Fanuilos and her rider. He pulled away after the brief touch and returned his attention to the Senator. He caught her watching him though he was used to the long stares at his blank helmet.

Concern about their level of excitement was amusing to the rally master. She was not paying Rancor Squadron to have fun but he appreciated the sentiment. "Don't worry we find ways to entertain ourselves and keep busy." As if on cue a ringing clang of metal on metal echoed through the camp. Dozens of warriors had been practicing training maneuvers or showing proper form after a tall tale. But a pair of warriors were now sparing with no holds barred. Barehanded with only their armor protecting their bodies and no weapons. The pair circled one another between a gathering crowd and continued exchanging blows.

Hauron continued guiding the senator along since this was a common occurrence among them. His mind was already on the matters of tea and food. "Thank you. That's very kind of you, Maryenne." He found the corners of his mouth smiling at saying the woman's first name outloud and he was not sure why.

The Solus waved a hand at her concerns about being a bother. "It's hardly any trouble. I uh...hope you don't mind our humble facilities. Do you like spicy food?" The politician was probably used to eating rich steaks and golden meals. Even if he tried his best to make a meal or have the cooks make something it would probably fall short of her expectations. But the mikkian chose to make the offer all the same.

"Certainly. My ship is this way. She'll probably be fine in its shade if that's to her liking." Ahead there was his parked kom'rk transport which dwarfed most things nearby like a simple hexagonal tent-like hut. The horse could be hitched in front of the tent or underneath the large vessel either of which was given their own space from the rest of the mandalorians. Inside the hut was a small stove was connected to the mobile generator. There were a few boxes which Hauron moved to and began staging the foodstuff for preparation. "I can have some one bring some food and water for Fanuilos too. What does she eat?"

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

Maryenne watched the Mandalorians practicing their combat abilities. It was impressive and she hoped that they would be able to teach some of it to the Gatalentan defense forces. “I can see it. However, you are free to visit the cities and even to participate in circles of poetry.” the Senator had heard about these warriors making war chants and engaging in other artistic productions.

Who knows, one of the members of the Rancor Squad could be a poet waiting for the opportunity to express themselves.

She smiled when Hauron said her name, feeling happy that he was comfortable enough to be less formal around her. After all, they are partners in the mission of establishing a defense force for her homeworld. “It’s nothing. I want to make you all comfortable in being here. After all, you are in Gatalenta because of our invitation.”

“It'll be my first time eating spicy food. I'm excited to taste it.” Maryenne loved experiencing new things. Due to that, the chance of eating something new was appreciated by her. The Senator also ignored the humble conditions from the settlement. “I don’t mind the humbleness, for me the most important thing is if the company is pleasant.” she smiled at Hauron, before following him.

“The shadow will be good. She likes to eat grass and haylage.” Maryenne walked to tie Fanuilos, while stopping a bit to see the ship that was casting the shadow. It was the first time that she was so close to a combat shuttle. Once the mare was tied, the Senator returned to where Hauron was going to prepare the food. “ Do you want help?” she never cooked in her entire life, but maybe there was some way that she could help.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron appreciated the invitation and thanked her in kind. House Solus had a history of possessing many bards and musical artists. Dalyn and Koil Solus were two names in particular that rang a bell and brought a few melodies to mind. This also motivated him to continue practicing the guitar in his spare time. The mikkian would like to take her up on the invitation personally some time.

"Well I have plenty of blue milk just in case." Even Hauron had not been born a mandalorian and so he knew it took some getting used to. There would also be sour cream or juice though he doubted it would be that bad. He took her comment as a compliment. "I'll do my best to not disappoint."

Hauron was pleasantly surprised she was eager to help. Maybe she did not like to just be idle either. "Um, you could chop some veggies if you really want to." A cutting board and knife were presented a moment later. He felt like being the host, but this was her planet so it was a bit odd. "What would you like to drink?" He had forgotten if he had already asked her that.

A pot of tiingilar stew was already being slow cooked in a heater at the back of the tent. Hauron would wash his hands but the scent of ground nerf meat, potatoes, beans and more wafted out of the container even before Hauron checked on its contents. The smell of peppers and spices tickled the mikkians nose before he began to serve two bowls. "Be careful. That's really hot, in temperature and spice, so let it cool for a few minutes."

The rally master pulled out some dough and began taking pieces off of a large mass and rolling them into thin sheets. He kept rolling them point that light could pass through them if he held them up to the light. Haarshun bread was also a great addition for soup, either dipping it in or crumbling it over the top of chili. Its thinness allowed it to bake quickly too making it easy for a quick meal.

Now that they were in the tent and waiting for things to cool off or heat up, Hauron reached up to his helmet and unsealed it with a hiss before taking it off. Numerous braid like tendrils were tied together and kept close along is head to fit underneath his helmet but he took the ties off, allowing the blue vine like strands to slowly flow an incorporeal current. This would be her first time seeing him and he wondered what her reaction would be. His red irises tried to gauge the senator's expectation as well.

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

”I’ll have that on mind.” Maryenne wondered if the food would be really too spicy. However, it wasn’t enough to make the Senator change her mind. She was still interested in tasting this new type of food. Regarding the company, a large smile appeared on her lips. “So far I don’t have any complaints.” talking with Hauron was a pleasant break from her busy agenda.

And from her annoying brother.

“Oh.” Maryenne said, looking at the knife and the vegetables. How would she tell him that she never did it before? When the Senator offered help, she thought of helping put the table and carry the plates. However, she decided to say nothing. “Yes, I’ll do it.” the Gatalentan immediately picked the knife. It couldn’t be so difficult, right?

Maryenne carefully grabbed one of the vegetables and positioned the knife over. She tried to chop it, but ended up putting so much strength that the piece of the vegetable flew away. The Senator briefly looked at Hauron, her cheek red. Remaining in silence, she tried again. This time she was more successful.

After what seemed to be hours, Maryenne finally was able to finish the first legume and immediately went to the rest. “Look! It’s done!” the Senator said, passing the plate with vegetables to Hauron. She had a proud smile on her lips, ignoring the fact that all pieces were cut in different sizes.

With the food finished, the two could sit to eat. For the first time since they met, Hauron removed his helmet, allowing the Senator to have a good look at him. “I thought that you was older.” she said playfully, while tilting her head.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron turned away from Maryenne before she began to cut the vegetables. One particularly dense plant had a chunk went sailing through the air until it struck the back of the Rally Master's armored shoulders. It gave a soft plink sound before it fell to the floor of the tent.

Hauron looked back towards Maryenne to see what had just happened. "You okay?" He did not see any blood so she had not cut herself at least. The man bent down to pick up the dropped piece of vegetable and set it aside. He would see if Fanuilos wanted to eat it later rather than just toss it in the trash. If the senator kept it up, there would be plenty to feed her horse.

The senator continued with her chopping. Occasionally Hauron would sneak a look at her and see her intensely focused on the job he had given her. When she presented it he smiled and nodded warmly. "Very nice. Thank you." He did not mind the different sizes. Some were bite size and others were large pieces for munching or could be broken into smaller pieces on each of their plates. Either way they tasted the same and Hauron was glad for the assistance. Since she did not answer about the drinks he would pour a few fingers of tihaar in a cup for each of them. A pitcher of blue milk and water were also nearby if the stew ended up being too spicy or if they developed a thirst.

The blue skinned mikkian let out a chuckle. It was not the first time someone had told him as much. "Thank you, I think." He paused for a moment as he looked back at the senator. His heart beat faster as he spoke. "You are more beautiful than I expected." The food had cooled in temperature and the scent of fresh bread filled the tent and mixed with the stew.

The badger wanted to get to know this woman. Something about her intrigued him and he could not place his finger on it. She was indeed easy on the eyes not to mention kind, smart and funny. Hauron wondered if there was anything about Maryenne he did not like. The mandalorian was in no rush to find evidence to the contrary and was happy to enjoy the moment with her. "If you could have lunch with any person in the history of the galaxy who would it be and why? You can't say me." He gave a playful point with a hand holding bread before dipping some of it into the stew and taking a bite.

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

”I’m fine!” she said, when still cutting the vegetables. Maryenne had asked for a task and she wasn’t going to complain with what she received. The Senator was too prideful to show that she never did it. Besides, the idea of showing her inability in doing something so simple in front of Hauron made her nervous for some reason.

His praise made her smile. She wondered if the Mandalorian was saying it only because he was being polite. “You are welcome! I’m happy to be able to help.” she said, while passing the vegetables to him. The Senator gave one last look at the pieces, still not being satisfied with the fact that the sizes were completely different from each other.

Maryenne immediately got red when Hauron said that she was beautiful. “Oh.” the Senator said, not knowing what she should answer. It wasn’t normal for her to listen to such compliments. With her agenda filled with work, the Gatalentan couldn’t even remember when it was the last time that she had a date.

Wait, is it a date? she thought, but soon dismissed these thoughts. It is only a business meeting.

With the food cooling, Maryenne got ready to eat, using her knowledge of etiquette to hold the spoon. Food smelled wonderfully and she couldn’t wait to eat it. However, before she could fill a spoonful, Hauron made a question that she didn’t expect. Not because she thought that it was strange, but because she never thought about it before.

She also was speechless with his comment about himself, but this one she decided to ignore for now.

After a moment to reflect about it, Maryenne finally found an answer. “I think that it would be Padme Amidala. She was a great politician of her time and I admire her career. She was the youngest Queen of Naboo. She is an example that I want to follow.” the Naboo woman was an example for many young politicians, or at least to those that wanted to be serious in their work. “And you? Who would you like to have lunch with?”

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron was not surprised she thought he was older. He took it as a compliment but did not respond except with a smile at first. He did not want to sour the mood by making a grim comment. Despite his father's efforts to give him a "normal" childhood he still grew up faster than most kids.

The Rally Master was friendly with most people and flirtacious with attractive individuals he enjoyed. But he still saw this as a somewhat professional interaction. As long as he did not make any mistakes himself or discover any deal-breakers on her end, he hoped to ask her out on a proper date. Hauron could not help but feel this way considering the tour of ships had yet to even begin. By the time the two leaders finished eating the ships would have landed and make ready for their own arrival. Until then the two could chat and get to know one another more.

Hauron blew on one spoonful gently before taking a bite and chewing. He ate and listened to Maryenne's answer with an interested expression meeting her eyes. He was impressed by her answer and gave a small nod as he finished chewing. He knew it was rude to talk with his mouthful and among many disciplined he had learned, dinner etiquette was among them even before becoming a Mandalorian. Though sometimes this wavered when in the company of his comrades. For now he seemed surprisingly well mannered, sitting up straight with his elbows close to his sides.

"Good answer. Ooo now I have to think of something really good. Hmm..." He looked down at his bowl, stirring the contents slightly as he thought. "This might sound bad, so don't judge me for it too bad but I think maybe Thrawn." He did not bother putting the Grand Admiral before the historical figure's name since he still felt the man was on the wrong side of history. "He was an accomplished naval tactician and had an interesting way of thinking. I thought it would be kind of lame to just say one of my ancestors." He gave a guilty shrug that said 'sorry-not-sorry'.

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

Maryenne briefly stared at the bowl in front of her, the steam rising from it. She could see how the pieces of the vegetables had different sizes and it gave her a bit of frustration. The Gatalentan was a bit perfectionist and seeing her terrible job with the vegetables made her want to cut them correctly next time. However, would there be a second time?

Perhaps she should invite Hauron to eat at her home soon.

And she would practice making perfect food for them.

“Thrawn? Really?” she raised an eyebrow. From all the names that she expected the Mandalorian to say, she never expected that he would want to meet the Chiss. “Given that he was an Imperial, I thought that you would hate him.” the Senator wasn’t going to give the details about why she thought that, being pretty obvious given what the Empire did to Mandalore.

“Okay, now we are going to do something different.” Maryenne said, while picking a spoonful of food. “Who is the individual that you would never want to meet? In my case, I would never want to meet Nute Gunray. He was everything that I hate in a politician, a coward and an imbecile.”

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron took the uneven pieces of vegetables and served himself a handful of pieces. The fresh produce made a snapping noise as he bit into them. They were cool and light compared to the heartier and hot soup with piping hot bread. The vegetables were tasty even if they were just plain veggies.

His brow furrowed for a moment as if confused by her statement. "Oh...don't get me wrong. I do hate what the empire did and was. I'd be glad to never see him again after the lunch was over. But...lunch is lunch." He ended his sentence with another casual shrug with a matching smile. If given the chance to get to know the famous Chiss he would probably have learned to hate him. But such hypotheticals were just meant as a means to get to know one another a bit better.

"Okay." He replied with interest. He was keen to hear what she asked and was not disappointed. "Hmm...okay. I can see that." The mandalorian nodded, agreeing to the senator's choice and caused a slight wave to ripple through his blue head tendrils. Eating with Nute Gunray sounded unpleasant for a multitude of reasons. But it also made Hauron think of his own unpleasant visitation. "I think I would never want to meet Jabba the Hutt. Slaver, crime boss, just a jerk from what I've heard. Not to mention he was...nasty." Maryenne would see the look of disgust solidify on his face, fully expressing his distaste for Jabba and Hutt-kind as a whole. If the current Hutts were anything like their historical ancestors than Hauron did not want to personally meet any of them unless it was to remove them from the galaxy.

Hauron ate quickly out of habit and soon found his bowl nearing empty. Life on the move and with limited supplies could make a growing boy develop particular eating habits. Now as a man he needed to keep up his strength and improve it. So he would get up to grab a second bowl of the stew. "Let me know if you want seconds. Just remember we're going on a tour after this. Don't fill up too much." Even if she did not eat a lot, he was glad to have the luxury of being able to host a guest such as the senator.

"Okay next hypothetical. My turn..." He brought a hand to his chin after sitting back down and stroked it gently. "...If you did not have to work for an entire standard year what would you do with it?" He let the question hang in the air before nodding slightly, agreeing to the sound of his own question as his answer formed in his mind. "I think I would travel from planet to planet with my pet rancor. I know of a few really beautiful moons and worlds I'd like to visit before I die. I think I would also perfect my guitar playing skills." He gave a brief joking pantomime of strumming a stringed instrument before returning to his food. "Your turn, Maryenne." Hauron added with a curious tone.

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

”I understand. It would be an interesting conversation.” Maryenne smiled, Hauron's way of thinking was amusing and this lunch was better than she had expected. The Mandalorian was not only a pleasant company, but also very fun to talk with. And good looking, but she wasn’t going to say it loud.

“Ugh, you are absolutely right! I would never be able to have dinner with any Hutt.” she always thought that they were repulsive, not only because of their appearance, but also because their personality is unpleasant. They were an arrogant bunch, beyond any level of comprehension. They were also slavers, which was something repulsive in the Gatalentan opinion.

Differently from Hauron, Maryenne had taken longer to finish her meal. Her life had been alway peaceful, without any danger. Due to that, she never needed to eat her food fast. This small detail showed how the two had different lives, but were still capable of having a good conversation and sharing pleasant moments.

“No, I’m satisfied.” she finished her food and placed the spoon inside the bowl. “I would love to hear you play the guitar at some point.” Maryenne didn’t think that he liked playing a musical instrument. “Maybe you would like to join some musical meetings of artists. We have some of these happening in Gatalenta.”

“I never thought about it, but I think that I would like to visit some of the natural preserves that I help with donations.” she said, after some time thinking about the possibilities. “I only saw them in pictures, but they seemed to be amazing.” in a matter of fact, Maryenne hasn't vacationed in a long time. Such a visit would be unlikely to happen any time soon.

“Another hypothetical question, what would you change if you could go back on time? I think that my answer is obvious. I would save my grandmother.” she still missed Annelyn, even if it had been a year ago. “What would you do?”

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

The mikkian felt he was holding Maryenne's attention and his entertaining of the Senator was progressing well. His eyes would look back at hers, continuing to keep contact as they conversed. Hauron smiled at her agreement to his answer and shared disgust.

At first Hauron thought Maryenne was just being kind about his hobby but then he realized she was being genuine. "Oh um, sure. Thank you." His cheeks grew a little warm at the prospect of performing in front of strangers. A few mandalorians had heard his songs but he had only played for handfuls of people before at most. "I'm nothing special but I guess that just means I should practice." He raised hand to the back of his head and rubbed the base of where his tendrils met his scalp.

The senator sounded like a noble individual in every sense of the word. The Gatalentan was more than generous, she was practically worthy of sainthood. He nodded at her answer and the value she held for nature. Maybe he would be able to encourage her to take time off with the prospect of a vacation.

At Maryenne's latest question he pursed his lips in momentary thought. She answered first for herself which made him want to follow it up with more questions. Hauron wanted to know why he wished to save her grandmother. He did not know what had happened to her but such a subject was not easily broached. Instead it made him contemplate his own answer for a few seconds.

"I think I would save my biological parents." He did not mention saving himself from the smugglers. Hauron had no regrets about his change in lifestyle. The only thing he wanted to change was that his mikkian family had been killed by the smugglers who had kidnapped him and a dozen other children. He loved his adoptive family and had come to terms with the deaths of his mikkian relatives a long time ago.

The mood had turned to a slightly melancholic. But the rally master did not feel awkward. Instead he found a bit of comfort after sharing that detail with the senator. His smile continued as he got up and cleared the table. "Care for anything to drink, something stronger than tea before we go for the tour?" He had a bottle of tihaar and could try making a cocktail if she did not care for hard alcohol by itself. But he also would understand if she declined the offer for booze. The Solus was not in a rush to take the tour but did not want to seem like he was dallying all day. There was always more time for them to get to know one another more later.

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

Hauron’s reaction made Maryenne believe that he didn’t feel comfortable doing a presentation for the public. “Perhaps you could do it for me. I would like to hear you perform some day.” she smiled at him, noticing how the color of his cheeks got a bit darker, concluding that he was blushing. It was adorable.

His answer to her question left Maryenne a bit uncomfortable. The Senator had no idea what Hauron wanted to save his parents from and she wasn’t going to ask it. Having experience with what happened with her grandmother, she concluded that talking about it was a difficult topic for him.

Thankfully, Hauron changed the subject of the conversation. “No, thank you. It’s still early for me to drink alcohol.” besides that, Maryenne wasn’t the type to have many drinks. On the other hand, her brother would drink more than three bottles before lunch if he had the opportunity. This thought made her wonder what Joscelyn was doing while she was away. Would he be drunk already? Did he set his apartment on fire like that time three years ago?

Good, now she was concerned with him.

“Well, what do you think if we go see your ship right now? You talked so well about it during our first meeting that I’m curious.” Maryenne asked, trying to distract herself from the menace that was her brother.

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

"I think I can manage that. Just, no requests. Not yet anyways." He was glad she suggested just Maryenne alone as an audience.

After they switched subjects Hauron shrugged in nonjudgement. Time was a construct anyways but he could respect the desire for a clear mind when work was still ahead. The time of day was not a factor for the mandalorian when it came to merriment. He often traveled to different systems, each capable of having multiple planetoids with varying lengths of day and night cycles. The rally master found it was more a matter of pragmatic readiness personally and refrained from fishing the bottle out of one of his cargo cases.

Hauron finished cleaning up and saved most of it for later, not wanting to delay the tour. The mikkian noticed the human had an unfocused gaze. The mandalorian had no way of telling what she was thinking about but it looked slightly concerned. He slowly collected his helmet but the senator seemed to realize she was zoning out. "I think that's a great idea. I'll lead the way." A warm smile crossed his face as he donned his helmet again before heading outside of his hexagonal tent.

The single Modified Neo-Crusader corvette that had been parked outside with numerous small ships was now joined by many more similarly sized and larger vessels. Three additional dagger shapped Modified Raider class Corvettes(s) were finishing landing procedures. Two Modified Dodonna class armed transports were being unloaded of their cargo to support the mandalorian's present ground base. Still in orbit but visible from the ground was a frigate. Lastly and unmistakably taking up practically one portion of the horizon was the five hundred meter long hull of Rancor Squadron's flagship. The Modified Berex class Carrier was being similarly offloaded of cargo.

The Group Leader of Rancor Squadron stood outside his tent, gazing at the culmination of his accomplishments and tried to decide where to begin the tour. His T visor turned skyward as he looked up at the frigate in orbit. Even with all these vessels present it was not the sum total of his group. There were even more in other star systems completing their own contracts. He was proud of the sight before him which made his chest swell as his already great posture straightened more.

"Let's start with the largest and work our way down from there." He looked towards Maryenne to see how she felt about the suggestion. If she had a preference he would respect it. "What's the fastest thing you have ever piloted?" Hauron asked as they left the tent behind.

@LouJoVi

 

[Maryenne Vennen]

Maryenne smiled at him, she didn’t think that Hauron had a shy side. With the helmet and armor, the Senator thought that he would be serious and taciturn. Being wrong had been a pleasant surprise. “I’ll have that in mind. You’ll be the one to choose what you want to perform and I’ll happily listen to it.”

She only noticed that Hauron had finished cleaning the dishes when he said that would lead her to the ships. Maryenne had felt a bit embarrassed for having been caught staring at nothing, distracted with the problems that her brother could be causing in her absence. “Yes. It would be lovely.” she said, getting up from her chair. Maybe she should send a message to Florian, to ask about the situation.

While she followed Hauron, Maryenne discreetly pulled her EZPhone out from her pocket and tipped a message to her protocol droid. Hopefully a reassuring message would soon arrive. Now that she did it, the Senator would be able to focus her attention on the pleasant tour that the Mandalorian had offered.

“I, I have no idea.” she said, being taken by surprise by Hauron’s question. “I think that it was a speeder.” there were a ton of speeder models in the Galaxy, but she wasn’t the type to remember them. Maryenne even had no idea of what the difference between the ships that the Mandalorian had been showing to her.

Being a complete laywoman in this matter, she only recognized the transport because it reminded her of one that the Rebellion used and she saw that in the Museum in Coruscant. “What do you think that could be interesting for us?”

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron noted that Maryenne seemed partially distracted. It seemed to pass after she checked her phone. As a senator she was likely busy and was also an important individual. She probably had security checking in with her or other projects keeping her appraised. The mandalorian made not fuss over it and knew it was none of his business.

"Hmm, well what I have waiting for us is a biiiit faster. " Most civilian airspeeders did not top 1,000 kilometers per hour and the Newt class interceptor they approached in the carrier's hangar was capable of reaching over 1,200 kilometers per hour in atmosphere. It was faster than an X-wing and many other historically quick starfighters. It was a two-seater and was fueled for the two of them to take into the air. From the carrier parked on the ground they could travel anywhere in the starsystem quite rapidly. They could also dock with other ships in orbit to tour them without forcing them to park on the ground.

"Before we take that up though allow me to show you around the Dralaalar." He gestured the large carrier around them. It was like being inside the belly of great whale. The hangar rand almost the length of the vessel and was lined with scores of ships of varying class. Most of them were mandalorian in design but there were a few diverse makes and models among them.

"It's Rancor Squadron's flagship and it's commanding officer is Commander Voss. If we see him I'll introduce you but he might be busy right now." His helmeted head looked around. Mandalorians that were carrying out their jobs and going about their business still noticed the Rally Master and Senator and gave their respective greetings to both. "This is a Berex class carrier. It has ten quad laser cannons but it boasts a medical suite and two workshops that primarily support the fleet. It can also hold nearly two kilotons of cargo." Most people might be surprised that he loved the carrier considering it lacked major weapons. But it had been a home for Rancor Squad for years. There were even some Mandalorians that had delivered their children onboard the carrier. It allowed them to transport resources to people in need and not just other mandalorians.

"It's not meant to be in direct combat. This beauty can hold nearly a hundred ships in its hangar alone and by Manda do I love her." The carrier had been one of the first major assets he had acquired for Rancor Squadron at auction. "Dralaalar...by the way...translates to Passion in mando'a. I felt it appropriate considering what Mandalorians have in heaps. So that's a fun bit of trivia."

By the time he finished talking, the two had walked long enough to arrive a the interceptor. Hauron shook the arm of the crewmember that was finishing up working on the ship. The Rally Master walked around the interceptor, giving it a look over just to be sure it met his expectations. He did not want anything to go wrong flying with Maryenne if he could help it and it paid to be cautious. "Alright. I'll get in first. Here's the co-pilot's seat. I'm going to disable weapons though so don't worry about accidentally shooting anything. I'll actually wait until we're clear of the camp before I hand over controls." The idea was for the Gatalentan to try flying the fast craft. She would get a taste of what it was like to be a pilot in Rancor Squadron.


@LouJoVi