Private Gone fishing

[Yuma Fyre]

Katyusha Jarko​

It was a sunny day on Mon Cala, gentle rays illuminating the depths just outside New Coral City for miles around, and miles below. It is for this reason that Yuma chose to go fishing today.

Her leads on Sith-Imperial Remnants in nearby systems had led nowhere, and she had already received a small sum of Calamari Flan in payment for a measly bounty, so why not use some of it to rent a Harpoon for some calming spear fishing? She could perhaps find some tasty Lee romay at the bottom or even Mon cala eels. Assuming of course that she didn't have to fight off any Keelkana or worse, The Infamous Krakana.

These thoughts took her to a small fishing shop a slight walk away from the main starport, where she encountered an old Querren fisherman.

"An' what can I do ya for?" He said, inquisitively looking the young Nautolan up and down.
The familiar yet oh so alien T-visor stared back, flanked by bronze trim and the ashen-gray paint of durasteel armor.

"That," She spoke up after a moment, pointing a gloved finger at an old and disarmed UTS Pike "And that" and a Globex brand Harpoon gun.


"Eh? that'll be 'bout Mm... a hundred for the spear. An' two-fiddy for the submersible. Ya need a manual, or...?"
The querren fetches the harpoon off the wall, and gives a glance to the UTS, rhythmically tapping his clawed fingers on the durasteel countertop.


"I've had similar back on Trask" Yuma shrugged, placing the necessary Calamari Flan on the table as the Quarren nodded in satisfaction.

​

 

[Katyusha Jarko]

Gone Fishing​

Armed with a spear stretched across her back, her bare arms felt hot under the light of the sun. Her features were hidden under the helmet she wore, though it was perhaps an odd sight; seeing a Mandalorian with only a swimsuit and their helmet equipped. Of course, she was here to fish, so she ignored the gawkers, focusing instead on a similar bucket head up ahead.

She gritted her teeth faintly, unsure if this would be someone that might try and speak up conversation with her about her business for being here, or merely another Mandalorian looking to go fishing as she was. Regardless, with spear placed between her shoulder blades, she shuffled up behind the alien woman, and waited her turn, catching a brief conversation that the pair were on about.

It did make her wonder however, what all was she going to be getting into?

Yuma Fyre

 

[Yuma Fyre]

Katyusha Jarko​

"Trask you say? Got a cousin out that way ya know, said he saw some o' your kind there"

Yuma watched intently while the Querren grabbed up the keys for her new UTS, visibly perked up by his words and a vague help.
"When?"

"Mm... few years back, maybe?"

She just nodded in defeat, looking over her shoulder as footsteps approached. It was then that she saw yet another stranger, with an uncanny familiarity hidden behind a veil of peculiarity.

A woman stood behind her, clothed in... well, very little to speak of. And yet, the familiar T-visor looked right back at her. A sight she hadn't seen since Csilla. If it weren't for this, Yuma would have easily assumed this woman to be just another aruetii her for the fishing, but she found herself staring for a moment. At the helmet. Staring at the helmet. There weren't any particular clan affiliations she could determine from the paint alone, nor particular faction, but the presence of only a helmet had another thought come to mind;

Was she a child of the watch as well?

The old stories of their ancestors played in her mind, of warriors who would not remove their helmet in front of another human being. Not even their loved ones. Granted, It wasn't so much a rule anymore as it was a tradition, Yuma herself only really adhering to it among strangers, But it was still a possibility that she couldn't ignore.

"And there ya are" The querren grunted as he removed the price tags from both the keys and harpoon gun, rhythmically tapping the countertop again.

Yuma herself hesitantly broke "eye" contact with her fellow Mandalorian to stuff the keys in her pocket and conclude her business.

"You can set it by the dock. I'll pick it up shortly"

She then turned away from the countertop, slipping past the other Mandalorian at first, only to look over her shoulder again as impulsive curiosity got the better of her.

"This is the way...?" She asked, hoping that this stranger would answer correctly. If not, they'd probably assume she was asking directions and that would be the end of things.

​

 

[Katyusha Jarko]

Gone Fishing​

Listening idly, Katyusha's gaze fixated on the smaller woman, studying her behind the visor of her helmet. Was she trying to work out what she was doing? Was she oogling? Or was she just trying to think of what to say? Regardless, her head slowly turned to the side, as if to show that yes, she was aware she was being watched.

She continued to stare, unwilling to honor her with words. One reason being this was a bit amusing, and two, she wanted to see where this would go. The querren spoke, and the little contest between the two was done. Katyusha quietly claimed victory, and allowed the woman to pass, as she moved to secure a personal propulsion unit. There was almost no words, merely pointing and nodding, withdrawing a small bit of credits from the small compartment in her helmet.


Only to catch the woman's words behind her. Taking the unit as the man offered it to her, she looked back to the Nautolan, setting her spear down as she spoke, securing her propulsion pack to her hips, giving a small nod. "This is the way." She set her payment down, ignoring the man as she spoke, now focused on the younger Mando since she was intent on talking. "Have you never seen a woman before, young blood, are is the sun baking your brain?" She asked, soundly oddly kind, despite the slight insults to the words.
Yuma Fyre

 

[Yuma Fyre]

Katyusha Jarko​

The Nautolan visibly perked up a little as she turned to face the woman, though held off speaking until they had secured a propulsion device to their hip.

"Have you never seen a woman before, young blood, are is the sun baking your brain?"

"Hmh" She stifled a chuckle at the woman's retort, casually leaning against a nearby wall and crossing her arms despite knowing damn well that those could have been fighting words on any other day. Thankfully, this strange Mandalorian's tone didn't seem all that aggressive.

"Forgive me, I just didn't expect to run into someone who might know of the old ways"

"I suppose it was a gamble, But I thought your retainment of a helmet despite clearly dressing for," She looks the woman up and down one last time as if to emphasize the point "... Comfort, It might mean you were one of us, yes?" Her peculiar accent was now on full display. Not terribly thick, but certainly noticeable. The kind that could conjure images of ice and snow on some far off world, to those who had heard similar in the past. Similar to certain dialects of Mando'a, but still removed enough to perhaps originate from outside the mandalore sector itself.

​

 

[Katyusha Jarko]

Gone Fishing​

Not one of those. She said quietly, shaking her head slowly. Her accent was a tad odd, true, but she was told it was a tad endearing. "I know many ways new blood, I just find the helmet better for use in these environments. Nothing more. Given that you can't keep your eyes off me however, perhaps I will keep it on. I do not need more gawkers in my life." She shifted the spear, placing it between her feet.

"I thought the whole point of the helmet and the old ways was not letting anyone know who you are, for threat they will track you down and kill you to the last." She shook her head, taking her spear and booping the woman on the helmet. "Get your head out of the gutter, I'm not one to partake in those things. What are they teaching you these days?" She again kept amusement in her tone, messing with the young warrior as she moved on past her, intent on getting to fishing for the day. "You best hurry, I don't intend to share any of the catch for today."
Yuma Fyre

 

[Yuma Fyre]

Katyusha Jarko​

"I thought the whole point of the helmet and the old ways was not letting anyone know who you are,

What are they teaching you these days?"

The spear tapping her helmet produces a high pitched ringing sound for just a moment, alluding to the purified beskar construction beneath the ashen paint. At this, The nautolan only flinches slightly, hunching her shoulders for and just shaking her head slightly.

"They teach me exactly that," She stifled a chuckle "Or... they used to, anyway"

"And you're the one walking around without your armor, did you not expect a few odd looks?. Lose your beskar? Or is a body glove just too uncomfortable for your fragile skin?" This time she did not shy away from an audible chuckle as she turned to follow the woman.

"You best hurry, I don't intend to share any of the catch for today."

"A competition than? Have you never fished with a nautolan before? I don't need air like you surface dwellers. I'll still be down there catching long after you return for a breath" She said with mirth to her voice.

"Speaking of... Are you hunting anything specific, or is this just a pastime to you? I know fishing is popular among the Aruetii, but I've never met a child of the watch with similar hobbies to mine before now"

​

 

[Katyusha Jarko]

Gone Fishing​

“I’ve only just met you, so I’ll pretend you didn’t call me fragile. No, I want to be at one with the elements. The armor is only part of the warrior, heart, body, soul, will. We are more than just the armor shell. Newer a Mandalorians depend too much on it. They forget their place in the world.” She shook her head slowly, placing the spear between her shoulders once more.

Now she was being followed. Well, least this was amusing if nothing else. “I don’t aim for competition. I’m gathering food for my future endeavors, salted fish goes a long way. Would rather not take more than needed.” She was perhaps odd in that manner, well to some. Her time as an orphan had shown her just how valueable food was, and how much it pained her now to let it go to waste. “I don’t consider myself a child, personally, I’m my own warrior. I’m a clan of one, have been for many years, intend to still be for many more. As for what I hunt? Whatever intends to challenge me I suppose. Squid is my choice for right now. But those are rare these days.”

With the pools up ahead, she supposed this one would want to try and make a game. She wasn’t exactly one to back down when challenged unfortunately, but she wasn’t about to tell the woman that. For right now it was an unofficial challenge.

 

[Yuma Fyre]

Katyusha Jarko​

The stranger's words rang true, sadly. Yuma was well aware that her fighting style still needed some refinement, even despite Rook's careful guidance and masterful example. So for now, The young nautolan just remained silent, looking off to the side a bit.

“I don’t consider myself a child, personally, I’m my own warrior. I’m a clan of one, have been for many years, intend to still be for many more. As for what I hunt? Whatever intends to challenge me I suppose. Squid is my choice for right now. But those are rare these days.”

"Wait... you're not from a covert then, are you" It wasn't until then that she had realized her mistake, and stopped in her tracks entirely.

Her gaze held to the sea beyond this little platform they walked on, staring into the empty blue and sunlit reflections dancing across the surface. Everything she had hoped to find in meeting this stranger had been dashed aside like the foam splashing against the ship-bound city, and bemused but hopeful tone of her voice was now all but faded.

"Forgive me, I- I've made a mistake. Friendly banter is the closest thing I know to small talk, and even then, I see now that what I hoped to hear is not there to be said"

"I'm sorry to have bothered you"

She approached the railing then, taking hold with one hand while fiddling with her holo-projector in the other, which seemed to display a map of nearby sea trenches. Places where perhaps she could focus and forget about her continued status as a clan of one, not unlike the stranger.

​

 

[Katyusha Jarko]

Gone Fishing​

She caught the sadness in the woman’s words, and assumed there was some sort of misunderstanding in the works now. Frowning, under the helmet, she turned towards her and sighed. “Don’t know why you’re being all glum. We’re here to go go fishing, so knock it off. Your pouting is going to scare the fish away.” She bonked the back of her helmet again. “So come on, get in the damn water. I’m not going to let one of us just stand here and sulk. Get on with it.” She prodded, feeling that if nothing else, she should right the wrong.

 

[Yuma Fyre]

Katyusha Jarko​

Your pouting is going to scare the fish away.”

"Wha-" ✱gwegh✱ Yuma grimaces beneath her helm as she is tapped with a spear again... Thankfully, her tendrils were protected by specialized sleeves, else they might have been hit

"Watch the tendrils...!" She retorted, rubbing at the back of her head while looking at the stranger over her shoulder.

"And what do you mean, in the water? You've clearly been annoyed with me since we left the shop, so why bother?"
Yuma crosses her arms, confused and a little concerned with the situation even. This strange mandalorian was clearly not who she thought, with no connection to the coverts and possibly not even the children of the watch or way of the mandalore to speak of.

Yet another lead, dead in the water.

​

 

[Katyusha Jarko]

Gone Fishing​

Maybe there was something wrong with her, but bonking the Nautolan on the head. Though she doubted the woman felt the same about this whole affair. "Relax, I don't have horrid aim." She spoke, shaking her head as the woman began ranting and rambling about Katyusha's intentions.

"I'm telling you, to stop moping and get into the water. You a jedi or something? Trying to read my mind and body language?" She questioned, taking her spear and setting it between her feet as she tilted her head. "You came here to fish, now fish. If you want to talk about Mando chit, then there's time for that later. Now, are you going to sulk like a Nezu cub, or get in the damn water and make yourself a predator. Because right now, you're looking like a soft bellied prickle toad, and I would like to think you'd be a fair bit cuter than one of those." She felt her point made, so Katyusha began to walk away, slowly, before casting a glance back to make sure the young blood was following behind her.