We Built This With Our Bear Hands

[Hira Mitsae]

Mandalorian Space​

Ziost​

Clan Ubehr Territory​

On the edge of Mandalorian Space exists a planet covered in ice. It is called Ziost, formerly a world affiliated with the Sith Empire it was annexed by the Mandalorian Clans after the Empire’s dissolution. A strong presence had been needed around these parts, especially with the rapid succession of new nations rising up and falling down which had worried the clans. So it fell upon the Bears of Clan Ubehr to protect the frontier of the Clans, and so they did… starting with the creation of a Fortress on Ziost which served as their permanent base.

But today wasn’t about that, or at least not directly so. A few weeks ago a corporation had made contact with them, offering free armor to Clan Ubehr in an attempt to curry favor - which they probably succeeded in. During the contact between the Clan and the company a meeting had been established.

A feast of sorts.

Which brought us to the matter at hand, with a bustling crowd in Fort Kodiak. Common perception dictated that Clan Ubehr solely consisted of… well… bears, which ain’t exactly true, most members were indeed Arkudans, but membership wasn’t exclusive to them. People simply found them a tad… intidimdating, that’s all.

With food being prepared, tables set and all the other festive affairs settled Dovak’in found himself pacing outside the fortress in the inner-courtyard. The guests would arrive soon and perhaps the clan father was just a little nervous.

[member="Larg’haree Ubehr"] was standing a bit to the side, awkwardly to a point, perhaps wondering what had gotten into his brother.

‘Tell me again.’ Dova replied to the quiet question, that might have not been a question at all. ‘What do we know about this… Baron?’

[member="Larg'haree Ubehr"] [member="Ursino Puff"] [member="Cin'ciri Jurir"] [member="Hal'kanor"] [member="Shad'ukan"] [member="HK-36"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[HK-36]

Mandalorian Space

En-route to Ziost

Abregado-Rae Frigate the Siege Tower


On the edge of Mandalorian Space exists a planet covered in ice. It is called Ziost, a planet that HK held of little significance in temporary times. Sure, the Empire used it as one of their capitals from time to time throughout the Galactic History, but nowadays it seemed to be more overshadowed by Korriban and now Coruscant after new Sith Empire rose. Until finally, of course, it fell in hands of Mandalorians and the droid heard of the planet once more, or more importantly, of the ruined world's inhabitants. Giant bears who now joined the ranks of Mandalorians. Oh yes, the droid knew a market for some extraordinary weaponry and armor. While Mandalorians had great armor and weapon smiths, and surely Sith left some of their toys in the withered forest of ice clad Zion, most of those are adopted to more humanoid shaped creatures, few companies make weaponry or armor for bears. Fortunately, Abregado has some of that laying around, as he proved by sending suits of heavy armor to Clan Ubehr, first made for their ursine mounts the Nocur, easily refitted to suit an Arkudan, and the droid could bring much more trinkets and weapons where that came from. As long as Ubehr would be willing to buy, he would be willing to trade.

And today was about that, but at least not blatantly so. A few weeks ago he established a contact with the species catching his fancy, offering the free suits of armor to Clan Ubehr in an attempt to gain favor and open them up to buying some of his products - which HK hoped they succeeded in. And so he was heading now to the established meeting.

A feast of sorts.

Which brought us to the matter at hand, as their shuttle broke though the layers of clouds they would meet with a sight of bustling crowd in Fort Kodiak. So far from the sky it seemed like Clan Ubehr mostly consisted of... well bears... hopefully it wasn't true, most shapes seemed to be indeed Arkudan. Even without any discrimination in their recruitment a clan full of armored bears with possibility of wielding the Force would be a tad... intimidating.

With expectation of food being prepared in the Ubehr Fort HK found himself fiddling his thumb as he sat next to Sio. Feasts usually meant one would expect to eat, and the droid was very much so unable to do that, or emote with his face grill, choosing his older traditional HK shape over his new sleek Phrik body or one of his HRD persona, so it would be a challenge for him, to sway and charm with words and gestures alone, which made the Abregado Exarch just a little nervous.

Siobhan and four of his copy bodyguards were sitting by him in the shuttle, perhaps wondering why a droid would feel a need to twiddle his thumbs, but their presence comforted the droid at least.

"Tell me again." HK asked his companions quietly, "What do we know about these... Bears?"

[member="Dovak'in Ubehr"], [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Darth Oblitus]

Ursino was in attendance for the occasion. While not of Clan Ubehr, he was a Lightbringer of the Arkudans. This meant he was more or less welcome in most Arkudan clans as he was both a healer and a shaman of sorts. The plus side was he never really had to worry about a warm meal or a dry bed. The down side was that folks often needed him to do things. All in all, it wasn't a bad trade off, though.

For the moment he sat and pondered a bit. He had no real idea why he was here, but he was. He shifted slightly, rattling his beskar'kandar a bit as he did so, and looked around.

With luck, whoever it was they were waiting for would get here soon. Ursino was rather hungry.

[member="Dovak'in Ubehr"] [member="Larg'haree Ubehr"] [member="Cin'ciri Jurir"] [member="Hal'kanor"] Shad'ukan [member="HK-36"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Vanja Khronos]

Bears were great. Absolutely great! Especially the cubs. Little fluffballs of adorableness who just bounced around and ate things. So cute! Unfortunately, most of clan Ubehr seemed to be adults. That made 'lil Tal'rion a bit sad. Who was he supposed to play with? Most adults seemed to be to busy to play with the puppy-bear. Those that weren't sometimes gave him odd looks. It wasn't his fault he was a mewtaunt! Or was it mutant? Tal really couldn't remember what the other youngsters had called him. But apparently he was it. Which explained his perky ears and extra long, extra bushy tail. Not that he minded! As his mother always said, it just made him unique. And unique was good!

Unique bears were extra good. Fantastic, to be exact! That's what the little kid told himself as he went bouncing around the Fort. Today was some big important meeting thing. Which meant a great big feast! Oh, how the puppy bear was excited! As he walked he said hi to his uncles. In his mind that was everyone! The boy sure was energetic. His mother said that made him more fun to be around. He sure loved his mother!

 

[Darth Oblitus]

Puff gave a huge yawn and stretched as much as he could while maintaining the polite atmosphere of the feasting. That is, he only stretched his back and forearms instead of getting up and stretching all over the place. Being an Arkudan was tough work and being an Arkudan Lightbringer was even tougher. Being an Arkudan Lightbringer who was hungry was just downright unbearable.

Ursino looked around, hoping to spot someone carrying food in. Instead, he spotted a small ball of white fluff bounding around causing trouble. Figuring he was the oldest of the bunch and the Lightbringer to boot, he felt it was only proper to teach the younger generations to proper modus operandi of appearing in public among kinfolk, friends, and foreigners.

"'Ey! Young'un! Sit yer tail right down in that there chair and mind yer manners. We's got comp'ny comin' an' we gotta look respecktable. You ken play outside with th' other cubs after this here gatherin', but fer now, you gotta wait patiently, a'ight?"

And upon uttering the usual bestowment of an elder's knowledge upon the young, Ursino silently asked himself the question many in his position have asked that transcended species, gender, and time itself:

Where in the world is your mother?


[member="Tal'rion Ubehr"]

 

[Jaxton Ravos]

Larg'Haree, as usual, was hovering to the side of his older brother, the "Clan Father" of Ubehr as they waited for the Abregado Rae Industries clansman to arrive. A bit antsy perhaps Dovak'in leaned over to his side and asked the question that made Larg'haree feel a bit better about himself and his level of preparation for the whole affair.


"What do we know about this… Baron?"


"It is the CEO of the company that sent us the armor, and it is not of flesh but machine." Larg'haree answered, perhaps a bit superstitiously. "Though it denied our offering of meat it did offer to come, and bring others who could more properly be entertained. I believe it itself is still coming, to cement trade if I were to hazard a guess. Though not beskar'gam the armor they sent is well built and sized. If you can trust those that do not bleed, they provide opportunity for Ubehr."

[member="Dovak'in Ubehr"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="HK-36"]


Ziost was not a world Siobhan had been given cause to visit before, though she had popped by to Korriban twice since the fall of the Sith Empire. That was before the Sith suddenly 'returned from the shadows' and set up shop on Coruscant. But now she was travelling the whithered world of snow and ice. To meet a Mandalorian clan that apparently was composed of bears. Given all the bizarre things that had happened to her in her life, this did not even count as particularly weird!



Hopefully the bears had good heating wherever they made their lair, for she was not fond of the cold. Unlike a certain cryomancy-obsessed, frigid space elf who seemed to have a singular fixation on freezing anyone who annoyed her. "You mean aside from the fact that they're big, strong bears who apparently have a whole Mandalorian clan?" she asked sardonically in response to HK's query. The droid appearing nervous was a source of amusement to her.


"You're not getting jittery with nerves, are you? It's not like you're facing the Machine God again! Just a clan of armoured bears who want you to feast on Bomas and Zakkegs!" Fun fact, HRDs were actually capable of eating to blend in better. Well, HK's 'niece' Moira Skaldi could, just as the ancient model Guri had.

 

[HK-36]

[member="Dovak'in Ubehr"], [member="Larg'haree Ubehr"], [member="Ursino Puff"], [member="Tal'rion Ubehr"], [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"],


"So we know nothing besides the obvious?"

He would look to Siobhan at her words, at what she said next he simply nodded slightly before replying with,

"The Machine God never asked me to dinner."

He would look away to watch the Fort and its crowds growing larger as they begun their landing procedure, either inside or just outside it, wherever Mando Bears felt more appropriate to build their landing pad.

"Technically this is my first date."

He would quip before looking back to Sio,

"Well a date with a dinner, but either way, if we will not screw it up we may have valuable allies, both as warriors and stronger foothold in Mandalorian space, as well as customers."


Finally a clank and hiss was heard as the shuttle landed and its engines powered off, the landing ramp opening as HK patted Siobhan's knee, quipping,

"Show time."

Before standing up and moving to the said landing ramp, adjusting his cloak slightly to make sure the first image of Abregado, his image, was as regal as he could manage, a metal being clad in metal armor with rust-orange tabard hanging off of his belt and a flowing grey cloak cascading off of his shoulders. He motioned for Siobhan to join him and exit fist, his guards would be come behind them as they had something special with themselves. For inside the shuttle on a repulsorlift armor there was a stand with golden armor fit for a bear mounted on it.

And it was true, HK could eat some of the feast although most likely still not able to taste it, if he came in one of his HRD shapes, but then again he knew some cultures were strongly opposed to droids taking shapes of organics instead of restricting themselves to fully metal bodies. Mockery of organic appearance and all that. He preferred to play it safe, especially when surrounded by bears.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="HK-36"], [member="Dovak'in Ubehr"], [member="Larg'haree Ubehr"], [member="Ursino Puff"], [member="Tal'rion Ubehr"]



"Agreed. Especially if they end up tearing Sith apart. Imagine a charge of armoured bears! Maybe they can slaughter a couple Sithspawn," Siobhan said cheerily.



Anyhow, it was showtime now, as HK had said, and Siobhan walked down the landing ramp alongside HK. Chin held high, she stood erect and carried herself with the air of an aristocrat, though the vicious scars etched into her features showed that she had not come from wealth but had fought herself up. Her shiny leather coat dramatically billowed behind her in a...dramatic manner. Clearly this writer is in the mood to make lame puns at this hour! She appreciated the gesture of HK's grey-cloaked guards emerging behind them like an honour guard, but then Siobhan had a flair for the dramatics.