Private Bonfire Reunion

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Tag: Drego Ruus

Laughter, excited shouts and singing filled the camp with a huge bonfire in the center. Hundreds of warriors wearing helmets or not celebrate like there was no tomorrow. Several Mandalorians fired their weapons in the air, hollering for all to hear. Different Mandalorians preferred to roughhouse whether by fists or wrestling while their fellows loudly encouraged them on. Sure enough others would have to step in on a few occasions to keep the fights from becoming fatal but otherwise let things be.

Some more instead feasted or drank to their hearts' content, raising toasts to either Mand'alor or victory or to fallen vod or all of the above. Tales of valor or competing boasts rang out. Others just danced in ritual or drunken joy as shadows before the bonfire. In the midst of all, Minerva, now un-helmet, walked among her people…her people. The thought reinforced her joy and pride as evident by her excited grin.

In truth she hadn't been to one of these events for years. Here she wasn't a self-exile nor an alliance captain but just a Mandalorian warrior. That truth gave Minerva comfort to her soul beyond description. Just as she came closer to the bonfire the armored woman bumped into someone else…

 

[Drego Ruus]

​

Among the crowd, Drego sat on a log, watching the bonfire, helmet still on. In truth, he was one of those old school 'helmet stays on' kinda mandos. Clan Bralor had drilled that into his head time and time again. Always be ready for combat.

But moments like this. They were...nice.

In the corner of his eye, he spotted her. An old friend. He stood up, walking over.

"Well there's a sight for sore eyes." He said, waving to the woman. "Been a while since Kiffu, eh?"

Tag: Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Tag: Drego Ruus

Minerva stopped in her tracks. Within moments though she turned her gaze blinking several times before Ruus' armor registered. Shock gave way to a warm smile. She marched up to Drego before lightly punching him in the left shoulder. Subsequently the warrior commando sat down to her vod left side.

"Indeed Drego, it's been too long! Should've known you would make yourself useful."

It was good to see a familiar helmet. Drego was one of the few Mandalorians who understood where she came from by opposing the former Enclave. Judging by the fact he was here meant he had a connection with the Protectors. Or at the least came to celebrate with kin. Minerva cleared her throat before next saying.

"If you're wondering, I'm still with the Alliance military. Though my company is now attached to Aloy Viszla's Black Fleet as part of an arrangement between the Protectors and the GA. How have you been doing ya crazy Strill?"

 

[Drego Ruus]

​

"Taken my spot as an Alor, and as of...last week, I'm the head of the Protector's army." Drego chuckled. "While I can't order the clans around, it's nice to be in charge of something again. Sorting out all the paperwork for it. I wish I was in your position."

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Tag: Drego Ruus

Minerva raised an eyebrow clearly impressed. Clan leader and the field commander of the Protectors’ army. Her vod was stepping up in the galaxy. In honesty she hadn’t gotten much chance to know him more but it didn’t lessen her pride in what he earned through blood-soaked merit. Then confusion registered on her expression at Drego’s last statement.

Titling her head toward before realizing she heard him right Minerva asked. “Why? You lead your own clan and our vode trust you with a sacred responsibility even if the paperwork is a galactic pain. You’ll be able to help guide Mandalore despite the limitations of your command.“ Stopping herself she looked over to their people partying it up there was pain in Minerva’s eyes.

She didn’t regert her choice on that fateful day in Kashyyyk but she wasn’t going to pat herself on the back for it.

“Yes I command a whole company of men and women and I will always be proud of what we do together. Yet as far as our people are concerned they more than likely see is a self-exile who commands Aruetii soldiers and under an Aruetii banner even though allied with the Protectors. Drego the only things I have left as an Mandalorian is this armor, our shared heritage and my own code of honor.”

She sighed heavily with a burdened expression, looking up to the sky.

 

[Drego Ruus]

Tag: Minerva Fhirdiad​

"You have the Protectors, sister." He gave her a slight bump to the shoulder. "I'm just lamenting my position. Lot of paperwork, not a lot of fieldwork. I'm used to busting skulls with a shovel, not writing doctrine manuals with a pen. I could probably get you a cushy job if you wanted." He clearly joked. "I would like to poke your brain on something though. What're your thoughts on vehicles? I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out how to integrate some sort of support into the mando doctrine, so we're not just blitzing into battle in beskar unsupported."

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Tag: Drego Ruus

At his answer Minerva paused before it came to her. She had the Protectors… Given that they welcomed her to Mandalore with open arms with no questions made her reflect on that. They actually accept her as a Mandalorian. Drego was proof of that fact.

She found herself smiling at the reminder before laughing at how her fellow warrior was lamenting at the paperwork. It must be mountains of that crap. Rolling her eyes at the cushy job she then turned to Drego giving him her full attention. Upon being asked for advice for vehicles for their military doctrine she placed her left hand on the chin in thought briefly before replying.

"Well what about making the latest additions of basilisk war droids? As much as I detest the former Enclave they did make great use of their own basilisk models. There is one thing our people could improve on. Some kind of mobile artillery to keep up in support of warriors during ground combat."

Then her eyes lit up then with a savage grin she exclaimed.

"A repulsor vehicle that unleashes a storm of missiles upon the enemy, inflicting damage and disorienting them while our vode moves in for the kill. Of course repulsor tanks and armored speeders with mounted guns would be useful as well. Don’t know if this would work but maybe a type of walker that can be hop in and out of the battlefield via repuslor engines.”

 

[Drego Ruus]

​

"See, I was thinkin' about that. The CIS used droids back in the day, and while I'm not fond of using Basilisks, since that was more of an Enclave thing, maybe we could take some inspiration from the war droids and make our own thing. What were those tanks the CIS used during the clone wars that had those big wheels? Some anti-air would be nice, and long range arty would be pretty good to have."

The warmaster smiled, not something he found himself doing too often. It was nice to have a second opinion. Part of him trusted her in that way. Both former GADF, but still understanding that the Protectors would find them.

Tag: Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Tag: Drego Ruus

"Hellfire droids. They did inflict massive casualties during the clone wars whenever they were deployed."

Minerva remarked, relishing the chance to speak on galactic military history. Arms folded together she looked out to the crowd of vode around them. Some raised their pistols and shot in the air hollering. Others sing drunken songs or just laugh at one thing or the other.

She truly felt at home here. Not even the best cantina in Coruscant could compete with this. As for Drego's other comments she nodded.

"Those two types would help a great deal."

Watching several fellow Mandos ascend and fly around she grinned before an old thought returned to her mind. With a more serious expression Minerva asked.

"So how has it been like with the Protectors?"

 

[Drego Ruus]

​

"Right! Those! Yeah, I was thinking those might be useful. Maybe not as frontline tanks, but rear guard rocket artillery? That could give us an edge. Quick, all terrain, something that would give us an edge against the sith." The strategist in him loved this. An equal mind on the battlefield, talking shop. He paused as she asked the next question.

"...stressful, but that's the position I'm in. People want a lot out of me that I'm not used. But...it's nice, ya know? Being back with our own culture on the homeworld, even if it is completely FUBAR. But we're trying anyways, and hopefully, in the next few years, we can have it back to how it was. You should stick around, help out. I could use a friend around, at least. No one wants to look at me like an equal, just as a commander."

tag: Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Tag: Drego Ruus

At his offer she went silent, giving it serious thought. Looking out to see a Kaleesh Mandalorian get thrown out of a ring by a Besalisk born vod. The neighboring crowd cheered at the display as the latter raised his four arms and roared in triumph. As that went on Minerva continued to be quiet with a reflective expression.

For a few years she has been with the Alliance military and fought with honor, helping to end the Mwaitie war. The Enclave going mad extended her stay in their ranks. Right now the Protectors seemed to care about restoring Mandalore.

But what happens afterward? What if they go mad with bloodlust like the former Enclave did or fight among themselves.

Minerva had known the best and worst of her people in various ways. It was like what she and Aloy discussed rotations ago. Mandalorians struggle with focus unless their people are threatened. Yet the Alliance wasn't perfect either. The only reason why she stayed this long was because of her comrades.

Her original purpose of fighting Mawities and the Empire was gone. The accursed Enclave were no more as well but its madness could find its way to Mandalore. For a time she trusted them and was willing to do anything for them until the Kestri summit and finally the scourging of Kashyyyk. Could she really trust her heart with this new group?

Then Aloy's words came to her mind as if in answer.

That is the way of people like you and I. The way of Iron. Titles, factions, none of it matters. All that matters is that you fight for what you think is right.

At the reminder she closed her eyes before sighing. Subsequently Minerva said to Drego.

"There is nothing more I want than to be with our people. To live to fight and die with them. That said Drego, there are things I must settle accounts with first. I can care less about how the Coruscant pen pushers will feel about this but I owe it to those who shed their blood with me all this time to prepare them. The Talons must learn to grow without me as I without them."

 

[Drego Ruus]

​

"Hey, I get it. I was GADF too, yeah? Get your affairs in order. I'll be there if ya need me for any of it. But just...find a place to rest your head for once. Ya know? I'll do ya some good, sister."

It wasn't often Drego got soft. He prefered to keep himself gruff and imposing. But, he also believed in a core tennant, one he had passed on to his new Clan.

A Man should be able to stand on his own two feet, and help others do the same.​

The man believed that emotional maturity was just as important as physical maturity. That one should be able to bench press a speeder bike, but also hold a crying child in a moment of pain. Strength only meant something if you knew when to not use it.