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Mondder
May 18, 2017 20:12:41 GMT -8
Post by Aya D'Ordinii on May 18, 2017 20:12:41 GMT -8
Aya nodded. In many ways Non followed more in the footsteps of Z'har that she ever had. She always had been more refined, less willing to get her hands bloody, & often less effective in the end. Still that wouldn't stop her from building up the Imperium in a way that he would have been proud of. She let Non attempt to work the knots out of her back. Even though there wasn't a single part of her body that she didn't have conscious control of, it was still a welcome effort. It was also more effective that she thought it would be. After a while, Aya's bodyguard taps Non's shoulder & hands both him & Aya a cup of tihaar. She doesn't have one herself, but it is obvious that she is technically still on duty.
-Aya
To the Imperium & dirty boots.
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A'den'ade
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Mondder
Jun 18, 2017 13:37:52 GMT -8
Post by A'den'ade on Jun 18, 2017 13:37:52 GMT -8
A'den had never been off of Mandalore, as far as he knew. Everything was a lot to take in.
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Mondder
Jun 19, 2017 15:37:07 GMT -8
Post by Aya D'Ordinii on Jun 19, 2017 15:37:07 GMT -8
Aya had one more diversion before she would bring herself back on track with dealing with the preparations. Non's adopted child.
-Aya
I am happy you are joining our family, though I wish you could have met your ba'buir. It must be a bit of a shock having all this suddenly at your fingertips.
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A'den'ade
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Mondder
Jun 19, 2017 17:09:04 GMT -8
Post by A'den'ade on Jun 19, 2017 17:09:04 GMT -8
A'den nodded
Yes it is.
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Non-Com Or'dinii
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Mondder
Jul 2, 2017 17:58:52 GMT -8
Post by Non-Com Or'dinii on Jul 2, 2017 17:58:52 GMT -8
NCO accepted the offered drink, dipping his head in thanks, and moved around Aya; so that he was standing to her left and facing the space in front of her. He rejoined her toast with one of his own.
"And to Buir, for teaching us the importance of it all."
NCO took a healthy swig of the drink, savoring the sweet warmth of the liquid as it trickled down his throat. He looked to A'den as Aya addressed ad'ika. He was quiet while the boy spoke for himself. He was glad the boy wasn't intimidated or cowed by the massive power his sister could bring to bear, then again, he was clearly a little overwhelmed by everything he was rather suddenly being dragged into. Being adopted was a lot to get used to. NCO had adjusted rather well, mostly because he was actively trying to forget his past, a feat he'd been rather successful in. Still, things for A'den should be settling down shortly after the wake finishes, or at least slowing down to a more manageable pace. I look to Aya, and ask her if she has anything for the lad to do, or if he should tag along with me when I go ride herd on the road building minions for her in the near future.I could see to the road myself, if she wanted to use his presence as an excuse to proceed at a more reasonable pace herself, or go see to some detail she hadn't been able to get to yet.
"Aya, do you have anything for A'den to see to, or should he tag along with me to ride herd?"
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Mondder
Jul 2, 2017 20:34:39 GMT -8
Post by Aya D'Ordinii on Jul 2, 2017 20:34:39 GMT -8
Aya shook her head in a negative.
-Aya
Take him to ride herd with you. Let him see how we operated. Maybe let him make the call in a few of the disputes if you think he is ready.
She wasn't going to warn him about the state of the construction. It was as much a test for him as it would be for the boy. Some of the more interesting disputes however were two crews arguing over the exact borderline between their sections of work, several disputes over resources, & at least three full out brawls over various issues. He had been reported as sick for some time, but many were in fragile emotive states due to his sudden death & the lack of an official cause of death. Rumors that he had been assassinated were running rampant in the temporary landing fields.
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Non-Com Or'dinii
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Mondder
Jul 6, 2017 18:53:14 GMT -8
Post by Non-Com Or'dinii on Jul 6, 2017 18:53:14 GMT -8
I shrug a shoulder, I'd make good use of the lad. I finish my drink and set the empty glass on the table, resisting the urge to refill it. I pause a moment more considering everything that buir was and all his accomplishments. Then I pull myself back to the present, and look to Aya once more. I wanted to be sure that we had done everything we could for her here before moving on to get things in shape for the funeral procession. Herding cats was never particularly interesting, but it was a good skill to have in life. If A'den were clever, he'd be able to use some of the skills he'd used to survive alone in the streets to aid us in our task.
Is there anything else we can for you before we leave sister?
NCO stood ready to act and, if nothing more was required of him at this time, he would collect and don his buy'ce and kom'rk. Then he would set his course for the parade grounds the same way he had set his course for this room, sending the same routing data to A'den so he could follow along and get used to using the Aliit's ancestors as guides and advisors. NCO would wave A'den out before him, and toss a parting salute to his new Aliit'alor before leaving the room and setting about the task given to him. He would not permit entrance into the room, by those waiting outside, unless Aya specifically asked for them to be sent back in.
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Mondder
Jul 6, 2017 19:37:04 GMT -8
Post by Aya D'Ordinii on Jul 6, 2017 19:37:04 GMT -8
There was nothing else that was needed. At least for the moment. She did take advantage of a few extra minutes of quiet work before having the group outside sent back in. It gave her time to catch back up with everything before starting the next wave. There was a great deal to do & without a proper support staff in place & trained, it would be too much even for someone like Aya.
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A'den'ade
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Mondder
Jul 7, 2017 17:43:07 GMT -8
Post by A'den'ade on Jul 7, 2017 17:43:07 GMT -8
Ride herd? A'den was unsure what that meant. But he figured he would learn soon. He moved out of the room as NCO waved him out. He was nervous as to what was to come next.
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Non-Com Or'dinii
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Mondder
Jul 7, 2017 21:53:23 GMT -8
Post by Non-Com Or'dinii on Jul 7, 2017 21:53:23 GMT -8
NCO arrived at the parade grounds and found the sad state of affairs waiting for him and A'den. Had these been Aruetii, NCO would have shot the worst of the trouble makers and let the rest figure things out under threat of a gruesome and sudden end. But these were vode, and that irked NCO, though he knew Vode were just a prone to petty squabbles, he expected more from them. Instead he went for a much simpler, but uniquely applicable solution. He used his status to order the Ancestors to access and shut down every HUD besides his and A'den's. That got everyone's attention. Soon the HUD's were booting back up, as they did a simple line of blue text scrolled across the field of view.
Vode, why are you bickering like aruetii? Buir D'ordinii would be ashamed of you. He taught you better than this. Work until the work is done, if more resources are needed requisition them, instead of fighting over the available supplies like adi'ke over blocks. You are D'ordinii one and all, and you work to honor a fallen leader,
so stop dishonoring his memory with such petty and unbecoming behavior. Oya!
I begin pacing the length of the procession's projected path, visibly inspecting work and stepping in where necessary. Thankfully, I only had to send one dikut to the infirmary, with a dislocated shoulder and probably a concussion too. Along the way I stopped to show A'den the importance of every detail being tended to properly,
and how one small oversight, mistake, or flaw could ruin an entire project. It was always good to be sure of one's work, especially when you had the luxury of time to spare. Rumors persisted, but NCO was quick to return idle hands to productive tasks, and made it known that he would not tolerate idle gossip while there was work to be done. That didn't make him any friends, but several of the men respected him for his dedication and discipline. NCO spent the rest of the afternoon walking the processional path, answering questions, lending a hand, or setting someone straight as necessary. As he did so, he would ask A'den to identify and propose solutions to problems they saw. He didn't expect the boy to have everything figured out, he did expect the boy to do his best though.
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A'den'ade
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Post by A'den'ade on Jul 10, 2017 5:13:15 GMT -8
A'den walked with NCO, following his lead. He was amazing at the presence NCO commanded. NCO wasn't above helping his men, not just giving orders. When NCO asked his opinions he gave them. He may not have always had the best solution, but he always had a solution
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Jul 10, 2017 16:50:24 GMT -8
==Z'har's Funeral SL==
<<106 PP; S4 Sector, Etti IV, Citadel>>
The rebuke did a fair bit to get things settled down, But the real thing that got the work under way in earnest was NCO's willingness to rub shoulders with the work crews & help out hand on instead of just handing down orders. The fact that one what was more or less the royal family of the clan was still willing to come down & get dirty with the clan members comforted many that the clan wouldn't lose its way with the loss of Ba'buir. By the end of the day, NCO would find all of the workers & a fair number of the rest of the gathered clan members addressing him as buir'ika, the little father.
Within two days, the work had finished. More & More clan members continued to converge on the site, but soon it would be time for the funeral. It was inevitable that not all could make it, even of those that would attempt to make the trip. The Clan was just too scattered for more than a few million to gather on such short notice. A week after the road was completed, it was time for the funeral march.
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Non-Com Or'dinii
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Mondder
Jul 13, 2017 22:57:08 GMT -8
Post by Non-Com Or'dinii on Jul 13, 2017 22:57:08 GMT -8
NCO was, for once, decked out in regalia befitting his status as Prince, and heir apparent, of the Infinite Imperium. He was less than thrilled with it all, still, being a mandolorian he didn't have to go without beskar'gam entirely, just put up with a highly decorative set of plates in place of his normal, more durable, and significantly less flamboyant armor plates. At least he wasn't the only one having to put up with such hassles. Aya, even A'den, had to be decked out for this funeral procession. Mostly in the clan colors, black and red, but with fancy embellishments on the armor that did little but display the wearer all the more clearly as an obvious target for assassination. Thankfully that was very unlikely, and even if someone did try, the decorative armor was functional. So they family had no real concerns on that front, though they were ever vigilant for trouble. Point in case, here were the praetorian escorts ready to "guide" them along. NCO did his best to stifle the urge to make the Praetorians earn their pay, at least for today.
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Post by Aya D'Ordinii on Jul 14, 2017 15:44:44 GMT -8
Fortunately, there wouldn't be much shuffling around. The royal family would be gathered on a viewing platform that the procession would pass beneath. A very, very heavily shielded platform. The first part of the funeral would be the massive procession. First would be the drone guard, a large display of power in the form of massed drones of each of the types used by the Clan. Next would be the coffin itself. Inside it was the little that they had been able to gather. After that would come the honor guard, a collection of highly decorated officers & representatives from various units & organizations within the clan. Once all that had been done, Aya would give her speech & the funeral would be finished.
The seats provided on the balcony were simple, but comfortable. In truth they were the same seating that had been installed along the massive stands on either side of the procession route for the millions of clan members gathered for the funeral. It was true that some finery was called for to honor the memory of the founder of the clan, but for the most part it was surprisingly underplayed. The route & stands were simple but sturdy enough structures. Some banners & decorative streamers had been hung, but for the most part the display of memory was the gathered masses of mandalorians. Anything that might distract or obscure them had been stripped away.
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A'den'ade
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Post by A'den'ade on Jul 16, 2017 10:08:45 GMT -8
A'den wasn't used to all the pomp and circumstance of formal events. Mainly because he hadn't been apart of any. Being new to the clan, he didn't fully grasp the depth of the death they were honoring. He new it was someone very important to the clan. He new he expected to be a certain way, so he was that way. Inside though, he couldn't wait to finish and do something more fun. He tried to hide his restlessness, but he was sure it was noticeable.
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Mondder
Jul 16, 2017 11:00:29 GMT -8
Post by Non-Com Or'dinii on Jul 16, 2017 11:00:29 GMT -8
NCO was all to accustomed to these formal event's for his taste, he'd never liked them. Still, he had a role to play, and he played it dutifully. He noticed A'den was behaving himself as well, and made mental note to commend the boy later. True, he was a tad restless, but he was hiding it rather well for a child his age. He was certainly doing better than a few of those in the stands below, here more because their position required it than out of respect or loyalty, though those were few indeed. Most here recognized the work buir had done, most of them were a piece of that work, literally. Ahh, but the procession was done now, and it was time for Aya to address the Aliit, for the first time, officially, as Aliit'alor D'ordinii. NCO gave her his full, and undivided attention, these next few minutes would literally shape the next century as the aliit moved forward.
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Jul 17, 2017 17:23:20 GMT -8
==Z'har's Funeral SL==
<<106 PP; S4 Sector, Etti IV, Citadel>>
The parade had been fairly short despite the mass of units that passed beneath the spectator balcony, through the new arch carved into the outer wall of the Citadel, across the central courtyard & into the Citadel itself.
First came the Mark 1 drones. Equipped with repulsors drives, the drones floated in perfect blocks that where fifty drones across, fifty drones tall & fifty drones deep. One block for each of the four hundred & eighty three administrative sectors of the galaxy. Nearly five million of the drones passed in rapid succession. Of course not all those sectors had any clan members even present, but it was the ideal that was being represented. Far overhead, flights of M3-A Scyk Fighters flew in formations around Keldabe-class battleship flying low enough to be seen from the stands. Smaller ships, mostly Crusader-class corvettes filled in the remainder of the formations overhead.
Marching underneath the flying cloud of M1s were the M2s. The design was based on the older All Terrain Recon Transport & was twenty drones across & fifty deep. A full thousand of the fast attack craft marching in display. Following the M2s were the more heavily armed M3s based on the All Terrain Personal Transport. Also equipped with legs, they hammered along in equal numbers as those they followed. Last of the drones was the ponderous M4s. While they were still in the prototype stage, the modified All Terrain Tactical Enforcer design was still ready for the simple task of the procession.
Next came the funeral barge itself. It was pulled by a pair of the massive M4 drones. The barge itself was a large, but simple black shell mounted on a quartet of heavy wheels. It had no ornamentation or other gaudy shows of wealth. It was simply a large block of stone carrying a body within.
Behind the casket followed the honor guard. Each & every unit in the clan was represented there. Three active members from each unit marched side by side. The middle carried the unit's banner, while the side two carried a weapon at parade attention. Six of these units marched side by side down the road, with the next line of six following exactly four paces behind. First came the ground military units. At the very front was the historical Midnight Army Banner, the army unit that had been the genesis of all the following units. The first half of the units were the sector legions that made up the Assault Forces. Behind them came the much larger, but no more numerous sector legions that made up the Defense Forces. Once the Army units had passed, then came the Naval units, preceded by the banner of the Midnight Navy. First came the standard naval formations, followed by the starfighter units. After the Naval forces came the Intelligence units, these were preceded not by a standard banner, but by a crystal trident held in much the same way as the staff of a banner would be, but without the cloth portion. Finally of the military units came the STATUS units. Much smaller in number, these units still held impressive honors to their names. Following the military units came the corporate entities that owed fealty to the dead Aliit'alor. These were much fewer in number than even the smallest of the military groups, only numbering a little over a hundred banners.
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Post by Aya D'Ordinii on Jul 17, 2017 18:09:15 GMT -8
As the last of the banners passed by the balcony, Aya stepped up to the section that would broadcast her image & voice across the stands & across the galaxy. Each section of the stands had a large, high fidelity holoprojector installed at the front, anyone looking down the funeral road would see a double line of her, back to back with herself, facing out toward the crowd. The holograms were extremely realistic & well above life sized, making her every expression clear to see.
-Aya
Vode. We are gathered here to morn the passing of my buir. But he was not mine alone. Many of those gathered here today & scattered across the stars too distant to return to this place found our root in him. To some that root is the very code of life that first formed you. To others, it is the pulse of a kindred mind. To others yet it was a hand offered in fellowship to those that had less than nothing. Z'har Dizen Or'dinii was not a common man. But he was in many ways common. He began life so low that not even our own histories name the world. There were others that were stronger, or faster or smarter. Others had greater luck or more beautiful features. What Z'har had above all others though was determination. Over more than a century, he clawed his way from a common laborer to the upper realms of power. Along the way he did many things. Some things to emulate, others best remembered as warnings. In the many years of his life, had made many friends & even more enemies. In the end, not even he was immortal however, as a bomb planted by an assassin was what ended his life.
Along his way he created us, all of us. His family. His legacy. He spend his entire life building us up. He spend his entire strength in making us strong. But it is perilous to spend too long looking within & ignoring the galaxy beyond. While we grow ever more prosperous, all too many of our vode are left in poverty or ruin from the last crusade. It is within our power to lift them up to a higher place. I thus pledge before all the members of Aliit D'Ordinii & before all vode that we shall not rest while their is yet work to be done. To help in that task, I am announcing the formation of the Infinite Imperium. Aliit D'Ordinii shall be its first member. It will be a free associations of clans that seek to encourage the mutual economic & military strength of all vode. The capital of this Imperium will be the world of Lehon. For the time being I will take the title of Imperator. There are some that claim I should seek the helm & claim myself as Mand'alor. The helm is lost. Even if I held it in my hands, I don't seek dominion over the vode, only their improvement. Oya Vode!
With that she steps down from the designated spot. Behind her, a massive roar filled the air. As the last of the honor guard safely entered the Citadel, the deck plates of the courtyard begin to fall away. A trio of Dreadnaughts clawed their way into the air, aiming out toward space. With these ships clear, the Citadel itself fired its massive engines. A roar that nearly split the air with its power, only the shielding effects of the outer wall shielded the spectators. Like a slowly rising spear, the Citadel pushed itself up from the docking cradle buried beneath the ground & up into the air. As it rose, it began to gather speed. Soon it was lost to sight as it passed beyond the reach of the atmosphere & headed toward open space. Once it cleared the orbitals, it would head to Lehon through hyperspace. Left in its wake was the outer wall & an open pit that was nearly two kilometers deep. The majority of the wall would, however, be harvested in the coming months. For now though, all that was left was for the crowds to once again disperse. Of course, this being a mando funeral, the next week or two would mostly be spend getting absolutely, smashingly drunk & partying. Stories would be told, memories shared, & new friendships ignited. It was a time for both Joy & sorrow in equal measure.
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A'den'ade
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Mondder
Jul 19, 2017 5:21:36 GMT -8
Post by A'den'ade on Jul 19, 2017 5:21:36 GMT -8
A'den clapped and cheered with the rest. He had no clue why, other than that seemed to be the thing to do. He did not and would not be able to fathom the implications and repercussion of what had just happened.
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Non-Com Or'dinii
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Mondder
Jul 19, 2017 21:54:32 GMT -8
Post by Non-Com Or'dinii on Jul 19, 2017 21:54:32 GMT -8
Interesting... So the vode had been pressing the helm on her, or at the very least, it's pursuit. NCO thought it wise of her to decline, not because she couldn't do it, but because her Aliit needed her as Alor right now. Still, she chose a rather ambitious path for the aliit in the years to come. Dragging the ashes and crumbled remains of spent clans back into good repair would be a very tall order indeed. He wondered if even D'ordinii could achieve so grand a task without help... Time would tell. NCO rose as Aya stepped down, and saluted the citadel as it lifted off with buir's remains. He held the salute until it passed from sight, and then turned to assist Aya in accepting the condolences of the many guests that had traveled so far to be here on such short notice. He would be sure that he was never far from her for the next few days in particular, though he would do his best to keep his hovering out of her way. A'den would have the run of the town, there were many other ad'ike here to mourn buir's passing, and NCO encouraged him to spend his time with them for now.
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