Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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A Mandalorian Barn Raising (Mandalorian Protectors, Mandalorians)

Betna turned and looked at the group assembled and nodded once. It wasn't every day that a new vein was discovered, but today such a thing had happened. It wasn't a large vein, nor was it expansive, but it was enough that a use could be pulled from the crust of Mandalore. A use that Betna knew the Mandalorians could use.

The soil had been removed by machines leaving only a small section of bedrock exposed. It was large enough for a large work party, but due to the location the heavy machinery couldn't be brought up without great cost. So, instead, Betna had put out a call to the Protectors and to the Mandalorians as a whole. Slowly but surely, they had come.

Armed with a pickax and clad in only trousers and boots, Betna jabbed a thumb at the glistening bedrock before the group.

"Let's get that beskar out of the dirt and off to the smiths," he called aloud to the group. "The faster we work, the faster we're done, and the faster we can move on!"

It was a communal task, much like an agricultural barn raising. They would work together as a group. Though they were but a small, small number of an entire population, it still mattered. It was still important. It was still for the Mandalorian people and for the future of their culture.

With that in mind, Betna lead the way down to where the work lay.
 
[member="Arrbi Betna"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Andrea Kryze"] | [member="Orick T'ane"] | [member="Ijaat Akun"] | [member="Draco Vereen"] | [member="Muad Dib"] | [member="Shaw McKeller"] |[member="Shepard"]

This was most definitely not something Anija pictured herself doing. Not to say it wasn't welcome. It was... a nice respite from the constant wars and Mandalorian campaigns which spanned their area of the galaxy. They had returned from Wayland. And though many were still nursing whatever injuries they had sustained, she knew this was something they all needed. To be brought together as vode.

Though, the last time she'd done something like this had been in the vacuum of space, with nothing more than mag boots, her sealed armor and a pickax. And she'd saved Arrbi's shebs. That wasn't something she about to let him forget. Today though, she wore sturdy black work trousers and boots (kinda like this) with a dark sleeveless top, but her arms were bare except for some heavy work gloves.
Though she was still recovering from recent events, she could still lend a hand. She might not be able to swing a pickax, but she could certainly distribute food and water.

As Arrbi led the group towards the cleared bedrock, Anija adjusted her grip on the control handle for the antigrav sled.. She'd made some gihaal, but also a good sized batch of tiingular. To the large water jug which rested on the sled, she'd added some lemons. She hoped that the offer of home-cooked food and refreshing liquids would prove a good motivator.
 
Verz stood with the group, holding a freshly sharpened pickaxe in his hand. Clad not in his beskar'gam, but in working man's clothes, the normally crimson armored Mando was here to help mine. The hard labor would be a welcome relief from the constant warfare that seemed to plauge the Mandalorians nowadays. War was important, but so was spending time with friends and family.


He surveyed the small crowd of miners. There were all sorts of Mandalorians here today. It was a good gathering of people, ready to put what their home world provided to good use. While scanning the crowd, Verz looked for [member="Arla Balor"], hoping that she was going to join the today.
 
Orick didn't spend much time on Mandalore, he seemed to always be working, or fighting or whatever he ended up doing when he was away. He remembered his last visit here very well, his back still had a small burnt scar courtesy of a sith lightsaber. He had spent more time than he wanted to sleeping in a bacta tank from that encounter, he had lost the duel, but he had walked away, something he wasn't going to forget for a long time. He hadn't left without leaving a lark though, his opponent was apparently one of the hands of the dark lord, or whatever they called themselves. Her title would have to be the half-hand for a while, since he had disintegrated the lower half of one of her hands in the fight.

He had a pair if work gloves and an old pickaxe with him, with a pair of sturdy pants and boots rounding out his attire. He wasn't worried about the work, he was used to hard work, he liked the hard work. The simple process of smashing rocks and moving ore would be therapeutic for him, given how many times in the last few months he had only smashed in heads. Even Mandalorians needed a bit of peace and solitude to remember what it was they were fighting for. He wasn't sure where [member="Anastasia Rade"] was, but he knew that she wouldn't be far behind him. She loved helping her vod, and if this was a hard work day, he knew there would be fresh food from her kitchen, that alone was worth the hard work. He saw many faces in the crowd that he knew, but he hadn't spoken to many of them, he wondered how many of them he would meet today. He wasn't known for being social outside of his smuggling act.

[member="Anija Ordo"] | [member="Arrbi Betna"] [member="Verz Horak"]
 
He stood in the clearing watching the vode. Some laughed and joked while others were in deep conversation. These were family and friends with one another come to answer a communal call to work and fellowship. The recent invasion had left their marks on all involved. And the Mad Knight of Mandalore was no exception.

Removing his leather jacket he dropped it lightly to the ground. Slowly he pulled his tunic over his head to leave it on his jacket. His midsection had been wrapped, a nasty wound on his left chest and out his back. Half healed skin covered his torso and forearms. Walking forward to retrieve a sledge hammer he limped, evidence of the wounds sustained on his left leg. Hefting the sledge he let the haft rest upon his right shoulder as he walked out upon the stone earth.

His blue eyes glowed with fury and anger as he began to swing, cracking the stone to make it easier to move, with each fall of the hammer. Pain wracked his body as half healed wounds cried out in protest. He used the pain to fuel his energy as he swung the hammer, breaking stone with each long pull, slide of his grip, and slam of the sledge head.

Muad Dib was angry. And so he took it out in his work. Sweat ran down his form as he continued swinging the hammer in a methodical way, working his way along a foot at a time. A silent snarl on his face as he exercised demons from the recent invasion, but even as he worked he knew the demons of the past never went away. They were etched on the body, in the memories, and upon the soul.

[member="Orick T'ane"] [member="Verz Horak"] [member="Anija Ordo"] [member="Arrbi Betna"]
 
Hard work was not something that Ana was afraid of nor something she would ever shy away from. This was a change of pace from what they had been doing as of late and Ana welcomed it. She was no stranger to mining as she used to mine in the Graug mines. It was a fact that few were aware of except for those closest to her. It was nice that here she would be able to put these skills to use to help her Vode.

Before heading out to the mines with the others Ana decided to cook up some fresh food. She knew it wasn't long before they would be looking for some refreshments. She ensured that the cookies and sandwiches were well packed to ensure that they stayed fresh for the entire day. Along with this she brought along some water bottles in a cooler. It was simple but she knew it would be appreciated. Everyone needed a break and when they were ready for it they would be able to find the goodies.

[member="Orick T'ane"] she knew was already in the mine and she planned on joining him. First though she had to drop off her refreshments in an area everyone would be able to find them. Next she grabbed two bottle of waters and a cookie before picking up her pickaxe to wind through the rows looking for him.

"Mind if I join you?" She smiled at him as she watched him pick up the axe to smash another rock. If they worked together as a team they could get this done fast. Ana had a special meal in the oven for them when they did finish.

[member="Arrbi Betna"] [member="Anija Ordo"] [member="Verz Horak"] [member="Muad Dib"]
 
Coming in on the bare bones speeder Atin Kandossii ran a hand through his shaggy hair. His light cream shirt and brown work pants were a drastic change to his nearly always armored person. But this was a call for assistance, not a call to arms. He had been so focused on his clan and bounty hunting that he had not been on Manda'yaim, let alone Mando space in some time. And the call for assistance didn't just come from random vode, but ones he knew.

Parking the speeder he climbed out, reaching in the back for a pick axe and gloves before making his way down to what would become the entrance to the mine. Never a man of many words he merely nodded to those he knew before planting his feet and getting to work.

Many of the other vode had already cracked and broken the bedrock so he chose to swing the pick, pulling chunks loose do he could get a grip on them, then pulling them free to put to the side for relocation later.

[member="Anastasia Rade"] [member="Orick T'ane"] [member="Verz Horak"] [member="Anija Ordo"] [member="Arrbi Betna"]
 
[member="Verz Horak"]

Arla had heard about this and was hesitant to come she did not get along well with very many as of late and coming here would only deepen those wounds but Verz was here he had sent a message that he would be. She had mined the ore for her armor and knew mining to be a labor intensive undertaking.

She walked slowly wearing her normal wear of pants, shirt and jacket with boots. She wasn't sure about mining today but she would certain support Verz in whatever he wanted to do. It was a bit difficult to spot him without his armor, but she knew him better than most and with a careful eye she spotted the familiar stance and headed off towards him.

Slowly she came up, "Ver'ika you look different" She smiled at him.
 
[member="Muad Dib"] [member="Arla Balor"] [member="Atin Kandossii"] [member="Anastasia Rade"] [member="Orick T'ane"] [member="Verz Horak"] [member="Arrbi Betna"]

For the moment, Anija had managed to park herself in what little bit of shade there was. It... had been a long time since the vode had come together for something other than war, and she was glad for the respite. She took a few minutes, setting up the water containers on a large flat rock that jutted out of the earth. Then, she arranged the food coolers nearby. it wasn't the most ideal setup, but she figured that the vode would appreciate the respite from the brilliant sun.

Slowly, more and more vode came to the mining site. She smiled as she recognized each face. Brothers and sisters she had fought shoulder to shoulder with on many occasions. As each arrived, she gave them a nod, and a warrior's grip to the forearm in greeting before passing each of them a water bottle. When Ana arrived, she had to laugh a bit. The young Mandalorain had had prety much the same idea as Anija.

"Oi! Ana! Why don't you leave your food here in the shade? It'll be close by if anyone gets hungry, and I can make sure no one faints from heatstroke." She certainly hoped no one would, but if they did... there were a few medics on standby. She gave Ana a knowing look as she headed off to join Orick T'ane. As her eyes swept over the group, she noticed Muad swinging a sledge with.... perhaps a bit more Force than necessary. After a moment to reach into the Force, she understood why.

Sighing softly, she briefly touched his mind, hoping to ease his discomfort. Admittedly, she didn't know him as well as she would like to. she hoped to change that. After a moment's thought, she pushed carefully to her feel and drew some of the cool water into an insulated bottle. Wending her way carefully between the rows of swinging axes, she stopped near to him. "Muad...? I brought some water for you... the bottle even has a belt clip.."
 
The hammer rose and fell creating devastation to the bedrock slab. As he exercised the wounded body he exorcised his demons. Or as much as a devil could get rid of his demons. Eyes narrowed as each twinge of his war weary body created a light tremor that ran along the length of his body. But he wasn't stopping. Instead he pushed himself harder and harder. He didn't break. He hadn't broken in battles years past, he hadn't broken against the latest battle, and a little physical labor wouldn't break him now.

A snarl crossed his face as he continued working.

He knew where he would die. He knew how. He would fall in battle, that was the path for him. It was instinctual. But instead of avoiding conflict and war he craved it even more. It was where he could release the monster within. But here he swung the hammer for his vode, for his people, who had called for assistance. And ever the good soldier he answered the call.

So work he did. At least until he felt a mind brush his. Slamming the hammer down with much force he gripped the handle as he breathed slowly and built walls in his mind. As hard and unyielding as the bedrock stone they worked on. He did this not out of being defensive or wanting privacy but rather to protect the other. His mind was not a nice place, neither was it safe. So he closed it off to keep others from touching it and being hurt from the madness within.

Leaning against the handle he looked at the shadow he cast. An old man bent over a cane. Something he would never be. Drops of sweat dropped from his body hitting the stone ground and creating little puddles of mud in the dust. Until the heat and sun evaporated the little sweat tracks. He felt the mind which had brushed his near and turned glowing blue eyes upon Anija as she offered the water. He reached out a hand to take the bottle.

"Thanks ..."

Raising it to his cracked lips he took several long pulls before the thirst that had been gnawing from within had been temporarily sated. Lowering the bottle he brushed the excess from his mouth with a healing forearm. Then he turned the piercing gaze back to Anija. Looking at her he saw a quiet strength that was apparent in many of the mandalorian women. Tempered steel. He chuckled as he recognized she hadn't reached her position within the vode on baking cupcakes. Now his own eyes turned curious as he shifted his body toward her, his injuries and burns more easily seen now.

"Why offer me a drink? I'm not one of these others who have supped with you and bled and on countless battlefields. I'm not your clan either, I'm no ones. So what do you want from the mad dog?"

His words were straightforward and almost offensive enough to hit him. But for so long Muad had learned and lived by a rule, that nothing in the galaxy was free. A kind word was a lie. It just made one susceptible to being stabbed in the back. A kind deed made one think of possible friendship, and friendship made you weak. Because friends always betrayed you in the end. He had the scars to prove it.

[member="Anija Ordo"]
 
Word had been sent out, and when a vod called, 'La answered, and if La answered, her squad answered, whether they liked it or not.

"This is osik."

Grumbled Harampr.

"Pfft, y'just saying that 'cause of how many ladies are showing you up right now. You're slow to move those rocks Har'ika, took your shirt off to impress everyone and I've only seen y'pick up the little rocks."

"I imagine he's hoping one of you ladies will go for the big ones and he can stand behind when you pick it up."

"Hey!"

"Likely, this is why I've got a pick-axe, t'lodge in his head if he gets smart."

"I don't think anyone has to worry about that."

"Yea- hey!"

"I find it fascinating that regardless of technological advances, sometimes the old ways are most effective, and for more than one reason!"

"Are we about to get a lecture on mining? Because I'd ruther not."

"No.."

Sasctayr looked about as dejected as it was possible to be without venturing into the realms of the humorous. With a sigh and a roll of her eyes when Jidte met them, La gave in.

"More than one reason?"

"Ah! Well, aside from the mere mechanical, which should be obvious, there is also the potential to network and bond!"

"I'm hauling rocks to make friends?"

"No one wants to be friends with the little-rock-picker-upper. Do you want to be known for your little rocks?"

"Hey! My rocks are not little! My rocks are huge!"

"And a lovely shade of blue."

The quiet comment from the normally silent Beraga was enough to send the other three into peals of laughter, while an aggrieved looking Harampr pointedly picked up a large stone that had been pulled to the side to clear, shooting the others dirty looks all the while.

"Lift with your knees!"

"Pffffeheheh."

A fair bit of attention was still being paid to those around them, and the other conversations within earshot even while they continued the banter that characterized their relationship with each other.
 
[member="Muad Dib"] [member="Arrbi Betna"]

Her eyes closed for a moment as she felt Muad erect mental barriers. She couldn't blame him, really. She would have done the same. She'd not touched hims mind out of a desire to be intrusive. AS he turned his bright blue eyes on her, Anija met the scrutiny squarely. She didn't flinch away. Though, seeing his injuries from Wayland.... she now understood the pain she'd felt before. "Why offer you water?" she asked softly. "You might not be one of the vode in the normal sense that most are. But to me, you are vod. You fight beside us... you answered the call to rally when others did not."

She paused. "That, to me means more than what some others have done." She hesitated to reach out and lay a hand on his arm - mostly because of the scars - and also because she got the feeling he might not like that. Something about his body language. At his blunt question, she shrugged. It didn't offend her overly much. "As to what I want....? Nothing specific. I saw a need, and came to see that it was attended to." A small smile touched her lips.

But, his question seemed to ask more than was on the surface. She frowned slightly as she realized this. "Muad... I came to you because.... well, I'm not really sure." she laughed softly. "I thought perhaps.... you might be willing to teach me a few things? I know this might be a bad time. And I will completely understand if you say no."
 
The Mad Knight stood there contemplating her words as the heat backed the stone and the bodies of the vode who were working and having fellowship with others. Her answers felt truthful and her request for teaching caught him unaware. There were many force users in the vode, many masters to choose from. He, however, was as different from them as night and day. Aye he was a warrior same as them but he had been forged under different circumstances. He had been wielded by those who would call themselves master in different ways as well. He had been Sith and had done may things that were repulsive and down right criminal. So while he was a force user he was nothing like the other vode.

Shifting his grip on the handle he leaned forward closer to Anija as he dropped his barriers in his mind and breathed in trying to get a better sense of the woman and what drove her. The wind blew gently from behind her taking scents from on her to the waiting Muad Dib. Eyes closed as he inhaled, almost tasting the air like a snake. The aroma of food drifted with her scent which was unique. Dry with the hint of fruit and ash. For a momnt he wondered if it was her specific scent or a combination of her body and her emotion he was tasting. Dry was like the desert. Solitary yet strong. Serious yet lived life. The fruit tasted like life, preserved and somehow still fresh. Good memories in the past as well as a budding that came from love or satisfaction in family and friends. The ash was a shadow of mourning, loss, and while it could easily be said strictly from the past, something told him there was something recent that had hurt her inside.

Straightening he continued to taste the aromas. Food had recently been made, and a liquor, strong one too. The cut of grease that could have come from a forge, a starship, or some other minute project spoke of her ability and willingness to get her hands dirty. The faint smell of the medicinal, a sharp odor in a trained nose, as well as a faded one belied healed and healing injuries. As she was here and prepared to work it stood in her favor that she was not one to bow to the body's frailty's and nurse wounds past their initial receipt of them.

He opened his eyes to look at her with a better understanding. His time on Dathomir and several different force users and beast masters had taught him how to use the body's senses, enhancing them, and picking up each small nuance that the average failed to achieve.

"I'm not an easy man. I'm also not a good man. I'm hard and take pleasure in what most would shy away from. The water is appreciated, as I needed it, so thank you. I can teach you, if you so desire, but it will involve pain and you will grow to hate me even as you grow stronger. I will find your weakness and use it. I will break you. And then we will build you up so that your weakness becomes your strength. If that is something that appeals to you, then yes, I will teach you what you wish to know."

He grinned now as he spoke. He had many apprentices over the years, and most grew to loathe him during their training. But at the end he had forged a bond with each individual as they were reborn. He raised is arm drinking deeply from the water again as he let her contemplate his own words. His mental shields were down again so it would be easy to divine the truth and intent behind the words spoken.

[member="Anija Ordo"]
 
The pickax bit deep into the rock sending chips and shards of stone in all directions. Betna ignored the stinging pain on his bare arms and chest and swung the pick again and again. Bit by bit, chunks of rock fell away from the face of the bedrock and onto the ground, only to be pulled away by other workers and tossed into wheel barrows and buckets to be moved away. Up and down the line men and women hacked at the rock while more pulled the rubble away to clear the work space. Like a well oiled machine, rock yielded to muscle until the beginnings of the beskar vein began to show.

Betna turned and passed the word along down the chain. He'd have shouted it for all to hear, but he wouldn't have been heard over the ringing of pickaxes and the scrap of shovels. Soon enough, though, one of the workers stood up atop an outcropping and cupped her hands to her face.

"<We've hit beskar!>"

[member="Muad Dib"] [member="Anija Betna"] [member="Werdla Dardalab"] [member="Arla Balor"] [member="Atin Kandossii"] [member="Anastasia Rade"] [member="Orick T'ane"] [member="Verz Horak"]
 
The mini-drama between Blue-eyes and Anija was taking front and center of the squads attention, not that this was obvious. When you spent a lot of your life on ships or in barracks, or other similar places characterized by a distinct lack of personal space and physical boundaries, you learned to get very good at allowing people at least the semblance of privacy even when the truth of it was impossible.

No clan. This was just about intolerable to La, but she did not know him, and left it be. Imagine being a Mando and claiming no clan? Having no kin? No vode? If not for the camaraderie, what was the point? Even when Dardalab consisted of only herself, at least she had her squadmates, and they had her. In that way at least she was not so naive to reject the idea that he would be spoken to because something was wanted from him. The water was likely free, relationships of any sort were not. After all, she was there for and supported her squad with the understanding that they would be there for a support her. It was a fair trade, but a trade all the same.

Wasn't like he looked useless either. The man basically stank of predator. You spent enough times in rough situations and crowds, on enough battlefields, you got really good at picking out who was a threat, or you got dead. La had been shot in the head, doused in acid and lost a leg to a sniper, all in recent battles, but she was most decidedly not dead. The point was, she didn't really get why he would claim no clan or kin like it was a wound, a sore point, when you'd think it would be easy enough to change, but there you were. Some peoples children. When they went on about training this became a little clearer. Force Users. Bloody mental the lot of them. La would tolerate it among her allies, but that was about it. Damned cheaters. A twist of luck and the galaxy handing them the easy path rather than working for things. The more experienced in these matters might have pointed out that she herself was mildly force sensitive, they probably shouldn't though, unless they would like a punch in the nose. It was a bit of a sore spot.

La largely lost interest at this point, which was unfortunate since everyone else was either being couple-y or just getting work done. Both understandable. One an investment to hopefully wind up growing the clan, the other getting an immediate goal accomplished.

"When are you fixing you armour properly anyway?"

"Eh. Old armour worked fine, new armours all right."

"It's the same damned armour, you just hammered extra plates over the bits the acid ate."

"I been busy."

"Someone who gets shot at as often as you should make time."

"I'll just dodge next time."

"Maybe you shoulda done that last time."

"I been workin' on some plans. Just a little short on credits. I got an idea though.."

"Oh?"

"Ayuh, reckon after this we go on a little field trip.."

"What for?"

"Less talk, more rock. Just 'cause they see the vein doesn't mean we're done yet."

"So you're just going to be cryptic."

"That's the plan!"

Came the cheerful reply.
 
The dig site had been just a short speeder trip away from the epar'yaim where Jakkar had been sleeping off a hangover he'd acquired with some new drinking friends of his and he'd been happy enough to make it once they told him about their plans after they'd all woken up. He was a bush-jag, and he may not have known what the iron would be used for or who it'd benefit, but somebody needed help with a project and when that happened you came together and helped.

Leaving his Silk-5 with a mess of other speeders, Jakkar took a look around the site before approaching one of the few people not digging since he figured they were helping organize things. "A word, if you would. Where would I and my new friends here be the most of use?"
 
[member="Werdla Dardalab"] [member="Arrbi Betna"] [member="Muad Dib"]

She nodded acknowledgement of his thanks, but didn't dwell on it too much. She was more interested in his next words, anyways. But what he said still her for several minutes. She was quiet, thinking over what he'd said. In some ways, it reminded her of how Ember had trained her. He'd pulled no punches. And she got the distinct feeling Muad wouldn't either. She preferred it that way. It prepared her that much more for what she would actually face in combat.

She was silent yet still for several more moments as she sensed him taking her measure in the Force. She'd felt others do so in the past, but not quite like this. She was stubborn, and after her experiences in past years, she worked hard to overcome her limitations, whatever they were. That being said, her current injuries were due to exactly that. She sighed softly and took a breath to steady herself. It was as she reached into the Force for calm, and to center herself that the felt the focus of 'La and her squad. Anija didn't really mind.

There weren't many secrets she had among the vode these days. And while some might find that a weakness, Anija found it to be a source of strength. To her, it showed her Mandalorian brothers and sisters that she could be trusted. Trust in a person and their ability to lead was paramount in a culture such as this. Sure, Anija had her own failings. Everyone did. And, she wasn't afraid to admit it. As he lowered his mental barriers again, Anija found her attention drawn back to him, and her gaze locked with his brilliant blue eyes.

"You say you have no clan. I would disagree. While you may not formally be part of a clan.... you are welcome among us. And I for one... would be glad to accept your training. I could think of a couple others who might be interested as well, but perhaps... not just yet.." she replied, thinking of Mirshko. Her daughter had told her of the curiosity she held towards the man with the striking blue eyes. She met his gaze squarely, and didn't flinch away. If he was as adept at reading people as she gathered him to be, he would notice her jaw set against pain.

She was momentarily distracted when the call went up that the group had hit beskar. Raising a hand, she let out a shout along with the others before turning her attention back to Muad. The offer... intrigued her, and while she was a bit apprehensive about it due to recent injuries, she wasn't about to back down. Now was the time to prove her words. It was as she was organizing her thoughts to respond to Muad that [member="Jakkar Bralor"] wandered by and asked a single question. For a moment, she frowned at the interruption, but then merely sighed.

"If you're looking for the digging crew, they are just there..." she nodded, and pointed him off towards where Arrbi and the rest were. "You can gather tools from the supply over to your left if you didn't bring your own." She wasn't intending to be rude or dismissive of him... and truly hoped it didn't come off that way. But for the moment, Muad had her attention still.
 
Realizing his mistake, Jakkar gave [member="Anija Betna"] a polite nod and waved the guys over to the rack of tools. "Seems we're best of use for our muscles. Nothing new for us, eh?" He joked taking a pick-ax for himself. He wasn't bothered by Anija's manner any, she had been having a conversation and he hadn't realized it, if anything he was the rude one. Just went to show that he should be more observant in the future.

Anyways, having secured his position as the resident bumpkin, Jakkar followed the others down into the pit where they started digging, offering relief to those that had been at it since the start.
 
Betna shouldered his pickax for a moment and stepped aside. They'd been working steadily for a while now and though he could keep going a while longer, it was best to keep everyone rotating. Here and there tired diggers swapped out with fresh workers who then started heading back to the rear for water. With a quiet shrug, he let a young woman take his spot in the line and begin hacking at the rock and ore before heading back himself.

At the top of the incline leading down to the bedrock, he turned his head and looked back down at the work below. They'd made a lot of headway so far as the mine entrance took shape. Here and there he spotted more rotating workers and saw the steady stream of other workers hauling debris and gravel out of the area. They were piling it a distance away where it would later be collected and hauled out for other uses. What uses, Betna didn't know, but he figured it would be used to maybe fill in landscapes or possibly ground down to dust for manufacture into other materials.

As he snagged a water bottle from a nearby table set out in the shade, he spotted a familiar form down among the workers. Next to his wife was another he knew from the trip to the Roche Asteroids a short time ago; Muad Dib. With a shrug, Betna started making his way back down to see what they were up to.

[member="Anija Betna"] [member="Muad Dib"]
 
Muad indeed noticed the resolve in Anija's posture, the set of her jaw, the straight posture born of familiarity or wearing beskar'gam and the refusal to bow to the body's pain, and the steadfast mentality that spoke of strength in standing by her choices even if it would lead to more pain. A laugh erupted from him in amusement. If the other women in the mando'ade were just a quarter of what she was he knew the male vode were more then equaled by the women.

[member="Jakkar Bralor"] came up and spoke his question with Anija responding. The faint trace of drink came to Muad's enhanced abilities oozing from the man's pores. The vod enjoyed hard work and drink. He just might look him up at a later date for Muad to enjoyed hard work and hard play. Lucky for him the two more oft then not occurred simultaneously.

Giving his attention once more fully to Anija he felt the presence of Arrbi, Anija's husband, approaching. He felt a kinship with the man having known each other only a short time, but it almost felt as if they had known each other a long time. Not a kindred spirit but rather an acknowledgement of souls who had fought and bled on the same battlefield, a blood brother almost, despite not having known one another long or well. He also blamed the man for his daughter's unsettling curiosity and unrelenting questions. Mirshko was unique and she had some of both parents attributes.

Once more he drank from the water he had received from Anija as he contemplated training and the imparting of what he knew to her. Unlike his earlier experience with teaching sith, which was for the good of the order and usually that was it, here he would be training not students and eventual rivals but rather vode, brothers and sisters all. Family. Thee word still felt foreign and yet it did leave him with a feeling within ... one he could not place nor could he name. It was a pleasant feeling and Muad was not sure if that was good, for him at least.

"Welcome ner vod. Congrats on finding a nice vein of beskar. You have me for whatever you need here. Now for you Anija, you can find me here at the coordinates I'll send you. I'm renovating and renewing a lost place of the mandos, one I can fully appreciate. Roots of our culture that ring true within me. It's a stark and desolate place that is unforgiving for the weak and unprepared. It can destroy those uninitiated and unresolved. But I sense you will enjoy the place and the ... challenges within."

As he spoke he pulled a small datachip from a pocket in his trousers and handed it to her. It would have the location of the coliseum and compound on it.

[member="Arrbi Betna"] [member="Anija Betna"]
 

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