Private Family Reunions can be Weird

[Jaster Awaud]

Location: Hapes Cluster, Ut, Clan Horizon Homestead

- Jaster looked outside the window of the Armored Transport, much of Clan Awaud ships were still in recovery after the liberation of Mandalore. The Old Mandalorian was still in shock after the surrendering of his homeland after he had invested nearly all of his Clans military support and leaving them with so little. He felt so disgraced to have followed those within the Union that he stepped down as Alor of his Clan. He had been Chieftan of his family for 30 years now, it was time for new blood like Jurr Awaud to take over and change the family for the better. He was still the oldest and the leader of the Elders of the Clan, but he was only there for advice not to lead. Now though, he thought to reach out to all the branch families of Clan Awaud and make peace between the families. It was a pipe dream, but if there was a way to end the long angered bloodlines that plauged Mandalorian society, then those of his Clan will not continue the anger. Their ancestor was Mand'alor the Uniter, and it made them stronger to stand united.

- As he descended into the atmospher of the planet, he thought back to the last time he was in the Hapes Cluster. It was for business, the old Mandalorian Empire and his own company the United Trade Conglomerate wanted to use the Hapes Cluster as a shipping lane to Commonor back when it was the capital of the Commenor Alliance. He had meet the queen and secured the rights and it was still used to this day by his company even after the Empire is long gone.

- He smiled through the window as he thought that this meeting was a little more stressful. Clan Horizon broke off of Clan Awaud while his Grandfather was Alor. The old man was a strong loyalist and traditionalist, whoever was Mand'alor he blindly followed without question. For nearly two thousand years, his family never followed another Mand'alor after their ancestor died with the title. Yet his grandfather thought it was something that made them mandalorian. His decision got Jasters father and brothers all killed during the Civil War where his Mand'alor nuked the planet because she could no longer have it. He never bent the knee after that, only ever did business through his company and the one time he contributed his warriors to the freedom of his homeworld. The Union Leader claimed himself Mand'alor and requested his allegiance, he was just as dumb as his grandfather. Maybe this meeting with Clan Horizon could absolve him of his past mistakes and unite Clan Horizon and Clan Awaud into a strong House that could stand together in the future.

- The Transport finally landed at the Clans Homestead and he stepped off the shuttle. He wore his full armor, but left his helmet off which it hung off his belt. As customary he brought gifts for the Clan to partake in while he meet with their Alor. If he remembered correctly he was to meet with Kytana Horizonis who was the descendent of the brave warrior that defied his grandfathers demand. He knew very little about Clan Horizon, but he was excited to learn more about them.

- He waved over some of his Supercommandos, and they began to unload the barrels and containers. Jaster just awaited when the Alor would greet him.

 

[Kytana Horizonis]

Clan Horizon descended from Mand’alor the Uniter, Aga Awaud through his descendant Bendak Awaud. Bendak Awaud had felt in his day, that Clan Awaud was losing its honor and its way. In his Disillusionment he went his way for a while not abandoning his Clan but going out on his own to find answers for all that was going on and figure out a way, he could reconcile his disillusionment with his Blood, Family, and Clan. In his time away he found a feel in love with a Hapan woman name Kortana Horizonis. In his time away from his clan he bore four sons and one daughter.


Time past and his wife Kortana a Noble of the planet Ut in the Hapan cluster was falsely imprisoned by the crown but it was made out like she was killed in a fire to cover up what the crown had done. Leaving Bendak to raise his five children and he did so teaching them “Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it”(Truth, Honor, Vision) which became the motto of the family. In his later years he had made plans to reconcile with his Family and Clan for the sake of his now grown children so they would have a home and family on Mandalore.


However that day never came as while out hunting Pirates in Hapan space him and his four younger sons where slaughtered by pirates. His oldest son who bore his name’s sake Bendak Jr. had disappeared many years earlier as part of Militia and had been presumed KIA. His children had been raised with there mothers last name though they knew they were Mandalorian and raised as such in the way, they knew very little of their Clan Awaud.


It was Kytana the first the last and supposedly only surviving child of Bendak Awaud that sought to reclaim what was her families Legacy. First, she took back her mother's title of Nobility through diplomacy and acting as bridge between Mandalore and Hapes whenever such negotiations were needed. Then she reconciled with her father’s clan for a brief moment in time House Horizonis was once again Clan Awaud.


However, House Horizonis of Ut would stand for many generations, the relationship with Clan Awaud and Mandalore grew sour in Kytana the firsts life time. Someone rose to claim the title of Mand’alor they had arrogance unending and demanded a bended knee Kytana would not give them. The Mand’alor demanded Kytana the first turn over Ut and all her wealth to them and Mandalore. Though she wa swill to share her wealth with Clan Awaud to some degree as they were family, Mandalore had no claim to what was hers. When Clan Awaud’s Alor sided with the Mand’alor, Kytana the first had enough in anger declared she was the Mand’alor of Hapes and severed ties with Mandalore and declared Clan Horizon separated from Clan Awaud. She took a few of the Clans people with her as well.


These days Clan Horizon and Mandalore where on descent terms however there had never been another reconciliation with Clan Awaud since that day. Clan Horizon was Huge everyone who lived on the planet Ut was given a choice to be adopted into the clan. Most did as they supported the Horizonis Family the nobles of the world. It was Kytana the fifth who was now Duch Duch'a of Ut and Alor of Clan Horizon. Kytana the fifth was near identical in looks to her ancestor Kytana the first. She had set up a meeting area in the keep for a guest that was arriving. The area was had a large table lavished with food and drink.


The Hapalorians a title that had been a mocking term for Kytana the first from the long gone Mand’alor was now proudly embraced. The city where the keep was you say Hapan arts and decadence mixxed with the cruder industrial look and forges of mandalore. This Gave Ut culture a unique look to it the main and Capitol where the keep was called Tal’Solus (United in Blood).


Kytana was young but like her ancestor the first of her name she was strong of will. She was both excited to meet with and Elder of her ancestral clan but also feared that they may not reconcile. Though it had been a long time some wounds were hard to mend. Both sides had thought the other had turned their backs on each other. Some who might remember that time might not be so easily to forgive the transgressions that had occurred.

---

Jaster Awaud [/hr]

 

[Jaster Awaud]

- Jaster did not have to wait long, someone who represented Clan Horizon came to show him to the meeting room. The Elder used some gestures to inform his Supercommandos to continue to unload the supplies. Some of the Rallymasters in their blue strips on their shoulder pads nodded and instructed the others. Jasters followers were still a majority within the Clan, he was the Alor for 30 Years and trained nearly all the warriors of their clan so they had a blind loyalty to him. He still followed the orders of the newly elected Alor, but he still had the freedom to do as he pleased. Very few crossed Jaster, and those that did are no longer with the living.

- The Elder walked into the meeting room and looked around at all that was on display. It really did feel more Hapan then Mandalorian, but there were elements of Mandalorian artwork and styles around to still convey a level of comfort. His steps sounded heavy and very mechanical, this was due to all of his Cybernetic attachments now. He was the last of the direct Awaud Line, those that were the first born direct descendants of Aga. The two children he did have were long gone, and he was now incapable to bring more into the greater galaxy. It was a sad past that Jaster had to face, but his family was large and could live on. Clan Horizon was now the extended part of his family, and he needed that before he was to be embraced by Manda in the afterlife.

- The Mandalorian walked over to where he noticed Kytana Horizonis and stopped before her. Clan Awaud was a nomadic clan and was large in its own right. Jaster believed in Unity and Protection, he allowed the adoption of many fleeing from War where their homes were destroyed. He trained them to never let their homes be taken away from them again. Taught them to protect themselves and others. However, since the liberation of Mandalore for the Sith Empire, their numbers were not as great as they once were.

- Jaster looked to the women and bowed his head. "Greetings Alor Kytana, I am Jaster, Elder of Clan Awaud and I appreciate your hospitality and willingness to meet with me," He opened a pouch hanging from his belt, and produced a bottle of wine. Jaster offered it to Kytana, "This is a bottle of Hapan Wine that was gifted to me by the Hapan Queen from her private stock, one of three she gifted to Clan Awaud for mediating negotiations between her and Mandalore." The elderly cyborg smiled to the young women, like a grandfather that was gifting a souvenir he got on a trip. "I have also brought along barrels of Mandalorian Ale, Corellian Whiskey, and various delicacies from our ancestral homeworld for a feast between our Families."

- The old man wanted this to come off smoothly so he pulled out all the stops with his financial assets. Jaster was a multi-trillionaire as the CEO of the second largest trading and transport of raw materials in the galaxy. He also had millions of smuggling routes for various criminals and though dangerous shipping lanes. The monstrous mandalorian did not sit idly when he was Alor, and made a sizable fortune in his lifetime. Now he was using that lifetime of moneymaking to smooth over the canyon that was between the two families.

 

[Kytana Horizonis]

Kytana gave a head bow to Jester as he walked up and introducing himself then handing her the bottle of Hapan wine from royal stock gifted to the Clan Awaud. Kytana took the bottle into her gauntleted hands and looked it over the bottle of Hapan Gold Wine. The bottle itself was fancy and ornate giving away it is origins as truly Hapan. Only the Hapans would make there bottles fine art to go with what they thought was the perfect wine.


“You did not need to bring gifts, Jastor Awaud. We are aliit after all even if that relationship as been strained for a long while now.” Kytana motioned for one of the men in full beskar'gam, the colors were Black, Purple, and Gold the colors of house Horizonis. She handed the armoured man the bottle and he took it away. “Clan Horizon does not forget where it came from, every child on the planet of Ut is taught of our ancestor Mand’alor the Uniter in school.” Kytana spoke somewhat proudly of that fact, the fact both her Hapan and Mandalorian Heritage were taught here on this world.


She moved towards the table as she did so she removed the helmet of the her black, purple, and gold beskar'gam. The Armour didn’t have any battle scars or much wear and tear to it at all. That was because the armour Kytana wore today though fully ready for a fight was only worn on special occasions. Normally she wore her black and silver set for combat and she actually felt more comfortable in that set then the one she was wearing. Her uncomfortability in this set of armor only showed slightly as she walked to the table removing her helmet her long fire red hair dropping out of it going down to about the middle of her back.


She sat the Helmet down on the table and looked to Jaster Awaud with her emerald, green eyes. “Before we talk shop or air family grievances. It is tradition in Clan Horizon that Host and Guest share one drink before the fist fits start.” Kytana smiled as she reached for a bottle of some red liquid on the table and began to pour to mugs. The last part of her statement was clearly a joke but they were Mandalorians after all someone was bound to get into a fist fight.


She slid one mug toward Jester as she grabbed hold of her own. “The drink is called Port in a Storm, you might have heard of it. It is known to knock even Wookiees on their shebs, my father taught me how to make it.” Kytana’s father had been a Pamarthen fighter pilot until he met married her mother becoming Mandalorian by marriage. She raised her glass to Jester. “Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it, see you on the other side vod.” She downed the drink that felt like lava on the mouth and tongue burning all the way down the throat and even boiled and bubbled in the stomach. Then came the adrenaline rush over the body as you came out of the last supernova explosion trying hard to burn a hole through your stomach. She slammed the mug down and gave a wide grin not leaving a drop in the mug itself not wanting to have a bad omen on her hands.

---

Mando'a to English translation (for readers):

Aliit - Family
Beskar'gam - Armor or Armour
Shebs - Butt
Vod - Brother, sister, or comrade
Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it - Truth, Honor, Vision

 

[Jaster Awaud]

- Jaster was glad to hear that they were appreciative of the gifts he brought. When he had learned of a branch of his family that were distant he knew he really failed as the Alor. 30 Years as chief, and not one of those years he ever took the steps to rebuild that bridge. Of course he was busy, he never planned on being the Alor of Clan Awaud. It was his older brothers destiny. His grandfather held the title of Alor for nearly 100 years, the old bastard just would not die. Jaster was the youngest of all his siblings and was destined to be a soldier or mercenary like all others within the Clan. The only thing that changed that was the damned Civil War between the Loyalist and Death Watch. His whole family put to the flame by Death Watch blasters and blades. Those that survived where killed when the loosing Mand'alor nuked Mandalore for reasons he still did not understand. He wondered if their names were still carved in the last remaining wall of their old homestead, or if his childhood home was now a pit the Sith mined out.

- The old man came to when Kytana Horizonis sat down and spoke again. He smiled to that too, like some old geezer looking at his grandchild he was happy that their ancestor was not forgotten. Jaster only hopped he would be remembered a quarter as long as their ancestral Chief of all Mandalore.

- Like the hulking monstrosity of man and machine, Jaster hesitated looking at the chair wondering if it would hold his massive weight. He tapped some buttons on his wrist pad and then took a seat. The internal exoskeleton would take some of the weight so as to not break one of the legs of the chair. He did not want a repeat of the first time he tried to sit after getting this new body. Being a cyborg that weighted nearly a ton took some getting use to.

- Jaster nodded to the women, "Well I dont have very many blood relative anymore, many within Clan Awaud are adopted refugees and ex-slaves, I took a different path then my Grandfather," He taught on that for a moment, "So I got a little excited to smother my long lost relative with gifts, it may be my age finally getting to me."

- The elder leaned forward to look at the drink she was offering him. "Well I must say it has been some time," He picked it up and looked at it with his one human eye. "I have to say it looks like you were taught well, no deformities from aging it too long, this is a pretty ritualistic drink to make, K'oyacyi!" Jaster sipped the whole drink, allowing the pain of the whole liquid to smother his taste buds. He could not afford to shoot such a drink down, so he wanted to enjoy it.

- He was an avid drinker when he was fully human, had to be when working with all sorts of criminals when he started out. Now though, he was mostly made of synthetic mechanical parts. The only place he could feel the drink was in his mouth and the upper part of his throat, after that it was filtered and toxins were sent to fuel his power core. Anything of use would be used to keep his biological parts healthy and feed. He could not even get drunk, and he was more then tempted several times to just program that into his cybernetics just to feel like he use to. However, Jaster just couldn't, he needed to be clear headed now and work on the thinks ahead of him.

- Once the last of the liquor passed his upper throat he could still feel the pain and let out a happy sigh, as if he was breathing fire. "Wonderfully made Kytana, I am sure my tongue will fall off in the morning if I am not careful." He let out a gentle elderly laugh before swiping the interior of the cup for drops of the booze left and rubbing it on his gums. The burn was relaxing and he looked back to the women and se the cup down. She left it without a drop, so it was only fair he did the same. He smiled as he continued the conversation, "I am more here to enjoy the company of other Family members, I am old now, fought many wars and battles and been reborn, I have a new path ahead of me, but I want to know my whole family will be safe and stand for what our ancestor stood for, Unity."

 

[Kytana Horizonis]

She laughed a little when he said he was sure his tongue would fall off by morning. The only bigger compliment to the drink would have been get knocked on his arse buy the drink but guessing he was more cyborg than man his tongue falling off would have to do. It must have sucked though not being able to drink oneself into oblivion but you sure would win a lot of drinking contests. “Thanks for praise on drink and it would be good luck for your tongue to fall off. “ She said jokingly.


“As for family, you have a few blood relatives among Clan Horizon, most of them will arrive for dinner.”


Kytana the first had Four children, three by birth and she also adopted her brother Jhoren’s daughter Eden after his death at the hands of pirates. On top of that Her older brother Bendak jr. who was presumed kia had a son. So, on Ut the descendants of Aga Awaud were plentiful by this point in time though some didn’t live on Ut anymore gone off to make their own legacies. “But there are more out among the stars. I am sure there are more on Mandalore among Clan Awaud I have not met?” The Blood line was a lot stronger than he knew in any case. Even larger if you included those adopted into the clans because Aliit ori'shya tal'din (Family is more than blood).


The thought of family made Kytana think of her twin brother Kash how she missed him. It had been five years since he passed away. Had he still been alive he would have led the Clan and she would have led the House Horizonis in the Hapan courts now she pulled double duty being both Duch’a and Alor. She pulled herself away from the thoughts of her brother and back to the conversation at hand. “What is the new path ahead of you Jaster Awaud ? As for Unity you have already made the first steps to uniting us once more and maybe for good.” Though ultimately that would be down to Kytana and the current Alor of Awaud to mend the fence as well but Jastor showing up a clan elder was a good sign for that end.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

- Jaster played with the drinking cup a little and listened to Alor Kytana as she spoke. It was interesting how she spoke about Clan Horizon having little of his families bloodline left. As she spoke he opened a small flask of Cassandra Sunrise and poured it in the cup, it was one of the few drinks that gave him a little buzz. He offered it to her, "Careful, it has enough kick to give a Cyborg a buzz."

- He took a sip and it did not have the same burning feeling that the other drink had given him. It was well aged and smooth, but the massive amount of alcohol content within was what snuck up on you. It gave him a little lightheadedness, and allowed him to relax a little. He was then able to think all about his clan and what it had gone through. The Mandalorian Civil War, the Force Users Purge, Terrorist Attacks opposed to Mand'alor Yasha's rule, the Sith Occupation, and the Liberation of their Homeworld. Sure there were some left that he grew up with as children, but not much. He adopted many families into the Clan, taught them, and saw them as his children. However, they could not replace the children he lost all those years ago, to see them die before his very eyes. It just reminded him how alone and old he was getting.

- The Elder smiled and looked up to Kytana Horizonis enjoying this time. "Oh yes, there are enough children of the Clan that their pitter-patters against bulkheads of the Nomad Fleet brings a smile to my face, but it is rare to live this long and still have relatives you grew up with." He took another sip and smiled, "I am old enough to have grown up with your grandparents, and I have adopted untold thousands into my home when no one else would, that is what it means to be an Awaud I believe anyways." He chuckled again before taking a sip.

- Jaster could be mean, hard, and one of the nastiest sentient beings in the galaxy. However, he would do anything to keep his family safe, and feeding and keeping the Nomad Fleet cost untold millions of credits a year. He had lied, cheated, and made deals with companies and individuals for whatever reason to protect his family. The old man may have been a traditionalist all his life, because he believed in everything the Resol'nare stood for. The only thing he never could do was follow the Mand'alor. He could only follow an individual if they could unite all the Clan, otherwise his family could get stuck in another Civil War. Jaster could also never follow anyone that was part of Death Watch, the organization that helped kill his family and cull their own people because they could use the Force. Space Wizardry or not, they were still family.

- He snapped out of his headspace when she asked what his journey was to be after this. Jaster could only shrug, "I should be dead by all accounts, and yet here I am and am now able to use the Magic of the Jetii, I have trained myself and am an expert in killing my foes like any other good Mandalorian." He sighed however, "But when someone is pushing 60 standard years of age, and all I know is how to cheat and kill other, I need to set a better example for all those within my Clan, so I am off to learn more about this Space Wizardry Magic Hoodoo and hopefully bring clarity and wisdom to the next Chieftan of Clan Awaud so they wont made the same mistakes I did in my Youth."