#║▌verse 01. // the spy who came in from the cold.

[drekkavac-moving]

closed plotted starter. // @vintertsarn.

When  Anya , Jamie  and  Jen  had  all  been  rescued  A  SECOND  TIME , there  had  been  a  collective  hope  that  they  might  have  seen  the  end  of  the  pain  HYDRA  had  in  store  for  them. That  would  prove  to  be  a  foolish  thought  for  the  family  to  believe  in  from  the  get  go.

The  moment  they  had  left  the  base  they  were  being  held  at ... HYDRA  had  been  on  their  heels.  Knowing  now  what  the  childreen  were  capable  of , they  weren't  letting  them  get  away.  They  had  sent  after  them  in  full  force.  On  top  of  the  problems  they  had  of  Anya's  confusion  thanks  to  the  ADDITIONAL  conditioning  done  to  her  in  order  to  keep  her  compliant , now  they  had  to  worry  about  staying  on  the  run  while  attempting  to  evade  their  captors.

She  was  on  the  run. They'd  been  SEPARATED  from  their  family , and  had  found  a  route  to  reunite  with  them  and  hopefully  make  their  escape ... she  just  needed  to  not  be  found  long  enough  to  get  back  to  them.  Tucked  away  in  a  warehouse , she  silently  crept  through  the  large  building. The  agent  in  their  sites  as  he  searched  for  her.

They  waited ... And  waited ... Until  the  agent  SEEMED  to  be  giving  up  on  the  chase , and  left  the  building.  He  had , but  not  without  leaving  a  cannister  of  gas.  A  poison  designed  to  incapacitate  enhanced  beings  like  Anya. The  gas  would  not  only  neautralize  her  enhanced  abilities , but  also  work  as  a  poison  for  mutants.  And  antidote  existed.  And  it  rested back  at  the  HYDRA  base  until  they  were  able  to  bring  the  asset  back.

A  delayed  trigger , designed  for  both  the  agent  to  SAFELY  leave  the  area , but  also  to  throw  the  young  assassin  off.  It  worked ... unfortunately.  Anya  stepped  out  from  her  hiding  spot , and  spied  the  cannister  just  slightly  too  late , before  a  green  smoke  burst  from  the  cannister , forced  into  the  air  around  her.  They  sputtere , and  coughed  as  the  gas  entered  their  lungs  as  they  back  away  from  the gas  in  search  of  fresh  air.  The  only  fresh  air  being  OUTSIDE.

Loud  and  aggressive  coughs  left  the  teenager  as  she  burst  from  the  building.  Looking  around  for  the  agent  that  she  now  knew  had  to  be  nearby , PANIC  started  to  fill  the  girl  as  she  looked  for  both  the  man  persuing  her ... But  also  for  her  dad  in  hopes  of  finding  him  before  she  was  the  one  who  had  been  found.  Steps  approaching  sent  her  sprinting  off  in  the  direction  of  her  escape.  But  something  was  wrong.  She  wasn't  running  as  fast  as  normal.  And  the  feeling  of  the  need  to  vomit  QUICKLY  becoming  the  only  thing  she  could  think  about.

[drekkavac-moving]

If  there  was  a  moment  that  was  going  to  absolutely  DESTROY , it  was  watching  Wade  realize  that  the  times  of  being  able  to  rough  house  with  their  daughter  was  over.  No  more  running  around  zooming  her  in  the  air  so  she  could  pretend  she  was  flying.  No  more  play  wrestling  in  the  yard  before  dinner.  No  picking  her  up  from  the  bus  stop  at  school  most  likely.

The  whole  world  had  changed  for  Wade  with  the  PRICK  of  that  damned  dart , and  they  didn't  even  know  for  how  long  that  was  even  going  to  be  for.  She  searched  her  mind  for  anything  she  could  remember  about  when  something  similar  had  happened  to  her.  Before  she  met  Wade.  But  that  had  been  different.  She  hadn't  had  FOUR  DIFFERENT  types  of  cancer  actively trying  to  kill  her  like  her  husband  did.

Panic  started  to  form  into  ANGER.  That  bubbling  panic  sifting  into  a  boil  of  anger  for  what  HYDRA  was  still  doing  to  her  family.  There  really  wasn't  going  to  be  any  end  to  this , without  her  blowing  out  brains  to  make  it  happen.  It  took  a  second  to  REMEMBER  to  stay  in  the  moment , Winnie  didn't  need  to  see  that  side  of  her  mother , and  just  in  time  for  Wade  to  propose  the  compromise  of  bedtime  first , and  then  they  would  explain  what  happened.  Her  heart  was  POUNDING  in  her  chest , but  she  forced  a  smile  and  nodded  while  she  focused  back  on  Winnie.

The  problem  was ... Winnifred  Barnes  was  as  clever  as  her  dad , and  as  SHARP  as  her  mother.  Not  much  got  past  the  little  angel  and  everyone  who  interacted  with  her  knew  that  all  too  well.  If  there  was  a  secret  kept  from  her ... She  was  going  to  find  it  eventually.

She  looked  between  Wade  and  Anya.  A  bit  of  an  UNCONVINCED  look  on  her  face  when  she  looked  back  to  her  dad.  He  didn't  seem  like  his  normal  self.  Not  in  the  slightest.  And  the  way  that  her  mother  had  stopped  her  from  jumping  into  her  father's  arms  like  she  did  EVERY  TIME  her  parents  came  home.  Still , she  eventually  offered  a  nod  in  agreement  with  the  plan.

Grabbing  Wade's  hand  with  her  own , she  started  PULLING  toward  the  door , and  toward  the  bathroom  to  start  with  the  teeth  brushing.    " Gail's  putting  the  flowers  in  a  vase.  I  didn't  wanna  wait  to  see  you. "    Despite  the  weirdness  as  she  had  put  it , she  recovered  from  it  quick.  But  she  was  always  quick  about  everything.    " There's  red  ones  in  there  though.  Gail  said  we  have  to  dye  flowers  to  make  them  black. "    She  informed  as  they  reached  the  bathroom.  A  bit  of  a  DISSAPOINTED  sigh  at  the  new  information  she  had  been  given.    " But  there's  yellow  ones  in  there  too. "

@oozeyboozey

If he could be granted just FIVE FUCKING MINUTES between his panic attacks, Wade would be eternally grateful...for as long as HIS NEW ETERNITY WAS, anyway. He needed to not be ROTTING from the inside out, he needed to have not been a FUCKING IDIOT by throwing that syringe to the side on that roof. He needed to CALM THE FUCK DOWN.

That didn't seem to be on the agenda, though. Whether for the worse or the better, he couldn't spend more than THIRTY SECONDS pondering that thought, before his heart dropped into his stomach at the sound of the back door opening. Even without having his enhanced hearing, he had trained his ears so hard to know that sound that he could have heard it in his SLEEP.

Working with Anya as speedily as possible was effective, but it came at the price of his pulse getting a little FUCKY in the process. His vision was blurred slightly, but he managed to stay standing long enough for the door to open and for their little girl to come BOUNDING IN. Immediately, Wade's brows arched and a bright smile overtook his features, and for just a second he genuinely forgot about how HORRIBLE his entire body felt, and he was READYING HIMSELF TO CATCH HER when Anya thankfully stepped in to be the voice of reason between their daughter and husband, and stopped Winnie from jumping. Even still, there was a slight sinking in his heart, as well as of his shoulders, when he realized in that moment that he wouldn't be able to reasonably do...A LOT of things anymore.

Maintaining his smile was DAMN-NEAR IMPOSSIBLE, but Wade would manage it for the sake of his daughter. He even laughed softly when she so honestly exclaimed the truth about his APPEARANCE. At least, to HER it was weird. The only face that Winnie had ever known her dad to have was the one that would give MOST CHILDREN nightmares. It was ironic, really.

In a 'FUCK THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE FOR TEARING HIS FAMILY APART' KIND OF WAY...but ironic, nonetheless.

"Well...uh..." Wade exchanged a look with Anya before turning back to Winnie and moving a little closer to her so that he could place his hands upon her shoulders. "Daddy and Mommy were on a work trip," he started, "and...one of the little jerks that we were trying to stop, wound up hittin' me with...something WEIRD. Tell ya what, uh...let's get you ready for bed, Mini-Winnie, and THEN...I will give you the debrief of the mission. Sound okay?"

[cinvhetinordo]

Ship travel

[23:33]  The Mandalorian Protector's fighter landed in the streets of Onderon eventually, its central city of Iziz. He descended down his Protectorate fighter's wing, heaved the Z-6 jetpack upon his back and latched it appropriately, and then came to a halt just ahead of Ordo, who too seemed to have exited her vessel, "How'd it go with the helmet, vod?"

[23:37] Shev'la Skirata walks over to the nearby corner to investigate the arrival of a shuttle.

[23:41] Nicci Ordo exited her ship, still sore from the fight, helmet fully repaired as anyone could see by looking at her.  The doors closed to the ship behind her and it flew off, in order to not block the streets.  "Fine." she answered, nodding to Shev as the departure of the ship suddenly revealed him.

[23:49] Soron 's visor focused upon Shev, and his back seemed to straighten out. It then popped, and his body briefly exemplified the pain with a wince. He offered the man a curt nod, "Su cuy'gar, ner alor. Clans Ruus'la and Kryze are also informed and prepared for a council rally to take place (Friday 9th @ 6 PM SLT), as is Ordo I believe." he glanced Nicci's way.

[00:03] Shev'la Skirata looks to Soron "Lek... I've finished doing what we discussed... I should be at that meeting provided nothin' pops up." He returned Nicci's nod.

[00:05] Nicci Ordo nodded also, "I am still waiting to hear from ner Alor but if he is not present, I will be.  Eh, I probably will be either way if Alor'ad are permitted to attend that is."

[00:07]  "I don't believe having more than one Mandalorian representative per Clan is necessary, it'll clutter discussions and create imbalances. Alore should attend, or Clan representatives in their stead. The rally will be recorded and summarized for broadcast distribution to the Clans, hopefully with a figured-out direction for the Mandalorians."

[00:09] Soron said all that, obviously. :)

[00:10] Shev'la Skirata nods "I think we should leave that ultimately up to the Aliit'alore... that being said.." He looks over to the two "I'm gonna get somethin' to drink and pass out... you two have a good one." He waves them off as he walks away. "K'oyaci."

[00:12] Nicci Ordo shrugged, "Alright Soron, I guess if only Alore are invited, then you and I can go hunt down that Siith you mentioned.  If we have not bagged him already by then. They don't want them alive do they?" she asked, sort of having no intention of leaving them alive.

[00:14] Soron raised a gloved hand towards Shev, offering him a wave, "K'oyaci, vod." before focusing on Nicci, "I tracked the target to Byss. The Great Hunt doesn't often specify what to do with the targets, so given we're hunting a sorcerer, I'd recommend we stage an ambush and assault her thoroughly -- leave her for dead."

[00:16] Nicci Ordo nodded to Shev as he said he was going to leave.  "Let's have a drink sometime Shev.  See how well you can hold it against an Ordo." she grinned.  She turned to Soron, "How about instead of leaving them for dead, we throw them into the lava until their organs melt?  That sounds more....fulfilling."

[00:17] Shev'la Skirata "Or strap detonite around their necks and watch their heads pop.... I'll take you up on that drink sometime." He turned to continue his exit.

[00:19] Soron 's head visibly tilted aside, and his visor glanced between the two, before he shook his head, "Nayc. That sounds like overkill. Feeding them full of blaster bolts and projectiles should be satisfactory to eliminate the target. Worst comes to worst, we improvise with tactics best used against Force users. I take it you were versed in them, Nicci?"

[00:19]  Soron spoke, as though an expert through experience.

[00:21] Nicci Ordo just stared at him through the cold blankness of her helmet. "Soron, overkill is how you do away with these sorceror types.  Otherwise they pull their voodoo osik and send their souls into some other osik body they have made in one of their disgusting freak labs and come back from the dead to murder you while you're taking a piss in the woods.  Kriff that."

[00:22] Shev'la Skirata yelled audibly "I'd prefer an air strike myself!" before finally departing.

[00:24] Soron exhaled a sharp snort past the helmet's filters, especially in response to Shev's distant outcry, "Well, as superb as Jedi powers may be, there are few things better than a good blaster at your side. We'll burn them if we have to, with our flamethrowers." he buzzed, "Engaging them in close quarters can be dangerous, but after they're weakened, doubling up on fiber-cord would ensure immobility."

[00:29] Nicci Ordo was silent a moment, looking up at Dxun clearly showing in the Onderon night sky.  "Could always...just glass Byss..." she contemplated out loud.  She always sounded serious, so it was REALLY hard to tell when she was joking or not.

[00:31]  "By Kad Ha'rangir, are you Ordos /all/ the same?" Soron buzzed, even personally uncertain whether or not his question was rhetorical, "/That/ most certainly is an overkill, and borderline dishonorable. We should stick to professional conduct, no need for collateral damage if we can avoid it, right, crusader?" he buzzed -- probably joking? Also hard to tell.

[00:33] Nicci Ordo just grunted, "We're Ordo.  We aren't all the same, but you know, certain things run in the family.  And these Sith have no honor.  They would shoot you in the back unarmed in the blink of an eye and kidnap your children to do horrific experiments on them, ruining them for the rest of their lives," she snapped.  The very same had happened to her, though she did not say that, again, influence gain was needed.  "They deserve overkill, and are unworthy of honorable deaths." she retorted back.  She wasn't much a fan of glassing planets at all.  But for Byss she'd make an exception.

[00:38] Soron rolled both armored shoulders backwards passively, shaking his head in response, "I won't deny, sorcerers have interfered in Mandalorian affairs for millennia. Ancient Jedi demolished Mandalore the Ultimate's empire and broke our Clans during the Neo-Crusaders' conquests. Sith are no better, having repeatedly beguiled the Mando'ade into serving as their shock troops." he buzzed, "But two wrongs don't make a right, Nicci. Honorable conduct is necessary, otherwise we're mere savages, unworthy of being warriors. Overkill isn't honorable, and dishonor should be unacceptable."

[00:43] Nicci Ordo chuffed, exhaust releasing from her helmet in a cloud of steam.  "What you call dishonor I call preventing further hardship for our people, particularly our children, at the hands of bloodthirsty murderers.  One of them once said 'Honor is a fool's prize, glory is of no use to the dead'.  People such as this do not deserve the honor you grant to them.  Your intentions, though noble, are wasted on people like this." she hissed through the helmet.  It may become apparent in her term this was a personal thing for her.  "This is your hunt, I am just along for the ride.  I will do as you request," she relented begrudgingly.

[00:46] Soron 's head tilted from side to side as he pondered deeply on her words. He eventually took a subtle step backwards, and inclined his head, "Right. All I request is you conduct yourself honorably, Mandalorian." he said before clearing his throat, "We ought to fly deeper -- into the Core Worlds, to Byss. We'll scout out the area and try mark our target. I've already set up probe droids for surveillance." he said, "My vessel fits one. Maybe we use yours?"

[00:53] Nicci Ordo nodded.  Her vessel was made to be a drop ship capable of carrying a large part of her clan.  There was more than enough room.  "My vessel is bigger, not great for stealth operations.  Ordo come in hard and loud usually.  We can still use it if you don't mind that." she smirked.  "Or I could always cram in your lap in your vessel of one."

[00:55]  "Heh. That'd warrant too bumpy of a landing." Soron retorted humorously, tooootally oblivious to any sexual innuendos. He gestured towards the ramp behind her, to the dropship, "Your vessel it is, then, Nicci. I'll be your co-pilot."

[01:02] Nicci Ordo nodded, using her wrist communicator to call the ship back, though this time had it land on one of the rooftops, as the streets proved to be too crowded.  Citizens were probably going to be screaming about the noise at this hour but, oh well.

[01:05] Soron 's visor shot towards the skies, spying out the large vessel as it landed upon a rooftop. He gestured towards the other, "Jetpack along, I'll follow suit."

[01:12] Nicci Ordo ignited her jetpack after him, though slower, as it had to carry her heavy armor through the air.  She landed with a thud on the rooftop, sending a few shingles sliding down and crashing into the duracrete below.  She opened the back hatch and made her way toward the cockpit, seating herself heavily in the pilot's chair.  She took the interface cord and plugged it into her helmet, and instantly everything that was being seen through the view window infront of them, was showed live within the helmet visor.  It offered a larger view of things rather than having to look through two glass surfaces at what one was doing.  The controls were like a hud on the screen, so one could easily use them despite having this view on.  There was a similar interface in the co-pilot's chair, if Soron wished to do the same.  She activated the controls and the ship roared to life, back hatch closing automatically.

[01:13]  The Mandalorian Protector, upon jetpacking in semi-strict formation with Nicci towards the starship landed upon a rooftop in Iziz, proceeded rather eagerly towards the co-pilot chair. He unlatched the heavy Z-6 jetpack from his magnetic back-plate and placed the 'pack securely by the side of his seat. He flicked a few switches, and the ramp to the starship shut, "Entering coordinates to the Beshqek system, and preparing engine coolers for when we break out of the atmosphere."

[01:21] Nicci Ordo grasped the controls, guiding the nose of the ship upward through the atmosphere.  The roar of the engines grew louder as it met with the resistance of the stratosphere and were breaking free of the planet entirely, stars rapidly approaching though unable to quite be seen yet as the hull of the ship heated.  She did not really call much out, she was used to flying by herself, and it was kind of weird not having to do all the work of flying, not that she minded much.

[01:25] Soron naturally called out what he'd done as co-pilot, running his gloved fingers over the display and hitting buttons, "Engine coolers active, repulsorlift technology deactivated, energy diverted to thermal shields. Tar fuel at 78%, plenty." he buzzed professionally, "Hyperdrive coordinates... ready. Prepared to jump to hyperspace on your mark, Ordo." he said, allowing his hand to rest on a slightly bigger lever.

[01:31] Nicci Ordo almost actually laughed at the formality in which he co-piloted the ship.  She could be very string, up-tight even, rarely joking around.  But this was a whole other level of near military-style command of a bridge that was overkill, which was particularly amusing from a man who seemed to not care for overkill.  "Yes admiral, ready to jump into hyperspace sir....3...2....1....mark," she teased somewhat, putting her hand on the drive lever and pulling it down.

[01:38]  "Mark." Soron buzzed simultaneously and tugged at the drive lever in synchronization with Nicci. The stars seemed to elongate for a moment, before the window pane was filled with white light, and after a sudden jolt the blue, flickering tunnel known as hyperspace came into view. His reflective, T-shaped visor ran along it, "... The galaxy's true beauty..." he commented, glancing towards the back of Nicci's head, "No, /captain/?" he subtly teased in response.

[01:43] Nicci Ordo looked at what he was referring to.  She had actually never even thought about it.  Nicci actually had severe PTSD, and didn't even really realize, because she wasn't one to seek help with that kind of thing.  Simple things like the beauty of the sky, the stars, the galaxy, music, holidays, she had never stopped to admire.  Life to her was about a fight to survive.  It had been that way since before she could even remember.  The stars to her were a place one travelled through to get from point A to B.  And no one had ever really suggested she stop and look at them as anything else.  So she looked at them pretty much for the first time, and tried to find the beauty in them as he suggested.  "What makes...something beautiful to you...?" she asked.

[01:47]  "Oof. That's a loaded question. Aesthetic perfection in some cases? Abstract destruction in others? An explosion is art, for example." Soron buzzed a very Clan Wren principle, "I've always been a fan of space. Particularly fighter piloting. Working as part of a squad, being the most agile and indestructible marksman in space. There's a beauty in that -- in conduct of combat. There's beauty in... a lot of things."

[01:57] Nicci Ordo was silent a moment, then nodded in agreement.  "I have never been one for space combat.  Never done much of it, might be something to practice at a bit.  I am more a...hands on, sort of person.  Being to being. Something about fighting in a hulking machine behind several tons of durasteel seems....cold?  The Echani believe that you can only know the contents of the heart of another through combat.  Our people may have not always gotten along but, I admire them for that.  I think were I not mando'ade, they would be a culture I might be content with joining.  I suppose you could say I find beauty in that.  Physical combat in particular.  Muscle movement of another.  What they do, how they act.  What weapons they select.  When you are nothing but blood and sweat and exhaustion on the ground with another being, that is beauty to me I guess.  It makes me feel....alive.  More than alive, something beyond alive.  On fire...really is the best I can describe it.  But, I enjoy explosions as well.  Stars and planet bodies are unpredictable things, sometimes in volatile ways.  Chaotic.  I suppose there can be beauty in chaos.  I have never really looked for it before."

[02:36]  "Elek, beauty in chaos, that's a solid way to describe it." Soron agreed, his visor still meticulously studying the blue tunnel, as though dazed. "Though I agree with you, combat is where passion and beauty shines most. War is our birthright." he summarized very Mandalorian ideals, "And, talking of sweat and exhaustion... you're a fine warrior, Nicci." he complimented a little directly, "I respect that."

[02:37] Soron then glanced at the screen ahead of him, punching in a series of buttons before adding, "Fifteen more minutes until we get to the Core World planet. Relatively short journey from the Inner Rim."

[02:42] Nicci Ordo felt her cheeks get hotter.  No one could see it, not even herself, but they were getting redder too, once he complimented her as a warrior.  She felt tongue-tied and unsure what to say.  She felt she should return the compliment, but everything she thought about saying suddenly sounded incredibly stupid in her mind.  "Y-you fight pretty well yourself.  F-for a bounty hunter, I mean." she cleared her throat and was relieved she did not have to say much more on the subject when he announced they had fifteen minutes left.  "Thank you admiral.  You're more reliable than a droid," she teased a little again.

[02:50]  "Heh." Soron exhaled a short chuckle past the helmet's vox, allowing his back-plate to lean backwards into the seat a little more. After a brief moment of silence, his head titled aside a tad, "For a bounty hunter? What's that supposed to mean, /crusader/?" he emphasized, though his lack of attention seemed his intention was likely more to tease than to insult. "Mandalorian mercenaries tend to be the galaxy's most dangerous and highest paid warriors." he buzzed in response, "And our way of life prompts honor, keeps us in check."

[02:56] Nicci Ordo did not really see Crusader as being much of an insult.  Her mentor had been called that.  It did not mean much to her.  It was when people graduated it to Kyr'tsad that would make her bust their heads open.  "I do not doubt that Mandalorians bounty hunters are some of the highest paid.  Our reputation has survived somewhat all these long years.  I happen to think that fighting for survival and the glory of ones own people brings an inner strength that fighting for credits never could.  I also think you and I have very different definitions of honor if killing someone for money falls under yours." she smirked.  "Still, you beat me in a fight, that is not something many can boast of.  I even enjoyed rolling around in the dirt with you, bounty hunter."

[03:02]  "Likewise, Mandalorian." Soron distinguished fairly instead, "But if you think we fight for credits, then you're direly mistaken. The Codex exists first and foremost to ensure than any Mandalorian who fights, does so /honorably/. It dictates a professional conduct, borrowing and revitalizing concepts from the Canons of Honor. It keeps Mandalorians in an honorable state." he said, "The credits are a bonus. And Mandalorians are /bound/ to be highly paid if they're mercenaries: our services are not that of a standard soldier." he buzzed, taking a look at the screen, "Three minutes. I'm prepared to pull out of hyperspace when you are." he droned, a hand planted firmly upon the hyperdrive lever.

[03:14] Nicci Ordo did laugh this time, "Whatever helps you sleep at night bounty hunter," she teased him further.  "I don't know who you think you are fooling with the money doesn't matter bit, but it isn't me," she chuckled.  The ship began to shake a bit as they entered the system.  More debris were always present in planetary systems, though not enough to destroy a vessel, just enough to cause a mild turbulance.  "You can pull out now," she stated, putting her hand on the lever.

[03:20]  "Roger. I'm not scanning any large hostile presence surrounding the planet, only a few defensive ships not too far from our entrance point." Soron said, and then tugged at the lever on her mark, before tapping a few buttons to pump more coolant into the engines. Once out, he kept silent for a short bit, but shook his head, "You're not wrong, Ordo. Credits do matter. Money is power in the field of bounty hunting, but the Codex doesn't exist purely for its gain. It exists for something much more than that." he buzzed finally, alluding to the notions of honor.

[03:27] Nicci Ordo chuckled at him. "Of course not Soron.  When you have over 400 hypervelocity canons on the surface of a world, you do not need a large defensive force around the planet, now do you?  I am sure their fleet is better used elsewhere, burning and subjugating a world full of innocent people most likely," she scowled, as if saying all that to reiterate they should just glass it instead.  She pulled the lever at the same time he did, and the long lines that were the blur of stars suddenly became little dots again, and the giant red lava ball loomed before them.  She immediately went into the atmosphere, the ship rumbling as they made their descent.  "I believe that you believe that, Skirata.  And because of that, it has a strange nobility to it.  We both walk the path of honorable intent, though they say the lane to hell is often paved with such."

[03:34]  "Let's not talk of Hell or Chaos, it's an imagined principality that belongs to Corellian mythology. As a Mandalorian, after death -- if you truly understand what it means to be Mandalorian, to follow the Resol'nare and to honorably live out its ideals -- you will join manda, the oversoul, the collective state of being a Mandalorian upon death." he spoke philosophically, his reflective, T-shaped visor staring at the red planet that zoomed closer. "Head to the undercity, we'll start from there. I'm sending you specific coordinates."

[03:36] Nicci Ordo nodded, "The Resol'nare is at least a code we CAN agree on then, vod." she replied.  The coordinates came up on her screen and she steered the ship in that direction, maneuvering around lightning strikes and storms in the unstable atmosphere, and then buildings as she went in for a landing.

[drekkavac-moving]

@luposcainus.    //    UNPROMPTED  ASK.“ can we fight something? I am aching for battle.”

Cas  wanted  to  FIGHT?  That  was  new.  In  the  time  that  she  had  known  and  spoken  to  the  werewolf , he  had  never  really  seemed  to  be  the  one  to  enjoy  a  good  fight.  Anya  was  one  of  those  people ... OBVIOUSLY.  In  her  opinion , it  wasn't  a  good  day  unless  she  got  into  at  least  three  fights.  Didn't  always  have  to  be  ones  with  HOSTILE  opponents  though.  A  good  friendly  sparring  match  could  work  just  as  well.  Their  dad  usually  being  the  one  to  offer  his  knowledge  in  her  training  when  she  was  growing  up , but  her  mother  and  a  FEW  other  Avengers  were  known  to  be  able  to  give  her  a  good  enough  go  to  give  her  a  challenge.  That  tended  to  happen  when  you  couldn't  die.  Made  sparring  a  little  boring  if  you  didn't  have  someone  who  knew  how  to  make  it  interesting.  After  a  brief  moment  of  CONFUSION , the  former  assassin  look  at  Cas  and  gave  a  slightly  surprised  look  before  standing  up  from  where  she  had  been  sitting.  Though  most  would  consider  their  style  of  sitting  to  be  anything  but  the  proper  way.  Perched  in  a  nook  in  the  common  area , that  was  a  better  way  of  describing  her  current  position  of  relaxation.

"  Don't  THINK  there's  a  mission  we  have  t'head  out  on ... "    With  no  missions  to  go  on , there  OPTIONS  wee  going  out  to  find  something  to  fight ... Or  settle  for  the  simple  sparring  match.  Some  would  be  worried  about  facing  down  a  werewolf.  But  Anya's  slower  regeneration  ability  made  her  less  worried  about  the  results  of  the  match.  Not  to  mention ... She  hadn't  ever  fought  a  WEREWOLF.    "  Or ... We  could  go  down  to  the  training  floor  and  do  some  friendly  sparring. "    There  was  an  almost  excited  smile  on  their  lips.    "  Never  fought  a  werewolf  before.  This  should  be  fun! "

[drekkavac-moving]

〚 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺. 〛━  𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 @vintertsarn. 𝑽. 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏.

It  was  one  of  the  most  speiclal  days  of  the  year.  420  day.  Anya  had  been  looking  forward  to  the  day  for  MONTHS  it  seemed.  Obsessing  over  it  like  a  kid  obsesses  over  Christmas  ,    &  was  convinced  when  she  laid  down  to  sleep  the  night  before ... That  they  were  ready.

For  Anya  though  ,    it  may  as  well  have  been.  With  all  the  many  different  sources  of  stress  that  seemed  to  constantly  plague  the  life  that  Anya  lived ... Being  able  to  RELAX  was  something  that  they  had  found  themselves  valuing  in  her  later  years.  Especially  once  she  became  a  mother.  That  had  really  seemed  to  be  the  key  to  teaching  her  to  find  ways  to  slow  her  life  down.  To  not  miss  out  on  the  life  her  kids  were  living.

She'd  spent  MOST  of  the  months  leading  up  to  the  day  looking  for  the  perfect  strain  for  her  &  her  brother  &  dad  to  enjoy , &  had  managed  to  track  someone  down  who  had  a  DECENT  supply  of  the  original  pineapple  express  &  they  knew  right  away  that  was  the  only  real  choice  for  them.  She'd  had  it  hidden  away  from  EVERYONE  for  weeks  now  ,    &  with  the  day  finally  upon  them  ,    Nat  having  agreed  to  take  Winnie  out  for  the  day ... Was  ready  for  the  events  of  the  day  to  commence.

The  plans  being  JACK  SHIT!

" Get  your  asses  down  here  or  I'm  starting  without  you! "    She  called  from  the  main  floor  of  the  farmhouse , grabbing  her  stash  bag  from  the  pile  of  things  she  had  dropped  on  the  coffee  table , grabbing  for  a  bottle  of  DUTCHESS  soda  &  popping  the  metal  cap  off  to  take  a  sip.

[drekkavac-moving]

It  wasn't  as  though  Anya  DIDN'T  deal  with  the  problems  that  weighed  her  down , but  years  of  trauma , that  for  one  reason  or  another ... Triggered  a  panic  response  to  the  idea  of  allowing  someone  else  to  see  her  licking  her  wounds.  She  worked  on  it  actively , and  even  worked  through  her  problems  with  Gail  when  she  went  in  for  her  weekly  sessions.  

The  thing  about  Anya , was  that  she  compartmentalized  what  she  told  people.  Her  therapist  worked  out  her  emotions  with  her ... because  she  had  the  MOST  experience  in  dealing  with  her  trauma  from  a  non  biased  place  of  being.  Bucky  had  ALWAYS  done  his  best  to  be  there  for  her.  To  help  her  through  the  hard  times , just  as  everyone  else  who  loved  Anya  did.  But  so  many  of  the  people  Anya  held  close  to  her ... For  them  it  would  always  be  akin  to  reliving  your  own  trauma.  Anya  was  also  a  fixer , so  rather  than  let  the  risk  of  doing  damage  to  someone ...Made  more  sense  to  utilize  the  woman  who  she  PAID  to  help  her  with  this  stuff.

So  when  Castity  mentioned  how  she  didn't  have  to  SHOULDER  things  alone , there  was  a  slight  furrow  of  her  brow , and  she  looked  at  her  partner  for  a  moment  before  smirking  slightly.  A  little  scoff  leaving  her  lips.    " I  don't ... "    She  countered  as  she  shrugged  her  shoulders.    " I  talk  it  through  with  Gail  every  week.  Sometimes  more  than  once.  Some  things  have  just  taken  longer  t'get  past. "

Chastity couldn't help but smile softly, recognizing the way Anya deflected, the way she always brushed off her own needs. It was classic Anya, never one to sit still or let herself slow down long enough to deal with everything weighing her down. Chas knew that struggle all too well. The quiet moments could be dangerous—letting the mind wander too far into dark places that were hard to escape from. But she also knew that they both deserved a break, whether or not Anya could admit it.

Chas gently rested her forehead against Anya's, her arms still wrapped around her waist, holding her close. "I know you, babe. You’re always moving, always pushing through. But it’s okay to slow down, even if just for a little while. You don’t have to face everything alone." Her voice was calm, reassuring, filled with the same love and support she always gave so easily. "We’ll figure it out together, one step at a time. Maybe the coast will help clear your head. Give us both some space to just... breathe."

She pulled back just enough to look Anya in the eyes, the smirk on her lips mirroring the playful energy Anya had given her. "And hey, if anyone deserves to be strapped to a chair, it’s probably me," she teased lightly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "But seriously, coast it is. We’ll take that trip, no mission, no chaos—just us. You and me."

[drekkavac-moving]

" You  were  doing  it  again. "    There's  almost  a  deadpan  to  the  way  they  point  out  the  other's  dissociation.  The  faintest  hint  of  annoyance  that  doesn't  come  from  anything  other  than  the  sheer  fact  that  someone  would  thnk  they  could  hide  something  like  that  from  her.  It's  not  like  Anya  doesn't  have  an  intimate  familiarity  with  the  act.  By  the  time  they  look  at  her  ,    there's  that  deadpan  look  staring  back  at  them  for  a  moment.  It's  always  been  hard  for  them  to  empathize  being  so  fresh  out  of  HYDRA's  clutches.  It's  not  her  fault ... She's  adjusting.    " You  know  you  can't  hide  that  stuff  from  me.  I  know  the  tells. "

OPEN  STARTER.    mutuals  only.

[drekkavac-moving]

It  was  𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈  deemed  the  right  time  to  𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐  𝚝𝚑𝚎  𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛  𝚒𝚗  to  help  in  aiding  in  Anya's  training.  She  was  doing  well  with  the  training  offered  by  the  Soldier  ,    but  while  he  had  for  the  most  part  been  𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚝  𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑  𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖  ,    could  for  one  reason  or  another  (be  it  behavior  related  or  being  called  on  a  mission)  &  they  needed  someone  who  could  be  brought  in  during  those  times.  Who  better  than  the  very  person  they  hoped  Anya  might  one  day  take  after.  They  already  were  𝚒𝚗  𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢  𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜.  This  would  hopefully  only  amplify  her  training  &  education.

She'd  been  given  the  freedom  of  𝙼𝙾𝚂𝚃𝙻𝚈  a  private  training  session  in  the  large  𝚖𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚙𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎  𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐  𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖  ,    save  for  the  obvious  cameras  that  both  Anya  &  Natalia  would  know  were  watching  them.  Natalia  had  been  allowed  to  𝚁𝙴𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁  the  twins  she  had  with  James  Barnes  ,    but  they  had  been  used  𝚏𝚘𝚛  𝚝𝚑𝚎  𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎  𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐  as  insurance  for  both  parents  to  continue  their  work  ,    or  else  the  lives  of  the  twins  would  be  threatened.  Anya  sat  in  the  middle  of  the  large  training  ring.  She'd  been  told  she  would  be  meeting  a  𝚂𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙳𝙰𝚁𝚈  trainer  ,    &  that  the  nine  year  old  wouldn't  always  be  training  with  her  normal  mentor  from  here  on  out.  Her  hair  was  neatly  tied  back  into  a  bun  ,    without  a  strand  of  hair  out  of  place.

𝙲𝙻𝙾𝚂𝙴𝙳  𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁.  @viduificcl.

[drekkavac-moving]

𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙏. 𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿 𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙈 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀 𝙒    //    @soullesstrouble

what  a  way  to  show  someone  that  perhaps  KILLING  really  was  all  that  she  was  good  for.  granted , she  hadn't  said  those  words  exactly , but  that  wasn't  how  trauma  worked.  it  sprung  up  on  you  out  of  nowhere.  when  you  LEAST  expect  it  to.  the  world  had  been  widened  for  anya  over  the  course  of  her  life , showing  her  it  was  just  as  HORRIBLE  as  it  always  had  been.  and  what  was  worth ... death  didn't  even  seem  to  want  them.    "  yeah?  well  i've  been  killed  enough  times  i'm  starting  to  get  TIRED  of  the  reruns.  "    of  course  she  wasn't  ready  to  die.  but  the  way  she  felt  every  time  she  came  back , that  was  enough  to  be  done  with  this  curse.  but  this  wasn't  a  CURSE , was  it?  you  could  BREAK  a  curse. 

[drekkavac-moving]

with  each  passing  moment , thing's  started  to  feel  more  familiar.  muscle  memory  she  hadn't  used  in  a  little  over  a  year , but  came  back  just  like  riding  a  bike.  phrases  and  nicknames  that  had  been  used  between  the  two  while  he  worked  with  her  over  the  years.  the  muscles  of  the  trained  killer  responding  like  they  had  always  been  taught  to  do.  with  the  memories  of  her  time  in  the  small , sleepy  town  in  canada  lost  to  them  from  the  head  injury , falling  back  on  familiarity  was  all  she  could  really  do.

feeling  the  light  pat  on  her  arm  was  another  familiar  feeling.  one  she  remembered  that  face  belolnging  to  the  one  who  did  it.  another  feeling  of  a  shoulder  grab  flashed  through  her  memory , like  an  echo  of  the  gesture  the  man  she  knew  to  be  her  handler.  but  she  couldn't  quite  make  out  the  face  of  the  one  who  had  done  that  shoulder  grab  before.  flashes  of  metal , and  black  leather , and  a  masked  imposing  figure  being  all  she  could  find.  not  a  face  though.

there  was  a  little  bit  of  disappointment  in  her  heterochromia  hues  when  he  had  revealed  that  one  of  them  had  gotten  the  better  of  her. she  hated  failure.  it  always  came  with  punishments  to  dissuade  the  action  to  achieve  the  desired  result  in  the  weapon  that  they  were  creating.  it  worked  with  enough  instances.  it  had  showed  to  be  promising  in  the  young  girl  until  she  had  decided  to  make  her  escape.  but  that  soda  he  had  pulled  from  the  bag , made  any  worries  about  her  failure  leave  her  mind.

anya's  eyes  widened  when  she  saw  the  bottle.  her  mouth  watering  with  the  memory  of  the  sweet  pear  flavoured  bevarage.  no  matter  what  perceived  failure  she  had  thought  she'd  done ... that  drink  had  always  been  her  sign  that  she  had  done  well.  when  it  came  to  v  and  his  handling , he  found  use  in  both  the  carrot ... and  the  stick.  the  carrot  with  anya  being t he  soda  she  had  tried  one  time  on  a  mission  trying  to  blend  in , and  discovering  it  to  be  a  fantastic  motivator.  she  reached  for  the  bottle , opening  the  cap  while  he  praised  her  tenacity  to  get  out  at  all  costs.  if  there  was  one  way  to  describe  the  daughter  of  the  winter  soldier .. it  was  as  a  survivor.

she  wiped  her  mouth  of  the  small  bit  that  had  dribbled  down  her  chin.  pulling  the  bottle  away  after  a  long  and  health  drink.  the  small  town  in  canada  obviously  hadn't  offered  much  in  the  way  of  specialty  russian  foods , leaving  her  without  the  pleasant  taste  for  some  time.  when  she  allowed  herself  to  think  about  the  next  steps  of  the  mission , her  expression  changed  to  a  slightly  nervous  one.    " are  we  going  back  to  siberia? "    she  asked  quietly.  not  showing  signs  of  fighting  it.  but  there  was  an  understanding  of  what  that  meant.  what  happened  there  when  she  wasn't  training  or  on  missions.    " where  the  doctors  do  their  work? "

There was something robotic about the way she complied with V's movements. It was second nature the way she let him manipulate her body, leading her to every direction he wanted. Good signs. There was no fear behind her eyes, no set of conflicting emotions, no dart of the eyes as if she was searching for a way out. No contemplation of a plan. Just an animal, responding positively to their handler's instructions.

V's lips curled into a soft, comforting smile. He patted her arm gently, pleased with the responses in her physical assessment as well as her mental one.

"The targets have been acquired," he said truthfully, knowing full well the Winter Solider and the boy were getting similar treatment with their own handlers. But the less intrusive their reunion the easier it would be to get them back to work. Anya's injury seemed to reset her brain, making it even easier for V to do his work.

"You did an excellent job маленькая вдова <Little Widow>." he praised her, reaching into his duffle bag to pull out the pear-flavored soda. He held it out to her, watching her expression for memory to come back to her.

"One of them did get the upper hand on you though, hence the injury. But you, my girl, are a survivor."

[drekkavac-moving]

〚 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑻. 𝑻𝑯𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫. 〛━  𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉  @scarletxmagick. 𝑽. 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏.

There  was  a  subtle  nod  while  they  listened  to  the  young  woman.  Going  DAYS  wasn't  something  Anya  was  a  stranger  to  ,    &  she  was  hardly  chiding  her  for  it.  Anya  looked  after  people  ,    but  she  struggled  to  mother  her  own  children  sometimes.  Other  people's  children  were  not  her  job.  No  ,    this  had  all  come  from  knowing  how  it  felt  to  push  yourself.  Mostly  because  she  didn't  have  much  of  a  choice  back  then  ,    but  it  was  still  similar  enough.  There  was  a  slight  scoff  when  she  mention  Strange  staying  up  for  days.  Remembering  those  days  herself.    " Your  dad  went  to  medical  school  in  the  days  of  cocaine.  Pretty  sure  sometimes  he  didn't  have  much  of  a  choice. "    She  shrugged  while  she  finished  pouring  the  two  cups  of  coffee  ,    &  bringing  them  both  over  to  where  Scarlett  sat.    " So?  Was  it  a  fruitful  night  at  least? "

[drekkavac-moving]

@fulcrumredeemed.    //    𝑹𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑶𝑴 𝑨𝑺𝑲𝑺. "So I'm here. How can I help?"

She  jumped  slightly  when  the  VOICE  broke  the  concentration  of  her  intense  stare  at  the  mistake  of  a  cake  she  was  trying  to  make.  She  could  shoot  a  man  from  an  IMPOSSIBLE  DISTANCE  ,    she  could  assemble  a  gun  in  record  time  ,   she  could  speak  over  six  languages  fluently ... But  this  cake  for  her  &  Wade's  anniversary  had  her  beat.  They'd  already  tried  ,    &  failed  three  different  times  to  make  the  dessert  ,    &  the  need  for  things  to  be  PERFECT  had  never  been  more  important  to  her  than  this  very  cake  she  was  working  on  in  that  very  moment.  Ahsoka  was  hardly  a  stranger  ,    &  had  only  surprised  Anya  due  to  the  way  they  had  seemingly  gotten  lost  in  their  new  found  feud  with  the  pastry.

" Ahhh ... Almost  perfect  timing  ,    woulda  been  able  t'save  this  thing. "    She  pushed  it  off  counter  like  a  cat  would  a  glass.  Watching  it  fall  into  the  trash  can  she  had  stationed  there  after  the  SECOND  ATTEMPT  had  gone  horribly  wrong.  Refusing  to  ask  her  dad  ,    brother  ,    &  especially  not  WADE  ,    she  figured  someone  like  Ahsoka  could  figure  out  the  supposed  most  complex  dessert.  With  a  heavy  sigh , she  looked  from  the  mess  in  the  trash  back  up  to  Ahsoka.    " It's  mine  &  Wade's  anniversary ... &  I've  been  at  this  all  morning  &  this  STUPID  CAKE  keeps  coming  out  wrong  every  time. "    She  rolled  her  lips  some.    " Maybe  I  should  just  order  something  from  the  bakery. "

[drekkavac-moving]

" you  walk  a  fine  line  between  beautifully  macabre  and  uncharacteristically  psychotic , you  know  that? "  //  @house0f3.

" proud  uh  yourself  for  hittin  that  nail  on  the  head? "    there  was  no  anger , or  malace  behind  her  words.  no  venom  or  bite  when  she  gave  her  retort.  anya  was  rough  around  the  edges , and  that  was  putting  it  just  about  as  lightly  as  you  possibly  could  considering  who  anya  was.  polite  conversation , and  making  friends  hadn't  been  much  of  a  concept  for  her  until  she  was  older , able  to  think  for  herself.  what  was  evident  in  their  voice , was  a  dry  sarcasm , the  side  effect  of  learning  your  sense  of  humor  from  people  like  the  winter  soldier , the  back  widow , and  of  course  her  husband  wade  wilson.  that  coupled  with  the  dark  past  anya  had ... dark  and  dry  humor  was  about  the  only  thing  she  was  going  to  be  capable  of.    " have  you  forgotten  who  you're  playing  rummy  with?  now  quite  stalling. "    playing  cards  was  a  past  time  anya  actually  liked.  not  only  was  it  something  her  and  her  brother  used  to  bond  again  after  being  separated , but  it  had  been  something  her  dad  had  taught  her  for  when  they  were  on  missions , having  to  stay  put  and  wait.

[drekkavac-moving]

If  it  were  possible  for  Anya  to  forget  what  happened  ,    without  any  sort  of  consequences  going  forward  ,    she  would  do  so  in  a  heartbeat.  There  were  countless  nights  when  she  would  lay  away  &  wonder  what  her  life  might  have  been  like  if  their  parents  had  gotten  away.  Growing  up  in  a  small  fishing  town  in  Ireland.  Living  a  remarkably  boring  life  only  to  die  &  fade  into  history  like  every  other  normal  person.  Not  a  nightmare  that  plagued  the  nights  of  the  people  left  behind  by  the  things  she  had  been  made  to  do.  A  life  where  the  most  remarkable  thing  you  did  wasn't  topple  some  government  ,    but  had  a  baby  that  went  on  to  be  a  doctor.  She  imagined  a  life  where  the  horrors  she  knew  existed  ,    were  nothing  more  than  just  exciting  fiction ... Or  an  insane  conspiracy  theory.  To  live  a  life  in  blissful  ignorance  &  boring  normalcy.

" I  know  that. I  just ... Would  rather  not  think  about  that. "    She  reasoned  ,    stopping  what  she  was  doing  ,    &  focusing  her  gaze  on  Chastity.  " This  place ... "    They  gestured  around  them.  Referring  to  the  apartment  they  called  home.    " It's  where  I  go  t'hide  from  all  that.  When  I'm  here  with  you ... I  don't  wanna  think  about  what  happened.  I'd  rather  just  keep  that  out  of  both  of  our  lives ... Focus  more  on  lost  boots  in  bar  bathrooms. "

Chastity couldn’t help but chuckle at Anya’s joke, even though she knew what was beneath it. That was how Anya dealt with things—turning the pain into something that could be laughed at, even if the scars still ran deep. Chastity admired that about her, but it also made her more determined to break through those walls.

"I know exactly who I’m dating," she replied with a grin, nudging Anya’s leg lightly. "The woman who’s survived more than anyone should have to, and still finds a way to make me laugh about losing a boot in a bathroom."

She paused, watching as Anya sipped her whiskey. There was a comfort in the normalcy of it all, in the small moments they shared. But Chastity’s gaze softened as she continued. "But I also know the woman who has nightmares so bad she has to remind herself what’s real when she wakes up. The one who feels like she’s carrying the weight of everything on her shoulders."

Chastity reached over, placing her hand on Anya’s. "I just want you to know, you don’t have to carry all that alone. Even if it’s just sitting here, drinking whiskey, and talking about losing boots. I’m here for all of it."

[drekkavac-moving]

" It's  been  𝚈𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚂  since  i've  been  back  here ... &  I  swear  this  place  𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚗'𝚝  𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍  𝚘𝚗𝚎  𝚋𝚒𝚝. "

𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚁𝚃  𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁.    ━ @snkts.

[drekkavac-moving]

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

" Why?  Is  it  working?  If  so  I  might  𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢  𝚠𝚒𝚗  𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜. "    There  was  a  𝙿𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙵𝚄𝙻  𝚂𝙼𝙸𝚁𝙺  in  their  eyes  as  lips  curled  up  into  a  smirk.    " Come  on.  Rules  are  rules.  Drink  up  &  then  it's  your  turn. "

𝙰𝙽𝚂𝚆𝙴𝚁𝙴𝙳  𝙰𝚂𝙺𝚂.  @dontstepinmypuddle.