#rikat

Patřim všude a nepatřim nikam.

The heat of the Dxun air was staved away by the cool waterfall that ran down the mountain next to Garmas as he sat on the cliff’s edge. His skin was kept cool by the waterfall’s vapour. He gently kicked his legs against the stone and enjoyed the sensation of rock against metal. The Mandalorian’s tent was set up across the stream. It was his place away from the main encampment. Away from the range shooting and the general hubbub of the Mandalorian encampment. His little slice of paradise on the galaxy’s most dangerous moon. Or at least one of them.

Garmas fished out a small round device and tapped the red button at the base. It brought up the blued hologram of a smiling woman with a tattooed chin and fair skin and light hair. The skin around his eyes relaxed as he smiled at the image.

“Riduur.” he said softly as he sighed out. The word was soft and light as he continued to kick his legs. “They’ve grown up. All three o’ them. I guess….I managed. But I’d rather I had ye to help. I miss ye, Linca-Snow Talesa. But I can’t keep half o’ me in the past.”

Garmas set the device on the rock beside him and turned his head so he could look at the image. “Ye are dead. But I am alive. I will remember ye. So ye are eternal. An’ we will meet again in Kad Ha'rangir’s army. Fight together as we used to. But not yet.”

With a heavy reluctance he stood up and let the image display itself to the jungle canopy below. He secured his hands in his armour’s webbing as he slowly walked towards the mouth of the tunnel which led towards the Crusader shrine. As he walked through the cool aired cavern he smiled to himself as he tried to fight back the tears.

Grief had come and gone. As had the sense of loss. Yet there was that eerie sense of weightlessness in his shoulders. Garmas had felt as if the galaxy had been lifted off of him. Should he have felt even more guilty about moving on? Was it even moving on? Or was it a wound healing?

As he reached the exit of the cavern towards the temple-turned-camp an armoured figure crumpled in a heap in front of him, causing him to stop. Another one leapt from the ledge beside him brandishing a spear, a boot placed against her chest as the spearpoint was an inch from her eye.

“Aha! Warriors are on top!” Breholf snarled to the figure before he pumped a hand up in triumph. At least until the teenage boy’s other sister pounced onto his back to drive him into the dirt, delivering a few kidney punches for good measure.

“Techs ahoy!” roared Jaxyana as she raised both fists before turning her head towards Garmas who was watching the display with folded arms. “Oh. Dad. Hey!”

All three of the Talesa children stood up and brushed themselves off under their father’s stern gaze. They smiled nervously as he turned his gaze from Karinn to Jaxyana then finally Breholf. “Aren’t ye three supposed to be gettin’ trained in her sections than clownin’ around?” They all had his dark skin and their mother’s white hair.

“Well. Yeah.” said Jaxyana as she mirrored her father’s stance.

“But well.” began Breholf who leaned on his spear. “We’re on lunch break. That’s right.”

“Oooh. I see.” he said as he forced a smile onto his face. He looked at Karinn who was kicking dirt. Garmas recalled she was the less boisterous of his children. She prefered to use her brain than her brawn. He nudged her gently with his foot. “C’mon. Since yer on lunch break I’ll see about makin’ ye all some food. Tell ye some stories.”

The trios’ faces lit up as he said the word ‘stories’. They had grown up on the tales of long dead warriors and their heroic deeds. Even at their age they enjoyed hearing of the war stories of the current and ancient Rikat warriors.

“Which one?” asked Karinn quitely.

“Well.” mused Garmas as he led them up the slope towards the main encampment. “It’s about the greatest warrior I ever knew.”

(All times are estimations)

0500:  Reveille (Usually)

0515: First Wash

0530: Clan breakfast (Taken in common room)

0600: Morning prayers (Crusaders only)

0615: Equipment checks

0630: Exchange of the watch, night watch will now rest

0645: Morning PT Drills

0800: Morning Section Duties (Technical Warriors will often do standard maintenance/repairs, Medical Warriors will attend any medical matters to hand as well as do randomised check-ups. Warriors will begin battle drills and sparring.)

1100: Camp Duties (Tending crops in the hydroponics pay, seeing to the livestock, trade sessions for materials. Can be replaced by battlefield drills on alternative days.)

1300: Clan Lunch

1500: Rest Period (Hunts can be organised, bolo-ball sessions, R&R)

1700: Evening Prayers (Crusaders only)

1730: Evening Section Duties

1800: Perimeter security (Sand People have been known to be active in the late afternoon or early evening at times)

2000: Clan Dinner

2100: Stand down (Clan members can now do as they please. Duties have been done.)

2200: Second wash, equipment checks