The Status Quo

[Revenchent]

"He's quiet. I don't know if that's a good thing, but the droid's gone and shut down for now. Recharging." Cal replied. He tilted his head forward in a slight nod as the Echani took Corrin. It seemed they had settled on the name--it was one close to Calico's heart. He had wanted a son for sometime, like Kal had back during the Clone Wars. He had only ever held that baby once, the child of a Jedi and a clone or so he had heard, but that had been enough. Soon after, Calico decided he wanted a little boy, and Zandra had given him that child.

In that moment, he loved her dearly. She was his other half, for better or worse--and no matter what happened, no one would lay a hand on their son. The soldier leaned back in his chair and motioned for Lord Cabur. The Strill did not hesitate, jumping into its master's lap with a happy yelp. Calico grumbled a quiet curse at the sudden press of weight, and scratched the hunting beast behind the ears.

"We can get married Mando style, or traditional, or whatever Echani do." He mumbled quietly as Lord Cabur fixed his sharp yellow eyes on Zandra. "Mando would only take a moment...but I don't know what you want, cyar'ika."


[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Echani marriage was a bit... different, in that it was a very dull affair. Back home, a couple was expected to be married by the elder in the presence of the parents of the bride and groom. A few words and it was over. The wedding itself was nothing. There was no party, no celebration.
Boring.

The Echani looked down at the boy in her arms. She should probably tell her parents what happened. Her sisters might want to know they had a nephew. But that would only serve to make her more of an outcast than she already was. They would never accept the baby, and they certainly wouldn't agree to attend a wedding with a Mandalorian. She knew her villages elder enough to know that she would never agree to preform the ceremony either.

"I don' much care how we do it, Cal," she shrugged, "Marriage is just a word to me. No ceremony'll change anything. Don' matter how official."

She did like the idea of a quick, painless ceremony. But she knew almost nothing about Calico's traditions. Why would she? Sure, unlike her people she didn't hold any stupid grudge against the Mandalorian people, but she didn't exactly have reason to go out of her way to study their culture.

"What's a mando wedding like, anyway?"

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Calico had declared himself Dar'manda. It was the greatest insult any Mandalorian could give another, and for one to declare himself such was almost unheard of. It was a state worse than death. It translated to lacking a soul. He would not go to the Manda when death came for him. Rather, he would be lost in some terrible purgatory, perhaps one of Corellia's Hells, or in Chaos where the Sith went when death came knocking at their doors.

Either way, neither his son, or the mother of the child would share that fate. He reached over to tap the baby on the forehead, a gesture of luck, and smiled solemnly at Zandra. "You simply say the vows. Nothing more. After that, you're accepted into my clan, as is our son--not that there's much of a clan left."

He frowned for a moment, and let his arms hang down at his sides. He had no home with the Mandalorians--not any longer. No home with anyone really, save for Zandra and their child. "If something happens to us, and Corrin has the clan name, another Mandalorian will take him in and raise him as his own. It's a sort of insurance." He explained.

"The words are simple...just repeat what I say." He paused for a moment, and looked over to meet her gaze. He spoke slowly, so that she could understand the sharp articulations of the Mandalorian language. "Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde." He paused as the vow ended, and bowed his head forward.

Quietly, he added. "Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, Zan'ika."

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Simple? He called that stream of sounds simple? She blinked at him as the baby started to squirm in her arms.

"Err... Mee Solo stom, Mee Solus... Dar...?"

She was absolutely butchering the pronunciation. She'd have to seriously practice this. The Echani gave him a sheepish smile, letting her messy white hair fall in front of her eye.

"I love ya too, Cal," she laughed quietly, "Just be patient with me. I'll get this eventually."

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Calico snickered at her. Mando'a was a tough language to learn, and even he had not mastered every point of it. He didn't expect Zandra to really get into it anyway. She was an Echani, even if she was a bit estranged from her main culture. An Echani Mandalorian was not only unheard of--it was wrong. No Mando would really accept it unless she cast aside her old ways, and he highly doubted that would ever happen.

"You're getting there Cyar'ika. You're getting there." The ex-chieftain chided. He reached over to set a firm hand on her shoulder, smiled, and passed his gaze down toward Corrin. He hadn't expected the child to be so....cute. Calico did not do cute. His pet was one of the ugliest creatures in the known galaxy, and he himself was a bit on the rugged side.

He reached down to take the child's hand in his. So very small. Cal shook his head in wonder, and breathed a quiet sigh. "Just consider us married, alright Z? It'll make life easier."

The Strill lifted from Calico's lap, and trotted off toward the door. The surgical droid approached as Lord Cabur burst out of the room, a small red tube in one of its hands. "I have thought over the designation you have given me, Mister Tal'verda. 'Boxer' does seem to be an appropriate name for this chassis." It quipped. "Sentient functions updated. This unit will shut down to finish final updates soon. This unit will refer to itself as 'I' and see itself as a living creature per your instructions. Is this correct?"

Cal nodded, and pushed up to his feet. "That's right Boxer." He motioned down toward Zandra. "If he's helping take care of the kid, it's better that he has a personality, right?"

"There is more Mister Tal'verda. I have news. Blood tests on the infant are complete. It would seem your son is classified as force sensitive per the Jedi Order's standards on midichlorian count. Highly, might I add. Perhaps you should see about contacting the Order. They are skilled in dealing with cases such as this."

Calico blinked. "What?"

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Married. Zandra never thought she'd ever marry. She preferred to make it legal, of course, but for now this would do. She'd call him her husband. Refer to herself as his Mrs. Be his wife, the mother of his child. She could do this... right? It couldn't be too hard. But if he was expecting a house wife, he was going to be disappointed.

The baby let out a quiet sob when the droid came back in, and Zandra stuck her finger in his mouth to calm him. Something to keep him occupied, at least until she had some alone time to feed him properly. He opened one eye, but quietly sucked at her finger. Good enough for him, it seemed.

The word "Force sensitive" made Zandra freeze. Calico's reaction mirrored her own. Not possible. Not possible. Not possible.
...Keter. She knew a Force user. She knew Keter. She'd message him later. He would know what to do. He could... what? Give her advice?

Wait. What did that droid say about the Jedi?

"Calico, if you call the Order, I will never forgive you!" she screeched, hugging the newborn close to her. Corrin let go of his mothers finger and started crying, startled by the sudden noise. "I won't let them take him!"

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Calico was too stunned for words. His son, his only child, one of those damned freaks. The force had caused him nothing but grief. His soldiers had been pawns in the game of Jedi fighting Sith. They were fancy titles, but at their core, that was all they were. A side of a coin that happily used and crushed the average beings caught in their wake.

Yes, it wasn't the force that had brought about such suffering. It was the religious orders that adhered to it like some guide on how to live your life. The soldiers folded his arms over his chest, and shook his head sternly. "Boxer, when you reset, I want you to understand that the Jedi Order is evil. Do not bring them up in any kind of positive light. All they've done is hurt the galaxy with their wars."

Boxer simply tilted its head in agreement, and marched off to its power station. There, it would update, and the 'it' would become a 'he'. A 'he' that would drop any notion of the Jedi Order being a force for good. Calico turned sharply on his heel toward his new wife and their son, strode over, and sat alongside her.

"No force using cult will ever touch our little boy." He pressed his lips to her brow. "I'll kill any of them that tries. I swear that to you, Zan'ika."


[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

The Echani nodded slowly, pressing the newborn closer to her chest as he cried. Her head was spinning. Keter wasn't one of those damn cult freaks. He was a Space Wizard, but he was... what was the word? Independent. Safe. He could help them, right?

"I got a friend," she said after a moment of rocking the sobbing child back and forth, "A space magician. He ain't Jedi or Sith. He might be able to help, ya know? Later. When it matters a little more."

She didn't hate Jedi as a general rule, but they were baby snatchers. They took kids from the cradle and brain washed them. That wasn;t going to be Corrin. Mommy wasn't going to let that happen.

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

"I suppose." Calico grumbled hesitantly. It was true. The Jedi and Sith Orders stole children, and they would hold an immense interest in little Corrin. If the child had as much raw potential as Boxer had said, then the force cults would eventually come for him. Cal had hoped to avoid them for the rest of his days, but it had become rather clear that they would be involved no matter what.

Total escape was impossible. There was only one real solution, and it was one Calico had thought over a for many long months. Years, even. For the few years that the Jedi had been extinct in the old Galactic Empire, there had been peace. Perhaps that was the way things should be. No Jedi. No Sith. Just...peace.

He breathed a quiet sigh as he watched over their son. So small, so precious. None would take this little boy from him. He draped an arm over Zandra's shoulder, and held her close. For the moment, they were a family. A small inexperienced one, but a family nonetheless. Galaar would have been proud. He would keep his plans quiet for now. There was no reason to disturb Zandra, or the baby for that matter.

"He's ours." The Commando finally whispered. "We have a son. Force sensitive or not, he is ours."

[member="Zandra Fenni"]