Through Shadows with Valor

[Vex]

Rizzen had just finished docking down on Concord Dawn. The trip from Foerost had been very quiet and uneventful after he and Wash had parted ways with Rahja and Sender. They were quite a pair, those two, and he somewhat regretted the necessity of the action. He knew as well as she that they were on opposite sides of the same war. It was a pleasant armistice between them...but nothing lasts forever. He had to leave...to answer the call of Mand'alor. It brought him here, now. He hadn't been to the planet in some time, however, so he looked upon it with new eyes.

He was wearing his armor, having taken the time to carefully clean and tend to the beskar after the altercation there on Muunilist. The matte black and green drank in the sun as he stepped down the ramp and onto the ground. The air seemed different. As he let the ramp close up again behind him and began to walk out of the landing zone and into more of the area proper, he noticed it more. Things were different. His people walked different...the look of them was different...the very air seemed more vibrant. Though the loss of the previous Mandalore had been difficult, he had given his life for the people and helped grant them success in their endeavors. They were on a crusade to claim back that which had been taken from them. The people were unified toward this goal and behind their current Mandalore. The purpose had them driven and powerful...the people he knew....the people he'd come to respect and admire so long ago. It couldn't help but make him smile.

Wash had been left in the ship. He'd already radioed ahead to have supplies arranged for and brought in. He wanted to be restocked. His purpose here wasn't for nostalgia's sake, however, but for business. He was here to add his skills to Mandalore's repertoire. He hoped to be able to be brought to use immediately...and it was best to be prepared.

A speeder rented, he made his way toward the SpecOps HQ. If Mandalore was to be found, his best bet was to start there. He knew of Bane Haseful of course. A powerful warrior...a respected leader...a confidant of the late Mandalor Solus'ad...there were not many that did not know of him. He respected the man's capabilities and he trusted that he would have a use with someone of Rizzen's particular talents. Outside of it, he would park and step out, moving to the main entrance only to be stopped. It was expected of course. "Su cuy'gar, vod. I am Rizzen Xan of Clan Solvut. I have come to answer Mand'alor's call."

The sentry there searched his database...found the information on Rizzen that he sought, and nodded. While that occured, Rizzen did not move. He held respect for the SpecOps, though he'd never had interest in joining them. He preferred, for the most part, to work as he did, except in situations such as this. He was aware, however, that it was very likely that he had a cross-hairs on his person at this moment, however, just in case. Given the new hostilities with the Republic...he assumed the security had been tightened considerably.

After that nod, the warrior gestured for Rizzen to follow him. Force of habit had Rizzen taking in everything he could as he was escorted through that hall, taking as much information as he could, including the turns they took. It was force of habit...staying alert and aware of your surroundings was necessary for survival, after all. At long last they were there, before the door to Bane's office. The guard keyed the intercom. "Mand'alor, there is one here to see you."

[Jazen]

Thel snarled slightly at the two men flanking him as one of them nudged him forward with a sharp shove. Despite being trained Mando warriors, who would leap into even the most chaotic battle without fear, they paused and leaned back from Thel's massive frame. Neither of them wanted to try and tackle his monstrous form unless they had some heavier firepower than the blaster pistols they had at their side and the knives no doubt hidden in various places on their body. Thel remained still for a moment longer, clicking his four teeth lined mandibles together a few times, then snorted and turned back to moving along.

As the pair fell in behind him, albeit a step further back then before, Thel's complex brain was already reviewing his actions over the past twenty four standard hours. For his race, remembering events, whether short term or long term, was a relatively simple task. And they could remember them with almost perfect clarity. Only some were not blessed with this ability and they were usually the ones who charged first into battle or looked into alternate ways to serve their kind.

Exactly twenty four hours ago, Thel had been told he was to join a group of soldiers leaving the Dxun base to reinforce the forces on Concord Dawn. This action had not caught Thel by surprise; he was use to being moved about from location to location. He had never actually stood on Concord Dawn, instead having fought only spaces battles during that time, but he knew of the planet well enough. Using his own fighter, since no one else could really make use of one with a cockpit made for his massive frame, he had followed the others off planet. His arrival had occurred six hours after that.

Following that, Thel had taken some time to get a measure of rest. The calming plains and farmsteads reminded Thel of his first visit to a Mandalorian village and it was rather pleasant to see that they were quickly turning Concord Dawn back into the world they had held before. Of course, when he said they, he meant the others who were old enough to remember the planet before the Republic's treaty. Thel wasn't part of them; he had become one after the planet was already taken, so this was his first time seeing it in action. He had to admit that he was impressed with how well the layout worked.

Rest eluded Thel however, as he awoke five standard hours later. Unable to sleep, he had taken to the only tasks he could until he was officially assigned his new post. He made sure his armor, both sets of them, were in order. They weren't really two completely diverse sets; the plain version using much of the same pieces as the Spec Ops version; but they served different purposes. His Spec Ops was for missions; the other was for anything else. After that, he had taken apart and cleansed his weapons, making sure they were in proper working order before reassembling them.

This was followed by a long study about the planet and as much as he could learn about the base structure here. It surprised him to learn that the Mandalore, Bane Haseful, was residing here at the moment, but he quickly let that slip by. It was something to dwell on later, when he had more time to look into it. Time passed and when Thel finally decided to stretch his legs, it had been only a couple of hours ago. Donning his "casual" version of his armor, the one that allowed others to see his face and his honor sword, Thel moved to stretch his legs with a walk. He spend the better part of those two hours exploring, taking in the sights around him.

Precisely thirty minutes ago, Thel had traveled to the mess hall, as his body was telling him substance was needed. This is where things had gone sour. While moving to obtain his portion of food, someone had muscled their way past him, almost shoving Thel aside in the process. Despite wanting to shove the man aside, Thel had opted to request calmly that the man wait his turn. His retort was a comment about how the scaly lizard should learn who was the boss around here. This time, with a slight application of force, Thel tried to get the man to wait his turn. And again, all he got was a retort. But this time, the man called his buddies over, telling them to jump right on ahead. Thel snarled at the man, and spun him to face him, imploring that he wait-his-turn. A sharp kick to the back of his knee at that moment brought Thel down onto one leg, and a sharp punch connected with his jaw.

The man snickered to his buddies, commenting on how the big bad looking alien was nothing more than a giant target. Normally, Thel would have torn his face off, but he opted once more to try and resolve this without incident. Then one of the man's buddies had tried to take his sword. And hell broke loose. Fifteen ,minutes later, soldiers had come in and broken up the brawl that has resulted. The man and his friends, those that could walk still, retreated behind them, although it was clear from the reports who had started the fight. Thel stood in the center of the mess that had come with the fight, holding the man who had begun the whole incident. He was throwing no blows, knowing that the man could no longer fight back, what with his arms, jaw, several ribs and his left leg broken. Thel himself has several battered and bruised areas, but nothing anywhere near as bad as the slumping man in his grip. Growling, he released the man and offered himself to the guards.

And thus, how he found himself now being marched to the Mandalore's office. He did not know why he was being sent there, for surely the great leader of the Mando people had better things to do than look into one lone brawl. But if it was meant to be, then it was meant to be. Thel had wanted to see this great leader, who all the others looked up to, with his own eyes for some time. And while this might not have been the best of circumstances, Thel had learned to take what you could when you could. It usually worked out better that way.

They arrived soon at the door to Bane's office and Thel was surprised to see another already waiting there, fully decked out in mando armor. His armor, green and black, matched closely to the color of his skin, a kind of green Thel didn't think a person could be. Thel merely greeted him with a bow of his elongated neck, then turned to watch one of his guards move up to the door, greetings the other soldier in a much similar fashion.

"Sorry to disturb you sir, but we've brought the being responsible for the majority of the injuries in the mess hall. We can wait to admit him to you if you have prior appointments to make however."

[Jace]

"Day after tomorrow, it is then"

Bane clicked off the comm as the figure on the other side nodded in acknowledgment. He had just confirmed their future meeting on Gargon. A rare grin crossed his face at the thought of his pending mission. Surely his advisers would be less than happy about what he was going to do. Well it wasn't like they had the power to stop him even if they had wanted to. He understood well that strategy was necessary for victory but sitting behind a desk all day made his mind dull. Bane couldn't think properly if he sat behind a desk for too long, it just wore on him too much. He wasn't exactly young but neither was he old. The Mandalorian had more than enough fight left in him for another twenty years.

The fact remained that they were short on manpower, and there were things that needed doing. He had his most seasoned soldiers either out on missions or training the newer recruits. Bane had to send a decent contingent of his soldiers to Shogun to counter any pockets of Republic resistance. Though they had officially taken the planet back, some hostile forces still remained. He had sent another batch back to Mandalore to go oversee the Army training. Some of the generals hadn't taken a liking to that but Bane really didn't care. The fact remained that his soldiers had more combat experience than the Army and Navy combined.

"Mand'alor, there is one here to see you."

"Send him in"

He looked up from his desk at the new arrival, one who had come here on his behest.

"Take a seat" said Bane, motioning to one of the seats in front of his desk.

Rizzen Xan. Falleen's were quite imposing in their appearance and Rizzen was no different. Bane had to admit, being Mandalore had its privileges. One of which was the right to call any Mandalorian to duty. Indeed that was exactly what Bane had done by summoning Rizzen here. Bane's soldiers were skilled at infiltration but in the end they were still soldiers, Coruscant was proof of that. He needed a specialist for this upcoming mission, and that was why Rizzen was here. Then, before he could begin explaining the mission, there was another buzz on the intercom.

"Sorry to disturb you sir, but we've brought the being responsible for the majority of the injuries in the mess hall. We can wait to admit him to you if you have prior appointments to make however."

The Mandalorian leader didn't really have any idea what brawl they were talking about, but it must have been something for the MPs to bring him here. Honestly Bane didn't have time to babysit some adolescent soldiers but since the soldier was here already he might as well.

"Enter"

Bane watched as they brought in the instigator, and quite an instigator he was. Thel was a rather rare appearance even among the Mandalorians in the Special Operations outfit. He was even more imposing physically than Rizzen was and Bane wouldn't be surprised if he had killed his opponent. If he had, Bane would've had Thel killed almost immediately. Brawling was expected with such fierce and proud soldiers, but killing another vod to satisfy one's pride was something Bane looked down upon greatly. There were more than enough Republic soldiers to kill out there. Bane didn't tell the soldier to sit or be at ease, he could stand there with his bruises.

"You two are dismissed" He said to the guards

"Listen up. Two days from now I have a meeting on Gargon with a rather important informant. As you know getting on Gargon isn't exactly going to be easy, Rizzen thats where you come in. This meeting is imperative to the resistance efforts and our future plans. Typically this isn't a mission that I would go on, but I respect the man greatly. Remember if everything goes well, we will be in there and out without incident"

He paused there for a moment, leaving some words unsaid. In Bane's profession things rarely tended to go according to plan. Risks were in the nature of the business though, and one couldn't achieve their goals without risking something. Up to this point, Bane had been talking to Rizzen but now he turned to Thel.

"Corporal, personally I don't care why you got in a fight, but avoid them from now on. I understand you are ready for a fight, there are plenty ahead of us so save it for then. Since you are here though, you have saved me the necessity of choosing a "guard" for this mission."

Mandalore then stood up from his seat and looked towards the two in the room.

"Meet me at the port in 0230 hours with all your necessary gear. Remember while there are vode on Gargon, a trio of fully armed battle ready Mandalorians will make us more visible then necessary. Pack everything just in case, but this is a non combat mission. That is all. Dismissed"

[Vex]

Rizzen stepped inside when the intercom bade him to enter and the door opened. Stopping in front of the desk, he held himself still and rigid, head bowing in deference to his leader. At the man's direction, he would move to take a seat, letting those violet eyes take in the new Mandalore in. Impressive man, all in all. He could all but feel the intensity of him from here. Attentive eyes watched his movements, actions...took in the sense of the room about him and began cataloguing and comparing it with what he had already been able to glean about Bane Haseful.

This was not a man that was willingly chained behind a desk. While he may be able to do the admin work required of his station, that hardly meant that he wanted to or did so easily. Seeing him behind the desk, he could almost feel how much it was chafing the man. A man of action...rapid, sudden, and complete.

Before they could begin to speak, the intercom buzzed again. At hearing the guard's words, he stood as well. While Mandalore was hardly incapable of taking care of himself, he was still Rizzen's leader. It was his place to defend the man, if a situation should arise. Raging mandalorian soldiers with a chip on their shoulders fell under that sort of situation, should they be stupid enough to try and attack the man.

Violet eyes took in the image of that being that was brought in under guard. He certainly topped Rizzen in size and apparent strength. More than formidable, he seemed down-right intimidating. Rizzen shifted his stance slightly, loosening himself up as he moved slightly to put himself in a place to intercept. He let his joints bend slightly, being ready to react if the...very large creature, decided to do something he'd have to make him regret.

Fortunately...it didn't seem to have to come to that. When Bane spoke again, he turned so that he could look at his leader respectably while still keeping an eye on the small giant in his peripheral vision. He listened intently. Eyes narrowed, but in thought, not in consternation at the mission. It would be very difficult, given the timeline and players...but that's why he'd been chosen. It's what he'd wanted.

"Mand'alor, I suggest we take my ship for this mission. While it may be slightly cramped for your guard, it is already accoutered for such work and will be restocked within the hour. I also have transponder codes, registration, and everything else needed to get through Republic security without raising any flags. I would also request all information about the contact and the intended meeting areas and schedules be provided. I will be able to develop several courses of action for the mission and contingency plans in case things go awry."

The greatest of plans rarely managed to survive past their initial encounter with the enemy. It was simply a variable that couldn't be fully prepared for. The mission to capture Rahja Kel had re-emphasized that point. However...preparing for as much as you could think of could certainly help.

Of course....figuring out how to make a seven and a half foot monstrosity of a vode less conspicuous was going to take a little more planning than some other issues.

He'd wait for Mandalore's reply before nodding, bowing respectfully, and moving to leave as per the dismissal.

[Jazen]

The wait to enter the Mandalore's office was a relatively short one. Almost instantly after the man's words left his mouth, the comm beeped back. Only one word echoed back and from that one word alone, Thel felt his muscles tense. This was the voice of the Mandalore; the one chosen to lead the battle hardened culture that Thel was a part of. Not just anyone could lead them. It would have to be one that commanded the greatest respect in order to have these diverse minds and cultures follow him. Thel couldn't wait.

As he strode into the room, the guards now tight to him, Thel took in the room in one quick study, noting what little the room held. Then he turned his attention on the two men in the room. His eyes first feel on the one that was moving to place himself between Thel and the man behind the desk. Thel had to blink twice to be sure he saw him right. The man was green...and as he moved, Thel was sure he could see something bony and ridged along the back of his neck. He obviously wasn't like the one Thel had just beaten in the mess hall. His stature was firm, his eyes a shade of purple Thel did not see often. He had to be one of the wandering soldiers of the Mando'a, for Thel had never seen him on any of the bases he had served on. It would be interesting to see why he was here.

Then he turned his eyes onto the man behind the desk. And for what seemed to be the longest moment, Thel merely admired the being in front of him. The man stood just as firm as the green one, but there was something about him that set him apart from the other. He was not bigger than Thel, nor did he look to be that old either. But there was something in the air, something in the way that he held himself that made Thel's body quiver. So this was Bane Haseful. Interesting.

As the guards left, Thel noticed the green man sit. But he knew this was because the man had been called here. Thel was here because he had made a mistake in judgment. There would be no relaxing for him, nor would he want it. So he stood at attention, his hands clasped behind his back. He bowed his head to them at this point and merely waited for their business to conclude.

That didn't mean he ignored the words that Bane spoke to Rizzen. The Mandalore was going to Gargon to broker some kind of deal. From what he could make of the situation, Rizzen was a stealth expert and it was through his skills that the Mandalore planned to get onto Gargon. A most interesting scenario. And it made Thel wonder just how good this Rizzen was to garner the attention of their leader for a mission as important as this.

It was then that Bane turned to Thel, first addressing the matter for which Thel was here. Thel did not speak or try to explain himself while Bane spoke or after, knowing that if the Mandalore had wanted it, he would have asked for it. So he merely listened.....and then had to fight his instinct to gape when Bane told him he would be coming along for the mission now too. As his bodyguard. At this, Thel rose his head, his body seeming to gain life it did not have before. Well, this certainly wasn't what he had expected from this meeting. What a pleasant surprise.

He grunted his understanding as Bane told them when they would leave and how to prepare. While he was slightly disappointed by the fact that this mission's intention would be non-combat, he knew there was always the chance something could go wrong. And even if nothing did, he would relish this chance to see how the Mandalore worked.

Thel then turned his attention to Rizzen, who was listing off a series of things he wished to have before they left and also some of the things he could bring to it. Thel snorted at his comment about the ship being cramped for him, although he knew he could not really say much until he saw the vessel firsthand. He waited in total silence after that until Rizzen was done, then chose that moment to speak for himself.

"Thank you, Lord Mandalore, for granting me this chance after my unwanted behavior in the mess hall. I will see to it that this incident does not repeat itself in the future.

I look forward to witnessing you in action. Whether this action be merely with words or with fists, I shall study it in great detail. It's not often one gets a chance to learn something from the best. And I shall hope to learn something from my fellow Mando'a there, for it appears he has a few tricks up his sleeve I could pay heed to.

As for your ship, I can assure you that no ship to date has yet been unable to hold me. If it has a low roof, I shall merely go lower. And it shall not take me long to be equipped for the mission, so if you need any help stocking your craft green one, then I offer my services towards the task. If it isn't a bother, that is."

Thel waited in silence after that to hear both of them speak again, already calculating what he would bring with him initially and what he would do with the rest.

[Jace]

Mandalore listened carefully to Rizzen and then nodded. The man was right, he would need the full details of the operations to function fully. Bane was slightly hesitant but he had to trust his vode, if he could not trust them, then who could he trust. He had chosen this man specifically for the mission, there was no point in not trusting the specialist he had called to duty.

"The details shall be transferred to you, Rizzen" replied Bane

He saluted both as they left his office. They accepted the mission without question and seemed determined to see it through. That was what the Mandalorian leader needed, those who would follow orders without question. It wasn't that he didn't respect intellect and freedom, there was a point one soldiers needed to follow orders. It was the nature of Mandalorians, war, and the universe. Initiative had a time and place, this was not one of them, atleast not yet.

Bane remained in his office for the next half an hour, going over a series of reports. Various militia from once Mandalorian planets were coming in daily. He went through each of them, gauging the progress and current situation of each planet. Solus'ad had begun the crusade, he promised the people their lands back. Bane was here to continue his predecessor's dream and promise. He would gain control of their former territories or he would die trying. The liberator had done as much, attained a death as glorious as any Mandalorian could hope to achieve.

Eventually the once leader of the Special Operations division left his office and headed back to his quarters. There he gave himself an hour of well needed rest before waking. The Mandalorian made sure he had packed all the necessary equipment before heading to the port. His blades had been sharpened not a day before, more than ready to cut down any opponent in his way. Instead of on his back in their usual place, they were in a bag, lying in wait. There wasn't a use for them on this mission, well there wasn't supposed to be.

Mandalorian leader, Bane Haseful, found himself at the port approximately seven minutes before the rendezvous time. He waited before Rizzen's ship, or atleast so his intelligence told him it was. It would be quite a shame if it wasn't, but he had faith in his intelligence outfit. They were much like the SpecOps outfit, experienced in their own way, underestimating them was not recommended. He could only wait silently among the bustle of the small spaceport for his two companions to arrive.

[Vex]

As soon as he'd been dismissed from Bane's presence and had left the room, he keyed up his personal comm and contacted Wash. He began to relay instructions on preparations that were going to need to be made, including pulling up anything revelant about Gargon insofar as security measures, political situation and climate, and customs. They'd gone through this scenario so many times on so many worlds that the little Familiar knew exactly what his partner would want to know.

Rizzen moved swiftly back through those halls, having committed the turns to memory on his way in. It was a necessary skill when one had to infiltrate a place. Blue prints and schematics were not always accurate...if they were available at all. He already knew that there were some calls he was going to have to reroute through proxy over the Holonet. Given the burgeoning Xan fiscal influence, he knew of Republic mining contacts...including one for Phobium mining and processing. After all...it took credits to purchase equipment, pay laborers, ship ore, and process it...and the Xan's were working diligently to try and get their fingers into as many pies as possible. The executive was fairly low-level...but Gargon wasn't Coruscant. He was certain the man would be able to pull strings to help make their arrival that much smoother and limit the need for any unnecessary scrutiny.

Once he'd finally gotten back to his ship, he'd begun going through the reports and information that Wash had diligently prepared for him in the interim. Carefully catalogued, marked, and prepped, they made things very simple...allowing him to categorize the potential security risks.

The call was made...credits were transferred (via third-party banking methods through several proxy accounts he'd stored credits already laundered)... and within a half-dozen hours he had been sent data on three sets of credentials for them to use. Pouring over them, he found them sufficient for the task at hand.

By 21:30, he'd received the credentials and planned three separate entrance, operational, and exit strategies, along with basic contingency items for foreseeable complications. He would add more too it after getting Mand'alor's view and his preferences. Catching as much sleep as he could, he woke a little after 0100 and dressed. He also removed all the personal items and necessities he felt he'd need from his personal quarters. They would, of course, be offered to his leader. The only other bunk was Wash's, which he would move into. The other, Thel, would have to bunk in one of the containment cells.

Wash had been diligent while he'd slept, working to reprogram the ship's transponder and security codes to match the credentials they'd been given. He'd also completed diagnostics on all systems and reprogrammed one of the containment cells so their third member would be able to enter and exit of his own volition. Five minutes prior to the the expected meeting time, he was at the boarding hatch, keying the sequence so it cycled open and lowered the boarding ramp.

Walking down it, he'd already see Bane standing there. "Lord Mandalor. I hope you have not been waiting long."

[Jazen]

As soon as Bane saluted them and dismissed their presence, Thel turned to leave the room. He allowed the Falleen man, Rizzen, to leave first, as he probably had more things to prepare. No, he did have more important things; he had asked for much and Bane would no doubt give him what he requested. Rizzen was the member that would be dealing with the special side of the op and as such, he had many things to consider. Adding onto that fact was the fact that Rizzen had offered his ship and no doubt would have to make sure that was well prepped and ready for them when the meeting time arrived.

Thel, on the other hand, had a much less workload. He was coming along as the muscle; the one who would help to ensure that everything went along smoothly. Or ensure that if violence erupted that the Mandalore was protected. Thel had no doubt that Bane could handle himself should it come to that; but one could never be too sure.

The first stop Thel made was his room. Although Bane had requested they gear up with the intention of appearing like non-combatants, Thel really didn't have much in the way of that kind of attire. He did have basic robes, but he really did not wish to wear them into a place where the possibility of combat was there. Still, he packed them anyway, deciding that should Bane request it, he could simply change on route. He was already wearing his normal armor, which while made of beskar, had many more open spots that one could target. His Spec Ops armor, which was a more protective and sealed suit, rested assembled on his wall. After a few moments of debate, he packed the helmet and the armor for the legs and arms. They held specialized gear that he might find useful.

Of course, he hooked his sword onto his lower back. No matter what Bane said, his sword was a part of him; where he went, it went. Besides, in its retracted form, it looked no different than any other piece of random equipment. Only when he activated it would anyone truly no what it was. And since it was keyed to him, no one else would be able to accidentally stumble on its secret.

For the next little while, Thel spent time researching the planet they were going too. It wasn't much to look at. Gargon was one of the worlds within their grasp; although it was mostly populated by gangsters. Still, it had its uses, one of which was the phobium mines it had. Phobium was an crucial element in the creation of power cells, so keeping those mines within their sphere of power was a benefit to their cause.

After burning what he could about the planet into his eyes and mind, Thel went to the base's extensive gym area. He kept to himself during that time, wanting to avoid a similar event like the one that had put him into Bane's office. Lucky for him, the gym was scarcely populated and the few people actually occupying it were more concerned with what they were doing to even notice him. Well, they noticed him, he caught them looking when he first entered. But aside from that, they simply shrugged and focused on their own training regiment.

Thel spent the majority of the time left to him before the deadline in that gym, performing just about any kind of physical exercise he could. He ran laps around the place, pummeled a punching bag till it spilled it contents on the floor, performed long sets of pushups and situps. Only did the beeping of his own comm signal break him from his workout and Thel shook the sweat from his body before checking the device. The time to meet had come.

Exiting the gym, Thel hefted his pack over his shoulder and headed for the hangar. He knew the route well, for he'd had to return there several times to check on his personal starfighter. It didn't take him long to find Rizzen's ship either; his nose clearly picked up the Falleen's scent from one of the ship's in the hangar and Thel easily covered the hangar to its resting spot. He got there a good ten minutes before Bane showed up, wandering around the ship a few times to take it in. It was a fairly good looking ship; he hoped it worked as well as it appeared. When Bane appeared, Thel dipped his head down in a bow, his neck allowing him to only move his head to perform the action. He waited in silence with Bane till the ship's ramp came alive and Rizzen shuffled down from within.

"I do not think he has been waiting long. No longer than I have. I must say, war brother Rizzen, that this is a fine vessel. I hope it performs as well as it appears.

After you, Lord Mandalore."

[Jace]

Bane had been occupied with his own thoughts when Thel had arrived only moments after him. The two had remained in silence, waiting for the arrival of Rizzen. Only a few minutes later the ship's ramp whirred to life and began to lower itself. There Bane saw the Falleen on the ramp who had quickly asked if he had been waiting long.

"Not at all" was Bane's reply.

The Mandalorian stepped forward onto the ramp and proceeded into the ship. Bane was an observant man and he was pleased to see that everything was in order. He hadn't truly expected anything to be lacking, Rizzen came highly recommended after all. He hauled his gear into the ship along with him, everything he possibly needed short from an artillery strike. Bane had always believed that one could never be too prepared. Preparation and caution tended to pay off more often than not.

The Mandalorian leader was sporting more casual attire than usual. So different in fact that many of the soldiers hadn't recognized him. Bane considered that a good thing for the most part. A Mandalorian was most readily identifiable by their armor, it was as much as part of them as their skin. Bane's black and red armor would essentially scream 'Mandalore' to most people out there. The last thing he needed was the Republic finding him on their planet, relatively venerable. Instead he wore some low profile light armor and wore no helmet at all. He still had both his blades strapped to his back, along with his assortment of other knives.

Of course he had brought his full armor should the situation call for it, but he hoped it wouldn't. There were a great many battles in their future, of that he had no doubt. Gargon would be one of their key stepping stones, another planet liberated from the Republic's clutches. Bane had to admit that their war with the Sith Empire was making things quite convenient. He was still wary of the Empire, unsure of their intentions, knowing they were not to be trusted. That being said, there was a possibility for a non aggression pact in the future. An course of action that many of his advisers were in favor of, and one which he was leaning to himself.

That was in the future though, for now he had a mission to focus on. He had delegated all the necessary tasks while he was away and made arrangements should things go exceptionally wrong. Bane found himself a seat and sat down wordlessly as he waited for them to depart. Though he refused to admit it, he had been running himself ragged these last few months. Ever since the fall of Solus'ad, his work load had more than doubled. On top of that, they still lacked a great deal of manpower, and thus he found himself partaking in many missions that he usually wouldn't. It wasn't that Bane didn't relish working in the field, but even Mandalore had his limits, he just wasn't allowed to show them.

There would be time for rest though, as soon as the Republic was bled dry for their insolence.

[Vex]

"She is a weapon perfectly designed and suited to her task, Corporal Thel... to be innocuous and unassuming until it is too late. I take care to make sure that, like any weapon, she is tended to carefully, that she might ensure maximum impact when used." His head had bowed slightly at the compliment from the larger Mando'ade. As they walked up the ramp, he'd step back and lead them along.

First he would show Mand'alor to his quarters, leaving the clear plasteel wall casing open in the event Bane wished to store his armor and weapons on the stand and shelving that was there for just such a purpose. Despite his upbringing, the room had been rather minimalist and spartan in its accouterments anyway, a sign of one that didn't brook much patience for extraneous and unnecessary things.

Rizzen would lead Thel to the set up containment cell next. Along with reprogramming it so that he could enter and exit at his own whim, it was set with basic comforts and necessities. He would apologize, making it clear that there were only two bunk rooms on the ship. Once he was settled, Rizzen moved back to the cockpit to begin the pre-launch checks and prepare them for departure. It was during this that Bane entered and took one of the three spare seats in the cockpit.

For the moment, Rizzen paid him no mind, his focus on the task at hand. The final checks had been cleared and he'd cycled the ramp up and the door closed, sealing them in. Pulling on a headset, he spoke to the hangar control, securing clearance for them to depart. With Thel yet to enter the cockpit, he'd key up the inter communications speakers. "Thel, please come to the cockpit and strap in, we are taking off for departure."

He'd bleed more power to the repulsors, lifting them up off the ground on that invisible cushion of force. Locking away the landing gear, he'd pivot the nose of the ship up at an angle and to the left, gaining his desired trajectory.

"Once we've broken atmosphere and begun the trip in lightspeed, Mand'alor, I'll brief everyone on our cover for entry as well as my preliminary entry and exit strategies. After that, I would appreciate all input that might help us better plan and execute the mission so that adjustments can be made accordingly."

[Jazen]

"A good mandate to have, brother Rizzen. Now I am truly looking forward to seeing how this vessel operates. And it's captain as well."

Thel let Bane enter first, his neck bent up as he continued to look over the ship as he ascended the ramp. As he came to the top, Thel turned his head to watch where he was going....and his head snapped down as it made contact with the ceiling. The ship's interior obviously had been made with more normal size people in mind, not a giant such as Thel. Grunting and hissing in a language that no species save his own would understand, Thel shook his pulsing head a few times to shave off the throbbing. It was a good thing he had been wearing his helmet at least; even if it was making his head ring now.

Crouching his body down so that his knees were bent and his upper body was hunched forward, Thel brought himself to about the same height as Rizzen and Bane, give or take a few inches in his favor. Sure now that he wouldn't crack his head again, Thel followed Rizzen as the Falleen guided him to where he would spend the trip. Bane had gotten the extra bunk room, as was expected for the Lord of the Mandolarions and Thel was left with what he was sure was the ship's prison cell. When Rizzen apologized for it, Thel waved him off with his giant hand.

"I do not need a fancy room in which to retire. This will do fine. I do thank you however for at least trying to make it look more than what it really is."

As Rizzen moved off to prepare the ship for launch, Thel deposited his bag in the corner of the room, checked to make sure everything was still in there, then closed the room behind him. He felt the ship's engines begin to roar, the shaking of the ship as it started to come to life around him. He was in the midst of admiring the ship's well kept interior when the landing ramp hissed, signal ling that it was closing. As if on cue with the hiss thunk of the ramp locking into place, Rizzen's voice came over the ship's intercom.

"Thel, please come to the cockpit and strap in, we are taking off for departure."

Even though his movement was slightly restricted by his current stance and the shaking ship, Thel was still able to move to the cockpit in barely any time at all. It did take him a moment to slip through the door however, as he had to slide in sideways. Rizzen was there, seated in the pilot's chair, while Bane had already occupied one of the other remaining seats. Thel looked down to the chair next to him and tried to sit; it was horribly uncomfortable. Obviously built for more human and average shaped occupants as well. He managed to seat himself enough to buckle in for the takeoff; though he would be out of it the second they were into space. As light became night and the starts started to fill the cockpit, Thel tilted his head into a nod, but kept his silence. The time for talk would come soon enough.

[Vex]

(Should we just cancel this thread?)

[Jazen]

[Well I don't really want it to go away but seeing as how Jace seems to have lost interest, it might be what needs to be done. Maybe come up with an alternative?]