Tales of the Mandalorians

[Dieter Schprokets]

Billy Bishop, Mandalorian pilot, walked stiffly into the dingy New London flat he called home, and announced his presence loudly and characteristically;

Whos that I hear?

Immediately after the words were uttered, four pairs of small feet pounded the rough wooden floor in the flat, accompanied by a chorus of kids voices, yelling various greetings, requests for money, and permission to do things Mom wont let us do.

Billys wife Suzanne watched the chaos at the front door with a smirk, called her brood back to the supper table, then greeted her husband at the door with a hug, a kiss, and the brushing of dust from the simple black Mandalorian tunic. She then wiped some dried blood away from a nasty gash on his forehead, with a look of concern.

Hit my head on the cockpit interior. Bit of Corsair trouble. His tone was light, but his expression wasnt. It had been a close call, and his wife knew it. Serious disapproval showed on her face.

Dont start that. Said Billy, not realizing that by uttering the words, he had started it. But men are dumb that way.

What the HELL are those Mandalorian idiots doing raiding Gamma?!? she asked in a harsh angry whisper. Her accent was a highland one, and it came out strong when she was in a mood like this.

Billy shrugged. Moneys good. He said. Better than BAF-SF ever paid me.

Yes, but back then, you only fought the Kusari, and the Mollys, back when we was still shooting at each other. You know how to fight the noodle munchers. Against them, I can be sure youll come home. But the Corsairs? In Gamma, no less? What is the Mandalore thinking?

Billys jaw clenched, and his answer was cool. Not a tone that does any good in an argument with one's spouse, but again, men are dumb.

The Mandalore is thinking that his boys are good pilots, and the work is where it is.

He continued. And they take care of their own. If anything happens to me..."

His wife interrupted. "I'll have a dead husband." That made him pause. The kids were quiet now, listening. They knew the score. Children in wartime learned some things quickly. Daddy had a dangerous job. He killed people, and he could himself be killed. And Mom did not like it. At all.

Billy lowered his voice. "Listen, woman. This decision was made months ago. Flying and fighting is all I know. I can do it for the Bretonian Armed Forces, and get shot down by Kusari, and you would have some paltry widow's pension for you and the kids to survive on. Or, I can fight for the Mandalorians, get shot down by Corsairs, and you would have a small fortune waiting for you."

Billy took her hand. "I'm taking care of my family, the only way I can."

Suzanne shook her head, tears welling. "I'd rather have you around, and be poor, than be a rich widow." Voice breaking now..

Billy looked at her silently for a second. Then he spoke, even more quietly. "Sweetheart, the choice between a dangerous career in QCRF and a very dangerous career as a Mandalorian no longer exists. This is not generally known, and you aren't supposed to know this but.." he paused and bit his lip. "The Corsairs are here, now, in Bretonia, in force. Cambridge, and New London. Yesterday, a QCRF fleet was slaughtered by the OPG near the Cambridge jump gate."

His wife blanched, and he continued. "Bretonia is in serious trouble. I'm in the same danger, no matter which uniform I wear. I got this bump on my noggin in Cambridge, not in Gamma, while trying to drive the bastards off."

Suzanne just looked at him, aghast. She could say nothing. Everything was far worse than she had believed.

Billy's wristcom went off, and he briefly looked at it, then closed his eyes and sighed.

"Sweetheart, its a Broken Arrow. I must leave, now." Mandalorian and/or client in mortal danger. Scramble all craft.

He kissed her on the cheek, grabbed his jacket, turned and left. Didn't even get to take his boots off.

Suzanne stared at the door, trembling, feeling the same dread that millions of wives of millions of soldiers had felt across the ages.

She turned, and put on the same brave smile that her kids had seen dozens of times, and which had stopped fooling them years ago. She strode into the kitchen, and said to her four children, "Daddy will be back soon. Has another job to go to."

God, she hoped it were true.

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