Mandalore Indomitus

[Kori Buor]

(OOC: Dominion members only, thanks!)

-Theme-
​

Five years. It had been five long years since he had regained his memories and returned to his people. In that time much had changed; the Galaxy had been remolded by the warring of factions. Five years ago the death knell of the Republic sounded at Coruscant, the place where he began to remember, and then the Sith attacked Chandrila. Now, the Sith controlled the Core with an iron fist, and yet there was still the Dominion as strong as it had ever been, and growing stronger.

Ral Vizsla stood in his ornate cobalt armor, looking out over the throne room of Sundari's Royal Palace as light beamed in through the open windows. It had been decorated to celebrate five years of freedom from the Republic and five years of endurance against the Jedi and the Sith. While Ral himself wasn't big on such celebrations, he realized the need for it. To remember the effort given, the lives lost, and an acknowledgment of achievements; people wanted to be remembered and felt like they were appreciated, and that is exactly what Ral intended on giving them tonight. He was going to give them a celebration, and a promise: a promise that this would not be the end.

Walking forward, Ral headed to the nearby passage which would take him to the balcony, his footsteps echoing off the marble stone floor as he passed the posted Journeymen Protectors. The Protectors had largely resumed their ancient duties when Talia took the throne, and now here they were watching over the palace and the parade grounds outside to ensure the peace was kept.

As he stepped outside to the music and fanfare that was playing, he took up a position in the center of the balcony, his cobalt blue helm decorated with the laurels of his position shone brightly in the sunlight, Protectors flanking him. Gazing out over the mass of Mandalorians, Ral raised up his hand to silence the music and murmur of conversations.

"Warriors of Mandalore, brothers, sisters! I stand before you today in the light of your accomplishments and triumphs. Ten years ago, the idea of a free Mandalore which had control of its own destiny was a dream held by only a few, but now that dream is a reality. Today, we stand amidst the glory of what we as a people can do together! We have built fleets, raised armies, expanded our borders, and now we protect thousands of worlds from the vicious exploitations of those without morals or conscious." Ral pauses as he looks over the mass of warriors, a feeling of pride welling up in his chest. "What you have done some would call impossible, others would call it a miracle. But I know, we know, that what you have built was made possible by Mandalorian determination and tenacity, through our unity and cooperation, and because we know that what we are doing will build a better tomorrow.

"Today, we celebrate and commemorate five years of independence, growth, and strength. Five years ago, Mand'alor Prudii Kyramud freed us from the Republic, five years ago Mand'alor Talia Kryze freed us from the Sith, and five years ago we remembered what it was like to have our own fate back in our hands again. Five years ago we built this Dominion from a single system to the collection of countless planets that we now protect, and where freedom and the fair rule of law now thrives! There is no place for corruption or injustice in our Dominion! We are a prosperous people, and that is all because of the work we have put into it!

"So now, let us celebrate the tireless effort, let us raise a glass to the vode who gave their lives to get us here, and now let us look to the future and what the next five, ten, or fifty years will bring for our people. It can only be as great as we make it, but I know if you put in the same effort as you have over the last five we shall truly be a force for change in this galaxy, and poets, artists, and historians will look back to us and remember this as the day the Golden Age of Mandalore began! Oya Mandalore!"

And with that triumphant statement, Ral thrust his fist into the air and let the crowd react as it will. Now it was time for the festivities to begin. The Dominion had spared no expense to ensure this would be a day long remembered, and in the throne room there would be a party to top them all. Turning, Ral exited the balcony to see what sort of occasion this party would become.

Spoiler: Roster

@Arclight
@Prudence
@Sreeya
@Chask274
@Phœnix
@Rae Anne Jarrus
@Relent
@Proleptic
@Loco
@Tsunami
@Simonev
@Wit
@Nerovec
@LordOfShadows
@Mirdala Priest
@Kameron Esters-
@Malon
@Bambi
@Narsi
@e_black162_2
@Jacob Flores
@thecrab
@Phantom
@TheCalmOne
@Raydo
@Kyle: The Rogue
@Mad Dog
@Darasuum
@Minuteman75

 

[Malon]

Fenn wasn't a partier. Never had been, never would be; but Mandalorians, owing to their warrior-heritage, were prone to celebrations and so he found himself at this one (and many others) regardless of his preferences. Despite this, he didn't necessarily fit in with the crowd. He wore his armor, sure—same as anyone, he supposed. But he left his helmet back home, and was further distinguished by the tattered black cloth, which hung like a cape over his left shoulder.

To further his feeling of displacement, he couldn't help but feel he didn't deserve to be here. He hadn't been part of Mandalore's struggle for freedom, due in part to his complicated history with his roots. He had only recently returned home, with his allegiances adjusted, to join his brethren again. The road to redemption, especially in the eyes of his family and Clan, would be long.

"Long, but perhaps worth it," he muttered to no one in particular.

He doubted anyone could hear him, what with the noise and rancor going on around him. The enthusiasm of the crowd around him eventually managed to seep through and saturate his self-doubt with a feeling of something... else. Was it pride? Perhaps, pride in his people? They had accomplished much in his absence, so maybe he could too. That's when he thought:

Yeah, definitely worth it.

 

[crab]

Zal stood in the writhing mass of Mandalorian warriors, squirming in his bulky armor and kept awake only by the ear-shattering howls of approval around him. He meant no offense to Mand'alor, it was a fantastic speech. It was his own fault for unwisely choosing to spend the previous night drowning in Ne'tra gal with a group of fellow recruits. What could he say? He'd been gone for 10 years.

In his groggy state, the whole thing felt surreal. Not long ago, he was slaving away on a mining station blasting rocks and the occasional pirate for a laughable salary. Now he was at the epicenter of a resurgent Mandalorian Empire. It was truly a strange time to be alive, but Zal wasn't complaining. Not about that, at least.

With the speech over, he was tempted to return to his quarters for a nap. Yet something about that felt sacrilegious. There was a startling lack of things worth throwing a party over in this galaxy, it'd be a crime to waste this chance. Mustering up all of his energy, he followed the crowd in search of revelry.

 

[Kameron Esters-]

"5 years..." Thrit thought to himself. It almost felt like mere months to him. As he walked amongst his fellow Mandalorian commandos, he can remmember a good bit of their faces. Like he once did with Deathwatch. Thrit never once celebrated in his entire life of serving Mandalor. But this one, he would proudly attend. He would no longer moarn for the loss of his fellow commandos, for they would've wanted him to rejoice in Mandalor's accomplishments. And not just Mandalor's accomplishments, but his own. He had finally got his spirit back. Now he felt like he could fight anything without doubt, without care, without restriction. Thrit felt renewed. And he had his fellow comrades to thank for it.

As Thrit heard the speach, he could remember that this spirit he has lies with all under the name of Mandalorian: The True Warriors of the Galaxy. No Jedi could hold such pride without saying they would fall to the Dark Side, and no Sith could do the same without being too arrogant. These fools fight to prove which other is right or wrong. "Self-righteous fools the whole lot of them..." . The Mandalorians fight to prove to the galaxy the greatness of one people. Not just a singe racer, but a conglomerate of many races under one spirit: Mandalor. And with this yells,"May the greatness of Mandalor never cease and may its spirit never waver!"

 

[EmilyHuene]

Waiting for Ral was someone he had seen on many occasion. Evelyn Tenebris was no daughter of Mandalore, nor did she have even the faintest trace of blood in her from their people. But her clan and her family before her had always been great friends and allies with the people of Mandalore. She had met Ral five years ago before the fall of the Republic. She came to him with a business proposal for her faction, the Void Serpants, to which the two might begin trading. Relations soon grew between the two spirits and five years later they had become quite the item. Many of the palace guards had seen Evelyn come and go; she knew most of them by name. Today was no different. While they were always prepared to defend Ral to their dying breath, not so much as a single one would glance twice at the little thing that she was.

To celebrate this wondrous day, Evelyn was dressed in a lovely gown fit for a queen. The fabric was made of light blue silk and would flow gently in the wind. Not that she ever wore anything blue, for green was more her color, but Evelyn wished to wear something to support him. She wore the colors of his house and wished to show not only those around him, but the very people of Mandalore, she supported them too. She had tailored the suit to fit her in just the right ways, and that meant all the flirty ones too. The front of the dress was open, but only so much so to not show off anything too inappropriate. Still, she held the grace of a lady even though she had the fiery spirit of a warrior inside her. While she was not allowed to have any weapons on the premises, she was still armed with the Force in the way her mother had before her. Not that she would ever use it or need to use it.

As Ral came to join her in the hallway she would lean in and plant a kiss on his cheek, "You did great out there. How does it feel? To know you have accomplished so much in so little time?"

​

​

@Kori Buor ​

 

[Prudence]

The air felt ablaze as Kalan Ordo, Duke of House Ordo, and one of the Mand'alor's Journeymen Protectors, watched the ever growing crowd below him. Kalan could feel the energy of the crowd eminating up towards him, as the band played music to further their excitement. Kalan stepped further towards the balcony, leaning so that his arms were rested on the banister itself, and he waited for Ral to appear. Over his commlink he heard one of the other protectors, further in the castle, give a heads up to the Protectors at the entrance to the balcony, "Lover Boy inbound. Two minutes until arrival." The callsign was a nickname that some of the other protectors had developed for Ral, due to his rather... promiscuous nature. To put it nicely, Ral liked the ladies. To put it honestly, Ral had seen more women in the past five years than Kalan had taken shots, and that was a lot of women.

Kalan's face carried the weight of those five years rather heavily, and they had not been easy years. As the Republic finally fell into abysmal demise, the galaxy had been thrown into chaos. It had been the Dominion's role to provide stability during that chaos, and sometimes that had required that Kalan do rather unsavory things. War was a messy affair, and dealing the death blows to the Republic had been no different. Kalan had thrown himself into his work as the war heated up. Tython had changed everything, and had terrified him to his core. He'd lived his entire life believing in conventional warfare, and the strength of individual soldiers - and then Tython had happened. Five Sith had managed to raise an entire world, from lightyears away. Kalan had been tasked with investigating how the Sith had managed it, and how they could neutralize, or match, its destructive might.

The quest had nearly driven him to the brink of insanity, and had left him completely and utterly paranoid. Kalan surrounded himself with a very select few people, and trusted even fewer. He heard one of those few people, the Mand'alor himself, approaching from behind, and Kalan stood up straight. Kalan adjusted his posture to face the man slightly. As expected, Ral stopped the band to begin his speech. The speech was every bit the riveting war speech that Kalan would expect from their warrior leader, and it worked its desired effect on the crowd. He could see their devotion, their dedication, and their vigor for the cause. Kalan was standing beside Ral the entire time, his hands folded behind his back, and his matte black and grey armor on. When the Mand'alor finished Kalan followed behind him, retreating back into the castle.

It was when they began through the ornate halls towards the party, away from the public's eye, that he caught sight of her. One of Ral's frequent visitors as of late, and a mixed species girl from the Void Serpents, and to make matters even better, she was Force Sensitive. The business with Tython, and the growing threat of the Jedi, had turned Kalan's stomach even further towards the Force sensitives of the galaxy. There were a select few that he made exceptions for, but buy and large, Force Sensitivity was a threat to their very way of life. His lip curled behind his helmet, "Oh lovely. I'm glad to see the Void Serpents sent their little rat to whore around with the Mand'alor. Hail the bloody queen." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he turned to face her. "Honestly Mand'alor, I've seen better girls in House Skirata."

 

[EmilyHuene]

Hearing Kalan's insult, Evelyn would turn to see who the voice belonged to. Her hand would squeeze Ral's tightly, giving him a sign that he needed to say something. No one should talk to her like that. Especially someone who didn't know her at all. But with a smile she would look at him like nothing was wrong. That was the proper, ladylike thing to do after all.

"You'd best hope I don't become Queen, Kalan Ordo. I could have you thrown in prison for talk like that."

@Kori Buor ; @Prudence

 

[René]

5 years...It seemed like such a short time. Ji'Kel Vizsla, SuperCommando and ex-Jedi had been transversing the galaxy on his own agenda in between aiding the Dominion with their territory gaining efforts the past couple years, and visiting his girlfriend, Athena Jurir. He felt proud being a true Mandalorian warrior now. "If only my father could see me now," he thought; his father had died just a year earlier.

Few Mandalorians seemed to judge him for his Jedi past nowadays, but as he picked up a shot of bourbon after Ral's inspiring speech, the Chiss couldn't help notice more than a few nasty looks being fired in his direction. He pushed away the urge to fight these individuals at a party celebrating Mandalore's accomplishments, and instead drowned his annoyance in more bourbon. As he glanced around, he noticed a few people that he knew, but no one that he wanted to speak to.

Although a sense of pride in his heritage and own achievements hung in his chest, his loneliness and feelings of separation from his Mandalorian brothers and sisters quickly overwhelmed them. Because he was force sensitive, people rarely spoke with him. Ji'Kel took a position in a corner, quietly observing the party.
@TheCalmOne

 

[Minuteman75]

Wearing a civilian style tunic and pants of green color, Shiro Yama sat at a small round table alone on the right side of the party crowd. He observed those assembled with a subtle eye, while sampling the local ale in his cup. They were a lively bunch that was sure he thought with amusement. Shiro's smile grew wider, when it dawned on him that he was celebrating the rise of a people he once fought against. How much things have changed since Coruscant, often for the worse in many aspects. Yet here among the Mandalorians Shiro saw hope for life in general.

I only joined recently and just started training but I was invited for this occasion. It feels so ironic given my past.

Nonetheless Shiro Yama wouldn't pass this chance to mingle with those accepted him into their ranks. The Mandalore himself seem impressive and very charismatic. He spoke with a fervor and passion that Shiro saw only rarely among the leaders of the Republic he seen or met. It was a pretty good speech and felt very personal though the name Prudii Kyramund did sparked a moment of bitterness within him. It wasn't that he resented the fallen leader for fighting to free Mandalore but his association with the Sith and willingness to aid their efforts earned his lingering distaste.

Sighing, Yama quietly reminded himself to let that go. How many here in this room probably lost kin or friend by his hands during the Coruscant battle he wondered. If they're willing to give him a chance perhaps he should learn to respect Mandalore the Reclaimer more as well. Time will tell, was his conclusion and just as he drinking the sweet ale some more, he spotted a grizzled old man in black Mando armor with a grayish beard, approaching his table.

Stopping a few feet away, the stranger spoke in an gruff voice.

"Are ya the GAR soldier they let out from prison?"

"Yes and who are you?" Shiro asked in kind.

Snorting the grizzle man continued. "I am Garen of Clan Merrik and I fought at Battle of Coruscant, assutling the 500 Republica that you supposedly help defend. Is that true?"

Standing up, Shiro Yama looked Garen in the eye firmly and answered. "Yes I was there."

Honestly Shiro didn't want to get in an fight on this occasion, but he won't back down from one if provoked. They glared at one another for a long moment, before Garen grinned his crooked teeth and began to let out a laugh that became more louder with each second, confusing him. Then the old Mando griped Shiro's hand, shaking it and patted his back with the other.

"That was a hell of fight you and your crew gave there on that day. The way you dirty bastards held the lower levels was quite something."

With the tension gone Shiro returned the smile. "Thanks, you and your warriors gave us a beating I'll admit. I'm just glad that I lived long enough to join Mandalore's cause."

"I'll drink to that vod."

 

[Arcangel]

Caedryn Vizsla watched as his cousin gave a speech to the masses. Quite the empowering speech, it hit all the right notes and the crowd roared in patriotic frenzy as it ended. A sad smile crossed the man's face. Happy for what had been accomplished, but saddened by the lives that would surely be lost in the future. War was coming to the galaxy. A war unlike any that had been seen before, Caedryn was sure of it. The war that had brought the Republic's downfall was nothing but a taste of what was to come.

While Ral basked in the adoration of Mandalore, Caedryn slunk in the shadows, unarmored, wearing a fine cobalt tunic with black trousers, his sword ever present hanging in its scabbard at his side. Leaning against a wall in a sunken alcove, normally reserved for hidden guardsmen, Caedryn watched with a frown as his cousin was greeted by some force witch from a pirate group. Ral certainly had an interesting choice in his lovers. He could feel the dark side radiating off of her, though she wouldn't be able to feel him, guarding his aura from detection as he did most times. His skepticism turned to amusement as Duke Ordo delivered some scathing comments directed at the woman.

Hiding a chuckle, he emerged from the shadows to clasp a hand on Kalan Ordo's armored shoulder, revealing his aura as he did so, a grey thing that teetered on the darkness. "Come Kalan, no need to speak to a guest in our halls like that. Show some hospitality." His comment was a double edged sword, while it would seem to protect the outsider in their halls, it labelled her clearly as what she was, an outsider. Turning to regard the woman with a cold eye, her boastful and presumptuous remark lingering in the air, he merely shook his head. "Your understanding of our people is clearly lacking, to throw around such idle threats. Take care what words leave your mouth in the future. Ignorance and guestright wont keep you safe forever." A word of warning, one she was unlikely to heed. Turning to his cousin, a smile broke his face.

"A grand speech, i'm sure this will be a party that is spoken of for years to come." Indeed Mandalorians were known to have raucous parties, once the liquor started flowing. There would likely be quite the mess in the square that would need cleaning the following morning. "A toast is in order!" The words a signal to a servant of his, who came into the room bearing glasses and liquor, Corellian brandy. Taking the bottle himself he poured generous helpings into the glasses before raising one in toast. "Oya Mandalore!" He shouted, before eagerly taking a sip of the strong liquor, savoring its burn as it soothed his nerves. Perhaps too eagerly, the speech had taken longer than he had thought it would. Next time he would bring his flask.

 

[Sreeya]

Speeches were always Ral’s thing, not hers. The role of Mand’alor had been thrust upon her quite abruptly. She hadn’t thought about it when she chased Prudii down in Coruscant. She hadn’t thought about it when she engaged him in single combat. She hadn’t thought about it as he lay dying in his arms and as she felt rain wash away her tears. She hadn’t even thought about it as the other warriors chanted her name and circled around her.

It had only hit her in the weeks that followed. It was a burden that was beyond anything she had ever asked for. Talia was no ruler, she was a warrior till the end and entirely too impulsive to lead an entire people. She hadn’t hated the job, but it was far from her true passion. Thus when Ral Vizsla emerged from the ashes once more, there was no other figure more fitting to take up the mantle.

As his memories returned to him, so did his old charisma and strength. Talia had only seen him on a few occasions, and she almost preferred it that way. There had been entirely too many complications in their lives since they were teenagers. Today, as she was in her thirties, it felt no different.

Though a Protector, Talia was fashionably late. She arrived as Ral was almost halfway into his speech, glancing up with a grin at all the other Protectors beside him. There was a space there for her that was now comically vacant. Truth be told, she was nursing an awful hangover from the night prior. Going out on missions usually meant drinking to celebrate being alive afterwards. Downing some pickle juice and eating some bread, she made her way to the palace.

Talia was adorned fully in Beskar’gam, her way to honor the occasion. Under her arm she had Prudii’s helmet, one of her most treasured possessions. She had a cigarra hanging from the corner of her lips, ignoring the requests not to smoke inside the palace. Strands of hair messily hung at the sides of her face, the rest pulled back in a ponytail. There were obvious bags under her eyes, and she sported a fresh new cut on her face from a recent battle.

She strolled in casually as she spotted Caedryn Vizsla. Now there was a face she was happy to see again. With a grin on her face, she clapped him on the shoulder, “Still alive and kicking, you little shit? Been a long time since we got kriffed up together. Hopefully today’s a good excuse as any.”

Talia looked up in time to catch the exchange between a woman in a luxuriously flowy and revealing dress and Ral. This exchange escalated with Kalan, another protector making a rather brutal quip. Talia watched the set of dialogue play out in wonder, puffing on her cigarra. This was better than most things she saw on Holonnet. Despite the other jabs, Talia had to laugh at the woman’s words, “Little time? Ral took his damn sweet time finally getting his ass in shape to make this happen,” She offered Ral a grin and a nod, taking a glass of the brandy herself and taking a huge gulp.

 

[Kori Buor]

So far things had gone perfectly. At least, that was until Evelyn emerged and planted a kiss on the cheek of his cobalt helmet. Glancing at her, the Mand'alor forced out a smile, though it would be completely hidden behind the T-visor. Suddenly, Ral heard Kalan's voice from behind him, the Duke of Ordo and one of his Journeyman Protectors had spent long hours by his Mand'alor's side when he wasn't seeing to the task he had been assigned, a task which Ral was beginning to suspect was wearing on his psyche. However, such suspicions were pushed aside when Ral finally comprehended what the Duke was saying.

Turning around so that he was obviously looking at the other Mandalorian, Ral raised an eyebrow and was about to speak when he felt Evelyn squeeze his hand and shoot back a response. With a quiet sigh, Ral saw this was about to get out of hand quickly. Thankfully, Caedryn arrived and delivered some of his silver-tongued expertise which seemed to cool tensions even if there was an explicit warning to Evelyn. Ral would have to address that, but as his cousin praised his little speech, the man gave an affirming nod back. As Caed proposed a toast, Ral removed his helmet, tucking it under one arm while taking the glass of brandy in the other. "Oya Mandalore!"

That's when he heard it. A voice that caused the blood in his veins to run cold and his heart to stop for a moment. He forgot in that moment the drama that had just played out. Looking to her as she nodded at him, a grin on her face, Ral could only stare for a moment. Then, matching her, Ral took a sizable gulp from his glass, letting the flavors of the liquor sit on his tongue for a moment before swallowing. Then with an evil grin on his face, he replied, "Well, if it isn't the Soulless Queen of the Dominion come to grace us with her presence!" He gave a mock bow to the woman. And then with an amused chuckle he said, "Well, you were Mand'alor once, you know how these things take time."

Taking a step forward towards Talia he looked down at the helmet in her hand and gave a sad smile, "So, what has the countess of my Protectors been up to lately? Besides, kicking ass and sleeping with rich men in exotic locations?" He threw her a wink as he took another sip from his glass, this time trying to enjoy the flavor some more. Glancing over his shoulder at the crowd that was gathering he motioned them forward. "Let's go to the throne room. We can drink and be merry there!"

A few steps forward and he asked, "All is well, I take it?"

 

[Phoenix]

Yay speeches... Had the words been said aloud, they would have been positively dripping with sarcasm, but for now he kept it to himself. Speeches and rhetoric were an important part of the public perception of a leader. Or at least that's what Dak told himself. It wasn't untrue but Dak was just glad he wasn't the one having to give the speeches.

Mand'alor wasn't a position he would ever be interested in even if he'd somehow had a shot at it. Protector suited him just fine. He'd much rather be out doing the fighting - or in this case, protecting the leader - than doing the leading himself. He'd not gotten to where he was through superior charisma, leadership, or House affiliation. He - an adopted Mandalorian from an all but unknown Clan - had arrived as a Protector because he was exceptional at killing people and had been around in this Mandalorian liberation movement from its inception as a mercenary faction, through its days as the Death Watch, and now as the Dominion. He had been here to free Mandalore and was glad to have been a part of accomplishing that.

Although he'd signed up for the Protectors under Talia, he'd stuck around after her resignation to see what would happen of the Dominion. While he'd not been close friends with Ral at first, they were acquaintances and he knew he was capable as a warrior, which was of the foremost importance as far as he was concerned. As time had passed, he realized the man was going to be good for their people and had gladly remained on to do his duty over the previous few years.

With the speech over, things got suddenly much more interesting. All sorts of people not-so-subtly threatening prison for a few unkind words. This was Mandalore, that was bound to go over well. Dak smacked Kalan's other shoulder pauldron reassuringly and smiled behind his helmet, Oh, I don't think we could lock you up even if we wanted to... actually, wait, is locking you up an option? he asked with a chuckle, clearly having no interest in that.

Then, almost as quickly as the tension began, it dissipated (kind of) as the smooth-talking Caed swept in, laying to rest ruffled feathers? Something like that... though the underlying message was clear.

Oya Mandalore, he agreed in cadence with Caed's toast. The attention quickly turned off to Talia who'd decided to make her grand entrance late, of course. He shook his head in fake disapproval. Tisk, tisk, we can't count on you for anything. Then added the truth, It's good to see you again, alive and well.

And then they were off to the main hall. He turned to Kalan again, so, when are we going to go shoot some people together? I've been stuck around here for too long, it's time to get out again.

 

[crab]

The night had gone on, and Zal had decided to go bar hopping amid the raucous celebrations. Following the lead of some Fett grunts, he soon found himself in a large club pulsating with aggressive Mandalorian dance music. With a shrug, he took a seat at the bar. He’d only have a few drinks, nothing crazy.

****​

"So anyway, on this station there was this big Aqualish. Didn't speak a word of Basic, right? We tried to teach him about thermal charges when-” Zal had been slurring out a story to an offworld girl when she held up her hand to stop him.

“Can we stop talking about bombs, please? I just want to know more about you.”

“Oh…” Zal trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, my name is Zal. It rhymes with Ral. That’s Mand’alor’s name, crazy right? Anyway, as I was saying…”

At that, the woman took a large gulp of whatever she was drinking.

 

[EmilyHuene]

"Come Kalan, no need to speak to a guest in our halls like that. Show some hospitality...Your understanding of our people is clearly lacking, to throw around such idle threats. Take care what words leave your mouth in the future. Ignorance and guestright wont keep you safe forever...A grand speech, i'm sure this will be a party that is spoken of for years to come. A toast is in order!...Oya Mandalore!"

“Still alive and kicking, you little shit? Been a long time since we got kriffed up together. Hopefully today’s a good excuse as any...Little time? Ral took his damn sweet time finally getting his ass in shape to make this happen,”

"Oya Mandalore! Well, if it isn't the Soulless Queen of the Dominion come to grace us with her presence! Well, you were Mand'alor once, you know how these things take time....So, what has the countess of my Protectors been up to lately? Besides, kicking ass and sleeping with rich men in exotic locations?...Let's go to the throne room. We can drink and be merry there!...All is well, I take it?"

Evelyn would give a polite smile to the "gentleman" who'd come to her rescue, though he too had insulted her in his own way. She would respond with a subtle head nod, but in her head she envisioned slapping the both of them right then and there. First she was called a whore, then next an outsider. While outsider didn't bother her, the prior comment had. Such a vulger word, whore. Evelyn probably had no right to throw him in prison now or as potential-queen, but Kalan would get what was coming to him eventually. Evelyn fully believed in Karma.

She would then notice the other woman come over, puffing her smoke as she did. Evelyn never cared for something that made someone cough as much as those nasty things did. She wasn't opposed to it by any means, some of them even had a delicious scent that made her swoon, especially when a strong muscular man had one. But seeing it on a woman just made Evelyn shrug with displeasure. That being said, Talia seemed like the kind of girl Evelyn would be great friends with. She was a warrior in heart and body and drank like one too it seemed. She could still smell the liquor on her breath from the night before; a nice little trait from her upbringing. She wondered if this girl would ever want to go out drinking together sometime and talk about boys. Or girls. Her sister was gay; never bothered Evelyn.

"Oya Mandalore!" Evelyn had heard that phrase several times and had never once asked what it actually translated to. Probably some sort of cheer or praise. Did it really matter if she didn't comprehend the actual words? She hoped not. But she raised her glass like the rest of the crowd and took a generous swig. Drinking. Yay. Hopefully this would be her only glass because Evelyn was a terrible drunk. Or rather a terrible drinker. She often had three or four too many given her light weight frame. She really shouldn't be allowed to drink.

It was then that Ral began to mix words with Talia, and from what Evelyn could tell there was a bitter sore between them. She shyly hid off to the side of Ral, not wanting to get involved in some quest for power between the two. Yet, something about the way they were talking made Evelyn feel like this was some sort of fude between old lovers. Maybe it was her imagination running wild, or her insecurities plaguing her. Either way she didn't like it and would bring her attention back to her glass. So much for thinking Talia could be her friend...

 

[Prudence]

Kalan's harsh words had elicited a humerus and delightful reaction from the girl. He'd just twisted his thin lips into a smile behind his visor and shook his head, "Such nasty little words from such an ugly little mouth."

Any further pleasure he had planned was interrupted as a fellow Duke, Card Vizsla, rebuked the two of them. Before Kalan could even address Caed, another specter of his past appeared, bloody Talia Al'saif. Kalan let out a low whistle as she approached, and cocked his head in faux admiration for her figure, "Now there's a bloody Queen. " Turning to Caed he mused aloud, "I don't understand why he stopped shagging her and went for the scrawny mix breed. " He shook his head once more "There was a time I thought they'd be our king and queen. Perhaps it's not too late."

 

[Phantom]

Dawn's mouth quirked into a smile as she listened to Ral's speech. She had joined the Dominion almost four years ago, and it was a fun job. It definitely had its perks; one of the best ones being that she could pop in on one of her sister's and Ral's dates. That was always fun.

She wasn't wearing armor like almost everyone else she had chosen to wear a leather jacket, jeans, and gray T-shirt. She carried only one weapon on her, a gold armlet that had a small knife hidden within it. She walked over to where there seemed to be a congregation of people, most notable her sister and Ral. She walked over and grabbed a glass for herself, wrapping an arm around her sister as she joined in on the toast, "Oya Mandalore!"

She then turned to her sister, who seemed to be out of the conversation, and said, "Hiya, sis!"

 

[JDF]

Has it really been 5 years? It felt as if only yesterday Jaycob joined the Dominion and here he was, standing among a crowd full of cheering men and women.

"Freedom Fighters" Jaycob thought. That was the best way to describe these people. They fought for so long for the good of the people, that's the characteristic that drew Jaycob towards the Dominion in the first place. For five years, it went by fast. Jaycob felt as though since he wasn't there in the beginning, when the Mandalorian Dream was first brought up, he shouldn't be here. But the speech was so empowering...he felt like he belonged there for some reason. He looked at the crowd of people around them and felt a strong bond between him and them. The situation with the fall of the Republic didn't really affect him. He never wanted to be part of the war, he just wanted credits. But he realized that when he joined the Dominion, he signed up for something greater. The Dominion acted as a new Republic which provided the peace and security the real Republic coud not, and Jaycob liked that.

"I'm willing to die for these people" he mumbled to himself. Although it was a strong thought, Jaycob felt strong about it. He was looking forward to what else this band of brothers (and sisters) would bring.

One good thing that occured during the past 5 years was that he was finally able to drink...legally. So, he decided to walk towards the refreshments and fetch himself a drink. Now, Jaycob looked young for his age so he wasn't surprised when the bartender said,

"Kid, adults only. Go fetch your mother and get yourself a tea." Jaycob chuckled at this remark and reached into his belt to grab his identification card, looking into the bartender's eyes the whole time. He threw the card onto the table and replied,

"Get me something strong. You're lucky I can take a joke or else I would've kicked you out of here faster than you could say sorry. Remember, you're only help." The bartender poured Jaycob a drink, clearly embarrassed. He raised up the glass and recited sarcastically,

"Oya Mandalore" He turned around to watch as the crowd cheered the same words.

Throughout Jaycob's first 5 years as part of the Dominion, he hasn't done much. He's mainly been skipping around and watching others, taking mental notes on what to do. But he needed a mentor, someone that would show him the ropes. Hopefully, he would find someone willing to take him under their wing here.

 

[Arcangel]

To say he was disappointed in the woman's response would be an understatement. A polite smile and nod was all he received. She lacked fire, vigor. Turning his attention to Duke Ordo and following his eyes to the approaching woman, Talia Al'saif, he smiled. "She was once our queen, now he is our king. Close enough right Kalan?" Laughing as she approached, his eyes lingered on her armored form a moment longer than might be necessary.

"Of course I'm still kicking here, more often than you it seems!" Returning the woman's shoulder clasp. "Aye, celebrating the golden age of Mandalore is a good of an excuse as any." Giving her a wink, he had little doubt the pair of them would end up drinking themselves under the table before the night was through.

It was then that Ral mentioned the throne room, and with a quick gulp, Caedryn drained the rest of his glass and left it to be retrieved. "To the throne room!" He announced, before turning to lead the way, noticing they had picked up another newcomer who promptly attached herself to Ral's lady companion.

Arriving at the throne room, the party was already in full swing, the room filled with various noblemen, industrialists, and ambassadors. Music was playing and drinks flowed freely, which Caedryn took full advantage of as a tray filled to the brim with shot glasses passed by, grabbing two and handing one to Talia. "To getting kriffed off our asses!" He toasted, before downing the mystery liquor in one swift motion.

The music turned to a mid paced waltz as the Duke Vizsla returned the class to it's tray, and the urge to dance overcame him. Turning to the lady Evelyn, he offered a hand to her. "May I have this dance my dear? I'm sure you wish to dance with the Mand'alor, but dancing with an armored man is not a comfortable experience, Talia here can tell you of the time I gatecrashed the Supreme Chancellors gala and swept her off his arm in full beskar'gam. And her wearing less than you're wearing now!"

As soon as she took his hand, he would pull her insistently towards the dance floor. On his way past Talia he would bump her slightly. "Don't you have protecting to do, Protector." A sly smile on his lips.

Reaching the dance floor, he would take Evelyn in his arms, one hand on her waist, the other holding her hand at shoulder height. "So tell me Evelyn, what do you think of tonight? Of Mandalore?"

@Sreeya @EmilyHuene

 

[Sreeya]

Talia couldn’t help but chuckle at the titles Ral gave her, downing the rest of her drink. She almost wished he left the helmet on, catching that infamous smile as soon as he removed it. His hair stood up at odd ends like it always did, and those same blue eyes gazed at her. Talia averted her own gaze, taking a long drag from her cigarra. She turned to Dak and gave a grin at his quip, “You can always count on me to drink excessively and be late to everything,” She gave him a quick wink, happy to see him again. Dak was one of the few men she trusted with her life.

She heard Kalan come up and make another quip at the girl, but he followed it up with another queen comment, eliciting a laugh, “I don’t think Talia Al’Saif and queen should ever go in the same sentence. I ain’t about that life,” He had become a friend during her time as a Protector. There was an inexplicable kinship between all the warriors, and it was incredible to see everyone together like this. She looked from Caed, to Dak, to Kalan, to Ral and she couldn’t stop smiling. This was her family, these were her people. With a pang in her heart, she glanced down at the helmet under her arm, tilting it so the visor gazed up at her. Talia gave it a knowing nod, imagining how happy Prudii would have been here.

Cheers about heading to the throne room began and Ral moved closer to her. She followed suit, crushing the cigarra as she finished it and had a new drink in her hand, “Been too busy kicking ass to sleep with too many rich men. Though I see you’re doing well in that department,” She nodded with a grin at the woman that tagged along with him. In truth, Talia felt a hint of pity for how she had been treated, but she also knew this crew were very picky on who they welcomed.

The party began in the throne room and Talia had a shot glass passed to her by Caed as soon as she finished her last drink, “Damn man, trying to get me killed?” She laughed. She quirked an eyebrow as he asked the other woman to dance and bumped into her. Working more like a guy than anything, for a moment, Talia was simply lost and confused at the gesture. Shrugging, she thought about the insinuation and returned her attention to Ral, “All is about as well as it gets. I’m thinking of doing some more missions in Sith space. Sometimes I wonder if I kriffed up a bit by not going the whole settling down route,” She downed the shot in her hand, “Five years later and I’m still wondering if I’ll live to see another day. Can’t complain too bad I suppose. And you? How’s it feel to finally have the bullshit you’ve wanted since you were an insufferable know-it-all teen?”

@Prudence @Kori Buor @Phoenix @Arclight