The Spirit of Home calls my name

[Arla Ordo]

She couldn't get the talks out of her mind Strider with his usual flair, he was an old curmudgeon. How was he still alive surely age should have crept into his bones by now making it impossible for him to move.

She still hadn't forgiven him fully for imprisoning her Buir Ordo. Someone else had climbed higher on the list, Preliat Mantis. Yes she had been told countless times that it was all fair, all true mandalorian all yaddaa yaddah.but he had been her clan father. He was the one who gave her a home when she didn't have one. Preliat had taken him from them. Then add in there was a Mantis leading the mandalorians now. Feth.

No amount of consoling herself with it's our culture mattered when the pain of the loss hit her so hard.

Her son Avrum looked at her wondering why she seemed upset she looked at him, "it's ok I'm just fuming"

But the thoughts she had were about going back but the history was fresh in her mind.

Mia branded traitor was dead and from what she learned from D'ral the baby was returned to his father. That was good baby needed family even though they were technically family she understood the father wanting to keep the name Ordo far from the child.

Then there was the order on all force users. Seventy Five percent of her clan was somehow connected to the force. Feth they had been loyal mandalorians, did their duty, answered the call.and.tossed out like yesterday's trash.

So why did she want to take her clan back there? Why did she even think that this was a good idea?

Because she believed they needed to be unified in some way, to help one another, to be a united front when needed. Because members of her clan missed their clan sisters and brothers.

Arla sighed again it couldn't hurt to talk right. Well it could she had to be stronger than that for those around her.

She would make a call to the ones who had been in the meeting

//Open transmission to kaine austrailis
Seeking meeting to discuss return of Clan Ordo to Mandalorian space. We can meet in a place of your choosing.
//Arla Balor Ordo//

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Kaine Australis"]

Word came back quicker than she expected those who she took council with recommended that she take their best warriors with her. Arla shook her head, "No if this is a trap it is best that I go alone."

"Arla notice he uses cin vhetin - clean slate." This made more of the clan curious.

"Noticed that I did. let's see what their policies are now what they will admit to my face. Then we will see how much they back the clean slate." She wished for a moment for wiser council, older council but this was her decision, her choice.

"I"ll meet him, I'm not fool enough to think he will come alone, though I am fool enough to go alone." She laughed Avrum ran over, "I can go can't I buir?"

Arla shook her head no, "not this time if they take me captive I need to know you are free. If this goes sideways leave this place quickly keep our memories, keep your own council and protect my son...please." They nodded as one by one they put their hand on Avrum's shoulder.

"We will wait and see what happens Arla."

Avrum toed the dirt before him, "I still want to go." She smiled, "I know, but it would gut me to know you were a prisoner, or worse dead because I was a fool. Stay here and remember I love you always have, always will."

"Yes mam." He ran over and gave her hug. Arla cherished this feeling if it was her last she'd commit it to memory. Delaying only caused her doubt so when Avrum went for dinner Arla departed for the meeting place.

 

[Ginnie Dib]

Warmaster [member="Kaine Australis"] called for Ginnie, and for a moment, the daughter of Clan Ordo figured she could make her way off the planet before anybody checked. Her riduur, [member="Rhaegar Nemesis Dib"] was not the safest man reputation-wise... but Ginnie could do with a twinge more trust in Yasha's Warmaster.

Thumbing her collar, the young woman [member="Arla Balor"] knew as her sister sighed and donned her armour. She left the bed her lover shared, tucked him in with soft words and the effortless kiss of the secure new bride.

The shuttle’s vibrations coursed through the once deaf girl, [member="Yasha Mantis"] trusted Australis, and Ginnie trusted the girl she helped save from certain death those years before.

Before @Ordo died.

Before the troubles and devastation.

Before Ra and his Undying dictations of hatred, and Yasha the Infernal’s eradication of those laws.

Stepping onto the orbital station, Ginnie made short work of the distance to the Jare’yaim Tapcafe and upon seeing Australis, nodded her head.

She removed her buy’ce and there, standing in the tapcaf, was [member="Arla Balor"]’s little sister.

“You owe me hours, if this turns south… not that I think it will, but it’s been some time since I saw Arla.” Was it their father’s funeral? Ginnie shut her eyes and pushed her fingers into her eyelids.

“Arla will come… she will. Arla will be here soon.”

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Kaine Australis"] | [member="Ginnie Dib"]

She didn't know what to think about this. Part of her wanted to just stay lost but the others they were longing to see home. As much as they pushed through everything they wanted to know about their families, and home.

She made the promise to go and see if it was possible. She couldn't help but feel it too the need to know was everything ok. Was everything normal? Feth what was normal? As she drew closer to the meeting place she felt her apprehension growing.

She looked around so far no other ships, ok. Least not ones she recognized. For my family she whispered. She guided the ship to the landing pad.

She said a few prayers and hoped her Buir looked upon her proud that she would try rather than remain separated from the Vo'de .

She headed for the place once there she stood outside she had to find her courage for once she walked through the doors it could be her last. The readout on her buy'ce said there were people inside. ok.

Breath.

Deep breath.

She headed inside.

 

[Ginnie Dib]

Ginnie wound her crush-gaunt clad hand around the ale, and nodded, pursing her lips and giving the Warmaster a deep glance. He’d changed in the past bit, something to do with Yasha and the baby…

There must have been a reason Yasha didn’t want to show Ginnie the baby, yet. Refusing to ask, the Verd-come-Ordo sipped her ale and leaned her back against the bar top.

“If I tell you my sister’s blood trail has her a few steps from this bar, will you clap me in irons in Yash’s name? There. Arla.” It had been too long since Ginnie saw [member="Arla Balor"]. Was their father dead all that long ago, or was it a recurring moment?

Either way, Ginnie set her ale down and rushed for her sister, knowing the sight of her might have scared Arla half to death. The morning of Ordo’s funeral, D’ral and Ginnie went missing, stole the hearth tools of their father, and Mia’s baby and ran.

It was the only way to protect their sisters and their mother. It was the only way to preserve the child’s life. Now childless with D’ral on his own path, Ginnie rushed to Arla and stared at her sister’s beskar’gam the way Ordo taught her.

Scope out flaws, find shore-points to repair it. Help the vode.

“Arla. Don’t kill me… I’ve been dead already… the Mand’alor, it’s… she’s letting us come home. Whatever the Warmaster says, it’s… he speaks the truth. If I hug you will you punch me for running away?” Ginnie went to throw her arms around her sister, hoping the reunion was better than the death and resurrection she’d previously experienced.

 

[Arla Ordo]

Inside nothing felt familiar nothing looked familiar and for a few moments Arla questioned her reasons for being here. Where was [member="Kaine Australis"] before she ventured further in there was a rush of movement.

Arla out of instinct grabbed for her weapon she felt the words TRAP ring through her mind until....before her stood [member="Ginnie Dib"] she pushed the blaster down into the holster. "You mean she let you come home what did you give up to go home Gin'ika?" Arla swallowed she looked at her sister were they both so old now? Mia's act of whatever she wanted it to be remembered as split the Vod, Ra's view of forcer users drove the rest out. So...what was given up really?

Did she want to hug her? What would their buir want them to do....she reached out and put her hand on Ginnie's shoulder. "I won't punch you right now but I reserve the right for later." she waited for a moment then put her hand on Ginnie's other shoulder. Arla was tense she felt it in every fiber of her being but she'd need more it wasn't trust with Ginnie she would always hope she would be truthful.

But. She had run off with D'ral their brother without a word. It was the past for certain. But Arla just couldn't shake her uneasiness.

 

[Ginnie Dib]

“Give up?” Ginnie shook her head, stepping back at how awkward Arla was. “Arla. I didn’t give anything up. Yasha took me as I am... but... so much happened, I should tell you all of it, but you look about ready to crumble in two.”

Ginnie nodded her sister to a table by the bar, and motioned for [member="Kaine Australis"].

“Things under the Undying were oppressive and dangerous, but he’s gone. The Infernal took over and although there are still people who think the Force is evil, we’re not hunted anymore. We’re free to be who we are, the only difference is not using our powers on Mandalore. That’s it. That really is it. She even terraformed the planet! They’re still terraforming it, even the Vong Wastes. The economy is flowing, there’s work. Good, honest work rebuilding the Empire. I know it’s not like it was when Dad was here, but there’s a place for us here. For all of us if you want it... and you totally deserve to punch me.

D'ral and I ran to save Mom... and it worked. We went our separate ways, and I ended up in the Confederacy... where I may have started working for my birth brother [member="Darth Metus"] again... and he might have killed me in battle... and I may have been resurrected by the Manda and this guy, who I might have started hanging out with and got Cin Vhetin from Mand'alor the Infernal for his trouble and we're building a house on Erebos, while Keira, Alkor and I have a Homestead on Ashrah.”

[member="Arla Balor"]

 

[Arla Ordo]

It was a lot to take in she looked at Ginnie and could feel her excitement about it all. She had always been full of excitement it seemed with a curiosity that had almost burned down the farm if she remembered right.

Arla looked down then to Ginnie again, "you gave up nothing...so you don't live on Mandalore then....and all the work our parents our buir did there they can't go see because they aren't allowed there. Is that right?" Arla had to be sure she understood the rules, understood where the boundaries were in order to make a decision for those that chose to follow her.

She had to think of Avrum too. She knew she shouldn't focus on her family but the clan was family they were all she had left. All of her sister's and brothers except for Maeve, Ginnie, D'ral were gone. The once mightly Clan Ordo so strong were a mere shadow of what it had once been.

She looked over to where Gin'ika had motioned and who was this again...unfamiliar as she was....was this [member="Kaine Australis"]

[member="Ginnie Dib"]

 

[Ginnie Dib]

“I have a home on Mandalore, Arla… but my… ah… wow okay this is… well, my lover and I live on Erebos most of the time, unless I’m staying with Kiki on Ashrah.” Ginnie blinked and kept one eye closed, quirking her head to the side as she looked [member="Arla Balor"] over. How many better ways to tell her sister about a boy were there then that? Probably at least a few thousand. Maybe millions…. trillions? She’d have to count.

“What are you talking about? Every Mandalorian is allowed on Manda’yaim. Force Sensitive or no, we’re allowed anywhere we choose. The Clans are self-governing, the bounty from raids and economic sanctions are spread equally to all the Clans, who give assistance. Mand’alor the Infernal stripped the Anti-Force Laws. The only law which remains is one to prevent the active use of voluntary force powers, while on Manda’yaim. That’s it. I do my shopping on Mandalore. I work a forge in Sundari City, even the Mand’alor has family who are present with the Force… we just don’t need to use it when we’re walking around on our own Capital. And the penalty isn’t death, that’s a lie too. You should come see it, Arla. They terraformed it since the Cataclysm, New Keldabe is waterfront property now. It’s safe to come home. All of us can come home. [member="Kaine Australis"] is going to tell you the same thing, with different words. He's trustworthy... if brash. I think Buir would have liked him... or punched him really, really hard in an unfortunate place.

This regime, they consider the Force nothing but one tool in a Mandalorian’s arsenal. They aren’t the Undying’s Death Watch on parade.”