War
((Can only post once a week))
The big man was off the ranch fo the first time in a long time. It was a local fair that ha brought him away from home. The livestock auction had been his primary goal but with the paperwork and need for customs to be paid he found he would be staying the night in Keldabe. The sounds of people talking over a jukebox was loud enough to be heard from across the street as he lumbered along and decided he may as well stop in to catch some news.
As he walked through the big doors of the oldest tapcalf he'd ever been in, the Oyu'baat. A few heads turned when he walked in and most vode raised a glass in his direction when the recognized the armor and the few decorations that he had been obliged to have painted on. He was a simple man, always had been, so, a nod and a wave to the old barkeep was all he spared when he walked to the bar and took a seat at the end.
"Business or pleasure, old man?" The barkeep said when he walked up and wiped the bar in front of Ordo.
"Business," Ordo said as he popped off his buy'ce and sat it on the bar, "and watch the old man osik. Your wrinkles got wrinkles."
"Hehehe," the barkeep said as he poured a tankard of dark ale, "Same ol' Ordo. Big mouth and big blasters."
"And big pain in the shebs." Ordo chuckled as he took the drink and drank a big gulp. "How's things, Bub?"
"Fair enough." The barkeep said as he scratched his ear and pushed back some grey hairs that had sprung loose. "Lot's of movement. Fleets, troops...war is big business around here if you don't remember."
"When have you known me to forget?" Ordo said as he sipped from his glass again.
"Not often." The barkeep replied as he leaned across the bar and gave a small grin. "Say, you still play music or did you retire from that too."
"Mandalorians don't retire. We pick our fights more carefully." Ordo said with a sideways grin. "But yeah I play sometimes. For the family mostly."
"Care to give us a song? For old times sake?"
"I would but I left my guitar at the ranch." Ordo replied only half sorry he had left it.
"Have no fear, ner vod." The old bar keep said reaching beneath the bar, "I have one right here."
"You're a clever old bastard." Ordo replied as he took off his crushgaunts and stood to take the instrument.
"We don't get old by being dumb Ordo'vod." The barkeep replied.
"Tell me that next time you see me heading toward Coruscant." Ordo said as he took one last sip before he walked to the fireplace and sat on a stool there.
The jukebox stopped and the barkeep shouted over the crowd.
"Vode!" The barkeep yelled, "We have an old bastard here to sing one for old times sake. Don't shoot him in the bar."
The crowd gave various amounts of attention to the black and green armored old warrior as he quickly tuned the equally old guitar. He cleared hos throat and began to play an old song fot for a bar.
"I could be holding you tonight. I could stop doing wrong and start doing right. You don't care about what I think. So, I think I'll just stay here and drink." Ordo sang as he played. "Hey, puttin' you down, don't square no deal. Least you know the way I feel. Take all the credits in the bank.
I think I'll just stay here and drink!" He sang amidst hoots and laughter. "Listen close and you can hear. That loud jukebox playin' in my ear. Ain't no woman gonna change the way I think. I think I'll just stay here and drink." More yells and laughter greeted him as he played and sang louder. "Hurtin' me now, don't mean a thing. Since lovin' you, don't feel no pain. My mind ain't nothin' but a total blank. I think I'll just stay here and drink! Hahaha."
Ordo stood and waved a hand at the slightly happier crowd of old and new friends before walking back to the bar and handin over the guitar.
"Not bad for an old farm hand." The barkeep said as he poured Ordo another drink.
"Does that mean I drink for free?" Ordo said with a sly grin.
"No." The Barkeep replied.
The big man was off the ranch fo the first time in a long time. It was a local fair that ha brought him away from home. The livestock auction had been his primary goal but with the paperwork and need for customs to be paid he found he would be staying the night in Keldabe. The sounds of people talking over a jukebox was loud enough to be heard from across the street as he lumbered along and decided he may as well stop in to catch some news.
As he walked through the big doors of the oldest tapcalf he'd ever been in, the Oyu'baat. A few heads turned when he walked in and most vode raised a glass in his direction when the recognized the armor and the few decorations that he had been obliged to have painted on. He was a simple man, always had been, so, a nod and a wave to the old barkeep was all he spared when he walked to the bar and took a seat at the end.
"Business or pleasure, old man?" The barkeep said when he walked up and wiped the bar in front of Ordo.
"Business," Ordo said as he popped off his buy'ce and sat it on the bar, "and watch the old man osik. Your wrinkles got wrinkles."
"Hehehe," the barkeep said as he poured a tankard of dark ale, "Same ol' Ordo. Big mouth and big blasters."
"And big pain in the shebs." Ordo chuckled as he took the drink and drank a big gulp. "How's things, Bub?"
"Fair enough." The barkeep said as he scratched his ear and pushed back some grey hairs that had sprung loose. "Lot's of movement. Fleets, troops...war is big business around here if you don't remember."
"When have you known me to forget?" Ordo said as he sipped from his glass again.
"Not often." The barkeep replied as he leaned across the bar and gave a small grin. "Say, you still play music or did you retire from that too."
"Mandalorians don't retire. We pick our fights more carefully." Ordo said with a sideways grin. "But yeah I play sometimes. For the family mostly."
"Care to give us a song? For old times sake?"
"I would but I left my guitar at the ranch." Ordo replied only half sorry he had left it.
"Have no fear, ner vod." The old bar keep said reaching beneath the bar, "I have one right here."
"You're a clever old bastard." Ordo replied as he took off his crushgaunts and stood to take the instrument.
"We don't get old by being dumb Ordo'vod." The barkeep replied.
"Tell me that next time you see me heading toward Coruscant." Ordo said as he took one last sip before he walked to the fireplace and sat on a stool there.
The jukebox stopped and the barkeep shouted over the crowd.
"Vode!" The barkeep yelled, "We have an old bastard here to sing one for old times sake. Don't shoot him in the bar."
The crowd gave various amounts of attention to the black and green armored old warrior as he quickly tuned the equally old guitar. He cleared hos throat and began to play an old song fot for a bar.
"I could be holding you tonight. I could stop doing wrong and start doing right. You don't care about what I think. So, I think I'll just stay here and drink." Ordo sang as he played. "Hey, puttin' you down, don't square no deal. Least you know the way I feel. Take all the credits in the bank.
I think I'll just stay here and drink!" He sang amidst hoots and laughter. "Listen close and you can hear. That loud jukebox playin' in my ear. Ain't no woman gonna change the way I think. I think I'll just stay here and drink." More yells and laughter greeted him as he played and sang louder. "Hurtin' me now, don't mean a thing. Since lovin' you, don't feel no pain. My mind ain't nothin' but a total blank. I think I'll just stay here and drink! Hahaha."
Ordo stood and waved a hand at the slightly happier crowd of old and new friends before walking back to the bar and handin over the guitar.
"Not bad for an old farm hand." The barkeep said as he poured Ordo another drink.
"Does that mean I drink for free?" Ordo said with a sly grin.
"No." The Barkeep replied.
