Welcome Home (Tal, Vex)

[Dire Wolf]

It was a funny thing, being a hair's width from death, it gave a man perspective on things. Like the own part in things, the mark that he left on the Mando'ade, and most importantly: the value of life (or lack thereof). The tank of a man that was Malak had placed the value of his life at nothing, no, not nothing: less than nothing. Yes, it was possible. He loathed himself, in every sense of the word, and honestly... would have preferred succumbing to his wound on the deck of the Ghost Star. It would have been a perfect release from his inner pain. No, not pain... what he felt was worse. Emptiness. It had been a little over a decade since the death of his wife and unborn child. At first he felt the pain, yes, but it wasn't long until the pain turned to an empty void. That void must have liked it in his heart... because it stayed there.

Mal never awoke once during his stay in the kolto tube, not once, and during that time he had a rather odd thing: A dreamless slumber. He did not have a nightmare, nor did he have any kind of dream during those few weeks. Something he deserved, of course, because it seemed that every time the poor man rested for even a few moments he dreamed of something malevolent. But he was never the malevolent one, it was always the beings in the dream doing the evil acts against the one's he cared for... and he was forced to watch. It was one of the few times that he was ever truly “helpless.”

A few weeks after Operation Reclamation Malak's crystalline blue eyes slowly opened as the tube that his huge muscular form floated in rather serenely. Those light blue eyes slowly drifted about the room, and as expected, no one but a doctor and a pair of nurses watching his vitals as the tube emptied were present. The fact that no-one cared enough to be there when he was released from the hospital... it crushed him every time. Another reason why he loathed himself, and honestly would have preferred death. He had no real ties to the galaxy: He was the only being that he met (other than the other warriors on Aphithir) that literally had no family. No parents. No siblings. Nothing. The man was cared for by none, but he was used to it. Not that it didn't hurt... but it was like most other pains: live with it long enough and you learn to ignore it.

It didn't take him long to get cleared and released from the hospital... he wasn't quite one hundred percent, but kolto couldn't heal everything wrong. It really only sped up the process. After he was given a fresh set of casual attire, which was taken from his room as he was in the kolto tank, he was officially let out of the front door. He was given a few passing glances and stares as he gimped towards the no-where in particular, but that was to be expected. Mal was an eight foot tall wall of nearly solid muscle after all, but for some reason the looks got to him this time. Eventually he shifted that icy blue gaze towards a couple that happened to be staring at him.

“Never see a real Mando'ade before? Keep moving.”

His size was not the reason why he was stared at, however, he was on the team that took back the basilisk war droid. It was because of him, in part, that the Mandalorians would receive their next chance to conquest the galaxy... and they would. But he didn't want to be looked at... he just wanted to be left alone.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Good Gods Almighty it had been a busy couple of weeks!

Lia was one of the few of the team who hadn't gone to the medical facility and been treated with their kolto. Why? Simple really....Time and Money....two precious commodities she had very little of. She was barely keeping the family farm running and paid for with the help of her brother AND the (very) unexpected help of Daryn. With her injuries healing naturally things were more difficult, but she her pride kept her from asking anything further of Daryn, and the auburn knew that neither she (nor anyone in the small clan) had enough to spare and still survive. With her carefully balancing her time and money, however, she and her mother had managed to keep the farm afloat...but something wasn't settled in her heart.

Lia had planned, for quite some time, to go and visit Mal in the hospital...but those plans had been pushed aside as the debt collectors, and the farm itself, ate up her time. She wouldn't, however, not be there when he woke up. The poor man deserved that much from her....he'd saved her life, and more than once at that. Life, unfortunately, seemed to like to toy with the little hellion mando'ade. She'd gotten as much done as she was able around the farm before the time she'd have to leave in order to walk to the medical facility and arrive at the time that the nurse had stated Mal would be awoken, things...didn't go smoothly after that however.

Italia had just stepped out and closed the door behind her when she'd heard a series of snapping growls and the terrified squawking of the farm's chickens. Hurrying back inside, she grabbed her rifle and headed to the coup. It was just her luck to find a stray dog inside that, much to her dismay, looked to be bordering on rabid. The situation had been dealt with swiftly as she "put down" the pathetic beast with two shots (jarring her injured shoulder, and side, and ripped finger, and just about everything else in the process). With Itani gone hunting Lia had to remove the dead chickens, the dog, and kill the injured chickens before leaving. They were now down to 3 hens and rooster...half of what they'd had. Only after this had she been able to leave.

It was an hour later that she finally found herself coming up on the medical facility. A rumble of thunder from the grey and brooding clouds above and Lia prayed for rain, though, there was no scent of it on the air. Walking into the courtyard of the hospital, she heard the sound of Mal's voice, and her eyes immediately snapped to him. Sighing, she walked the short distance to him and carefully folded her arms across her chest, looking up at him with an odd mixture of happiness and annoyance on her face before looking back over at the couple.

Don't mind him, he's just cranky. As for you, Mal, really...don't snap at people. Is that the way you want me to see you awake for the first time since we got back?

Her tone was one of teasing, but it held an underlying note of seriousness to it as the little flame haired woman looked up at him.

[Dire Wolf]

Mal's icy blue eyes averted themselves up towards the grey sky as the rumble of thunder rolled over his ears. Maybe the farmers in the area would get rain? Hopefully... the poor souls desperately needed it. The drought had been slowly sapping the life out of the croppers, and didn't Lia say something about having a farm on Concord Dawn? He thought so. Lia. Heh. For some reason the big mando'ade thought that she would be there for his “revival.” Nah. She may have been a nice girl – to him anyways – but honestly, he couldn't expect her to take time out of her busy day for him. Mal probably wouldn't if he was her.

Though he would most certainly do so if she were in his position.

Those crystalline blue eyes seemed to lose their deadly edge as he broke his icy glare with the couple and sighed. Snapping at these two people, who obviously cared for each other, was not the proper thing to do. A real Mando'ade, as he called himself, would have simply shrugged off their gawking and limped on. Apparently, he was not a real Mando'ade, and if he wasn't that... then he was something lower. Subhuman. Subnearhuman anyways.

He thought that he heard Lia's voice apologizing for his snippiness, but quickly discounted the notion on account of his mind probably wanting to hear something familiar. Why would she show up? They just met. The rest of his unit didn't care, and they were supposed to be closer nit, so why in the Force would she care?

Though, that voice did sound awful real to him. What would it matter if he simply turned around to see if she was really there or not? Mal slowly turned around and saw the considerably smaller form of Italia with her arms folded across her chest. He blinked. Nope, he wasn't crazy. His eyes glimmered slightly as a small smile cracked across his otherwise depressed looking face. Then, for some odd reason, he remembered hearing one of the nurses say something about Ark being in the same wing. That was who she was here for, her ancient grandfather, not him. The thought caused the little glimmer in his eyes to fade almost as fast as the smile that vanished from his face.

“I know. Sometimes I just can't resist, though. So, are you here for Ark?”

Despite his best efforts a few underlying tones of depression escaped through his otherwise stoic voice. That stoicism, of course, belied the true and pure depression that festered underneath. The man tilted his massive head and regarded the obviously wounded woman that stood before him. A few mournful tones escaped his facade again, but one didn't need his voice to tell that he was a tortured soul. Mal's emotions were written all over his eyes, and honestly all that Lia would have to do was glance up at them to see the empty pain within him.

“Are you okay? You still look pretty banged up.”

[Vex]

Daryn feathered the repulsorlifts again as he eased the Ante down onto that pad they used as a docking port. It felt good, to be flying again. With her little trick thereand those mando'ade womanly wiles, she'd gotten his ship patched up quick. His heart ailed when his ship was hurting, so it did him good to have her back at one hundred percent. He ran through all the post-flight checks as he began the shutdown sequence, trying to will it to go faster.

He was running a bit late, you see. He'd picked up some local work...shuttling some of those Mando'ade about on planet. Speeder could be quick, but a ship was still quicker for the longer distances. Plus, he had enough cargo space to do a bit of lucrative hauling in-system. With her as his point of contact and getting his foot in the door, it wasn't turning out too bad. It helped to have a warrior hero fronting and vouching for him.

He'd chosen to stick around for a bit, help her out about that little place she had. With the work here and helping keeping her from over-exerting herself, he had full-time employment. He still was looking for a way to talk her into taking a kolto treatment, his treat, but she was a stubborn one.

As it was, he couldn't worry about it now. Jogging down the ramp, he closed it up and keyed the security lock down for the ship before heading to the rental speeder. He knew she planned on walking to the medical facility to see her friend. She'd told him a bit about the guy. Big...like super big. Heart of gold or some such. Breaks the heart and whatnot. He had to give the man credit though...he'd dragged Italia out of the hot place and got her back in relatively one piece. He could respect that. He wanted to make her ride with him and save herself the exertion, but he was, of course, running late.

A quick check at the farmstead showed her gone, so he hopped back in and sped all the way back, fishtailing the speeder neatly on a demicred as he located the likely suspects.

It wasn't hard to figure out who was "Mal"...he kinda stood head and shoulders above everyone else. Then, of course, there was the little, red-headed spitfire there speaking with him. He flared the vehicle to a stop near the pair, lowering the side view port so he could lean out and talk to them, his attention to Lia.

"Gorram it, woman...you beat me. Wasn't going to let you walk....this is Mal, I take it?"

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Lia chuckled and grinned as she watched Mal turn about slowly and look around before seeing her, as if he didn’t really expect her to have been there talking to him. Silly man, did he REALLY think that she was going to not show up the day he was supposed to wake up? When he asked if she was here to see Ark, the small woman tilted her head to the side curiously, auburn hair glinting slightly even in the grey light beneath the storm clouds. Another rumble of thunder and she glanced up before looking back at the tall man.

Mal, I came here for you. I…well I wanted to be here when you woke up but…I had a problem out at the farm and I started out late. I’m sorry. I really did try though.

Was she okay? The woman looked down at herself for a moment. The wrapping under her shirt was concealed well enough, but the wraps around her arms, her finger, her legs, the fading…ugly…bruises and various cuts…Wow m’girl, you sure do look to be in a right state don’t you? Uck, and those bruises are purple and black and yellow ‘cause they’re fading. Not exactly the best lookin’ thing around to be sure She scratched the back of her head slightly in her embarrassment before looking back up at him. She too was ignoring the looks of the passers by.

Heh…yeah…not exactly the prettiest bell at the ball am I? I’m fine though. Healin’ up decent anyway…best as can be expected without…

Her words were cut short by the sound of an engine flaring slightly before it whirred down to a halt, the voice of Daryn coming from behind her. Smirking and rolling her eyes at the man in the speeder, she slowly turned so she could see both men.

Oi, no need to be cursing at me. I told ya I was coming to see him, not my fault you were off doing…whatever…not even like I was on time. I swear, you are the most annoying…hmph…

With a fold of her arms and a light chuckle, she looked up at Mal and grinned before looking back at the man leaning out of the speeder window.

Yeah, this is Mal. I owe ‘im my life. Mal, this funny lookin’ man here is Daryn, friend of mine. He and I had a job together a while back. We’re helpin’ each other out while he’s here on Dawn.

Green eyes had turned to look up at Mal as she introduced Daryn to him, a playful, almost silly, smile on her face as she looked back at Daryn. For some reason she got the oddest urge to stick her tongue out at the smuggler….she ignored it studiously.

[projectsunfire]

((First bit is a monologue, second bit is for You guys))

Solus'ad sat quietly in his office. It always surprised those seeking an audience with him just how simple the 12m by 12m room was. Simple comfortable chairs, caffe machine, side refresher, but no trophies hung on the walls. No weapons, accept for the repeater he kept in a quick draw sling under his desk.

Since he'd taken up the mantle of Mandalore he'd been saddled with everything from personal training of troops to paper work. Sometimes he still wondered just how in the hell he found time for all of it. He had a head ache, paper work did that to a person.

Slowly he leaned back in his chair. It complained softly as his wight shifted. He'd been looking over the personal files of Banes team. They had all performed admirably. Ark, the Cyborg had even very nearly gotten himself killed for his team. Mandalore had a special purpose in mind for him, but that would have to wait until after the Engineers at Mandal Motors had reverse engineered the Basulisk.

Solus'ad rested his head against his fist in thought. The Basulisk had been a great victory and they all deserved a bit of recompense. Solus'ad was looking over farm claims, the name at the top of which read Italia Firians. It seems she needed a couple extra farm hands, as well as a little money to make ends meet. Solus'ad shook his head and smiled. His memory going back to his own childhood on Dantooine. Broken lamps can get you farm hands.

He drummed up a form notifying human resources that Military Personel in need of disciplinary action were eligable for hard labor on Italia's farm. He looked it over in thought. His old hairy eyebrows scrunching together, deforming the long scar that ran down his face. That would do nicely.

"Orderly Williams, I need a runner. Send him out on a swoop. Be sure he delivers these to all the propper locations." Solus'ad leaned forward and finished signing the forms laid out in front of him. Stripping the flimsy coppies and slideing them into each individual file, he handed the forms for delivery to his orderly. "I'd like you to deliver the news to Italia yourself and report back to me." His orderly saluted by thumping his chest and about faced. The clap of his boots marching out of Mandalore's office. Solus'ad rubbed his forehead. Turning his attention back to his headache.

>>>>>>>

Orderly Williams had learned that Italia had gone to visit another member of the spec ops team who was just getting out of the medical facility today. Before long he saw them converseing out in front, and approached slowly. Hopping off his swoop bike he marched up purposefully and saluted them. "Private first class Williams with a message for you from Mandalore Ma'am." The young Mandalorian handed Italia Mandalore's personal Message, along with her copy of the personel resources flimsy and saluted again before returning to his swoop bike and takeing off.

[Dire Wolf]

Mal's eyes lit up and a grin cracked across his face when Lia said that she actually went there for him, she was such a kind woman. The only one to actually treat him as a person, and not some kind of monster from some horror-vid. Perhaps that was the reason why he always tried to protect her on Operation Reclamation, but to be honest he didn't know for sure. So someone did, in fact, care enough to show up for his little “revival.” Even if she was late... it was better than not being there at all. A big smile arched his lips as he was about to reply, but his voice was interrupted when a speeder stopped next to them. Mal was silent during their little exchange, for he figured that they were... involved... and it was probably best not to get in the middle of it.

“Hello”

He said as she introduced him to her little friend, for he was just that: little. But then, every one looked little to Mal, him being at least two feet taller than your average human being. Not that there was anything wrong with that of course... while people did tend to stare off at him they also avoided bothering him at all costs. On top of that he was more than big enough to even make a guy with a nasty case of “short man's disease” think twice about saying something that he probably shouldn't.

Which was a good thing, because while Mal was most certainly a big guy, he was described as having “a heart of gold.” He didn't like fights much, though if he was forced into one the man had absolutely no qualms about doing some dental work on a guy's face. While he did love being a good four hundred pounds in muscle, he did not like the fact at his shortened life. He remembered the doctors from his childhood telling him just how many years he would live: 57, then his heart would succumb to an arrhythmia. What a wretched thing to do... telling a person how long their natural life would last. He had always tried to ignore it as best he could.

“Its okay, Lia, to be honest I am used to waking up with no-one around. Anyways... why aren't you getting medical attention? Your wounds may not heal up right if you don't take a dip in the kolto ta-...”

He was cut off when a speeder bike swooped in, the man almost instantly pulled out a little datapad and said that he was sent by Mandalore. Wait a second... sent by MANDALORE? Mal blinked as the datapad was handed to Lia and the private left as fast as he came. The leviathan of a man looked at Lia, staying silent until she decided to speak on the matter or tell him why she decided that it was a better idea for her to heal naturally rather than by a kolto tank.

[Vex]

"Annoying? Well, that's not the adjective you were using last night, Italia. Was kinda hard to decipher, but I did eventually." Oh yes, he was probably digging his own grave, placing innuendos into his words like that, especially when there was an almost three meter tall, overly protective Mando'ade standing there with her. That roguish smirk never left his face as he gripped the edge of the speeder windows and pulled himself out. Those boots hit the dirt underfoot and he smoothed out that red jacket.

Looking the big man over, he grinned and slapped his...er...upper elbow. "Pleasure to meet you, mate. Heard all about you from Lia. Have to say I owe you one." He walked up next to Lia, slipping an arm around her waist lightly, careful about the bandages.

Oh yes, testosterone pissing contest.

"And she hasn't taken a kolto treatment because she's a stubborn wench...but I've already wired them the funds. Could use some help dragging her into the facility and making her take the treatment."

Grinning, he quirked a brow at the man that appeared and gave her that flimsy and the respect. Looking over her shoulder at it, he quirked a brow. "Isn't Mandalore a pretty important dude?"

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Lia wasn't just mad, she was FURIOUS. Green eyes glared daggers at Daryn at his innuendo and no sooner had he slid out of the speeder than an open palm would strike him hard in the gut. It jarred her injured finger, since she'd struck out with her right hand, and made her grimace, but she didn't particularly care. She easily sidestepped his arm and snorted slightly.

You're too bold Daryn. Don't lie like that, don't even joke like that, especially not around members of my team. You do that again and I'll rearrange your face. Savvy?

Heaving a sigh, she looked between the two. Mal was looking mighty pissed right about now, and it was at that time that the runner for Mandalore arrived. Green eyes widened as she took the flimsy and the datapad, stunned so much that she only barely managed a slight nod to the man as he turned and left. By this time Daryn was hovering over her shoulder...she hadn't tried to do much damage to him anyway...and she brought up the message, jaw dropping. Finally she read the note aloud.

Italia Firians,

It has come to my attention that you have been struggling at home as well as abroad. This will not do. You have been given a weeks leave to heal up and rest before your next mission, and I wouldnt want you spending that time makeing your injuries worse by over exherting yourself with too much manual labor. Soldiers in need of a reminder of the alternative to Military service will be given the opportunity to better themselves by working on your farm. This should help lighten your burden.

Now for other business, I would like to meet with you at 2200 hours at Mandal Motors to discuss your ship the Ghost Star. It is a fine ship, though if you plan to continue to utilize it for military operations, I would prefer that we give it a tune up. If such a word could be applied to such an already fine ship.

Kote pa gar Mando'ade

Mandalore

She had paled visibly while she'd read it the first time, now she was just feeling faint, her head spinning as she struggled to retain her standing position. The auburn knew she was about to lose, so she got herself to one of the duracrete planters that doubled as benches and sat herself down.

M-meet him? Kriffing A, Mal....Daryn, Mandalore is our leader....meeting him is like....taking every war hero you can imagine, and stuffing them inside the Republic Supreme Chancellor....and going to meet him.

This....it changes everything....the farm might actually pull through this time....

[Dire Wolf]

Annoying? Well, that's not the adjective you were using last night, Italia. Was kinda hard to decipher, but I did eventually.

That sentence promptly turned any disappointment he had from before into rage. Not because of anything that he believed that him and Lia had, he knew better than that, but because this man would openly say that him and she were having relations of that nature in public. A Mandalorian would have gotten a prompt fist to the face, but a non-Mando'ade... well... the reward for his mistake would not nearly be as pleasant. He glared down at the man as he slapped Mal's upper elbow.

“Not really.”

He quickly replied to the whole “pleasure to meet you” thing. The only reason that the smuggler was still recognizable was simply because Lia had already exacted her little revenge on the little pest. It wasn't necessarily the idea that the two may have been in a relation that angered the behemoth. Yes, the notion did hurt him slightly, but no... that did not anger him. The fact that this little piss ant deemed it necessary to announce that in public, that is what enraged him so. Maybe it was just Mal's tendency to be old fashion on occasion, but he never enjoyed putting those kind of innuendos into his words. Especially when the subject of the sentence is present. Especially when there was a man that was at least three to four times his size that happened to be rather over protective present.

Idiot man.

Though, he would not exact his revenge just yet, he allowed Lia to read her letter aloud. He slowly edged around behind the two just as she finished reading the letter from Mandalore. That man was surely great... far greater than any of the leaders of the other governments who would have hung Lia out to dry. He gave a little reply to Lia's description of Mandalore, beaming with pride for both his leader and Lia.

“... and that would be underestimating it. Good for you, Lia... So do you plan on staying with the team, then? I doubt that Mandalore will split me up from them after what happened on Coruscant.”

He barely had the last syllable of Coruscant out before he threw a massive hand out at the neck of the little runt that insulted Lia. If the man, if he could call himself that, wasn't fast enough to stop the massive paw from wrapping around his neck then Mal would proceed to drag him around the corner of the building. Though if Mal succeeded in grabbing the scum it was doubtful that Lia would allow him to proceed in his plan after that. Which happened to be pummel the living guts out Daryn.

Literally.

[Vex]

Well, it had worked a little bit better than he'd anticipated. He'd wanted to get a rise out of her and he was testing the waters for sharks with Mal. Didn't matter that he was basically scattering chum about as he did so. No, Lia wasn't his. He knew that...he'd already gone through that pissing contest once with a Mandalorian...but he was the smuggler with a mouth and he'd be damned if he was going to just be meek and timid because the guy was bigger than him. He wasn't one to let size just initmidate him and make him weak.

Heck...the bigger and scarier the threat, the more his mouth tended to run.

He didn't want her hurting herself on his behalf...so he felt bad even as he double over from her strike. Yeah...hurt or no she was still capable of holding her own...he coughed and wheezed at it as the two spoke so reverently about the news. Sounded damn good for his girl Lia.

He wasn't some idot schutta thought...someone that didn't pay attention to their surroundings. Seriously...the big dude was trying to be sneaky? It was like watching a mountain tiptoe about through the tulips.

He'd tilted his head slight in the guise of looking over hsd shoulder at the message when he caugh movement in his periphery. Ducking, he slid his foot out and turned on it, facing Mal. "Hey, look, mano... down boy... I know we're happy and all, but I don't play with other people's pool cues ad holo balls anyway."

"Does this mean you'll have to use the kolto time I purchased prior to coming here?"

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

The woman wasn't dense.

She was a sniper after all, and she felt herself to be fairly clever, and from the moment Daryn had opened his mouth about them being together...like THAT...she knew something was going to come of it. One didn't live long on the fringe if they didn't know what the hell was going on around them, or were able to read subtle nuances. Yes, the letter from Mandalore had distracted, baffled, and even frightened her, but she'd noticed Mal move from where she sat. A person had to be blind to not see it. Lia had shrugged it off, however, as he came up behind them as best he could with the planter she was sitting on being in the way of him coming up behind her fully.

His reply had her turning to beam up at both of them, a gruesome sight she was certain with those bruises (true she wasn't looking the best, but it wasn't THAT bad either). The words of a reply had already formed in her mind, and she'd been just about to reply when she caught that slight tensing of Mal's muscles, coiling as he prepared to strike...and he did. Mal was fast but Daryn was faster, and the smuggler wasn't caught unawares either. Ducking her head slightly to avoid a collision with Mal's accidental overreach, she had seen Daryn duck and turn to face the larger man. His reply, to both Mal and herself, didn't please the woman and she stood swiftly, jolting some of her injuries and making her growl as she glared at the two of them.

I WAS about ta invite ya both back ta the farm for supper but obviously you little boys can't play nice.

I'm disappointed in both of ya!

You atin di'kute¹ need ta pull your heads from your arses before they get stuck there. Mal, you didn't need ta react that way, it was uncalled for...I'd already taken care of the situation and Daryn....your mouth is talkin'....you might want ta see ta that 'fore it's too late and I'm not around ta help ya.

It was quite obvious, by now (to everyone in the courtyard), that the little hell cat was fuming. Her feet had planted themselves apart slightly, muscles had tensed, hands rested on hips, eyes were narrowed dangerously, and she was all but crackling with her fiery anger. When she spoke next, she did so quietly, her voice low and dark, a stark contrast to what either of them had heard before.

Now see here...I ain't got the time, nor the patience, ta deal with posturin' from some big mouth smuggler and pissy mando Apithiri ori'jagyce² who can't keep their hands and comments to themselves like the big boys they're supposed to be....SO...if y'all can't deal with your issues like civilized people I'll be leavin' ta go find someone who CAN.

Figure my time'll be better spent with them and I'm not as likely to go hurtin' myself any more by tryin' to stop 'em from fightin' my other friends. Ba'buir could use some company I'm sure, an' I've not got a chance to see him yet either.

The idea was sounding better and better actually, and she seriously considered the idea of going to see him at the base before she went to see Mandalore.

Now....if you two CAN get along without tryin' anything else stupid, I'll stick around.

Choice is up to you two.

((Mando'a translations: 1) stubborn fools 2) bullying; also bully, swaggering big-mouth - someone who picks on someone smaller - lit. "big man" --it's in its plural form btw-- ))

[Dire Wolf]

((~_~ if only I could make complete sentences from the Mando'a dictionary. Anywho... italicized words that are surrounded by << >> are in Mal's native tongue, and y'all can't understand it.))

Mal wasn't trying to be sneaky, he knew better than that. Trying to "sneak" anything of his size was moronic... it was harder than trying to shave an angry wookiee. Every single thing that Mal did called attention to his person. So, when his little attempt to grab the little rat that was named "Daryn" failed, it only made him angrier. Of course, that little comment that the only sent him into a further rage.

Of course, Lia's angry statement did not help things either. He wasn't angry at her, per say, mostly just angry at this man that (for some odd reason) Lia would rather have with more blood in than out.

"Kaysh mirsh solus¹ Lia!"

Mal sighed, clenched his jaw, and closed his eyes. He counted to 10 as well. The man's voice was noticably calmer than before, no hints or tones of any emotions could be picked up from the words. This would surely make the Mando'a more frightening for one who didn't understand it.

"There is no need for you to leave, Lia. I will slana'pir², I am sure that the both of you would prefer that to my staying regardless."

With that, Mal dug out a credit disk, set the value to about five thousand credits, signed it, and gave it to Lia. Again, he spoke in an emotionless tone.

"I have a job for you. Smuggle yourself into a kolto tank after your meeting with Mandalore. Keep the rest."

After Lia had the disk in her hand he turned to the aruetii³ that incited his fury. To be honest it took him all he had to keep his fists at his side... and the anger could be seen in his eyes. But he didn't speak in basic, nor did he speak in Mando'a. No, he used his native tongue... which was hundreds of times more frightening.

<<If I ever see you again I am going to strangle you with your own spine.>> "And thats not a threat, little aruetii, thats a promise."

And so, Mal turned around and began to limp back to the Spec Ops HQ. Yes, he was hurt (both physically and emotionally), but it was nothing that time couldn't heal. Of course, he couldn't help but say one last thing... though he wasn't sure if it was loud enough for the pair to hear or not.

"What a way to welcome a guy back to the world."

((1) Kaysh mirsh solus: He's an idiot. Literal: His brain cell is lonely. (2) Slana'pir: Get lost, this is negative. Used like an insult, basically. (3) Aruetii Traitor, Foreigner, Outsider))

[Vex]

Hell, he'd have to get an ass chewing from Italia anyway, eventually. It was simply bound to happen. It was Fate. He'd been a very good little boy, but Daryn, at the heart of him, was a smart ass. He was an instigator. He wasn't someone that necessarily listened to reason or, if he did, would still do the unintelligent thing because it felt right to him. Sure...the dude scared him. A third again his height, built like a ronto. Daryn would be stupid not to be scared and to not understand that tangling up with someone like that was most likely going to end badly on his part. In this situation, he was the runt...but he was the runt vornskr.

Besides...the big man was transparent. He'd have had a harder time seeing through the viewport on Ante Up. The man liked Lia. Heck, she'd have to be blinder than a Mirakula not to see that. Daryn had played the bigger man once with Mando-candy blonde boy. He wasn't about to again. He liked Italia. Despite their cultural and personality difference, he found a lot of similarities. Things he'd like to pursue. Sure, it might not lead anywhere or last very long...rarely did for him, but it didn't mean he wouldn't try. In an odd way, if one really understood Daryn Destrell, they'd realize that he did what he did out of respect and admiration for her. His way of doing that, however, was just slightly less than the norm.

At her words, his roguish grin only widened. It continued even as Mal responded to her. "Mouth is always talkin', darlin'...and I can handle myself well enough. I'm not afraid of someone just because they got the lion's share of growth hormone. Probably just nature's way of compensating for a lack of growth in other areas."

Seeing how easily the man got irked, it fed into Daryn's personality. "At least I've got a brain cell that can be lonely, mate...I've got no problem with you hanging around, so long as you don't keep trying to be touchy feely with me because you spent too long on your lonesome in a tank."

Finally, hearing those words in that alien tongue, Daryn's eyes widened. He had no way to translate that...but sometimes, intent didn't need a translation, especially given what Mal said afterward. He'd wait for a moment as the man walked away, then speak up, fully cognizant of the parting shot. Daryn rarely allowed others to get the last word, however.

"Promises, promises. But please, usen'ye. I'd feel bad fighting the wounded and mentally challenged. Glad you're doing better though."

Daryn felt good...knowing just enough Mando'a to get himself in trouble. Which, most likely, he'd just done.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Gev! Daryn, Mal, ni’duraa ti gar nari’ke bal miit’e! ((Pack it in! Daryn, Mal, you disgust me with your actions and words!))

Italia was fuming, her tongue barely withholding more scornful words that had started to subconsciously formulate in mando’a in her anger. With flashing green eyes and vibrant auburn hair, coupled with her fiery use of the language that rolled off her tongue, Daryn might start to get a taste of the woman Mal had seen on Coruscant. If she’d not been injured herself, she might have very well tried to beat both of them senseless then and there. The glare from the clouds did little to dim the image of the furious little mando being of the flames she so resembled in personality. She grudgingly took the disk Mal practically had to shove into her hand to get her to take.

Here was the problem as Italia saw it. Both men were good friends and they both had potential to become more than that. Daryn was flirty and fun, he had a mouth that begged for trouble and a “don’t give a nuts” attitude, but he also had a sweet side. Mal was sensitive and dedicated, he had a sadness about him that made her want to ease the pain and was brave, but he was far to hard on himself and that caused a depression and anger that could bubble up and out onto others. The two had happened to clash at the wrong moment. Daryn had felt mouthy, and Mal was already in a foul mood…this put Italia in an awkward, uncomfortable, and infuriating position. She couldn’t take sides, she didn’t want to, they were both acting like fools.

Oh yes, she too had caught Mal’s parting shot, and it stabbed at her, making her look away and screw her eyes shut tightly. She knew Mal liked her, to an uncertain degree she liked him also, and coming to meet him in this way hadn’t been her intention. Daryn’s retort only vexed the woman further, sending her into a spiraling rage. She wasn’t about to let this go further. Any further and she’d be likely to injure herself more than she was about to.

Rangir! ((To hell with it!))

Italia tossed her hands into the air and started walking off around the side of the complex, opting to take the long way around to the base. She didn’t wait to see the others reactions. As soon as she was around the corner and out of sight she started off at a light run.

It hurt.

It hurt like hell, but she welcomed it.

The pain of the motions through her injuries kept her in reality, put her frustration and anger into good use. She focused them, channeled them into energy for her muscles, cleared her head as she growled under her breath in mando’a. Each time her boot hit the ground it sent a jarring pain ripping through her, but Lia was far from caring. She had energy to expend, and she was running too slowly to expend it.

Her pace swiftened to a full out sprint, her body working over time to burn the anger she was feeling out of her system…and more than just the anger.

Anger. Frustration. Concern. Sorrow. Pain.

She wanted to run until she couldn’t run any longer, if only to forget, even for a little while, the pressure of those emotions.

[Dire Wolf]

Mal stoped dead in his tracks as soon as he heard the aruetii's first retort, and laughed. It was a deep, and heartfelt laughter, he just couldn't stop until his sides hurt. Nature's way of compinsating in other areas? It was at that instant that Mal knew what he was dealing with... and he felt foolish. Short man's disease. It was pathetic really, and he knew the one thing that would stop it (he had dealt with it once or twice). That and Mal knew that his size was most certainly not nature's way of compensating for a shortcoming of his.

The second response just annoyed the living hell out of him. Calling someone homo for no apparent reason at all, generally a sign of homophobia. Homophobia was just nature's way of telling you that the said man is insecure about his own sexuality. This also made Mal chuckle slightly. The third, however. That definitely did not solicit a laugh or chuckle of any kind. Now he was back to being just plain old angry.

As if on cue, Lia threw her hands up in the air and stormed off... it was then he realized just how much that he was making her mad. And hurting her. He thought for a second, deciding not to kill this man out of fear of causing more harm to her than anything else. It was also then that he resigned any attempts or hopes that he had of courting her. No, he was not giving up easy... Mal was just afraid of hurting Lia if he got too close.

So, instead of storming towards the aruetii like some kind of angry rhino, he calmly walked towards the scum. His eyes shot daggers at him as he spoke, but strangely his voice was terrifyingly calm.

"You're pathetic. Disgusting. I am walking away and you still try to incite my anger. Fact of the matter is, I could care less. About you, About Lia... no... not about Lia. I don't want to see her hurt because of you.

Oh...

...and you can fight me if you wish, go ahead make the first move. In the mean time, I will be the bigger man here, in every aspect, and simply walk away."

With that said, Mal turned around and walked away again, ignoring the shooting that shot up his spine every instant his leg hit the ground. He would simply ignore any further insults said from the man... Mal had been called worse.