#ortraz

[bearmageddon]

I’ve been reading a lot this one really good Matt centric fic made by the peeps over at @this-iswhywefight and since there’s only a small amount of character description I though it’d be fun to try drawing some of them!

[this-iswhywefight]

Hey. Yeah ummmm 1. Why did Kartok burn those marks into his skin? What do they mean? 2. Give matt a puppy it's what he deserves like half of the paladins have pets make it happen (maybe he and shiro can coparent one I was always salty about shiro and hunk not getting pets) 3. I can't stop imagining the ice cream scene from ww but with zarra, thank you 4. Im kinda interested in what ortaz had to do to get the BOMs attention

Hi!1) Kartok got three of them during the first year he spent in prison, far before he met Leilani. He got his wife and children’s names burned between his shoulder blades. The last one he got later on. It’s Valdis’ name. All people he loved and lost and whose deaths he blames himself for. 2) Matt and Shiro should adopt a whole shelter of dogs along with the orphanage they (half) joke about. 3) THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE SAME WAVE LENGTH AS ME.4) Ortraz was helping slaves in the pits and talking to other gladiators. He was slowly and carefully starting to plant doubt and get people noticing how bad things were and thinking about how they could be instead. He was a valued champion, a favorite fighter and trainer, so he could go places others couldn’t and he’d always been loyal before so he got away with a lot and started to make some progress. But the BOM aren’t the only ones with spies and ears to the ground, and the wrong person heard him talking once and that was it. 

[this-iswhywefight]

★

Seconds turn!Martek: Matt credits him with being the reason he was able to feel like a person. Martek was his assigned roommate when he first joined the Coalition, and they bonded pretty quickly, even when Matt was holding everyone at arm’s length. He was Matt’s first friend, and his first point of “I’m really out, I can maybe be okay again”, and Matt didn’t hesitate when asked who he wanted to make his second in commander. Before Kartok could even finish his question he’d chosen Martek. Ortraz: Ortraz was unknowingly helping members of the Blade of Marmora when he was quietly sowing dissent in the Gladiator pits when he was still among the Empire. If the Coalition hadn’t gotten to him first, the BOM would have snatched him right up. !oshi: They are the most essential cog in the Coalition’s diplomatic works. Nothing happens on board concerning diplomatic relations that they haven’t had a hand in. From organizing meetings, full on trip and events to making sure that the chains that Matt wears with his cloaks are polished, it’s !oshi. And they do it damn fucking well. Omontu: She never meant to stick around with the Coalition for as long as she has. She’s a medical researcher by trade, and joined up after an offer from Valdis like a year into the Coalition existing, when they’d liberated her planet pretty early on. It was supposed to be short stint, no more than a year, but she was needed, and she wanted to help so she stuck around, made friends with Leilani when they were Akello’s second, and stayed close when Akello died and Leilani became Commander and needed her at their side. It’s been years and years and she can’t imagine being anywhere else at this point. 

[this-iswhywefight]

How old are your ocs? And ik they are aliens so the years can't tell me much but let's say they were human, in what "life phase" will they be? Like teen young adults middle age etc..

This is all equivalencies bc alien ages are wiiiiiiild

Leilani: late 30sKartok: late 40s-50sZarra: mid 20s (about Matt’s age)

Martek: early 20s (slightly younger than Matt, like a feisty undergrad assistant)Ortraz: late 30s-40s

Jion & Zetri: late teens

Akello: late 30sValdis: mid 30s

If I’ve forgotten any of the major OCs please forgive me…….

[this-iswhywefight]

A1 for the bingo thing? If it's not too late. :)

A1: Apologizing right before passing out

The pod lands with a hiss that makes Jion’s ears twitch. Ortraz chuckles, laying a heavy hand on the pup’s shoulder. “Be easy,” he murmurs. “It was a successful mission, he should be in a good mood.”

“It’s not his mood I’m worried about.” Jion blinks at him, all wide eyes and curled in ears. “I have never had Commander Holt return without the Commanders on ship. This throws off the whole routine Martek left me!”Almost anyone else and Ortraz might just sigh, but it’s Jion, sweet pup, trying so hard to step up and fill Martek’s sizable role while he’s away on Shi’or piecing the ground base together. He’s doing his best, not that he seems to believe that, and Ortraz had promised Martek he’d help guide the pup along.“The Commanders return soon,” Ortraz reassures, gently squeezing his shoulder. “Your priority is to retrieve the data and make sure Commander Holt eats before he attempts to hole up in the Hub. Commander Zarra will see to the rest once she is back on base.” 

Jion nods, hugging the data pad in his arms tighter to his chest, attention jumping up to the pod as the doors open, revealing Holt and Baerl, both looking tired, and a little bruised up, but otherwise uninjured. 

Holt is just finishing up his debrief with Baerl, speaking to her in low, but firm tones, and she nods as they head down the steps. Jion stands straight at attention, every muscle tense and tight. “Be easy,” Ortraz mutters to him once more before straightening up himself. “Welcome back, Commander.”Holt claps Baerl on the back, and tugs off his helmet to reveal a drawn, tired smile on his lips. “Good to be back. Anything blow up here with just you two in charge?”“No Commander!” Jion squeaks, eyes wide once more. “Of course not, sir!”“I’m teasing, Jion.” Holt chuckles, tucking his helmet under his arm. “I know you had it handled.” He looks to Baerl. “You should rest. Check in with Rel and take the next few days to rest.” The tired smile shifts to an all out grin. “We did good today.”“Yes, sir.” Baerl smiles back at him before thanking him and taking her leave. There’s the slightest limp to her walk. Ortraz frowns, making a mental note to ask Omontu to take a look, just as Commander Holt starts frowning to.“Jion send Omontu after her later, would you?” he murmurs, carding a hand through his hair. “She landed wrong during the fight. I think she twisted it. Anything more than that and remind me to ask Lani to take a look.”Ortraz smiles. It is moments like this that he truly gets to see and appreciate how much Commander Holt has grown since those first cycles with the Coalition. “Yes Commander,” Jion says, making a note on his pad. “What else do you need of me, sir?”“Nothing really.” Holt shrugs. “Data was uploaded right to the ship’s banks, so the engineers are gonna need to extract that before we can do anything with it. Are the Commanders back yet?”“Not yet,” Ortraz says lowly. “The meeting on Gitur has run a bit long. Commander Zarra does not think they will be much longer though, sir.” Holt hums, soft and thoughtful. He looks… calm. Tired, and a bit drawn, but calm. Ortraz almost takes it at face value and misses the way his grip has gone tight and white knuckled around his helmet. He takes a step forward, abrupt enough that it startles Jion, making him jump. “Commander Holt? Are you alright?”It takes Holt a moment to respond, like the words don’t quite reach him right away. He meets Ortraz’s gaze evenly, and shock rips through Ortraz at how hazy and unfocused his gaze has become. “I was hoping Leilani would be back,” he says with the slightest waver to his voice.“Sir?” Jion asks, blinking.“I didn’t say anything because I thought they’d be back,” Holt says. It’s an explanation, but Ortraz has no idea for what. Holt steps forward, stumbles forward and Ortraz is quick to catch him with a grip on his arm. “Commander Holt-”Holt shakes his head, muttering that he’s fine, even as his weight sinks into Ortraz’s support. “It’s nothing…Just a knock on the head…” He shakes his head again, brow furrowing tightly. “Needed to get her home…”That takes a moment to process. Knock on the head. Knock on the– The curse falls from his lips before he can stop it, professionalism breaking on the realization that Holt had gotten hurt and didn’t say a single damn thing. “Ortraz?” Jion asks, wide eyed again. “What’s wrong?”“It’s okay Jion,” Holt reassures, seeking out his stand in second. A shaky smile crosses his lips. “Sorry about this pup…”

Holt tries to steady himself, pull himself up from Ortraz’s grip, only to fall limp with a groan of pain on his lips. Ortraz quickly catches his weight, Jion’s cry of alarm coming to him through a thick fog, all his focus on the now unconscious Commander in his arms.

[this-iswhywefight]

if you're doing requests, maybe: seconds support group is in session?

Omontu bursts forth into the meeting room with a scowl, and a sharp glare that she aims directly at Martek. “You need to control your damned Commander!”“Hello Omontu,” Martek says mildly, not bothering to look up from his work. “Nice to see you. Are you having a good morning? These are just a few acceptable greetings far more appropriate than simply shouting at me upon entering a room.” 

“What did he do now?” Ortraz asks, leaning across the table to grab the pitcher to refill his and !oshi’s glasses. They trill at him softly in thanks, cheeks glowing a sweet pink. “I resent that you think he did something,” Martek notes dryly. “Omontu has a rather quick fuse, my friend. How do we know she is not-”

“Martek,” !oshi chides with a laugh. “Come now.”

“Yes Martek,” Omontu snarks, throwing herself into a chair. “Come now, and enlighten us with tales of Commander Holt’s newest bout of reckless endangerment to his own health and well being!”

Martek purses his lips, finally looking up from the slices of data reports before him. A long moment of silence hangs delicately in the air, tinged expectant, amused, and frustrated all at once. He sighs, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.“…He tried to break out of the infirmary.”!oshi blinks. Ortraz schools his face into a mask of calm. Omontu seethes. 

“He what?”

“I don’t– He woke up after being healed from the head wound after his helmet malfunctioned, had a bit of a panic when he didn’t immediately recognize where he was, and he… are you really going to make me say it?” Martek opens his eyes and the look he shoots them all is beyond plaintive. “It’s Commander Holt, what do you think he did when presented with the possibility of suddenly finding himself in an unfamiliar environment?”

“He re-injured himself, somehow worse than before, and destroyed two cots!” Omontu snaps. “Two! Not just the one he was resting on, but one on the other side of the infirmary! I don’t even know how he did it! It’s not like he had his damn weapons!”

“Oh dear.” One delicate hand covers !oshi’s mouth. “What did Commander Leilani have to say?”

“Nothing!” Omontu throws a hand in the air. “Commander Holt is a menace to himself and everything around him and Leilani finds it precious!” She makes a show of going wide eyed, getting her hands folded up under her chin and sweetly cooing, “Oh Starling! Come now, darling, let me drown you in citrus and honey. Let us be easy. Bah!” Omontu breaks the imitation with a huff, sinking back into her chair. 

Martek closes his eyes once more, and sighs. “Well,” Ortraz says, after another stretch of silence between them all. “That’s certainly a start to the day.”

[this-iswhywefight]

Will Ortraz and martek get together? Cause damm I ship it. Do you mind telling us about their first impressions of each other/first meeting? 💘

Oh, they spent so long just being polite.

Martek didn’t really meet Ortraz until he became Commander Holt’s second. As a coder, he hid in the Hub for the most part, and only caught glimpses of the massive Galran in the dining hall during mealtimes. Martek wouldn’t be caught dead on the training floor. In the early days especially, he avoided anyone from the combat sector, illogically dreading being pulled into a session. Fortunately, Commander Zarra’s second didn’t seem to notice him at all.

When Holt and, subsequently, Martek were promoted, they became acquaintances from necessity, but they quickly bonded over the ridiculousness of their respective commanders. Holt has yet another burn on his arm that he will not take to Omontu. A sigh, a chuckle. Ah, yes, Zarra will not give me the fresh recruits yet even though her fur hides bruises from their clumsiness.

They’re comrades, first and foremost, although it doesn’t take long for them to become friends. Still, they’re polite. They calmly check in with one another. They exchange glances behind their commanders’ backs, Martek’s exasperated, Ortraz’s warmly amused. It’s a silent sort of perfect camaraderie.

As time goes on they get closer, they share more about themselves, they find themselves enjoying one another’s company more often without the addition of Omontu and !oshi. And then one day things just... settle.

They’re leaving the dining hall late together, commiserating over Holt’s latest stunt, when Martek asks Ortraz if he’d like to join him in his quarters while they continue to talk. Ortraz’s acceptance is split three ways: one part surprise, one part politeness, and one part his heart suddenly jumping into his throat.

Hours later, when he starts to make noises about the late hour, Martek calmly asks him to stay a bit longer. You are welcome to stay the night, he says, and suddenly their roles are reversed. Martek is the cool head while Ortraz bites back fretting excuses.

For a very long time, Leilani is the only one who knows. They can taste the silent joy even though the seconds’ outward manner and interactions haven’t changed one bit. The two of them keep it astonishingly quiet, considering how quickly gossip flies through the ranks of the Coalition.

Zarra is the next to know. She’s startled one evening when she answers a knock at her door to find not Holt, who she’d half expected, but Ortraz and Martek.

Once inside they calmly explain that they have been partnered for over a year and would like to solidify their bond, if she would officiate. She’s delighted to do it, of course. Holt got to oversee Rel and Baerl’s bonding ceremony and she was just a little bit jealous. Quickly and quietly, but with love saturating her quarters, she bonds them then and there at their eager request.

It’s almost another two years before Commander Holt gets wind of their partnership... and, well, it goes about as smoothly as anyone would expect. But that’s a can of worms for another day.

[this-iswhywefight]

What does !oshi's day to day rountine look like?

It changes based on the day and what events or meetings are planned, but mostly it will go as follows:

- !oshi wakes up fairly early, only needing a handful of hours of sleep really to be well rested, and the first thing they do is skim through any messages or notifications that have been sent to them after they went to bed. They get check-ins from all different working parts of the Coalition so on a given day they can wake up to as many as fifteen or twenty messages of varying importances.

-They respond to as many as they can in the moment before getting up and getting ready for the day.-They dress in their preferred wardrobe of loose, flowy fabrics, and they call in an order of Kartok’s preferred warm drink of choice for the morning, and Leilani’s favorite juice to be sent to the room the two Commanders share. -!oshi calls Martek, to either see if he is awake or to wake him up, and makes an appointment with him to steal some time for breakfast uninterrupted and to go over any new data the Hub received overnight, updates to ongoing missions, and any other information he might have to share.-They go to Kartok and Leilani’s room, usually arriving just as the tray from the kitchens does, and knocks on the Commander’s door. This will wake Leilani, if not Kartok, and they make sure both Commanders are roused and ready for the day. -!oshi retreats to their offices to review more messages and check any diplomatic inquiries before gathering their things and going to meet with Martek, who they know will have poked and prodded at Commander Holt at this point, and shoot a message to check in with Ortraz, who will be getting ready to make an attempt to wake Zarra, if Holt has not already done so.-Breakfast with Martek becomes breakfast with Ortraz, and eventually Omontu, and they discuss the day’s outline briefly before parting ways to attend to their separate duties. -!oshi joins Kartok and tends to whatever it is he could ask of them, usually giving a run down of the diplomatic queries for the day.

-From that point it’s really a free for all what they could be doing. !oshi is the base’s steward as well as Kartok’s second, so anything and everything that is happening in the general day to day of the base, falls under their attention. Some days that means greeting and guiding dignitaries and allies, sometimes it is helping Martek and Ortraz process and sort recruits. And they are always at the beck and call of the four Commanders, happy to do whatever they need to insure that the day runs nice and smoothly for them all.