#service before self leadership

[harmoonix]

How to activate your VENUS sign!

* Activating your Venus sign plays a major role in how you love yourself and how you see your own self, is also giving you a big glow up when it comes to confidence and self worth*

🌄TIPS🌄

1. Start to read about things that are associated with your Venus placement, you can start by wearing colors (clothes) related with your Venus sign;

Aries Venus - Red

Taurus Venus - Pink

Gemini Venus - Yellow

Cancer Venus - White

Leo Venus - Blue

Virgo Venus - Brown/Beige

Libra Venus - Baby Pink

Scorpio Venus - Black

Sagittarius Venus - Purple

Capricorn Venus - Burgundy

Aquarius Venus - Turquoise

Pisces Venus - Dark Green

2. Your Sign of Venus shows how does it manifest

Aries Venus - Through Confidence/Leadership

Taurus Venus - Through Generosity

Gemini Venus - Through Expressions

Cancer Venus - Through Feelings

Leo Venus - Through Passion

Virgo Venus - Through Service/Through Devotion

Libra Venus - Through Emotions

Scorpio Venus - Through Rebirth

Sagittarius Venus - Through Discovery

Capricorn Venus - Through Respect

Aquarius Venus - Through Community

Pisces Venus - Through Empathy

3. How your Venus manifests and activates in houses:

Venus 1H > Focus on yourself/loving yourself/things that make you happy

Venus in the 2H > Focus on your worth/value/finances

Venus in the 3rd > Focus on your inner mind/intelligence and creativity

Venus in the 4H > Focus on those dear to you, on your home, on your comfort zone

Venus in the 5H > Focus on your passions/desires/talents and your own happiness

Venus in the 6H > Focus on your mental health, your daily work/service, focus on creating a balance between work and yourself

Venus in the 7H > Focus on your partner/lover (if you don't have focus on loving yourself first before sharing your love to others),

Venus in the 8H > Focus on your healing time, focus on things that make you learn more, focus on things that give you life

Venus in the 9H > Focus on your faith/religion/culture, focus on traveling and trying new things, focus in learning

Venus in the 10H > Focus on your career, on your job/community, focus on material succes and on your self image

Venus in the 11H > Focus on your friends/friendships, social communities, focus on humanitarian activities/focus on creating new boundings with people

Venus in the 12H > Focus on your sleep (schedule), subconscious, intuition, spirituality, focus on your karmic path

4. FOCUS on your VENUS DECAN! Your Venus Decan is very important and it shows how your Venus is combined and mixed with the others

For this post search the degrees and sign of your Venus and identify their ruler, in the end that planet is combined with your Venus!!

Note: If you have your Venus in Libra or Taurus between 0° - 10° your Venus is most dominant here the other planets don't interact much with these ones!

- Hope this helped you as a start of how to activate your Venus guys🌄🌄🌄 Harmoonix

[novy2sirius]

᭓ ྀུ༺ a degree theory by nikola stojanovic

please read before proceeding

important note: this is not my info. this is all from nikola stojanovic’s theory on degrees in astrology. he has books on it that i think you can find online and download for free

trigger warnings: murder, car crashes, sex, and suicide

sign degrees

zero degrees: 0°

the same characteristics as the sign it’s already placed in. example - aries venus at 0° is purely an aries venus, obviously aside from the house energy

aries degrees: 1°, 13°, and 25°

beginnings, leadership, taking action, fighting spirit, not giving oneself up to fate, struggle, war, abuse, labor, diligence, etc

taurus degrees: 2°, 14°, and 26°

food, money, stability, earth, luxuries, sound of voice, singing voice, etc

gemini degrees: 3°, 15°, and 27°

communication, self-expression, technology, books, siblings, neighbors, etc

cancer degrees: 4°, 16°, and 28°

home, traditions, nurture, loyalty, faith, mother, the ocean/water, etc

leo degrees: 5°, 17°, and 29°

life, children, attention, fame, creativity, strength, happiness, light, etc

virgo degrees: 6° and 18°

improvement, health, to diminish, routine, animals, acts of service, etc

libra degrees: 7° and 19°

harmony/fairness, charm, beauty, law, music, art, dancing, pleasures, etc

scorpio degrees: 8° and 20°

death, major transformation, wealth, jealousy, sex, secrecy, taxes, etc

sagittarius degrees: 9° and 21°

wisdom, abundance, college, travel, photography, success, beliefs, etc

capricorn degrees: 10° and 22°

hard work, fear, public attention, karma, father, boss, isolation, history, etc

aquarius degrees: 11° and 23°

unexpected experiences, technology, friendships, networking, divorce, etc

pisces degrees: 12° and 24°

spirituality, escapism, dreams, illusion, the sea, mysteries, the hidden, etc

special degree meanings

supreme power: 2°

this degree is often found in the charts of people with remarkable achievements, who had extreme power, and who were highly respected according to nikola’s research

eroticism/a fun life: 5°

many sex symbols like marilyn monroe have this in their chart. nikola believed this was the best degree in general as well. he thought it indicated lots of fun and pleasure in one’s life

suicide/divorce: 11° and 23°

according to nikola the aquarius degrees (11 and 23) both indicate divorce occurring when placed in prominent positions in the chart. 11 is the only one indicating suicide though

car accidents: 15°

nikola believed that when this degree was connected to 8th house or scorpio placements it could indicate getting into car crashes

pure evil: 18°

nikola believed that this degree indicated a negative destiny for someone. he thought it was the worst degree you could have in your chart, based on his research he thought it was solely about facing hardships and nothing more. he also believed it could indicate being an evil person with no good intentions

to kill or be killed: 22°

just as the title reads, nikola believed this degree indicates being killed or being a killer. another thing he believed it could indicate was abandonment in the area of life it’s placed

clairvoyance: 29°

nikola believed this degree indicates someone that has very good intuition and can make accurate predictions about the outcomes of events

my opinion on astrology degrees

i personally don’t believe in nikola’s theory 100%, although i do think there’s accuracy to the signs being associated with specific degrees. i have always had stronger belief in my numerstrology degree theory than anything when it comes to this subject though. i definitely do not believe 18° is fully negative like he claims since the universe is yin yang so there’s always both positive and negative ways things can manifest. these are just my thoughts though

do you believe nikola’s degree theory? comment below!

[valeriehalla]

at this point I just categorically have 90,000,000 times more fun on tumblr than the smoldering wreckage of twitter. like, twitter was already becoming kind of a drag for me before the hostile takeover, and now that cohost (hallowed be her name) is shutting down, it's like, well—i guess we doin’ tumbls again!! “it’s obviously the best one”

honestly, while the queer internet may never recover from the sucking wound that was and is tumblr’s NSFW ban—at least not as long as the united states of america continues to fail to take antitrust action against apple, google, and the payment processors collectively serving as the final boss of what’s allowed to be posted where on the internet—i’m starting to feel like tumblr is moving back into position as The Best Site For Artists regardless. my thoughts on this are half-formed, but it’s like this:

every other social media platform is either 1. tiktok, 2. hyper-obscure, or 3. slow-motion self-destructing to a degree way beyond even what tumblr inflicted upon itself in 2018. this is not a new sentiment i don’t think.

i think the fact that tumblr is unable to capture the literal billions of users every other platform is chasing makes it arguably a lot nicer for the users who are here. there is no way for an application to achieve a tiktok-sized install base that isn’t just naked manipulation and skinnerboxing. tumblr’s leadership seems either too incompetent to pull it off or too wise to try, and so we have what is effectively the last microblogging platform on the internet that’s actually still usable for microblogging.

also, a smaller-but-not-too-small audience is more engaged with what they’re seeing. simple as. a thousand notes on tumblr means more than a million views on tiktok and it always will.

of course, i am in fact making a living off of sexually-explicit art right now, and so tumblr cannot be my One Platform. i get away with it because the art is in service of a story hosted off-site, and so i never need to post The Whole Pussy on here; if i was exclusively an illustrator i’d be even less thrilled with the current state of things than i already ain’t. i guess this is just a testament to how truly bad The State Of Things has gotten, though. congratulations, tumblr: you really did win by doing absolutely nothing.

[c-billbaby]

To: Chatterweb Mercenary Advertising Board

From: Carol, Burser, The Bloody Gash

It is eith great regret and sadness that The Bloody Gash... Ugh, I still can not believe she named it that, announces the tragic death of its leader, the self styled Captain Gemma Orlais. Her sudden death in the mech bay this morning came as a shock to us all.

I, Carol, former Star Commander for Clan Jade Falcon, shall inherit leadership of the unit. To those of you seeking our services be aware that we shall no longer be accepting such dishonorable contracts as piracy, assassination, or... Ugh. Birthday parties. We shall also be enacting new uniform and behavioral standards for the members of the unit.

No, nipple rings are not a rank insignia *Johnathan*.

It is our hope that we may turn this tragedy into a positive moment of growth for the unit and that we can achieve some form of respectable reputation for the future. It is not beyond the capabilities of The... Ugh... Bloody Gash to even perhaps become the envy of other units.

May our enemies quell before our prowess, for once, rather than our stench.

With Honor,

Commander Carol of The Bloody Gash mercenary command.

[cyberclouddream]

Ascendant Sign vs Sun Sign

Our Ascendant sign represents the innate demeanors we project, while our Sun sign represents what we want to be recognized and acknowledged for by others, what motivates us at our core.

Examples

Gemini Rising: you may make small talk or mingle with everyone; you may have an eclectic or playful appearance; often use humor or wit to connect with others

Gemini Sun: you may enjoy any form of communication that allows you to share your thoughts; tend to jump from one interest to another; you deeply value open-mindedness and communication

Leo Rising: you may immediately capture attention when you enter rooms; your clothes stand out; you may use bold gestures or an enthusiastic tone

Leo Sun: you may pour your heart in artistic endeavors; you crave recognition for your talents; you deeply value authenticity and self-expression

Libra Rising: often smoothing over tense situations; you may appear elegant or aesthetically-pleasing to others; you often use polite and considerate language

Libra Sun: you gravitate towards an field concerning beauty, design, and creativity; you prioritize partnerships and understanding loved ones; you value fairness and justice

Capricorn Rising: often observing first before engaging with others; appear classic and polished to others, favoring neutral colors and tailored pieces; focus on relevant topics than small talk

Capricorn Sun: drawn to leadership roles that allow them to climb the ladder; focus on pursuing long-term goals for success; value responsibility, loyalty, and tradition

Pisces Rising: often quietly observing and listening to pick up on the emotions of others; may appear whimsical and soft in style, with fabrics or color that reflect their artistic expression; tend to speak in a poetic or abstract way

Pisces Sun: drawn to forms of art, music, and writing; find fulfillment in service-oriented roles; they value empathy, compassion, intuition, and understanding

[rin-solo]

Following especially the latest season of Prodigy, I would just like to give a shoutout to Chakotay.

I actually liked him even back in Voyager, although he could definitely have been written better in that show. But then Prodigy came, and despite his limited screen time, that show did him SO well I can still barely believe it. And no, I'm not talking about how unexpectedly hot he looks in a cowboy hat ... That's the bonus cherry on top if anything.

If Prodigy proved anything (besides that it is now one of my favorite Star Treks of all time) is that Chakotay's earned that captain's chair, and so, so much respect.

I love how we get to see him be the selfless, dedicated, strong leader that he is and has always been, entirely disconnected from Janeway or any other legacy character. Now more than ever Chakotay and Janeway are just equally hardcore, badass captains who would give their lives for the greater good in an instant, and that's part of what makes them so great. Their equality, despite the different ranks, really came across in Prodigy more than ever before, which I loved to see.

Honestly, whenever I see Chakotay dismissed as a doormat or "best off as second in command" I just kind of rage a little. Even back in Voyager, it was pretty clear to me that he wasn't (for example, some people seem to forget that he was a captain originally and only became a first officer for the good of the Maquis crew.)

And now that we have Prodigy ... Even though we don't really see much of it on screen (which is a shame), I like reminding myself how, since the launch of the Protostar, he went through 12 (!) more years of (self-)sacrifice and (leadership) hell and managed to come out of that seemingly stronger and more certain of his place and himself than ever.

Even the events of "The Last Flight of the Protostar" aside ... Just think about how many life-altering, defining, difficult choices and sacrifices he had to make in those 12 years.

In the timeline that was averted, he sacrificed his only shot to get back home through the wormhole (the Protostar) to save the Federation from the weapon on board.

In the new timeline, he sacrificed himself by choosing to stay on that planet where he and Adreek landed, also for the sake of protecting the Federation from the weapon on the Protostar.

Chakotay was technically stranded in the Delta Quadrant twice (once with Voyager, once with the Protostar), and despite how abysmally things went on his first command, he never sacrificed his integrity or his dedication to Starfleet's values. He becomes a little grumpy over 10 years in solitude, but honestly, who wouldn't? And then the first thing he does after being rescued is take over Voyager-A and continue his service ... That's some dedication if I've ever seen it. I think he may have wanted to prove something there ... and honestly, he couldn't have succeeded more.

And no, he did not "teach" Dal that his place was "the second in command" ... On the contrary, he very likely showed Dal through his own competence and perseverance that Dal himself was simply not ready yet for such a responsibility.

He's just an extraordinary captain who has gone through things and made choices that very few others could have made. Choices like sending the Protostar back in time, that had the fate of the entire Federation depending on it.

I adore Prodigy in general, but one of the things I adore the most is that it finally shows us more of why Chakotay is not second to Janeway or to anyone. He's his own leader, his own character, and his own captain who deserves so much more acknowledgment.

Although, I still feel that we were robbed of some of Chakotay's best moments by not showing us the arrival of the Protostar on Solum and later the events preceding its (presumably) emergency landing on that planet where it stayed for ten years (honestly, I'd love for future Prodigy seasons to have maybe a flashback episode or two about the Protostar's maiden voyage and Chakotay's arrival on Solum and maybe later on that planet where he was stranded.)

Anyway, long rant over ... All I wanted to say was that Chakotay has more than earned the command of Voyager-A; seeing him in that chair made me very happy, I won't lie.

And I really hope if/when Prodigy gets more seasons, he'll be a more major character because he deserves a more central role.

[cosmicjoke]

Further thoughts on Levi's Admiration for Erwin:

So just to expanded and clarify a bit on my last analysis post, it isn't that Levi admired Erwin for having a lack of humanity, rather, it's that Levi admired Erwin for not allowing his humanity to deter him from doing what needed to be done for humanity's salvation.

But the truth is, Levi believed Erwin had a great deal of humanity in him. Levi believed that humanity was Erwin's reason for setting it aside in the first place, to help humanity, to save humanity, etc... To take on the burden of monstrous acts in order to help others.

It's why Levi is so shocked and dismayed when Hange tells them that Titans are actually human beings, and Levi sees Erwin smiling. That reaction doesn't compute with what he believes about Erwin. It's the first sign for Levi that the humanity he believes is underpinning Erwin's actions isn't as strong as he previously thought, and that fear is later seemingly confirmed for him when he confronts Erwin about it by asking him if seeing what's in Eren's basement, if being there to see it, is more important to him than humanity's victory, and Erwin admits that yes, it is.

That answer shatters Levi's entire view about who Erwin is and sends him, for a time, into a spiral of his own self-doubt, wondering if he's made the right choice in following a man who would put his own, selfish desires above the people he's sworn to protect. Wondering if all those lives Erwin sacrificed were really for a selfish dream, rather than the betterment of humanity.

I think Levi feared, up to the point Erwin told him his plan to take down the Beast Titan, that he'd been following a man who didn't have any humanity in him at all. A man who didn't care about or feel anything for the lives of the soldiers he commanded. I think this is why you see Levi being so snippy with Erwin throughout the battle in Shinganshina. He still believes Erwin is a great leader and visionary, but he doubts now whether Erwin is a good man.

This fear in Levi is finally assuaged when Erwin confesses to him the immense guilt he feels, about his own fear that he's let down and wasted every life under his command, given in service of humanity. Levi is shown, at last, that despite Erwin's selfishness and the underlying, selfish dream motivating his leadership and actions, he does, still, very much care about the people around him and does, indeed, have that deep well of humanity Levi had always believed him to have. Erwin's crushing guilt is the evidence of that. Levi believed before that Erwin was free of guilt, even in suppressing his humanity, because it was done for a worthy cause, for the betterment of all people. He sees in that moment that Erwin is instead overwhelmed and being torn apart by his guilt, precisely because he suppressed his humanity for something lesser. Again, that in itself, that guilt, is the proof of Erwin's humanity.

People like to compare Erwin and Zeke a lot, and talk about how both of them were willing to sacrifice the lives of others to accomplish their personal dream, and how hard that must have been for Levi, to see so may similarities between Erwin and Zeke, and to reconcile his loyalty to Erwin and his belief in Erwin when he sees many of the same qualities in a man he hates.

But there's a fundamental difference between Erwin and Zeke that I don't think people often consider, and again, it comes down to humanity.

Levi despises Zeke so much because he perceives an actual lack of humanity in him. Not an ability to set his humanity aside for some goal, like Erwin, but an actual void of humanity. Zeke shows no remorse, no guilt, no regret, no sorrow over the lives he's used and taken to advance his cause. The reason Levi questions Zeke so persistently in the forest about his actions in Ragako Village is because he's trying to glean if there's any sense of guilt or remorse in him at all for the lives he took. There is none. All Levi gets from Zeke for his questioning is more deception and indifference. I think this is also why Levi made the remarks he did to Zeke about his grandparents, and also about Gabi and Falco. He was trying to see if anything he said, any threat he made, would appeal to Zeke's humanity. But, at each turn, he was met with, again, indifference and deception, with no sign at all of genuine feeling.

The main difference between Erwin and Zeke is that Zeke is a narcissist and a sociopath. He doesn't care about the lives of the people he's used and killed. He sees them as tools and nothing beyond that. He quite literally sees their lives as worthless, rooted in the belief that his own life is worthless. His narcissism renders him incapable of seeing anyone outside of himself, and thus, he projects his own beliefs about himself onto everyone else. Erwin, for all his faults, and despite using the soldiers under his command as tools to further a selfish dream, never viewed their lives as worthless or disposable. He saw them as more than tools. He saw them as people. That's why he's so crushed by guilt near the end. He feels he's failed them by having a selfish dream.

And that fundamental difference also manifests in what Erwin and Zeke are working to achieve, and reflects in Levi's willingness to follow Erwin while simultaneously loathing Zeke.

Erwin, as commander of the Survey Corps, was working to achieve freedom for humanity. Never mind what was truly motivating him. As commander of the SC, the goal was to achieve freedom for humanity, and that's why Levi chose to follow Erwin with such loyalty, because he believed Erwin was best qualified to achieve that goal. To help create a world in which people have the freedom to choose how they live, to be who they are, etc... That's deeply important to Levi, that people be allowed a choice. That's what's at the core of his monologue to the 104th during the Uprising arc.

Zeke, by stark contrast, was working to, quite literally, take freedom away from people. To rob them of any choice at all by ending their existence. Zeke had deluded himself into believing he was providing people a mercy by unburdening them from their lives. But what exposes this for a lie is that he made this decision without any consideration or input whatsoever from the people he was supposedly "saving". He decided for them that their lives were a burden that they should be freed from. He didn't ask if that was what they wanted because, ultimately, and at the heart of it, what they wanted didn't matter to Zeke, because they didn't matter to Zeke.

I find it almost hilarious when people claim that if Erwin had supported the Rumbling, Levi would have supported it too, or that if Erwin had been for wiping humanity beyond the walls out, Levi would have backed him up. They claim this because they think that Levi only ever cared about Erwin and was blindly loyal to him. That he would "compromise his morals" for Erwin because he just loved him that much.

People who claim that expose themselves for having the grossest lack of understanding about who Levi's character is, or Erwin's, for that matter, that I've ever seen.

We saw what happened when Levi began to fear that Erwin lacked humanity. We saw how his respect for him immediately began to erode, despite years of loyal service and trust, and his belief in him as a commander began to waver. How he began to doubt his own choices in following Erwin's lead. We saw the anger and pain that caused in Levi. His interactions with Erwin afterward became cold and bitter. Only when Erwin finally confessed to his guilt, and thus, showed his humanity, did we see Levi's attitude toward him soften again. Only then did Levi tell Erwin that he'd been a good leader and thanked him for getting them so far.

Expand out Levi's coldness and anger toward Erwin after beginning to doubt his humanity to a scenario in which Erwin not only showed a lack of humanity, but an actual, malicious intent toward people, taking action to purposefully end their lives or crush their hopes and dreams...

Then you get how Levi felt about and treated Zeke. Pure disgust and loathing.

Levi never would have chosen to follow Erwin, and never would have felt any sort of admiration or respect for him, if Erwin was in any way intentionally malicious or cruel, or if Erwin in any way lacked true feeling for others. Levi would have despised him the same way he despised Zeke. It's, in fact, why Levi wanted to kill Erwin when they first met. Because he did believe, at that point, that Erwin was inhumane and cruel, for the way he'd treated Levi and his friends. He believed that until Erwin convinced him otherwise through his monologue to him, after Furlan and Isabel were killed. It's why Levi kicks Eren's face in on the airship over Liberio. A sure way to win Levi's animosity and disdain is to show a lack of feeling for others. A lack of humanity.

Levi was never blindly loyal to Erwin and never would have compromised his morals for him. He believed in Erwin's humanity, and so he believed in his leadership, and that's why he followed him with so much trust. It had nothing to do with him being so in love with the man that he would sacrifice any and everything for him. That take is so reductive and childish, it's almost beyond belief that any, intelligent adult actually thinks it.

If Levi really believed Erwin was an unfeeling monster who wanted to actively destroy the lives of others, and actually posed a threat in that regard, he would have been the first to act in putting him down, whether he loved him or not. Just like Levi was the first to voice the reality that Eren was going to have to be killed, despite having been Levi's comrade and subordinate for the last five years, and despite Levi's feelings for him as a friend and comrade.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Hello RTA, I was thinking, about Invictus, what if it wasn't the BRF but the veteran minister trying to hold on his ministry by using Invictus ? He is the one talking about it the most, how after being in Germany he felt nostalgia or else and wanted it back in the UK. When I hear about it generally he's the one talking. Or do you think it's a smokescreen to hide Charles' hand on it ?

Old ask from April 9th

The BRF is totally out of Invictus Games, and have been since 2019 when William booted the Sussexes and their charity work from KP and the Royal Foundation. It’s one of the smarter things they did, because the BRF doesn’t need Invictus Games. There are dozens of other charities that work with military veterans that the BRF supports, not to mention the actual British armed forces. They don’t, have never, and never will need Invictus Games to prove they support military veterans - that’s why Harry’s whining about how the BRF doesn’t support IG doesn’t really work; it gets the sensational headlines, but no one actually believes it because they see all the other work and support the BRF does. And since the BRF (or William, to be more specifically) “got out” before it had totally morphed into the Harry and Meghan Spectacular Spectacular, they’re insulated from a lot of the issues and criticism of Harry’s leadership (well, “leadership”). My guess is William saw the writing on the wall, and heard/is aware of the complaints from Sydney IG 2018.

The Parliament guy who was schilling for Invictus Games and supporting the Birmingham 2027 platform was doing it for his own self-interest and self-preservation. My guess is that he believed that since Invictus Games has the backing of the Ministry of Defense, supporting Invictus Games gets the MOD and military to support him, which earns him votes from the military supporters in his community and thus he wins reelection. It just wasn’t good enough. (I’ll also note here that this theory is entirely based on my experience with American politics having lived in/around military communities; we get so many people from all levels of political office that come through stumping and barnstorming for the military and veterans to get their votes but don’t actually follow through on any promises to improve veterans’ services or supporting military families.)

Charles doesn’t get anywhere close to Invictus Games, covertly or overtly, in the shadows with a smokescreen or out in front of the curtain for the world to see. And we know he’s nowhere close to Invictus Games because Harry complains about it all the time. That whining about how no one showed up to the anniversary thing at St. Paul’s? The whining about how no one goes to the games to support Team GB? The whining about how he hopes they’ll come to Birmingham 2027? It’s because they’re not involved. They don’t help him. They don’t give him money. They don’t give him their brand. They don’t give him their royal star power. They don’t give him the press and media. And Harry really, really wants that because if he gets their help and they get involved, he doesn’t have to do all the work anymore, he gets the critics (like us) off his back, and he gets the Board off his back because their financial issues will be fixed since the BRF surely won’t let anything they personally support fail.

[gatheringbones]

[“I want to spend a moment reflecting on exploitation: I’ve been eyed for social work since I was in my mid-teens. A racialized, mentally ill, gender queer youth, I was also remarkably articulate, psychologically precocious, eager to help and to please. The adult service providers whose orbit I floated in were quick to notice and take a shine to me—I was one of those once-in-a-blue-moon clients, the kind it feels both easy and rewarding to work with because I was so traumatized yet seemed to “improve” so quickly. The adults I trusted always seemed to want me in their empowerment initiatives, they were eager to put me on youth councils and committees, they gave me leadership roles despite the fact that I was in way over my head. I was brilliant and gifted, they said. I had so much to offer, they said. Helping was what I was made for.

I came to identify my worth with helping, my lovableness with how much I was able to give and please. It didn’t matter that most of my early jobs and roles involved some significant risks—for example, facilitating antihomophobia workshops in high schools as a high school student myself might have required a rather enormous amount of self-disclosure and vulnerability to strangers, but it was all for the cause, wasn’t it? And how proud my youth workers were whenever I came back from another successful outing. And if the honorariums they paid me were less than minimum wage, well, it was more money than I’d ever made before, wasn’t it? And how lucky was I to get paid to do something that did so much good for other people?

When I got to college age, I knew it was my purpose in life to help and heal other people. In my darker moments, it sort of seemed like that was all I was good for—and all the trusted adults, the wise youth workers and therapists and psychiatrists who mentored me, said I was gifted. They said I was special. My diversity made me fashionable. So “interesting” and “textured,” one psychotherapy supervisor called me. A wealthy white psychologist said I was an “ambassador for my people.” (She didn’t specify which people.) This was how, at twenty-two years old, I began an internship that involved doing therapy with adults who had survived childhood sexual trauma. Although I had no real clinical training, I held sessions for them at night in the windowless basement of a hospital in Montreal. I learned therapy techniques quickly, from videos on the internet and by practising on the job. People were counting me. I had to help.

Some quick number-crunching tells me that I gave over 4,000 hours of unpaid therapy in order to get to paid work as a clinician. By contrast, the very first sex work gig I got paid me $100 for some nude cuddling and a sloppy hand job that I completed in twenty minutes. I almost never think about that first gig now. I still dream about the stories my clients told me in that first unpaid therapy internship I took at twenty-two. Occasionally, I still cry, wondering how they are now, if I’d done enough to help them.

My social work experience isn’t every social worker’s experience, so I can’t claim to speak for the whole social work community. What I can say is that the people around me saw something useful and beautiful that they liked in me, so they took it and used it and I allowed it to happen because I wanted to feel loved and I didn’t think I really had choices. What I can say is that my sex work practice started out rough and frightening, but it blossomed into a decent learning experience and a business that paid me lots of cash up front, usually with no strings attached.”]

kai cheng thom, do you feel empowered in your job? and other questions therapists ask sex workers, from The Care We Dream Of: Liberatory & Transformative Justice Approaches to LGBTQ+ Health, edited by Zena Sharman, 2021

[footygirl114]

Capitana (Alexia Putellas x Reader)

It’s me, hi, I‘m the problem! I have been so freaking busy that I haven't had time to do anything, but today I got reminded of this prompt and it stuck with me and I had to get it out. I can definitely add more to this story, but I wanted to post something for y’all, so we can consider this a part 1. If you are a below deck lover then I hope I have done it justice!!

As you were standing on the stern of your boat waiting with your crew you were dreading the upcoming charter. You had seen the preference sheets and you knew that you were waiting on a group of 8 footballers, the last batch of footballers you had were awful and demanding so you were dreading. 

You had worked your way up in the yachting industry starting as a deckhand. You have been fighting your way up the male dominated career ladder getting passed over for jobs when you were the better candidate, until 3 years ago you were able to finally take the leap and become captain on a super yacht based in the Mediterranean. You got to where you were because you weren’t afraid to do things your way and your current owner knew that and loved it. 

The charters you have been the captain for have been nothing but successful. You had curated a reputation of being cold but amazing with guests, which has meant that your crew was like a well oiled machine. Normally you were excited about picking up new guests, you loved to meet a variety of people but you mostly loved the look on their face when they had the time of their life all because of a female captain. 

That reaction was either in awe at a female captain or in complete disbelief that a female captain was able to provide this kind of service. The second reaction was your favourite, which is why taking a group of footballers on a 5 day trip to Ibiza did not excite you. They would not be in disbelief but it was more likely that they picked your boat because they knew you provided private excellent service. 

You lived and breathed boating, it didn’t mean you weren’t into sports but being Canadian you were a hockey fan more than football. You knew of female footballers so you recognised the names coming on the boat, but you didn’t know what to expect. 

When you were waiting with the crew to board you could hear your Chief stew and the chef talking about how good of players they were. You listened in and knew that you had some of the top players in the world coming on your boat, that excited you.

Before you had any time to think about it some more you could see the group walk across the gang way on to your boat. You were immediately met with a group of very good looking, fit players. You immediately jumped into your role and allowed them to introduce themselves to you and your crew. Once that was done you started the introduction. 

“Good afternoon! Welcome aboard Serendipity, I am your Captain for your journey and I am excited to have you on board! This is Kate and she’s the chief stew and she will take you on a tour of the boat” you finish your introductions and allow Kate to jump in. 

While she’s talking you can’t help but notice the last player that walked on the boat, she had introduced her self as Alexia. You were intrigued by her expressive eyes and quiet demeanour. You could tell within the first 5 minutes that she had a quiet leadership about her, and that the rest of the players respected her. 

When they started their tour of the boat and she met your eyes you knew you were in trouble, it felt like she could see into your soul with one lock of eyes. Before you could break eye contact she shot you a wink flustering you to the point you almost stumbled over your bosun as you turned to get away. Feeling your cheeks redden you mumbled an apology and then said to the crew ��Were off the dock in 15!” as you strode away to captains nest. 

You got the boat off the dock, and then spent the next few hours remaining up in the bridge doing work, not hiding out. When you finally emerged it was before sunset and you had just docked the boat for the night off the coast of Ibiza. You headed toward the swim platform where your crew was getting it set up as the guests wanted to swim before they got ready for dinner. 

You knew the guests were enjoying sunbathing while you were driving the boat, but didn’t think twice about coming to make sure they were okay. You forgot that they would all be in bikinis and being professional athletes they were all ripped. Normally you could ignore this with your guests as you were a professional and able to compartmentalise. Yet seeing Alexia in a bikini you short circuited, almost like you were back in high school seeing the girl who made you realise you were into girls in her bikini. 

Feeling the heat on your cheeks you blushed watching her dive off the back of the boat into the water. Luckily you got pulled away and had to help one of your crew with something before you could do something stupid, like jump in after her. Once you were done with them in the locker, you emerged back on the swim platform as she was getting out of the water climbing on the ladder, with water dripping down. It was like one of those scenes from a movie. 

She noticed you and smiled and stopped in front of you with a “hola Captain.” You could feel her eyes running up and down your uniform.

“hi” you muttered out feeling your cheeks burn at her appraisal and you turned grabbing her a towel handing it to her. 

She took it with a smile and a “gracias” as she used it to wrap her around her self. 

Once her abs were covered up you felt more confident in holding a conversation and you ask her “how was the water?” 

“Perfect, I am jealous of you being on the water all the time” she says with a smile as she moves beside you so you can both look out over the water. 

You smile and tell her “well I grew up in Canada and spent most of my time on frozen lakes, so this is paradise.” 

She laughs and you immediately know you want to hear that sound again, she then says “I can understand why you want to work on the med then” 

“Oh you can?” you ask her with a raised eyebrow.

She turns towards you and says “I can, its beautiful out here” she waves her arms around but her eyes remain locked on you and you can feel the flush on your cheeks again. 

You are saved by your radio going off, and one of your crew needing you. “Sorry, I gotta go” you tell her with a smile and a shrug of your shoulder. 

She smiles and says “of course captain, duty calls.” 

You smile and send her a wink as you turn and head up the steps towards where you were called. As you are walking all you can think about is her smile and laugh and you know that you are going to enjoy this trip more than you thought. 

**

Later that night, you had thought most of the guests had gone to bed as it was quiet and after midnight, you were still up reading under the moonlight. You had changed into sweatpants and a hoodie, so you take the chance to sneak to the kitchen to get a mug of tea before you go to sleep. 

You make it to the kitchen and make your tea without being seen. You are heading back up the stairs towards your cabin when you hear above you on the steps “Hola.” you look up and meet the eyes of Alexia, who is in her pjs. 

You step up to the step below her and pause looking up at her asking “what are you doing up?” 

She smile down at you and puts her hands on your upper arms pulling you up to be on the same  step as her as she says “I was coming to see you Y/N” 

Smiling you ask her “yeah?” and you turn and place you tea on the table beside you. 

Placing her hands on your hips she pulls you into her and whispers “yeah” before she closes the distance and presses her lips to yours. You wrap your hands around her neck and deepen the kiss. You get lost in her for a few minutes before you hear a radio a floor below you. 

You break the kiss and look at her and tell her “I’ve missed you Ale, will you come stay with me and sneak out in the morning?” 

She smiles and says “yes, I’ve missed you too hermosa. I hate when your on week long charters.” 

You hear movement again below you and say “Come with me” you tell her and pull her by her hand to your cabin. You get there and close the door behind her and she immediately lies on her back on your bed. You smile and tell her “I really like you in my bed Ale.” 

She opens her arms and you slide into them as she says “I’ve missed sleeping beside you hermosa” as she presses a kiss to your head. 

You smile and settle deeper into her, as she adjusts the covers around you and reaches over to turn the light off. You smile and press a kiss to her cheek and whisper “goodnight babe” 

Pressing another kiss to your head she whispers “goodnight captain.” Listening to her breathing even out you thought back to when you met.

You had met the football star 3 months ago, at a farmers market in town. You both got to talking while waiting for smoothies, one thing led to another and it was midnight and you had been on the best unexpected date of your life. It took her less than 12 hours to reach out to you and the rest is history. 

With her status, and you being involved in customer service of high end clientele, you both decided to keep it quiet until you both felt comfortable coming forward. She didn’t even know until the day before the charter that it was your boat she was one. Someone else planned the trip and she was added on last minute.

You knew the next few days would be hard trying not to show everyone you were falling deeply for the football star, while also trying to keep your hands to yourself. That was a tomorrow problem and tonight you were going to enjoy falling asleep beside her after a week of being at sea without her. 

[whimsicalpoet44]

Astro Observations - Lucky Edition.

**Based off of my opinion and experience. If it doesn't fit your situation, that's okay!**

Planets that I think are lucky or could indicate great fortune or success. (Mostly fire sign edition)

Midheaven: Leo in the 10th house:

Likely to be a supervisor, mentor, or role model. You find the best opportunities through self-expression. You may forced into the limelight, which you may struggle with because you're also a very private person. Your accomplishments will also be highly praised in public settings. Allow yourself to create results that are important or meaningful to you. This will help you achieve success.

Careers: Management, Entertainer, Artist, Designer, Media, Marketer, Teacher. You need roles that allow you to make decisions and express your individuality.

MC conjunct Sun: You're resilient. Success is guaranteed for you, though the road can be bumpy at times. Be careful when it comes to your ego. Make sure you listen to the needs of others that you must collaborate with.

MC Trine North Node: You can't hide from capturing the attention of figures of authority. In fact, you always seem to be publicly recognized for your successes, even if it makes you uncomfortable. Your sense of purpose may be strong and you have some valuable knowledge to teach humanity. Think "Right place, right time" kind of energy.

Sun in Leo in the 10th House: Commonly recognized as "fame" placement. You might have the desire to transform the world in some capacity. And you just might succeed. You're hard working and extremely self aware, which allows you to reflect on your choices. You may be forced to put yourself out there to gain success though.

5, 17, 29 Degree Placements: Commonly known as the "fame degrees."

Jupiter in Aries in the 6th house: "Leader" should be tattooed on your forehead, because you radiate this energy. You can find abundance in just about any job you pursue. Your abundance could come from you day to day job. You'll receive immense luck once you've found a job you adore. Downside? Others may see you as bossy if you aren't in a posistion of leadership to exercise this confident energy. If you haven't embodied your confidence, you may be prone to anger. Work on self-love to shift this.

Careers in teaching, education, publishing, customer service, or a career related to animals. You're a natural healer, so it could be in any career where you're taking care of others' well-being.

Jupiter in the 12th: Many people are afraid of the 12th house, but there's something about Jupiter in the 12th that defies those stereotypes. 12th house Jupiter's are seen as "guardian angel" placements. You are often protected in the most bizarre circumstances. You may be someone that has weird synchronicities when everything appears to be falling a part. Your car broke down a day before pay day? The person towing it significantly discounts the price. Not sure how you're going to pay your power bill? A random deposit you forgot about hits your bank account. You're not necessarily luckier than others, but your bad luck may turn around quickly.

Moon Conjunct Jupiter: You're probably super optimistic and generous. You're also a manifestation magnet. If you want, you got it.

[savvylittlecoxswain]

Have you ever seen those videos where the college grads are showing off a million stoles and cords and medals? That’s Bobby.

He was involved with the following organizations and activities per the UW yearbook his senior year:

Phi Gamma Delta aka FIJI

A social fraternity whose members attend university with the foremost goal of receiving an education, and that Phi Gamma Delta is a fraternity that promotes scholastic achievement amongst its members. Its mission statement lists five core values for its members: friendship, knowledge, service, morality, and excellence.

Oval Club

The Oval Club, formed in 1907, was an organization affiliated with the University of Washington. Its purpose was to promote student unity and cooperation, develop cultural leaders and preserve traditions of the University of Washington.

Big “W” Club (for Crew)

The Big W Club is a special organization that helps University of Washington letter-winners stay connected to their alma mater. Big W Club members retain the spirit and pride of being a Husky by taking part in exclusive gatherings and events, like hanging out at informal happy hours or reconnecting at the biannual Hall of Fame induction or team reunions. Membership is automatic when you receive your first varsity letter.

Minor “W” Club (for Fencing)

Membership in the Minor "W" Club is dependent upon participation in some University minor sport. Men who participate in wrestling, swim-ming, golf, fencing, cross-country, ice-hockey and rifle are awarded the small "Circle W."

Beta Gamma Sigma (Sr. Yr. - Treasurer)

An International Honor Society Serving Business Programs. Its mission is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business and professional excellence in the practice of business. Membership in this honor society is by invitation only and is very prestigious as BGS invites only the upper 10% of the upperclassman undergraduate classes. An invitation to become a member in BGS is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive.

Alpha Kappa Psi

A business fraternity with the goal to bring together students who share an interest in business and provide them with opportunities to learn and grow through professional development, philanthropy, social events, and more.

Rho Sigma Chi

A social fraternity that believes a principle-driven lifestyle should be paramount in an individual’s lifelong quest to achieve progressive development, and that the world has a great need for ethical leaders whose core principles were based on the possession of remarkable character. Their goal is to enhance the leadership abilities of men by refining their character through the framework of Friendship, Justice and Learning — our three guiding principles.

Varsity Boat Club (Sr. Yr. - Manager)

A platform and guide for the men and women of Washington Rowing, collectively encouraging the values of hard work, team before self, and personal improvement. All men and women participants at Washington are eligible for membership after rowing four quarters.

Not listed:

Schaller Scholarship Plaque Recipient

Awarded to crew member with the highest grades on the team. Bobby Moch won this award all three years he was on crew.

Phi Beta Kappa Key Holder

The Phi Beta Kappa is “America’s Most Prestigious Academic Honor Society.” It was founded in 1776 and aimed to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, and to induct outstanding students of arts and sciences at select American colleges and universities. Fewer than 10% of US colleges and universities have Phi Betta Kappa chapters and these chapters select less than 10% of their arts and sciences graduates to join.

[sean-parnell]

How Manufacturers Can Leverage Content Marketing to Grow

Cold calls, print advertising, tradeshow participation, and knocking on doors once worked well manufacturers can no longer rely on them to generate leads that fuel sustainable, double-digit growth despite having an effective sales team that may still have some skills in these areas.

Inbound lead generation in commercial and industrial markets requires compelling brand storytelling and thought leadership that educates prospects along the buyer’s journey, who don’t want to talk with salespeople before they’re good and ready as they fear being “sold to” by people that don’t have their best interest in mind.

Problems Solved vs. Products & Services, Features & Benefits

Powerfully resonating with prospects requires brand storytelling that converts website visitors into prospects then into customers.

Your brand story begins with having a deep understanding of the problems faced by your prospects, what they need to overcome them, and the value to them in doing so before promoting all of your products and services and their features and benefits. Prospects are searching for who can solve their problems and may have a limited understanding of what will solve their problems, so claiming your solutions are “the best” and that you’re an “industry leader” may mean nothing until they have an understanding of how your products will help them.

The hero of your prospects’ story is themselves, so you need to educate them on how you can solve their problems, and how your people, process, products, and services – not just products – do so. This is what will resonate powerfully with them. In this way, you serve as a guide for achieving success and avoiding failure. Your products and services with their features and benefits are how you solve these problems..

Thus, your “brand story” needs to be told throughout all of your marketing: on your home and about pages, blogs, guides, case studies, marketing collateral, presentations, proposals, press releases, third-party website profiles, direct mail, email campaigns, your tagline, and anywhere else you promote your company.

A brand story for each product and service you sell can also be developed as each of them solves different problems in different ways for different markets. This “sub-brand storytelling” is also effective for different vertical and geographic markets as each has different requirements.

Extracting & Promoting Thought Leadership

When they have a problem that they want to solve – because the pain of not changing exceeds the pain of the change – prospects self-educate themselves by researching the internet before speaking with any vendors, so it’s important to provide educational content that will help them understand how you can solve their problems:

TOFU: Top of Funnel: this content builds awareness by providing an overview of the problems you solve and how your products solve them

MOFU: Middle Funnel: this content goes one level deeper and helps them consider between different options that can solve their problem

BOFU: Bottom Funnel: this content gets very specific and helps prospects make their final decisions

OOFU: Out of Funnel: this content is created in a misguided attempt to maximize keyword rankings and website traffic as part of a flawed search engine optimization strategy (SEO) but fails to generate leads though can be quite costly

Tip: it’s important to have a good balance of all types of content (except OOFU).

It’s especially important for manufacturers to understand that, in addition to learning about how you solve their problems with your products and services, your prospects want to know how your solutions and business practices compare with both direct and indirect competitors. They also want to understand how their investment can be cost-justified so they can sell the idea of buying from you to internal decision makers that may not be in communication with you. Product comparisons are very useful because this is what prospects try to compile themselves, especially if they include areas where your competitors have an advantage over yours. Case studies that include return on investment (ROI) estimates are also highly useful for prospects.

Lead-Generating Content Begins with Keyword Research

Understanding and prioritizing what your prospects are searching for is a critical first step for lead generation, which begins with conducting keyword research on all the different terms your prospects may use.

Onsite SEO then fully leverages the content you’ve already developed when you work the highest priority keyword phrases into your page titles, meta descriptions, H1 headers, and throughout the content of each page – just remember it has to read well and should only be performed by someone that thoroughly understands your business and what prospects value.

Brainstorming content ideas that incorporate these keyword phrases and educates prospects along the buyer’s journey is the next step, following by prioritizing these content ideas into an editorial calendar. The best content comes from getting a professional copywriter to interview your company’s thought leaders and then writing up what is learned in the form of foundational website content, blogs and guides.

Best Practice: Google Search Console reports the keywords people searched for to find you.

Creating Lead Magnets

When your prospects discover that you are providing education and thought leadership for how you can solve their problems, many will be willing to provide their contact information to download this gated content – especially long-form, MOFU and BOFU content including guides, whitepapers, ebooks, and webinars. It’s also important that your contact forms ask prospects where they found out about you so you can attribute each download to the marketing or other activities that generated them. It’s not recommend to gate promotional material that prospects expect to be freely available, including blogs, brochures, data sheets, infographics, case studies, and similar materials.

Promoting MOFU and BOFU also generate even more website traffic and leads, including in Google Ads, LinkedIn Campaigns, Microsoft Ads and other pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, your social media profiles (especially LinkedIn and Twitter), on third-party article publishing sites (e.g. Medium), and throughout your public relations activities.

The Manufacturing Content Creation & Lead Generation Process

Here are the steps for creating content that has been proven to generate leads and product sales from many commercial and industrial manufacturers:

Conduct keyword research and optimize all of your current content for search

Develop brand storytelling and implement it throughout your home and about pages, marketing collateral, presentations, and all other marketing materials

Write blogs and publish them on a consistent schedule, educating prospects on a wide variety of topics that help them understand how your products and services will solve their problems

Syndicate unique versions of this content on high ranking, third-party websites

Launch Google ads and email campaigns to bring more prospects in

Create microsites to promote how you solve specific problems in your top vertical markets

Launch ecommerce to supplement sales through your channel partners for people that want to speak with and buy directly from you – just don’t undercut them, so selling only at list price is recommended

Evaluate new market opportunities where your current competitors are irrelevant with Blue Ocean Strategy

This approach routinely generates sustainable, double-digit sales growth with an ROI of over 300% within 12-18 months when executed by an experienced industrial marketing agency – and your company will no longer be a well-kept secret in your markets.

The Case for a Marketing Audit

While it may be appealing to hire a full-time content marketer, SEO specialist, or to outsource to a manufacturing marketing agency that may wow you with shiny objects, conducting deep dive marketing due diligence with an experience marketing consulting resource understands your industry is typically a better way to start.

An effective marketing audit will identify what it will take for you to generate sustainable, double-digit growth by leveraging brand storytelling, content marketing, SEO, content syndication, email campaigns, marketing automation, social media, advertising, PR, and more.

Most marketing audits focus only on promotional marketing communications, so you may want to find an industrial marketing agency that can auditing the other three Ps of your marketing: products and services, pricing and placement (selling through channels and go-to-market strategy).

[cienie-isengardu]

Jango Fett and Walon Vau: The Laws, Orders, Jaster Mereel and True Mandalorians (pre-Galidraan)

for @delkios, I promise, this is about Jango and Vau but I needed to talk about Jaster first

previous part: Age Difference & Childhood Trauma

Jango Fett: Open Seasons comics and Fact Files established that between Korda VI and Galidraan passed 8 years and during that time Fett (14 - 22 years old) was hunting down Tor Vizsla and Death Watch. 

Before I will bring sources and additional commentary for Galidraan, let’s take a moment to establish some available facts about True Mandalorians and Jango.

[...] The orphan was adopted by Jaster Mereel and the Mandalorians - a legendary band of mercenaries with a reputation for ruthless efficiency. Jango was forced to adapt to the Mandalorian way of life. He travelled with the nomadic warriors, learning their code of honour and familiarizing himself with their state-of-the-art equipment. The guidance of Jaster Mereel, and an allegiance to the Mandalorian community, helped compensate Jango for the loss of the mother and father he had hardly known. After Jaster’s death, Jango became leader of the Mandalorians. [Fact Files #22]

[...] As a boy, Jango was orphaned when his family was caught in the cross fire between the terrifying Mandalorian Warriors and their rivals, the Death Watch, on the planet Concord Dawn. A sympathetic Mandalorian commander named Jaster Mereel took pity on Jango and made him a cadet. Soon he was traveling with the nomadic army-for-hire as they toured the galaxy looking for a conflict, always in the service of the highest bidder. Over time, Jango rose through the ranks.  When Jaster Mereel was killed in battle, Jango was named commander, the youngest in the long history of the notorious mercenary army. Since ancient times, Mandalorians were brutally effective fighters, and especially so under Jango Fett’s leadership. However, while fighting to suppress a popular revolt in the Galidraan system, the Mandalorians ran afoul of the Jedi Knights, who wiped out most of the mercenary army and delivered the survivors to the governor of Galidraan. Jango became a slave, but he used the next several years to regain his strength and plot his eventual escape. He exacted revenge on his captors, reclaimed his Mandalorian armour and set off on his own as a bounty hunter. (Bounty Hunter Game Guide)

True Mandalorians were “looking for a conflict, always in the service of the highest bidder”  and described as ruthless and effective, “especially so under Jango Fett’s leadership” which implies a change (improvement) of their army. Jango in general is presented in sources as an excellent warrior and “perfect soldier” however as much as he was admired for his skills and courage, he wasn’t liked that much as a person, quite often considered selfish by his own people: 

Republic Commando Order:66

"Well ... if you want something to shine bright, it has to be polished hard." Skirata wondered exactly what Jango would have done if he hadn't been there to stop Orun Wa from having the Null kids put down. Jango talked tough-was tough-but his callous attitude didn't extend to children, however brutal it looked from the outside. "Jango might have been a self-centered chakaar, but don't believe all that bluster about Boba being nothing more than his apprentice. He wanted a son, no doubt about it. He knew what it was to be a kid waiting to die, so I reckon he'd have given the aiwha-bait a good hard kov'nyn and sent him on his way." Shame you didn't do a hit more for the other boys cloned from you, Jang'ika, but I suppose you didn't have much pity left after all that happened to you. 

[According to Glossary from Triple Zero, chakaar means in Mando 'a: thief, grave robber, general term of abuse]

or

"Deserter," the man said no hint of disapproval. "Discharged dead." Fi groped for the words. He knew what he wanted to say, but getting his mouth to obey him was another matter. He could feel sweat beading on his top lip. "Like a regular medical discharge, only a bit more serious." "It's okay, ner vod, you're among friends here," said the man. "Fett was a disgrace for letting the Kaminoans make clones for the Jedi out of him. It's not your fault." "Don't feel sorry for me," Fi said defensively. He didn't want pity. The Kaminoans didn't care any more than Fett did if the clone army was happy and well treated just as long as it won wars, but he'd had Kal Skirata looking out for him. "Our sergeant took good care of us. He adopted me as his son. We did fine." [...] "It's a small planet. A fair few Cuy'val Dar came back here when they'd finished training you." So the guy did know. The Mandalorian training sergeants handpicked by Fett hadn't all been fond of him, but they respected his prowess. And they'd been griping about life in Tipoca City. Well, there were no more secrets left to keep. Everyone knew about the Grand Army of the Republic now. It was dawning slowly on Fi that Fett, Mand'alor and bounty hunter, had been a good advert for Mandalorian grit, but his heroic status wasn't respected by some of his own people. The Alpha ARC clone troopers, hard men literally made in Fett's mold were scared of him, utterly loyal to his orders even after his death. But Fi realized that some Mando'ade here thought he was a selfish chakaar.

or

"Get it off your chest, Walon," Skirata said. "Come on, ner vod." Vau straightened up. "You never liked Jango, did you?" "I liked him enough. What I didn't like was how he ended up. Jango never gave a toss about anyone but himself. Some Mandalore he turned out to be-he was always away in the latter years, and he was as bad as the Jedi when it came to turning a blind eye to what was happening to his clones. No, Shysa's a fool if he thinks a Fett dynasty is good for Manda'yaim. We're better off without him." "You reckon?" "I do. Sorry, but I do. You suddenly his best mate or something?" Vau suddenly grabbed Skirata by the collar. Shab, he was strong; he almost lifted Skirata bodily as he shoved him against the bulkhead. They'd brawled many times, drawn blood, come close to killing each other, but Skirata had never seen Vau lose his temper, not once. And that was enough to stun him into silence. "Now do you see? Do you?" Vau hissed the sibilant like escaping steam. Mird cowered on the floor, whining softly. "I'm sick to death of your sentimental twaddle about Jango betraying us by letting Kamino use his genes. He did it to stop the Jedi. He did it to create an army strong enough to bring them down. You drone on about the injustice of unelected elites, my little working-class hero-well, now they're gone. Yes, it cost our boys' lives, but the Jedi are gone, gone, gone. And they won't be killing Mandalorians again, not for a long time. Maybe never." Vau was white-faced and trembling. Then he seemed to shake himself out of whatever alien persona had taken hold of him, adjusted his collar, and tugged down the sleeves of his flight suit. He was the ice-cold patrician again. Skirata still couldn't summon up any love or guilt about Jango, but suddenly it made sense, and he knew in his guts that it had been about a lot more than five million creds. Skirata thought of the abuse he’d heaped on Jango. He knew the man; he’d fought with him, in every sense of the word, and he’d also had comradely moments with him. The thought that he might have done him a disservice was one burden of guilt too many. He shut it out. If Jango had been playing the long game, Skirata had never caught a whiff of it. He knew it wasn’t all about the credits. He’d seen Jango cradling Boba in the early days, and that man wanted a son as much as any man ever had. So Skirata hadn’t looked for any motive beyond that. It was the only motive Skirata would have had. “I stand corrected,” said Skirata. How do I apologize? Where do I even start, with the osik I have to deal with now? “So I was wrong about Jango.” And now I know why Shysa wants Jango’s legacy to live on at any cost.

Republic Commando: True Colors

[...] but an ARC who’d gone AWOL was-impossible. Jango Fett had raised and trained them personally, with an emphasis on absolute loyalty to the Republic. Sergeant Kal said that Jango was an unhinged shabuir, but he always stuck to his contract, and that contract had included creating a loyal, totally reliable army. Darman had heard rumors to the contrary, and the Nulls were living crazy proof that a clone soldier could be as eccentric and wayward as any random human, but nothing had ever been confirmed.

Side note: From mando'a: shabuir - extreme insult - *jerk*, but much stronger

Republic Commando: Triple Zero

"Ordo, you just flattened an ARC trooper." "He was delaying us." "But you hit him. Twice." "No permanent harm done," Ordo said, lifting his kama to slide over the pillion seat behind Jusik. He sealed his helmet. "You can't convince Alpha ARCs of anything by rational argument. They're every bit as obtuse and impulsive as Fett, believe me."

Granted, the presented opinions are biased and definitely colored by Kamino experiences and post-Galidraan times in which Fett went into bounty hunting business instead of coming back to his shattered people (and in case of clones trained by Kal, also colored by Skirata's opinion of Jango). However Jango was also criticized by various characters as no team-player and in general, tie-in material kept pointing his solitary nature: 

Republic Commando: Triple Zero

Skirata had worked out fast that Kaminoans despised everything that didn't fit their intolerant, arrogant society's ideal of perfection. So... they thought Jango's genome wasn't the perfect model for a soldier without a little adjustment, then. Maybe it was his solitary nature; he'd make a rotten infantry soldier. Jango wasn't a team player.

or

Yes, I know how the Kaminoans did it. They used our genes against us, the ones that make us bond with our brothers, make us loyal, make us respect and obey our fathers-that's what they manipulated to make us more likely to obey orders. They had to remove what made Jango a selfish loner, because that makes a bad infantry soldier, and you can tell from the Alpha ARCS that the Kaminoans weren't wrong. But there's one thing I don't know yet-and that's how they controlled the aging process. That's the key. They robbed us of a full life span. But we will not be defeated by time, ner vod.     -ARC Trooper Lieutenant N-7-Mereel-in an encrypted transmission to N-11, Ordo

Internal memo penned by Hali Ke, senior research geneticist, Kamino, 27 BBY (source) 

Jango is given to solitude and affects a disdain for human relationships and connections, yet when he agreed to help train our army, he immediately summoned a band of mercenaries who shared his background. And, of course, there is the matter of his fee: Jango seemed barely to care for the considerable sum of five million credits, but was adamant that we create an unaltered clone of himself, whom he now refers to — without a trace of self-consciousness — as his son. I have seen him return to Kamino after killing men for credits, wash the blood out of his starship’s hold, and an hour later be gently talking and playing with young Boba.

Attack of the Clones by R.A. Salvatore

Taun We seemed genuinely perplexed,  and  so  she was, to see a human with so little apparent regard for other humans,  clones or not.   Of course, hadn't the Kaminoans just created an army for the  Republic? There wouldn't be wars without some disagreement, now, would there?   But that, too, held little interest for Jango. He was a solitary bounty hunter, a recluse - or he would have been if not for Boba. Jango didn't care a whit about politics or war or this army of his clones. If every one of  them was slaughtered, then so be it. He had no attachment to any.  He looked to the side as he considered that. To any except for Boba, of course.

The Cestus Deception by Steve

"Perhaps because you are the only one trained for command. That makes you more like Jango." His attention sharpened. "They say he was a loner." "Yes," she said. "But a natural leader, too. At other times he could be invisible, as I understand quite a few people learned to their brief and painful regret." Nate gave a hard, flat chuckle. Yes, indeed. "But if he wanted, when he entered a room every head would turn." She paused a beat. "Especially mine." Her voice grew softer. "But that was all so long ago. I was eighteen years old, and Jango was twenty-five." "Was he a bounty hunter then?" She closed her eyes, dredging up old memories. "I think he was in transition. He'd only been free maybe two years, since the Mandalo-rians were wiped out. I met him in the Meridian sector. He'd lost his armor somehow, and was searching for it." A ruminative smile. "We had just about a year together. Then things got dangerous. We were raided by space pirates. Our ship got blown from the sky, and in the middle of a really nasty space battle we were forced to take separate evacuation pods. I never saw him again." She paused. "I heard he survived, and got his armor back. I don't know if he looked for me." Sheeka shrugged. "Life is like that, sometimes." Her voice had grown wistful. Then she chuckled, and he drew back slightly and looked at her in puzzlement. "Why do you laugh?" "You do remind me of Jango. He always locked his emotions away. But I can remember times when he let them out of their cage." "Such as?" Her sweeter, saucier side was bubbling to the fore, and she was happy to feel it. She'd feared she'd never feel that evanescence again. ``If you're lucky, I might tell you sometime. She knew he was curious now, and pardoned herself for the slight exaggeration. In truth, Jango was a man of few words who kept his feelings in check. In his life, and his chosen lifestyle, that reserve had been vital for survival.

Fact Files #22

Despite Jango's growing stature, he began to feel that something was missing from his life. He remained a loner, but yearned for a son - someone with whom he could enjoy the paternal bond that he felt he had been denied. His ambition would be realized in the most unorthodox way.

Of course, how much of Jango’s selfishness and seclusion was a natural part of his character and how much a result of trauma (especially post-Galidraan) is up to debate, however existence of such opinions gives us a solid reason to think that as much as Fett could be an excellent or even charismatic soldier, he didn’t need be necessary an easy person to work with. There is also a young age of Jango to take into factor and his personal desire for revenge on Death Watch.

On one hand, Jango had undying loyalty of people like Silas, on the other, there was Montross. And yes, as much as Montross isn’t objective in his opinion about then Squad Commander Jango, he did bring up an interesting point about young Fett and his clouded mind when it comes to Jaster. 

Montross: "I think he sometimes forgets that you're not really his son. Hnh. That`s dangerous. Clouds his judgment. And yours. One day soon, Jaster will choose his successor. And he'll need a clear head for that." Jango: “Jaster will do what’s right for the Mandalorians. He always had.” Montross: “Let’s hope we can say the same about you.” [Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue #2]

Montross did not further argue about Jaster’s ability to make a right choice that will benefit their group but put in doubt Jango’s ability to do the same, as in: put the good of True Mandalorians above his personal feelings and desires. Did Montross act there on purpose to hurt young Fett? Most likely, as he did not like how the boy was Jaster’s favorite.

[...] He was also enraged by the attention his commander bestowed upon the daring young recruit, Jango Fett [Bounty Hunter Game Guide]

Jango became a favourite of Jaster Mereel, something that didn't sit well with one of his men Montross, who sought to lead the Mandalorians in Mereel's stead. [Fact Files vol. 3, issue 14]

Still, his final words “You’ll kill them all, Fett” proved true once True Mandalorians again walked into Tor Vizsla’s trap, this time under Jango’s leadership and Fett’s orders - that changed from evacuation to shoot at Jedi - led to massacre of his men. 

The presented opinions and implications about Jango as a person are especially important in regard to Jaster Mereel. Jaster, despite more than two decades of being part of mandalorian lore, is not really developed as a character and a lot we learned about him comes from tie-in sources. He was described as:

“reformed murderer” who “held that the Mandalorians were merely highly-paid soldiers” [Dooku, JF:OS#1]

“a lawman [...] until murdered a superior officer. Wrecked by guilt [...] unable to contain his own passions, he sought to eliminate them in everyone else” [Tor Vizsla, Death Watch Manifesto/Bounty Hunter Code]

“Jaster sought true honor, not the right to ignore laws and moral codes” [Jango, Death Watch Manifesto/Bounty Hunter Code]

“deeply pious human”, who “brought a strong ethic”, and “fought tooth-and-nail to become reigning Mandalore and unite the disparate clans”  [History of the Mandalorians/SW Insider #80]

“A sympathetic Mandalorian commander" who "took pity on Jango and made him a cadet” [Bounty Hunter Game Guide]

Side note: Sources about Jaster like History of the Mandalorian, Jango Fett: Open Seasons and Bounty Hunter Code were talked about in my other text - full quotes can be found there.

Additional source, The Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fett by Daniel Keys Moran was an original backstory for Boba whose name back then was in fact an pseudonym adopted by exiled from Concord Dawn Jaster Mereel. With Attack of the Clones, the story was retconned but it is the first material that introduced us to strong morality of Jaster:

The last statement of the Journeyman Protector Jaster Mereel, known later as the Hunter Boba Fett, before exile from the world of Concord Dawn: Everyone dies. It's the final and only lasting Justice. Evil exists; it is intelligence in the service of entropy. When the side of a mountain slides down to kill a village, this is not evil, for evil requires intent. Should a sentient being cause that landslide, there is evil; and requires Justice as a consequence, so that civilization can exist. There is no greater good than Justice; and only if law serves Justice is it good law. It is said correctly that law exists not for the Just but for the unjust, for the Just carry the law in their hearts, and do not need to call it from afar. I bow to no one and I give service only for cause.

or

An unpleasant grin touched the young man's lips. "You'll plead me unrepentant." Creel stared at him. "Do you understand the seriousness of this, boy? You killed a man." "He had it coming." "They'll exile you, Jaster Mereel. They'll exile you!'' "I could always go join the Imperial Academy," Mereel said, "if I got exiled. I expect I'd make a good storm." Creel overrode him: "and they may execute you, if you anger them sufficiently. Is it such a hard thing to say you're sorry for having taken a life unjustly?" "I am sorry," said Mereel. "Sorry I didn't kill him a year ago. The galaxy's a better place without him."

Even with limited material, there is visible contrast in how Jaster and Jango were perceived. Mereel is a man respecting laws with strong ethical sense, sympathetic, deeply involved in mandalorian matters. Tor Vizsla - his enemy who literally could write down any lie and slander about Jaster in his propaganda text - associated him with passion for all possible things. And yes, Tor considered it a flaw, something that Mereel was unable to contain and something, most likely alongside the wrecking guilt, that deeply affected his approach to Mandalorian Way, yet still it does not paint Jaster in the negative light as Jango being called by his own men as selfish chaakar and uncaring loner, disgrace or even claiming they were better off without him.

(And isn’t there something ironic how both Tor’s opinion and Jango’s men's critique is said from the perspective of time and somehow Vizsla - an enemy - remembers Jaster in a much nicer manner than Jango is remembered by his own people?).

Jaster’s strong sense of morality (coming mainly from tie-in material than Jango Fett: Open Seasons, the prime source) could be also an important factor in regard to Improved True Mandalorians’ brutal effectiveness under Jango Fett’s leadership. 

Mind you, there are not enough direct sources to clearly support or completely refute this idea, as the original comics showed us only one mission taken by Jaster - an extraction of a rookie squad pinned down by hostile locals.

[Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue #2]

As Jaster said, the job’s a routine extraction mission, so there is a chance True Mandalorians did some similar missions in the past. The job did not necessarily mean Mandalorians needed to kill the “enemy” of the Korda Defense Force, just that they were going to save Korda Defense Force’s people which doesn’t sound that bad from a moral standpoint.

In contrast, the only mission done by True Mandalorians under Jango Fett’s leadership we know any details about is Galidraan.  

Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue 3

I'm going to tell the governor that the insurrection is over...

"Your reign is secure" [...] "I killed your enemy now tell me where to find mine!"

Bounty Hunter Game Guide:

Since ancient times, Mandalorians were brutally effective fighters, and especially so under Jango Fett’s leadership. However, while fighting to suppress a popular revolt in the Galidraan system, the Mandalorians ran afoul of the Jedi Knights, who wiped out most of the mercenary army and delivered the survivors to the governor of Galidraan. 

Fact Files vol.3, issue 14

Fett led the Mandalorians for eight years, during which the hunt for Vizsla was never far from their minds. When they discovered that Death Watch was being protected and funded by the Governor of Galidraan, they accepted a job dealing with a minor rebellion on the planet in order to get close to Vizsla. But when Jango left  the Mandalorians to go and collect payment (and to insist that the governor should give up Death Watch and Vizsla to them), it turned out to be a trap. Vizsla was waiting, and Jango had to make a fighting retreat.

Fact Files #124 

Eight years after the death of Jaster Mereel, Jango Fett’s leadership had ensured the survival and even the growth of the Mandalorian group. The Governor of Galidraan hired them to deal with an insurrection that threatened his tyrannical hold on power. Jango’s men did their job, but when Jango went to the Governor, he was ambushed by the Governor’s new associates - Vizsla and the Death Watch.

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

Mandalorians were asked by the governor of Galidraan to quell an insurrection[...]

In general, tie-in material is in agreement that A) True Mandalorians under Jango’s leadership took a job to deal with an insurrection B) governor was corrupted (working for Tor Vizsla) and his rule was even called a tyrannical one. 

Korda Six was meant to be an easy job for young Jango’s sake yet still was about saving a rookie squad in need while Jango’s men took money to destroy people that most likely fought for their freedom, rights and/or democracy. All done just so Jango could get Tor Vizsla, the murderer of his biological family and surrogate father. We can’t be sure if Jaster Mereel would take that job. The retconned Jaster-Boba Fett most likely would

“What you're doing is morally wrong. The Rebels are in the wrong, and the Rebellion will fail as it should." Leia Organa could not keep the outrage out of her voice. "Morally wrong? Us? We're fighting for homes and our families and our loved ones, the ones who are still alive and the ones we've lost. The Empire destroyed my entire world, virtually everyone I ever knew as a child?" Fett actually leaned forward slightly. "Those worlds rose in rebellion against the authority legally in place over them. The Emperor was within his rights to destroy them; they threatened the system of social justice that permits civilization to exist." He paused. "I am sorry for the deaths of the innocent. But that happens in war, Leia Organa. The innocent die in wars, and your side should not have started this one." [The Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fett by Daniel Keys Moran]

However, would that be true for Jaster Mereel, known from Jango’s backstory? Would a person that according to History of the Mandalorians “brought a strong ethic that extended far beyond the limited Mandalorian ideology fighting for credits” be okay with destroying an insurrection against a corrupted official if he himself killed a corrupted fellow Protector and/or his superior? And yes, True Mandalorians were a mercenary band selling their martial arts for good money but that does not mean that Jaster accepted every job available. 

Jaster is known for his strong moral sense that put him in collision with Tor Vizsla and Death Watch that accepted only Mandalorian laws, the law of strongest/violence. Jango too was described as having a personal honor code, but so far sources are concerned, Fett's main rule was that once you accept a job you must finish it. It didn’t matter if his target was a criminal or people forced in slave labor. 

As Jango taught Boba, “Your loyalty, your honor – these are the things that matter. When you accept a mission, when you give your word, it is all that matters. As you grow into a man, you must remember: in battle, there can be no mercy. [Tales 18: Way of the Warrior]

The final difference between Jaster and Jango comes to this: Jaster wanted to be Mandalore 

“[...] fought tooth-and-nail to become reigning Mandalore and unite the disparate clans”  [History of the Mandalorians/SW Insider #80]

while Jango did not show that desire nor was named by Jaster as his successor.  

Some sources incorrectly claim Jango was chosen by Jaster Mereel:

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

[Jaster Mereel] also appointed Jango Fett as his choice to succeed him as Mand'alor.

and Legacy of the Force: Revelation by Karen Traviss

"Why did Shysa think Fett should be Mandalore? Because his father was?" Jaina didn't add that Fett didn't strike her as the community-minded kind. "Bloodlines don't matter to you." "True, but Jango had a fearsomely good fighting reputation, and he was Jaster Mereel's chosen heir, so the Fett name has some power.

however Jaster Mereel, as was pointed out by comics, didn’t name his successor and as comics showed, he did not utter any last word before his death.

[Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue 2]

Furthermore, Jango did call Montross unfit to lead True Mandalorians for leaving Jaster Mereel for death but that is it. Fourteen years old Fett did not make any claim to the Mandalore title - it was Silas, the loyal soldier, who first said he would  follow Jango and no one else and other soldiers backed up that.

Jango: That's not your call to make, Montross. I say you're not fit to lead us. You left Jaster on the battlefield. To die alone. Silas: I'll follow Jango. And do one else. Montross: Is that what you want? A child leading you? [Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue 2]

Jango was already a great soldier, however that Jaster treated him as his son, does not mean he planned to officially name him his successor, as there could be better fitted, older and more experienced Mandalorians to hold that title (and maybe, when Fett would be older, then he could be their successor). Jango himself believed that Jaster will choose what is the best for True Mandalorians.

Now, let's talk about Walon Vau and how he fits True Mandalorians in the pre-Galidraan era. We know he joined Mandalorians at a young age. We also know that True Mandalorians is a name used by Jaster Mereel to distinguish his men from rebellious Death Watch -

[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]

something that must have happened not so before Jango was orphaned (58BBY), however both factions were part of the same Mandalorian Mercs. So there is a real possibility that Walon Vau knew/was aware of Jaster Mereel - or was affected by his Supercommando Codex to some degree before he served under Jango Fett.

The same as Jango, Vau is presented as a very competent soldier but not exactly liked as a person, at least at the beginning of the Republic Commando book series. In general, the change in perception of Vau is the best seen through his difficult yet complex relationship with Kal Skirata however no matter how relationship warmed between Vau and other characters, the novels constantly described him as cold, detached, hard to read, sometimes even to the point he looked like he did not care about anything and anyone or generally speaking, as someone keeping his emotions under control.

In True Colors, Walon himself admitted to have “little time for anyone else, regardless of species” with the exception of Mird, the men of the Grand Army and most likely Jango Fett, for whom he agreed to train army for around decade on Kamino, cut away from the outside world. Similarly, in Imperial Commando: 501st, Ordo claimed he “had never known Vau to show the slightest interest in another living being” in the context of a romantic/sexual relationship.

(Side note: I do think Vau may be asexual/aromantic and depending on Jango Fett’s own sexuality this could be another factor why they get along better than Jango with Kal Skirata, something I talked more in another meta).

Republic Commando Prima Guide outright called Vau “borderline sociopathic”

same as The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia:

"Like his peers, Vau was a Mandalorian mercenary. As one of the Cuy'val Dar, Seargeant Vau was known for his pessimistic demeanor, and his training was noted for the worst-case scenarios [...]. Many of his graduates considered Vau to be a borderline sociopath, especially given the way he planned missions."

Side note: in the book series it is actually trained by Kal Skirata clones who use terms like "Old Psycho" and "head case" for Walon, not Vau's own men. And generally speaking most terms like crazy, psycho or other mental implications comes from Kal or his men. Jango too was insulted as unhinged shabuir.

Though from my online research I’m not sure if “borderline sociopath" truly fits the book!Vau, I think it is safe to call him an introvert who most likely falls into the spectrum of Antisocial Personality Disorder. Similar to Jango, Walon is not a person who wants or needs to connect to people, beside the few special beings - for Jango it was Jaster and Boba, for Walon Mird and his clone trainees.

However in contrast to Fett, Vau seems to have much more defined morality. Yes, Jango followed his own personal code - keep your word and finish the mission you agreed to do - yet despite himself being a slave for at least two years, this experience apparently did not create in Jango empathy for enslaved, oppressed people as in the end, he was working for those who could afford his service, which includes the corrupted politicians and criminals enriched on slavery and illegal spice. And when Kaminoan scientistpointed out he lacked morality, Jango get angry:

Internal memo penned by Hali Ke, senior research geneticist, Kamino, 27 BBY (source) 

I have now logged many sessions with our prime clone Jango Fett, and concluded that he embodies his species’ contradictions. He is a killer many times over, ending the life of others without hesitation if paid to do so, yet his anger was obvious when I suggested he lacked morality.

In contrast, Walon acknowledged that he is a criminal by Coruscant standards and did not deny that at all. 

Republic Commando: Order 66

“I’ve known Skirata for some years,” Vau said. “He’s a criminal by Coruscant standards. So am I. But an outright traitor - no. He’s a professional.”

At the same time, he did not allow Deltas to cross the line between soldiers and criminals, as he was adamant they won’t steal money during raid on Mygneeto Bank

Republic Commando: True Colors

"Sarge, we got what we came for. Why are we robbing a bank?" "You're not robbing it. I'm robbing it. You're just opening a door."

and

“We can empty the-” “I steal. You don’t.” It was a fine point but it mattered to Vau. Skirata might have raised a pack of hooligans, but Vau’s squads were disciplined. Even Sev… Sev was psychotic and lacked even the most basic social graces, but he wasn’t a criminal.

- even if Walon personally considered depriving his biological family of their fortune as a matter of justice, for himself and clone troopers ("I'm not robbing for gain. I'm not a greedy man. I just want justice. [...] Justice for me; justice for the clone troops, used up and thrown away like flimsi napkins.")

Side note: Kal's comment even further imply how unusual was for Vau to rob a bank in the first place:

"Unconfirmed. We lost his signal. He had kit with him that General Jusik felt you would want to recover." "What for?" "He cleaned out a bank vault. Credits, jewelry, bonds, the works. Two bags." Vau robbed a bank? Skirata was taken aback. The miserable old di'kut was game for breaking any law, but plain theft - never. This was Skirata's style, not Vau's.

Walon also did not allow Delta Squad to take part in extraction of Jilka because he considered it "too dirty and political".

Republic Commando: Order 66

"What do you want us to do, Sarge?” Vau summoned Mird back to his side with a silent gesture. “Nothing.” “Sarge, we can-” “No. You can’t. Sorry. This crosses the line from soldier to … well, I don’t want you involved with this. I needed Zey to know what I was doing, but it’s better you don’t ask why, either.” “Okay, Sarge.” Scorch activated his helmet comlink, wondering if Vau didn’t think they were good enough to take on RDS. “I’ll get the schematics of the security cells, and we’ll have you an operational plan inside half an hour.” “Scrap the plan, Scorch, but the schematics would be very welcome. Get some rest. Kashyyyk is going to wring you dry.” “Okay, Sarge.” They had time to give him a bit of help. “We wouldn’t foul up, honest.” “I know. But this is too dirty and political even for special ops. Concentrate on Kashyyyk. Real soldiering to be done there.”

Side note: Freeing Jilka Zan Zentis out of RDS custody was more done for benefit of Besany and Ordo (and Skirata) than anything else but Vau drew the line and kept to the resolution that members of the Delta Squad were soldiers first and foremost - their mission were sanctioned by Republic military and whatever happened and whoever they killed during said missions did not make them criminals. On other hand, there is something to say about Vau and how much of "dirty work" he did for Skirata clan's benefit through the whole book series.

The books also points out that despite his brutality and detachment, he cared for his own military self-respect and wasn’t one for blindly following orders:

“Are you on brigade strength again, Sarge?” Scorch asked. “No. Still civilian status.” Vau wore a slightly preoccupied frown that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the business at hand. “That way I can tell Zey where to stick his orders without feeling I’ve lost my military self-respect. An army that refuses orders is a rabble.” Scorch had heard it all before. It was like a litany, and he knew his lines. “An army that refuses orders is a danger to its citizens.” “An army that refuses orders is dead.” “You ever disobeyed an order, Sarge?” “Only when it was unlawful. And that’s not always an easy call, not when the bolts are shaving your nose hair. I’ll leave that wisdom to the lawyers sitting on their padded shebse years after the event.” Vau had never been a chatty man at the best of times; maybe this was the private Vau, the one his squads rarely saw.

 Of course, what is “unlawful” in the opinion of a man that had no objection to brutalize clone cadets on Kamino or to interrogate and later kill an unarmed woman is up to debate.

Vau, for a former aristocrat, has also a very clear disdain for slavery:

Republic Commando: True Colors

"Of course," said Skirata, "we don't know if he's aware that the Republic sends out hit men to execute clones who want to try their luck in Civvy Street, either." Vau was watching the conversation with an air of boredom, which usually meant quite the opposite. He kept looking across to the one closed cabin, which had to be Ko Sai's holding cell, and exuding impatience. "If you broadcast that on the hour, all day on HNE, nobody would care, Kal. I guarantee it." "They'll care if the Seps start attacking Coruscant and interrupt their holovid viewing, all right." "But there's not going to be this massive wave of protest on behalf of Our Brave Boys. You'll be knocked flat by the wave of apathy. Goodness, our slave army, bred to fight, disposed of when it's too much trouble? What a sensible system! Good for the Chancellor! That's what we pay our taxes for!" Vau dropped the bored act and came very close to exposing emotion for once. "It saves all those civilians from having to look after their own democracy. The most you'll get is a few creds dropped in a charity box on the anniversary of Geonosis. No Senator is going to change a thing."

or

"Ugliness is an illusion, gentlemen." Vau began sorting through his disputed inheritance. "Like beauty. Like color. All depends on the light." The first thing that caught his eye in the family box was his mother's flawless square-cut shoroni sapphire, the size of a human thumbprint, set on a pin and flanked by two smaller matching stones. In some kinds of light, they were a vibrant cobalt blue, while in others they turned forest green. Beautiful: but real forests had been destroyed to find them, and slaves died mining them. "The only reality is action." 

or

"You do realize," he said to Skirata, "that if the troopers were given a choice, most would opt to stay in the army anyway?" "I do. We all prefer the comfort of what we know best." "They'd be as dead as volunteers as they'd be as slaves, Kal." "But they'd have a choice, and that's what makes us free men." "Actually, that's a load of osik. Plenty of free beings in the galaxy don't have a vote and don't get a choice about what they do each day. There's a very blurred line between slavery and economic dependence." 

Additional Commentary: The line:  "there's a very blurred line between slavery and economic dependence." most likely is related to Vau's biological family. From the same book:

“It’s the Arakyd special, Walon. Says more about you than credits ever can.” The gangster look was less conspicuous here than full Mandalorian armor. The idea was to look like they’d come for sportfishing so that submerging Aay'han offshore didn’t attract the wrong sort of interest. “Looks rather expensive.” “Another bauble from the Vau deposit box. My great-grandfather is said to have shot a servant with it for serving his caf too hot.” Skirata almost went for the bait. “You’re just saying that to make me mad, aren’t you?” Vau’s expression was unreadable. “You know I’d never do such a thing.” Mereel put a restraining hand on Skirata’s shoulder as he overtook him. The terrible thing about Vau and his family was that it was perfectly possible.

This little story - whatever true or not - illustrates well that a person doesn't need to be shackled down like a slave to be exploited and mistreated. A servant, a free person earning their own living - may still be economic dependent on a cruel master with no protection from abuse, even if in theory applicable laws should regulate the coexistence of employer and employee. But sadly, the same as in real life the domestic help was often abused and mistreated, the galaxy far far away is too filled with corruption, greed and general lack of care for the poorest and the most vulnerable.

Vau’s point is especially interesting in regard to Jango, who at least twice took part in suppressing rebellion against the planet's potentially tyrannical leader (Galidraan) and slave revolt against Kuat elite/ Corporate exploitation, as happened in mentioned previously Tales 18: Way of the Warrior

Taking into account that Vau is

empathic enough to think there's a very blurred line between slavery and economic dependence and has some stories related to his biological family and its exploitation of other beings without an ounce of regret (slaves dying to mine shoroni sapphire, a stones used by his mother or the servant killed for trivial, petty reason)

he refused to follow orders he considered unlawful even under enemy's fire

we should ask this - did the mission on Galidraan was the line he refused to cross?

Mind you, there is not enough direct sources to prove it or reject this notion, so this is just one of possibilities, but if Walon Vau served under Jaster Mereel before Korda Six and shared similar approach to law and morality, after eight years of hunting for Death Watch (and knowing Tor Vizsla and his cunning nature, that was most likely a wild goose chase) he could become disinterested in Jango's more ruthless leadership at some point. Not enough to quit True Mandalorians but enough to notice that Jango may move further and further away from what Jaster Mereel would consider a good (morally and financial) contract for his people. After all, Galidraan was only partially about money, as it was above all a means to catch and kill Tor Vizsla, so Montross could be right, young Fett's mind was clouded when it comes to Jaster and avenging his death.

I'm not saying that Jango was a bad leader, but I think Vau not wanting to involve himself in suppressing a rebellion of ordinary people against a potential tyrant (aristocrat) fits well within established data about him. Even more if we take into account his statement:

Vau didn’t meet Skirata’s eyes for a moment, but he glanced at Jusik. “I could have been at Galidraan, but I wasn’t, and I never forgot that. Not my fight. Should have been my fight.” [Republic Commando: Order 66]

"Not my fight" most likely is about Vau's more ambivalent feeling toward Death Watch (that understandable after Galidraan turned into hatred) and recognizing that it was Jango's revenge quest but I think it may also be about the nature of the mission that went against Vau's own moral code. And another question without a clear answer is, did Vau ever disobeyed Jango's order before Galidraan?

At this moment, I think it is safe to assume that Vau knowing Jango for over two decades does not automatically mean they were close to each other from the start but considering that Jango at some point shared with Walon personal matters like childhood trauma (more details in previous part), he was no stranger either. However Jango being the Mandalore does not make him "moral authority" in Walon's eyes (the way Jaster was, maybe?) who could and in fact refused to follow orders if he did consider them unlawful. Young Jango on another hand was more concerned with his personal quest (revenge) than morality of his action and may have taken a contract that Jaster himself wouldn't. What could lead to some tension between those two, but as Galidraan and its dire consequences will shown, the potential personal conflict between Vau and Fett did not set them apart.

Next part: Galidraan and its consequences

[nixalegos]

-Rolo-hex audio recording 165

Telogrus Rift. What a shithole. Of all the blasted to nothing gravesites that used to be a planet I've visited, it certainly ranks among the highest for biggest disappointments. To think they willingly live among the cervices' like animals, with oblivion for company. I had time before Tyleinth joined me, assured by multiple parties that our visit to the erstwhile 'home' of the banished Ren'dorei was not a trick, that our investigative powers as adventurers was needed in consultation. It was readily apparent why. The fuckers don't even have running water. Not that some of the locals recognized the need for hygiene. My 'welcome' party included one actively tearing pieces of their hair out to eat. I've been spoiled with my acquaintance the Courier, as a majority of her people seemingly lack the sheer composure and force of will it must take to be so well put together. I now wonder if the denizens in fact go mad from the assailment of dark whispers, or the constant self deception that it was worth it in the end. I never told Ty how close I came to being one of them. It made sense at the time. Despite my material possessions, my ties to Silvermoon are out of loyalty to a romantic ideal, one that has never been reciprocated by its remaining citizenry or leadership. I have never been willing to die for the city, especially after the Sunwell. Merely kill for it. I suppose that makes me a bad Sin'dorei. But it is true. I suspect my near suicidal approach to combatting the Black Empire with such ferocity can be in retrospect be unfavorably compared to the moth and the flame. A gander at my right arm makes it obvious who was burned. How close it was to claiming my flesh, but close doesn't matter in matters of the body, the mind, magic and soul. Only horseshoes and mana-bombs. I realize now, after visiting this dead world, why the shadows didn't tempt me with falling into the abyss. My own avarice and hunger were so much louder then it could ever hope to be. I was never a coin flip away from being a mutant in my own skin, because I was the one looking to claim it. To use it the same as I grasp and strangle and abuse every other magic that I've ever gotten a grasp of. A star is an explosion that cannot escape the gravity of its own hunger. The infernal engine that devours the dark and stains its teeth in blood and ichor. The endless pursuit of being more and better. I'm poised on the tip of some self evident actualization. I can feel it. Or maybe I'm actually crazier then these Ren'dorei are, and I just carry the burden better. -Rolo-hex audio recording 165, buried in service skull marked S4

Tagging @tyleinth and @safrona-shadowsun for mentions!

[discordantwritings]

One Piece Self Insert Profile

Name: Eike

Pronouns: they/ them

Age: 25

Devil Fruit: Mythical Zoan Tori Tori no Mi Model: Nachtkrapp

Occupation:

Former World Government Special Unit

Current Cross Guild Member

Personality: Despite their distant and apathetic exterior they are not devoid of emotions. They hide empathetic and starved emotions deep down, often showing through in fits of anger and desperation.

Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit-

Tori Tori no Mi Model: Nachtkrapp

Nachtkrapp- or “Night Raven” is a giant, nocturnal, raven-like bird said to bring disease and death to those who look at it. Other legends claim that it steals, eats, or kills children who are out past their bedtime.

Most of the time Eike has some of the bird physical features- holed wings and sharp claws are a mainstay. Not having the ability to fly is something they hate- so they almost never will their wings away. Their full Zoan form is monstrous and good for fear and strength, but loses out on the dexterity that their fighting style typically relies on. It’s typically a last ditch effort if they are fully transforming.

The main power of the Tori Tori no Mi Model: Nachtkrapp is the ability to reap the souls of the recently deceased. Eike takes a portion of the dead’s willpower and stores it as their own. This gives Eike incredible- if somewhat temporary- armament and observation haki. The downside has been mostly negated by the sheer number of victims Eike has had over their time both as a World Government operative and as a member of the Cross Guild. The reaped haki has a distinctive bright green color and notably cannot be used as conquer’s haki.

Lore-

Eike doesn’t know their parents, doesn’t know where they were born, and likely will never find out. Their first memories are of being brought up by the World Government- apathetic caretakers and the far too early start of combat training by Marines. Eike assumes they have some good genetics, something that made the World Government pluck them from god knows where to train them into being the perfect user of a Mythical Zoan.

It wasn’t until puberty when they actually got to eat the Tori Tori no Mi Model: Nachtkrapp. By then they were perfectly cold and calculating- a bent a broken child molded into a killer for the World Government. Receiving this power gave them something they never had before though- freedom.

That was when they were trusted to do missions alone, to travel the seas. Of course, all of this came with the small side effect of having to leave a trail of bodies in their wake but that wasn’t really even a thought for them anymore. It allowed them to collect souls- collect willpower- so one day they didn’t have to be just an attack dog for the World Government.

Lately, things haven’t been going so well for the World Government anyways. After the events at Impel Down Eike has just been biding their time, waiting for the perfect assignment to finally slip away for good. And only 2 years after that major blunder the chance comes.

An assignment to take out the leader of the Cross Guild. A difficult task, given the powerful allies he has and the countless pirates in his service. The perfect man to align themselves with. The Cross Guild was already bent on taking out the Marines so it was a perfect match.

Now, it takes some convincing, and a shift in the understanding of the hierarchy of the Cross Guild but eventually they join the ranks, the thrill of hunting down their former captors pairing well with the Cross Guild’s mission. And of course it’s simply a business relationship.

There’s no way they can have any emotional attachment to the weird collection of pirates that make up the Cross Guild leadership. And no way any of them have an attachment to them as well.

No way.

Relationships-

Sir Crocodile: It’s complicated.

Crocodile was the first to agree to Eike’s membership in the Cross Guild, and for that they are grateful. He had the most objective approach to them joining- a fair assessment that they either try to all kill each other now or later- later might as well be better.

Eike would bet good berry that Crocodile would be the one to betray them first, yet despite that they find themself drifting towards trust. Maybe it was because he showed them how the business side of things worked, trusted them to point the Guild in the direction of important Marines and Government operatives.

And maybe long quiet nights in comfortable silence as they finish work together we’re nice.

Maybe.

Dracule Mihawk: It’s also complicated

There’s a kinship here as both Eike and Mihawk are former weapons of the World Government. It’s not often there’s someone Eike gets challenged by combat wise and as much as they wish it to be different they are still leagues behind Mihawk.

So they train. And occasionally Mihawk walks by (on accident of course) and will give them tips. Maybe spar once in a while.

There’s always a distance- two weapons aren’t good at conversation- but there’s something nice about knowing you’re not the only one.

Buggy: It complicated (clown version)

Buggy is… loud. Pathetic. Annoying. (Kind.)

He forces his way into making conversation with Eike, forces proximity, forces a bond.

Until it’s not forced anymore. Until it’s natural and Eike seeks him out to eat meals together and spend free time in his presence. He’s fun and Eike isn’t used to fun. It’s foreign and uncomfortable and…

Nice.