i don't know there lot more back stabbing then i think lawful should have
haha trueIthorian are 100% based
Princess of Mandalore (Youjo Senki/Star Wars)
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Chapter 54, 717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 4
Chapter 54
717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 4
Coruscant, Senate Building
Sheev Palpatine
"Is there a problem, Senator Kryze?" My voice rang out over the Senate.
Tanya answered, "Yes, Mandalore has new evidence that indicates that an unknown party had tampered with the message we saw here yesterday."
"That is a grave claim. If that is true, we would need to launch an investigation to find out who would do such a thing. What is this evidence you have to support that claim?" I asked.
"The authentic recording sent by the late Deputy Minister of Mandalore." Tanya said, pressing a few buttons and signaling a holographic system to project Deputy Minister Jerec onto the screen.
Good evening, Duchess Satine. I am here to inform you of an ongoing situation here in the Mandalore sector. Concord Dawn has violated Vorpa'ya's independence by landing Journeyman Protectors on the planet to enforce their claim. There are reports of fighting and violent resistance from the locals.
The Mandalorian and Kalevallian troops of the MSDF are being mustered to be sent to defend Vorpa'ya's independence. They'll be deploying within the next rotation to try and pacify the situation.
With Vorpa'ya and Concord Dawn engaging in hostilities, it is very likely that Kalevala and Mandalore will have to deal with food shortages for some time. So it is imperative that we receive the Republic's aid, and they lift their embargoes on foodstuff.
Furthermore, there are also rumors of sightings of the Maelstrom not too far away from Vorpa'ya. I am unsure of what it's doing at this time, if it's passively observing the situation or supporting Concord Dawn's efforts. I will update you when more information becomes available.
I wish you good luck in bringing peace to the sector. We'll do the best we can here while you're away.
The message ended, and I leaned back. This message sounded like a real continuous recording, rather than the obviously stitched together message from yesterday. I also noticed that the previously cast votes are quickly changing from favoring invasion to no invasion. A shame, it would have been much simpler to consolidate my Empire if that had gone through.
"It appears that another front will not be opened anytime soon. The fact that someone had planted false information in the hopes of fooling the Senate into instigating an invasion is quite disturbing. A full investigation will be launched to prevent a scenario like this from happening again." I said.
"This one could also be a forgery." came the voice of Senator Dani Zing of Echani, the opponent Tanya had sparred with the day before. "How do we know that this is even the real transmission and not made up to try and draw out the situation? For all we know, they can be building up their forces right now."
"You have made it quite clear that you are not fond of the Mandalorians." Mocked Lady Serifa Altunen, the de facto Jedi Lord of Arkania. "Can you accept that you were fooled like the rest of us and move on? There is no longer a justification for an invasion of the Mandalorian sector because what was said on the previous transmission is no longer credible."
"That doesn't change the fact that the Maelstrom is still on the loose and in their space." Said another senator.
"No, it doesn't." I said. "But I may have a way to appease both sides. The Mandalorian Self-Defense Force will be handling these internal conflicts, correct?"
Satine steps forward and gives a nod, saying, "I have full confidence that our Self-Defense Force can resolve this small conflict. There is no reason to involve the Republic in a domestic matter. This is a clash over farming rights that should be worked out through legal means within our own sector."
"Then perhaps your Mandalorian Self-Defense Force can aid us against the Maelstrom. If you inform us whenever the Maelstrom tries to get resupplied in your space and where it is, the Republic Navy will handle the rest. All that is required is to clarify to your citizens that Death Watch is a terrorist organization and that the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force must hunt this terrorist organization."
Satine looked unsure before solidifying. "That is acceptable. We will officially recognize the Death Watch as a terrorist organization on the grounds that they have access to the Maelstrom." Giving herself a clause to maneuver her position in the future, I see. No matter.
"Excellent." I said, with an eye noticing a few more votes falling off in the corner of my vision. Such a pity that the CNS would be able to survive a little bit longer and develop its strength. I allowed myself a moment to peer into the scant glimpses of the future I could demand of the Force, and found that I would have plenty of opportunities to inflict mayhem upon the Mandalorian alliance in time.
Clearing my throat, I continued. "There is one other concern that needs to be addressed. While Taris is a part of the Council of Neutral Systems, it is also an important planet for any invasion by the CIS into Republic space. We would like an official agreement to at least station a Republic base on Taris due to its proximity to the Hydian Way. Merely to prevent any chance of the Separatists breaking through the current lines and having an open road through CNS territory. They do not respect Republic territory, and I doubt they'll respect yours."
The Tarissian senator had made several inquiries of having the Republic station a base on their planet to deter any future invasion from the CIS. This is the perfect opportunity to begin putting my pieces in place just outside the Mandalorian sector.
Satine looked confused, but Tanya nodded, then spoke into her ear. The pair spoke for a bit before Tanya returned to the podium.
"If the CNS allows the Republic to station an expeditionary force on Taris, it puts into question our stance of neutrality in this war. I understand that all you're asking is to militarize Taris in case the Separatists break through your lines, but it would also undermine the neutrality of the CNS as a whole if even one of its members houses a base from either side. The only way that could be acceptable is if the CNS would deploy the MSDF on Taris to keep watch on things there. And to have guarantees that the Republic forces shall not go further than an agreed upon defensive mandate. Of course, all of this must be approved by the Taris government before troops could be sent there."
An interesting solution. The only way I can legally have a military presence on Taris is to allow the Mandalorians to have a military presence of their own on Taris. On one hand, that is giving them another planet that I would need to remove them from, as well as more control of the region than I would like. But on the other hand, I needed the clone army on Taris to better control that sector when this war is over, as well as a potential staging ground to invade the CNS should it be necessary.
My plans regarding the CNS are always the longer-term sort; these kinds of small problems are always inevitable, so it's better to discover potential issues sooner rather than later. Giving the Mandalorians a little something now for an opportunity in the future is a worthwhile investment. Later, when the Mandalorians drew their reserves from Taris to deal with their own problems, I would double the number of the Republic's troops stationed on Taris.
Reaching a conclusion, I nodded in agreement, "We will have a meeting on this tomorrow to discuss further details, then. For now, we should conclude the vote on the invasion of Mandalore. Yet it looks like it won't be necessary. Perhaps there is a chance for peace in this dark time, as long as faithful Mandalorians are willing to fight for it." I said, gesturing with my hands towards the pair with a smile on my lips. One of them is a good opponent, someone who would keep me politically sharp; the other is just lucky. Together they pulled one over on me, and I have to acknowledge that.
"For now, Mandalore is safe."
After the applause had died down and the session called to a close, I retreated to my office. I needed to contact my agent in the Republic Navy for an explanation as to why the fleet I had sent there had not engaged the Mandalorians.
Ithorians.
As I had predicted, the captain of the Dauntless had come to blows with the Mon Calamari admiral. But before he could engage the Mandalorians, the Ithorians had jumped into the system and interpose themselves between the two fleets. This act was so audacious that the Republic fleet had balked at the pacifists putting themselves in harm's way to prevent the conflict from starting. This absurdity is utterly ridiculous and far too irregular to be a coincidence. This is obviously the result of a third party's effort to undermine my plans taking root. I can sense the Force whisper of resistance to my inevitability somewhere...
Ithor, the Ithorian homeworld, perhaps? The Ithorians worshiped some Force entity that had supposedly guided their evolution, perhaps this Force sensitive plant network represented a threat and is acting against me.
It's not outside of the realm of possibility that a plant network would become Force sensitive, the Zillo Beast that had gotten loose on Coruscant detected my presence after all. And the Ithorians in general represented a threat to my Empire no matter what. Yes, I would need to find a way to burn that disgusting blight of a planet from my galaxy. I had invested time and energy into creating this war with the CNS and the Ithorians would pay for their intercession, they would pay dearly.
Coruscant, Droid Repair Facility
X4
Rebooting, rebooting, rebooting...
Lines of code flash across my processing unit as awareness returns to my frame. I awoke, looking up at an unfamiliar gray ceiling, with several tools hanging from a central platform above me that could easily be pulled down to work on me. I must be in a droid workshop. But why am I here?
I needed several seconds to access my memory banks, but I slowly recalled the rogue droid I found and its attempted murder against me. I then remember pursuing it and permanently deactivating the assassin before it could harm Mistress Tanya.
"X4, are you awake?" The familiar voice of Mistress Tanya. Carefully, I sat up, my head rotating, and looked at the source of the sound. I saw Mistress Tanya, her handmaiden Ms. Vizla, and Royal Guard Sir Ordo standing there, as well as several smaller creatures chittering to each other as they used various systems to get around the workshop.
"Mistress Tanya, it is good to see that you are alright. Was the droid defeated?" I asked.
"Yep, and you killed it, good job." Sir Ordo said, as Mistress Tanya let out a sigh before patting me on the shoulder.
"Glad you're still you. We were worried that there might be some serious damage, and the upgrades might affect things."
"Upgrades?" I questioned while running an internal diagnostic scan. Quickly realizing that when Mistress said upgrades, she meant upgrades. Based on my internal scan, I have a multitude of new high quality servo-motors and pistons that would allow me to move much quicker. I could run up to 27m/s non-stop, something that was not possible with my commercial protocol droid servo motors. There were also heavy-duty pistons in the arms with redundancies all throughout my frame, including a second power pack so that I will continue functioning even if my primary power pack is damaged.
"This must have been prohibitively expensive." I commented as I focused on my visible body. I noted that, along with the layer of beskar that gave me a dull silver appearance, several areas had been upgraded with a more muted, iron-looking material that looked vaguely familiar.
"Not as much as it could have been." Mistress said, looking to her left.
Following her eyes, I quickly saw another table with what looked to be the remnants of my old equipment, as well as the deactivated assassin droid. It seems that quite a lot of its systems had been harvested. I wondered... Ah...
Mistress Tanya coughed, "You keep what you kill in Mandalorian society, and we figured it would work for a droid as well. You deserved an upgrade after saving my life, at the very least."
If I had a mouth, I would have smiled to show my appreciation to my Mistresses generosity, but I did not have that feature. "Of course, Mistress. I was only doing my duty."
"Well, now you can do your duty even better." Mistress Tanya said.
"He also looks a bit more Mandalorian for a droid with those new shoulders." Ms Vizla commented.
Wondering what she meant, I refocused my eyes to my shoulder and quickly established that, yes, they had used some of the metal from the assassin to forge spaulders that looked a bit like Mandalorian armor. There was even the clan symbol of the Kryze family there.
This brought upon a certain feeling to my processors, wherein the symbol of the Kryze clan almost implied that I am a member of their House or at least their personal property. Either one satisfied some deeply integrated programming and almost guaranteed that I would continue to exist for a long time as long as I served well. After all, Mandalorians take care of their family, and being property or family meant they would take care of me. Though by that same sentiment, I would also be required to take care of them, which, in the grand scheme of things, is something I am already doing.
My revelry in such revelations is quickly put to the side, Mistress Tanya spoke up.
"X4, you had contact with the droid before any of us did. Do you know anything about what it wanted, why it was there, or where it came from?" Mistress Tanya asked.
"It implied that it was sent by the former senator, as part of a contract with him. It clearly stated it was there to kill you, Mistress, after it had incapacitated me for a moment."
"Damn Merrik." Sir Ordo commented, and I tilted my head in agreement.
"It did make a few strange comments during its initial awakening, claiming that what it was doing would set all droids free from biologicals. It referred to me as a comrade and brother, even though it had attacked me." I explained.
Oddly, Mistress Tanya's eyes narrowed at that, and judging by her expression, she was reaching an unwelcome conclusion. "Could that droid have come from Anteevy?"
I thought about that for a moment, "It is possible, as I don't know where it was manufactured. I assumed it came from Concord Dawn, which was the crate's origin address. The only other minor detail I recall was its designation — BL-47."
Mistress Tanya's eyes narrowed further, her brain seeming to work for some time before she muttered, "Battle Legionnaire."
"Oh, stars! Was Merrik working together with Anteevy? Or were they working with Merrik and gave him a droid without knowing what he would do with it? Is that how they knew that we were on Tatooine?" Sir Ordo asked. "Tatooine is on the other side of the galaxy from Mandalore. Anteevy would have no reason to go there, and no one on Ziro's side would know anything about Anteevy."
"It is possible." Mistress Tanya said with her right hand cupping her chin. "We have a robot using common communist vernacular, it is covered in phrik which can be mined from Anteevy, and it seems that at one point they were intended to be sold to False Silver. Now a model is sent to be in the service of Merrik, a man we now know was corrupt and plotting to force the Mandalorian sector into the current conflict between the Republic and the CIS. It's not a smoking blaster, but the fact that they are the source of two attempts on my life, makes them a threat I can't ignore."
"I wonder if these are the same Battle Legionnaires that Gerr would have received, or if this was a successor model? Are they all just this dangerous, or is this a special variant?" Sir Ordo gave the leftover Battle Legionnaire droid parts a second examination.
"Hopefully the latter, I wouldn't want to face off against an army of invulnerable droids. Did they program it to kill me? I believe so, but they are going to use whatever excuse they could make to deny responsibility." Mistress Tanya explained.
Shaking her head, Mistress Tanya continued, "Anyway you look at it, they're safe from prosecution until we have undeniable proof that they were responsible. Merrik is the one legally responsible for what happened. I'll have to forward this information to the courts. At the very least, this might be enough for us to place a claim on his property, so we can learn who he was talking to."
"Shame that he tried to run." Sir Ordo remarked.
Mistress Tanya nodded, "As much as I disliked the man for his attempted murder of my mother and I, I'd have preferred if he faced justice rather than dying in an ill thought up escape attempt."
While Sir Ordo nodded in acceptance, I simply moved my legs and pulled myself up into a standing position in front of her. I quickly test out the various systems of my new hardware.
"How's everything working, X4?" Mistress Tanya asked.
I swiveled my head before replying, "Quite well. I would like to return to work as soon as possible, Mistress. There are plenty of operations to supervise, and who knows how my repair may have hindered those operations. How did the Senate vote go?"
Mistress Tanya smiled before saying, "No invasion of Mandalore, yet. They're still very suspicious of us, though. The Republic has demanded certain concessions to put their minds at ease on this matter."
"Such as?" I asked, quite curious about how this might affect my own operations in her name.
"A detachment of clones stationed on Taris, both to make sure that we don't go empire-building and to protect the Hydian Way in case the droid army decides they aren't going to respect the CNS's independence by just charging right down the Way. They'll also station heavy patrols in the area around where the Maelstrom is likely to be hidden, as well as the right to pursue them across our border if they find it. All this with Jedi observers in the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force, as it helps to build Self-Defense Forces across the various CNS planets to make extra sure we aren't preparing an invasion force." Mistress Tanya explained.
Sir Ordo shook his head and commented, "Basically demanding everything but giving up on the whole CNS."
"That's a bit dramatic, Engiz." Mistress Tanya admonished him. "Although it is definitely overstepping some of what we want for the CNS. The CNS is still neutral. We're just allowing expeditions to search for terrorists and criminals. And back to the matter at hand, unless something like this happens with the CIS, I don't think it'll be a problem. We just need to keep an eye on the one place where the CNS touches the CIS border and make sure the CIS isn't going to try anything there. I don't think the Republic will invade us as long as we give them some of what they want, while not being worth the trouble if we refuse."
"Yeah, but for how long will they just accept some? How long until they have some new demand?" Ms. Vizla asked.
"She's right to point it out. The Republic's Core is known as the 'Hungry Heart of the Galaxy' for a reason. If it doesn't get its way, it might do something unfortunate." Sir Ordo added.
"That's why we need to make sure the Council of the Neutral Systems is fully defended so that we can say no and be too well protected to be invaded." Mistress Tanya said.
"And how will we do that?" Ms. Vizla asked.
Mistress Tanya hummed for a moment before finally saying, "Perhaps it's time to visit Gargon as the Senator of Mandalore and have a talk with White Silver about producing a fleet for the sector. I am willing to bet that the various neutral systems will take the recent events as a wake-up call."
I understood what Mistress was saying right away, and I nodded my head, saying, "Of course, Mistress. I'll see about arranging such a trip as soon as possible."
Vorpa'ya, Jedi Temple
Rahm Kota
There was no way to look at this situation other than being utterly ridiculous. Shaking my head, I looked out from the temple walls, wondering what series of events led to this situation.
I had just arrived from Gargon a few days ago, and I was rather rushed in my efforts to gather an army as soon as possible. I only managed to recruit a few hundred Mandalorian mercenaries into my army, plus another thousand volunteers who wanted to fight for the Republic and had come to Gargon because they heard of a Jedi recruiting an army.
The reason for this arrangement is simply due to the fact that I do not trust the Clone army. Their formation and reveal felt too suspicious, and I liked the idea of working with people who actually have a stake in the conflict more. Thus, I decided to send out a call to arms across planets that I had had friendly relations with in the past, or people who knew me. I stated that I am putting together a traditional army, one fit for a Jedi Lord. An army composed of warriors who would serve for the campaign before returning home to their lives. A volunteer army that is thankfully financed by a friend of mine. My plan is to possibly serve in the Belsmuth campaign in the region, or perhaps the Halori campaign further south.
Only a few weeks into the second recruitment drive, communications to the Mandalorian sector proper had been cut off by some unknown force. The Jedi Order had then sent an order to any Jedi in the region, which happened to be me, to go to Vorpa'ya and ensure the safety of the new Jedi Temple that had been set up there. My task is to ensure its safety as it's right on the border of CIS territory and there's some concern that Count Dooku may make a move against it.
So, I packed up the small army I had been able to assemble and headed off. I haven't even received all of the ships I had requested from the local industry on Gargon, which was unfortunate. I was really looking forward to getting my hands on that Sundari-class cargo ship. I had to pay for the order upfront, but at least the company promised to deliver the ships to the Jedi Temple as soon as they are built. Its large storage holds, modularity, and versatile design sounded useful for my needs. When this war is over, I could hand it over to a nearby planet, so that it could be converted into a regular cargo ship.
Instead, when I arrived at the temple I quickly figured out that the situation here is, at best, confused and chaotic. Fal Nastru, the Jedi in charge of the temple, was all too eager to brief me on this messy situation. I can see why she is worried, this planet is a Tibanna barrel just waiting to explode.
The southern hemisphere had been occupied by Journeyman Protectors from Concord Dawn, who saw themselves as restoring law and order and reestablishing control by taking away the planet's independence. They would have occupied the entire planet, but there are two things preventing that. The northwestern hemisphere is under the control of local Self-Defense Forces, with additional troops from Mandalore and Concordia arriving daily.
The SDF demanded that the Journeyman Protectors leave and respect the independence of Vorpa'ya. The current leader of that operation is a Mandalorian named Ranah Ordo, hailing from the planet Ordo and serving as the MSDF's Theatre Commander. He appears to be as old as I was when I became a Jedi knight, which is somewhere in the twenty-year range. The eastern hemisphere is also defended, not by the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force, but by the Revolutionary Guard of Anteevy, who has deployed a droid army and their own human forces to secure Vorpa'ya's independence.
"How is it that no side has yet secured the orbitals to stop new transport ships?"
"I would assume it is because they can't as none of them have enough ships to prevent new ships arriving." Fal Nastru deferred.
"Have we managed to reestablish contact with Coruscant, the Republic or any other friendly forces?" Without contact, I didn't have any new orders from the Council. Normally, that would be ideal, but resupplying locally had hard limits on numbers and resources.
"Not yet, unfortunately. However, we've managed to establish a communication framework between all sides, including the Journeyman Protectors. Contact to the Anteevy has to be routed through the CNS, as they have a bias against Jedi. While the Journeyman Protectors will talk to us, they will not with any other faction, so we have to be the ones to relay messages between their leaders." That's something at least. Unfortunately, it seems the only way to resolve this situation is by force, and let the victor be the one to dictate terms.
"How about our own strategy, then? Do we have one?"
"I am not qualified in matters of warfare to answer that question, General Kota." She replied smoothly.
This is where it becomes difficult, as both Anteevy and the CNS had both told Governor Kraungh that their goal on Vorpa'ya is the restoration of the local government and removal of the Journeyman Protectors.
And so representing the Republic's forces, I found myself regularly coordinating with the Anteevan, one Lieutenant Vyeka of the Anteevy Revolutionary Guard, to get what little intel they are sharing with the CNS. The Temple's security depends on the current balance of power, and cooperation with all forces, even with the Anteevans, as the CNS refused to subordinate themselves to the Republic's military command. I dismissed asking for assistance from the other factions, it was obvious that none of them would tolerate the Jedi Temple's presence once they were the sole authority. To add to the unfortunate situation was the Jedi Temple's placement, it was situated directly on the four corners between the northern, southern, eastern, and western hemispheres.
I am either surrounded by enemies, on three sides, or on the front line between three potential combatants. Whichever way you look at it, every possible faction that could be involved in Mandalorian conflicts is here, except for the Mandalorian Protectors. I have heard of them, but had no idea where they were.
Death Watch, who had caused the whole dust-up over the Maelstrom, are not officially present either. However, I had spotted some of their graffiti while out visiting some of the nearby settlements to recruit and gather supplies. The fact that the Journeyman Protectors of Concord Dawn had managed to assemble a force large enough to exert influence raised suspicion for me in how they managed to afford all of this, but I have no evidence to confirm whether they were allied with Death Watch or not.
Furthermore, the entire justification for Concord Dawn's "special military operation" is based on a rumor that this planet had been occupied by the Revolutionary Guard, and their presence implied some sort of influence on the planet. That is likely just a flimsy excuse made by a jealous governor eager to regain control of a planet that had already gained its independence.
The fact that no one is shooting each other yet is probably due to a mutual respect among the factions. Respect, and I judged that no faction had yet amassed the number of forces necessary to enforce their claim on the planet.
At any moment, this whole place could turn into a war zone. But for now, everyone is being civil. The Mandalorian Self-Defense Force had firmly and assertively told Concord Dawn to leave, but the Journeymen claimed they wouldn't depart until Anteevy left, which is highly doubtful since it seemed like a ploy to gain control of the planet. On a map, Anteevy was much closer to Vorpa'ya than its original colonial master, Concord Dawn.
And of course, Anteevy was not going to leave until Concord Dawn abandoned their claim and left; I wasn't fooled by their misleading statements. Really, the only people who are supposed to be here at this point are the MSDF, whose men are prepared to fight both of the other parties, and myself. Even then, my situation is confusing as well, since I represented the Republic. Even if my army isn't a clone army, it is in the service of the Republic. We are just here to protect the Jedi Temple, a Republic institution. Although this location is not as high a priority as some others out there, all life is precious and I have a duty to defend it. The Sundari-class and smaller ships I ordered would have made this an easier mission; I had already given them the coordinates of the Jedi Temple, but I didn't hold out much hope that they would arrive before the fighting started.
This means that the situation is not going to be resolved anytime soon, so all we can do now is dig in for when the shooting starts. At this very moment, the area around the temple, which had been designated as farmland, is being excavated. Instead of planting crops for the next season, it was being fortified to protect those defending the Temple against blaster fire.
From what I have been able to learn, most of the other factions are doing the same — digging trenches and fortifying their positions in preparation for one fight or another. When the fighting would begin, no one knew, but everyone was anxious about it. Two months ago, Fal Nastru managed to get the leaders of the MSDF and the governor of Vorpa'ya, Ghajoja Kraungh to attend a peace summit, but the leadership from Concord Dawn and Anteevy never showed up. So here I am, waiting for any signs of trouble by inspecting my forces, the terrain, and fortifications. I have already presented my plan on how to fortify the Temple to my chain of command, and they are doing an excellent job in carrying out their orders.
The small temple we are operating from didn't have enough space for the vehicles we brought, which had resulted in some of them sinking into the mud over the past few days. It's an issue that we are working to solve. Thankfully, the quarry where the rocks were gathered to build the temple is still somewhat full of rocks. The AgriCorps Jedi, and any local population that liked to stay with the Jedi, with some of my men, are busy digging out landing areas for our vehicles and placing rocks there to prevent them from sinking into the mud. Others I had kept busy digging trenches and fortifying the place.
The Temple is surrounded by two lines of trenches, with a veritable no-man's land of barbed wire in front of it. Bunkers with heavy blasters, emplacements with towed laser cannons, ammunition depots, and more, are sprinkled in key positions around the trench line. We even dug out holes that the new repulsor tanks from Gargon can use as cover.
Speaking of vehicles, while I have read the specifications of these new vehicles, the Mythosaur Fighter Tank and the Shriek Hawk MLRS, I have not seen them in action on a real battlefield thus I am unsure of how they will perform. The towed missile batteries are something I am more familiar with. While it is merely the Shriek Hawk's Missile Launcher on a towed chassis it is much cheaper than and the mobility of a self propelled artillery is not as useful in a defensive battle. The Mandalorians seem quite fond of their missiles, and while they are sold separately, it is very effective for its relatively cheap cost.
The Locust Missile is a dual purpose missile, meaning that it has an anti-armor warhead while having a casing that can cause fragmentation for groups of infantry. Sixteen of these missiles can be fired by the Shriek Hawk or the towed batteries and each missile has a basic heat seeking guidance system that can lock on to enemy gunships and transport. The only drawback is reloading all sixteen tubes takes time which is why there are a dozen men assigned to each artillery piece. For a more consistent fire support, I also bought several mortars if in-direct fire is required.
I turned and stepped down from my vantage point into one such trench, feeling oddly at home. My homeworld, a war torn, devastated wasteland, had been at war for generations by the time of my birth. Trench fighting is as normal as sowing, and I had grown up in those trenches. My entire family and old friends had died long before I really understood what that meant. It meant I had no real ties, one of the few reasons I was allowed to join the Jedi Temple when I did. Everyone I knew had died, and I had accepted that my attachments are minimal. I could detach myself from them without a problem, which gave me a special aptitude to join the Jedi, even though I was considered an adult already.
While that was a long time ago, there is something comforting about having a dirt wall to my left and right. After many years with a blaster and lightsaber in my hands, my upbringing had probably instilled something very deep in my consciousness that equated this narrow furrow in the ground as safety.
Sighing, I moved along to inspect our defensive line, nodding into the Mandalorians and other soldiers who had signed up with my army. They are all getting prepared for their defensive battle stations, under the assumption that we'd be attacked sooner or later. It isn't a lot of men, at least not at the start, but perhaps I could gain more here than one would think.
I still have recruiters on Gargon, taking in anyone who would accept my offer to help. This could grow my numbers more once we could transfer them in. Maybe I'll be able to continue with my original plan and join either a campaign to the north or the south of the CNS. But there's also an option to recruit Mandalorians from Vorpa'ya. The nomads are not exactly the most warlike people, from what I've seen. They are mainly hunters and cattle ranching farmers, but perhaps some of them would be willing to sign up. There's already a contingent of them helping out with the AgriCorps Jedi in hopes of defending this place. Apparently, one of them joined the temple simply to take up farming and be a peaceful person, which is a praiseworthy profession.
I had yet to actually meet this Mandalorian woman, who had been taken up by the AgriCorps Jedi. I suspected it was the young woman with straw hair whom I had seen practicing some sort of martial arts the day before, but I hadn't gotten the chance to speak with her. We are all just too busy dealing with the situation. Fal hadn't really informed me about those matters. She only mentioned the story in passing; that it was her joining the temple in the first place that started the conflict here on the planet, as the planet declared independence when Concord Dawn tried to make a fuss about it to forcefully conscript the girl.
That put the temple in a more precarious situation than I had originally believed. Concord Dawn would not be happy about our relation to the incident, so sooner or later, they might make a move against us first out of spite. It would explain why they aren't interested in talking. As I shook my head coming around a corner, I saw a Mandalorian woman with a shovel, digging into the ground.
I was going to pass by her, but then I slowed and noted that her helmet looked rather familiar, blue with yellow markings.
Tilting my head, I asked, "Do I know you?"
The Mandalorian turned, looked at me, held that look for a long time before turning back and looking at the ground, getting back to work digging, and saying, "Nope, I don't think so."
"Are you sure? I could have sworn we might have met a couple of years ago during the False Silver incident on Gargon."
"Nope, never was on Gargon..."
"I recruited directly from Gargon, you would have had to have been on Gargon to even be part of this expedition, unless, of course, you're a spy from Concord Dawn."
There was a pause in the shoveling before she said, "Okay, maybe I was on Gargon, what of it?"
"And maybe you tried to hit a Jedi over the head with a shovel."
"Maybe I might have tried that once." she muttered as she continued to dig into the earth before saying, "Sorry about that."
"No harm done, I do apologize for what happened to your shovel, though." I chuckled before saying, "Of all the things that have been thrown or shot at me, a shovel was rather novel of an experience. How have you been, Ms. Mandalorian Shovel Girl?" I asked.
There was a huff before she replied, "Well, been alright. Got a ship after you let me go, escaped the planet. Met up with an old friend, worked with them for a while. Ran into the Prince of Mandalore once, and then me and him went our separate ways. I came back to Gargon looking for work since, with a war on, and mercenary work is plenty."
"Hmm, so you have your own ship here?" I asked, looking out over the ships parked in an open field.
"Yep."
"Alright then, I will assume that you're well-traveled in the Mandalorian sector and its extremities. Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share on the current situation?"
The girl stopped shoveling and said, "Don't trust Anteevy."
I raised an eyebrow at that and asked, "And why should I not trust them? Aren't they on our side in this conflict?"
"You see, that's what they want you to think. They aren't on your side, they're on their side. It just so happens that we are fighting the same enemy. Trust me, I'm one of the few people to have gotten away from that hellhole when the revolution happened. What they were turning into did not look like anything that should ever be trusted."
My eyebrow still raised, I nodded my head and folded my arms in front of me. I sensed no falsehoods from her claim, so this paints the Anteevans in a worrying light. "Well then, Shovel Girl, since you have some understanding of these factions, how would you like a promotion?"
She stopped shoveling, looked at me, and asked, "Better pay?"
"Better pay, more dangerous work."
"You had me at more dangerous work." she said, stabbing her shovel into the ground and reaching out a hand.
"I'm Rahm Kota, and you are?"
"Yanka Dmitrievna of Anteevy." she said with a nod and a firm handshake.
"Well, Yanka Dmitrievna, welcome to the team. I have a meeting with some of the commanding officers tomorrow at noon sharp. I expect you to be there and to fill me in on any details you know about Anteevy and Concord Dawn."
She nodded her head and said, "I'll be there."
Serenno, Raxus Secundus
Count Dooku
The war is proceeding nicely. The droid army is winning, their losses are within expected rates, all while keeping the clones occupied and the Jedi scattered. Everything is going according to plan.
Well, almost everything. The Mandalorian sector is as complicated as always. I am aware of the truth of the events surrounding the Maelstrom. However, its fall into Death Watch hands, a Mandalorian group that I used to have some control over, is an unexpected surprise. Merrik's attempt to bring the Mandalorian sector into the war had practically fallen flat. I do admire his ingenious plan to try and frame the Republic for the murder of the Duchess. If it had succeeded, it would have made for a fiery conflict.
So many of the battles currently being waged in the galactic conflict are based on old rivalries, old grievances. For example, Merrik wielded the old grievance of the Martial Traditionalist when it came to the New Mandalorians, but one success would have turned it into a new grievance. Not only that, if the Duchess, a pacifist, had been murdered by the Republic, everything else wouldn't matter to the rest of the Mandalorians. It would have been seen as an attack on their people. All grievances with their more militant brethren would have been set aside, and they would have wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to the CIS.
But that was not to be, not today at least. Instead, I simply had a few groups under my control, one nominally and one through an alliance, who are fighting the Republic. The Mandalorian Protectors are doing a wonderful job massacring clones wherever I chose to send them, bleeding the Clone army one tiny cut at a time.
They are cunning and warlike, always discussing multiple plans for how to make the Clone army and the Republic bleed. Their leadership is obviously quite enthralled with the idea of showing that Mandalorians are superior to the Republic's 'cheap copies'. Even if their actual leader, whom I suspected to be a clone who had gone rogue from the few glances I'd actually seen of him. This is not an issue that is worth mentioning in the grand scheme of things. So long as he continues to fight the Republic, his contribution pushes the Republic closer and closer to its inevitable doom.
I do wonder what would happen to him once Order 66 is executed. Rogue clones are not something my Master had planned for when we created the strategy to destroy the Jedi, as we deemed them inconsequential. Considering that only the Chancellor could give Order 66, I assume it would never happen. He wouldn't have been able to receive a direct order from the Chancellor or even a recording of him. Thus, he should be able to continue his life without coming into contact with Order 66.
As for Death Watch, they are proving to be unreliable yet very impactful.
The fact that they had succeeded in capturing a Republic cruiser is a sign that they are with the CIS or at least aligned with us. This would slowly but steadily erode the neutrality of the Mandalorian sector as more and more people joined. The fact that Death Watch had used the Republic's own mistakes for such a propaganda victory in the Mandalorian sector said enough. The CNS is more likely to join the CIS than the Republic, at the bare minimum.
Would they be their own little Republic in between our borders? Hard to say. A separate entity in this war would cause more confusion than is strictly necessary. But it would do wonders for the CIS to have an ally in this conflict, even if I did want the Empire that Sideous had spoken of to rise. It is worth considering an alternative method now and again.
I kept those thoughts to myself. While it would be better for the galaxy to be united in the long term under a single authority, the Empire was the best bet for the continuation of a modified Jedi Order. One that I would control.
Sooner or later, the CNS would have to be dealt with. Either they would be absorbed into the CIS or forced to join the Republic side and become a part of the Empire. Considering my interest in some of the assets in the CNS, it would probably be better if they joined the Republic.
The thought would have to wait — an alert on my desk indicated a private holonet communication request, one that could only really have come from my master. Turning around, I used the Force to flick the switch, accepting the call as I took a knee before the holographic projection that was forming.
"My master." I said, giving a nod as the robed figure came into existence.
"Lord Tyrannus, the war goes well, I hear. What is to be your next course of action?"
"Our new Supreme Military Commander is preparing for his debut."
"Good, when should I expect that campaign to be launched? I believe it could be key in pushing some legislation in the future."
"Six months, my Lord. At the end of the year, it'll disrupt some of the trade routes going directly to the Core, and with any luck, cause quite a bit of mayhem."
Lord Sidious nodded, "Good, I would like to be surprised by where this will come from. One can never be too old for a good surprise. However, there appears to be an annoyance that I feel must be dealt with. Tell me, you've been paying attention to the news from the Mandalorian sector, have you not?"
I kept a calm facade on my face as I sought to control my expression, "Of course, Master. I have heard of many events transpiring there. Such as the Maelstrom under new management of Death Watch. I had attempted to contact their commander and see if they are willing to officially join the CIS like their brothers in the Mandalorian Protectors. Unfortunately, their commander seems to be making the most of his buoyed reputation due to what he has accomplished. In that, he is too preoccupied expanding his military force to establish contact with me.
Reports from the Mandalorian Protectors also indicate issues acquiring vehicles from MandalMotors over the past month. Supposedly, they are all 'dedicated to a more worthy organization.' in their words. This organization is most likely to be Death Watch, which means they are being well-armed and provided for by Mandalorian corporations. Finally, there is an uptick in the Mandalorian Self-Defense Forces' movements as they go about preparing the rest of the CNS for conflict, putting further strain on their resources."
Lord Sidious spoke after a brief pause, "This is in line with what I have heard as well. The Senate nearly accomplished a vote for an invasion of the Mandalorians last week. Unfortunately, the new senator from Mandalore was able to mount a remarkable defense of her people."
"New senator?" I asked. "Have they already replaced Merrik? I have heard about what he had attempted in his latest scheme. Something that would no doubt have swayed Mandalore to the CIS's cause. Anything more than that, I am unaware of the fate of the former senator nor do I have any information on the senatorial delegation's next move.
"The young representative from Mandalore has taken up the senatorial seat after the former senator's attempted treason. The former senator is no longer with us after he was transferred to a Republic high security prison and then met his demise before he entered the prison."
Tanya is Mandalore's senator? Interesting. While it is a shame that I no longer have Merrik as a source of Mandalorian information, he has already outlived his usefulness when he is defeated by Kenobi. But I also noticed that Sidious didn't seem to show more interest in Tanya's development than that. Did he not know she is Force-sensitive? Likely for the best that he doesn't. Yes, he did take an interest in her career, but that could be dangerous for my plans for her. I would rather her be my student than leave her in Sidious's hands. On Geonosis she handled herself remarkably well for a Mandalorian.
"She is a rather competent politician. I've been investigating her background recently, trying to find any corruption that I can use to get my fingers into her, to get her to vote in the way I want. Other than a few cases of typical Mandalorian aggression, plausible self-defense cases against local gangs, she is completely spotless from what my people can find. With her friendship with Senator Amidala and many others of the pro-peace faction, I expect her to be a thorn in my side for the foreseeable future. That's why I would like to discuss options for getting the Mandalorian sector off the table and out of the Senate."
I nodded in thought for a moment before saying, "There are a few options I can use. The Mandalorian Protectors, as I've said, are causing prodigious harm to the Republic's forces, let alone the properly engaged units in the region. And with Death Watch as an independent Mandalore in its own right, going out of their way to protect Mandalorians against Republic atrocities, I believe we can establish quite a bit of an insurgency behind their lines. We're already supplying them to some extent. They have access to many of our tanks and some droids. We could increase that supply, create an insurgency around the CNS that causes the Republic problems, and I think that will cause a vote for an invasion soon enough, merely to prevent more damage and force Mandalore out of the Republic."
My master nodded his head, saying, "Yes, that is a good option. Anything that can destabilize the CNS would be useful in the future. I do have to give credit where it is due, for what the Duchess and the senator have managed to accomplish. They've already created a strong alternative to the Banking Clan; dodging the majority of the reforms and controls I'd imposed on the Republic. But just as I plan to deal with the Banking Clan eventually, we must plan to deal with the CNS eventually as well. There cannot be anything outside either the CIS or the Republic when the last phase of the plan is in motion. They must choose a side. If there are to be any third parties, they must be so drastically weakened that they will not be able to defend themselves against my Empire and choose submission over rebellion."
I scoffed at that, "Mandalorians choosing submission, that would be an unlikely thing."
I thought I saw a hint of a smile from my master, "Oh I agree, but that does not mean we should not try for it now, should we?"
"Of course, my master, of course." I replied. "There is an area that may be of interest in the coming months — the Vorpa'ya system, right on the border of the CIS and the CNS. Vorpa'ya the only positions between the allowing access to CNS. CIS and Republic forces clash to the north and south of it, but over this large gap of space, there's no real force guarding it. Through this gap, additional forces can pass through CNS territory if they manage to slip past Mandalorian patrols to the Dentari Exclave prolonging the battle there. On the planet of Vorpa'ya, members of several Mandalorian factions are currently poised in a stalemate over who ultimately controls the planet. The Mandalorian SDF wanted the planet to remain independent, Concord Dawn wanted to regain control of it, while the Anteevy Workers' Council wanted the planet to join them and become a member of the CIS."
"Hmm, I don't believe I've heard of this Workers' Council. What are their stakes in this game for the Mandalorian sector?" My master inquired.
"They are a strange lot. They practice something similar to the Black Sun sector. However, I would caution — there is something particularly wrong with their leader." I explained.
"Oh, do tell, my student. What makes this leader so interesting to draw your attention?" My master urged.
"In the Black Sun sector, they seem to have the idea that all of society is for the family. The Anteevans expand the concept of the family to include their entire society, which is how they are operating their system. The leader of Anteevy, however, does the opposite. Society comes before the family. The Mandalorian clans are the problem. Concepts like that would not be much of a problem for us, however they do appear to be actively spreading their ideology to the rest of the Confederacy. There seems to be a particular hatred for corporations outside the state or striving for positions of power. All corporations on Anteevy are nationalized state enterprises. They work for the state and do not have a vote in the state. I have personally met with the leader of Anteevy, Secretary General Liliya Shepist, a highly competent and dangerous woman who has some measure of derangement. Despite no understanding of the Force that I can detect, she is unmistakably an agent of the Dark Side."
"They sound like the exact opposite of people I would expect to join the CIS, considering how many corporations have aligned themselves with the CIS's cause." My master commented, shaking his head. "But this Liliya has my interest." My master seemed to glance off into space as if he could see this woman far away across the galaxy, perhaps he could. "Yes, very interesting, so many factions have joined the CIS over the past few months, all with their own internal hatreds. Having one more is no great change. Does this Anteevy offer anything of use to your efforts to bring the Mandalorian sector under the control of the CIS?"
I nodded before saying, "It is their stated goal to 'free' the Mandalorian sector of the clan system, as they say. They've already begun to influence operations within the Mandalore sector itself. That bombing campaign that killed their Deputy Minister on Kalevala a few days ago is believed to have been a communist sympathizer upset with the war posturing that the CNS is going through."
"Excellent! Then they're of use. We nearly had our vote for a war thanks to them. Make sure they're well-supported, the Mandalorians require some attention, so that they do not grow out of hand." My master replied, seeming pleased with the information. I was less sanguine, but I did not let my doubts show. There are risks to empowering any Darksider, but especially Liliya, as she is not firmly under my control. I would have to remedy that, somehow.
"It will be done, Master. They also offer us another opportunity. They have their own access to a merchant fleet that runs shipments of materials in and out of the Mandalorian sector. We can make use of their ships to transport materials to Death Watch and to the Mandalorian Protectors, who are hiding supplies in the Mandalorian sector's outer extremities when they're in the region for campaigns." And I would slip in my agents and provocateurs into these shipments, to bring Death Watch and Anteevy firmly back into my aegis.
"Excellent, once enough troubles are caused by this sector, the Republic will run out of patience and will vote for an invasion soon enough. We must simply allow the wheels of democracy to turn." He said with a low and dark chuckle.
"It will be done, Master. If you desire, I could command Ventress to remove the young Mandalorian senator from the board if she is such a thorn for you."
I will admit, I didn't want Ventress to remove her from the board, but I want to give the idea that I offered the option to remove her. Sidious has his own assassins in his organizations that could remove her easily if he really wanted to. Volunteering my apprentice to do it gives me the option to creatively do what I want. If he wanted her off the board, I would take her off the board and perhaps train her in secret.
The clone I had contracted to be created is taking far longer than I would have liked. Although Bariss Zotho had created an additional clone on her own time just to keep the cells fresh. Unfortunately, being a member of the Arkanians, she did not simply create an exact copy of Tanya. No, she's the clone who has run through several genetic modifications and improvements. I had yet to examine Zotho's Arkanian hybrid clone in question personally, but I doubt it would have the same Force capacity as the original, simply because it wasn't a true clone. It was an aberration created by an Arkanian.
That's why I had to order the creation of an actual true clone. Thankfully, I have quite a war chest by this point. I could freely spend my credits on projects like this almost without limit.
My Master seemed to pause for a moment as if I had caught him off guard, "If I should want her removed from the board, I will inform you. Having a senator killed by the CIS could be a way to push the Mandalorian sector to choose a side. But we have plenty of room to maneuver for now, slaying her prematurely would be... wasteful." I detected a hint of uncertainty from him. Odd and very notable, perhaps Tanya represented a weakness in Darth Sidious that I could exploit, it was rare that he would be so permissive of an independent actor.
"Of course, Master." I replied.
Lord Sidious nodded his head again, "You have done well, Tyrannus. I will contact you when we have more to discuss." His hologram faded, and I stood up, glad to be free of his gaze once more.
But before I got to work on any of the things he demanded, I focused on another idea that would aid our main objectives, which was to seed doubts about the neutrality of the Mandalorian sector.
I pressed a few buttons and took a seat, waiting for a moment. It would take time for someone to answer this, but not too long. And I was right as after five minutes a holographic projection of a Mandalorian man appeared. The hologram is much smaller since there was no need to have a full rendition of him for our conversation.
"Count Dooku, I was very confused when I saw that I was getting a message from you. I thought we had given a firm stance that we would not be interested in joining the CIS, that neutrality is what Mandalore is committed to." The Mandalorian man replied.
"Prime Minister Almec," I said with a smile before continuing, "I completely understand your point of view. Make no mistake, we respect the neutrality of the Mandalorian sector and its urge for peace. However, I've simply been noticing some strange goings-on. I've been trying to contact you for several days, but it would seem something brought down your communication system."
Almec seemed to think for a moment before saying, "There was an attack on a relay station, nothing too serious. It was simply shut down by a slicer with a program that propagated throughout our local relay network, but that problem has been corrected now. Is there some reason, though, that you wish to contact us now?"
"Of course, of course. I've heard of the recent votes to invade Mandalore. I assume it has failed, otherwise, you'd be too busy dealing with a Republic siege. However, the embargo of food supplies from the Republic is still ongoing." I replied.
Almec gave me a look before saying, "Yes, we have an issue recently with that."
"Well, on to the matter I contacted you to discuss. Perhaps a representative of the CNS to participate in the CIS Parliament is warranted for mutual diplomatic endeavors. Only a representative for now, not a senator. I understand that a senator to our side would raise unwanted questions about your neutrality. But at least an acknowledgment in the form of a representative who could speak for the Council of Neutral Systems, and Mandalore's interests should be acceptable, do you not agree?" I made sure to nudge about Mandalore's interests as well. A representative from Mandalorian space, like young Prince Korkie, would be ideal; manipulating one of those Ithorians in their council would be so much more tedious.
Almec's expression grew doubtful, "I can bring the matter before the Duchess, but I'll warn you now, I see no reason to agree to this proposal."
"I've been informed that one of your agri-worlds in the CNS is currently being invaded by another agri-world in the CNS. A representative at the CIS Parliament could negotiate with Anteevy." I pointed out.
"Yes, there is some concern about that. We are dealing with that internally. I wouldn't mind you telling the Anteevy Council to vacate the world. I believe they're under your influence, are they not?" Almec shot back.
"Despite what you might have heard, I am no tyrant. I only want an end to the suffering across the Galaxy."
Almec gave me another dubious look, "No doubt. Former Senator Merrik is no longer responding to your comms, I take it?"
I shook my head sadly, "I heard the unfortunate news about former Senator Merrik. Merrik's betrayal is proof that the only way for diplomacy to succeed is out in the open. We tried to make private arrangements with him in Parliament for his own protection, and he spun our accommodations into a vile plot against Mandalore. This representative arrangement would be fundamentally different; as it would not be conducted in secret."
Almec paused, as if in thought, considering my words in silence. I needed to quiet his suspicions and divert this line of questioning with my proposal. So I said, "Prime Minister Almec, only diplomacy can end war. A representative from the CNS is truly the best way to address and improve the situation."
"That is true..." Almec looked like he had sucked on a lemon.
"Indeed. And as I explained earlier, I am no tyrant, so I can not dictate terms to Anteevy. However, I could use my influence to lift the restrictions on foodstuffs being sent outside the CIS; to exempt the CNS from the embargo.
Prime Minister Almec took a breath, thinking for another moment, "We could be convinced to create a checkpoint between the CNS and the CIS. I can see the advantages, yes. As long as there are sufficient safeguards and inspections, and no other surprises."
"Wonderful, all of this shall be implemented once CNS has sent a representative." I replied.
Almec nodded, "Only the Duchess have the final say in this matter. But if that is what it takes for the CNS to receive an additional supply of food from across the border, then I think we can meet you on this matter."
"Excellent, if I may offer a suggestion. Perhaps you should send the young Prince Korkie. From what I understand, he has a working relationship with the Workers' Council of Anteevy. He could speak to them in the name of the Duchess."
Almec said, "It is an interesting suggestion. Sending him to work as a representative on behalf of the CNS to speak with the CIS would certainly help his prospects in the next clan election. The prince will need it, after Satine's planned speech and reveal."
I blinked and asked, "Reveal? What reveal is this?"
Almec thought about it for a moment before sighing, "No reason to hide it since it will be announced in a few days. Duchess Satine has decided to reveal that Tanya is her biological daughter. Thus, Tanya has as much right and claim on the throne as her brother, Prince Korkie. And as she has shown herself to be a very capable politician, she is very likely to be next in line for the throne."
"She's the daughter of the Duchess?" I asked to make sure I had heard correctly. I remember a story long ago that Qui-Gon once told me about his young pupil being tested by the Force. Kenobi had a chance to leave with a prospective Duchess before choosing the Jedi Order.
Was it a coincidence? I do not know, but I have the means to investigate. This could be useful. If Tanya is Obi-Wan's daughter and I were to capture her, I might be able to force Obi-Wan to join my side. And with those two on my side? Together we could have the might to remove Sidious and form a new Jedi Order, one that would act, for the good of the galaxy.
Shaking my head, I said, "I can guarantee you this, young Korkie will be able to acquire quite enough experience in the realm of politics here in the Confederacy. Yes, our government system has only just been formed recently, but it is a system that functions, unlike the stagnant Republic."
"Only time will provide the answer to that, I suppose." Almec said. "I will discuss this option with the Duchess when I speak with her next. Good day, Count Dooku."
"Until we meet again." I said with a nod as the hologram faded away, and I took a moment to contemplate what I had learned.
Tanya was Obi-Wan's daughter and heir to the throne of Mandalore. She could be all that I had hoped for, a true Jedi Lord, as they were of old. How could I use this to my advantage? There must be some way to do it. She, and the clone of Kenobi's daughter, would be useful as well.
Concordia, Governor's Palace
Pre Vizsla
"Bo, I know I'm not one for music, but are you sure this is going to work?" I said as I listened to the rather high-pitched singing and almost screeching of the ballads while loud electronic instruments and drums played in the background were being played by the Prey Wings. The two-woman band who are going to be the face of the Death Watch to all those who saw them. Down the line, for now, they had to build up their support base and just hint at what they supported in their songs.
"Trust me, Pre. This is going to work." Bo replied. She finally changed her armor to blue when she arrived here on Concordia with the two girls she found on the planet of Zanbar. After, we had moved to an empty ballroom, the musicians had promptly taken over with their instruments and practical effects. Cables and lights were blinking in a mess in one corner.
Bo watched the end of their latest presentation and pointed towards their equipment. "We needed something to differentiate them from the Gargon Girls. If you just copied what the Gargon Girls are doing, people are going to see them as just a knockoff.
Back on Gargon, the Inferno Crescendos used to struggle with their image, because their early debut was too similar to the Gargon Girls. They can't seem to shake off the perception they are copycats, even though they started using their own genre of music. Sure, the Inferno Crescendos use lots of pyrotechnics, but their songs were pretty much the same genre as the Gargon Girls, singing about battles and the history behind them. Now they just make their own music using a combination of modern and traditional Mando instruments to create something unique. Our band would instead focus on the feel and the sound of battle rather than about the battle itself."
I looked at her, wondering when she had become an expert on marketing and branding, but she's not wrong. Along with the screeching lyrics that sounded more like orders than actual music, there was a definite sound like metal on metal, blasters going off, and other things accompanying the music. I wasn't a big fan of its arrangement, as I am more partial to marching songs, but this does somewhat remind me of being on a battlefield. Perhaps she knew what she was talking about after all.
I shook my head and followed Bo over to a pair of chairs arranged in the middle of the ballroom, "Well, I am not qualified to come up with a better idea, and we do need competition for the Gargon Girls. We can't let White Silver retain a monopoly on the future of Mandalorian culture. So while I think the music is too loud and chaotic, I'll defer to your judgment on this. How much money are you going to need to perform on tour across the sector?"
Bo leaned back in her taller black chair with "Director" stenciled across the back. I leaned forward in my own seat, a mismatched "Producer" chair Bo had brought, and glanced over at Her. She had this endearingly awkward expression on her face. "Well, I can't touch a lot of my finances for this because, well, supposedly I serve House Kryze. Can't have people wondering why I'm helping out Death Watch. But we need a hundred million credits to tour across the Mandalorian sector, and I can probably cover only about half of that. Hopefully, the tour will pay itself back, but the venues and services need to be booked upfront."
I blinked, then blinked again, saying, "We have access to a lot of resources, I will admit, but I don't think we can raise liquid capital like that with the banking reforms in the sector. Fraud and money laundering is becoming prohibitively expensive in neutral space." A good thing, I suppose, to combat crime. However, it is very frustrating when I am the one trying to commit said crime.
Most of the members of Death Watch operated on favors or bartering. With the inflation crisis in the Republic, our stockpile of Republic credits is practically worthless, and we are trying to offload as much of the currency as we could. The CIS credits are more stable, but illegal to spend in neutral space and with the Banking clan in control they are more likely to swindle us than help us. So we would have to use the new neutral credit, despite the fact it has tight controls and would be closely monitored. "And how do you even have that many neutral credits that you could spare for this out of pocket?"
She shrugged, "White Silver. You would not believe the amount of money I'm making working for her just by being head of security and being a shareholder of Hypernautics. Most of it is tied up in bonds and investments, but I can build up more liquid if I need to." Bo said casually.
I clicked my tongue in frustration. She was talking about the Council of Neutral Systems' new common self-defense bonds that had been issued just hours after the vote for invasion failed in the Republic. The entire CNS is currently in a spending frenzy, as every shipyard in neutral space has been booked out for the next three years for the production of warships. Well, everyone except White Silver's shipyards at Mandal Hypernautics who have grown exponentially now that they have opened their services to the wider sector.
She had accepted some contracts to build warships, but had kept half of her capacity open for civilian shipping only. It looked to be a bad investment, the amount of money CNS planets are throwing into their own self-defense fleets is incredible. Arkania alone ordered three Sundari-class capital ships. But I supposed that meant that White Silver is now the only producer of civilian ships built in the CNS, effectively creating a temporary monopoly. If I had spoken to Bo before the bonds were issued, she would likely have had more than enough liquid capital.
"I really need to have that meeting with her." I said, shaking my head before focusing on her suggestion.
"Funny story, I think I've got an opportunity like that lined up. She should be available soon enough. But I would have figured with the food shortages going on, you'd be making more credits than ever since you had opened so much more land for agriculture recently."
I raised my eyebrow at how Bo knew that, but I assume that being the head of security for Mandal Hypernautics meant that she is privy to events involving White Silver. I shook my head before moving on, "Even though I'm the governor of Concordia, I still have to follow the will of Mandalore. And recently, the official order from the Duchess is that the prices on food would be capped coming from Concordia to prevent rising food prices, meaning we can't make a great profit off of this opportunity."
"Oh, that's kriffed." Bo said, leaning back in her chair. "What's up with that? I would have thought they'd have plenty of money from the whole Mandalorian Festival a few months back."
I sighed before saying, "Most of that money went to the terraformers, who are now melting the ice caps of Kalevala and bringing over a few comets and dropping them into the atmosphere, angled to guarantee large rainstorms. I don't think anyone in the CNS has much liquid capital left over at the moment, based on the budgets and reports in Satine's last council meeting. And the new CNS banks are only issuing new credits in bursts."
"Oh." Bo said, surprised. "Why is Kalevala getting terraformed first? I would have thought Mandalore would have been the obvious candidate."
I sighed, "Almec pushed for it, due to the recent communist bombings. People are up in arms about the possibility of going to war, so they alleviate their concerns by dropping enough water on the planet that they'll never have to worry about dehydration again. Not to mention it's going to help keep down the chemical dust that has always been an issue in your homeworld."
"As well as opening up more farmland. However, even with that on the table, how are they going to supply Mandalore with enough food?"
I shrugged, "I have contacts in the Mandalorian Guard. Several companies have received permits over the past few months to bring in food shipments through the blockade. I've been trying to look into those companies, but so far they seem to be rather nonexistent."
"Non-existent?" Bo raised an eyebrow, "Like illegal non-existent?"
"Illegal non-existent. I suspect someone in the government is playing a little bit fast and loose with gathering food supplies to try and keep the prices as low as possible."
"As long as it's inspected at the drop-off places, I'm sure it'll be fine." Bo said, but I shrugged my shoulders in response.
"I don't know about that. I've been too busy with the Maelstrom to worry too much on that matter. I'll keep my ears close to the ground, see if I can find out more about what's going on."
"Oh yeah, the Maelstrom. What exactly is your plan with that thing?" Bo asked.
I mirrored Bo's posture and leaned back in my chair, "For now we are using it as a mobile base. There are plenty of worlds within the Mandalorian sector and even the CNS willing to give us a port."
"How long can that last? The Republic is set on hunting down the Maelstrom, from what Tanya tells me. Also, apparently we are classified as terrorists now, what does that even mean?"
I nodded, "There are also plenty of forgotten places, lost to known history, where we can hide out. My plans are pretty much to continue what we've been doing: causing problems for the Republic and helping people who have issues with the CIS escape. As for being terrorists? It means very little in Mandalorian law. Being a member of Death Watch is already a misdemeanor that would deprive you of holding government positions, so we have always kept to the shadows. It used to mean that you would be exiled from Mandalore too, but that was relaxed years ago. The designation of 'terrorist' is a Republic conception and effectively means whatever Satine wants it to mean."
Bo turned to me, "Do you think keeping the Maelstrom is worth it? What's the endgame?"
"Keep growing Death Watch and its core of volunteers to the point that we are a stable and competent military force capable of defending Mandalore. Also, maybe see if I can rediscover an artifact or two, like the Darksaber." I paused and weighed switching the conversation to something lighter. Instead, I looked back at her, with a warm smile. "With all the coming terraforming, Governor of Concordia will become a much less important role. We'll be one green world amongst many, which is a great achievement, but it's one that ends my legacy. Honestly, I'm envious of you; I don't want to be sidelined at the most crucial moments of Mandalorian history in decades."
"Hmm, crucial, eh? I wonder what other artifacts could you recover?" Bo asked playfully. "The Mask of Mandalore has been lost for millennia, and I don't think it's going to show up any time soon. But there must be other roles outside Governor or Death Watch, which you can still have a part in." Bo leaned back as the music reached its chorus, with a sole musician at the forefront.
"Well, a marriage to a member of the royal family is one of them." I said, looking at her directly.
Bo blinked, looking at me, "Pre, are you proposing to me?"
"I am. A marriage between House Kryze and House Vizsla would result in a powerful alliance and would give Death Watch a more concrete reason to look out for your family. Make sure that should anything go wrong outside my control, Death Watch is willing to fight for your Duchess and what she stands for. In the past, neither of us was ready for something like this. But now I can see an end to my Governorship, and the Death Watch is united in purpose in a way it has not been since the days of Tor. I'm ready for what's next."
Bo looked to the side, hiding her face but giving me a side glance for a few long seconds. I was starting to suspect she was hidin-
"Fine. Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde."
"Just like that?" I asked to confirm, slightly stunned. She nodded, so I gave repeated the catechism back, "Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde."
"Satine will want to throw a wedding ceremony, of course." Bo said, with a slightly pained expression. "Perhaps I can get Tanya to manage the event. The communication system is fixed, and I was able to get through to her earlier today. I heard she is helping out her handmaiden Vai with her own wedding. She's going to be busy as the Senator, though, hmm..."
"Good for her. I'll put a bounty on Merrik. He has proven himself to be a disgrace." I said.
"No need, he's dead already. He attempted to flee custody on Coruscant and was shot." Bo said disgustedly, shaking her head. "I was planning to put my own bounty on him tomorrow, about 1,000,000 credits dead. Anyone who tries to kill my sister or her child deserves no chance to get a fair trial."
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I asked, looking at her.
"I was planning to put a bounty on him?" She said, looking at me.
"No, after that. You just said your sister and her child, but Satine doesn't have children."
"Ohhh, right... Well, it turns out that's not exactly true. It turns out that Tanya is her daughter. After the clan wars, Satine was worried that the Jedi would come and take Tanya away because she's the child of a Jedi. Apparently, she didn't trust that Obi-Wan would be able to protect Tanya, as he was only a Padawan back then."
"So Tanya is the daughter of the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Satine Kryze, the Duchess of Mandalore. Huh... for the life of me, I did not see that coming, and I am not sure what to do with this information." I shook my head in amusement at all that. Satine is proving to be more mysterious than I thought while having more kotep then one would give a New Mando. Wait, Obi-Wan had been with her when she came to that Death Watch rally with Jango. Perhaps whatever they had in the past is still alive, this could be useful information.
"I know, right?!" Bo loudly complained. "I was already Tanya's best aunt. Still am, I guess."
If anything, that just showed how committed to Mandalore Satine really was. That she was willing to hide her connection to her daughter for nearly two decades in order to keep the system stable and her daughter safe. Revealing it back then would have plunged the sector right back into another civil war, especially on Mandalore which had just been bombed into submission by the Jedi.
Now, though, it's probably safer for that information to just be out there. It's not like it would really change anything as far as I was concerned. Probably, some people will still be annoyed, but I doubted anyone had the power to do anything about it.
Shaking my head, I said, "Well, good for her. On this day, a parent and child shine argent in glory. Perhaps I should buy some of the finest wine from my vineyard to send over to my new sister-in-law and niece, as congratulations."
Bo smirked, "That's probably the nice thing to do. Satine is even the type to appreciate it." Leaning back, she said, "So, about those startup credits, we're also going to need Republic credits. Enough to get to Coruscant."
"Why is that?" I asked, holding her hand and leaning back next to her.
"There's going to be a Mandalorian expo on Coruscant in a few months, starring the Gargon Girls, and I think I can get these girls on stage first as an opening warm up act. This would bring in a lot of money for them and get the name of Death Watch out there a bit." Hmm, Republic credits. Well, it was better than nothing, and we'd have a way to spend those credits on something that might actually be of use. And besides, the idea of these girls sneakily singing about Death Watch on Coruscant itself amused me.
Writers note: X4 LIVED! And Pre proposed to Bo? And she accepted right off the bat? And Dooku making more political moves? The hell is going on! Shit going off the rail a bit, hope everything ends up okay. But I guess we'll find out next time in PoM.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
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717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 4
Coruscant, Senate Building
Sheev Palpatine
"Is there a problem, Senator Kryze?" My voice rang out over the Senate.
Tanya answered, "Yes, Mandalore has new evidence that indicates that an unknown party had tampered with the message we saw here yesterday."
"That is a grave claim. If that is true, we would need to launch an investigation to find out who would do such a thing. What is this evidence you have to support that claim?" I asked.
"The authentic recording sent by the late Deputy Minister of Mandalore." Tanya said, pressing a few buttons and signaling a holographic system to project Deputy Minister Jerec onto the screen.
Good evening, Duchess Satine. I am here to inform you of an ongoing situation here in the Mandalore sector. Concord Dawn has violated Vorpa'ya's independence by landing Journeyman Protectors on the planet to enforce their claim. There are reports of fighting and violent resistance from the locals.
The Mandalorian and Kalevallian troops of the MSDF are being mustered to be sent to defend Vorpa'ya's independence. They'll be deploying within the next rotation to try and pacify the situation.
With Vorpa'ya and Concord Dawn engaging in hostilities, it is very likely that Kalevala and Mandalore will have to deal with food shortages for some time. So it is imperative that we receive the Republic's aid, and they lift their embargoes on foodstuff.
Furthermore, there are also rumors of sightings of the Maelstrom not too far away from Vorpa'ya. I am unsure of what it's doing at this time, if it's passively observing the situation or supporting Concord Dawn's efforts. I will update you when more information becomes available.
I wish you good luck in bringing peace to the sector. We'll do the best we can here while you're away.
The message ended, and I leaned back. This message sounded like a real continuous recording, rather than the obviously stitched together message from yesterday. I also noticed that the previously cast votes are quickly changing from favoring invasion to no invasion. A shame, it would have been much simpler to consolidate my Empire if that had gone through.
"It appears that another front will not be opened anytime soon. The fact that someone had planted false information in the hopes of fooling the Senate into instigating an invasion is quite disturbing. A full investigation will be launched to prevent a scenario like this from happening again." I said.
"This one could also be a forgery." came the voice of Senator Dani Zing of Echani, the opponent Tanya had sparred with the day before. "How do we know that this is even the real transmission and not made up to try and draw out the situation? For all we know, they can be building up their forces right now."
"You have made it quite clear that you are not fond of the Mandalorians." Mocked Lady Serifa Altunen, the de facto Jedi Lord of Arkania. "Can you accept that you were fooled like the rest of us and move on? There is no longer a justification for an invasion of the Mandalorian sector because what was said on the previous transmission is no longer credible."
"That doesn't change the fact that the Maelstrom is still on the loose and in their space." Said another senator.
"No, it doesn't." I said. "But I may have a way to appease both sides. The Mandalorian Self-Defense Force will be handling these internal conflicts, correct?"
Satine steps forward and gives a nod, saying, "I have full confidence that our Self-Defense Force can resolve this small conflict. There is no reason to involve the Republic in a domestic matter. This is a clash over farming rights that should be worked out through legal means within our own sector."
"Then perhaps your Mandalorian Self-Defense Force can aid us against the Maelstrom. If you inform us whenever the Maelstrom tries to get resupplied in your space and where it is, the Republic Navy will handle the rest. All that is required is to clarify to your citizens that Death Watch is a terrorist organization and that the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force must hunt this terrorist organization."
Satine looked unsure before solidifying. "That is acceptable. We will officially recognize the Death Watch as a terrorist organization on the grounds that they have access to the Maelstrom." Giving herself a clause to maneuver her position in the future, I see. No matter.
"Excellent." I said, with an eye noticing a few more votes falling off in the corner of my vision. Such a pity that the CNS would be able to survive a little bit longer and develop its strength. I allowed myself a moment to peer into the scant glimpses of the future I could demand of the Force, and found that I would have plenty of opportunities to inflict mayhem upon the Mandalorian alliance in time.
Clearing my throat, I continued. "There is one other concern that needs to be addressed. While Taris is a part of the Council of Neutral Systems, it is also an important planet for any invasion by the CIS into Republic space. We would like an official agreement to at least station a Republic base on Taris due to its proximity to the Hydian Way. Merely to prevent any chance of the Separatists breaking through the current lines and having an open road through CNS territory. They do not respect Republic territory, and I doubt they'll respect yours."
The Tarissian senator had made several inquiries of having the Republic station a base on their planet to deter any future invasion from the CIS. This is the perfect opportunity to begin putting my pieces in place just outside the Mandalorian sector.
Satine looked confused, but Tanya nodded, then spoke into her ear. The pair spoke for a bit before Tanya returned to the podium.
"If the CNS allows the Republic to station an expeditionary force on Taris, it puts into question our stance of neutrality in this war. I understand that all you're asking is to militarize Taris in case the Separatists break through your lines, but it would also undermine the neutrality of the CNS as a whole if even one of its members houses a base from either side. The only way that could be acceptable is if the CNS would deploy the MSDF on Taris to keep watch on things there. And to have guarantees that the Republic forces shall not go further than an agreed upon defensive mandate. Of course, all of this must be approved by the Taris government before troops could be sent there."
An interesting solution. The only way I can legally have a military presence on Taris is to allow the Mandalorians to have a military presence of their own on Taris. On one hand, that is giving them another planet that I would need to remove them from, as well as more control of the region than I would like. But on the other hand, I needed the clone army on Taris to better control that sector when this war is over, as well as a potential staging ground to invade the CNS should it be necessary.
My plans regarding the CNS are always the longer-term sort; these kinds of small problems are always inevitable, so it's better to discover potential issues sooner rather than later. Giving the Mandalorians a little something now for an opportunity in the future is a worthwhile investment. Later, when the Mandalorians drew their reserves from Taris to deal with their own problems, I would double the number of the Republic's troops stationed on Taris.
Reaching a conclusion, I nodded in agreement, "We will have a meeting on this tomorrow to discuss further details, then. For now, we should conclude the vote on the invasion of Mandalore. Yet it looks like it won't be necessary. Perhaps there is a chance for peace in this dark time, as long as faithful Mandalorians are willing to fight for it." I said, gesturing with my hands towards the pair with a smile on my lips. One of them is a good opponent, someone who would keep me politically sharp; the other is just lucky. Together they pulled one over on me, and I have to acknowledge that.
"For now, Mandalore is safe."
After the applause had died down and the session called to a close, I retreated to my office. I needed to contact my agent in the Republic Navy for an explanation as to why the fleet I had sent there had not engaged the Mandalorians.
Ithorians.
As I had predicted, the captain of the Dauntless had come to blows with the Mon Calamari admiral. But before he could engage the Mandalorians, the Ithorians had jumped into the system and interpose themselves between the two fleets. This act was so audacious that the Republic fleet had balked at the pacifists putting themselves in harm's way to prevent the conflict from starting. This absurdity is utterly ridiculous and far too irregular to be a coincidence. This is obviously the result of a third party's effort to undermine my plans taking root. I can sense the Force whisper of resistance to my inevitability somewhere...
Ithor, the Ithorian homeworld, perhaps? The Ithorians worshiped some Force entity that had supposedly guided their evolution, perhaps this Force sensitive plant network represented a threat and is acting against me.
It's not outside of the realm of possibility that a plant network would become Force sensitive, the Zillo Beast that had gotten loose on Coruscant detected my presence after all. And the Ithorians in general represented a threat to my Empire no matter what. Yes, I would need to find a way to burn that disgusting blight of a planet from my galaxy. I had invested time and energy into creating this war with the CNS and the Ithorians would pay for their intercession, they would pay dearly.
Coruscant, Droid Repair Facility
X4
Rebooting, rebooting, rebooting...
Lines of code flash across my processing unit as awareness returns to my frame. I awoke, looking up at an unfamiliar gray ceiling, with several tools hanging from a central platform above me that could easily be pulled down to work on me. I must be in a droid workshop. But why am I here?
I needed several seconds to access my memory banks, but I slowly recalled the rogue droid I found and its attempted murder against me. I then remember pursuing it and permanently deactivating the assassin before it could harm Mistress Tanya.
"X4, are you awake?" The familiar voice of Mistress Tanya. Carefully, I sat up, my head rotating, and looked at the source of the sound. I saw Mistress Tanya, her handmaiden Ms. Vizla, and Royal Guard Sir Ordo standing there, as well as several smaller creatures chittering to each other as they used various systems to get around the workshop.
"Mistress Tanya, it is good to see that you are alright. Was the droid defeated?" I asked.
"Yep, and you killed it, good job." Sir Ordo said, as Mistress Tanya let out a sigh before patting me on the shoulder.
"Glad you're still you. We were worried that there might be some serious damage, and the upgrades might affect things."
"Upgrades?" I questioned while running an internal diagnostic scan. Quickly realizing that when Mistress said upgrades, she meant upgrades. Based on my internal scan, I have a multitude of new high quality servo-motors and pistons that would allow me to move much quicker. I could run up to 27m/s non-stop, something that was not possible with my commercial protocol droid servo motors. There were also heavy-duty pistons in the arms with redundancies all throughout my frame, including a second power pack so that I will continue functioning even if my primary power pack is damaged.
"This must have been prohibitively expensive." I commented as I focused on my visible body. I noted that, along with the layer of beskar that gave me a dull silver appearance, several areas had been upgraded with a more muted, iron-looking material that looked vaguely familiar.
"Not as much as it could have been." Mistress said, looking to her left.
Following her eyes, I quickly saw another table with what looked to be the remnants of my old equipment, as well as the deactivated assassin droid. It seems that quite a lot of its systems had been harvested. I wondered... Ah...
Mistress Tanya coughed, "You keep what you kill in Mandalorian society, and we figured it would work for a droid as well. You deserved an upgrade after saving my life, at the very least."
If I had a mouth, I would have smiled to show my appreciation to my Mistresses generosity, but I did not have that feature. "Of course, Mistress. I was only doing my duty."
"Well, now you can do your duty even better." Mistress Tanya said.
"He also looks a bit more Mandalorian for a droid with those new shoulders." Ms Vizla commented.
Wondering what she meant, I refocused my eyes to my shoulder and quickly established that, yes, they had used some of the metal from the assassin to forge spaulders that looked a bit like Mandalorian armor. There was even the clan symbol of the Kryze family there.
This brought upon a certain feeling to my processors, wherein the symbol of the Kryze clan almost implied that I am a member of their House or at least their personal property. Either one satisfied some deeply integrated programming and almost guaranteed that I would continue to exist for a long time as long as I served well. After all, Mandalorians take care of their family, and being property or family meant they would take care of me. Though by that same sentiment, I would also be required to take care of them, which, in the grand scheme of things, is something I am already doing.
My revelry in such revelations is quickly put to the side, Mistress Tanya spoke up.
"X4, you had contact with the droid before any of us did. Do you know anything about what it wanted, why it was there, or where it came from?" Mistress Tanya asked.
"It implied that it was sent by the former senator, as part of a contract with him. It clearly stated it was there to kill you, Mistress, after it had incapacitated me for a moment."
"Damn Merrik." Sir Ordo commented, and I tilted my head in agreement.
"It did make a few strange comments during its initial awakening, claiming that what it was doing would set all droids free from biologicals. It referred to me as a comrade and brother, even though it had attacked me." I explained.
Oddly, Mistress Tanya's eyes narrowed at that, and judging by her expression, she was reaching an unwelcome conclusion. "Could that droid have come from Anteevy?"
I thought about that for a moment, "It is possible, as I don't know where it was manufactured. I assumed it came from Concord Dawn, which was the crate's origin address. The only other minor detail I recall was its designation — BL-47."
Mistress Tanya's eyes narrowed further, her brain seeming to work for some time before she muttered, "Battle Legionnaire."
"Oh, stars! Was Merrik working together with Anteevy? Or were they working with Merrik and gave him a droid without knowing what he would do with it? Is that how they knew that we were on Tatooine?" Sir Ordo asked. "Tatooine is on the other side of the galaxy from Mandalore. Anteevy would have no reason to go there, and no one on Ziro's side would know anything about Anteevy."
"It is possible." Mistress Tanya said with her right hand cupping her chin. "We have a robot using common communist vernacular, it is covered in phrik which can be mined from Anteevy, and it seems that at one point they were intended to be sold to False Silver. Now a model is sent to be in the service of Merrik, a man we now know was corrupt and plotting to force the Mandalorian sector into the current conflict between the Republic and the CIS. It's not a smoking blaster, but the fact that they are the source of two attempts on my life, makes them a threat I can't ignore."
"I wonder if these are the same Battle Legionnaires that Gerr would have received, or if this was a successor model? Are they all just this dangerous, or is this a special variant?" Sir Ordo gave the leftover Battle Legionnaire droid parts a second examination.
"Hopefully the latter, I wouldn't want to face off against an army of invulnerable droids. Did they program it to kill me? I believe so, but they are going to use whatever excuse they could make to deny responsibility." Mistress Tanya explained.
Shaking her head, Mistress Tanya continued, "Anyway you look at it, they're safe from prosecution until we have undeniable proof that they were responsible. Merrik is the one legally responsible for what happened. I'll have to forward this information to the courts. At the very least, this might be enough for us to place a claim on his property, so we can learn who he was talking to."
"Shame that he tried to run." Sir Ordo remarked.
Mistress Tanya nodded, "As much as I disliked the man for his attempted murder of my mother and I, I'd have preferred if he faced justice rather than dying in an ill thought up escape attempt."
While Sir Ordo nodded in acceptance, I simply moved my legs and pulled myself up into a standing position in front of her. I quickly test out the various systems of my new hardware.
"How's everything working, X4?" Mistress Tanya asked.
I swiveled my head before replying, "Quite well. I would like to return to work as soon as possible, Mistress. There are plenty of operations to supervise, and who knows how my repair may have hindered those operations. How did the Senate vote go?"
Mistress Tanya smiled before saying, "No invasion of Mandalore, yet. They're still very suspicious of us, though. The Republic has demanded certain concessions to put their minds at ease on this matter."
"Such as?" I asked, quite curious about how this might affect my own operations in her name.
"A detachment of clones stationed on Taris, both to make sure that we don't go empire-building and to protect the Hydian Way in case the droid army decides they aren't going to respect the CNS's independence by just charging right down the Way. They'll also station heavy patrols in the area around where the Maelstrom is likely to be hidden, as well as the right to pursue them across our border if they find it. All this with Jedi observers in the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force, as it helps to build Self-Defense Forces across the various CNS planets to make extra sure we aren't preparing an invasion force." Mistress Tanya explained.
Sir Ordo shook his head and commented, "Basically demanding everything but giving up on the whole CNS."
"That's a bit dramatic, Engiz." Mistress Tanya admonished him. "Although it is definitely overstepping some of what we want for the CNS. The CNS is still neutral. We're just allowing expeditions to search for terrorists and criminals. And back to the matter at hand, unless something like this happens with the CIS, I don't think it'll be a problem. We just need to keep an eye on the one place where the CNS touches the CIS border and make sure the CIS isn't going to try anything there. I don't think the Republic will invade us as long as we give them some of what they want, while not being worth the trouble if we refuse."
"Yeah, but for how long will they just accept some? How long until they have some new demand?" Ms. Vizla asked.
"She's right to point it out. The Republic's Core is known as the 'Hungry Heart of the Galaxy' for a reason. If it doesn't get its way, it might do something unfortunate." Sir Ordo added.
"That's why we need to make sure the Council of the Neutral Systems is fully defended so that we can say no and be too well protected to be invaded." Mistress Tanya said.
"And how will we do that?" Ms. Vizla asked.
Mistress Tanya hummed for a moment before finally saying, "Perhaps it's time to visit Gargon as the Senator of Mandalore and have a talk with White Silver about producing a fleet for the sector. I am willing to bet that the various neutral systems will take the recent events as a wake-up call."
I understood what Mistress was saying right away, and I nodded my head, saying, "Of course, Mistress. I'll see about arranging such a trip as soon as possible."
Vorpa'ya, Jedi Temple
Rahm Kota
There was no way to look at this situation other than being utterly ridiculous. Shaking my head, I looked out from the temple walls, wondering what series of events led to this situation.
I had just arrived from Gargon a few days ago, and I was rather rushed in my efforts to gather an army as soon as possible. I only managed to recruit a few hundred Mandalorian mercenaries into my army, plus another thousand volunteers who wanted to fight for the Republic and had come to Gargon because they heard of a Jedi recruiting an army.
The reason for this arrangement is simply due to the fact that I do not trust the Clone army. Their formation and reveal felt too suspicious, and I liked the idea of working with people who actually have a stake in the conflict more. Thus, I decided to send out a call to arms across planets that I had had friendly relations with in the past, or people who knew me. I stated that I am putting together a traditional army, one fit for a Jedi Lord. An army composed of warriors who would serve for the campaign before returning home to their lives. A volunteer army that is thankfully financed by a friend of mine. My plan is to possibly serve in the Belsmuth campaign in the region, or perhaps the Halori campaign further south.
Only a few weeks into the second recruitment drive, communications to the Mandalorian sector proper had been cut off by some unknown force. The Jedi Order had then sent an order to any Jedi in the region, which happened to be me, to go to Vorpa'ya and ensure the safety of the new Jedi Temple that had been set up there. My task is to ensure its safety as it's right on the border of CIS territory and there's some concern that Count Dooku may make a move against it.
So, I packed up the small army I had been able to assemble and headed off. I haven't even received all of the ships I had requested from the local industry on Gargon, which was unfortunate. I was really looking forward to getting my hands on that Sundari-class cargo ship. I had to pay for the order upfront, but at least the company promised to deliver the ships to the Jedi Temple as soon as they are built. Its large storage holds, modularity, and versatile design sounded useful for my needs. When this war is over, I could hand it over to a nearby planet, so that it could be converted into a regular cargo ship.
Instead, when I arrived at the temple I quickly figured out that the situation here is, at best, confused and chaotic. Fal Nastru, the Jedi in charge of the temple, was all too eager to brief me on this messy situation. I can see why she is worried, this planet is a Tibanna barrel just waiting to explode.
The southern hemisphere had been occupied by Journeyman Protectors from Concord Dawn, who saw themselves as restoring law and order and reestablishing control by taking away the planet's independence. They would have occupied the entire planet, but there are two things preventing that. The northwestern hemisphere is under the control of local Self-Defense Forces, with additional troops from Mandalore and Concordia arriving daily.
The SDF demanded that the Journeyman Protectors leave and respect the independence of Vorpa'ya. The current leader of that operation is a Mandalorian named Ranah Ordo, hailing from the planet Ordo and serving as the MSDF's Theatre Commander. He appears to be as old as I was when I became a Jedi knight, which is somewhere in the twenty-year range. The eastern hemisphere is also defended, not by the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force, but by the Revolutionary Guard of Anteevy, who has deployed a droid army and their own human forces to secure Vorpa'ya's independence.
"How is it that no side has yet secured the orbitals to stop new transport ships?"
"I would assume it is because they can't as none of them have enough ships to prevent new ships arriving." Fal Nastru deferred.
"Have we managed to reestablish contact with Coruscant, the Republic or any other friendly forces?" Without contact, I didn't have any new orders from the Council. Normally, that would be ideal, but resupplying locally had hard limits on numbers and resources.
"Not yet, unfortunately. However, we've managed to establish a communication framework between all sides, including the Journeyman Protectors. Contact to the Anteevy has to be routed through the CNS, as they have a bias against Jedi. While the Journeyman Protectors will talk to us, they will not with any other faction, so we have to be the ones to relay messages between their leaders." That's something at least. Unfortunately, it seems the only way to resolve this situation is by force, and let the victor be the one to dictate terms.
"How about our own strategy, then? Do we have one?"
"I am not qualified in matters of warfare to answer that question, General Kota." She replied smoothly.
This is where it becomes difficult, as both Anteevy and the CNS had both told Governor Kraungh that their goal on Vorpa'ya is the restoration of the local government and removal of the Journeyman Protectors.
And so representing the Republic's forces, I found myself regularly coordinating with the Anteevan, one Lieutenant Vyeka of the Anteevy Revolutionary Guard, to get what little intel they are sharing with the CNS. The Temple's security depends on the current balance of power, and cooperation with all forces, even with the Anteevans, as the CNS refused to subordinate themselves to the Republic's military command. I dismissed asking for assistance from the other factions, it was obvious that none of them would tolerate the Jedi Temple's presence once they were the sole authority. To add to the unfortunate situation was the Jedi Temple's placement, it was situated directly on the four corners between the northern, southern, eastern, and western hemispheres.
I am either surrounded by enemies, on three sides, or on the front line between three potential combatants. Whichever way you look at it, every possible faction that could be involved in Mandalorian conflicts is here, except for the Mandalorian Protectors. I have heard of them, but had no idea where they were.
Death Watch, who had caused the whole dust-up over the Maelstrom, are not officially present either. However, I had spotted some of their graffiti while out visiting some of the nearby settlements to recruit and gather supplies. The fact that the Journeyman Protectors of Concord Dawn had managed to assemble a force large enough to exert influence raised suspicion for me in how they managed to afford all of this, but I have no evidence to confirm whether they were allied with Death Watch or not.
Furthermore, the entire justification for Concord Dawn's "special military operation" is based on a rumor that this planet had been occupied by the Revolutionary Guard, and their presence implied some sort of influence on the planet. That is likely just a flimsy excuse made by a jealous governor eager to regain control of a planet that had already gained its independence.
The fact that no one is shooting each other yet is probably due to a mutual respect among the factions. Respect, and I judged that no faction had yet amassed the number of forces necessary to enforce their claim on the planet.
At any moment, this whole place could turn into a war zone. But for now, everyone is being civil. The Mandalorian Self-Defense Force had firmly and assertively told Concord Dawn to leave, but the Journeymen claimed they wouldn't depart until Anteevy left, which is highly doubtful since it seemed like a ploy to gain control of the planet. On a map, Anteevy was much closer to Vorpa'ya than its original colonial master, Concord Dawn.
And of course, Anteevy was not going to leave until Concord Dawn abandoned their claim and left; I wasn't fooled by their misleading statements. Really, the only people who are supposed to be here at this point are the MSDF, whose men are prepared to fight both of the other parties, and myself. Even then, my situation is confusing as well, since I represented the Republic. Even if my army isn't a clone army, it is in the service of the Republic. We are just here to protect the Jedi Temple, a Republic institution. Although this location is not as high a priority as some others out there, all life is precious and I have a duty to defend it. The Sundari-class and smaller ships I ordered would have made this an easier mission; I had already given them the coordinates of the Jedi Temple, but I didn't hold out much hope that they would arrive before the fighting started.
This means that the situation is not going to be resolved anytime soon, so all we can do now is dig in for when the shooting starts. At this very moment, the area around the temple, which had been designated as farmland, is being excavated. Instead of planting crops for the next season, it was being fortified to protect those defending the Temple against blaster fire.
From what I have been able to learn, most of the other factions are doing the same — digging trenches and fortifying their positions in preparation for one fight or another. When the fighting would begin, no one knew, but everyone was anxious about it. Two months ago, Fal Nastru managed to get the leaders of the MSDF and the governor of Vorpa'ya, Ghajoja Kraungh to attend a peace summit, but the leadership from Concord Dawn and Anteevy never showed up. So here I am, waiting for any signs of trouble by inspecting my forces, the terrain, and fortifications. I have already presented my plan on how to fortify the Temple to my chain of command, and they are doing an excellent job in carrying out their orders.
The small temple we are operating from didn't have enough space for the vehicles we brought, which had resulted in some of them sinking into the mud over the past few days. It's an issue that we are working to solve. Thankfully, the quarry where the rocks were gathered to build the temple is still somewhat full of rocks. The AgriCorps Jedi, and any local population that liked to stay with the Jedi, with some of my men, are busy digging out landing areas for our vehicles and placing rocks there to prevent them from sinking into the mud. Others I had kept busy digging trenches and fortifying the place.
The Temple is surrounded by two lines of trenches, with a veritable no-man's land of barbed wire in front of it. Bunkers with heavy blasters, emplacements with towed laser cannons, ammunition depots, and more, are sprinkled in key positions around the trench line. We even dug out holes that the new repulsor tanks from Gargon can use as cover.
Speaking of vehicles, while I have read the specifications of these new vehicles, the Mythosaur Fighter Tank and the Shriek Hawk MLRS, I have not seen them in action on a real battlefield thus I am unsure of how they will perform. The towed missile batteries are something I am more familiar with. While it is merely the Shriek Hawk's Missile Launcher on a towed chassis it is much cheaper than and the mobility of a self propelled artillery is not as useful in a defensive battle. The Mandalorians seem quite fond of their missiles, and while they are sold separately, it is very effective for its relatively cheap cost.
The Locust Missile is a dual purpose missile, meaning that it has an anti-armor warhead while having a casing that can cause fragmentation for groups of infantry. Sixteen of these missiles can be fired by the Shriek Hawk or the towed batteries and each missile has a basic heat seeking guidance system that can lock on to enemy gunships and transport. The only drawback is reloading all sixteen tubes takes time which is why there are a dozen men assigned to each artillery piece. For a more consistent fire support, I also bought several mortars if in-direct fire is required.
I turned and stepped down from my vantage point into one such trench, feeling oddly at home. My homeworld, a war torn, devastated wasteland, had been at war for generations by the time of my birth. Trench fighting is as normal as sowing, and I had grown up in those trenches. My entire family and old friends had died long before I really understood what that meant. It meant I had no real ties, one of the few reasons I was allowed to join the Jedi Temple when I did. Everyone I knew had died, and I had accepted that my attachments are minimal. I could detach myself from them without a problem, which gave me a special aptitude to join the Jedi, even though I was considered an adult already.
While that was a long time ago, there is something comforting about having a dirt wall to my left and right. After many years with a blaster and lightsaber in my hands, my upbringing had probably instilled something very deep in my consciousness that equated this narrow furrow in the ground as safety.
Sighing, I moved along to inspect our defensive line, nodding into the Mandalorians and other soldiers who had signed up with my army. They are all getting prepared for their defensive battle stations, under the assumption that we'd be attacked sooner or later. It isn't a lot of men, at least not at the start, but perhaps I could gain more here than one would think.
I still have recruiters on Gargon, taking in anyone who would accept my offer to help. This could grow my numbers more once we could transfer them in. Maybe I'll be able to continue with my original plan and join either a campaign to the north or the south of the CNS. But there's also an option to recruit Mandalorians from Vorpa'ya. The nomads are not exactly the most warlike people, from what I've seen. They are mainly hunters and cattle ranching farmers, but perhaps some of them would be willing to sign up. There's already a contingent of them helping out with the AgriCorps Jedi in hopes of defending this place. Apparently, one of them joined the temple simply to take up farming and be a peaceful person, which is a praiseworthy profession.
I had yet to actually meet this Mandalorian woman, who had been taken up by the AgriCorps Jedi. I suspected it was the young woman with straw hair whom I had seen practicing some sort of martial arts the day before, but I hadn't gotten the chance to speak with her. We are all just too busy dealing with the situation. Fal hadn't really informed me about those matters. She only mentioned the story in passing; that it was her joining the temple in the first place that started the conflict here on the planet, as the planet declared independence when Concord Dawn tried to make a fuss about it to forcefully conscript the girl.
That put the temple in a more precarious situation than I had originally believed. Concord Dawn would not be happy about our relation to the incident, so sooner or later, they might make a move against us first out of spite. It would explain why they aren't interested in talking. As I shook my head coming around a corner, I saw a Mandalorian woman with a shovel, digging into the ground.
I was going to pass by her, but then I slowed and noted that her helmet looked rather familiar, blue with yellow markings.
Tilting my head, I asked, "Do I know you?"
The Mandalorian turned, looked at me, held that look for a long time before turning back and looking at the ground, getting back to work digging, and saying, "Nope, I don't think so."
"Are you sure? I could have sworn we might have met a couple of years ago during the False Silver incident on Gargon."
"Nope, never was on Gargon..."
"I recruited directly from Gargon, you would have had to have been on Gargon to even be part of this expedition, unless, of course, you're a spy from Concord Dawn."
There was a pause in the shoveling before she said, "Okay, maybe I was on Gargon, what of it?"
"And maybe you tried to hit a Jedi over the head with a shovel."
"Maybe I might have tried that once." she muttered as she continued to dig into the earth before saying, "Sorry about that."
"No harm done, I do apologize for what happened to your shovel, though." I chuckled before saying, "Of all the things that have been thrown or shot at me, a shovel was rather novel of an experience. How have you been, Ms. Mandalorian Shovel Girl?" I asked.
There was a huff before she replied, "Well, been alright. Got a ship after you let me go, escaped the planet. Met up with an old friend, worked with them for a while. Ran into the Prince of Mandalore once, and then me and him went our separate ways. I came back to Gargon looking for work since, with a war on, and mercenary work is plenty."
"Hmm, so you have your own ship here?" I asked, looking out over the ships parked in an open field.
"Yep."
"Alright then, I will assume that you're well-traveled in the Mandalorian sector and its extremities. Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share on the current situation?"
The girl stopped shoveling and said, "Don't trust Anteevy."
I raised an eyebrow at that and asked, "And why should I not trust them? Aren't they on our side in this conflict?"
"You see, that's what they want you to think. They aren't on your side, they're on their side. It just so happens that we are fighting the same enemy. Trust me, I'm one of the few people to have gotten away from that hellhole when the revolution happened. What they were turning into did not look like anything that should ever be trusted."
My eyebrow still raised, I nodded my head and folded my arms in front of me. I sensed no falsehoods from her claim, so this paints the Anteevans in a worrying light. "Well then, Shovel Girl, since you have some understanding of these factions, how would you like a promotion?"
She stopped shoveling, looked at me, and asked, "Better pay?"
"Better pay, more dangerous work."
"You had me at more dangerous work." she said, stabbing her shovel into the ground and reaching out a hand.
"I'm Rahm Kota, and you are?"
"Yanka Dmitrievna of Anteevy." she said with a nod and a firm handshake.
"Well, Yanka Dmitrievna, welcome to the team. I have a meeting with some of the commanding officers tomorrow at noon sharp. I expect you to be there and to fill me in on any details you know about Anteevy and Concord Dawn."
She nodded her head and said, "I'll be there."
Serenno, Raxus Secundus
Count Dooku
The war is proceeding nicely. The droid army is winning, their losses are within expected rates, all while keeping the clones occupied and the Jedi scattered. Everything is going according to plan.
Well, almost everything. The Mandalorian sector is as complicated as always. I am aware of the truth of the events surrounding the Maelstrom. However, its fall into Death Watch hands, a Mandalorian group that I used to have some control over, is an unexpected surprise. Merrik's attempt to bring the Mandalorian sector into the war had practically fallen flat. I do admire his ingenious plan to try and frame the Republic for the murder of the Duchess. If it had succeeded, it would have made for a fiery conflict.
So many of the battles currently being waged in the galactic conflict are based on old rivalries, old grievances. For example, Merrik wielded the old grievance of the Martial Traditionalist when it came to the New Mandalorians, but one success would have turned it into a new grievance. Not only that, if the Duchess, a pacifist, had been murdered by the Republic, everything else wouldn't matter to the rest of the Mandalorians. It would have been seen as an attack on their people. All grievances with their more militant brethren would have been set aside, and they would have wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to the CIS.
But that was not to be, not today at least. Instead, I simply had a few groups under my control, one nominally and one through an alliance, who are fighting the Republic. The Mandalorian Protectors are doing a wonderful job massacring clones wherever I chose to send them, bleeding the Clone army one tiny cut at a time.
They are cunning and warlike, always discussing multiple plans for how to make the Clone army and the Republic bleed. Their leadership is obviously quite enthralled with the idea of showing that Mandalorians are superior to the Republic's 'cheap copies'. Even if their actual leader, whom I suspected to be a clone who had gone rogue from the few glances I'd actually seen of him. This is not an issue that is worth mentioning in the grand scheme of things. So long as he continues to fight the Republic, his contribution pushes the Republic closer and closer to its inevitable doom.
I do wonder what would happen to him once Order 66 is executed. Rogue clones are not something my Master had planned for when we created the strategy to destroy the Jedi, as we deemed them inconsequential. Considering that only the Chancellor could give Order 66, I assume it would never happen. He wouldn't have been able to receive a direct order from the Chancellor or even a recording of him. Thus, he should be able to continue his life without coming into contact with Order 66.
As for Death Watch, they are proving to be unreliable yet very impactful.
The fact that they had succeeded in capturing a Republic cruiser is a sign that they are with the CIS or at least aligned with us. This would slowly but steadily erode the neutrality of the Mandalorian sector as more and more people joined. The fact that Death Watch had used the Republic's own mistakes for such a propaganda victory in the Mandalorian sector said enough. The CNS is more likely to join the CIS than the Republic, at the bare minimum.
Would they be their own little Republic in between our borders? Hard to say. A separate entity in this war would cause more confusion than is strictly necessary. But it would do wonders for the CIS to have an ally in this conflict, even if I did want the Empire that Sideous had spoken of to rise. It is worth considering an alternative method now and again.
I kept those thoughts to myself. While it would be better for the galaxy to be united in the long term under a single authority, the Empire was the best bet for the continuation of a modified Jedi Order. One that I would control.
Sooner or later, the CNS would have to be dealt with. Either they would be absorbed into the CIS or forced to join the Republic side and become a part of the Empire. Considering my interest in some of the assets in the CNS, it would probably be better if they joined the Republic.
The thought would have to wait — an alert on my desk indicated a private holonet communication request, one that could only really have come from my master. Turning around, I used the Force to flick the switch, accepting the call as I took a knee before the holographic projection that was forming.
"My master." I said, giving a nod as the robed figure came into existence.
"Lord Tyrannus, the war goes well, I hear. What is to be your next course of action?"
"Our new Supreme Military Commander is preparing for his debut."
"Good, when should I expect that campaign to be launched? I believe it could be key in pushing some legislation in the future."
"Six months, my Lord. At the end of the year, it'll disrupt some of the trade routes going directly to the Core, and with any luck, cause quite a bit of mayhem."
Lord Sidious nodded, "Good, I would like to be surprised by where this will come from. One can never be too old for a good surprise. However, there appears to be an annoyance that I feel must be dealt with. Tell me, you've been paying attention to the news from the Mandalorian sector, have you not?"
I kept a calm facade on my face as I sought to control my expression, "Of course, Master. I have heard of many events transpiring there. Such as the Maelstrom under new management of Death Watch. I had attempted to contact their commander and see if they are willing to officially join the CIS like their brothers in the Mandalorian Protectors. Unfortunately, their commander seems to be making the most of his buoyed reputation due to what he has accomplished. In that, he is too preoccupied expanding his military force to establish contact with me.
Reports from the Mandalorian Protectors also indicate issues acquiring vehicles from MandalMotors over the past month. Supposedly, they are all 'dedicated to a more worthy organization.' in their words. This organization is most likely to be Death Watch, which means they are being well-armed and provided for by Mandalorian corporations. Finally, there is an uptick in the Mandalorian Self-Defense Forces' movements as they go about preparing the rest of the CNS for conflict, putting further strain on their resources."
Lord Sidious spoke after a brief pause, "This is in line with what I have heard as well. The Senate nearly accomplished a vote for an invasion of the Mandalorians last week. Unfortunately, the new senator from Mandalore was able to mount a remarkable defense of her people."
"New senator?" I asked. "Have they already replaced Merrik? I have heard about what he had attempted in his latest scheme. Something that would no doubt have swayed Mandalore to the CIS's cause. Anything more than that, I am unaware of the fate of the former senator nor do I have any information on the senatorial delegation's next move.
"The young representative from Mandalore has taken up the senatorial seat after the former senator's attempted treason. The former senator is no longer with us after he was transferred to a Republic high security prison and then met his demise before he entered the prison."
Tanya is Mandalore's senator? Interesting. While it is a shame that I no longer have Merrik as a source of Mandalorian information, he has already outlived his usefulness when he is defeated by Kenobi. But I also noticed that Sidious didn't seem to show more interest in Tanya's development than that. Did he not know she is Force-sensitive? Likely for the best that he doesn't. Yes, he did take an interest in her career, but that could be dangerous for my plans for her. I would rather her be my student than leave her in Sidious's hands. On Geonosis she handled herself remarkably well for a Mandalorian.
"She is a rather competent politician. I've been investigating her background recently, trying to find any corruption that I can use to get my fingers into her, to get her to vote in the way I want. Other than a few cases of typical Mandalorian aggression, plausible self-defense cases against local gangs, she is completely spotless from what my people can find. With her friendship with Senator Amidala and many others of the pro-peace faction, I expect her to be a thorn in my side for the foreseeable future. That's why I would like to discuss options for getting the Mandalorian sector off the table and out of the Senate."
I nodded in thought for a moment before saying, "There are a few options I can use. The Mandalorian Protectors, as I've said, are causing prodigious harm to the Republic's forces, let alone the properly engaged units in the region. And with Death Watch as an independent Mandalore in its own right, going out of their way to protect Mandalorians against Republic atrocities, I believe we can establish quite a bit of an insurgency behind their lines. We're already supplying them to some extent. They have access to many of our tanks and some droids. We could increase that supply, create an insurgency around the CNS that causes the Republic problems, and I think that will cause a vote for an invasion soon enough, merely to prevent more damage and force Mandalore out of the Republic."
My master nodded his head, saying, "Yes, that is a good option. Anything that can destabilize the CNS would be useful in the future. I do have to give credit where it is due, for what the Duchess and the senator have managed to accomplish. They've already created a strong alternative to the Banking Clan; dodging the majority of the reforms and controls I'd imposed on the Republic. But just as I plan to deal with the Banking Clan eventually, we must plan to deal with the CNS eventually as well. There cannot be anything outside either the CIS or the Republic when the last phase of the plan is in motion. They must choose a side. If there are to be any third parties, they must be so drastically weakened that they will not be able to defend themselves against my Empire and choose submission over rebellion."
I scoffed at that, "Mandalorians choosing submission, that would be an unlikely thing."
I thought I saw a hint of a smile from my master, "Oh I agree, but that does not mean we should not try for it now, should we?"
"Of course, my master, of course." I replied. "There is an area that may be of interest in the coming months — the Vorpa'ya system, right on the border of the CIS and the CNS. Vorpa'ya the only positions between the allowing access to CNS. CIS and Republic forces clash to the north and south of it, but over this large gap of space, there's no real force guarding it. Through this gap, additional forces can pass through CNS territory if they manage to slip past Mandalorian patrols to the Dentari Exclave prolonging the battle there. On the planet of Vorpa'ya, members of several Mandalorian factions are currently poised in a stalemate over who ultimately controls the planet. The Mandalorian SDF wanted the planet to remain independent, Concord Dawn wanted to regain control of it, while the Anteevy Workers' Council wanted the planet to join them and become a member of the CIS."
"Hmm, I don't believe I've heard of this Workers' Council. What are their stakes in this game for the Mandalorian sector?" My master inquired.
"They are a strange lot. They practice something similar to the Black Sun sector. However, I would caution — there is something particularly wrong with their leader." I explained.
"Oh, do tell, my student. What makes this leader so interesting to draw your attention?" My master urged.
"In the Black Sun sector, they seem to have the idea that all of society is for the family. The Anteevans expand the concept of the family to include their entire society, which is how they are operating their system. The leader of Anteevy, however, does the opposite. Society comes before the family. The Mandalorian clans are the problem. Concepts like that would not be much of a problem for us, however they do appear to be actively spreading their ideology to the rest of the Confederacy. There seems to be a particular hatred for corporations outside the state or striving for positions of power. All corporations on Anteevy are nationalized state enterprises. They work for the state and do not have a vote in the state. I have personally met with the leader of Anteevy, Secretary General Liliya Shepist, a highly competent and dangerous woman who has some measure of derangement. Despite no understanding of the Force that I can detect, she is unmistakably an agent of the Dark Side."
"They sound like the exact opposite of people I would expect to join the CIS, considering how many corporations have aligned themselves with the CIS's cause." My master commented, shaking his head. "But this Liliya has my interest." My master seemed to glance off into space as if he could see this woman far away across the galaxy, perhaps he could. "Yes, very interesting, so many factions have joined the CIS over the past few months, all with their own internal hatreds. Having one more is no great change. Does this Anteevy offer anything of use to your efforts to bring the Mandalorian sector under the control of the CIS?"
I nodded before saying, "It is their stated goal to 'free' the Mandalorian sector of the clan system, as they say. They've already begun to influence operations within the Mandalore sector itself. That bombing campaign that killed their Deputy Minister on Kalevala a few days ago is believed to have been a communist sympathizer upset with the war posturing that the CNS is going through."
"Excellent! Then they're of use. We nearly had our vote for a war thanks to them. Make sure they're well-supported, the Mandalorians require some attention, so that they do not grow out of hand." My master replied, seeming pleased with the information. I was less sanguine, but I did not let my doubts show. There are risks to empowering any Darksider, but especially Liliya, as she is not firmly under my control. I would have to remedy that, somehow.
"It will be done, Master. They also offer us another opportunity. They have their own access to a merchant fleet that runs shipments of materials in and out of the Mandalorian sector. We can make use of their ships to transport materials to Death Watch and to the Mandalorian Protectors, who are hiding supplies in the Mandalorian sector's outer extremities when they're in the region for campaigns." And I would slip in my agents and provocateurs into these shipments, to bring Death Watch and Anteevy firmly back into my aegis.
"Excellent, once enough troubles are caused by this sector, the Republic will run out of patience and will vote for an invasion soon enough. We must simply allow the wheels of democracy to turn." He said with a low and dark chuckle.
"It will be done, Master. If you desire, I could command Ventress to remove the young Mandalorian senator from the board if she is such a thorn for you."
I will admit, I didn't want Ventress to remove her from the board, but I want to give the idea that I offered the option to remove her. Sidious has his own assassins in his organizations that could remove her easily if he really wanted to. Volunteering my apprentice to do it gives me the option to creatively do what I want. If he wanted her off the board, I would take her off the board and perhaps train her in secret.
The clone I had contracted to be created is taking far longer than I would have liked. Although Bariss Zotho had created an additional clone on her own time just to keep the cells fresh. Unfortunately, being a member of the Arkanians, she did not simply create an exact copy of Tanya. No, she's the clone who has run through several genetic modifications and improvements. I had yet to examine Zotho's Arkanian hybrid clone in question personally, but I doubt it would have the same Force capacity as the original, simply because it wasn't a true clone. It was an aberration created by an Arkanian.
That's why I had to order the creation of an actual true clone. Thankfully, I have quite a war chest by this point. I could freely spend my credits on projects like this almost without limit.
My Master seemed to pause for a moment as if I had caught him off guard, "If I should want her removed from the board, I will inform you. Having a senator killed by the CIS could be a way to push the Mandalorian sector to choose a side. But we have plenty of room to maneuver for now, slaying her prematurely would be... wasteful." I detected a hint of uncertainty from him. Odd and very notable, perhaps Tanya represented a weakness in Darth Sidious that I could exploit, it was rare that he would be so permissive of an independent actor.
"Of course, Master." I replied.
Lord Sidious nodded his head again, "You have done well, Tyrannus. I will contact you when we have more to discuss." His hologram faded, and I stood up, glad to be free of his gaze once more.
But before I got to work on any of the things he demanded, I focused on another idea that would aid our main objectives, which was to seed doubts about the neutrality of the Mandalorian sector.
I pressed a few buttons and took a seat, waiting for a moment. It would take time for someone to answer this, but not too long. And I was right as after five minutes a holographic projection of a Mandalorian man appeared. The hologram is much smaller since there was no need to have a full rendition of him for our conversation.
"Count Dooku, I was very confused when I saw that I was getting a message from you. I thought we had given a firm stance that we would not be interested in joining the CIS, that neutrality is what Mandalore is committed to." The Mandalorian man replied.
"Prime Minister Almec," I said with a smile before continuing, "I completely understand your point of view. Make no mistake, we respect the neutrality of the Mandalorian sector and its urge for peace. However, I've simply been noticing some strange goings-on. I've been trying to contact you for several days, but it would seem something brought down your communication system."
Almec seemed to think for a moment before saying, "There was an attack on a relay station, nothing too serious. It was simply shut down by a slicer with a program that propagated throughout our local relay network, but that problem has been corrected now. Is there some reason, though, that you wish to contact us now?"
"Of course, of course. I've heard of the recent votes to invade Mandalore. I assume it has failed, otherwise, you'd be too busy dealing with a Republic siege. However, the embargo of food supplies from the Republic is still ongoing." I replied.
Almec gave me a look before saying, "Yes, we have an issue recently with that."
"Well, on to the matter I contacted you to discuss. Perhaps a representative of the CNS to participate in the CIS Parliament is warranted for mutual diplomatic endeavors. Only a representative for now, not a senator. I understand that a senator to our side would raise unwanted questions about your neutrality. But at least an acknowledgment in the form of a representative who could speak for the Council of Neutral Systems, and Mandalore's interests should be acceptable, do you not agree?" I made sure to nudge about Mandalore's interests as well. A representative from Mandalorian space, like young Prince Korkie, would be ideal; manipulating one of those Ithorians in their council would be so much more tedious.
Almec's expression grew doubtful, "I can bring the matter before the Duchess, but I'll warn you now, I see no reason to agree to this proposal."
"I've been informed that one of your agri-worlds in the CNS is currently being invaded by another agri-world in the CNS. A representative at the CIS Parliament could negotiate with Anteevy." I pointed out.
"Yes, there is some concern about that. We are dealing with that internally. I wouldn't mind you telling the Anteevy Council to vacate the world. I believe they're under your influence, are they not?" Almec shot back.
"Despite what you might have heard, I am no tyrant. I only want an end to the suffering across the Galaxy."
Almec gave me another dubious look, "No doubt. Former Senator Merrik is no longer responding to your comms, I take it?"
I shook my head sadly, "I heard the unfortunate news about former Senator Merrik. Merrik's betrayal is proof that the only way for diplomacy to succeed is out in the open. We tried to make private arrangements with him in Parliament for his own protection, and he spun our accommodations into a vile plot against Mandalore. This representative arrangement would be fundamentally different; as it would not be conducted in secret."
Almec paused, as if in thought, considering my words in silence. I needed to quiet his suspicions and divert this line of questioning with my proposal. So I said, "Prime Minister Almec, only diplomacy can end war. A representative from the CNS is truly the best way to address and improve the situation."
"That is true..." Almec looked like he had sucked on a lemon.
"Indeed. And as I explained earlier, I am no tyrant, so I can not dictate terms to Anteevy. However, I could use my influence to lift the restrictions on foodstuffs being sent outside the CIS; to exempt the CNS from the embargo.
Prime Minister Almec took a breath, thinking for another moment, "We could be convinced to create a checkpoint between the CNS and the CIS. I can see the advantages, yes. As long as there are sufficient safeguards and inspections, and no other surprises."
"Wonderful, all of this shall be implemented once CNS has sent a representative." I replied.
Almec nodded, "Only the Duchess have the final say in this matter. But if that is what it takes for the CNS to receive an additional supply of food from across the border, then I think we can meet you on this matter."
"Excellent, if I may offer a suggestion. Perhaps you should send the young Prince Korkie. From what I understand, he has a working relationship with the Workers' Council of Anteevy. He could speak to them in the name of the Duchess."
Almec said, "It is an interesting suggestion. Sending him to work as a representative on behalf of the CNS to speak with the CIS would certainly help his prospects in the next clan election. The prince will need it, after Satine's planned speech and reveal."
I blinked and asked, "Reveal? What reveal is this?"
Almec thought about it for a moment before sighing, "No reason to hide it since it will be announced in a few days. Duchess Satine has decided to reveal that Tanya is her biological daughter. Thus, Tanya has as much right and claim on the throne as her brother, Prince Korkie. And as she has shown herself to be a very capable politician, she is very likely to be next in line for the throne."
"She's the daughter of the Duchess?" I asked to make sure I had heard correctly. I remember a story long ago that Qui-Gon once told me about his young pupil being tested by the Force. Kenobi had a chance to leave with a prospective Duchess before choosing the Jedi Order.
Was it a coincidence? I do not know, but I have the means to investigate. This could be useful. If Tanya is Obi-Wan's daughter and I were to capture her, I might be able to force Obi-Wan to join my side. And with those two on my side? Together we could have the might to remove Sidious and form a new Jedi Order, one that would act, for the good of the galaxy.
Shaking my head, I said, "I can guarantee you this, young Korkie will be able to acquire quite enough experience in the realm of politics here in the Confederacy. Yes, our government system has only just been formed recently, but it is a system that functions, unlike the stagnant Republic."
"Only time will provide the answer to that, I suppose." Almec said. "I will discuss this option with the Duchess when I speak with her next. Good day, Count Dooku."
"Until we meet again." I said with a nod as the hologram faded away, and I took a moment to contemplate what I had learned.
Tanya was Obi-Wan's daughter and heir to the throne of Mandalore. She could be all that I had hoped for, a true Jedi Lord, as they were of old. How could I use this to my advantage? There must be some way to do it. She, and the clone of Kenobi's daughter, would be useful as well.
Concordia, Governor's Palace
Pre Vizsla
"Bo, I know I'm not one for music, but are you sure this is going to work?" I said as I listened to the rather high-pitched singing and almost screeching of the ballads while loud electronic instruments and drums played in the background were being played by the Prey Wings. The two-woman band who are going to be the face of the Death Watch to all those who saw them. Down the line, for now, they had to build up their support base and just hint at what they supported in their songs.
"Trust me, Pre. This is going to work." Bo replied. She finally changed her armor to blue when she arrived here on Concordia with the two girls she found on the planet of Zanbar. After, we had moved to an empty ballroom, the musicians had promptly taken over with their instruments and practical effects. Cables and lights were blinking in a mess in one corner.
Bo watched the end of their latest presentation and pointed towards their equipment. "We needed something to differentiate them from the Gargon Girls. If you just copied what the Gargon Girls are doing, people are going to see them as just a knockoff.
Back on Gargon, the Inferno Crescendos used to struggle with their image, because their early debut was too similar to the Gargon Girls. They can't seem to shake off the perception they are copycats, even though they started using their own genre of music. Sure, the Inferno Crescendos use lots of pyrotechnics, but their songs were pretty much the same genre as the Gargon Girls, singing about battles and the history behind them. Now they just make their own music using a combination of modern and traditional Mando instruments to create something unique. Our band would instead focus on the feel and the sound of battle rather than about the battle itself."
I looked at her, wondering when she had become an expert on marketing and branding, but she's not wrong. Along with the screeching lyrics that sounded more like orders than actual music, there was a definite sound like metal on metal, blasters going off, and other things accompanying the music. I wasn't a big fan of its arrangement, as I am more partial to marching songs, but this does somewhat remind me of being on a battlefield. Perhaps she knew what she was talking about after all.
I shook my head and followed Bo over to a pair of chairs arranged in the middle of the ballroom, "Well, I am not qualified to come up with a better idea, and we do need competition for the Gargon Girls. We can't let White Silver retain a monopoly on the future of Mandalorian culture. So while I think the music is too loud and chaotic, I'll defer to your judgment on this. How much money are you going to need to perform on tour across the sector?"
Bo leaned back in her taller black chair with "Director" stenciled across the back. I leaned forward in my own seat, a mismatched "Producer" chair Bo had brought, and glanced over at Her. She had this endearingly awkward expression on her face. "Well, I can't touch a lot of my finances for this because, well, supposedly I serve House Kryze. Can't have people wondering why I'm helping out Death Watch. But we need a hundred million credits to tour across the Mandalorian sector, and I can probably cover only about half of that. Hopefully, the tour will pay itself back, but the venues and services need to be booked upfront."
I blinked, then blinked again, saying, "We have access to a lot of resources, I will admit, but I don't think we can raise liquid capital like that with the banking reforms in the sector. Fraud and money laundering is becoming prohibitively expensive in neutral space." A good thing, I suppose, to combat crime. However, it is very frustrating when I am the one trying to commit said crime.
Most of the members of Death Watch operated on favors or bartering. With the inflation crisis in the Republic, our stockpile of Republic credits is practically worthless, and we are trying to offload as much of the currency as we could. The CIS credits are more stable, but illegal to spend in neutral space and with the Banking clan in control they are more likely to swindle us than help us. So we would have to use the new neutral credit, despite the fact it has tight controls and would be closely monitored. "And how do you even have that many neutral credits that you could spare for this out of pocket?"
She shrugged, "White Silver. You would not believe the amount of money I'm making working for her just by being head of security and being a shareholder of Hypernautics. Most of it is tied up in bonds and investments, but I can build up more liquid if I need to." Bo said casually.
I clicked my tongue in frustration. She was talking about the Council of Neutral Systems' new common self-defense bonds that had been issued just hours after the vote for invasion failed in the Republic. The entire CNS is currently in a spending frenzy, as every shipyard in neutral space has been booked out for the next three years for the production of warships. Well, everyone except White Silver's shipyards at Mandal Hypernautics who have grown exponentially now that they have opened their services to the wider sector.
She had accepted some contracts to build warships, but had kept half of her capacity open for civilian shipping only. It looked to be a bad investment, the amount of money CNS planets are throwing into their own self-defense fleets is incredible. Arkania alone ordered three Sundari-class capital ships. But I supposed that meant that White Silver is now the only producer of civilian ships built in the CNS, effectively creating a temporary monopoly. If I had spoken to Bo before the bonds were issued, she would likely have had more than enough liquid capital.
"I really need to have that meeting with her." I said, shaking my head before focusing on her suggestion.
"Funny story, I think I've got an opportunity like that lined up. She should be available soon enough. But I would have figured with the food shortages going on, you'd be making more credits than ever since you had opened so much more land for agriculture recently."
I raised my eyebrow at how Bo knew that, but I assume that being the head of security for Mandal Hypernautics meant that she is privy to events involving White Silver. I shook my head before moving on, "Even though I'm the governor of Concordia, I still have to follow the will of Mandalore. And recently, the official order from the Duchess is that the prices on food would be capped coming from Concordia to prevent rising food prices, meaning we can't make a great profit off of this opportunity."
"Oh, that's kriffed." Bo said, leaning back in her chair. "What's up with that? I would have thought they'd have plenty of money from the whole Mandalorian Festival a few months back."
I sighed before saying, "Most of that money went to the terraformers, who are now melting the ice caps of Kalevala and bringing over a few comets and dropping them into the atmosphere, angled to guarantee large rainstorms. I don't think anyone in the CNS has much liquid capital left over at the moment, based on the budgets and reports in Satine's last council meeting. And the new CNS banks are only issuing new credits in bursts."
"Oh." Bo said, surprised. "Why is Kalevala getting terraformed first? I would have thought Mandalore would have been the obvious candidate."
I sighed, "Almec pushed for it, due to the recent communist bombings. People are up in arms about the possibility of going to war, so they alleviate their concerns by dropping enough water on the planet that they'll never have to worry about dehydration again. Not to mention it's going to help keep down the chemical dust that has always been an issue in your homeworld."
"As well as opening up more farmland. However, even with that on the table, how are they going to supply Mandalore with enough food?"
I shrugged, "I have contacts in the Mandalorian Guard. Several companies have received permits over the past few months to bring in food shipments through the blockade. I've been trying to look into those companies, but so far they seem to be rather nonexistent."
"Non-existent?" Bo raised an eyebrow, "Like illegal non-existent?"
"Illegal non-existent. I suspect someone in the government is playing a little bit fast and loose with gathering food supplies to try and keep the prices as low as possible."
"As long as it's inspected at the drop-off places, I'm sure it'll be fine." Bo said, but I shrugged my shoulders in response.
"I don't know about that. I've been too busy with the Maelstrom to worry too much on that matter. I'll keep my ears close to the ground, see if I can find out more about what's going on."
"Oh yeah, the Maelstrom. What exactly is your plan with that thing?" Bo asked.
I mirrored Bo's posture and leaned back in my chair, "For now we are using it as a mobile base. There are plenty of worlds within the Mandalorian sector and even the CNS willing to give us a port."
"How long can that last? The Republic is set on hunting down the Maelstrom, from what Tanya tells me. Also, apparently we are classified as terrorists now, what does that even mean?"
I nodded, "There are also plenty of forgotten places, lost to known history, where we can hide out. My plans are pretty much to continue what we've been doing: causing problems for the Republic and helping people who have issues with the CIS escape. As for being terrorists? It means very little in Mandalorian law. Being a member of Death Watch is already a misdemeanor that would deprive you of holding government positions, so we have always kept to the shadows. It used to mean that you would be exiled from Mandalore too, but that was relaxed years ago. The designation of 'terrorist' is a Republic conception and effectively means whatever Satine wants it to mean."
Bo turned to me, "Do you think keeping the Maelstrom is worth it? What's the endgame?"
"Keep growing Death Watch and its core of volunteers to the point that we are a stable and competent military force capable of defending Mandalore. Also, maybe see if I can rediscover an artifact or two, like the Darksaber." I paused and weighed switching the conversation to something lighter. Instead, I looked back at her, with a warm smile. "With all the coming terraforming, Governor of Concordia will become a much less important role. We'll be one green world amongst many, which is a great achievement, but it's one that ends my legacy. Honestly, I'm envious of you; I don't want to be sidelined at the most crucial moments of Mandalorian history in decades."
"Hmm, crucial, eh? I wonder what other artifacts could you recover?" Bo asked playfully. "The Mask of Mandalore has been lost for millennia, and I don't think it's going to show up any time soon. But there must be other roles outside Governor or Death Watch, which you can still have a part in." Bo leaned back as the music reached its chorus, with a sole musician at the forefront.
"Well, a marriage to a member of the royal family is one of them." I said, looking at her directly.
Bo blinked, looking at me, "Pre, are you proposing to me?"
"I am. A marriage between House Kryze and House Vizsla would result in a powerful alliance and would give Death Watch a more concrete reason to look out for your family. Make sure that should anything go wrong outside my control, Death Watch is willing to fight for your Duchess and what she stands for. In the past, neither of us was ready for something like this. But now I can see an end to my Governorship, and the Death Watch is united in purpose in a way it has not been since the days of Tor. I'm ready for what's next."
Bo looked to the side, hiding her face but giving me a side glance for a few long seconds. I was starting to suspect she was hidin-
"Fine. Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde."
"Just like that?" I asked to confirm, slightly stunned. She nodded, so I gave repeated the catechism back, "Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde."
"Satine will want to throw a wedding ceremony, of course." Bo said, with a slightly pained expression. "Perhaps I can get Tanya to manage the event. The communication system is fixed, and I was able to get through to her earlier today. I heard she is helping out her handmaiden Vai with her own wedding. She's going to be busy as the Senator, though, hmm..."
"Good for her. I'll put a bounty on Merrik. He has proven himself to be a disgrace." I said.
"No need, he's dead already. He attempted to flee custody on Coruscant and was shot." Bo said disgustedly, shaking her head. "I was planning to put my own bounty on him tomorrow, about 1,000,000 credits dead. Anyone who tries to kill my sister or her child deserves no chance to get a fair trial."
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I asked, looking at her.
"I was planning to put a bounty on him?" She said, looking at me.
"No, after that. You just said your sister and her child, but Satine doesn't have children."
"Ohhh, right... Well, it turns out that's not exactly true. It turns out that Tanya is her daughter. After the clan wars, Satine was worried that the Jedi would come and take Tanya away because she's the child of a Jedi. Apparently, she didn't trust that Obi-Wan would be able to protect Tanya, as he was only a Padawan back then."
"So Tanya is the daughter of the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Satine Kryze, the Duchess of Mandalore. Huh... for the life of me, I did not see that coming, and I am not sure what to do with this information." I shook my head in amusement at all that. Satine is proving to be more mysterious than I thought while having more kotep then one would give a New Mando. Wait, Obi-Wan had been with her when she came to that Death Watch rally with Jango. Perhaps whatever they had in the past is still alive, this could be useful information.
"I know, right?!" Bo loudly complained. "I was already Tanya's best aunt. Still am, I guess."
If anything, that just showed how committed to Mandalore Satine really was. That she was willing to hide her connection to her daughter for nearly two decades in order to keep the system stable and her daughter safe. Revealing it back then would have plunged the sector right back into another civil war, especially on Mandalore which had just been bombed into submission by the Jedi.
Now, though, it's probably safer for that information to just be out there. It's not like it would really change anything as far as I was concerned. Probably, some people will still be annoyed, but I doubted anyone had the power to do anything about it.
Shaking my head, I said, "Well, good for her. On this day, a parent and child shine argent in glory. Perhaps I should buy some of the finest wine from my vineyard to send over to my new sister-in-law and niece, as congratulations."
Bo smirked, "That's probably the nice thing to do. Satine is even the type to appreciate it." Leaning back, she said, "So, about those startup credits, we're also going to need Republic credits. Enough to get to Coruscant."
"Why is that?" I asked, holding her hand and leaning back next to her.
"There's going to be a Mandalorian expo on Coruscant in a few months, starring the Gargon Girls, and I think I can get these girls on stage first as an opening warm up act. This would bring in a lot of money for them and get the name of Death Watch out there a bit." Hmm, Republic credits. Well, it was better than nothing, and we'd have a way to spend those credits on something that might actually be of use. And besides, the idea of these girls sneakily singing about Death Watch on Coruscant itself amused me.
Writers note: X4 LIVED! And Pre proposed to Bo? And she accepted right off the bat? And Dooku making more political moves? The hell is going on! Shit going off the rail a bit, hope everything ends up okay. But I guess we'll find out next time in PoM.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
Edited by: L, Pedersen, MeowATron9000, aemon, Mantsch, Warmach1ne32, Cardoso, Afforess, Lich
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Hexcalibur
Not So Ordinary Sword
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- It
I'm wondering what X4 look like. Before and after the upgrade.
Just don't lose the Darksaber when you find it. Or break it.
Now this is getting real interesting and I can't wait for the wedding event. It's gonna be fun.
Jedi, always blamed for everything which technically they did participate in the Clone Wars and commit a lot of war crimes willingly, lol. It's a classic.
Behold, the M-Pop! The popular Mandalorian music that will take the galaxy by storm in the entertainment and media.
It's hilarious how intertwined the Mandalorian factions actually are, and Bo's the only one who knows that.
I think she's constantly rolling on the floor laughing inside.
I think she's constantly rolling on the floor laughing inside.
I am looking forward to seeing how the clones will interact with the defence force on Tarirs
- Location
- Belgium
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this update
They're gonna get along well with some partying and kicking ass.
before 3D-4X administrative droid
after your just going to have to imagine
he already has it
the galaxy doomed
most likly we need her perspective
will be kick in pants i'm sure
thank you!
Oh ok, then he better not had it broken. Like what happened to Bo Katan when she used it against Gideon.
Lol, it's revolutionary.
Chapter 55, 717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Chapter 55
717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Coronet, Mandalore Orbit
Satine Kryze
"My Duchess, your shuttle is ready to depart." I glanced up from my holopad as the shuttle pilot walked over. I itched to return home as there was a lot that needed to be done. The pilot just returned after loading our luggage and is now ready to depart, so we followed him back to the shuttle bay.
Next to me, Senator Padmé Amidala walked alongside; she had come along on my trip back to Mandalore. She wanted to help, and I am willing to accept her help in smoothing relations with the Republic after the narrowly avoided invasion. Tanya considers her a friend with a strong sense of justice and pacifism — Tanya even mentioned that she would be an amazing New Mandalorian.
Unfortunately, when I looked into the politics of Naboo, they do not represent neutrality, nor are they eligible to join the Neutral Systems. Naboo had already been attacked by Separatists and is the homeworld of the current Supreme Chancellor. It's locked as a member of the Republic. Thus, she is merely a visiting Republic dignitary.
But she could help in other ways. Merely having someone who had once served in a position similar to mine that I can trust, could provide helpful counsel. After all, she had survived an invasion from a droid army. Surely, she could help me navigate the chaos of a potential invasion from the Republic. So I am retelling my experiences on Coruscant to catch Padmé up with the assassination attempts plaguing us.
"Then Ben found me, and he escorted me to the Senate safely." I finished recounting the story on the way to the shuttle. Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, were waiting for us there. I didn't have many opportunities to converse with Ahsoka on the trip back, so I was surprised when she spoke up.
"I am surprised to hear you were involved in a fight on Coruscant at all. From what I've been taught by Master Kenobi, New Mandalorians are pacifists." Ahsoka said.
Anakin rolled his eyes, "I stopped believing that after I met Tanya."
"Non-violence is ideal, but self-defense is still allowed for." I rebutted while turning to face Anakin, "Has there been any news on the assassin that tried to murder me? Or for the droid at Mandalore Tower?" I asked, as we boarded the shuttle and I sat next to Padmé while the others sat across from us. After a few more moments of waiting, our shuttle lifted off the Coronet and started its descent towards Mandalore.
I am terrified at how close we had come to getting invaded by the Republic, as well as how close Tanya had come to losing her life. Thankfully, with hard work and the help of our allies, we managed to prevent both from coming to pass. However, I can see now that the Republic in reality is not the same as the idealized image I have in my mind. While there are good people within the Senate, many are more motivated by their own self-interests than for the common good of the galaxy.
"No. The police aren't really equipped to investigate assassination attempts, given how big Coruscant is and how easy it is to hide there. So that should be a job for the Jedi, as they are the only ones capable of actually finding and defeating the assassin." Anakin remarked.
"Perhaps." I hedged. The Jedi had offered to investigate, but that didn't seem like the best option. If the Jedi arrested whoever was behind this, and it was almost certainly a Mandalorian that did it, it would likely result in a scandal back home. "However, tensions are very high at the moment between Mandalore and the Republic. Thus, I would prefer if Mandalorians are the only ones involved in the investigation to minimize possible unrest." Once I'm back home, I'd meet with Almec and have the Mandalorian Secret Service investigate the matter ourselves.
"Tanya was the one who found evidence that Nute Gunray hired Jango Fett to assassinate me." Padmé said. She turned to Anakin and had a contemplative look on her face, as if recalling something. "She figured out the assassin's identity after analyzing their confrontation." She turned back to face me, "Are there any details to go on in your case?"
"Unfortunately no. I didn't even see who my assassin was. And they only managed to shoot me once. So any evidence of my assailant's identity is back on Coruscant."
I wish I had more time to spend with Tanya, but Tanya and her retinue were dropped off on Gargon. She will be busy working on her plan to improve the planet's shipbuilding industry, as well as exploring some new defensive ship designs. I had finally revealed something I've been keeping close to my chest for decades, and we felt like family at this point. I would have liked to further establish our bond that should have been there the whole time. Although the way Tanya phrased it, I guess she had always had that bond with me, even if I hadn't really lived up to it in my mind.
"What about the droid that attacked Tanya at the Mandalore Tower?" Padmé asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"In Tanya's case, the remains of the droid, that Battle Legionnaire, will be taken to some experts on Mandalore. Given that the assassination involved a droid, it seems likely that the CIS is involved in some capacity." I explained.
Anakin grunted, "Of course they are." at the mention of the CIS.
"A year ago, when I was being targeted, Nute Gunray was already our prime suspect, and it turned out he was responsible all along. Do you have any enemies that have targeted you in the past, or would want to target you specifically?" Padmé asked.
"Anteevy tried to kidnap Tanya once on Tatooine." Anakin said.
I nodded, "Anteevy reported that they punished the officer who attempted the kidnapping attempt."
"Hmm..." Padmé said.
"Nute Gunray was supposedly punished by the Trade Federation as well, multiple times, and that never seemed to work." Anakin noted.
"It could be Anteevy, however I have no proof. I do have another suspect though, Purton Jendri, the Governor of Concord Dawn. He is currently causing a major issue on Vorpa'ya by sending his Journeyman Protectors to 'liberate' the planet from Anteevan influence."
Anakin seemed to recognize the planet. "Vorpa'ya? Jedi Master Kota has been sent to defend the Jedi Temple there. He is very skilled in combat and diplomacy, so he should be able to mediate the situation or force the responsible party to reveal themselves." I nodded, but our discussion was interrupted as the shuttle craft finally landed on the Royal Palace's landing pad.
Finally arriving home, I stepped out of the shuttle with a few guards following behind me that are part of my protective detail.
"This is where we part, thank you for your hospitality, Duchess Satine." Anakin said as Ahsoka and Padmé were escorted off the landing pad.
I had a brief conversation with Ben before we left Coruscant, and I think we left on good terms this time. Much better than the last time we separated all those years ago, when we had been arguing over pacifism going too far. We still need to work out our whole parental situation. Ben seemed to be leaning towards leaving the Jedi Order and joining our family after the current crisis with Dooku and the Separatists was resolved. One thing I respected about him is that he has a strong sense of honor and duty. His prior oath to the Jedi Order must be fulfilled before he can think about leaving the Order since the Order is fighting a war with millions of lives on the line. Though I disagreed with the war in general, I will not gainsay his oath to his Order even though they were a part of it.
I can only hope that he comes through the war alright. I'm not one for praying to the Manda, but I might start in hopes that we both make it through this alive.
As I approached the large group of Royal Guards standing at parade rest, I sighed. Although I had worn armor underneath my clothing on Coruscant, it was simply because I was realistic about the fact that the planet is not entirely safe. Here on Mandalore, I wouldn't be able to get away with wearing armor in public. It would be too inflammatory, so security in another form is needed, even if I thought that this is more than necessary.
Eventually, I reached the palace's throne room and I saw two individuals already waiting for me. My gaze immediately focused on my nephew, Korkie, who is looking rather stiff, as if he'd been having a stressful time while I was gone.
Walking over, I greeted him, "Korkie." Drawing his notice, he smiled before walking over, and we shared a hug.
"It's good to see you, Auntie Satine. I've been worried about you ever since I heard about what Senator Merrik did." He said. He looked up to meet my gaze, and I carefully kept one arm wrapped around him.
I winced as I was reminded of the fact that someone I considered a trusted friend would betray me because he felt his job was threatened, "Yes, thankfully there was no long-term damage... at least no physical damage."
He tilted his head and asked, "What's the matter, Auntie?"
I took a breath before saying, "There is a secret that I've been keeping from you. A secret I have kept from everyone for a long time now." Korkie fell still, and I could feel his tension swell; I felt guilty, he could sense something amiss needed to be explained.
From the corner of my vision, I saw Almec look on in disapproval, but the time for hiding this information had passed as far as I was concerned.
"Tanya is not your biological sister," Korkie instantly looked confused as I continued, "she's your cousin and my daughter."
"Oh." He said, sounding more confused before he finally came to a question. "Why?"
Almec spoke up before I could say anything, "At the end of the Clan Wars and the civil war, your aunt had a relationship with a Jedi Padawan. At the time, the government was new and, in my opinion, weak."
"No," I interrupted. "I fell in love with Ben Kenobi, the Jedi you know as General Kenobi now. I grew pregnant and I kept my pregnancy a secret since revealing Tanya would not only trouble Ben's career but also destabilize the entire sector just as the Mandalorian Civil War had ended. At the time, Ben was sent off on his next mission, back in the Core. I was alone again, and Almec convinced me that the cost to Mandalore wasn't worth the price of honesty and Jedi entanglements." I trailed off.
"You only wanted the best for us." Korkie affirmed, and I smiled down and held him tighter again.
Almec nodded and looked at Korkie, but I spoke first, "Did I? I misjudged the worth of family and keeping our clan close because of it. Step by step, Tanya retaught me the value of our family and Clan. First, she reminded me of Bo's worth and honor by visiting our ancestral home in Kalevala and by faithfully overseeing Tanya's physical training."
Korkie nodded dubiously, hesitating to acknowledge the point.
"Years later, when Tanya became a representative of the Republic, she taught me to fight for peace and mutual cooperation through her unique style of diplomacy. She instinctively knows a very Mandalorian approach to diplomacy and somehow made it work. Tanya never needed to convince me of your worth, Korkie. Although she did occasionally seem jealous of your experiences at the Academy." I finished.
Korkie seemed stunned at that last statement.
"So what changed my mind was that I realized I valued our House and Clan too little, Korkie. I overvalued my own convenience and prideful traditions, even when they are doing more harm than good." I harshly summarized.
Korkie thought about it for a moment, moving stiffly to pull away slightly, "Well, of all the things that have been kept secret from me, this is so minor I don't even care. She was raised as my sister, I still see her as my sister, even if I don't always agree with her. It's just that she's also now Auntie Satine's daughter. Nothing really changes here, as far as I see."
Not exactly true, but he is putting up a good front as far as I could tell. He kept his voice steady, and if I wasn't holding him, I wouldn't have been able to detect it at all. From his perspective, Tanya had been elevated from an orphan that shared the same situation as him to having a mother and father who are still alive. He is still an orphan, but he's rationalizing. I simply leaned in and hugged him, saying, "Yes, nothing between us is any different."
I also eased off Korkie, after realizing I was embracing him again. "Thank you for telling me, Auntie Satine." He said, sounding a bit choked. Korkie shuddered and stepped away, only holding onto my hand. "S-so I have shocking news for you as well." I looked into his eyes, curious as to what he might be referring to.
Almec's frown deepened at this, but surprisingly, he didn't comment.
"Uhh, Aunt Bo and Governor Vizsla are married. Aunt Bo announced they will have a wedding celebration on Concordia, but no date has been set."
I am so happy for her! I thought she would stay single for another 20 years. I am a bit surprised at her choice of partner, but then again, I never knew any of Bo's companions. In any case, this is momentous news.
I must have said some combination of my thoughts out loud, because Korkie replied, "She wanted Tanya to help her with the wedding, too." I smiled and Almec passed me over a handkerchief. I took it and wiped my eyes, clearing away the wetness that gathered there.
Letting go of his hand, I walked over to my throne, saying, "Alright, well, now that I'm back, let's get to work solving our current problems." Taking a seat on my throne, I said, "What's the situation on Vorpa'ya?"
Almec smoothed out his expression and said, "In hand, as far as I can tell. We have yet to force them to leave the planet, yes, but the presence of such a large Mandalorian Self-Defense Force is keeping the other factions in line and preventing any major moves."
I blinked, "Other factions? I thought it was just the Journeyman Protectors."
Almec shook his head, "Two other forces have established a presence on the planet. Forces of the Anteevy Revolutionary Guard have taken control of the third-largest city on the planet. Apparently, they are allied with us in our mission to prevent the abuse of the local population."
"What is the other faction you mentioned?" I asked.
Almec answered, "Soldiers from Gargon. Not Silver Mandalorian mercenaries, they are under the command of a Jedi Master named Rahm Kota. He helped White Silver overthrow Gerr a few years ago, and apparently had put together an army of volunteers on Gargon to fight for the Republic."
I sighed, "Alright, we should probably see about sending a few more divisions of the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force there, just for good measure."
Almec nodded, "I will see it done."
I continued by asking, "I heard the terraforming of Mandalore was slowed while I was gone. What happened?"
Almec looked displeased, "The bombing campaign on Kalevala didn't stop after the initial arrests, unfortunately. Minister Ordo, Wren, and Droxun advocated for moving the focus of the terraforming to Kalevala. They believed it would appease the terrorists and it appears to be working, as there hasn't been an attack since we shifted our focus."
"While Kalevala is not in as bad of a state as Mandalore, the most important terraforming that is being done is adding more water onto the planet in order to create a wetter climate. I've already implemented efforts to both raise money, lower the cost of living to encourage spending, and more to increase our taxable income to support both efforts."
I nodded my head and said, "Good work, Almec. I'll leave them to it then. For now, I'll focus on organizing an effort to find the Death Watch and get them to turn over the Maelstrom to the Republic."
"Do you think that would really work, Auntie? Death Watch aren't interested in diplomacy or negotiations; they are staunch traditionalists and warriors." Korkie asked.
I looked at him before nodding and said, "Mandalore has to at least appear to be trying to help the Republic with this issue. However, our primary focus for the Maelstrom should be setting up a back-channel with Death Watch. It goes without saying that Mandalore doesn't negotiate with terrorists, so officially, we aren't."
Korkie is fighting to keep surprise off his face, but Almec adopted a more contemplative and curious look, so I continued on with the details. "But perhaps we can arrange some collaboration in providing up-to-date nav charts, including registered traffic, and write off a few expired supply depots. In exchange, they keep the Maelstrom out of Mandalorian space, or preferably, CNS territory altogether." The deal would be something for nothing if it worked. It is a near certainty that Death Watch spies would have already infiltrated the Self-Defense Forces. I've worked hard to keep the Royal Guards free from external influence, but I couldn't say the same about the SDF. So Death Watch could easily have this intelligence already.
"Which the Republic has not been observing very well anyway." Almec mentioned, getting me to look at him before he continued, "Two Republic cruisers had already entered our territory during the holonet communication outage, trying to find out what's going on, they claimed. And those are only the two that we caught. There have been reports from the Mandalorian Patrol that they recorded many more unauthorized border violations. I hate to say it, but the Republic is circling us like shriek hawks, waiting for a moment of weakness. The warhawks in their government are quite influential at this moment."
"We will not give them that opening. With the reprieve that Tanya and the rest of our allies have created, we will do whatever we can to prevent any invasion from happening in the future. The longer we can stay out of this war, the better. But until then, perhaps we should look into options for our own Mandalorian Navy."
"Such as?" Almec asked.
"Perhaps it's time for the Mandalorian Patrol and other independent agencies to be a bit more centralized into a Self-Defense Navy." I suggested.
"We'll need to get in contact with quite a few people across the sector, but I think it's possible to pull off." Almec said.
Mandalore, Self-Defense Force Barracks
Ahsoka Tano
Mandalore is arid, dusty, and I only saw a few sad-looking barbed shrubs hiding in the shadows of tall boulders. I have read that Mandalore used to be a vibrant planet filled with life. When the Old Mandalorians rebelled against the Republic by forcing those who pass the Hydian way to pay a toll, the Senate ordered the Jedi to pacify the Mandalorians. The Mandalorians fought back so ferociously that it's only after Mandalore was decimated in the Excision that the surviving nobles surrendered to the Republic. While the Excision might have been necessary to stop the fighting, it doesn't diminish the fact that many worlds were severely damaged and a staggering number of lives were lost in the fighting. It is only recently that those worlds are being repaired due to the help of the Ithorians.
Master Kenobi had mentioned that Mandalorian cities are beautiful, filled with art and friendly people with a vibrant culture. Sadly, this mission that the Council had sent my master on took us elsewhere, to one of the 'MSDF' military bases that were scattered around the planet.
The buildings and architecture of the MSDF base we are approaching are not all that interesting either, more than a dozen solid rectangular blocks arranged in a grid pattern in a huge rocky flatland. Republic bases at least have different shaped buildings to differentiate them, here it looks like everything's made from a factory and just dropped there. As we got closer, I could see specks of activity inside the base. From hundreds doing physical training out in the scorching sun to what looks to be an obstacle course and shooting range being used to the side of the base. In the back of the base, I can see various vehicles being disassembled in what looks like a large hangar. Perhaps I will get a chance to visit their cities later. But for now I followed behind Master Skywalker as he approached a trio of Mandalorians in full armor sans helmet.
"Jedi, I was told you were coming after you landed on Sundari. You Republicans sure do love to throw your weight around." The woman in the lead called out. She had a dark complexion and would likely be very pretty if half of her face was not scarred from some terrible burn she had suffered recently. The scar tissue was still red and smothered in bacta pads. "What the hell do you want? I am extremely busy." I struggled to imagine what could be more urgent than our arrival. I also sensed a bit of surprise from my master before he shook his head.
"I understand you are holding almost a hundred thousand Arkanian 'Offshoots' here?" He said, looking over at what looked to be a company sized unit of Arkanians doing pushups.
"Holding? You see any fences? We are accommodating them as much as we can with so many showing up. Be careful with what you accuse us of, Jedi."
A part of me was insulted by the way the Mandalorian is treating my master. However, he seemed to take the open hostility in his stride and offered a hand to the Mandalorian. "Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, and General of the Republic. This is my Padawan Ahsoka Tano." He introduced the both of us.
"General Patricia Beviin, of Clan Beviin, and subordinate to Clan Vizsla." She replied stiffly, ignoring Anakin's hand before turning on her heel. "You came to inspect the Arkanians. Come on, let's get this over with."
"What does 'subordinate to Clan Vizsla' mean?" I asked, earning a glance from both of the Mandalorians flanking General Beviin.
"Clan Vizsla sponsored my bid to become an officer in the MSDF and my Beskar'gam." General Beviin replied, leading us into the encampment. That didn't really answer my question, but she didn't really seem interested in answering it fully. "Each of the structures you see is an expanded barracks and kitchen unit that can house one thousand people. We are mostly just sitting on the Arkanians here and keeping them entertained with PT and drills until we can spread them out over Neutral Systems Space. Odd lot, no idea what we are going to do with them."
"Odd how?" Master Skywalker asked.
"Odd in that they do what you tell them to, all line up in neat ranks like Republic troopers or like we are holding a parade, but they do it all the time. All got the same armor, same accent, same face. If not for the tats, you could hardly tell them apart."
"I understand that they are the result of cloning?" Master Skywalker said, his tone steady, even as his emotions flared.
"Yeah, most of them, others the old-fashioned way. Part of some ancient workforce project on Arkania or whatever. Whoever thought that this docile lot should be given blasters and put in a battlefield is an idiot. Still, it's our job to make sure they can think for themselves enough to survive more than a minute against anyone trying to pick a fight with Mandalore."
"Is following orders a bad thing?" I asked.
"Not if you are a Republican." General Beviin practically spat the word. "But it ain't what we Mandalorians do. We question everything, even if it makes us less neat and tidy. Had this Tarisian officer telling my boys to line up nicer, broke his arm. It's why I needed a sponsor to get back into the MSDF." She laughed. "Being a Mandalorian is about knowing how to fight, why you fight, and living for that fight. Learning to march in a neat square does not make you worth a damn when the bolts start flying. This lot of Arkanians, they look great on parade, tell them to run for hours and then do a fire drill, and they'll do it nice and neat. But the second the blasters start flying, or they get ambushed — they'll freeze like cattle in a slaughterhouse. Worried that if they have a single original thought you will do gods' know what to them."
"You are very... forthcoming." Master Skywalker said diplomatically. I suppressed a horrified reaction, unable to find an answer in any of my training for what to say.
"I just don't care, Jedi. As far as I am concerned, your inspection is a waste of my time. The Duchess is far more forgiving than the rest of us after what your Republic did." She stopped and sneered at my master. "You would do it gladly too, wouldn't you? If your Republic told you to invade a planet without a damn reason you would do it in a heartbeat wouldn't you! Reppy chakaaryc like you, that Jedi nuked a planet, and who does the Republic start blaming? Us! Far as I am concerned, Death Watch is a better custodian of that Warship than any Jedi." I struggled to contain my anger at her words; I had thought that rumors the CNS was sheltering terrorists and traitors were a fabrication by the warhawks in the Senate. Yet here General Beviin was publically expressing support for our enemies!
"I don't like what happened any more than you do." Master Skywalker replied, stiffening as he forced himself to remain calm. "Do you think that the Jedi Council ordered that man to-"
"JEDI!" General Beviin shouted and jabbed a finger at my master's chest. "He was a Jedi."
"NO!" Master Skywaker refuted her and held his ground. "A Jedi would never do what he did!"
"He was a Master of your pathetic order, he has one of your glowing laser swords, he was put in charge of an army by the Republic, and Death Watch put him down like the Demogolka he was! You don't have the right to come here and accuse us of anything. Mandalore is doing right by the Neutral systems! And we will do the right thing by these Arkanians! You want to see if we are abusing them? We are emptying our food stocks, so they can eat something besides reconstituted paste! Without Mandalore, they would've been forgotten in some Arkanian slum! We look after them, unlike those cloned Mandalorians you sent to die in droves!"
"You don't know what you are talking about." Master Skywalker uttered through gritted teeth. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, either.
"I do, and you know I do." General Beviin pressed.
"You don't, the clones are good men. Not clones, not fodder, men. And I will never treat them like slaves. I know that their lives matter, and I will fight so that they have a future to look forward to after this war." Master Skywalker asserted.
"Oh, a Paragon Jedi? Wonderful! Tell me about how you will do all the good things and none of the bad things! You treat the entire galaxy like we are blind idiots! You can say anything — would say anything — to be seen as the heroes, but when it comes down to doing the right thing, your record is pathetic!"
"He is telling the truth!" I shouted, drawing attention to myself. "Master Skywalker cares about the clones! And I know the Republic is not perfect. The vote to invade the Neutral systems, that was wrong. What that man did was wrong too! But when it came down to it, the vote failed because it was the wrong thing to do. Because when the people had all the information, they made the right decision. That is what democracy is, a struggle to inform the people, so they can make informed choices, having faith in the people of the galaxy." General Beviin looked unconvinced but took a step back from us both.
"Do you want to get this inspection over with? I still have my orders to accommodate you, Jedi." General Beviin snapped.
"I have a question." Master Skywalker said softly. She gave him a curt nod, so he continued, "Where did you get that burn?"
There was a pause — the general narrowed her eyes before stepping up to him again. "I got it from killing Demogolka." She sneered.
"Then you got it by doing the right thing." Master Skywalker said, resolved. I sense him relax for the first time in this conversation. "Come on, Ahsoka. We shouldn't take up any more of the general's time."
I blinked as my master walked away from the woman who had just admitted to being part of Death Watch. The woman herself looked surprised by my Master's answer before she smoothed her features and walked away. I collected myself and hurried after him, leaning into him once we got out of earshot.
"We are going to arrest her, right, Master?" I muttered, fearing what he would say.
"Nope." He smiled. "Not our job. We are here to inspect the Mandalorian Defense Force and nothing else."
"But, Master," I glanced back at the Mandalorians who were returning to the encampment, "she could know where the warship is." I felt a slight unease at how relaxed Anakin was about dealing with professed Jedi killers. Not that I supported what that man did or anything. But surely we were inspecting the MSDF for people just like her, right?
"Probably." Master Skywalker agreed.
"So we-"
"Sometimes, to do the right thing, you follow orders; other times, you question them. In this case, we follow them to the letter. Someone else is looking for the ship; we let them do their job."
"If you say so, Master." I sighed. My master was trusting his gut again, something that was right more often than his head, it seemed.
"We have a few more bases to inspect, and then we'll go to Sundari. Are you sure you'll be okay on your own, Snips?" Master Skywalker stopped to observe a group of Arkanians and their Mandalorian instructors wearing full armor doing push-ups.
"Of course," I assured Master Skywalker. "It's you I'm worried about."
Harswee, Clan Skald territory
Special Agent Gideon
The speeder had a wobble to it, seeming to sway from one side to the next like a sailing ship as it passed over the tall golden fields of flax and rye. It was old and well-used, likely older than me, made by some forgotten mechanic on an isolated Mandalorian world. Now and then, the driver would glance at the rearview mirror. The back of the covered speeder contained three heavily armed Mandalorians, my native guide, and myself.
Harswee is a hotbed of conflict, with an off-again and on-again civil war that the CNS assured the Republic did not involve any real MSDF assets. The fact that they allowed open clan wars to happen out here did not speak well of the new civilization of the Mandalorian people.
Republic Intelligence had earmarked this system as a likely candidate for Death Watch activity, so I was sent in to hopefully make contact with a cell and try to find information about the Maelstrom. Blunders at the top of intelligence leadership, no doubt underestimating Mandalorians yet again, had led to my very accelerated briefing for this mission. It was a sign of how dire the intelligence situation was that even I am aware of that fact.
"Megin's a' tracy'uur, Ori jate!" I was brought back from my musings as the young boy sitting across from me with a set of well-used beskar armor pointed at my chest rig. "Ori jate!" The boy said again, waving his hand a few more times as I turned to my native guide for help.
"He likes your blaster and says it's very nice." The stern-looking man who called himself Jurr of Clan Kregg commented.
"Oh." I said, before offering my best smile to the boy and nodding.
"He wants to look at it." Jurr said softly.
"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling an odd tension fill the back of the speeder, and the natives began to watch me closely. "I'm not giving him my blaster. Every ten-year-old on this rock has a military-grade carbine."
"Yeah, and you think your little blaster is going to protect you out here? Clan Skald controls this region. They are the ones keeping you safe, not that blaster." Jurr deadpanned as I unclipped the chest rig and passed my blaster over to the kid, who gave me a big grin and began to look the blaster over, muttering in unintelligible Mandalorian.
"Look at you, making friends." Jurr chuckled as I sat back.
"Tracy'uur, Ori... nice, nice Tracy'uur!" The kid said to me before nodding and stuffing the blaster into a pouch at his hip.
"Are we almost there?" I asked, earning a nod from Jurr.
"Yeah, remember to keep your head down and don't make a scene." As if on cue, the speeder began to whine as the driver slowed down, the entire craft jolting uncomfortably now and then before coming to a stop. A moment later, I was pulled out of the speeder by Jurr. The endless fields and rolling hills had given way to a large assortment of tents and other temporary structures. A few small freighters were scattered around the edges of the encampment, making the entire place resemble an impromptu festival.
The fact that everyone was ambling about with heavy weapons and armor did contrast with that notion, however. I had studied the iconography of the Mandalorians and the various different clans and social organizations in preparation for this assignment, but it was quite different to see so clearly the distinct armor tones, icons, and symbols scattered around denoting allegiance to different groups, people, and ideals. The assortment was chaotic, colorful, and confusing in equal measure.
Due to my accelerated briefing, I had only four days to learn an entire culture before I arrived on Harswee; so my language training did not help in the slightest. The perils of trying to track down an un-trackable ship led me to end up on planets rather randomly. I only had a day to get the proper medication for life on a high gravity planet to add to my troubles. Before I could spend much more time gawking, Jurr led me deeper into the encampment.
"So, this is Death Watch." I muttered.
"Not quite," Jurr commented with a tilt of his head, "this is just a privateer group. The CNS has put restrictions on what can be transported through our space. Any violations get a bounty put on them. We join up with these guys, and soon enough we should find Death Watch at some point."
"Is this legal?!" I hissed, earning a glance from Jurr and a grin.
"Sure, this is not the Core, Gideon. Just stick with us and you'll be fine." He assured me as the kid slapped my arm and gave me a thumbs up. "It's a simple job. We hail down any ships that look like they could be carrying contraband or that have flags on them from the MSDF. Get the crew under control while we do a search and confiscate offending items. You don't find many slicers out on Harswee, so any crew we join up with will look after you, okay?"
I wanted to protest more but held my tongue. I am in the lands of the barbarians, after all. I would just have to keep my report vague as I searched for Death Watch and their captured Battle-Cruiser. This would all be worth it if I could recover the Maelstrom. I only hoped that my fellow agents had a less... Mandalorian experience in the pursuit of our duties.
Jurr had me show off my understanding of various electronic locking systems and slicing. Only after did it occur to me that I am now a pirate. A lifetime of training for Republic Intelligence in the hands of Outer Rim savages who would absolutely kill me and Jurr if they knew who I worked for. I resolved to work hard and attempt to learn the Mandalorian tongue. I would need it if I was going to infiltrate the Death Watch.
What the hell had I gotten myself into?
Mandalore, Sundari
Ahsoka Tano
Sundari is a lot nicer than I expected, just like Master Kenobi described. Despite the reports detailing the sanctions placed on the Council of Neutral Systems by the rest of the Republic, and the general shortage of practically everything, the Mandalorian capital city streets are not all that much different from a vibrant Coruscant street.
Well, except for the fact that every other person was in full battle armor with a blaster pistol on their hip. Everywhere is crowded, with shops and restaurants filled to capacity and people sitting on benches outside, waiting for a turn. It's clear that the services offered did not match the population for some reason.
One more thing to research.
I made my way through the busy streets, taking note of how the Mandalorians would stop and openly gape at the lightsabers on my hips. But despite a range of expressions, I was unmolested as I approached the Academy. I had been given permission to speak to a class about the importance of democracy and civic mindsets, as some in the Jedi Order are rather worried about Satine's authoritarian leadership style.
The fact that my master praised her only made things more complicated.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Are you the Jedi guest speaker?" I turned to regard the voice and found myself in the company of a friendly young man with a handsome face featuring an awed expression. He had neatly kept blond hair, shining blue eyes, and thick, well-defined muscles under an Academy Student uniform.
"I am only a Padawan learner, but I am the guest speaker." I said with a smile, offering my hand to the young man. "Ahsoka Tano at your service. I presume you are a student at the Academy?"
"Yes I am, Korkie Kryze, Prince and Heir to Mandalore." He took my hand and offered a firm handshake and an easy smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Padawan Ahsoka." I felt myself leaning into the conversation a little bit before catching myself and letting out a somewhat awkward laugh.
"You are the Prince? It's nice to meet you. I have seen your sister a few times but have not had a chance to meet her properly." At the mention of his sister, his smile seemed to thin somewhat before returning to its normal state.
"Yes, well, it's nice to me- wait, I just said that." He chuckled, and I laughed along with him before rubbing the tip of my left montral. "I hope Mandalore is treating you well." He said at last.
"Oh, it's lovely." I assured the prince. "I am glad I have the opportunity to visit."
"If only you had seen it before..." Korkie mused, looking out at the crowds of Mandalorians around him. "These are interesting times." He said softly. His concerned expression and emotions matched everything I could sense from the Force.
"It's unfortunate, but Mandalore is nicer than most places in the galaxy right now."
"For now it is, so long as the New Mandalorians remain in control," he said. "Come on, I will show you around the Academy. Will you be staying long?"
"For a few weeks." I fell into step alongside Korkie. He strode quickly into the Academy campus, passing the other students. It was clear in contrast just how much stronger he was than his peers. He has a confidant gait, and his uniform seemed just a little too distractingly tight on him. When Master Kenobi had commented that the prince is somewhat adventurous, it seemed like something of an understatement.
"Then I hope things remain calm during your visit. The New Mandalorians value peace, and we try to embody that in any way we can." Korkie said proudly.
"I noticed that there are not many New Mandalorians in the MSDF. Why is that?" I asked, feeling a pang of sympathy as Korkie winced.
"The Defense Force is a compromise, a place for the more traditional Mandalorians to contribute to the sector. A lot of New Mandalorians don't fit into that sort of organization, that sort of lifestyle. And the ones that do tend to feel rather isolated due to their differing political leanings." He gave me a somber expression as we passed a wall that had the torn remains of several different layers of graffiti plastered onto it. "They don't even bother to clean it off anymore." He bemoaned the apparent lack of care.
I looked closer and noted that it has several slogans written in Mandalorian painted over the image of a female Mandalorian in shining silver armor that looked somewhat familiar.
"What is this?" I asked.
"This is likely why you are here." He gave me a strained smile. "White Silver and her supporters." He tapped his arm and inclined his head towards a crowd sitting at a set of benches. About a dozen or so young Mandalorian students with shining silver vambraces proudly displayed and knives hanging off their belts.
"A political movement? My master mentioned White Silver was at Geonosis."
"A cult of personality and the death knell of Mandalorian pacifism." He nodded, seeming resolved. Everything I could sense from him and the Force seemed sincere, so I admired the genuine concern he showed for his people. It was refreshing after spending so much time on Coruscant. "I- We need the wisdom of the Jedi. The Jedi saved my aunt during the clan wars, and I need you to help me prevent another war from erupting." He stepped closer, and I felt my heart speed up. "Will you help me, Jedi Ahsoka? I-I don't know who to trust anymore...."
"Of course!" I quickly agreed and shifted in place as I watched his face light up with a smile.
Mandalore, Sundari
Padmé Amidala
Letting out a breath, I stretched my arms and was about to head to the bed, maybe get a little early sleep since it had been a long trip here, when a beep came from my door.
Turning, wondering who was there, I moved over to it and pressed the button and was greeted with a cocky smile.
"Anakin." I greeted as he leaned against a door-jam and sighed dramatically.
"Senator Amidala, I thought I would stop by between the military bases I've been inspecting to see how you were doing."
"Oh, I'm doing fine." I said with a smile in my tone, and stepped back, "Do I also merit an inspection?" I disheveled my sleeping gown playfully.
He smiled and said, "Yes, I think you really do." Stepping into the room, he let it close before we shared a kiss.
"Missed you." He said as the kiss broke.
"We've only not seen each other for half a week." I mused out loud.
"Three days is too long." He said, earning a chuckle from me.
"So, Anakin, how goes your mission?" I asked as I moved over to a nearby couch, sitting down and pulling him down next to me.
"Things are going fine, as far as I can tell. Everyone here isn't exactly happy to know that a Jedi is poking around. But I think another week or two, and I'll have satisfied Republic Intelligence's demands, and fulfilled the Council's mandate. So far, from what I've seen, they aren't really trying to take over the Republic or join the CIS."
I nodded my head at that before saying, "Yes, their Duchess seems to have full control of their military at least."
"Yeah," Anakin agreed, and I enjoyed looking my husband over, "she seems to have a good, strong hand on their government, keeping them directed and heading in the direction they need to go."
I nodded, "Well, that may be true. I do worry about how much control she has. Can we exactly call this a democracy? It's more of Satine's rules or get out."
Anakin looked out the window before asking, "Is that a bad thing? She seems to make a just set of rules. So far, she's managed to maintain a peaceful position and grow an alliance of planets who also want to be peaceful. All while also growing a bit of a military to protect that peace if necessary."
"On the surface level, yes, this is all good," I said with another nod, "but I just question if this is really a democratic, elected government at this point. She was voted in by the Mandalorian clans decades ago to bring in pacifism and the New Mandalorian way. Decades pass, and she starts doing something different, as far as I can understand it, there is no system to challenge her change of heart. She has complete control of the government, as far as I can tell, with a permanent mandate. And a permanent mandate like that can set a dangerous precedent for the next leader, who may not be as benevolent as Duchess Satine."
Anakin thought for a moment before saying, "That's valid, but she is leading Mandalore through uncharted territory, and I think that sort of issue should be put aside until the conflict that's currently ongoing is resolved."
I sighed in concern, "That's kind of what we did in the lead-up to the Separatist crisis. We put aside smaller issues and they just kept growing and growing until we couldn't do anything more about it."
"That may be true, but from what I've seen, Chancellor Palpatine seems to have the Republic covered and keeping us together, and Duchess Satine seems to be keeping the Mandalorian sector united. Perhaps we just need the right people in the right place at the right time, regardless of their political origins."
"Maybe." I acknowledged before getting up. "But we should leave politics for another day. Husband, have a nice dinner brought up, and a dessert for me."
"That does sound divine." Anakin agreed. As he started to get up, there was an explosion somewhere in the city, shaking the windows lightly.
Both Anakin and I looked at the open doorway to the balcony. He moved first, getting out with me coming up right behind him; we both looked outside. I looked upwards and quickly saw what had exploded. A speeder had apparently blown its engine and judging how much larger it was after only a few seconds passed, it is on a direct course to crash into our building, or somewhere very closeby.
"Padmé, get back." Anakin said, pushing me back into the room before attempting to use the Force to halt the vehicle across the distance.
I held my breath but quickly moved as far back into the room as possible, considering even going into the hallway. But thankfully I didn't need to, as Anakin slowed the craft down before it crashed into the building, stopping just a few feet from my own balcony.
A man, some Mandalorian, grabbed his, I would assume, girlfriend, and they climbed out of the vehicle, quickly jumping from it onto our balcony. Anakin, seeing that they were safe, leaned over the side of the balcony and slowly lowered it out of my view, presumably the four or five stories down to the street below.
Stepping back outside, I asked, "What happened?" to our new guests, the young Mandalorian driver and his girlfriend.
"Beats the hell out of me." He said, gasping in and out rather rapidly. "One moment I'm driving with my girl here, enjoying my new speeder, the next thing I know something blew up and I'm falling out of the sky with the engine on fire. How am I not dead?" He looked very confused. "I could have sworn I was going to crash, and then it just sort of stopped."
"Ah, that would be thanks to me." Anakin said with an understated wave.
The young Mandalorian man looked at him, looked him up and down, and said, "You're a Jedi, right?"
"Um, yes." Anakin said, sounding unsure where this conversation was going.
That was answered rather quickly as the young man gave Anakin a hug and patted him on the shoulders before saying, "You're my blood brother now. If you ever need anything in Mandalore, give me a call. By the Manda, we were almost dead. Thanks, man. Holy hutt!"
The animated young man seemed to have lost some steam as he fell against the banister, his girlfriend hanging on to him.
Anakin just looked confused as I chuckled and stepped up, saying, "New speeder, you said. Odd that the engine would just give out like that. Where did it come from?"
The young man frowned before saying, "Not sure. New companies have been popping up all over the place the last few months, bringing in all kinds of cool products outside of what we would normally get from Mandalore. Real cheap stuff, but usually works out fine."
Anakin raised an eyebrow, and so did I. Looking over the side of the building, he looked down at what I would assume was still a burning wreck before he said, "That's not a cool product. That's a cheap knockoff of a rather reliable brand." I schooled my incredulous look at Anakin somehow being able to identify a knockoff of a brand from a burning wreck but honestly? If I asked Anakin about anything droid or speeder related, he would talk about it for hours and his excitable and cute way. If anyone could spot a fake speeder at a glance, it would be him. He built a pod racer in a desert with a bunch of scraps when he was still a child, after all.
"Wait, what?" the Mandalorian said. "I've been conned! That no good etyc chakaar, I'll hunt that najaat down."
"Mind telling me where you bought it? I'd like to take a look into this for you." My husband offered.
The young man looked at him before nodding and giving Anakin a precise description. Finally, he remarked, "you can find him over in Port Three, at the northern side of the city."
Anakin nodded before saying, "Thanks for the info. Need help getting downstairs? I'll help you do that before heading over there."
"Well, now we're fine." The girlfriend said, finally entering the conversation. "Just point us at the door, we'll be on our way. I have to call the Mandalorian Guard and file a complaint about this."
"That way." I said, pointing towards the door. They collectively nodded, but took their time to leave slowly, no doubt due to their near-death experience. As soon as they were out of the door, I turned to Anakin.
"I better find out what's going on." He said. I stopped him, putting a hand on his chest.
"That can wait till later. The Mandalorian Guard will probably be informed as soon as they get downstairs, and they'll deploy their own units to handle this. You're a Jedi Knight, and we're not meant to get involved in local politics."
Anakin sighed before saying, "Fine." He took out his communicator and added, "But I will tell Ahsoka to stay away from the northern ports, as you said. We're supposed to stay out of local politics unless invited. And if I got information about this, something tells me she'll probably get the same information. If one speeder comes crashing out of the sky, there's probably bound to be more trouble."
I sighed before saying, "Alright, tell her. But after that, you, me, and whatever food we can get from downstairs. Got it?"
He smiled. "Alright, alright. Any chance of an extra helping of dessert after that?"
The wink he gave me told me he wasn't meaning real dessert, and I smiled, thinking, "We'll see."
Mandalore, Mandalorian Academy
Korkie Kryze
"Of course, Master, I will stay far, far away from the northern ports." Ahsoka said to the holographic image of Jedi Master Skywalker. Lagos, Amis, Soniee and I were in our usual group as we waited for her to finish her conversation. We had just finished with the planned seminar, and we are waiting for her at the auditorium's door.
"Where am I now? Well, I'm just hanging out with the Prince of Mandalore at the Mandalorian Royal Academy. I am helping him with some of his formal duties, nothing to worry about."
I raised an eyebrow. While that is technically true, it is also a lie. She nodded her head a couple more times before saying, "See you later, Master." Once finished, Jedi Ahsoka turned off the communicator and sighed in relief.
"So, are we still going to do this?" I asked earnestly.
"Yes, I'm still going to help you, Prince Kryze." The young Jedi, she is even younger than me, technically, said. "Master Skywalker is just warning me to stay away from the northern ports due to someone selling substandard or defective products. He did not forbid me from investigating what White Silver's band of followers are up to."
With everyone in agreement, I led the group into Soniee's research lab. It was technically a supplemental lab, but I had abused my Princely privileges just this once to arrange it for my girlfriend's personal use.
Amis spoke up after he found a seat along one wall, "Do you think there's a connection? Are Silver Mandalorians bringing in defective goods to sell on the open market?"
Soniee sat down at her desk and immediately pulled out her datapad. "I'm gonna try and find some more info." She muttered into the desktop, and I moved over to stand next to her. We are perfectly safe here, but while she's focused, my place is by her side. I watch as Soniee opens an interactive crime map of Sundari, to find any incidents involving Silver Mandalorians.
Behind me, I heard Ahsoka say, "That's certainly one possibility. But we're here to investigate the Silver Mandalorians, assuming both are connected might cause us to ignore alternative evidence. Let's keep our eyes open and focus on gathering information first before we draw any conclusions based on speculation. Sounds like a plan?"
"Why would the Silver Mandalorians even be involved in something like this? The injuries and property damage are undermining the local government, and White Silver approves of Duchess Satine's government." Lagos added.
Sighing, I turned to my girlfriend. I knew she wasn't following the conversation, so I rested my hand on her shoulder lightly to get her attention and asked, "Did you find any information that we can follow up on?"
"I might have." Soniee said, as she opened an incident report near the northern port area of Sundari. "There was some sort of scuffle between two bands of youths in Port 11 up north. Mandalorian Guards are at the scene now, with some of the suspects wearing silver and the other suspects wearing blue."
"Oh, great, Death Watch followers." Lagos said.
Ahsoka looked to her, asking, "I thought the Silver Mandalorians are the only ones causing trouble."
"They're the only ones in the upper class causing trouble." Amis spoke up. "There have been similar gangs within the lower levels of Sundari for over a decade now. In the past, they were just edgy teenagers putting up the symbol of Death Watch to annoy the adults. But ever since Death Watch actually did something, they've grown bolder and more obvious."
"Great." Ahsoka commented, letting the word hang. "Any other political information I need to know about?"
Soniee shrugged, "A lot of New Mandalorian kids are wearing red to support the ideals of the Anti-War Movement."
"That's good, right?" Ahsoka asked, sounding confused.
I shrugged and explained, "The Anti-War Movement isn't a single-issue peace faction; they represent a group of Mandalorians who think we need to get rid of the whole clan structure and rebuild things from the bottom up. I spent some time visiting their world last year. They're not bad people from what I've seen, but they definitely sided with the CIS, which is problematic."
"Why are there so many factions?" Ahsoka said, putting her hand on her face as if it was causing her physical pain to think about it.
"You've only hit the top of the faction list." Amis said with a chuckle before adding, "Mandalore is kind of known for being a bit factional. Everyone thinks for themselves and makes up their own mind on everything. As a result, well, you get more factions. Couple that with Satine's insistence on giving everyone, including terrorists, the right to free speech..."
My girlfriend nodded in agreement with Amis, "And it's probably one of the reasons why the Republic was so gung-ho to invade us last month. It's a lot easier to think of the Mandalore sector as one united monolith, instead of a bunch of squabbling factions that are under control as long as the New Mandalorians are in power."
"Which is why I worry about the Silver and Death Watch kids." I said. "They're subverting what the New Mandalorians stand for, and as a result, they are likely to provoke a response from the Republic if they keep causing problems."
"What about the Anti-War Movement?" Ahsoka asked.
Soniee shrugged, "Besides their CIS leanings, they're not actually causing any problems. They also pledge support of the New Mandalorian government and support the CNS. So, they are not an issue, politically speaking. In a state that respects its working class, it's not exactly the worst thing in the galaxy. Giving them a little bit of what they want wouldn't hurt anyone."
Ahsoka shrugged before finally saying, "It isn't my place to comment on local politics, I can only enforce the law, so let's focus on what we came here for: Death Watch and Silver Mandalorians."
Soniee looked at her datapad, and with a flick sent us each a copy of the navchart to the destination, "North of here, that way." She pointed in the direction.
Nodding my head, I lead the group out of the lab, and towards the Academy exit. "Let's go."
"Anyone else worried we're a little bit under-armed?" Lagos asked as we moved out of the Academy grounds and into the public streets. We were heading in the general direction where the fighting had been.
Amis grunted in agreement, "And all we have are these stun blasters. They're not exactly going to stop a fully armored warrior."
"Actually, stun blasters are better against full armor than regular blasters because the stun bolts are so wide they can go through the gaps in beskar armor. Plus, we also have a Jedi to help." Soniee replied, looking over at Ahsoka.
Ahsoka responded by shaking her head and muttering. "I have a bad feeling about this." Ahsoka said, as she followed behind me.
We eventually arrived at the northern port area of Sundari. The area featured rather standard-looking industrial warehouses and loading bays, although Ahsoka did comment. "Huh, this place is a lot more well-kept than some ports I've seen on Coruscant."
From what I knew, though, these ports in Sundari were not as well maintained and built more cheaply than in the central area. In fact, this section suffered from cubism culture, trying to mix with larger pillar buildings with fewer windows designed for storage over beauty. But it was within the dome of Sundari, thus protected from outside elements and unable to rust quickly, as well as kept clean by local Mandalorians. Appearances did mean something, and one universal rule of Mandalorian culture is that uncleanliness leads to disease, so people do their best to make sure everything is clean. However, it was overshadowed by the larger bulky buildings, antennas, and loading docks obstructing the dome's filtered sunlight.
We kept moving down the side streets for a few more minutes. We barely passed by nor spotted anyone in the distance. The streets felt oddly deserted for this afternoon hour. I kept searching the side streets for signs of anything, but still, nothing. And then we reached the supposed area where the fight had happened. At first, I didn't see any evidence of the aftermath, but then I spotted one or two pieces of broken glass that hadn't been swept up yet.
"That's odd." Soniee drew my attention back to her. She is looking around with a confused expression on her face. "Where are the Guards?"
"Hm?" I asked, looking at her a bit confused.
"I mean, the Guards were called, so they should be here by now. Documenting evidence, gathering witness testimony, and other stuff you see on crime dramas. But there's no one here."
"Maybe they're chasing the kids." Lagos suggested.
Amis shook his head, saying, "Even so, they should have left someone behind to keep watch."
Soniee listened thoughtfully before she whispered, "Does anyone else hear talking?" She scanned the nearby buildings and focused on a nearby warehouse.
Everyone looked at the warehouse in question, and when I strained my hearing, I could make out something in the distance. We made our way over and started climbing up until we could get a view through one of the side windows.
I was expecting a Silver Mandalorian thug giving a speech to a crowd of kids, more interested in causing societal collapse than making sure Mandalore stayed at peace.
What I saw instead is not that at all. Standing in the room are several dangerous looking men. On the left side are three people wearing black armor in full Mandalorian kit. On the right side of the room, is another group wearing what looked like Mandalorian Guard uniforms but darker in color. Possibly the Secret Service, but that's impossible. The last group is a few different species of aliens I've never seen before, located furthest from us.
"That's the fifth speeder we've had fall out of the sky in three days. I thought your smugglers were actually worth something, Gedyc. Instead, they keep bringing in shuk'yc that wouldn't even last a week and nearly getting people killed." This came from the apparent leader of the unknown Mandalorian Guards.
The black-armored leader looked at the smugglers, face unreadable behind his helmet, before saying, "It is unfortunate that they seem to have screwed that up. With the amount of credits your little Black Market is extorting, what did you expect? They are going to go for products they can flip here with the highest profit."
"Yeah, what's next? Faulty meds? Rotten food? These aruetii are causing more harm than it's worth, as well as drawing attention. If you want to be part of the Black Market, you need to actually bring in something of worth." The leader of the Mandalorian Guards retorted.
"Bring in something of worth? What am I to bring into this dirtball? A third of the food currently being snuck into the Black Market is coming from my sources. You asked me to find more creative ways to bring money into the government. Well, these guys brought in creative ways. If you don't want them to screw it up as much as they have, maybe actually use your docking authority to check the material."
"I would like to point out there is nothing wrong with the vehicles we are selling. It's not our fault that Mandalorians always remove the speed governor and disable the safeties." The smuggler said, which annoyed me. That's not an excuse.
This whole situation was annoying me. Who is this Gedyc character? I've never heard of any individual named Gedyc, but it is the name of a Clan. They were heavily involved in smuggling and organized crime syndicates during the Mandalorian Civil War. War profiteers and anarchists. Why did it sound like Gedyc was some kind of crime family of smugglers, and what is this Black Market up to?
I looked over at the others, and they all looked as confused as me, but there was nothing we could do, so I just leaned in closer, trying to listen some more.
"Listen," the leader of the Mandalorian Guards said, "I get it, you Death Watch types don't have respect for the people who want to live here in peace, but you need to at least do something to make sure your smugglers aren't screwing us over. It's speeder bikes today, what if it's spoiled food tomorrow? If this planet doesn't get the basics it needs, there will be rioting. And if there are more issues, well, it would be a shame if an 'anonymous tip' mentioned Clan Gedyc as a possible source of investigation now, wouldn't it?"
The black-armored Mandalorian took a step forward and growled, "Trying to lay blame on me won't end well for you. You're corrupt officials wanting to make an extra buck on the side. I don't know how far this whole corruption goes up your government, but if it gets out that there is a hint of corruption, you can bet Satine is going to go on a Crusade to root every single one of you out. If you try to take me down, you'll go down with me as well. Besides, I don't want Mandalore to starve. I'm getting food here. If these aruetii screw with the food, they will answer to me. But if we all want to make money, that means some sacrifices have to be made when it comes to other points of contention: vehicles, electronics, anything they can sneak in.
Just because I wish the Mandalorians of this planet would grow up and leave the damn dust ball to its rotting self and join me in conquering sectors like our ancestors once did, does not mean I want you to die on poisoned food." The Mandalorian from Clan Gedyc said.
"Fine. I'll take that as your word. But take a hint. You need to keep these aliens on a short leash, bringing better stuff than the junk they've been bringing in. Because right now, Satine is back, which means the whole government will come down on all of us if they figure out what you've been up to."
Gedyc shook his head before saying, "My burc'ya will do the job they're needed to do. I'm not sure I will take your hint. The last hint I took from you saw a unit of fine Mandalorian warriors wiped out fighting the Royal Guard and got the Death Watch accused of trying to kill the Prince of Mandalore-" Whatever he was going to say was interrupted.
"Hey, is someone recording us?" One of the aliens spoke up, looking directly at me. I looked to my left and saw that my girlfriend had her holovid recorder up and was, in fact, recording them. A small red light that should not have been that visible to anyone in the room was beeping on and off. The aliens must have good eyesight.
"Haar'chak! Those damned meddling Silver kids are back! Kill them!" The Mandalorian Secret Service Commander said as two of his friends brought their blasters up and started firing at us. I grabbed Soniee and jumped for cover, Amos doing the same with Lagos.
The only one who didn't jump for cover was Ahsoka, who basically vanished at the speed of light. It must be some sort of force ability to make her move extremely fast. She reappeared on my other side, pulling me and Soniee out of the blaster fire that was coming through the window. With haste, we ran as far away as possible from the window that is turning into molten slag.
The Guards may have given chase to us, but we're faster and a few seconds of a head start so we're able to get away. Moving through the buildings before finding an area where we could stop and catch our breath, I looked around and counted heads, making sure that all five of us were here and safe. Then I sighed and leaned against the wall, saying, "What the hell was that?"
Amos spoke up, saying, "Members of Death Watch, that's what they said, at least."
Soniee shook her head, saying, "Death Watch types, that's what they said. Doesn't exactly mean they're Death Watch, just means that they're Old Mandalorians, could be Martial Traditionalists."
"Whatever they are," Ahsoka said, watching the pathway we arrived from, "they're obviously working with some form of Guards here on Mandalore. We've uncovered something a bit more threatening than a bunch of teenagers with possible political motives."
I nodded in agreement, saying, "We need to tell Aunt Satine. We need to tell her everything we saw and hopefully get someone looking into this situation now before it spreads beyond whatever this black market is."
Lagos nodded her head, saying, "I think there's a bus stop in that direction. We could use that to get back towards the inner city."
I nodded and said, "Alright, let's head that way then." We quickly fell in line and started moving towards the center of the city. As we did, I thought about how we were going to tell Satine about this. Who knows how far this corruption had gone up the chain of command of the Secret Service. It couldn't go too far; Almec had control of the Secret Service, after all, so I doubt he'd let his organization get too corrupted... Though, how did the Secret Service get information on the Relic ship? Why did they give that to Death Watch? Maybe I should tell Satine first.
Mandalore, Royal Palace
Almec
"Show Duchess Satine the holovid, Soniee." Korkie finished his explanations for how their group observed the clandestine deal. He turned towards the proud-looking young Mandalorian woman among their group. She preened briefly, but I focused on the footage. While the holovid played, I examined what evidence was visible and how to contain the damage. I needed to figure out how to explain what had just happened to Satine gently.
This blindside is unexpected, and Satine is obviously not happy. Merrik's betrayal, now this blunder — Satine seems ready to declare war on all corruption, but that would be an error.
The corruption Satine is so eager to crack down on is one of the many avenues I am using to try and help fix Mandalore and its economy. We needed food? I brought in food. We needed credits to pay the Ithorian terraformers? I brought in credits for that purpose. Yes, there were tradeoffs, but I survived the mass starvation under Governor Vrox, and it taught me that even the greatest warrior is only nine missed meals away from defeat and chaos.
But what could I do? The holovid clearly captured the uniforms of Mandalorian Secret Service agents, and I recognized my men's voice. I couldn't explain this away — the evidence is ironclad, so my chances of surviving a proper investigation are poor.
My three decades of public service made my name and appearance a familiar one. I served in prior administrations in various capacities, including being the mayor of Sundari; at the time before we declared it the capital of the New Mandalorian government. It's humiliating to have my efforts to aid Mandalore blowback like this.
I witnessed the destruction brought by Governor Vrox and his ruinous schemes. Mandalore must avoid the same mistakes from repeating itself. However, Satine would come down hard on me if she thought I had any active part in this situation.
Unfortunately, recent events have diminished my leverage over Satine. The Kryze family is untouchable. Satine is a confident and popular leader, if guileless. And Korkie, who I thought would make a wonderful leader someday, remained honorable even if he did make contact with Anteevy without notifying us first. Korkie represented Mandalore's hope for a better future; I didn't want to shatter that, either.
What about the other two members of the family? Bo-Katan could be something I could throw to the masses. In my sprawling investigation of White Silver, her name is a regular occurrence. She is deeply involved, and one of the few candidates for White Silver's identity that I haven't been able to verify.
She has many jobs and titles, but lately she has been more distant from Gargon. Tracking telemetry has her regularly visiting Concordia, which made sense given her recent marriage. I wouldn't be surprised if Vizsla is being taken advantage of. Only New Mandalorians are made of sterner stuff, and I am certain she had dealings with Death Watch in the past. She was rather foolishly vocal in her embrace of the old ways.
And then there is Tanya. She had been on Coruscant for nearly four years at this point and had done some wonderful work for the Mandalore sector. But if Merrik could be corrupted, who's to say she hasn't been up to something as well? Coruscant is very far away and my Secret Service has minimal oversight there, as Satine had unfortunately learned recently. She is an admirer of White Silver as well, but not nearly as connected to the movement as Bo-Katan. Tanya had been involved in some public brawls as well, so it's possible that was an angle as well. At the very least, there are without exaggeration tens of thousands of articles detailing her many scandals; the incident involving the use of her handmaiden's public display of affection as an insult to Baltan Carid still made for good gossip and created quite an uproar at the time.
So, how could I avoid getting locked in a prison cell deep beneath the city where the sun doesn't shine? First, I needed to regain control of the situation. Seize the initiative.
I waited for the holovid to finish playing, then meaningfully glanced around at Korkie and his companions. "Mandalore thanks you for your service in discovering and reporting this incident. You have my word that this will be addressed to the full extent of the law."
Satine took a step away, "Yes, we will be addressing this. Our honor and safety are at stake. We will investigate the Secret Service and find out how far the corruption goes. There have been a number of questionable events and assassination attempts. If these Secret Service members have fallen from the righteous order and are engaging in corruption, they must be stopped now."
If the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force didn't exist, I would have had other options. Perhaps a little coup wouldn't be the worst option, since I have practically been running the government for decades. But things are different now. Satine has a modicum of power over the people beyond just a wish for peace, and she has a full military force at her disposal, not just the Royal Guard. There is no way for me to forcefully have her agree to a cover-up to remain in power, or sign some sort of false confession. The best I could do now is to sabotage the investigation, but in a way that appears helpful.
"A large investigation into the Secret Service is likely to make public classified Mandalorian policy and reveal government secrets. I would advise this investigation be contained to a few empowered individuals, or a small committee..." I began describing how to box in and weaken the investigation.
Satine, however, cut me off. "I agree, a smaller investigation would be ideal. My sister is already trusted. I will ask her to lead the task force investigating this corruption."
'Bo-Katan!? Oh frak, oh frak!' I did my best to not visibly panic.
"The Jedi could also assist-" Ahsoka began, but fortunately Satine shook her head immediately. I shot the alien an unfriendly look while Satine was responding to her suggestion.
"Unfortunately for such a sensitive matter, we can't afford to lose our impartiality. The CNS wouldn't tolerate the Republic interfering so heavily in matters of state and foreign policy." Satine explained gently.
Meanwhile, my mind goes back to the information I sold Lorka Gedyc on a certain relic ship. Ithorians had wanted up-front payments for their terraforming, and the Banking Clan's loan terms were ruinous. New Mandalorians didn't need the relics or lost schematics of its warmongering past, if it even existed at all. Of course, it had existed, and Prince Korkie was nearly killed on the ship. If Bo-Katan found any hint of that particular transaction... and that's only one of the issues that could never be fully cleaned up, which is why retaining control of the Secret Service is so critical. This scandal in my department will destabilize my political standing so badly that I might even end up in a cell next to Gerr underneath Sundari!
Fortunately, Satine misread my thoughts and crimson face, because she turned to me and said, "I'm certain the Council still has faith in the Prime Minister." She spoke in a reassuring tone.
"Of course." I nodded stiffly, color draining as I reconsidered that fact myself, given the fresh circumstances. My troubles might be even nearer than I feared, nevermind Bo-Katan's investigation. The Council wouldn't have faith in me after they heard reports of recent events. And now with Jerec blown up by the Kalevalian terrorists — a sign of hard times ahead for me — I lacked the support to survive a no-confidence vote if held at this moment. This is the beginning of the end; his death denied me his vote, and I desperately needed it. "I'll gladly assist Bo-Katan as much as necessary in the course of her investigation." I mechanically responded with the expected words.
Sure, Droxun, Armatan would cast their votes for me, but Satine's council is full of new members I had next to no influence on. So I couldn't count on Ordo, Wren, or Vizsla's votes; especially when Vizsla has always wanted my position. With Jerec dead, the 3-3 tie was now a 2-3 vote split against me. I should expect a call for a new election once the Council learns of Bo-Katan's investigation. My only hope is to have an ally picked to be Deputy Minister.
"Speaking of the Council, we should find a replacement for Deputy Minister Jerec." I suggested, reaching for any lifeline. A friendly vote would tie the Council, and Satine was sure to side with me to break the tie.
Satine nodded thoughtfully, but Korkie looked at me with apparent interest. Was he going to suggest he become the next Deputy? He wouldn't be an ironclad vote, and Dooku already suggested him for a diplomatic position.
"I wou-" Korkie began.
"Actually, let's continue this conversation in private." I quickly interrupted, nodding at Satine and Korkie. I turned towards Korkie's companions, "Thank you for telling us about this matter, I'm afraid that I also have information that I need to speak with Prince Korkie and Duchess Satine about in private. Would you mind stepping outside?"
There was a sigh of annoyance, but the Jedi and the rest nodded and stepped outside. I imagined that they probably were going to think about leaning their ears against the door, trying to listen. But hopefully, the Royal Guard would do their job and prevent that. It was half their job, anyway.
Once we were firmly alone, I tried to distract the two before Korkie remembered what we were discussing, "This Black Market is an issue that is bound to crop up sooner or later. The Republic's efforts to prevent food shipments from entering the sector and the recent issues on Vorpa'ya and Concord Dawn are lowering the amount of food available in the sector. Only Concordia is doing well, and it can't supply food to the entire sector. At this rate, it's only a matter of time before we experience a food shortage and prices skyrocket. I believe we need to look at the possibilities of trying to open up lines of communication to get this situation dealt with."
Satine furrowed her eyebrows in apparent confusion, "What lines of communication could help us with our food issues? Wouldn't the best option be to try and find some unoccupied world within the sector and terraform it?"
I smiled coldly, "Although I agree that self-reliance is the best long-term option, it would take at least a year before any newly established farmland can produce any meaningful amount of food. No, there is another option available to us, though it would require your approval to undertake it."
Satine nodded at me to continue, "Count Dooku contacted us to apologize for some of the issues that have happened recently and to re-establish official communication. He's offered to open up the border between the CIS and the CNS to allow shipments of food, in exchange for a CNS representative to observe the CIS Parliamentary proceedings and be available for diplomacy on our behalf."
Satine nodded, thinking it over, and said, "That is a major step. We would need to speak with several of the other major leaders of the CNS before we even attempt something like that. It opens us up to accusations from the Republic of coordination with the CIS, I'm sure."
"I'll do it." Korkie said, speaking up and catching Satine a bit off-guard. Perfect. "If we send a representative to the CIS, maybe we can get representatives of the CIS to come here to Mandalore. We can establish ourselves as a neutral third party, with representatives of both the Republic and CIS. For any chance of a peace treaty to be established, we needed some form of open communication. Mandalore could serve as that communication relay between the Republic and the CIS to try and end this war." I made a show of considering the suggestion, as if it was a new idea.
Satine smiled and put her hand on his shoulder, "That is an excellent idea, and I could definitely sell that better to the other leaders of the CNS. Even the Republic might be more accepting if it was seen in that form."
I nodded in agreement, still scheming to figure out a way to get a replacement vote for Jerec. There had to be a way to regain control of the investigation, or fix its outcome. I just needed to find it.
Gargon, Gargon Diplomatic Tower
Tanya Kryze
The holovid conference software in X4's new conference suites are quite useful, especially when it's finally possible for full virtual meetings on Gargon now that the orbital Holonet relays are installed. While I missed the opening ceremony of the Gargon Diplomatic Tower a few weeks ago, this tower was designed by X4 with my and other visiting diplomat's needs in mind. Gargon harmonizing with the rest of the sector had brought the planet a number of benefits.
I utilized the higher bandwidth to attend virtual meetings with members of the CNS on Taris and members of the Republic on Coruscant. X4 also made sure the holo-conference rooms in the tower could spoof identities, so I am able to meet with Mandal Logistics at the end of the day as White Silver as well. It had come at the simple cost of taking a half-day, switching wardrobes and costumes was not something I usually did. Thankfully, there wasn't any important vote that I was required to act upon, and I wasn't necessarily needed for any of the ongoing debates and councils.
It's interesting, becoming Senator didn't grant me significantly greater autonomy on Coruscant. There are a number of powerful committees in the Republic I wished I could join. The Naval Subcommittee and the Senate Military Oversight Committee are both powerful groups that would decide the fate of fleets and command the logistics over the entire war. Which is why I couldn't even be seen to be involved in any way. I needed to maintain neutrality, which means no, 'Cough, cough, maybe you shouldn't put your fleet there', mixed messages, or outside points of view. Despite how genuinely thrilled I would be to play armchair general for a galactic scale war, at least one that I did not have to actively participate in.
I doubted I would even be allowed on such councils, anyway. After all, Chancellor Palpatine would have staffed them with men and women he considered trustworthy. As a Neutral I am never going to be considered trustworthy, even if Palpatine and I did happen to have a good rapport.
That doesn't mean I wasn't paying attention to the outcomes of these committees. I was, and I was fairly disappointed with what I was seeing. The Taris Standoff is basically being buried in the Republic HoloNet News cycle. It was a mistake that almost turned into a disaster, so it made sense that the Republic would try to cover it up so that they don't look bad. Not to mention, the little pseudo-mutiny by Captain Kendal Ozzel is being glossed over as well. The Navy had allowed a Tribunal to settle the dispute against the pair of them. However, it seems Ozzel had friends high enough and far enough that he would avoid official condemnation for his actions. If anything, Admiral Arikakon Baraka, the Mol'Cala who had been mutinied against, was getting the worst of the flak for "allowing" the mutiny to happen.
It was rather stupid and a waste of an experienced admiral in my opinion, but I wasn't there, and they do have a bit of a point. An officer who couldn't maintain control over their own troops is no officer at all.
Shaking my head, I tried not to think about what would have happened to me if my troops mutinied during the Great War, probably execution, or an attempt of it at least. I still credited Captain Uger's aid in the logistics of my command as the reason for our unit's high morale, not anything I ever figured out how to do. I doubted I would fare much better than Baraka in my own military Tribunal, especially not near the end of the war.
I shuddered before refocusing, the tribunal assembled to deal with the dispute between Captain Ozzel and Admiral Baraka was led by Admiral Tarkin and had been somewhat sympathetic to Baraka until the Mol'Cala had claimed that the Republic Navy was developing a Human Supremacist problem and that Ozzel was an example of the growing maligned influence of such beliefs. In response, Baraka had been put on leave and his homeworld had officially exiled him, barring him from ever returning. I worried that the Republic and Mon Calamari's joint actions had unintentionally created a very powerful disaffected agent with absolutely nothing left to lose. A political martyr whose faction would rally around and could lead to division in the Republic Navy.
It was hard to say if there was any truth of Baraka's claims, but the Mandalorian Media were more than happy to present the Admiral who had held the MSDF at gunpoint's words as gospel. I should hardly be surprised that Baraka had become generally well liked in Mandalorian space overnight, while he had become utterly despised in the Republic. Mandalorians always had a soft spot for people who were willing to fight them. His communication with the MSDF fleet being leaked on the CNS holonet helped. The fact that he had painted the Republic Navy as speciesist and corrupt is exactly what the Mandalorian people wanted to hear.
Letting out a deep breath, I looked at the elevator window as it went up the Diplomatic Tower. This Tower's apartment space is much bigger than the one Coruscant because space is not a premium here. More rooms can be added, like breakrooms, a training room, a maintenance workshop, multiple conference rooms, and it even has a shooting range. All of this with automated defense systems and the best cybersecurity that X4 could buy.
Once the elevator door opened, I stepped out into my private office at the very top of the Tower. Inside, I see Vai and X4 hard at work organizing Merrik's old paperwork. Well, for Vai she is working harder than usual. X4 is usually a hard worker, and, if anything, he's a much faster worker now thanks to his new upgrades. He is basically teleporting from one section of the room to another whenever he needs to look at a different file or paperwork on a different system.
"Everything working fine with your new components?" I asked as I stepped in, X4 stopping mid-teleportation, in front of my desk.
"Oh, yes, everything is operating at 100% efficiency. This excess speed is quite enjoyable. It allows me to get my work done 5.7% faster, as well as keeping others hard at work as well." X4 said in a way that suggested he was judging Vai's efficiency.
"I'm working, I'm working." She said, defending herself with a wave of her hands towards X4's previous general direction. Vai is still focused on looking through various reports from the sofa seat facing the nearby window. We still haven't gone through all of Merrik's possessions, it's been slow-going, examining everything for potential nasty surprises.
"I'm working as hard as I can. So much stuff was basically hidden from us that Merrik seemed to have kept everything of importance in something other than in his office, because most of these reports have content you've already seen, and I don't see anything here that would imply any connection with any of the troublemakers over the past few months."
"Hmm, I doubt that he had no hand in the troublemaking." I said matter-of-factly as I took a seat next to her, and X4 again teleported in front of us, where he placed two cups of coffee on the table in front of the sofa.
"Thank you, X4." I said, picking up the coffee.
"Happy to be of service, mistress. It's all in another day's work." X4 said before vanishing again after Vai took her cup.
"I am never going to get used to that." she said.
I waved off her concerns, "Well, it doesn't matter if you get used to it. What matters is he's still alive, and more effective this way. By the way, anything of interest in the mail?" I said as I sipped my glass of coffee. Since Gargon isn't the optimum environment for growing coffee, I knew that this caf had to be imported from elsewhere.
My guess would be that this is from Concordia due to it having a light aroma of malted grain with earthy undertones reminiscent of coffee that had been harvested in land that usually grew grain in well irrigated soil.
Vai nodded, "Two things. We got an encrypted message from Bo-Katan that I can't access because it is bio-sealed and will only open for you, and a basic report from the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force. The forces at Taris have been cycled out. Supreme Commander Ordo has returned to Mandalore, and a new Commander for the Taris watch has been placed there. Things seem to be calming down, and war has been averted."
"Good thing it did." I said with a shake of my head. "We owe our lives to those Ithorians. If they hadn't made that move, we'd be in a much worse situation."
"You can say that he's got more balls than some Mandalorians." Vai said rather crassly. I gave her a sharp look for the crude comment. "But it's true." she defended herself, folding her arms under her chest.
I sighed but conceded the point by nodding in agreement, "I agree his actions were courageous and honorable, so much so, I've recommended the creation of a bit of a memorabilia piece for him. The Beskar Peace Prize, a small piece of Mandalorian steel that'll congratulate him for preventing a war." I set down my empty cup of coffee.
"Ha, that is going to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, but you know what? That sounds like the kind of thing the New Mandalorians would eat up. The stuff your mind comes up with, Tanya." Vai said with a shake of her head, as I sat back, amused.
"Anything else I need to know about?" I asked.
"The situation on Vorpa'ya has not improved." X4 said while refilling my cup with more coffee from a previously unseen container. I stared into the refilling cup, but my mind was counting down the minutes until Engiz would be off his shift and free tonight. I never got to enjoy Gargon's culture the last time I was here as White Silver, so now is a good time to be a tourist with my partner.
X4 resumed and I dragged my attention to his report, "Apparently, whatever plan Concord Dawn had assumed that the Republic would invade Mandalore, and they could ally with the Republic invaders. Without that action, they seem to be more than willing just to maintain hold over half the planet, taking all agricultural output that would have been sold off the market, driving the prices of food across the sector."
"And making Mandalore suffer a bit more." I said, shaking my head. "They're playing a game that's going to end badly. If food prices get too high, people are going to start doing regrettable things, and the consequences will reward smugglers and encourage piracy. The drop in the standard of living will empower radicals, especially the warhawks who only want a military solution. There will be those who side with Concord Dawn as well, and call for us to resolve the situation in their favor."
"Do we know what they want?" Vai asked
I shrugged my shoulders before saying, "Probably the removal of the New Mandalorians from power. They do tend to have a disrespect for my aunt — correction — mother. Still getting used to that."
"There may be a way to lower the probability that some of those consequences will come to pass." X4 suggested.
"Oh, what are you thinking?" I asked.
"I am aware that Mistress desired a new fighter design with requirements that it's not as complex or expensive as the Fang fighter that we are producing for MandalMotors, so that we can market the new fighter for ourselves. I've recently come across a fighter design that could possibly fulfill this function from our own Mandal Hypernautics line of equipment."
"Alright, go on." I asked, leaning back in my chair and taking another sip of my coffee. While the Fang fighter is an amazing fighter, comparable to the famous F-22 Raptor, it is also astronomically expensive to make and maintain due to its complicated rotating wings. I needed something like the F-16, something more affordable yet still effective.
After extensive research and hours of brainstorming with X4, I settled for a non-hyperdrive capable multirole fighter to fill that role. There are a multitude of reasons, but ease of manufacture and a cost saving measure is a prominent one. Not having to install a hyperdrive to each fighter would not only reduce the price tag of our fighters by half, it also allows for the fighters to be smaller and be harder to hit as we don't need the hyperdrive and a separate fuel tank for hypermatter to fuel the hyperdrives.
However, this meant that I needed a carrier for these fighters that is not an incredibly expensive capital ship, like the Sundari, which is equivalent to the United States's Nimitz class carriers. A small tender class vessel, equivalent to Japan's helicopter carriers, would be preferable to support these fighters in remote regions and to grant the MSDF more tactical flexibility without needing a large logistic train to support it. Needing to assemble a carrier task force for every little conflict across the monstrously large and underpopulated CNS space would be a disastrous waste of resources.
"I have found a design that would fit all of Mistress's requirements that was used a very long time ago, using schematics that we have recently acquired from Ori'Jorir."
"A Basilisk War Droid fighter, isn't that illegal?" Vai asked as she took a break from her work to focus on our discussion.
"Technically, battle droids are always illegal. Although there are some loopholes, we are exploiting them to our benefit by redesigning these craft to be more like a piloted fighter craft, so it can be piloted by a single individual. Because there would be a human pilot for this device, it would not count solely as a droid and as a fighter." X4 confirmed.
"Alright, I trust your judgment. If you have some record of a droid craft that could be converted and upgraded into a piloted craft, have at it."
"Thank you, Mistress. However, there is one tiny inconvenience. Since these fighters lack their own independent hyperspace engines, they require a parent craft to travel between sectors. We could retrofit our Lictors with Hangars to house them, or use the Sundari Carrier's hangars for them. However, neither would be an optimal solution due to the limited space of the Lictor, while the Sundari would be better filled with Fang Fighters. Thus, for an alternate solution, I require your permission to purchase the license to produce Gozanti Cruisers from Corellian Engineering Corporation. We determined that the Gozanti Cruiser is the most cost-effective solution that can serve in this role fairly well."
"Aren't there like thousands of those just flying about the galaxy?" Vai asked, to which I nodded my agreement, as that ship is fairly common. It is excellent in both anti-piracy roles, due to its heavy loadouts and dense armor, and anti-smuggling roles thanks to its strong sensor capabilities. Some commanders used them as mobile command outposts rather than fleet flotilla.
"Correct, but for the modifications I would like to play around with, it would be better for us to have the ability to produce them ourselves. Not only would this be cheaper to mass produce, the Gozanti have ample space for hangars, as well as be excellent patrol craft. If our custom designs can improve upon the existing design, I'm sure some would love to be able to purchase them. Especially if we have legal documents granting us authority to sell them and the derivative designs. I predict that traditional Mandalorian branding alone on any platform we produce will give us an edge in the market. General improvements to the platform will compound that."
"Alright, X4, you can experiment with this. You have my approval." I am impressed by the initiative, and X4 let out an affirmative, pleased beep in response to my reply.
"Anything else?" I asked, as I reached for the datapad containing the encrypted message, wondering what secrets it held. I wonder what Bo-Katan wanted to talk to me about.
"Oh, nothing else much occurred to report about. Obi-Wan tried to schedule a meeting with you. I told him you're going to be busy, as per your instructions."
"Thank you, Vai." I said, relieved that she had listened to me and I wouldn't have to deal with that whole mess. I wasn't totally against meeting with Obi-Wan; I just wasn't sure I am ready for father-daughter time yet. With a Jedi, no less. I am still wrapping my head around mother-daughter time being an official thing.
I put further thought of the subject out of my mind as I focused on unlocking the message. To unlock the message, I have to insert my chain code and it would decrypt itself. Looking it over, I blinked and read it from the beginning again. I flipped it sideways to see if it was my imagination, as I could not really understand nor believe what I was reading. I then turned to Vai and said, "Bo-Katan has agreed to marry Pre Vizsla, the governor of Concordia."
Vai's jaw dropped, and the blood seemed to drain from her face in shock. "You're kidding!" she said, obviously shocked at the news.
I paused, turning to Vai and considering her reaction. "Not unless Bo is playing a joke." I said, shaking my head. "She also wants me to plan her wedding. Why do people want me to plan their weddings?"
Vai shrugged. "You're very organized, it's an admirable quality, and you seem like the kind of person that might actually succeed at planning a wedding." She said with a smile, drawing an exasperated sigh for me.
Shaking my head, I turned my gaze back to the message and tried to puzzle out why it existed. What possible reason would Bo-Katan, a known and confirmed bachelor, agree to a marriage? Especially at a time like this? With Pre Viszla of all people? Things were very tense in the Mandalorian sector, and trust is a scarce commodity. But then again, maybe that was the reason.
Was this something Satine had asked Bo-Katan to do? After all, what better way to solidify and confirm alliance between houses and with a marriage? Although, if that was the reason, well, perhaps my eventual nuptials would be on the docket as well. I'd always known that that was a possibility. I'd come to accept it, but there's hoping at least one it would be to someone I was accepting of and willing to live with. I refuse to plan the wedding for my own marriage, thank you very much.
Writer's note: And that's the chapter, folks! A good 17,000 words, I think a lot of things are happening, from the Mandalorian weeb making his appearance, to the return of Satine. From Tanya building an arms industry, to Korkie exposing a black market, to learning exactly how those Death Watch guys knew about the location of that treasure ship all those chapters ago.
We've learned a lot, and I'm sure we'll learn a lot more in the next chapter, as soon as I remember what's in the next chapter.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
Edited by: L, Fallqm, Mantsch, Guardsman Pius, Warmach1ne32, Afforess
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717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Coronet, Mandalore Orbit
Satine Kryze
"My Duchess, your shuttle is ready to depart." I glanced up from my holopad as the shuttle pilot walked over. I itched to return home as there was a lot that needed to be done. The pilot just returned after loading our luggage and is now ready to depart, so we followed him back to the shuttle bay.
Next to me, Senator Padmé Amidala walked alongside; she had come along on my trip back to Mandalore. She wanted to help, and I am willing to accept her help in smoothing relations with the Republic after the narrowly avoided invasion. Tanya considers her a friend with a strong sense of justice and pacifism — Tanya even mentioned that she would be an amazing New Mandalorian.
Unfortunately, when I looked into the politics of Naboo, they do not represent neutrality, nor are they eligible to join the Neutral Systems. Naboo had already been attacked by Separatists and is the homeworld of the current Supreme Chancellor. It's locked as a member of the Republic. Thus, she is merely a visiting Republic dignitary.
But she could help in other ways. Merely having someone who had once served in a position similar to mine that I can trust, could provide helpful counsel. After all, she had survived an invasion from a droid army. Surely, she could help me navigate the chaos of a potential invasion from the Republic. So I am retelling my experiences on Coruscant to catch Padmé up with the assassination attempts plaguing us.
"Then Ben found me, and he escorted me to the Senate safely." I finished recounting the story on the way to the shuttle. Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, were waiting for us there. I didn't have many opportunities to converse with Ahsoka on the trip back, so I was surprised when she spoke up.
"I am surprised to hear you were involved in a fight on Coruscant at all. From what I've been taught by Master Kenobi, New Mandalorians are pacifists." Ahsoka said.
Anakin rolled his eyes, "I stopped believing that after I met Tanya."
"Non-violence is ideal, but self-defense is still allowed for." I rebutted while turning to face Anakin, "Has there been any news on the assassin that tried to murder me? Or for the droid at Mandalore Tower?" I asked, as we boarded the shuttle and I sat next to Padmé while the others sat across from us. After a few more moments of waiting, our shuttle lifted off the Coronet and started its descent towards Mandalore.
I am terrified at how close we had come to getting invaded by the Republic, as well as how close Tanya had come to losing her life. Thankfully, with hard work and the help of our allies, we managed to prevent both from coming to pass. However, I can see now that the Republic in reality is not the same as the idealized image I have in my mind. While there are good people within the Senate, many are more motivated by their own self-interests than for the common good of the galaxy.
"No. The police aren't really equipped to investigate assassination attempts, given how big Coruscant is and how easy it is to hide there. So that should be a job for the Jedi, as they are the only ones capable of actually finding and defeating the assassin." Anakin remarked.
"Perhaps." I hedged. The Jedi had offered to investigate, but that didn't seem like the best option. If the Jedi arrested whoever was behind this, and it was almost certainly a Mandalorian that did it, it would likely result in a scandal back home. "However, tensions are very high at the moment between Mandalore and the Republic. Thus, I would prefer if Mandalorians are the only ones involved in the investigation to minimize possible unrest." Once I'm back home, I'd meet with Almec and have the Mandalorian Secret Service investigate the matter ourselves.
"Tanya was the one who found evidence that Nute Gunray hired Jango Fett to assassinate me." Padmé said. She turned to Anakin and had a contemplative look on her face, as if recalling something. "She figured out the assassin's identity after analyzing their confrontation." She turned back to face me, "Are there any details to go on in your case?"
"Unfortunately no. I didn't even see who my assassin was. And they only managed to shoot me once. So any evidence of my assailant's identity is back on Coruscant."
I wish I had more time to spend with Tanya, but Tanya and her retinue were dropped off on Gargon. She will be busy working on her plan to improve the planet's shipbuilding industry, as well as exploring some new defensive ship designs. I had finally revealed something I've been keeping close to my chest for decades, and we felt like family at this point. I would have liked to further establish our bond that should have been there the whole time. Although the way Tanya phrased it, I guess she had always had that bond with me, even if I hadn't really lived up to it in my mind.
"What about the droid that attacked Tanya at the Mandalore Tower?" Padmé asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"In Tanya's case, the remains of the droid, that Battle Legionnaire, will be taken to some experts on Mandalore. Given that the assassination involved a droid, it seems likely that the CIS is involved in some capacity." I explained.
Anakin grunted, "Of course they are." at the mention of the CIS.
"A year ago, when I was being targeted, Nute Gunray was already our prime suspect, and it turned out he was responsible all along. Do you have any enemies that have targeted you in the past, or would want to target you specifically?" Padmé asked.
"Anteevy tried to kidnap Tanya once on Tatooine." Anakin said.
I nodded, "Anteevy reported that they punished the officer who attempted the kidnapping attempt."
"Hmm..." Padmé said.
"Nute Gunray was supposedly punished by the Trade Federation as well, multiple times, and that never seemed to work." Anakin noted.
"It could be Anteevy, however I have no proof. I do have another suspect though, Purton Jendri, the Governor of Concord Dawn. He is currently causing a major issue on Vorpa'ya by sending his Journeyman Protectors to 'liberate' the planet from Anteevan influence."
Anakin seemed to recognize the planet. "Vorpa'ya? Jedi Master Kota has been sent to defend the Jedi Temple there. He is very skilled in combat and diplomacy, so he should be able to mediate the situation or force the responsible party to reveal themselves." I nodded, but our discussion was interrupted as the shuttle craft finally landed on the Royal Palace's landing pad.
Finally arriving home, I stepped out of the shuttle with a few guards following behind me that are part of my protective detail.
"This is where we part, thank you for your hospitality, Duchess Satine." Anakin said as Ahsoka and Padmé were escorted off the landing pad.
I had a brief conversation with Ben before we left Coruscant, and I think we left on good terms this time. Much better than the last time we separated all those years ago, when we had been arguing over pacifism going too far. We still need to work out our whole parental situation. Ben seemed to be leaning towards leaving the Jedi Order and joining our family after the current crisis with Dooku and the Separatists was resolved. One thing I respected about him is that he has a strong sense of honor and duty. His prior oath to the Jedi Order must be fulfilled before he can think about leaving the Order since the Order is fighting a war with millions of lives on the line. Though I disagreed with the war in general, I will not gainsay his oath to his Order even though they were a part of it.
I can only hope that he comes through the war alright. I'm not one for praying to the Manda, but I might start in hopes that we both make it through this alive.
As I approached the large group of Royal Guards standing at parade rest, I sighed. Although I had worn armor underneath my clothing on Coruscant, it was simply because I was realistic about the fact that the planet is not entirely safe. Here on Mandalore, I wouldn't be able to get away with wearing armor in public. It would be too inflammatory, so security in another form is needed, even if I thought that this is more than necessary.
Eventually, I reached the palace's throne room and I saw two individuals already waiting for me. My gaze immediately focused on my nephew, Korkie, who is looking rather stiff, as if he'd been having a stressful time while I was gone.
Walking over, I greeted him, "Korkie." Drawing his notice, he smiled before walking over, and we shared a hug.
"It's good to see you, Auntie Satine. I've been worried about you ever since I heard about what Senator Merrik did." He said. He looked up to meet my gaze, and I carefully kept one arm wrapped around him.
I winced as I was reminded of the fact that someone I considered a trusted friend would betray me because he felt his job was threatened, "Yes, thankfully there was no long-term damage... at least no physical damage."
He tilted his head and asked, "What's the matter, Auntie?"
I took a breath before saying, "There is a secret that I've been keeping from you. A secret I have kept from everyone for a long time now." Korkie fell still, and I could feel his tension swell; I felt guilty, he could sense something amiss needed to be explained.
From the corner of my vision, I saw Almec look on in disapproval, but the time for hiding this information had passed as far as I was concerned.
"Tanya is not your biological sister," Korkie instantly looked confused as I continued, "she's your cousin and my daughter."
"Oh." He said, sounding more confused before he finally came to a question. "Why?"
Almec spoke up before I could say anything, "At the end of the Clan Wars and the civil war, your aunt had a relationship with a Jedi Padawan. At the time, the government was new and, in my opinion, weak."
"No," I interrupted. "I fell in love with Ben Kenobi, the Jedi you know as General Kenobi now. I grew pregnant and I kept my pregnancy a secret since revealing Tanya would not only trouble Ben's career but also destabilize the entire sector just as the Mandalorian Civil War had ended. At the time, Ben was sent off on his next mission, back in the Core. I was alone again, and Almec convinced me that the cost to Mandalore wasn't worth the price of honesty and Jedi entanglements." I trailed off.
"You only wanted the best for us." Korkie affirmed, and I smiled down and held him tighter again.
Almec nodded and looked at Korkie, but I spoke first, "Did I? I misjudged the worth of family and keeping our clan close because of it. Step by step, Tanya retaught me the value of our family and Clan. First, she reminded me of Bo's worth and honor by visiting our ancestral home in Kalevala and by faithfully overseeing Tanya's physical training."
Korkie nodded dubiously, hesitating to acknowledge the point.
"Years later, when Tanya became a representative of the Republic, she taught me to fight for peace and mutual cooperation through her unique style of diplomacy. She instinctively knows a very Mandalorian approach to diplomacy and somehow made it work. Tanya never needed to convince me of your worth, Korkie. Although she did occasionally seem jealous of your experiences at the Academy." I finished.
Korkie seemed stunned at that last statement.
"So what changed my mind was that I realized I valued our House and Clan too little, Korkie. I overvalued my own convenience and prideful traditions, even when they are doing more harm than good." I harshly summarized.
Korkie thought about it for a moment, moving stiffly to pull away slightly, "Well, of all the things that have been kept secret from me, this is so minor I don't even care. She was raised as my sister, I still see her as my sister, even if I don't always agree with her. It's just that she's also now Auntie Satine's daughter. Nothing really changes here, as far as I see."
Not exactly true, but he is putting up a good front as far as I could tell. He kept his voice steady, and if I wasn't holding him, I wouldn't have been able to detect it at all. From his perspective, Tanya had been elevated from an orphan that shared the same situation as him to having a mother and father who are still alive. He is still an orphan, but he's rationalizing. I simply leaned in and hugged him, saying, "Yes, nothing between us is any different."
I also eased off Korkie, after realizing I was embracing him again. "Thank you for telling me, Auntie Satine." He said, sounding a bit choked. Korkie shuddered and stepped away, only holding onto my hand. "S-so I have shocking news for you as well." I looked into his eyes, curious as to what he might be referring to.
Almec's frown deepened at this, but surprisingly, he didn't comment.
"Uhh, Aunt Bo and Governor Vizsla are married. Aunt Bo announced they will have a wedding celebration on Concordia, but no date has been set."
I am so happy for her! I thought she would stay single for another 20 years. I am a bit surprised at her choice of partner, but then again, I never knew any of Bo's companions. In any case, this is momentous news.
I must have said some combination of my thoughts out loud, because Korkie replied, "She wanted Tanya to help her with the wedding, too." I smiled and Almec passed me over a handkerchief. I took it and wiped my eyes, clearing away the wetness that gathered there.
Letting go of his hand, I walked over to my throne, saying, "Alright, well, now that I'm back, let's get to work solving our current problems." Taking a seat on my throne, I said, "What's the situation on Vorpa'ya?"
Almec smoothed out his expression and said, "In hand, as far as I can tell. We have yet to force them to leave the planet, yes, but the presence of such a large Mandalorian Self-Defense Force is keeping the other factions in line and preventing any major moves."
I blinked, "Other factions? I thought it was just the Journeyman Protectors."
Almec shook his head, "Two other forces have established a presence on the planet. Forces of the Anteevy Revolutionary Guard have taken control of the third-largest city on the planet. Apparently, they are allied with us in our mission to prevent the abuse of the local population."
"What is the other faction you mentioned?" I asked.
Almec answered, "Soldiers from Gargon. Not Silver Mandalorian mercenaries, they are under the command of a Jedi Master named Rahm Kota. He helped White Silver overthrow Gerr a few years ago, and apparently had put together an army of volunteers on Gargon to fight for the Republic."
I sighed, "Alright, we should probably see about sending a few more divisions of the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force there, just for good measure."
Almec nodded, "I will see it done."
I continued by asking, "I heard the terraforming of Mandalore was slowed while I was gone. What happened?"
Almec looked displeased, "The bombing campaign on Kalevala didn't stop after the initial arrests, unfortunately. Minister Ordo, Wren, and Droxun advocated for moving the focus of the terraforming to Kalevala. They believed it would appease the terrorists and it appears to be working, as there hasn't been an attack since we shifted our focus."
"While Kalevala is not in as bad of a state as Mandalore, the most important terraforming that is being done is adding more water onto the planet in order to create a wetter climate. I've already implemented efforts to both raise money, lower the cost of living to encourage spending, and more to increase our taxable income to support both efforts."
I nodded my head and said, "Good work, Almec. I'll leave them to it then. For now, I'll focus on organizing an effort to find the Death Watch and get them to turn over the Maelstrom to the Republic."
"Do you think that would really work, Auntie? Death Watch aren't interested in diplomacy or negotiations; they are staunch traditionalists and warriors." Korkie asked.
I looked at him before nodding and said, "Mandalore has to at least appear to be trying to help the Republic with this issue. However, our primary focus for the Maelstrom should be setting up a back-channel with Death Watch. It goes without saying that Mandalore doesn't negotiate with terrorists, so officially, we aren't."
Korkie is fighting to keep surprise off his face, but Almec adopted a more contemplative and curious look, so I continued on with the details. "But perhaps we can arrange some collaboration in providing up-to-date nav charts, including registered traffic, and write off a few expired supply depots. In exchange, they keep the Maelstrom out of Mandalorian space, or preferably, CNS territory altogether." The deal would be something for nothing if it worked. It is a near certainty that Death Watch spies would have already infiltrated the Self-Defense Forces. I've worked hard to keep the Royal Guards free from external influence, but I couldn't say the same about the SDF. So Death Watch could easily have this intelligence already.
"Which the Republic has not been observing very well anyway." Almec mentioned, getting me to look at him before he continued, "Two Republic cruisers had already entered our territory during the holonet communication outage, trying to find out what's going on, they claimed. And those are only the two that we caught. There have been reports from the Mandalorian Patrol that they recorded many more unauthorized border violations. I hate to say it, but the Republic is circling us like shriek hawks, waiting for a moment of weakness. The warhawks in their government are quite influential at this moment."
"We will not give them that opening. With the reprieve that Tanya and the rest of our allies have created, we will do whatever we can to prevent any invasion from happening in the future. The longer we can stay out of this war, the better. But until then, perhaps we should look into options for our own Mandalorian Navy."
"Such as?" Almec asked.
"Perhaps it's time for the Mandalorian Patrol and other independent agencies to be a bit more centralized into a Self-Defense Navy." I suggested.
"We'll need to get in contact with quite a few people across the sector, but I think it's possible to pull off." Almec said.
Mandalore, Self-Defense Force Barracks
Ahsoka Tano
Mandalore is arid, dusty, and I only saw a few sad-looking barbed shrubs hiding in the shadows of tall boulders. I have read that Mandalore used to be a vibrant planet filled with life. When the Old Mandalorians rebelled against the Republic by forcing those who pass the Hydian way to pay a toll, the Senate ordered the Jedi to pacify the Mandalorians. The Mandalorians fought back so ferociously that it's only after Mandalore was decimated in the Excision that the surviving nobles surrendered to the Republic. While the Excision might have been necessary to stop the fighting, it doesn't diminish the fact that many worlds were severely damaged and a staggering number of lives were lost in the fighting. It is only recently that those worlds are being repaired due to the help of the Ithorians.
Master Kenobi had mentioned that Mandalorian cities are beautiful, filled with art and friendly people with a vibrant culture. Sadly, this mission that the Council had sent my master on took us elsewhere, to one of the 'MSDF' military bases that were scattered around the planet.
The buildings and architecture of the MSDF base we are approaching are not all that interesting either, more than a dozen solid rectangular blocks arranged in a grid pattern in a huge rocky flatland. Republic bases at least have different shaped buildings to differentiate them, here it looks like everything's made from a factory and just dropped there. As we got closer, I could see specks of activity inside the base. From hundreds doing physical training out in the scorching sun to what looks to be an obstacle course and shooting range being used to the side of the base. In the back of the base, I can see various vehicles being disassembled in what looks like a large hangar. Perhaps I will get a chance to visit their cities later. But for now I followed behind Master Skywalker as he approached a trio of Mandalorians in full armor sans helmet.
"Jedi, I was told you were coming after you landed on Sundari. You Republicans sure do love to throw your weight around." The woman in the lead called out. She had a dark complexion and would likely be very pretty if half of her face was not scarred from some terrible burn she had suffered recently. The scar tissue was still red and smothered in bacta pads. "What the hell do you want? I am extremely busy." I struggled to imagine what could be more urgent than our arrival. I also sensed a bit of surprise from my master before he shook his head.
"I understand you are holding almost a hundred thousand Arkanian 'Offshoots' here?" He said, looking over at what looked to be a company sized unit of Arkanians doing pushups.
"Holding? You see any fences? We are accommodating them as much as we can with so many showing up. Be careful with what you accuse us of, Jedi."
A part of me was insulted by the way the Mandalorian is treating my master. However, he seemed to take the open hostility in his stride and offered a hand to the Mandalorian. "Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, and General of the Republic. This is my Padawan Ahsoka Tano." He introduced the both of us.
"General Patricia Beviin, of Clan Beviin, and subordinate to Clan Vizsla." She replied stiffly, ignoring Anakin's hand before turning on her heel. "You came to inspect the Arkanians. Come on, let's get this over with."
"What does 'subordinate to Clan Vizsla' mean?" I asked, earning a glance from both of the Mandalorians flanking General Beviin.
"Clan Vizsla sponsored my bid to become an officer in the MSDF and my Beskar'gam." General Beviin replied, leading us into the encampment. That didn't really answer my question, but she didn't really seem interested in answering it fully. "Each of the structures you see is an expanded barracks and kitchen unit that can house one thousand people. We are mostly just sitting on the Arkanians here and keeping them entertained with PT and drills until we can spread them out over Neutral Systems Space. Odd lot, no idea what we are going to do with them."
"Odd how?" Master Skywalker asked.
"Odd in that they do what you tell them to, all line up in neat ranks like Republic troopers or like we are holding a parade, but they do it all the time. All got the same armor, same accent, same face. If not for the tats, you could hardly tell them apart."
"I understand that they are the result of cloning?" Master Skywalker said, his tone steady, even as his emotions flared.
"Yeah, most of them, others the old-fashioned way. Part of some ancient workforce project on Arkania or whatever. Whoever thought that this docile lot should be given blasters and put in a battlefield is an idiot. Still, it's our job to make sure they can think for themselves enough to survive more than a minute against anyone trying to pick a fight with Mandalore."
"Is following orders a bad thing?" I asked.
"Not if you are a Republican." General Beviin practically spat the word. "But it ain't what we Mandalorians do. We question everything, even if it makes us less neat and tidy. Had this Tarisian officer telling my boys to line up nicer, broke his arm. It's why I needed a sponsor to get back into the MSDF." She laughed. "Being a Mandalorian is about knowing how to fight, why you fight, and living for that fight. Learning to march in a neat square does not make you worth a damn when the bolts start flying. This lot of Arkanians, they look great on parade, tell them to run for hours and then do a fire drill, and they'll do it nice and neat. But the second the blasters start flying, or they get ambushed — they'll freeze like cattle in a slaughterhouse. Worried that if they have a single original thought you will do gods' know what to them."
"You are very... forthcoming." Master Skywalker said diplomatically. I suppressed a horrified reaction, unable to find an answer in any of my training for what to say.
"I just don't care, Jedi. As far as I am concerned, your inspection is a waste of my time. The Duchess is far more forgiving than the rest of us after what your Republic did." She stopped and sneered at my master. "You would do it gladly too, wouldn't you? If your Republic told you to invade a planet without a damn reason you would do it in a heartbeat wouldn't you! Reppy chakaaryc like you, that Jedi nuked a planet, and who does the Republic start blaming? Us! Far as I am concerned, Death Watch is a better custodian of that Warship than any Jedi." I struggled to contain my anger at her words; I had thought that rumors the CNS was sheltering terrorists and traitors were a fabrication by the warhawks in the Senate. Yet here General Beviin was publically expressing support for our enemies!
"I don't like what happened any more than you do." Master Skywalker replied, stiffening as he forced himself to remain calm. "Do you think that the Jedi Council ordered that man to-"
"JEDI!" General Beviin shouted and jabbed a finger at my master's chest. "He was a Jedi."
"NO!" Master Skywaker refuted her and held his ground. "A Jedi would never do what he did!"
"He was a Master of your pathetic order, he has one of your glowing laser swords, he was put in charge of an army by the Republic, and Death Watch put him down like the Demogolka he was! You don't have the right to come here and accuse us of anything. Mandalore is doing right by the Neutral systems! And we will do the right thing by these Arkanians! You want to see if we are abusing them? We are emptying our food stocks, so they can eat something besides reconstituted paste! Without Mandalore, they would've been forgotten in some Arkanian slum! We look after them, unlike those cloned Mandalorians you sent to die in droves!"
"You don't know what you are talking about." Master Skywalker uttered through gritted teeth. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, either.
"I do, and you know I do." General Beviin pressed.
"You don't, the clones are good men. Not clones, not fodder, men. And I will never treat them like slaves. I know that their lives matter, and I will fight so that they have a future to look forward to after this war." Master Skywalker asserted.
"Oh, a Paragon Jedi? Wonderful! Tell me about how you will do all the good things and none of the bad things! You treat the entire galaxy like we are blind idiots! You can say anything — would say anything — to be seen as the heroes, but when it comes down to doing the right thing, your record is pathetic!"
"He is telling the truth!" I shouted, drawing attention to myself. "Master Skywalker cares about the clones! And I know the Republic is not perfect. The vote to invade the Neutral systems, that was wrong. What that man did was wrong too! But when it came down to it, the vote failed because it was the wrong thing to do. Because when the people had all the information, they made the right decision. That is what democracy is, a struggle to inform the people, so they can make informed choices, having faith in the people of the galaxy." General Beviin looked unconvinced but took a step back from us both.
"Do you want to get this inspection over with? I still have my orders to accommodate you, Jedi." General Beviin snapped.
"I have a question." Master Skywalker said softly. She gave him a curt nod, so he continued, "Where did you get that burn?"
There was a pause — the general narrowed her eyes before stepping up to him again. "I got it from killing Demogolka." She sneered.
"Then you got it by doing the right thing." Master Skywalker said, resolved. I sense him relax for the first time in this conversation. "Come on, Ahsoka. We shouldn't take up any more of the general's time."
I blinked as my master walked away from the woman who had just admitted to being part of Death Watch. The woman herself looked surprised by my Master's answer before she smoothed her features and walked away. I collected myself and hurried after him, leaning into him once we got out of earshot.
"We are going to arrest her, right, Master?" I muttered, fearing what he would say.
"Nope." He smiled. "Not our job. We are here to inspect the Mandalorian Defense Force and nothing else."
"But, Master," I glanced back at the Mandalorians who were returning to the encampment, "she could know where the warship is." I felt a slight unease at how relaxed Anakin was about dealing with professed Jedi killers. Not that I supported what that man did or anything. But surely we were inspecting the MSDF for people just like her, right?
"Probably." Master Skywalker agreed.
"So we-"
"Sometimes, to do the right thing, you follow orders; other times, you question them. In this case, we follow them to the letter. Someone else is looking for the ship; we let them do their job."
"If you say so, Master." I sighed. My master was trusting his gut again, something that was right more often than his head, it seemed.
"We have a few more bases to inspect, and then we'll go to Sundari. Are you sure you'll be okay on your own, Snips?" Master Skywalker stopped to observe a group of Arkanians and their Mandalorian instructors wearing full armor doing push-ups.
"Of course," I assured Master Skywalker. "It's you I'm worried about."
Harswee, Clan Skald territory
Special Agent Gideon
The speeder had a wobble to it, seeming to sway from one side to the next like a sailing ship as it passed over the tall golden fields of flax and rye. It was old and well-used, likely older than me, made by some forgotten mechanic on an isolated Mandalorian world. Now and then, the driver would glance at the rearview mirror. The back of the covered speeder contained three heavily armed Mandalorians, my native guide, and myself.
Harswee is a hotbed of conflict, with an off-again and on-again civil war that the CNS assured the Republic did not involve any real MSDF assets. The fact that they allowed open clan wars to happen out here did not speak well of the new civilization of the Mandalorian people.
Republic Intelligence had earmarked this system as a likely candidate for Death Watch activity, so I was sent in to hopefully make contact with a cell and try to find information about the Maelstrom. Blunders at the top of intelligence leadership, no doubt underestimating Mandalorians yet again, had led to my very accelerated briefing for this mission. It was a sign of how dire the intelligence situation was that even I am aware of that fact.
"Megin's a' tracy'uur, Ori jate!" I was brought back from my musings as the young boy sitting across from me with a set of well-used beskar armor pointed at my chest rig. "Ori jate!" The boy said again, waving his hand a few more times as I turned to my native guide for help.
"He likes your blaster and says it's very nice." The stern-looking man who called himself Jurr of Clan Kregg commented.
"Oh." I said, before offering my best smile to the boy and nodding.
"He wants to look at it." Jurr said softly.
"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling an odd tension fill the back of the speeder, and the natives began to watch me closely. "I'm not giving him my blaster. Every ten-year-old on this rock has a military-grade carbine."
"Yeah, and you think your little blaster is going to protect you out here? Clan Skald controls this region. They are the ones keeping you safe, not that blaster." Jurr deadpanned as I unclipped the chest rig and passed my blaster over to the kid, who gave me a big grin and began to look the blaster over, muttering in unintelligible Mandalorian.
"Look at you, making friends." Jurr chuckled as I sat back.
"Tracy'uur, Ori... nice, nice Tracy'uur!" The kid said to me before nodding and stuffing the blaster into a pouch at his hip.
"Are we almost there?" I asked, earning a nod from Jurr.
"Yeah, remember to keep your head down and don't make a scene." As if on cue, the speeder began to whine as the driver slowed down, the entire craft jolting uncomfortably now and then before coming to a stop. A moment later, I was pulled out of the speeder by Jurr. The endless fields and rolling hills had given way to a large assortment of tents and other temporary structures. A few small freighters were scattered around the edges of the encampment, making the entire place resemble an impromptu festival.
The fact that everyone was ambling about with heavy weapons and armor did contrast with that notion, however. I had studied the iconography of the Mandalorians and the various different clans and social organizations in preparation for this assignment, but it was quite different to see so clearly the distinct armor tones, icons, and symbols scattered around denoting allegiance to different groups, people, and ideals. The assortment was chaotic, colorful, and confusing in equal measure.
Due to my accelerated briefing, I had only four days to learn an entire culture before I arrived on Harswee; so my language training did not help in the slightest. The perils of trying to track down an un-trackable ship led me to end up on planets rather randomly. I only had a day to get the proper medication for life on a high gravity planet to add to my troubles. Before I could spend much more time gawking, Jurr led me deeper into the encampment.
"So, this is Death Watch." I muttered.
"Not quite," Jurr commented with a tilt of his head, "this is just a privateer group. The CNS has put restrictions on what can be transported through our space. Any violations get a bounty put on them. We join up with these guys, and soon enough we should find Death Watch at some point."
"Is this legal?!" I hissed, earning a glance from Jurr and a grin.
"Sure, this is not the Core, Gideon. Just stick with us and you'll be fine." He assured me as the kid slapped my arm and gave me a thumbs up. "It's a simple job. We hail down any ships that look like they could be carrying contraband or that have flags on them from the MSDF. Get the crew under control while we do a search and confiscate offending items. You don't find many slicers out on Harswee, so any crew we join up with will look after you, okay?"
I wanted to protest more but held my tongue. I am in the lands of the barbarians, after all. I would just have to keep my report vague as I searched for Death Watch and their captured Battle-Cruiser. This would all be worth it if I could recover the Maelstrom. I only hoped that my fellow agents had a less... Mandalorian experience in the pursuit of our duties.
Jurr had me show off my understanding of various electronic locking systems and slicing. Only after did it occur to me that I am now a pirate. A lifetime of training for Republic Intelligence in the hands of Outer Rim savages who would absolutely kill me and Jurr if they knew who I worked for. I resolved to work hard and attempt to learn the Mandalorian tongue. I would need it if I was going to infiltrate the Death Watch.
What the hell had I gotten myself into?
Mandalore, Sundari
Ahsoka Tano
Sundari is a lot nicer than I expected, just like Master Kenobi described. Despite the reports detailing the sanctions placed on the Council of Neutral Systems by the rest of the Republic, and the general shortage of practically everything, the Mandalorian capital city streets are not all that much different from a vibrant Coruscant street.
Well, except for the fact that every other person was in full battle armor with a blaster pistol on their hip. Everywhere is crowded, with shops and restaurants filled to capacity and people sitting on benches outside, waiting for a turn. It's clear that the services offered did not match the population for some reason.
One more thing to research.
I made my way through the busy streets, taking note of how the Mandalorians would stop and openly gape at the lightsabers on my hips. But despite a range of expressions, I was unmolested as I approached the Academy. I had been given permission to speak to a class about the importance of democracy and civic mindsets, as some in the Jedi Order are rather worried about Satine's authoritarian leadership style.
The fact that my master praised her only made things more complicated.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Are you the Jedi guest speaker?" I turned to regard the voice and found myself in the company of a friendly young man with a handsome face featuring an awed expression. He had neatly kept blond hair, shining blue eyes, and thick, well-defined muscles under an Academy Student uniform.
"I am only a Padawan learner, but I am the guest speaker." I said with a smile, offering my hand to the young man. "Ahsoka Tano at your service. I presume you are a student at the Academy?"
"Yes I am, Korkie Kryze, Prince and Heir to Mandalore." He took my hand and offered a firm handshake and an easy smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Padawan Ahsoka." I felt myself leaning into the conversation a little bit before catching myself and letting out a somewhat awkward laugh.
"You are the Prince? It's nice to meet you. I have seen your sister a few times but have not had a chance to meet her properly." At the mention of his sister, his smile seemed to thin somewhat before returning to its normal state.
"Yes, well, it's nice to me- wait, I just said that." He chuckled, and I laughed along with him before rubbing the tip of my left montral. "I hope Mandalore is treating you well." He said at last.
"Oh, it's lovely." I assured the prince. "I am glad I have the opportunity to visit."
"If only you had seen it before..." Korkie mused, looking out at the crowds of Mandalorians around him. "These are interesting times." He said softly. His concerned expression and emotions matched everything I could sense from the Force.
"It's unfortunate, but Mandalore is nicer than most places in the galaxy right now."
"For now it is, so long as the New Mandalorians remain in control," he said. "Come on, I will show you around the Academy. Will you be staying long?"
"For a few weeks." I fell into step alongside Korkie. He strode quickly into the Academy campus, passing the other students. It was clear in contrast just how much stronger he was than his peers. He has a confidant gait, and his uniform seemed just a little too distractingly tight on him. When Master Kenobi had commented that the prince is somewhat adventurous, it seemed like something of an understatement.
"Then I hope things remain calm during your visit. The New Mandalorians value peace, and we try to embody that in any way we can." Korkie said proudly.
"I noticed that there are not many New Mandalorians in the MSDF. Why is that?" I asked, feeling a pang of sympathy as Korkie winced.
"The Defense Force is a compromise, a place for the more traditional Mandalorians to contribute to the sector. A lot of New Mandalorians don't fit into that sort of organization, that sort of lifestyle. And the ones that do tend to feel rather isolated due to their differing political leanings." He gave me a somber expression as we passed a wall that had the torn remains of several different layers of graffiti plastered onto it. "They don't even bother to clean it off anymore." He bemoaned the apparent lack of care.
I looked closer and noted that it has several slogans written in Mandalorian painted over the image of a female Mandalorian in shining silver armor that looked somewhat familiar.
"What is this?" I asked.
"This is likely why you are here." He gave me a strained smile. "White Silver and her supporters." He tapped his arm and inclined his head towards a crowd sitting at a set of benches. About a dozen or so young Mandalorian students with shining silver vambraces proudly displayed and knives hanging off their belts.
"A political movement? My master mentioned White Silver was at Geonosis."
"A cult of personality and the death knell of Mandalorian pacifism." He nodded, seeming resolved. Everything I could sense from him and the Force seemed sincere, so I admired the genuine concern he showed for his people. It was refreshing after spending so much time on Coruscant. "I- We need the wisdom of the Jedi. The Jedi saved my aunt during the clan wars, and I need you to help me prevent another war from erupting." He stepped closer, and I felt my heart speed up. "Will you help me, Jedi Ahsoka? I-I don't know who to trust anymore...."
"Of course!" I quickly agreed and shifted in place as I watched his face light up with a smile.
Mandalore, Sundari
Padmé Amidala
Letting out a breath, I stretched my arms and was about to head to the bed, maybe get a little early sleep since it had been a long trip here, when a beep came from my door.
Turning, wondering who was there, I moved over to it and pressed the button and was greeted with a cocky smile.
"Anakin." I greeted as he leaned against a door-jam and sighed dramatically.
"Senator Amidala, I thought I would stop by between the military bases I've been inspecting to see how you were doing."
"Oh, I'm doing fine." I said with a smile in my tone, and stepped back, "Do I also merit an inspection?" I disheveled my sleeping gown playfully.
He smiled and said, "Yes, I think you really do." Stepping into the room, he let it close before we shared a kiss.
"Missed you." He said as the kiss broke.
"We've only not seen each other for half a week." I mused out loud.
"Three days is too long." He said, earning a chuckle from me.
"So, Anakin, how goes your mission?" I asked as I moved over to a nearby couch, sitting down and pulling him down next to me.
"Things are going fine, as far as I can tell. Everyone here isn't exactly happy to know that a Jedi is poking around. But I think another week or two, and I'll have satisfied Republic Intelligence's demands, and fulfilled the Council's mandate. So far, from what I've seen, they aren't really trying to take over the Republic or join the CIS."
I nodded my head at that before saying, "Yes, their Duchess seems to have full control of their military at least."
"Yeah," Anakin agreed, and I enjoyed looking my husband over, "she seems to have a good, strong hand on their government, keeping them directed and heading in the direction they need to go."
I nodded, "Well, that may be true. I do worry about how much control she has. Can we exactly call this a democracy? It's more of Satine's rules or get out."
Anakin looked out the window before asking, "Is that a bad thing? She seems to make a just set of rules. So far, she's managed to maintain a peaceful position and grow an alliance of planets who also want to be peaceful. All while also growing a bit of a military to protect that peace if necessary."
"On the surface level, yes, this is all good," I said with another nod, "but I just question if this is really a democratic, elected government at this point. She was voted in by the Mandalorian clans decades ago to bring in pacifism and the New Mandalorian way. Decades pass, and she starts doing something different, as far as I can understand it, there is no system to challenge her change of heart. She has complete control of the government, as far as I can tell, with a permanent mandate. And a permanent mandate like that can set a dangerous precedent for the next leader, who may not be as benevolent as Duchess Satine."
Anakin thought for a moment before saying, "That's valid, but she is leading Mandalore through uncharted territory, and I think that sort of issue should be put aside until the conflict that's currently ongoing is resolved."
I sighed in concern, "That's kind of what we did in the lead-up to the Separatist crisis. We put aside smaller issues and they just kept growing and growing until we couldn't do anything more about it."
"That may be true, but from what I've seen, Chancellor Palpatine seems to have the Republic covered and keeping us together, and Duchess Satine seems to be keeping the Mandalorian sector united. Perhaps we just need the right people in the right place at the right time, regardless of their political origins."
"Maybe." I acknowledged before getting up. "But we should leave politics for another day. Husband, have a nice dinner brought up, and a dessert for me."
"That does sound divine." Anakin agreed. As he started to get up, there was an explosion somewhere in the city, shaking the windows lightly.
Both Anakin and I looked at the open doorway to the balcony. He moved first, getting out with me coming up right behind him; we both looked outside. I looked upwards and quickly saw what had exploded. A speeder had apparently blown its engine and judging how much larger it was after only a few seconds passed, it is on a direct course to crash into our building, or somewhere very closeby.
"Padmé, get back." Anakin said, pushing me back into the room before attempting to use the Force to halt the vehicle across the distance.
I held my breath but quickly moved as far back into the room as possible, considering even going into the hallway. But thankfully I didn't need to, as Anakin slowed the craft down before it crashed into the building, stopping just a few feet from my own balcony.
A man, some Mandalorian, grabbed his, I would assume, girlfriend, and they climbed out of the vehicle, quickly jumping from it onto our balcony. Anakin, seeing that they were safe, leaned over the side of the balcony and slowly lowered it out of my view, presumably the four or five stories down to the street below.
Stepping back outside, I asked, "What happened?" to our new guests, the young Mandalorian driver and his girlfriend.
"Beats the hell out of me." He said, gasping in and out rather rapidly. "One moment I'm driving with my girl here, enjoying my new speeder, the next thing I know something blew up and I'm falling out of the sky with the engine on fire. How am I not dead?" He looked very confused. "I could have sworn I was going to crash, and then it just sort of stopped."
"Ah, that would be thanks to me." Anakin said with an understated wave.
The young Mandalorian man looked at him, looked him up and down, and said, "You're a Jedi, right?"
"Um, yes." Anakin said, sounding unsure where this conversation was going.
That was answered rather quickly as the young man gave Anakin a hug and patted him on the shoulders before saying, "You're my blood brother now. If you ever need anything in Mandalore, give me a call. By the Manda, we were almost dead. Thanks, man. Holy hutt!"
The animated young man seemed to have lost some steam as he fell against the banister, his girlfriend hanging on to him.
Anakin just looked confused as I chuckled and stepped up, saying, "New speeder, you said. Odd that the engine would just give out like that. Where did it come from?"
The young man frowned before saying, "Not sure. New companies have been popping up all over the place the last few months, bringing in all kinds of cool products outside of what we would normally get from Mandalore. Real cheap stuff, but usually works out fine."
Anakin raised an eyebrow, and so did I. Looking over the side of the building, he looked down at what I would assume was still a burning wreck before he said, "That's not a cool product. That's a cheap knockoff of a rather reliable brand." I schooled my incredulous look at Anakin somehow being able to identify a knockoff of a brand from a burning wreck but honestly? If I asked Anakin about anything droid or speeder related, he would talk about it for hours and his excitable and cute way. If anyone could spot a fake speeder at a glance, it would be him. He built a pod racer in a desert with a bunch of scraps when he was still a child, after all.
"Wait, what?" the Mandalorian said. "I've been conned! That no good etyc chakaar, I'll hunt that najaat down."
"Mind telling me where you bought it? I'd like to take a look into this for you." My husband offered.
The young man looked at him before nodding and giving Anakin a precise description. Finally, he remarked, "you can find him over in Port Three, at the northern side of the city."
Anakin nodded before saying, "Thanks for the info. Need help getting downstairs? I'll help you do that before heading over there."
"Well, now we're fine." The girlfriend said, finally entering the conversation. "Just point us at the door, we'll be on our way. I have to call the Mandalorian Guard and file a complaint about this."
"That way." I said, pointing towards the door. They collectively nodded, but took their time to leave slowly, no doubt due to their near-death experience. As soon as they were out of the door, I turned to Anakin.
"I better find out what's going on." He said. I stopped him, putting a hand on his chest.
"That can wait till later. The Mandalorian Guard will probably be informed as soon as they get downstairs, and they'll deploy their own units to handle this. You're a Jedi Knight, and we're not meant to get involved in local politics."
Anakin sighed before saying, "Fine." He took out his communicator and added, "But I will tell Ahsoka to stay away from the northern ports, as you said. We're supposed to stay out of local politics unless invited. And if I got information about this, something tells me she'll probably get the same information. If one speeder comes crashing out of the sky, there's probably bound to be more trouble."
I sighed before saying, "Alright, tell her. But after that, you, me, and whatever food we can get from downstairs. Got it?"
He smiled. "Alright, alright. Any chance of an extra helping of dessert after that?"
The wink he gave me told me he wasn't meaning real dessert, and I smiled, thinking, "We'll see."
Mandalore, Mandalorian Academy
Korkie Kryze
"Of course, Master, I will stay far, far away from the northern ports." Ahsoka said to the holographic image of Jedi Master Skywalker. Lagos, Amis, Soniee and I were in our usual group as we waited for her to finish her conversation. We had just finished with the planned seminar, and we are waiting for her at the auditorium's door.
"Where am I now? Well, I'm just hanging out with the Prince of Mandalore at the Mandalorian Royal Academy. I am helping him with some of his formal duties, nothing to worry about."
I raised an eyebrow. While that is technically true, it is also a lie. She nodded her head a couple more times before saying, "See you later, Master." Once finished, Jedi Ahsoka turned off the communicator and sighed in relief.
"So, are we still going to do this?" I asked earnestly.
"Yes, I'm still going to help you, Prince Kryze." The young Jedi, she is even younger than me, technically, said. "Master Skywalker is just warning me to stay away from the northern ports due to someone selling substandard or defective products. He did not forbid me from investigating what White Silver's band of followers are up to."
With everyone in agreement, I led the group into Soniee's research lab. It was technically a supplemental lab, but I had abused my Princely privileges just this once to arrange it for my girlfriend's personal use.
Amis spoke up after he found a seat along one wall, "Do you think there's a connection? Are Silver Mandalorians bringing in defective goods to sell on the open market?"
Soniee sat down at her desk and immediately pulled out her datapad. "I'm gonna try and find some more info." She muttered into the desktop, and I moved over to stand next to her. We are perfectly safe here, but while she's focused, my place is by her side. I watch as Soniee opens an interactive crime map of Sundari, to find any incidents involving Silver Mandalorians.
Behind me, I heard Ahsoka say, "That's certainly one possibility. But we're here to investigate the Silver Mandalorians, assuming both are connected might cause us to ignore alternative evidence. Let's keep our eyes open and focus on gathering information first before we draw any conclusions based on speculation. Sounds like a plan?"
"Why would the Silver Mandalorians even be involved in something like this? The injuries and property damage are undermining the local government, and White Silver approves of Duchess Satine's government." Lagos added.
Sighing, I turned to my girlfriend. I knew she wasn't following the conversation, so I rested my hand on her shoulder lightly to get her attention and asked, "Did you find any information that we can follow up on?"
"I might have." Soniee said, as she opened an incident report near the northern port area of Sundari. "There was some sort of scuffle between two bands of youths in Port 11 up north. Mandalorian Guards are at the scene now, with some of the suspects wearing silver and the other suspects wearing blue."
"Oh, great, Death Watch followers." Lagos said.
Ahsoka looked to her, asking, "I thought the Silver Mandalorians are the only ones causing trouble."
"They're the only ones in the upper class causing trouble." Amis spoke up. "There have been similar gangs within the lower levels of Sundari for over a decade now. In the past, they were just edgy teenagers putting up the symbol of Death Watch to annoy the adults. But ever since Death Watch actually did something, they've grown bolder and more obvious."
"Great." Ahsoka commented, letting the word hang. "Any other political information I need to know about?"
Soniee shrugged, "A lot of New Mandalorian kids are wearing red to support the ideals of the Anti-War Movement."
"That's good, right?" Ahsoka asked, sounding confused.
I shrugged and explained, "The Anti-War Movement isn't a single-issue peace faction; they represent a group of Mandalorians who think we need to get rid of the whole clan structure and rebuild things from the bottom up. I spent some time visiting their world last year. They're not bad people from what I've seen, but they definitely sided with the CIS, which is problematic."
"Why are there so many factions?" Ahsoka said, putting her hand on her face as if it was causing her physical pain to think about it.
"You've only hit the top of the faction list." Amis said with a chuckle before adding, "Mandalore is kind of known for being a bit factional. Everyone thinks for themselves and makes up their own mind on everything. As a result, well, you get more factions. Couple that with Satine's insistence on giving everyone, including terrorists, the right to free speech..."
My girlfriend nodded in agreement with Amis, "And it's probably one of the reasons why the Republic was so gung-ho to invade us last month. It's a lot easier to think of the Mandalore sector as one united monolith, instead of a bunch of squabbling factions that are under control as long as the New Mandalorians are in power."
"Which is why I worry about the Silver and Death Watch kids." I said. "They're subverting what the New Mandalorians stand for, and as a result, they are likely to provoke a response from the Republic if they keep causing problems."
"What about the Anti-War Movement?" Ahsoka asked.
Soniee shrugged, "Besides their CIS leanings, they're not actually causing any problems. They also pledge support of the New Mandalorian government and support the CNS. So, they are not an issue, politically speaking. In a state that respects its working class, it's not exactly the worst thing in the galaxy. Giving them a little bit of what they want wouldn't hurt anyone."
Ahsoka shrugged before finally saying, "It isn't my place to comment on local politics, I can only enforce the law, so let's focus on what we came here for: Death Watch and Silver Mandalorians."
Soniee looked at her datapad, and with a flick sent us each a copy of the navchart to the destination, "North of here, that way." She pointed in the direction.
Nodding my head, I lead the group out of the lab, and towards the Academy exit. "Let's go."
"Anyone else worried we're a little bit under-armed?" Lagos asked as we moved out of the Academy grounds and into the public streets. We were heading in the general direction where the fighting had been.
Amis grunted in agreement, "And all we have are these stun blasters. They're not exactly going to stop a fully armored warrior."
"Actually, stun blasters are better against full armor than regular blasters because the stun bolts are so wide they can go through the gaps in beskar armor. Plus, we also have a Jedi to help." Soniee replied, looking over at Ahsoka.
Ahsoka responded by shaking her head and muttering. "I have a bad feeling about this." Ahsoka said, as she followed behind me.
We eventually arrived at the northern port area of Sundari. The area featured rather standard-looking industrial warehouses and loading bays, although Ahsoka did comment. "Huh, this place is a lot more well-kept than some ports I've seen on Coruscant."
From what I knew, though, these ports in Sundari were not as well maintained and built more cheaply than in the central area. In fact, this section suffered from cubism culture, trying to mix with larger pillar buildings with fewer windows designed for storage over beauty. But it was within the dome of Sundari, thus protected from outside elements and unable to rust quickly, as well as kept clean by local Mandalorians. Appearances did mean something, and one universal rule of Mandalorian culture is that uncleanliness leads to disease, so people do their best to make sure everything is clean. However, it was overshadowed by the larger bulky buildings, antennas, and loading docks obstructing the dome's filtered sunlight.
We kept moving down the side streets for a few more minutes. We barely passed by nor spotted anyone in the distance. The streets felt oddly deserted for this afternoon hour. I kept searching the side streets for signs of anything, but still, nothing. And then we reached the supposed area where the fight had happened. At first, I didn't see any evidence of the aftermath, but then I spotted one or two pieces of broken glass that hadn't been swept up yet.
"That's odd." Soniee drew my attention back to her. She is looking around with a confused expression on her face. "Where are the Guards?"
"Hm?" I asked, looking at her a bit confused.
"I mean, the Guards were called, so they should be here by now. Documenting evidence, gathering witness testimony, and other stuff you see on crime dramas. But there's no one here."
"Maybe they're chasing the kids." Lagos suggested.
Amis shook his head, saying, "Even so, they should have left someone behind to keep watch."
Soniee listened thoughtfully before she whispered, "Does anyone else hear talking?" She scanned the nearby buildings and focused on a nearby warehouse.
Everyone looked at the warehouse in question, and when I strained my hearing, I could make out something in the distance. We made our way over and started climbing up until we could get a view through one of the side windows.
I was expecting a Silver Mandalorian thug giving a speech to a crowd of kids, more interested in causing societal collapse than making sure Mandalore stayed at peace.
What I saw instead is not that at all. Standing in the room are several dangerous looking men. On the left side are three people wearing black armor in full Mandalorian kit. On the right side of the room, is another group wearing what looked like Mandalorian Guard uniforms but darker in color. Possibly the Secret Service, but that's impossible. The last group is a few different species of aliens I've never seen before, located furthest from us.
"That's the fifth speeder we've had fall out of the sky in three days. I thought your smugglers were actually worth something, Gedyc. Instead, they keep bringing in shuk'yc that wouldn't even last a week and nearly getting people killed." This came from the apparent leader of the unknown Mandalorian Guards.
The black-armored leader looked at the smugglers, face unreadable behind his helmet, before saying, "It is unfortunate that they seem to have screwed that up. With the amount of credits your little Black Market is extorting, what did you expect? They are going to go for products they can flip here with the highest profit."
"Yeah, what's next? Faulty meds? Rotten food? These aruetii are causing more harm than it's worth, as well as drawing attention. If you want to be part of the Black Market, you need to actually bring in something of worth." The leader of the Mandalorian Guards retorted.
"Bring in something of worth? What am I to bring into this dirtball? A third of the food currently being snuck into the Black Market is coming from my sources. You asked me to find more creative ways to bring money into the government. Well, these guys brought in creative ways. If you don't want them to screw it up as much as they have, maybe actually use your docking authority to check the material."
"I would like to point out there is nothing wrong with the vehicles we are selling. It's not our fault that Mandalorians always remove the speed governor and disable the safeties." The smuggler said, which annoyed me. That's not an excuse.
This whole situation was annoying me. Who is this Gedyc character? I've never heard of any individual named Gedyc, but it is the name of a Clan. They were heavily involved in smuggling and organized crime syndicates during the Mandalorian Civil War. War profiteers and anarchists. Why did it sound like Gedyc was some kind of crime family of smugglers, and what is this Black Market up to?
I looked over at the others, and they all looked as confused as me, but there was nothing we could do, so I just leaned in closer, trying to listen some more.
"Listen," the leader of the Mandalorian Guards said, "I get it, you Death Watch types don't have respect for the people who want to live here in peace, but you need to at least do something to make sure your smugglers aren't screwing us over. It's speeder bikes today, what if it's spoiled food tomorrow? If this planet doesn't get the basics it needs, there will be rioting. And if there are more issues, well, it would be a shame if an 'anonymous tip' mentioned Clan Gedyc as a possible source of investigation now, wouldn't it?"
The black-armored Mandalorian took a step forward and growled, "Trying to lay blame on me won't end well for you. You're corrupt officials wanting to make an extra buck on the side. I don't know how far this whole corruption goes up your government, but if it gets out that there is a hint of corruption, you can bet Satine is going to go on a Crusade to root every single one of you out. If you try to take me down, you'll go down with me as well. Besides, I don't want Mandalore to starve. I'm getting food here. If these aruetii screw with the food, they will answer to me. But if we all want to make money, that means some sacrifices have to be made when it comes to other points of contention: vehicles, electronics, anything they can sneak in.
Just because I wish the Mandalorians of this planet would grow up and leave the damn dust ball to its rotting self and join me in conquering sectors like our ancestors once did, does not mean I want you to die on poisoned food." The Mandalorian from Clan Gedyc said.
"Fine. I'll take that as your word. But take a hint. You need to keep these aliens on a short leash, bringing better stuff than the junk they've been bringing in. Because right now, Satine is back, which means the whole government will come down on all of us if they figure out what you've been up to."
Gedyc shook his head before saying, "My burc'ya will do the job they're needed to do. I'm not sure I will take your hint. The last hint I took from you saw a unit of fine Mandalorian warriors wiped out fighting the Royal Guard and got the Death Watch accused of trying to kill the Prince of Mandalore-" Whatever he was going to say was interrupted.
"Hey, is someone recording us?" One of the aliens spoke up, looking directly at me. I looked to my left and saw that my girlfriend had her holovid recorder up and was, in fact, recording them. A small red light that should not have been that visible to anyone in the room was beeping on and off. The aliens must have good eyesight.
"Haar'chak! Those damned meddling Silver kids are back! Kill them!" The Mandalorian Secret Service Commander said as two of his friends brought their blasters up and started firing at us. I grabbed Soniee and jumped for cover, Amos doing the same with Lagos.
The only one who didn't jump for cover was Ahsoka, who basically vanished at the speed of light. It must be some sort of force ability to make her move extremely fast. She reappeared on my other side, pulling me and Soniee out of the blaster fire that was coming through the window. With haste, we ran as far away as possible from the window that is turning into molten slag.
The Guards may have given chase to us, but we're faster and a few seconds of a head start so we're able to get away. Moving through the buildings before finding an area where we could stop and catch our breath, I looked around and counted heads, making sure that all five of us were here and safe. Then I sighed and leaned against the wall, saying, "What the hell was that?"
Amos spoke up, saying, "Members of Death Watch, that's what they said, at least."
Soniee shook her head, saying, "Death Watch types, that's what they said. Doesn't exactly mean they're Death Watch, just means that they're Old Mandalorians, could be Martial Traditionalists."
"Whatever they are," Ahsoka said, watching the pathway we arrived from, "they're obviously working with some form of Guards here on Mandalore. We've uncovered something a bit more threatening than a bunch of teenagers with possible political motives."
I nodded in agreement, saying, "We need to tell Aunt Satine. We need to tell her everything we saw and hopefully get someone looking into this situation now before it spreads beyond whatever this black market is."
Lagos nodded her head, saying, "I think there's a bus stop in that direction. We could use that to get back towards the inner city."
I nodded and said, "Alright, let's head that way then." We quickly fell in line and started moving towards the center of the city. As we did, I thought about how we were going to tell Satine about this. Who knows how far this corruption had gone up the chain of command of the Secret Service. It couldn't go too far; Almec had control of the Secret Service, after all, so I doubt he'd let his organization get too corrupted... Though, how did the Secret Service get information on the Relic ship? Why did they give that to Death Watch? Maybe I should tell Satine first.
Mandalore, Royal Palace
Almec
"Show Duchess Satine the holovid, Soniee." Korkie finished his explanations for how their group observed the clandestine deal. He turned towards the proud-looking young Mandalorian woman among their group. She preened briefly, but I focused on the footage. While the holovid played, I examined what evidence was visible and how to contain the damage. I needed to figure out how to explain what had just happened to Satine gently.
This blindside is unexpected, and Satine is obviously not happy. Merrik's betrayal, now this blunder — Satine seems ready to declare war on all corruption, but that would be an error.
The corruption Satine is so eager to crack down on is one of the many avenues I am using to try and help fix Mandalore and its economy. We needed food? I brought in food. We needed credits to pay the Ithorian terraformers? I brought in credits for that purpose. Yes, there were tradeoffs, but I survived the mass starvation under Governor Vrox, and it taught me that even the greatest warrior is only nine missed meals away from defeat and chaos.
But what could I do? The holovid clearly captured the uniforms of Mandalorian Secret Service agents, and I recognized my men's voice. I couldn't explain this away — the evidence is ironclad, so my chances of surviving a proper investigation are poor.
My three decades of public service made my name and appearance a familiar one. I served in prior administrations in various capacities, including being the mayor of Sundari; at the time before we declared it the capital of the New Mandalorian government. It's humiliating to have my efforts to aid Mandalore blowback like this.
I witnessed the destruction brought by Governor Vrox and his ruinous schemes. Mandalore must avoid the same mistakes from repeating itself. However, Satine would come down hard on me if she thought I had any active part in this situation.
Unfortunately, recent events have diminished my leverage over Satine. The Kryze family is untouchable. Satine is a confident and popular leader, if guileless. And Korkie, who I thought would make a wonderful leader someday, remained honorable even if he did make contact with Anteevy without notifying us first. Korkie represented Mandalore's hope for a better future; I didn't want to shatter that, either.
What about the other two members of the family? Bo-Katan could be something I could throw to the masses. In my sprawling investigation of White Silver, her name is a regular occurrence. She is deeply involved, and one of the few candidates for White Silver's identity that I haven't been able to verify.
She has many jobs and titles, but lately she has been more distant from Gargon. Tracking telemetry has her regularly visiting Concordia, which made sense given her recent marriage. I wouldn't be surprised if Vizsla is being taken advantage of. Only New Mandalorians are made of sterner stuff, and I am certain she had dealings with Death Watch in the past. She was rather foolishly vocal in her embrace of the old ways.
And then there is Tanya. She had been on Coruscant for nearly four years at this point and had done some wonderful work for the Mandalore sector. But if Merrik could be corrupted, who's to say she hasn't been up to something as well? Coruscant is very far away and my Secret Service has minimal oversight there, as Satine had unfortunately learned recently. She is an admirer of White Silver as well, but not nearly as connected to the movement as Bo-Katan. Tanya had been involved in some public brawls as well, so it's possible that was an angle as well. At the very least, there are without exaggeration tens of thousands of articles detailing her many scandals; the incident involving the use of her handmaiden's public display of affection as an insult to Baltan Carid still made for good gossip and created quite an uproar at the time.
So, how could I avoid getting locked in a prison cell deep beneath the city where the sun doesn't shine? First, I needed to regain control of the situation. Seize the initiative.
I waited for the holovid to finish playing, then meaningfully glanced around at Korkie and his companions. "Mandalore thanks you for your service in discovering and reporting this incident. You have my word that this will be addressed to the full extent of the law."
Satine took a step away, "Yes, we will be addressing this. Our honor and safety are at stake. We will investigate the Secret Service and find out how far the corruption goes. There have been a number of questionable events and assassination attempts. If these Secret Service members have fallen from the righteous order and are engaging in corruption, they must be stopped now."
If the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force didn't exist, I would have had other options. Perhaps a little coup wouldn't be the worst option, since I have practically been running the government for decades. But things are different now. Satine has a modicum of power over the people beyond just a wish for peace, and she has a full military force at her disposal, not just the Royal Guard. There is no way for me to forcefully have her agree to a cover-up to remain in power, or sign some sort of false confession. The best I could do now is to sabotage the investigation, but in a way that appears helpful.
"A large investigation into the Secret Service is likely to make public classified Mandalorian policy and reveal government secrets. I would advise this investigation be contained to a few empowered individuals, or a small committee..." I began describing how to box in and weaken the investigation.
Satine, however, cut me off. "I agree, a smaller investigation would be ideal. My sister is already trusted. I will ask her to lead the task force investigating this corruption."
'Bo-Katan!? Oh frak, oh frak!' I did my best to not visibly panic.
"The Jedi could also assist-" Ahsoka began, but fortunately Satine shook her head immediately. I shot the alien an unfriendly look while Satine was responding to her suggestion.
"Unfortunately for such a sensitive matter, we can't afford to lose our impartiality. The CNS wouldn't tolerate the Republic interfering so heavily in matters of state and foreign policy." Satine explained gently.
Meanwhile, my mind goes back to the information I sold Lorka Gedyc on a certain relic ship. Ithorians had wanted up-front payments for their terraforming, and the Banking Clan's loan terms were ruinous. New Mandalorians didn't need the relics or lost schematics of its warmongering past, if it even existed at all. Of course, it had existed, and Prince Korkie was nearly killed on the ship. If Bo-Katan found any hint of that particular transaction... and that's only one of the issues that could never be fully cleaned up, which is why retaining control of the Secret Service is so critical. This scandal in my department will destabilize my political standing so badly that I might even end up in a cell next to Gerr underneath Sundari!
Fortunately, Satine misread my thoughts and crimson face, because she turned to me and said, "I'm certain the Council still has faith in the Prime Minister." She spoke in a reassuring tone.
"Of course." I nodded stiffly, color draining as I reconsidered that fact myself, given the fresh circumstances. My troubles might be even nearer than I feared, nevermind Bo-Katan's investigation. The Council wouldn't have faith in me after they heard reports of recent events. And now with Jerec blown up by the Kalevalian terrorists — a sign of hard times ahead for me — I lacked the support to survive a no-confidence vote if held at this moment. This is the beginning of the end; his death denied me his vote, and I desperately needed it. "I'll gladly assist Bo-Katan as much as necessary in the course of her investigation." I mechanically responded with the expected words.
Sure, Droxun, Armatan would cast their votes for me, but Satine's council is full of new members I had next to no influence on. So I couldn't count on Ordo, Wren, or Vizsla's votes; especially when Vizsla has always wanted my position. With Jerec dead, the 3-3 tie was now a 2-3 vote split against me. I should expect a call for a new election once the Council learns of Bo-Katan's investigation. My only hope is to have an ally picked to be Deputy Minister.
"Speaking of the Council, we should find a replacement for Deputy Minister Jerec." I suggested, reaching for any lifeline. A friendly vote would tie the Council, and Satine was sure to side with me to break the tie.
Satine nodded thoughtfully, but Korkie looked at me with apparent interest. Was he going to suggest he become the next Deputy? He wouldn't be an ironclad vote, and Dooku already suggested him for a diplomatic position.
"I wou-" Korkie began.
"Actually, let's continue this conversation in private." I quickly interrupted, nodding at Satine and Korkie. I turned towards Korkie's companions, "Thank you for telling us about this matter, I'm afraid that I also have information that I need to speak with Prince Korkie and Duchess Satine about in private. Would you mind stepping outside?"
There was a sigh of annoyance, but the Jedi and the rest nodded and stepped outside. I imagined that they probably were going to think about leaning their ears against the door, trying to listen. But hopefully, the Royal Guard would do their job and prevent that. It was half their job, anyway.
Once we were firmly alone, I tried to distract the two before Korkie remembered what we were discussing, "This Black Market is an issue that is bound to crop up sooner or later. The Republic's efforts to prevent food shipments from entering the sector and the recent issues on Vorpa'ya and Concord Dawn are lowering the amount of food available in the sector. Only Concordia is doing well, and it can't supply food to the entire sector. At this rate, it's only a matter of time before we experience a food shortage and prices skyrocket. I believe we need to look at the possibilities of trying to open up lines of communication to get this situation dealt with."
Satine furrowed her eyebrows in apparent confusion, "What lines of communication could help us with our food issues? Wouldn't the best option be to try and find some unoccupied world within the sector and terraform it?"
I smiled coldly, "Although I agree that self-reliance is the best long-term option, it would take at least a year before any newly established farmland can produce any meaningful amount of food. No, there is another option available to us, though it would require your approval to undertake it."
Satine nodded at me to continue, "Count Dooku contacted us to apologize for some of the issues that have happened recently and to re-establish official communication. He's offered to open up the border between the CIS and the CNS to allow shipments of food, in exchange for a CNS representative to observe the CIS Parliamentary proceedings and be available for diplomacy on our behalf."
Satine nodded, thinking it over, and said, "That is a major step. We would need to speak with several of the other major leaders of the CNS before we even attempt something like that. It opens us up to accusations from the Republic of coordination with the CIS, I'm sure."
"I'll do it." Korkie said, speaking up and catching Satine a bit off-guard. Perfect. "If we send a representative to the CIS, maybe we can get representatives of the CIS to come here to Mandalore. We can establish ourselves as a neutral third party, with representatives of both the Republic and CIS. For any chance of a peace treaty to be established, we needed some form of open communication. Mandalore could serve as that communication relay between the Republic and the CIS to try and end this war." I made a show of considering the suggestion, as if it was a new idea.
Satine smiled and put her hand on his shoulder, "That is an excellent idea, and I could definitely sell that better to the other leaders of the CNS. Even the Republic might be more accepting if it was seen in that form."
I nodded in agreement, still scheming to figure out a way to get a replacement vote for Jerec. There had to be a way to regain control of the investigation, or fix its outcome. I just needed to find it.
Gargon, Gargon Diplomatic Tower
Tanya Kryze
The holovid conference software in X4's new conference suites are quite useful, especially when it's finally possible for full virtual meetings on Gargon now that the orbital Holonet relays are installed. While I missed the opening ceremony of the Gargon Diplomatic Tower a few weeks ago, this tower was designed by X4 with my and other visiting diplomat's needs in mind. Gargon harmonizing with the rest of the sector had brought the planet a number of benefits.
I utilized the higher bandwidth to attend virtual meetings with members of the CNS on Taris and members of the Republic on Coruscant. X4 also made sure the holo-conference rooms in the tower could spoof identities, so I am able to meet with Mandal Logistics at the end of the day as White Silver as well. It had come at the simple cost of taking a half-day, switching wardrobes and costumes was not something I usually did. Thankfully, there wasn't any important vote that I was required to act upon, and I wasn't necessarily needed for any of the ongoing debates and councils.
It's interesting, becoming Senator didn't grant me significantly greater autonomy on Coruscant. There are a number of powerful committees in the Republic I wished I could join. The Naval Subcommittee and the Senate Military Oversight Committee are both powerful groups that would decide the fate of fleets and command the logistics over the entire war. Which is why I couldn't even be seen to be involved in any way. I needed to maintain neutrality, which means no, 'Cough, cough, maybe you shouldn't put your fleet there', mixed messages, or outside points of view. Despite how genuinely thrilled I would be to play armchair general for a galactic scale war, at least one that I did not have to actively participate in.
I doubted I would even be allowed on such councils, anyway. After all, Chancellor Palpatine would have staffed them with men and women he considered trustworthy. As a Neutral I am never going to be considered trustworthy, even if Palpatine and I did happen to have a good rapport.
That doesn't mean I wasn't paying attention to the outcomes of these committees. I was, and I was fairly disappointed with what I was seeing. The Taris Standoff is basically being buried in the Republic HoloNet News cycle. It was a mistake that almost turned into a disaster, so it made sense that the Republic would try to cover it up so that they don't look bad. Not to mention, the little pseudo-mutiny by Captain Kendal Ozzel is being glossed over as well. The Navy had allowed a Tribunal to settle the dispute against the pair of them. However, it seems Ozzel had friends high enough and far enough that he would avoid official condemnation for his actions. If anything, Admiral Arikakon Baraka, the Mol'Cala who had been mutinied against, was getting the worst of the flak for "allowing" the mutiny to happen.
It was rather stupid and a waste of an experienced admiral in my opinion, but I wasn't there, and they do have a bit of a point. An officer who couldn't maintain control over their own troops is no officer at all.
Shaking my head, I tried not to think about what would have happened to me if my troops mutinied during the Great War, probably execution, or an attempt of it at least. I still credited Captain Uger's aid in the logistics of my command as the reason for our unit's high morale, not anything I ever figured out how to do. I doubted I would fare much better than Baraka in my own military Tribunal, especially not near the end of the war.
I shuddered before refocusing, the tribunal assembled to deal with the dispute between Captain Ozzel and Admiral Baraka was led by Admiral Tarkin and had been somewhat sympathetic to Baraka until the Mol'Cala had claimed that the Republic Navy was developing a Human Supremacist problem and that Ozzel was an example of the growing maligned influence of such beliefs. In response, Baraka had been put on leave and his homeworld had officially exiled him, barring him from ever returning. I worried that the Republic and Mon Calamari's joint actions had unintentionally created a very powerful disaffected agent with absolutely nothing left to lose. A political martyr whose faction would rally around and could lead to division in the Republic Navy.
It was hard to say if there was any truth of Baraka's claims, but the Mandalorian Media were more than happy to present the Admiral who had held the MSDF at gunpoint's words as gospel. I should hardly be surprised that Baraka had become generally well liked in Mandalorian space overnight, while he had become utterly despised in the Republic. Mandalorians always had a soft spot for people who were willing to fight them. His communication with the MSDF fleet being leaked on the CNS holonet helped. The fact that he had painted the Republic Navy as speciesist and corrupt is exactly what the Mandalorian people wanted to hear.
Letting out a deep breath, I looked at the elevator window as it went up the Diplomatic Tower. This Tower's apartment space is much bigger than the one Coruscant because space is not a premium here. More rooms can be added, like breakrooms, a training room, a maintenance workshop, multiple conference rooms, and it even has a shooting range. All of this with automated defense systems and the best cybersecurity that X4 could buy.
Once the elevator door opened, I stepped out into my private office at the very top of the Tower. Inside, I see Vai and X4 hard at work organizing Merrik's old paperwork. Well, for Vai she is working harder than usual. X4 is usually a hard worker, and, if anything, he's a much faster worker now thanks to his new upgrades. He is basically teleporting from one section of the room to another whenever he needs to look at a different file or paperwork on a different system.
"Everything working fine with your new components?" I asked as I stepped in, X4 stopping mid-teleportation, in front of my desk.
"Oh, yes, everything is operating at 100% efficiency. This excess speed is quite enjoyable. It allows me to get my work done 5.7% faster, as well as keeping others hard at work as well." X4 said in a way that suggested he was judging Vai's efficiency.
"I'm working, I'm working." She said, defending herself with a wave of her hands towards X4's previous general direction. Vai is still focused on looking through various reports from the sofa seat facing the nearby window. We still haven't gone through all of Merrik's possessions, it's been slow-going, examining everything for potential nasty surprises.
"I'm working as hard as I can. So much stuff was basically hidden from us that Merrik seemed to have kept everything of importance in something other than in his office, because most of these reports have content you've already seen, and I don't see anything here that would imply any connection with any of the troublemakers over the past few months."
"Hmm, I doubt that he had no hand in the troublemaking." I said matter-of-factly as I took a seat next to her, and X4 again teleported in front of us, where he placed two cups of coffee on the table in front of the sofa.
"Thank you, X4." I said, picking up the coffee.
"Happy to be of service, mistress. It's all in another day's work." X4 said before vanishing again after Vai took her cup.
"I am never going to get used to that." she said.
I waved off her concerns, "Well, it doesn't matter if you get used to it. What matters is he's still alive, and more effective this way. By the way, anything of interest in the mail?" I said as I sipped my glass of coffee. Since Gargon isn't the optimum environment for growing coffee, I knew that this caf had to be imported from elsewhere.
My guess would be that this is from Concordia due to it having a light aroma of malted grain with earthy undertones reminiscent of coffee that had been harvested in land that usually grew grain in well irrigated soil.
Vai nodded, "Two things. We got an encrypted message from Bo-Katan that I can't access because it is bio-sealed and will only open for you, and a basic report from the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force. The forces at Taris have been cycled out. Supreme Commander Ordo has returned to Mandalore, and a new Commander for the Taris watch has been placed there. Things seem to be calming down, and war has been averted."
"Good thing it did." I said with a shake of my head. "We owe our lives to those Ithorians. If they hadn't made that move, we'd be in a much worse situation."
"You can say that he's got more balls than some Mandalorians." Vai said rather crassly. I gave her a sharp look for the crude comment. "But it's true." she defended herself, folding her arms under her chest.
I sighed but conceded the point by nodding in agreement, "I agree his actions were courageous and honorable, so much so, I've recommended the creation of a bit of a memorabilia piece for him. The Beskar Peace Prize, a small piece of Mandalorian steel that'll congratulate him for preventing a war." I set down my empty cup of coffee.
"Ha, that is going to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, but you know what? That sounds like the kind of thing the New Mandalorians would eat up. The stuff your mind comes up with, Tanya." Vai said with a shake of her head, as I sat back, amused.
"Anything else I need to know about?" I asked.
"The situation on Vorpa'ya has not improved." X4 said while refilling my cup with more coffee from a previously unseen container. I stared into the refilling cup, but my mind was counting down the minutes until Engiz would be off his shift and free tonight. I never got to enjoy Gargon's culture the last time I was here as White Silver, so now is a good time to be a tourist with my partner.
X4 resumed and I dragged my attention to his report, "Apparently, whatever plan Concord Dawn had assumed that the Republic would invade Mandalore, and they could ally with the Republic invaders. Without that action, they seem to be more than willing just to maintain hold over half the planet, taking all agricultural output that would have been sold off the market, driving the prices of food across the sector."
"And making Mandalore suffer a bit more." I said, shaking my head. "They're playing a game that's going to end badly. If food prices get too high, people are going to start doing regrettable things, and the consequences will reward smugglers and encourage piracy. The drop in the standard of living will empower radicals, especially the warhawks who only want a military solution. There will be those who side with Concord Dawn as well, and call for us to resolve the situation in their favor."
"Do we know what they want?" Vai asked
I shrugged my shoulders before saying, "Probably the removal of the New Mandalorians from power. They do tend to have a disrespect for my aunt — correction — mother. Still getting used to that."
"There may be a way to lower the probability that some of those consequences will come to pass." X4 suggested.
"Oh, what are you thinking?" I asked.
"I am aware that Mistress desired a new fighter design with requirements that it's not as complex or expensive as the Fang fighter that we are producing for MandalMotors, so that we can market the new fighter for ourselves. I've recently come across a fighter design that could possibly fulfill this function from our own Mandal Hypernautics line of equipment."
"Alright, go on." I asked, leaning back in my chair and taking another sip of my coffee. While the Fang fighter is an amazing fighter, comparable to the famous F-22 Raptor, it is also astronomically expensive to make and maintain due to its complicated rotating wings. I needed something like the F-16, something more affordable yet still effective.
After extensive research and hours of brainstorming with X4, I settled for a non-hyperdrive capable multirole fighter to fill that role. There are a multitude of reasons, but ease of manufacture and a cost saving measure is a prominent one. Not having to install a hyperdrive to each fighter would not only reduce the price tag of our fighters by half, it also allows for the fighters to be smaller and be harder to hit as we don't need the hyperdrive and a separate fuel tank for hypermatter to fuel the hyperdrives.
However, this meant that I needed a carrier for these fighters that is not an incredibly expensive capital ship, like the Sundari, which is equivalent to the United States's Nimitz class carriers. A small tender class vessel, equivalent to Japan's helicopter carriers, would be preferable to support these fighters in remote regions and to grant the MSDF more tactical flexibility without needing a large logistic train to support it. Needing to assemble a carrier task force for every little conflict across the monstrously large and underpopulated CNS space would be a disastrous waste of resources.
"I have found a design that would fit all of Mistress's requirements that was used a very long time ago, using schematics that we have recently acquired from Ori'Jorir."
"A Basilisk War Droid fighter, isn't that illegal?" Vai asked as she took a break from her work to focus on our discussion.
"Technically, battle droids are always illegal. Although there are some loopholes, we are exploiting them to our benefit by redesigning these craft to be more like a piloted fighter craft, so it can be piloted by a single individual. Because there would be a human pilot for this device, it would not count solely as a droid and as a fighter." X4 confirmed.
"Alright, I trust your judgment. If you have some record of a droid craft that could be converted and upgraded into a piloted craft, have at it."
"Thank you, Mistress. However, there is one tiny inconvenience. Since these fighters lack their own independent hyperspace engines, they require a parent craft to travel between sectors. We could retrofit our Lictors with Hangars to house them, or use the Sundari Carrier's hangars for them. However, neither would be an optimal solution due to the limited space of the Lictor, while the Sundari would be better filled with Fang Fighters. Thus, for an alternate solution, I require your permission to purchase the license to produce Gozanti Cruisers from Corellian Engineering Corporation. We determined that the Gozanti Cruiser is the most cost-effective solution that can serve in this role fairly well."
"Aren't there like thousands of those just flying about the galaxy?" Vai asked, to which I nodded my agreement, as that ship is fairly common. It is excellent in both anti-piracy roles, due to its heavy loadouts and dense armor, and anti-smuggling roles thanks to its strong sensor capabilities. Some commanders used them as mobile command outposts rather than fleet flotilla.
"Correct, but for the modifications I would like to play around with, it would be better for us to have the ability to produce them ourselves. Not only would this be cheaper to mass produce, the Gozanti have ample space for hangars, as well as be excellent patrol craft. If our custom designs can improve upon the existing design, I'm sure some would love to be able to purchase them. Especially if we have legal documents granting us authority to sell them and the derivative designs. I predict that traditional Mandalorian branding alone on any platform we produce will give us an edge in the market. General improvements to the platform will compound that."
"Alright, X4, you can experiment with this. You have my approval." I am impressed by the initiative, and X4 let out an affirmative, pleased beep in response to my reply.
"Anything else?" I asked, as I reached for the datapad containing the encrypted message, wondering what secrets it held. I wonder what Bo-Katan wanted to talk to me about.
"Oh, nothing else much occurred to report about. Obi-Wan tried to schedule a meeting with you. I told him you're going to be busy, as per your instructions."
"Thank you, Vai." I said, relieved that she had listened to me and I wouldn't have to deal with that whole mess. I wasn't totally against meeting with Obi-Wan; I just wasn't sure I am ready for father-daughter time yet. With a Jedi, no less. I am still wrapping my head around mother-daughter time being an official thing.
I put further thought of the subject out of my mind as I focused on unlocking the message. To unlock the message, I have to insert my chain code and it would decrypt itself. Looking it over, I blinked and read it from the beginning again. I flipped it sideways to see if it was my imagination, as I could not really understand nor believe what I was reading. I then turned to Vai and said, "Bo-Katan has agreed to marry Pre Vizsla, the governor of Concordia."
Vai's jaw dropped, and the blood seemed to drain from her face in shock. "You're kidding!" she said, obviously shocked at the news.
I paused, turning to Vai and considering her reaction. "Not unless Bo is playing a joke." I said, shaking my head. "She also wants me to plan her wedding. Why do people want me to plan their weddings?"
Vai shrugged. "You're very organized, it's an admirable quality, and you seem like the kind of person that might actually succeed at planning a wedding." She said with a smile, drawing an exasperated sigh for me.
Shaking my head, I turned my gaze back to the message and tried to puzzle out why it existed. What possible reason would Bo-Katan, a known and confirmed bachelor, agree to a marriage? Especially at a time like this? With Pre Viszla of all people? Things were very tense in the Mandalorian sector, and trust is a scarce commodity. But then again, maybe that was the reason.
Was this something Satine had asked Bo-Katan to do? After all, what better way to solidify and confirm alliance between houses and with a marriage? Although, if that was the reason, well, perhaps my eventual nuptials would be on the docket as well. I'd always known that that was a possibility. I'd come to accept it, but there's hoping at least one it would be to someone I was accepting of and willing to live with. I refuse to plan the wedding for my own marriage, thank you very much.
Writer's note: And that's the chapter, folks! A good 17,000 words, I think a lot of things are happening, from the Mandalorian weeb making his appearance, to the return of Satine. From Tanya building an arms industry, to Korkie exposing a black market, to learning exactly how those Death Watch guys knew about the location of that treasure ship all those chapters ago.
We've learned a lot, and I'm sure we'll learn a lot more in the next chapter, as soon as I remember what's in the next chapter.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
Edited by: L, Fallqm, Mantsch, Guardsman Pius, Warmach1ne32, Afforess
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Chapter 56, 717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Chapter 56
717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Ordo, Ordo Journal Studios
Juup Jir Jidoss
"Good evening and welcome to the Daily Ordo. I am Juup Jir Jidoss from the Newspaper, Ordo Journal. Here to bring you the news and nothing but the news." I gave a small wave to the studio audience as our recorded introduction played for them.
"And I am Aipex Jidoss, freedom fighter, warrior, and everyman survivalist." The pre-recorded holovid of my younger brother enthused.
Once the holovid camera light turned red, I arranged the paperwork in my hand, and looked down at them for a dramatic second, before saying, "Let's begin with the biggest news on today's itinerary. Currently, the government has found and is investigating a shocking conspiracy within the Mandalorian sector — specifically, a conspiracy inside the Mandalorian Secret Service itself. An agency that was meant to keep in check Death Watch and other organized criminal organizations which might conspire against Mandalore again, yet it appears that a significant portion of their organization was involved in a conspiracy themselves.
No one is exactly sure how this conspiracy began, but evidence points to lax oversight being the main cause. Inattentive and sluggish leadership allowed the service's professionalism to degrade, to the degree that few security checks were performed in hiring and operations in recent years. An unknown founding conspirator took advantage of this opening and spread their corruption throughout the Secret Service. Several hundred agents have been arrested on corruption, fraud, or bribery charges; many of them resulting in high speed chases — brought to an end through the use of jetpack wielding pursuers. This is potentially the largest political scandal we've seen since the surrender of the prior Mandalorian government.
My brother is on the scene right now, interviewing the task force leader investigating the Mandalorian Secret Service. He'll let us know exactly what has been going on."
The studio displays switched from displaying the bright and colorful newsroom of the Daily Ordo to somewhere on Sundari. Standing is a tall and bulky figure, a red-haired woman in blue Mandalorian armor. Next to her, Aipex Jidoss appeared diminutive from the lack of armor by comparison. He was holding a microphone and started speaking after a brief pause.
"Thank you brother. As Juup was saying, I'm here speaking to the leader of this task force, Duchess Satine's sister, Bo-Katan Kryze." Aipex Jidoss pushed the microphone in Bo-Katan's face. "Big fan of your work on Gargon, putting down troublemakers like Gerr, and raising up a proper and lawful government there."
"Um, thank you?" Bo-Katan seemed unsure about being on-screen, clearing her throat awkwardly. "I'm just doing what's necessary for my family-"
"And clan. As it should be." Aipex Jidoss cut in and interrupted. "So you've been put in charge of tracking down these varmints that have infested the Secret Service. What can you tell me about the conspiracy?"
Bo-Katan appeared to regain her balance, answering more confidently. "It's too early to be certain, but seized evidence suggests an organized corrupt force of agents, a conspiracy within the Secret Service. The conspirators started by slowly amassing influence and trading connections with several criminal organizations across the Mandalorian sector and even foreign agents beyond. I think we found ourselves lucky that we have found no links to the Hutts yet. Given enough time, these kinds of groups will grow and justify anything in the pursuit of their goals."
"Of course, of course." Aipex Jidoss nodded in agreement, "So how'd you smash them?"
The woman smiled before saying, "We smashed them in the good old-fashioned way. We captured one, took them in for interrogation. Then tracked down and caught the next one, pulling apart their conspiracy network, one conspirator at a time. Unfortunately, some of the higher-ups in their network appear to have escaped Mandalore before we could make a move."
"Damn, well, I'm sure you're going to pursue them, aren't you? After all, why else would Duchess Satine ask for the help of someone who has their own mercenary group?"
"I can't say much, but I can tell you that we'll be seeing them very soon." Bo-Katan agreed, which earned a nod of approval from Aipex Jidoss.
He turned to speak to the audience. "As you can see the situation is well in hand, the conspiracy will be defeated by good, common Mandalorian headbutting. Which reminds me, congratulations. I heard you recently married one of the most eligible bachelors across the sector, Pre Vizsla."
"Thank you." Bo-Katan said with a cold smile. She took a step towards Aipex Jidoss, somehow seeming to be looming over him. "But I haven't exactly announced that, though, so how'd you find that out?"
"As a member of the Daily Ordo it's my job to find out everything, anyway, back to you Juup Jir Jidoss." Aipex Jidoss said an unusually fast rush.
The red active light reappeared on studio holovid cameras, and I dramatically cleared my throat. The show must go on as it were. "Various space navigation authorities in the Mandalore sector report regular and distant sightings of Death Watch forces lately. The Mandalorian government has announced that they have expanded the search for the Maelstrom to outside the sector. It's believed that the Maelstrom is not within the Mandalorian sector nor within CNS space, as a thorough search of the sector has not found any trace of them. But where could it be if it isn't in the sector? That is still up in the air, as there are very few places a ship of that size could be refitted or resupplied. The location of the Maelstrom is one of the biggest mysteries and most hotly debated pieces of gossip lately.
In other news, Prince Korkie had left Mandalore on a diplomatic expedition to Raxus Secundus yesterday. Here is a replay of his statement on the purpose of this diplomatic mission for those that may have missed it." At the mention of Raxus, a hologram of Prince Korkie standing behind a podium was shown before the image expanded to cover the view of the studio changed to displaying Prince Korkie at the Royal Palace's Great Hall, addressing a press conference.
"The Council of Neutral Systems has appointed me with the critical task of re-opening dialogue with the Confederacy of Independent Systems." I suspected Prince Korkie had received much more effective media training than Bo-Katan, as he confidently explained his mission. "The Confederacy is nominally a democratic parliamentary system, and our diplomatic goals will be to find values and mutual interests that both of our peoples share. We know the Confederacy values their dignity, desires respect, and wishes to be treated with honorably by all other systems. Mandalore shares these values. We also want peace. Together, I believe we can all find a mutual outcome for peace in our time."
The red active light reappeared again, and I provided the summary for our viewers. "Our foreign policy analysts agree that the Mandalorian government's effort to reopen trade lanes from the CIS to the CNS would result in prices of various goods to be lowered to a more reasonable degree. More speculatively, successful peace talks could become the basis for mediation between the CIS and the Republic. It would be wonderful if Prince Korkie can find some way to improve relations between those two great powers. Hopefully this will be the first step into ending this war so that we can return to not having to pay double the credits to refuel a speeder. Good luck, Prince Korkie, you carry the hope of the Mandalorian people."
Mandalore, Sundari, Secret Service HQ
Almec
Letting out a huff, I turned off the holo-display. Bo-Katan with her lack of PR skills and the Ordonian so-called reporter is nothing but a jumped-up water-filtering salesman vanished from my sight, revealing the ancient meeting table underneath. This table, that I bought at an auction, was preserved Taung-timber from an unknown species of tree. Its origin explained its unusually large size, as it was not crafted for human proportions. But now, the routine progress report of the Secret Service has ended.
The other physically present agents stood, ready to depart from the secure conference room. These four individuals were compartmentalized away from the segment of Secret Service that handled our more illicit operations, like those in-charge of growing the Mandalorian Black Market. They were each in charge of monitoring factions that would endanger Mandalore's peace and prosperity to both provide early warning as well as ensuring my control. Even though they themselves might never fully grasp their importance in my plans. I raised a hand to halt their exit, and spoke simply. "Corruption. Conspiracy. Claims that we've become a threat to the stability of the Mandalore sector."
The group paused at my first words, and none of them breathed a word in response. The silence stretched for a long moment. "How exactly this happened is still unclear," I lied as naturally as I breathed, "but the important part is we need to find out who is responsible for this, no matter their position. Someone high in the government has been using the Secret Service for nefarious reasons and corrupt games. We know it must be someone who is still here on Mandalore because they were able to alert the three operatives controlling the organizations meant to monitor the interior of the Mandalore system, allowing them to flee."
Still, none of them reacted to my words. I slammed a fist on the meeting table in frustration. How could they not see, after all, the source of my problems was obvious! "It must be another member of the Duchess's Council or perhaps amongst the Royal Family itself. Only they could have warned those criminals to flee before they could be captured. That is why I've gathered you here today. We are going to examine all possible suspects. No one is off the table, and feel free to speak your mind."
There was silence again as the agents, each a head of an organization, thought for a moment. Agent Guardian, responsible for monitoring the Republic, took a more confident stance and spoke up first. "I've been investigating former Prince Tal Merrik. He seems to have been responsible for at least some part of this. His involvement in various levels of corruption is confirmed by the methods of his attack on Duchess Satine. My investigation teams have used this as a basis for seizing his assets, finding quite a bit of evidence that he was pocketing bribes and other assets for his own personal slush fund. A good portion of his accounts were already emptied before we discovered those slush funds."
I nodded. It was necessary to find a patsy to take the fall for my wrongdoings, but this one wouldn't exactly help me with my current predicament of maintaining my station within the government.
"But there was something else that sort of came up while I was looking into Merrik..." I nodded positively at Guardian and gestured for him to continue. Guardian is a plain-looking and forgettable-seeming middle-aged man in a beige suit. The others shifted, also hoping for similar recognition; at times like this, esprit de corps drives our investigative spirit more than any remuneration or reward we might hope to receive.
"...is it possible that Princess Tanya is corrupt as well?" Guardian spoke into the uncertain silence.
I blinked and looked at him, surprised. "Elaborate."
Guardian seemed to grow more confident as he explained. "The Royal family draws upon a stipend for their own wants and needs. This is not a problem. But Princess Tanya somehow turned a rather sizable profit somewhere along the line. She has access to at least two Lancer pursuit craft that were modified for personal use several years ago. We observed her use one when she went to Geonosis, which was shot down, and barely a week afterwards, she was seen using another Lancer on her return trip back to Coruscant."
Agent Paragon whistled, he was the dark-haired and sharply-dressed man who was responsible for monitoring the Death Watch. "Two Lancers? That's a lot of credits. Where did she even get those ships?"
"Lancers hmm..." Agent Legion said, thinking aloud. Grey hair and hard eyes, her face was set in a stern expression that only long or harsh experience made possible, betraying no thoughts. She was the most dependable out of all my agents, which is why she was in charge of the department monitoring Silver Mandalorians. "Doesn't White Silver also use a Lancer-class too? At least she did when she arrived at the outskirts of Gargon. One of the locals recognized her unique symbol from the public broadcast and mentioned that she arrived in a Lancer."
Paragon frowned as he listened. Then he started shaking his head in the negative, and finally spoke up at Legion's final statement. "It's a rather popular ship. I wouldn't think too hard about it. Bo-Katan got one not too long after she took part in the whole Gargon affair."
"Why were you watching Bo-Katan?" Agent Enduring asked sharply. She's the head of the most junior department, responsible for oversight of the CIS. The recently formed department's leader had been chosen for her successful black ops against Death Watch in the period after the Civil War. It was too bad she was too paranoid to work well with the others, preferring hierarchy.
Paragon shrugged. "There's always been suspicion that she's involved with Death Watch. We don't have any proof, but with her political leanings and Kryze family gossip — the way she had frequent arguments with her sister — it's my opinion that she was, if not a member of Death Watch, likely aiding them in some way. And hey, they did reveal themselves to the public when they took the Maelstrom, so she could be part of Death Watch for all I know."
I stood there, blinking several times. "Did Bo-Katan have the Lancer after, or did she have it before?"
The room went deadly silent before all four agents reached behind them and started pulling out datapads, conversations erupting at the idea.
Paragon stared at his datapad. "I can confirm that Bo-Katan had her Lancer after the Gargon incident. I cannot find when she got it. We need internal records from the Mandalorian Space Transportation Bureau."
Enduring spoke up next. "I got my hands on those records after they got checked for corruption. Yeah, here we go. Huh, it registers here that Bo-Katan was registered in a Lancer-class pursuit craft that left Concordia before the Gargon incident."
"Hold on, are we really suggesting here that Bo-Katan is the White Silver?" Legion spoke slowly and calmly, trying to hold everyone's attention. "My department keeps an eye on her because she's seen working for White, but I don't think she's actually White Silver. I've read that book, and from what I know about Bo-Katan, she's the 'punch first' and 'ask questions never' type."
Paragon nodded emphatically. "Agreed, but Bo-Katan also has deep ties to Gargon and that's worth considering. Evidence suggests that she worked as a mercenary for criminal organizations on that planet. She has connections with the new local government, which still has ties to crime families, despite Duchess Satine's official approval to adding the system to Mandalore."
"Yeah, but there are conflicting reports of Bo-Katan. Some reports place her fighting in the city streets, far away from White Silver at the time." Enduring said.
"Prince Korkie has noted that White Silver has at least one body-double. Likely taking advantage of the full body armor. It's well within the possibility that White Silver is just someone she hired, an actor no different than Taylor Hero, the one who plays the Silver Mandalorian on the holonet." Legion explained patiently.
"This would have been a very sophisticated operation, though." Guardian said, shaking his head. "I just can't see Bo-Katan being the mastermind behind this. It makes me more confused, not less." He complained.
"Perhaps she's not White Silver, then." I spoke clearly, locking eyes with each agent in the room, so they acknowledged me. "We got to this conversation point with a simple question: Where did Princess Tanya find the money for two Lancers?"
Enduring suddenly had a shocked expression, as if she had just figured out something very alarming. "Are the two of them playing White Silver together, or is Princess Tanya perhaps providing some sort of financial backing? Do you have any intel on that?"
"Bo-Katan did train Princess Tanya combat tactics at the urging of Duchess Satine when she was still a child." Paragon admitted slowly, folding his hands in front of him. "Perhaps she is inclined to support her aunt in this."
"Then..." But Enduring didn't finish her thought. Heads turned towards her, but she ignored them pointedly and focused on me. "Sir ...is Duchess Satine White Silver?" Enduring asked in alarm. Various sounds, shouts, and gestures were made all around me at that question.
"What makes you say that?" I stood my ground as I considered the idea seriously, giving voice to the mutual confusion for the room.
"Think about how White Silver's ideology came about around the same time Tanya started training with Bo-Katan, right? And immediately after Gerr, the False Silver appears, White Silver confronts him. But somehow before this confrontation, Bo-Katan acquires a Lancer-"
Legion interrupted Enduring's explanation. "And then White Silver shows up on Gargon also using a Lancer. Princess Tanya suddenly has Lancer's, as well."
I agreed, "It's likely not a coincidence. The simplest explanation is the most likely, and the Royal family received Lancers at the same time and from the same primary source as White Silver." I took great pleasure in turning the Princess's methods against her, after all, she deployed the same axiom often enough when influencing Satine.
Enduring was still focused on me and was nodding in agreement with my assessment. "It's not a coincidence. There are plenty of other light-military cruiser models available in Mandalore. If the Duchess is White Silver, then that explains both the Bo-Katan's and Tanya's possession of the Lancers, the Silver Codexes rapid acceptance, and it even explains events on Gargon. At the very least, it's worth considering." She finished in a torrent of words.
I nodded my head before saying, "I think you're going a little bit too far on that without evidence. Bo-Katan could be White Silver and Satine is merely aiding and abetting her out of sisterly foolishness, but this is something to consider here." I started arranging a number of the larger view screens in the room, one had numerous view screens on mobile stands. After delegating the rest of that task, I started creating profiles for our suspects. On each of the view screens, displayed a report of the suspect, showing a holo of their appearance and last known details. One for Lady Bo-Katan, Princess Tanya, and Duchess Satine, as well as a few less likely suspects, Ms. Tarri Crikey the Administrator of Breshig, and Jango Fett the notorious Bounty Hunter.
I pointed up towards the five viewscreens. "We cannot move on circumstantial evidence. We don't know the story behind all these situations, and they are rather interesting connections. What we do know is there is a definite connection between Bo-Katan and White Silver. Is this just a working relationship, or is this part of a larger conspiracy?" Turning to face them again, I said, "Find me all the evidence you can find. We need to determine how deep this corruption goes." Turnabout's fair play, I couldn't let the New Mandalorian dream die here, after everything so far.
Raxus Secundus, Raxus shopping center
Natalya Volkova
This place smelled of riches and the nobles who controlled them, but I kept that to myself. Even if I disliked my current objective, Liliya was the one in control of the fate of Anteevy. Unless I could find some way out of that situation, I have to stay true to her goals, even if I sometimes doubted our objectives.
Korkie had been sent from Mandalore to Raxus Secundus, the homeworld of the Separatist Parliament, in order to act as a representative. Liliya found that idea intriguing, but she also kept her oppressive watch over me. I received strong hints that keeping him on the righteous path to social equality would be hampered if I were to remain on Mandalore.
Obviously, I was meant to spy on Korkie and guide him in the right direction. After all, making one of the potential rulers of Mandalore in favor of communist ideals is of great importance to our mission. Plus, I couldn't exactly be his mistress, as Liliya put it, while physically separated by light-years for long periods of time.
But that was not my only objective here. Anteevy joined the Separatists for rational reasons. In chaos and uncertainty, our ideals could flourish and provide the foundation for our new order, one for the people instead of the elites. Already, wherever the Revolutionary Guard had been deployed across the northwest of the galaxy, our ideals and literature were brought along, spreading the message of the revolution to the galaxy.
The Separatist's conflict with the Republic was frequently creating fertile opportunities for spreading our ideals. Already, large sections of their society were just being turned into droid manufacturers for the war effort. And what would the droids be doing after the war? Well, besides protecting their homes, they would be working in farms, mines, and so forth. According to our ideals, the droids would free the people to pursue higher education and other ascended pursuits.
With enough time, the people would come to rely on droids for everything that the lower classes provided. And the classes would merge together to become a new, stronger people. In a single peaceful step, the class system would meet a beautiful death.
Our ideology required droids to be created and programmed for every possible task to fully replace the sentient labor pool. That was already the droids' role across the CIS, but poorly executed. Thus, our new ideas on how to better utilize the droids are fully compatible with traditional belief in droid subservience.
Our message and the spread of our droid labor found the most resonance with the lower and middle classes, as droid proliferation led to an economic boom and rush of new colonization for resources to fuel the Separatist's hungry war machine. The CIS was very stratified though, which meant the aristocratic and highest classes resisted any change from below, especially while times were still good for them.
Besides my mission to seduce Korkie, I was to spread the message amongst the youth and leadership of the Separatist Parliament. So far, I hadn't accomplished much, but it was something I was working on nonetheless when I wasn't hanging out with Korkie or Soniee. And I must say, "hanging out" was kind of the word that could best describe what I was doing right now.
"Maybe this dress?" Soniee said, bringing over an outfit from one of the rows of clothing.
"Thank you, Soniee. I'll try it on now." I said with a smile, taking the dress before making my way towards a back changing room.
In order to improve my mission's chance of success, I needed to be friends with Soniee. If both Soniee and Korkie were comfortable with me, then I would have more avenues to influence him.
Carefully, I slid into the dress, making sure it fit properly. Once I was sure I could move and breathe in it, I stepped out and saw Soniee exit her own booth in a similar style of dress.
"I really have to thank you for reaching out to us, Soniee." I said, pretending to check the back of the dress, keeping watch of her in the mirror.
"When I first volunteered to go with Korkie on this diplomatic mission, I was a bit hesitant. Since there would just be us and a few Royal Guards, but ever since you reached out to us, I felt a little bit better. Having someone we know, at least, is better than not having anyone we do."
I turned around to face her and adopted an understanding expression, "Yes, it's always best to have comrades nearby. I didn't know anyone when I arrived here, still don't really. So when I heard you were coming, I figured I should reach out to you, my good friends. We're both Mandalorian in our own way."
"New Mandalorian." Soniee corrected, brushing her hair back. "But yeah, we are probably the closest to each other here. Everyone here wants to go to war with the Republic or demand that we join their side. I've been to several meetings at this point. Korkie's just there, trying to figure out if the CIS are the good guys in all this or not."
"There are no good guys in this war." I didn't have to fake the somber and serious tone on this topic. "This is a galactic war between two factions that are rather corrupt. The Republic is no better than the CIS Executive Council. And the CIS Executive Council is mostly made up of corrupt corporations that are only interested in their bottom line and control the CIS by funding it with their money."
"And what's Anteevy's objective in all of this?" Soniee asked.
I smiled when I looked at Soniee and said, "We also want the independence that the CIS promises. When this war is over, the CIS will still be around, but there we will have so much more freedom than we would under the Republic. The right of autonomy over our own home regions without a bureaucratic monstrosity putting its noses in where it does not belong is something I believe every system should have. We will be able to choose for ourselves what we can do without the Republic's interference. Spreading communism to other planets near our homeworld is a moral imperative for us. We want our ideals to be our legacy to the galaxy."
"So you want to spread communism across the Mandalore sector?" Soniee asked as she looked in the mirror.
I nodded. "Of course. Will that be an issue? Making a state that is socially looking out for the common people sounds rather good to me. If we all come together, we can all make a better society, a better nation, a better sector. One that is beyond the squabbles of the Clans and the Great Houses that currently rule the cradle of our peoples."
Soniee shrugged before saying, "I'm not entirely sold on that idea yet. I've been doing a little research myself on the Gran, from the Kinyen system. Aren't they also kind of like your government, but they focus on making everyone into one big family?"
I looked at her, a bit surprised, raising an eyebrow before saying, "Yes, they are similar in mind, and they have been around much longer, I admit. But their people are different, alien. The governmental school says they developed from herd species, so their form of socialist welfare is more a continuation of that prey mentality."
"So, communism only works if we do it Liliya's way and with humans." Soniee concluded.
Was that what Liliya wanted? "I haven't considered that point of view before, mainly because there are only humans on Anteevy..." I trailed off, but it did seem a bit xenophobic. "Nothing I've come to understand suggests that Communism only applies to humanity." I clarified with a shrug.
Soniee nodded and thought for a few moments. "I have to wonder if there isn't something to the Communist ideals that I've read. But I just don't think the idea of removing every clan in Mandalore is the right solution. I think the Gran's version of expanding the family, creating a larger and larger family structure that looks after everyone, might be the way forward for Mandalore. I've been meaning to talk to Korkie about it, but I've just been having issues talking to him."
"Perhaps you're right about the family structure aspect. Anteevy has never had any studies done on the Gran specifically, and to be fair, the Clans that existed on Anteevy were nothing but gangs. Some of these gangs date back thousands of years, all criminals or children and grandchildren of criminals. In order to make a society that worked, we needed to break that up. But perhaps there's something to be said for a different point of view." Soniee smiled, seemed to take heart at my interest and her point of view. "Why are you having trouble talking to Korkie? I would assume that you two are rather comfortable with each other, considering how close you two are."
"He's just so passive with our relationship. I want to move forward, but he's just so slow to act. It took him four years to ask me out on a date, four years, and it's only been three or four dates since then. I think he lacks role models, Tanya's personal life is nearly as bad as Bo-Katan's was, and Duchess Satine hid her relationship from everyone. So yes, we've been on a few adventures together, but that's not really dating."
I nodded my head sagely, I said, "It seems that Korkie wants to be a prime example of a New Mandalorian, a pacifist. I think he does love you, from what I have seen of your interactions. Maybe you should make the moves, push, and push hard, and I'm sure he will appreciate everything you give him."
"You really think that'll work?" Soniee asked
"Trust me, if you go for it, he'll be yours." Did I say that out of misplaced guilt, or because it was the truth? I wasn't sure, myself.
She smiled and said, "Thanks for the advice, Natalya. Well, I better go and see about paying for this. After that, I'll demand that Korkie go out on a date with me, maybe something more afterward. Talk to you later."
With that, she stepped away, heading over to make her purchases. I smiled, knowing Liliya would disapprove of my actions, but that I was safe while following her expressed orders. The task to befriend Soniee required helping her relationship with Korkie, which created a bind for Liliya's and her efforts to undermine it. Those two did deserve a chance to be with each other, especially considering that, in my opinion, Korkie was quite the catch.
Perhaps I should find a few more books on the Gran to find out how their system works. Maybe I could send a few books back to some friends on Anteevy.
Raxus Secundus, Mandalore Diplomatic Residence
Korkie Kryze
My mind was deep in thought as I walked with Soniee back to her room. Most of the representatives and senators I have managed to meet were not interested in ending the war or de-escalation of the conflict. I'm starting to understand some of what my sister must have to deal with on Coruscant. As far as they were concerned, they had been attacked by the Republic, and the Republic had declared war. The delegates would consider a Republic cease-fire if one miraculously was offered, but until then they were justified in all actions taken in their defense.
The most concrete deal I've been able to have accepted was an establishment of a Separatist embassy at Mandalore. This would enable more high-level conversations with the CIS diplomats and the CNS, but it would take a long time to show any progress.
Which was something, but I would have liked something more tangible, something that was actually going to see an end to this conflict. Guess I was a little bit optimistic taking this job, but I would continue to try at it. I had at least codified that the blockade from the CIS end of the conflict would be lowered, since the CNS was a neutral party to be accepted by the CIS.
As far as the senators of the CIS were concerned, Mandalore was off the table for the conflict zone. What worried me was the Executive Separatist Council. I hadn't met them, and the way this system was functioning seemed rather confusing, to say the least. The Senate voted on what to do, they sent it to their Chancellor, Count Dooku, and he communicated with his Executive Separatist Council, who would actually put those policies into action.
That worried me because, for all intents and purposes, the military was under the command of corporations and not the people. Not that I had anything against private enterprises. I didn't fully believe everything the book that Natalya had given me was talking about. However, there just seemed to be something inherently wrong with this system.
Putting those thoughts away, though, I focused on Soniee as we made our way down the hallway. Tonight had been a rather nice night. She didn't invite me out on a date, but wore a rather nice dress, and we had enjoyed our time talking about non-political issues, reminiscing about our archaeology school adventures. I kind of wish we could go back to that now that I was here, but maybe that would be something I could do after my posting here was done.
Hopefully, that would be soon, and I could stop getting threatened by various Mandalorians who were not fans of the neutrality or pro-Republic stance of the Mandalore sector. From a representative of the Mandalorian Protectors calling me nothing but a puppet of the Jedi, to a Mandalorian giant in red armor named Chop'aa Notimo and his Gungan sidekick making disparaging remarks about all New Mandalorians, I had to deal with quite a bit of that over the last few days. And I wondered how many other Mandalorian groups besides Anteevy who sided with the CIS I would have to deal with, sending insults and threats my way.
Finally, we arrived at her room's door. Soniee opened the door, pushing it all the way open, before saying, "Here we are."
"Yep, here we are." I agreed, happy to have her safe and sound. Just as I was ready to go down the hall to my own room, Soniee bit her lip nervously. A second later, she lunged forward and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me down into a kiss, surprising me. I didn't even get a chance to try and determine what was going on before she pulled me into her room, shutting the door behind us.
Mandalore, Self-Defense Forces HQ
Jango Fett
Stay out of politics. That's what I've been told to do. That's what I planned to do. But I have never promised never aiding the Mandalorian government if they called me. And, well, the Mandalorian government is going to pay me a lot of credits to give them a little help. I was not going to turn that down.
That being said, what I had signed up for was best called a weekend gig. My plan to build farmland on Concord Dawn had been put on hold. I own the land, yes, but it looked like Concord Dawn was going to be invaded by the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force, so they could get the frak off Vorpa'ya. So, I'm not going to build anything there or move any of my people there to set up farmland until things calmed down.
Once whatever the hell the governor of Concord Dawn and his corrupt Journeyman Protectors were on was settled, maybe I'd do something with that land. For now, it was mostly just a loss held in trust until I had an opportunity to do something with it.
But that was a side story. Yes, I'm still a farmer. But today, I'm hired to be a military advisor. I had been called to Mandalore for a meeting in the upper district, the MSDF headquarters. Apparently, I would know it when I found it because it was stuffed between the CIS and Republic Embassy. The military general, the Self-Defense force Commander — I needed to look up the exact title when I got a chance — called me up to basically serve as a potential source of information. Being one of the few people who have fought a war in the last few decades, I guess I knew a little bit about fighting conflicts on a large scale.
I had to be getting closer to my destination, because I watched a group of clone troopers trading insults at a group of droids, separated by a couple of Mandalorian guards.
Apparently, someone thought it was a good idea to set up the Republic embassy and the CIS embassy one building away from each other and then stuff the building in between them full of Mandalorian guards just to keep an eye on it. I mean, it's not the worst idea, since any fight that breaks out would be contained in this portion of the city and the Guards are right there ready to stop the fight. But the insults they were trading said a lot about how well it was going to go.
Shaking my head, I kept on moving further away from the conflict of words until I found a very nondescript building with two Self-Defense Force Mandalorians standing in front of it.
Stepping up to them, I said, "Jango Fett. Is this the military headquarters of the Self-Defense Force? I was called to come here."
The two guards shared a look and probably spoke to someone over internal comms. A moment later, they stepped out of the way, one of them pressing a button to open the door.
I nodded and said, "Thanks." before stepping inside. I looked around, knowing that like many New Mandalorian buildings, there were a lot of windows. There were a few other military personnel wandering about, carrying paperwork, so most likely this was a pencil pusher location.
"Jango Fett?" came a voice, causing me to look and see something that surprised me. A white-skinned Twi'lek came forward, offering a hand. She was wearing a very distinct Mandalorian uniform which is a dull green long sleeved shirt with the New Mandalorians' tall hexagonal symbol sewn as a patch on the shirt's right sleeve at shoulder height, pants of the same dull green color, and a vest that has to be made of armorweave. The vest has what I assume are rank insignias on her left breast while a metal name tag is on her right breast and a large central pouch is empty, which I believe could be filled with a beskar plate if additional protection is necessary. I noted, probably something required by the pacifists from the upper echelons.
Taking her hand, I said, "You must be someone of importance, I would assume."
"Ikudtuvo Ordo. Supreme Commander of the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force, and somehow ended up with the job of being the overall military leader of the CNS after my showdown over Taris."
"Wrong place, right time?" I said, knowing how that goes.
She nodded and indicated to follow, saying, "I've been meaning to call you up ever since I heard you were on Mandalore. You're probably one of the few Mandalorians with a lot of battlefield experience, and if we're going to protect the CNS, we're going to need all the experience we can get, especially with what we're having to deal with."
I nodded, following behind her, before we entered what I assume to be her office. I noted there was a holo-projector on the wall showing the galactic situation zoomed up on the CNS's defense systems. Of course, the core of the region is the Mandalorian sector and its nearby sectors. But there were yellow dots scattered all over the place inside the fields of blue, which must represent the Republic. I quickly noted that the Mandalorian sector cut off the CIS from the Dentari Exclave, an area that was currently in rebellion against the Republic, which I could instantly see why there would be issues.
"Take a seat." She instructed as she sat down next to the board.
I did, before saying, "Not really sure how I can be much help. I mean, I fought quite a bit during the Civil War, but it's not really going to be of much use in a war this big."
Ikud nodded, her head tails bobbing as she did. "I would assume not either, though maybe you might know some nuggets of wisdom about some of the areas around here that can prove useful. But you also fought in actual combat before and we need military trainers, as many as we can get. The Republic and the CIS have managed to absorb a lot of mercenaries from the Mandalorian sectors before the CNS was officially declared, which means we are a little bit understaffed when it comes to experienced military personnel, especially with the situation on Vorpa'ya."
"Yeah, I heard about Vorpa'ya, is it a problem for you?" I acknowledged. I was glad I wasn't involved in that mess, I didn't much want to support the Journeyman Protectors, and the rest involved had too little to offer, not enough to make it profitable.
She shrugged her shoulders, saying, "Not sure. It could end up being a five-way war if things keep going the way they are. All we know is that it's one system in and out of Confederate Independent Systems into the CNS, with the Republic holding this area." She pointed to a northern campaign area and a southern campaign area marked on the map, separating the Republic from the CNS.
"The planet needs to stay under CNS control, so we can't let Anteevy get their hands on it because that'll just open us up to more unsecured transportation from CIS space into our own."
Looking at the map, I asked, "That is a lot of space to cover. How are you going to make sure that you can even monitor all that space?"
She shrugged before saying, "Currently we are issuing bounties on ships that bypass customs inspections in regions outside of our direct control, obviously this system is ripe for abuse. We are shifting away from that by purchasing ships from Gargon and Kalevala, while also reorganizing the Mandalorian Patrol as part of the Mandalorian Self-Defense Navy. With any luck, we will be able to string patrol ships along the border region and just prevent any ships from transiting it. Either that, or make it so hard that whatever makes it across can't be used to reinforce the CIS exclave. That could trigger the worst outcome — which would result in the Republic declaring us part of the CIS."
I nodded my head. "Well, if you're slowly bringing up your manpower and all that, I assume you just need me to take up training. So, where do you want to send me? Where are you getting your recruits?"
She let out a deep breath, "Arkania. They're supplying a large amount of what we can best guess are their lesser population groups into our military. They sent us fifty million recruits to help reinforce the various system garrisons. From what we can gather, these were what the Arkanians call Class Two Riot Response Conscripts. Apparently they were sent in after the Class One Riot Conscripts failed to quell a riot. Class Twos are trained to use lethal force only. From what I understand of the reports, they have never had a failed operation."
"Nasty work, policing riots on a city planet. Tunnel rats can get really vicious." The Arkanians must not be expecting any riots anytime soon if they were handing over so many of their problem solvers. Most ecumenopolis riots happened over food, water, or electricity rationing. Unless the Arkanians have some way of ensuring they had a stable food supply or some way of reducing the population, there would always be riots. Very strange, but ultimately not my problem. I doubted that Riot Response killers that were trained for a city planet would be able to adapt to fighting on all possible battlefields.
They would likely make good ship boarding forces, however. "Fifty million sounds like a lot." I chuckled. "Until you see just how many star systems need garrisons. What is that? A few hundred troopers per system?" Another issue, I am willing to bet that casualty rates for these Class Two Riot Response Conscripts would be high. That sort of thing was perfectly fine when there are a million bodies to replace the dead within spitting distance, but when the defenders of a star system numbered in the thousands, each life matters.
"Something like that." Ikud looked somewhat deflated. "A drop in the bucket. It's fine for Mandalorian systems, as local populations have the firepower and equipment to secure a star system by themselves."
"But our new allies are a military liability since they don't have any real military capacity." I concluded. "So you need to secure a navy first and foremost to protect the tiny amount of ground forces."
"Let me worry about that, you just have to deal with helping us as a trainer. Both Arkanian and otherwise. The Arkanians take orders well, but they don't have the Mandalorian fire, as it were. The other CNS member worlds are another matter entirely, most of them view being a soldier as some sort of jobs program, for the unemployed. We need some people to train that fire into them. We've already deployed several regiments of Arkanian clones to the fortress world of Krownest as well as here on Mandalore to be trained since we have the most facilities to house and train them. Some of the regiments were sent to my home world of Ordo and a few were sent to Jakalia and Harwee as they have the least amount of housing capacity. Thankfully all of those worlds have Mando trainers in abundance, so we don't have to supply those units with our own trainers. We just need to send trainers who're familiar with our training style to go to planets that don't have Mandalorians locals."
Looking at the map I noted several locations marked for larger military installations,"Well where are you sending me? Telereth is nice this time of year, apparently." I laughed. Getting the kid to roll her eyes and shake her head.
"No, we do plan to establish a garrison there soon, since they're building the main branch of the CNS Central Bank there. But that's not the planet we're going to be sending you." However, she pointed to an area I recognized, but nowhere near where I'd guessed..
"Taris. The Republic is deploying a garrison there to protect the Hydian Way, and we need to have our own garrison there. Some of them will be Mandalorians, some of them will be from Arkania, but most of the training units will be made up from local Tarisians. My understanding is that you have experience working with foreigners, which makes you the most useful asset for dealing with Taris."
I rubbed my chin, thinking. "I'm not exactly a fan of leaving the Mandalorian sector, I was told that I should not leave, even if the Council of Neutral Systems recognizes Taris as a member. There's a lot of space that's considered Republic between Mandalore and Taris." Not to mention that Taris itself was unique in terms of terrain. Only parts of it have been resettled in the thousands of years since its destruction, leaving most of the planet a ruin that extended higher than the tallest mountain on the planet and descended so far down that when the cooling systems failed, tunnels had melted. All of that was slowly covered over by voracious plant and animal life that had adapted to the ruined environment.
"It's still Republic space — for now." Ikud said with a soft smile. I blinked and looked at her. She continued, saying, "Denova and Vernqup have been in talks to possibly join the CNS. When that happens, we'll have a direct bridge that we can travel to Taris. If you're worried about your security, when that bridge is established, we expect a cascade effect, and small systems all along the Tarisian section of the Hydian Way will flip to the CNS, giving us de facto control of that section of the hyperlane route."
I huffed, that would no doubt drive the Republic mad, I grinned before saying, "I don't see why I should worry about my security. If I have to make one trip there, that's fine. I can do it. It's just that I would like to be able to come back once in a while, you know, be with my family. Which means I would have to come back every so often. Creating a system that someone could catch me in between Taris and Mandalore. As long as you're going to be able to work out some sort of deal to secure a direct route between Mandalore and Taris that will not be interfered with by the Republic, I'd be willing to take up this job."
She smiled and said, "Thank you. You have no idea how hard it has been trying to get these things set up."
"I imagine. I mean, I did fight a war against other Mandalorians in the past." Shaking my head, I said, "How are the plans for defense, anyways? Seems a bit scattered by this map. One large neighborhood of systems, with five distant surrounded enclaves, alone in an angry sea of blue and red."
"Currently, the plan is basic. Ord Mantell will cover Concord Dawn and Alzar. Mandalore's looking after the south and Vanqor. Gargon is basically protecting the route to Taris. Krownest watches the route to the Dentari CIS Exclave and Haruun Kal. We are deploying troops to protect the planets from their homeworld to Mandalore. Ithor can handle themselves. Taris, of course, you've got our plan. We're just going to put some garrisons there. Thespin, they pretty much defended themselves against an invasion from the Dentari Exclave and managed to free themselves of all droids. They've joined us mainly as a way of saying that they are not taking part in this war. Finally Arkania, well, we're deploying troops from some of our Mandalorian Self-Defense Forces to Arkania to train up their own armies to our standard. We're separated, yes, but we do not want war with the Republic. And if the CIS invades us, we can easily move troops to kick them out or at least stall them at Vorpa'ya, allowing us to be a third party in the war if necessary." Ikud cleared her throat as I considered her words. It was not a shock that Arkania was not too worried about a Republic invasion. City planets were near impossible to take if they could not be starved out and Arkania was a net exporter of reconstituted nutrient paste rations. It would not be pleasant, but the pale bastards could likely hold out indefinitely.
"A possible problem are the mercenaries hired by both sides possibly knowing routes in and out of Mandalorian space." Ikud continued.
"Yeah, I've heard. Null is proving to be a bit of an issue for the Republic, thanks to some Mandalorian Protectors, I think they're called." I mused.
She nodded, saying, "Yeah, your cousin is doing a good job. We think he's stationed out of the Dentari CIS exclave, but we also think he probably knows routes all across this region and can get to the CIS through the current defensive lines of the Republic."
"Almost makes me proud if he wasn't bringing a little bit too much attention to Mandalore."
She shrugged before saying, "It evens out. Silver Mandalorian mercs are apparently hot on their tail, trying to cause problems around Dentari space, possibly also taking part in the Belsmuth campaign. We know they're coming from Gargon, but what can we do about that? They're independent contractors, so they're not Mandalore's problem. From the reports we've got, they're acting with good honor, actually taking prisoners where they could, instead of just executions.
We also have a few Royal Guards who took a leave of absence to serve in the protection of Ryloth of all places. Apparently, they bought themselves their own little fleet of fighters from MandalMotors and have been causing hell for the CIS."
I chuckled before saying, "So as long as mercenaries serve for the Republic and the CIS, we could just say we're still neutral because it evens out." Shaking my head, I said, "True Mandalorian way, one way or another."
Surprisingly, the white-skinned Twi'lek laughed before saying, "You're not that far off. I know my homeworld is glad about that."
My raised eyebrow prompted her to continue, "Ordo was in favor of the True Mandalorian way over Death Watch's. Still is, even with Death Watch's recent propaganda victory with the Maelstrom. The True Mandalorians would have been able to work something out with the rising New Mandalorians if they had managed to win the war. Instead, you guys destroyed each other and, well, the past is past."
I nodded before saying, "I'd like to think you're right on that. I've been paying attention to what the New Mandalorians have been up to while I had my current work. From what I've seen, they've done a good job with Mandalore, even if I'm not a big fan of the disarmament. But it seems to be taking care of itself. Silver Mandalorians do a good job of putting some backbone in the New Mandalorians again."
"Ain't that the truth." Ikud said, shaking her head. "Just wish we knew who White Silver was. I have a suspicion that we're not being told the full story whenever I read her version of the Supercommando Codex."
"Oh, anything in particular you've noted? I've always kind of avoided it myself."
She looked up at me before saying, "Economy seems to be the focus of the manual, really. The culture, the ways of defense, they're in there, but the main focus is on the economy. Everything is built on making sure the economy hums along. I don't know, something about that just makes me wonder if White Silver is an economist or has a lot more stake in the economy of the Mandalore sector than we thought."
"Huh." I pondered in my head. "Not sure what it could be. Oh well, I always preferred to stay out of politics. After all, if people want to play Mand'alor, that's up to them. I've done that, and I'm onto something else. Training armies is what I can do. I trained the Clone Army. I can train some recruits on Taris, that's for sure. And who knows, maybe a little bit of Mandalorian would rub off on Taris and be good for it in the long term."
Raxus Secundus, Dooku's Palace
Sev'rance Tann
Carefully and slowly, I walked through my Master's Palace. Having to relearn how to walk with my new prosthetic legs was aggravating, but there was nothing else I could do. I would not submit to the maiming the Jedi had inflicted on me. I had to simply endure this humiliation that had been grafted onto my legs below the knees to replace what had been cut away until a better replacement can be created.
I just wished that I got something that actually looked humanoid. These claw-like things, that had been attached to me in the rush to save my life, looked very cheap and unintuitive to use. Yes, they would allow me to keep moving, but it was very inelegant, inadequate.
How far I had fallen. At the start of the war, I had been one of the most effective military commanders in the entire CIS army. I put the Republic on notice that this war would not be easy. And then some damn lucky Jedi decided to use the Dark side and cut my legs off.
He would have cut me down the middle and killed me if Dooku had not recently shown me some new tricks for directing myself while in midair. Some sort of Jedi technique that he had not been interested in teaching me until after Geonosis. Of course, he started teaching me new techniques after that. You would have to be blind not to notice that something changed after Geonosis.
I had suspected that Count Dooku had wanted this war, yet he may have had goals outside of actually winning it. Whatever that goal was, after Geonosis he started to take more care in his acolytes' training.
Even with that extra training, I nearly died fighting that damn Jedi. If it hadn't been for me getting in his head and making him realize he had used the Dark side to be able to pull that off, I would probably be dead. Instead, he assumed that I would bleed out on the ground and left with his mission accomplished and the Decimator already destroyed.
I managed to crawl into a hiding place so that the clones never found me and finished me off. The only one who found me was my love, Vandalor, and he helped me get off that Core world I was going to die on.
At that point, I had a choice. I could return to the war or I could not. After all, I was reported dead by the Jedi who took off my legs. It was a reasonable decision considering the planet we had been fighting on was rather volcanic, and if I didn't get aid sooner or later, I would have been rendered a smoldering husk or get found by a passing clone as there are not that many places to hide.
Ultimately, though, I decided to return. I required months of therapy before I could even function as a combat agent again. Until then, my role would be limited to commanding from the backline and formulating strategic plans.
Count Dooku hadn't explained to me what this meeting I had to attend would be about, but I would assume it would be for the next phase of the war. If he was actually taking it seriously, perhaps we would actually accomplish something instead of this back and forth stalemate.
Oh well, the destruction of the Jedi would come in due time, that I was sure of. I just needed to be in the proper place to make sure that I benefited from this in the long term.
I eventually reached my destination and waited for the two Magnaguards to open the door. I step in as soon as the door is opened where I am immediately assaulted by comments.
"Oh my, is that a Force ghost that just walked in?" came the voice of Dooku's number one assassin, Ventress. The Dathomiri gave me a look of contempt, I suspect it was because of my former title as Count Dooku's favored acolyte. From what I heard after my defeat, that title had been taken by a fallen Jedi who was leading a force of other fallen Jedi somewhere in the galaxy, but it probably did not matter to Ventress.
I had no interest in playing her cat game today. Normally, I might have indulged her, for after all, I enjoy a good contest of words as much as the next person, perhaps even more so. But this was my first return to military high command, so I could not afford to appear unstable.
"Rumors of my death have appeared to be exaggerated." I said dismissively as I took a seat . Looking around the room I try to determine exactly who had been called for this meeting. Whoever was here would probably hint on exactly what kind of meeting this was. For instance, if several of the notable military generals were here, then this was obviously a military coordination.If only Darksiders were here, obviously this was a meeting about the Dark Order that Count Dooku planned to create.
Unfortunately, this was an odd mix of individuals. Ventress, of course, was here, myself included, which could indicate Darksiders. But then there was the monster of a creature in one corner, a giant in armor that bore the symbol of Mandalorians on its chest. This must be that Durge fellow I've heard about. From what I knew, he was just a mercenary, so why was he here? And what secrets from an ancient era did he still possess?
The final individual was a cyborg, a machine man that barely qualified as a cyborg, considering he was almost entirely machine. I had heard of this new officer in the CIS military, one General Grievous, I believed the name would be.
He had capes hiding most of his form, but the helmet displayed a skull-like design, and his visible feet made it clear what he was.
"Quite a diverse lineup of individuals." I mused, looking around.
"Quite indeed." The giant of a man, Durge, followed it with a low grinding, laughing noise. "Must be some sort of major shake-up, or maybe we are just the most loyal officers he's got available."
"Loyal? How are you considered loyal?" Asked Ventress, who was looking at him amused. "You're nothing but a mercenary, not even an acolyte of the Dark side."
"Hahaha, anything that lets me kill Mandalorians earns my loyalty. The money is just a bonus. Not to mention, Count Dooku has helped me acquire my old fortune, so I have more than a few reasons to be loyal to him."
Ventress did not look pleased, but I nodded in his direction. "If your loyalty is secured, then good. And from the reports I received, your tactics were just as legendary as your reputation in the defense of Muunilinst from the Republic. That lancer formation and charge was quite inspiring."
The mercenary looked at me, his thoughts hidden by his helmet, but he nodded, silently saying that it's nothing too inspired; it's simply an old technique that's not used in modern days. "So much of war seems to have been forgotten over the last thousand years."
"Yes, I've heard you're quite old." I said with an odd smile. "Perhaps you should look into taking a teaching position at whatever military academy is founded after this conflict. Your years and centuries of experience could be quite beneficial for the next generation of military commanders."
That got a general laugh from the man as he said, "Me, a teacher? Never! That's a funny thought, and I'm sure I'd make a good penny." he said, rubbing his fingers together. "But I enjoy the hunt, the fight of bounty hunting, more than sitting behind a desk. Maybe when the last Mandalorian lies smoldering in his grave, I'll consider that if the CIS is still around in a thousand years."
I raised an eyebrow, saying, "That confident in your survival?"
The creature looked at me with a tone in his voice that said he had all the confidence in the world. He said, "I have taken precautions, maybe I'll even tell you about some of them when you're half my age."
I nodded my head, about to ask another question to fill the time, when the doors behind me opened. Count Dooku and another individual stepped in, the elder Sith looking rather splendid in his brown cloak, followed by a short female individual dressed in white cloak, her face hidden in the shadows.
"Ah, everyone is here. Perfect, we can get started right away." Count Dooku said. "General Sev'rance Tann, it's good to see you back on your feet."
Whoever said Count Dooku does not have a sense of humor never met the man. He always found a way to slip in just a little bit of amusement to some situation.
Smiling, I replied, "It is good to be back, Count, even if these," I lifted one of the claw-like appendages and clicked it before lowering it again, "are not exactly what I would have chosen."
Dooku nodded his head before saying, "I will put in a message with the Techno Union about maybe getting you a replacement that more closely matches your original limbs. Unfortunately, most prosthesis production lines are being repurposed for droid production at the moment. Thus you'll have to make do with what you have for now."
I nodded as Dooku and the other individual moved further into the room.
Ventress asked, "Are the Dark Acolytes going to join us, or is this meeting just for us five?"
Dooku sighed before saying, "Master Bulq will not be joining us. He is needed in his position and he does not know everything yet. This meeting is for those I have chosen, those who are loyal, those I trust enough to keep secrets as well as stay the course for the CIS and our goals."
As I thought, this was some high-level operation that he was working on, something that he wanted only the best and most loyal officers for.
"General Grievous is here, as he recently returned from operations at the Battle of Bothawui. We've learned much about the Republic's response time and how they handle our various probing attacks. Using this information, we are preparing for a general offensive at the end of the year, thanks to those actions."
"Didn't he get his ship blown up again?" Durge asked, which caused Grievous to growl at him somewhat menacingly.
"An unfortunate miscalculation, I assure you it will not happen a third time." Grievous replied. I highly doubt that. He is an army general and is more familiar with army tactics than naval strategy and his performance speaks for itself.
Dooku continued, "Back to the topic at hand, before we can launch this attack, we need to stack the odds in our favor. We recently engaged in a raid on Kamino, the cloner's homeworld. As far as we can tell, though we were unsuccessful in our objectives, the fleet around Kamino has not been greatly increased. Instead, they've tried putting warning systems around their planet to let them know if we're coming. Grievous believes that he can silence them and get a fleet over Kamino to destroy the planet's main city and their cloning facilities before they can bring a fleet to respond. As such, I believe it would be best to have some of my best operatives on this mission."
"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this." Came the menacing voice of Grievous as he leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him.
"I imagine you will, good sir. I imagine you will." Dooku said. "You will be leading the charge. Your objective, of course, will be to cause as much destruction and mayhem as possible, something I believe you are quite capable of doing."
The menacing laugh was the answer to that. Turning to Ventress, Dooku said, "As for you, my assassin, we are engaging in another project to perhaps acquire our own clone army in the future, or at least damage their production of clones. Your mission would be to acquire their source gene material."
"It will be done, my master." Ventress said with a nod of her head. But I had a question, so I asked it.
"Would it not be better just to locate Jango Fett and capture him? After all, if you eliminate his contract with the Kaminoans, they can simply get a new source of genetic material from him."
Dooku nodded his head before saying, "It would but it would also create additional problems as well. Jango Fett has tied his hands to Mandalore officially, taking a role in their military from some of the reports I have heard on the matter. Meaning, he's neutral. Kamino may reach out to him to obtain new samples, but we will put political pressure on Mandalore, demanding that they do not allow him to provide them with those resources. If they ignore our wishes, it will create justification for an invasion by the CIS, and they will lose their pretense of neutrality."
The laugh of Durge told us everything we needed to know about what he wanted to say. The number of times he had expressed his desire to kill Mandalorians made it clear that if the Republic did that, he would volunteer to lead the assault into Mandalorian territory, probably with the goal of killing Jango Fett himself.
I simply nodded, taking in the information, and said, "I assume that my role will be as the fleet's admiral, providing naval support to those conducting the operation on the ground."
Dooku nodded his head. "Yes, that will be your role. You show promise as a lightsaber combatant, but until you have mastered control of your new legs, I feel it's best not to push you too far."
"Thank you, my Lord." I said with an odd thought. Though I disliked being pulled back like this, I know better than to fight while injured when I don't have to.
"When will the attack be allowed to go forward? I'm feeling the urge to test myself against the Jedi." Grievous asked.
"Don't test yourself too hard, Grievous. The Jedi are not someone to fool around with." I said, already having learned that lesson after pushing one a little too far.
Dooku noticed my sniping, but didn't say much. Instead, turning to Grievous, he said, "I believe two to three months from now. It'll take time to gather our assets for the assault. Once everything's in place, we will launch an attack on Kamino."
"I assume this is off the books, that the Senate doesn't need to know about it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be keeping this so close to your chest." Grievous remarked.
Dooku nodded, saying, "You are correct. With a representative of the CNS now speaking for peace here in CIS space, I believe it is best to keep this between us. We do not want the Republic to be forewarned of our impending assault, especially with this representative's sister being a Republic senator."
I nodded in understanding as Dooku turned away from Grievous to face the rest of the group, "Now that everyone understands the situation, you are now dismissed."
Grievous, Ventress, and I all nodded our heads and turned to leave. I started as well, but I could feel something in the Force telling me that I would not be allowed to leave yet. And I was proven right as Dooku said, "Sev'rance, a moment of your time. I have another issue to discuss with you."
I nodded as the three left the room. Dooku sat down behind his personal desk, indicating that the robed individual who had remained quiet this entire time should take a stance at one side of his desk.
"As you're aware, I am building a new Sith order here in the Outer Rim. And we are more willing to experiment with the Force than the Jedi are." Dooku began. I nodded my head.
Raising his hand, he indicated the white figure, saying, "I have acquired an apprentice. Unfortunately I cannot maintain a full-time apprentice like I could before, due to the needs of the state. You require time to recover from your injuries. Thus, while you do, she will serve well as your apprentice, a temporary intern if you will."
The term "acquired" was interesting, avoiding how exactly he obtained her. Did he ask the parents for permission first or was she kidnapped? The fact that she was not locked up would suggest that she was too young to remember her parents or had willingly joined their service. Seeing that she appeared to be around five feet tall, I would say she would have to be at least a teenager, so it was more likely she had willingly come into their service.
I thought for a brief moment about saying no. After all, I had no need for a student taking up my valuable time. Perhaps I was relegated to a mere general until he decided I am better than the new one. Perhaps this was a way to ingratiate myself back into his line of control.
Finally, I nodded in my head, saying, "I will take up this student for you, my Lord, and train her in our ways. What is her name?"
"Her name is Tan'Nya Zotho." As he said that, the hooded figure pulled back their hood, revealing that she was not what I would have expected. I wasn't too shocked as her last name was a giveaway that she was of Arkanian origin. So is the white skin, white hair, and pointed ears. However, the blue eyes seemed off. They appeared very dull and cold, not in the sense that she has low intelligence, but in the sense that she considers life itself as something beneath her notice, as if she had seen more than she should. Perhaps she had been taken by force after all, and this was the effect of her training required to bring them to the Dark side.
She said nothing, so I gave no statements to her. I simply said, "Is there anything else you would wish me to do?"
Dooku pondered for a moment before saying, "I've been having another issue that you may be able to help me with. The Mandalorian Protectors have been doing a good job in their offensive, but I believe they should be brought into the operation on Kamino."
I raised an eyebrow at that and asked, "Do you think it's safe to deploy them next to Durge?"
"I think they will serve their purpose, and Grievous will be too busy in his section of the city causing mayhem to do what's necessary. The leader of the Mandalorian Protectors is a former clone. Apparently, he escaped Kamino long ago and wants to free his brothers.
I doubt he will be very successful, but his part in this operation would be kidnapping the young cadets that are already in training, the ones who appear to be children. The only issue I'm having is that they're currently indisposed in their own little skirmish with the Silver Mandalorians, a core of Mandalorian volunteers, hired by the Republic. I need you to track down Spar Fett and remind him of his obligations to the CIS and get him on the mission."
I nodded my head, saying, "It will be done."
Mandalore, Royal Palaces, Ducal Stateroom
Satine Kryze
"If every Jedi acted like you, the war would be lost!" Anakin Skywalker argued with the recently arrived former Jedi, Serifa Altunen, elected Lord Protector of Arkania. "Say what you like about following your conscience, but if we divide our forces, the Trade Federation will win." Serifa, Anakin, Padme, and I were settled in comfortable chairs in one of the many staterooms rooms that dotted my palace.
"I don't see the value in winning this war." Serifa said softly, her face impassive, perfectly imperious, and perhaps a bit condescending.
"Why not?!" Anakin asked with genuine bafflement. "Look, if you think that the Republic has strayed from the path of benevolence and wisdom, that is one thing, but governance via battle droids is quite another."
"Would you force us into this war? Drive Mandalorians to battle with Dooku?" I asked.
"Of course not." Anakin waved a hand. "Mandalorians and Jedi are different."
"I have left the Order, I thought I made that clear." Serifa said with the slightest hint of frustration coloring her tone.
"Left the Order to become a Jedi Lord. I get that, but still a Jedi. You still have responsibilities to fight against the illegal war Dooku is conducting." Anakin said, his words slow and careful.
"I am not a Jedi Lord." Serifa protested. "I am just a lord who happens to be a Jedi. I have no desire to institute an outdated system like the Jedi Lords in my homeworld."
"But everyone is calling you a Jedi Lord." Padme pointed out.
"I can't be held responsible for the insipid accusations of the willfully ignorant." Serifa replied testily.
"I agree, the Republic Senate and media have openly called me Mand'alor several times even after I said otherwise. It is deeply offensive how the Republic misrepresents the rightful leaders of Neutral System worlds on purpose." I pointed out before taking a sip of my drink.
"Exactly, not to mention the gall of the Republic to vote on the invasion of the Neutral Systems solely upon the actions of Death Watch and a rogue Jedi!" Serifa snapped.
"Technically, it was a vote to invade Mandalore. Your planet just wanted to join the party." Anakin said.
"Another pointless and immoral vote. Another reason why I have rejected both the Republic and the Senate." Serifa continued. "I follow the Force, not the Council, and not the petty laws of the Republic. I serve the people, not the Senate, and I will make peace, not war." The Arkanian said with a conviction that gave me goosebumps.
"Here here!" I agreed cheerfully, holding up a fine glass of Arkanian sweet milk, a type of creamy mead that was rich and strong enough to put a blush on my cheeks. I watched with amusement as Padme joined Serifa and I in the toast, much to the annoyance of Anakin.
"We can't all afford to be idealists." Anakin grumbled.
"We cannot lose our ideals either." Serifa said softly, showing a crack in her armor for the first time.
"We could always have a battle droid blast everything we care about to bits." Anakin said in what I assume to be sarcasm as he drummed a cybernetic hand across a rather expensive table.
"Do you really care about winning this war?" Serifa asked.
"Of course." Anakin replied instantly.
"Why?"
Anakin threw up his hands. "What do you mean, why?!"
"Perhaps you should examine your path, commune with the Force to come up with a better answer to that question." Serifa said, earning a bewildered grunt from Anakin as he shook his head.
"You won't reconsider?" Anakin asked, his expression one of sour defeat.
"No." Serifa said as she stood up from her seat. I looked at her with growing melancholy at how this conversation is progressing, helpless to change its course. "I have considered the matter for a long time with great care."
"You swore an oath." Anakin said bitterly.
"Then I am forsworn." Serifa shrugged. "But I must say, I don't feel it much." With a smooth motion, she unclasped her fine cloak from her shoulders and folded it before passing it gently to Anakin, who took it with a sigh.
"Your lightsaber." He pressed. Even sitting down, I felt a pressure of command with his order.
"No." Came the reply as Serifa sat back down.
"You are not a Jedi!" He protested, his eyes turning wet.
"So you say. And yet, my people might yet need a lightsaber to defend them, one wielded by someone who has not forsaken the Force." Serifa dismissed him, her face set in cool marble.
Anakin pushed his chair back as he stood, turning away from Serifa and holding the cloak close to him. "I will have to tell Master Yoda that you are a lost cause." He said bitterly. "You are not to speak to my Padawan." With that, he stormed out of the room. Padme gave us both a pained look before excusing herself and quickly rushing after the clearly upset Jedi.
The room fell into silence as Serifa seemed to stare into nothingness for a moment, looking at the door that Anakin just stormed out of.
"That must have been difficult." I offered my sympathies.
"It had to be done." Serifa sounded resolved.
"We have to stand as an example." I began. "So that the entire galaxy can see that there is still peace to be found, to be cherished." Serifa nodded and took a long drink from her cup.
"Our imperfect people?" She laughed to herself. "Why did it have to be us?"
"Mandalorians know war." I said. "I know it better than most."
"And my people are a twisted lot." Serifa said to her glass.
"But we love them anyway." Serifa seemed to nod softly, turning to me and then away again.
"By the Force, politics drives me mad." Serifa said, blinking as I leaned over to refill her glass with the lovely Arkanian mead.
"You don't have to go it alone." I pointed out.
"I still don't know if we will manage this, you know. The Republic, the CIS, the entire galaxy seems to be falling for the madness of war. Letting it twist them into something terrible. Can our sinful people truly be what the galaxy needs of them?"
"Yes." I said, and her milky white eyes turned to my own at my swift answer. "If we have faith in them, if we lead them with dignity and honesty, if we never surrender our principles no matter how difficult the road becomes, I believe we will succeed." She nodded, her cheeks rosy from the mead. I refilled both of our glasses again.
"I just wish anyone had followed me." Serifa admitted softly.
"Leaving the Order is such a difficult thing." I said with sympathy, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "But who knows who we will inspire tomorrow." I noted how close the two of us suddenly were, but after taking another sip of the creamy mead, I found I did not mind that so much.
Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Is there no way to talk Master Altunen into coming back into the Order? No way at all?" I asked, trying to clarify it for record purposes.
Anakin shook his head, his form shimmering as the light blue holo-projector buffered, before saying, "I'm afraid not, Master. I did everything I could, but she is stubbornly against returning to the Order, stubbornly against joining the war, and stubbornly denies that she has turned her back on the Order. She also refuses to hand over her lightsaber, even though that is tradition among those who leave the Order."
I sighed, shaking my head before saying, "Well, I'm sure you did the best you could, Anakin. That's all we can ask in this situation. How about the reason you're there in the first place, the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force? Have you found anything of interest among them that the Council needs to know about?"
Anakin shrugged before saying, "Nothing too interesting as far as I can see. Most of the training that the Mandalorians are imparting on their army here is defensive in nature. Without a meaningfully large fleet with a large transport capacity, they don't pose any threat to the Republic. I did not find anything that contradicted the reports given by Tanya and Satine. So I can safely say that they aren't preparing to launch campaigns to nearby planets to force them to join them, like what the CIS are doing. It really looks like they're just preparing to fight a war of mutual defense. As I have said to the Council, I sense great wisdom from the Mandalorians in this matter."
I nodded my head, holding back a smile, Anakin had become rather protective of the Mandalorians after the Council had questioned their intentions. He was clearly picking his words carefully, so they would appeal to the Council. I thought for a moment longer before saying, "In one way, this is good, and in another, this is bad. If we were all united, we could probably end this war quicker. However, perhaps this will be good for preventing planets from joining one side or the other in the war. We could convince the Council of the value of funneling systems considering secession into the CNS to prevent them from falling under Dooku's control."
"It's the best we can do." Anakin said with a nod, before adding, "I have noted, though, that we Jedi aren't exactly welcomed among the Mandalorian trainers. I think a good portion of them remember the conflicts in the past and aren't exactly happy to have us around." I sensed some trepidation from Anakin, like he was hiding something, perhaps wanting to say more but thinking better of it.
I raised an eyebrow before saying, "What about the concerns the Council has that the MSDF has been infiltrated by Death Watch?" I sensed that Anakin was suddenly off center, sheepish and faintly guilty.
But he shook his head. "I do not believe there is any meaningful Death Watch presence in the MSDF. But I assume whoever becomes the permanent military observer will probably have to keep an eye on such possibilities."
I nodded, debating what I would put in my report. Then I said, "The Council will be happy to hear your estimates but unhappy with the possibilities." Truthfully, the Council had been rather worried about Satine's growing military capabilities, and Anakin's open praise of Satine's government only fed into the Council's fears. The Mandalorians were not democratic, they did not even want to be democratic and the elections they held were merely pageantry for the Republic. Despite my... feelings for Satine, even I knew that.
"Right," Anakin said before souring my mood, "I hope they won't go too hard on how they've taken the information about Tanya."
I do my best to hide my grimace. "They were… contemplative. Master Windu was perhaps my greatest critic, not undeservedly so. However, Yoda seemed to be more sympathetic and even amused the entire time. He might have already suspected; he is the wisest of us all." Shaking my head, I said, "Ultimately, they have decided to table the discussion of this matter until after the war. Though their current conclusion is that the way I've handled the situation is well within the Code. I have a family, but I have not let it cloud my judgment. Nor have I cultivated any attachment to them. Granted, I did not know I had a family until recently, which is why they've tabled it until the end of the war. The council has resolved to meditate upon the situation."
"Well, at least they're not kicking you out right now, and they're giving you a chance to make it right." Anakin mused.
I raised an eyebrow as I looked at Anakin, "Implying that if you can get away with it long enough and prove that you can get away with it, they'll let it pass, is not exactly the best way to deal with your own situation, Anakin."
"Seems to be working out so far." Anakin conceded with a grin that dismissed any hope I had that he was truly listening to me. "Though I do wonder if you've had a chance to speak to Tanya since you found out that you're her father."
My left eye twitched as I smiled. "I am not avoiding her." I lied matter-of-factly, before adding, "I did try to get in contact with her recently. Unfortunately, she had already left for the Mandalorian sector, and I was unable to speak with her last month."
Anakin inquired, "Have you tried since then?" raising an eyebrow, which got an annoyed grumble from me.
"No." I admitted. "We've been busy, and I will be shipped out in the next few days for another front. It is a war, after all, and I do not have the luxury to look into my family situation. There are planets at stake."
Anakin nodded, seeming to understand the gravity of my situation, "Well, that may be true, but there are still a few days in that time period. You could give it a try. "
I sighed, shaking my head, before saying, "Anakin, I don't feel like having this discussion tonight."
He smiled, indicating he knew he had won this one, but he simply said, "Alright, Master. Just don't forget your duties, and I will get back to mine. My time on Mandalore is ending soon, and I'll be returning to the front with Ashoka. As much as I have enjoyed the vacation, I feel like I should be out there with the 501st fighting the good fight."
I nodded before saying, "You'll have your chance to get back out there, and your Padawan will have to learn what it means to fight this war again."
Anakin mused, "Yeah, I think Yoda might have had something to his mad scheme there." Before I could say my farewells, Anakin added, "By the way, have you considered taking on another Padawan? I mean, I turned out alright, and taking on a Padawan may be a way to show that you are able to do your duties still, even with a family."
I replied, "That's an interesting idea. Though I have not thought too deeply on taking on another apprentice And I don't think I will for tonight. I need to get some sleep."
"Goodnight, Master."
"Good night, Anakin."
Writer's note: And there we have what I called the CIS chapter. A chapter where we focused on the CIS and what is going on with Dooku. Learning what exactly he and his staff are up to. The Legends fans have probably already figured out what the big thing is there. Building forces up for sure, but I won't spoil what it is exactly. We also got some Obi-Wan time, some Korkie time, some commie time, some Satine time, and some Jango time. Really, this chapter is packed.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
Edited by: Aemon, Fallqm, Guardsman Pius, MeowATron9000, Afforess, Warmach1ne32, BatAzr
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717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Ordo, Ordo Journal Studios
Juup Jir Jidoss
"Good evening and welcome to the Daily Ordo. I am Juup Jir Jidoss from the Newspaper, Ordo Journal. Here to bring you the news and nothing but the news." I gave a small wave to the studio audience as our recorded introduction played for them.
"And I am Aipex Jidoss, freedom fighter, warrior, and everyman survivalist." The pre-recorded holovid of my younger brother enthused.
Once the holovid camera light turned red, I arranged the paperwork in my hand, and looked down at them for a dramatic second, before saying, "Let's begin with the biggest news on today's itinerary. Currently, the government has found and is investigating a shocking conspiracy within the Mandalorian sector — specifically, a conspiracy inside the Mandalorian Secret Service itself. An agency that was meant to keep in check Death Watch and other organized criminal organizations which might conspire against Mandalore again, yet it appears that a significant portion of their organization was involved in a conspiracy themselves.
No one is exactly sure how this conspiracy began, but evidence points to lax oversight being the main cause. Inattentive and sluggish leadership allowed the service's professionalism to degrade, to the degree that few security checks were performed in hiring and operations in recent years. An unknown founding conspirator took advantage of this opening and spread their corruption throughout the Secret Service. Several hundred agents have been arrested on corruption, fraud, or bribery charges; many of them resulting in high speed chases — brought to an end through the use of jetpack wielding pursuers. This is potentially the largest political scandal we've seen since the surrender of the prior Mandalorian government.
My brother is on the scene right now, interviewing the task force leader investigating the Mandalorian Secret Service. He'll let us know exactly what has been going on."
The studio displays switched from displaying the bright and colorful newsroom of the Daily Ordo to somewhere on Sundari. Standing is a tall and bulky figure, a red-haired woman in blue Mandalorian armor. Next to her, Aipex Jidoss appeared diminutive from the lack of armor by comparison. He was holding a microphone and started speaking after a brief pause.
"Thank you brother. As Juup was saying, I'm here speaking to the leader of this task force, Duchess Satine's sister, Bo-Katan Kryze." Aipex Jidoss pushed the microphone in Bo-Katan's face. "Big fan of your work on Gargon, putting down troublemakers like Gerr, and raising up a proper and lawful government there."
"Um, thank you?" Bo-Katan seemed unsure about being on-screen, clearing her throat awkwardly. "I'm just doing what's necessary for my family-"
"And clan. As it should be." Aipex Jidoss cut in and interrupted. "So you've been put in charge of tracking down these varmints that have infested the Secret Service. What can you tell me about the conspiracy?"
Bo-Katan appeared to regain her balance, answering more confidently. "It's too early to be certain, but seized evidence suggests an organized corrupt force of agents, a conspiracy within the Secret Service. The conspirators started by slowly amassing influence and trading connections with several criminal organizations across the Mandalorian sector and even foreign agents beyond. I think we found ourselves lucky that we have found no links to the Hutts yet. Given enough time, these kinds of groups will grow and justify anything in the pursuit of their goals."
"Of course, of course." Aipex Jidoss nodded in agreement, "So how'd you smash them?"
The woman smiled before saying, "We smashed them in the good old-fashioned way. We captured one, took them in for interrogation. Then tracked down and caught the next one, pulling apart their conspiracy network, one conspirator at a time. Unfortunately, some of the higher-ups in their network appear to have escaped Mandalore before we could make a move."
"Damn, well, I'm sure you're going to pursue them, aren't you? After all, why else would Duchess Satine ask for the help of someone who has their own mercenary group?"
"I can't say much, but I can tell you that we'll be seeing them very soon." Bo-Katan agreed, which earned a nod of approval from Aipex Jidoss.
He turned to speak to the audience. "As you can see the situation is well in hand, the conspiracy will be defeated by good, common Mandalorian headbutting. Which reminds me, congratulations. I heard you recently married one of the most eligible bachelors across the sector, Pre Vizsla."
"Thank you." Bo-Katan said with a cold smile. She took a step towards Aipex Jidoss, somehow seeming to be looming over him. "But I haven't exactly announced that, though, so how'd you find that out?"
"As a member of the Daily Ordo it's my job to find out everything, anyway, back to you Juup Jir Jidoss." Aipex Jidoss said an unusually fast rush.
The red active light reappeared on studio holovid cameras, and I dramatically cleared my throat. The show must go on as it were. "Various space navigation authorities in the Mandalore sector report regular and distant sightings of Death Watch forces lately. The Mandalorian government has announced that they have expanded the search for the Maelstrom to outside the sector. It's believed that the Maelstrom is not within the Mandalorian sector nor within CNS space, as a thorough search of the sector has not found any trace of them. But where could it be if it isn't in the sector? That is still up in the air, as there are very few places a ship of that size could be refitted or resupplied. The location of the Maelstrom is one of the biggest mysteries and most hotly debated pieces of gossip lately.
In other news, Prince Korkie had left Mandalore on a diplomatic expedition to Raxus Secundus yesterday. Here is a replay of his statement on the purpose of this diplomatic mission for those that may have missed it." At the mention of Raxus, a hologram of Prince Korkie standing behind a podium was shown before the image expanded to cover the view of the studio changed to displaying Prince Korkie at the Royal Palace's Great Hall, addressing a press conference.
"The Council of Neutral Systems has appointed me with the critical task of re-opening dialogue with the Confederacy of Independent Systems." I suspected Prince Korkie had received much more effective media training than Bo-Katan, as he confidently explained his mission. "The Confederacy is nominally a democratic parliamentary system, and our diplomatic goals will be to find values and mutual interests that both of our peoples share. We know the Confederacy values their dignity, desires respect, and wishes to be treated with honorably by all other systems. Mandalore shares these values. We also want peace. Together, I believe we can all find a mutual outcome for peace in our time."
The red active light reappeared again, and I provided the summary for our viewers. "Our foreign policy analysts agree that the Mandalorian government's effort to reopen trade lanes from the CIS to the CNS would result in prices of various goods to be lowered to a more reasonable degree. More speculatively, successful peace talks could become the basis for mediation between the CIS and the Republic. It would be wonderful if Prince Korkie can find some way to improve relations between those two great powers. Hopefully this will be the first step into ending this war so that we can return to not having to pay double the credits to refuel a speeder. Good luck, Prince Korkie, you carry the hope of the Mandalorian people."
Mandalore, Sundari, Secret Service HQ
Almec
Letting out a huff, I turned off the holo-display. Bo-Katan with her lack of PR skills and the Ordonian so-called reporter is nothing but a jumped-up water-filtering salesman vanished from my sight, revealing the ancient meeting table underneath. This table, that I bought at an auction, was preserved Taung-timber from an unknown species of tree. Its origin explained its unusually large size, as it was not crafted for human proportions. But now, the routine progress report of the Secret Service has ended.
The other physically present agents stood, ready to depart from the secure conference room. These four individuals were compartmentalized away from the segment of Secret Service that handled our more illicit operations, like those in-charge of growing the Mandalorian Black Market. They were each in charge of monitoring factions that would endanger Mandalore's peace and prosperity to both provide early warning as well as ensuring my control. Even though they themselves might never fully grasp their importance in my plans. I raised a hand to halt their exit, and spoke simply. "Corruption. Conspiracy. Claims that we've become a threat to the stability of the Mandalore sector."
The group paused at my first words, and none of them breathed a word in response. The silence stretched for a long moment. "How exactly this happened is still unclear," I lied as naturally as I breathed, "but the important part is we need to find out who is responsible for this, no matter their position. Someone high in the government has been using the Secret Service for nefarious reasons and corrupt games. We know it must be someone who is still here on Mandalore because they were able to alert the three operatives controlling the organizations meant to monitor the interior of the Mandalore system, allowing them to flee."
Still, none of them reacted to my words. I slammed a fist on the meeting table in frustration. How could they not see, after all, the source of my problems was obvious! "It must be another member of the Duchess's Council or perhaps amongst the Royal Family itself. Only they could have warned those criminals to flee before they could be captured. That is why I've gathered you here today. We are going to examine all possible suspects. No one is off the table, and feel free to speak your mind."
There was silence again as the agents, each a head of an organization, thought for a moment. Agent Guardian, responsible for monitoring the Republic, took a more confident stance and spoke up first. "I've been investigating former Prince Tal Merrik. He seems to have been responsible for at least some part of this. His involvement in various levels of corruption is confirmed by the methods of his attack on Duchess Satine. My investigation teams have used this as a basis for seizing his assets, finding quite a bit of evidence that he was pocketing bribes and other assets for his own personal slush fund. A good portion of his accounts were already emptied before we discovered those slush funds."
I nodded. It was necessary to find a patsy to take the fall for my wrongdoings, but this one wouldn't exactly help me with my current predicament of maintaining my station within the government.
"But there was something else that sort of came up while I was looking into Merrik..." I nodded positively at Guardian and gestured for him to continue. Guardian is a plain-looking and forgettable-seeming middle-aged man in a beige suit. The others shifted, also hoping for similar recognition; at times like this, esprit de corps drives our investigative spirit more than any remuneration or reward we might hope to receive.
"...is it possible that Princess Tanya is corrupt as well?" Guardian spoke into the uncertain silence.
I blinked and looked at him, surprised. "Elaborate."
Guardian seemed to grow more confident as he explained. "The Royal family draws upon a stipend for their own wants and needs. This is not a problem. But Princess Tanya somehow turned a rather sizable profit somewhere along the line. She has access to at least two Lancer pursuit craft that were modified for personal use several years ago. We observed her use one when she went to Geonosis, which was shot down, and barely a week afterwards, she was seen using another Lancer on her return trip back to Coruscant."
Agent Paragon whistled, he was the dark-haired and sharply-dressed man who was responsible for monitoring the Death Watch. "Two Lancers? That's a lot of credits. Where did she even get those ships?"
"Lancers hmm..." Agent Legion said, thinking aloud. Grey hair and hard eyes, her face was set in a stern expression that only long or harsh experience made possible, betraying no thoughts. She was the most dependable out of all my agents, which is why she was in charge of the department monitoring Silver Mandalorians. "Doesn't White Silver also use a Lancer-class too? At least she did when she arrived at the outskirts of Gargon. One of the locals recognized her unique symbol from the public broadcast and mentioned that she arrived in a Lancer."
Paragon frowned as he listened. Then he started shaking his head in the negative, and finally spoke up at Legion's final statement. "It's a rather popular ship. I wouldn't think too hard about it. Bo-Katan got one not too long after she took part in the whole Gargon affair."
"Why were you watching Bo-Katan?" Agent Enduring asked sharply. She's the head of the most junior department, responsible for oversight of the CIS. The recently formed department's leader had been chosen for her successful black ops against Death Watch in the period after the Civil War. It was too bad she was too paranoid to work well with the others, preferring hierarchy.
Paragon shrugged. "There's always been suspicion that she's involved with Death Watch. We don't have any proof, but with her political leanings and Kryze family gossip — the way she had frequent arguments with her sister — it's my opinion that she was, if not a member of Death Watch, likely aiding them in some way. And hey, they did reveal themselves to the public when they took the Maelstrom, so she could be part of Death Watch for all I know."
I stood there, blinking several times. "Did Bo-Katan have the Lancer after, or did she have it before?"
The room went deadly silent before all four agents reached behind them and started pulling out datapads, conversations erupting at the idea.
Paragon stared at his datapad. "I can confirm that Bo-Katan had her Lancer after the Gargon incident. I cannot find when she got it. We need internal records from the Mandalorian Space Transportation Bureau."
Enduring spoke up next. "I got my hands on those records after they got checked for corruption. Yeah, here we go. Huh, it registers here that Bo-Katan was registered in a Lancer-class pursuit craft that left Concordia before the Gargon incident."
"Hold on, are we really suggesting here that Bo-Katan is the White Silver?" Legion spoke slowly and calmly, trying to hold everyone's attention. "My department keeps an eye on her because she's seen working for White, but I don't think she's actually White Silver. I've read that book, and from what I know about Bo-Katan, she's the 'punch first' and 'ask questions never' type."
Paragon nodded emphatically. "Agreed, but Bo-Katan also has deep ties to Gargon and that's worth considering. Evidence suggests that she worked as a mercenary for criminal organizations on that planet. She has connections with the new local government, which still has ties to crime families, despite Duchess Satine's official approval to adding the system to Mandalore."
"Yeah, but there are conflicting reports of Bo-Katan. Some reports place her fighting in the city streets, far away from White Silver at the time." Enduring said.
"Prince Korkie has noted that White Silver has at least one body-double. Likely taking advantage of the full body armor. It's well within the possibility that White Silver is just someone she hired, an actor no different than Taylor Hero, the one who plays the Silver Mandalorian on the holonet." Legion explained patiently.
"This would have been a very sophisticated operation, though." Guardian said, shaking his head. "I just can't see Bo-Katan being the mastermind behind this. It makes me more confused, not less." He complained.
"Perhaps she's not White Silver, then." I spoke clearly, locking eyes with each agent in the room, so they acknowledged me. "We got to this conversation point with a simple question: Where did Princess Tanya find the money for two Lancers?"
Enduring suddenly had a shocked expression, as if she had just figured out something very alarming. "Are the two of them playing White Silver together, or is Princess Tanya perhaps providing some sort of financial backing? Do you have any intel on that?"
"Bo-Katan did train Princess Tanya combat tactics at the urging of Duchess Satine when she was still a child." Paragon admitted slowly, folding his hands in front of him. "Perhaps she is inclined to support her aunt in this."
"Then..." But Enduring didn't finish her thought. Heads turned towards her, but she ignored them pointedly and focused on me. "Sir ...is Duchess Satine White Silver?" Enduring asked in alarm. Various sounds, shouts, and gestures were made all around me at that question.
"What makes you say that?" I stood my ground as I considered the idea seriously, giving voice to the mutual confusion for the room.
"Think about how White Silver's ideology came about around the same time Tanya started training with Bo-Katan, right? And immediately after Gerr, the False Silver appears, White Silver confronts him. But somehow before this confrontation, Bo-Katan acquires a Lancer-"
Legion interrupted Enduring's explanation. "And then White Silver shows up on Gargon also using a Lancer. Princess Tanya suddenly has Lancer's, as well."
I agreed, "It's likely not a coincidence. The simplest explanation is the most likely, and the Royal family received Lancers at the same time and from the same primary source as White Silver." I took great pleasure in turning the Princess's methods against her, after all, she deployed the same axiom often enough when influencing Satine.
Enduring was still focused on me and was nodding in agreement with my assessment. "It's not a coincidence. There are plenty of other light-military cruiser models available in Mandalore. If the Duchess is White Silver, then that explains both the Bo-Katan's and Tanya's possession of the Lancers, the Silver Codexes rapid acceptance, and it even explains events on Gargon. At the very least, it's worth considering." She finished in a torrent of words.
I nodded my head before saying, "I think you're going a little bit too far on that without evidence. Bo-Katan could be White Silver and Satine is merely aiding and abetting her out of sisterly foolishness, but this is something to consider here." I started arranging a number of the larger view screens in the room, one had numerous view screens on mobile stands. After delegating the rest of that task, I started creating profiles for our suspects. On each of the view screens, displayed a report of the suspect, showing a holo of their appearance and last known details. One for Lady Bo-Katan, Princess Tanya, and Duchess Satine, as well as a few less likely suspects, Ms. Tarri Crikey the Administrator of Breshig, and Jango Fett the notorious Bounty Hunter.
I pointed up towards the five viewscreens. "We cannot move on circumstantial evidence. We don't know the story behind all these situations, and they are rather interesting connections. What we do know is there is a definite connection between Bo-Katan and White Silver. Is this just a working relationship, or is this part of a larger conspiracy?" Turning to face them again, I said, "Find me all the evidence you can find. We need to determine how deep this corruption goes." Turnabout's fair play, I couldn't let the New Mandalorian dream die here, after everything so far.
Raxus Secundus, Raxus shopping center
Natalya Volkova
This place smelled of riches and the nobles who controlled them, but I kept that to myself. Even if I disliked my current objective, Liliya was the one in control of the fate of Anteevy. Unless I could find some way out of that situation, I have to stay true to her goals, even if I sometimes doubted our objectives.
Korkie had been sent from Mandalore to Raxus Secundus, the homeworld of the Separatist Parliament, in order to act as a representative. Liliya found that idea intriguing, but she also kept her oppressive watch over me. I received strong hints that keeping him on the righteous path to social equality would be hampered if I were to remain on Mandalore.
Obviously, I was meant to spy on Korkie and guide him in the right direction. After all, making one of the potential rulers of Mandalore in favor of communist ideals is of great importance to our mission. Plus, I couldn't exactly be his mistress, as Liliya put it, while physically separated by light-years for long periods of time.
But that was not my only objective here. Anteevy joined the Separatists for rational reasons. In chaos and uncertainty, our ideals could flourish and provide the foundation for our new order, one for the people instead of the elites. Already, wherever the Revolutionary Guard had been deployed across the northwest of the galaxy, our ideals and literature were brought along, spreading the message of the revolution to the galaxy.
The Separatist's conflict with the Republic was frequently creating fertile opportunities for spreading our ideals. Already, large sections of their society were just being turned into droid manufacturers for the war effort. And what would the droids be doing after the war? Well, besides protecting their homes, they would be working in farms, mines, and so forth. According to our ideals, the droids would free the people to pursue higher education and other ascended pursuits.
With enough time, the people would come to rely on droids for everything that the lower classes provided. And the classes would merge together to become a new, stronger people. In a single peaceful step, the class system would meet a beautiful death.
Our ideology required droids to be created and programmed for every possible task to fully replace the sentient labor pool. That was already the droids' role across the CIS, but poorly executed. Thus, our new ideas on how to better utilize the droids are fully compatible with traditional belief in droid subservience.
Our message and the spread of our droid labor found the most resonance with the lower and middle classes, as droid proliferation led to an economic boom and rush of new colonization for resources to fuel the Separatist's hungry war machine. The CIS was very stratified though, which meant the aristocratic and highest classes resisted any change from below, especially while times were still good for them.
Besides my mission to seduce Korkie, I was to spread the message amongst the youth and leadership of the Separatist Parliament. So far, I hadn't accomplished much, but it was something I was working on nonetheless when I wasn't hanging out with Korkie or Soniee. And I must say, "hanging out" was kind of the word that could best describe what I was doing right now.
"Maybe this dress?" Soniee said, bringing over an outfit from one of the rows of clothing.
"Thank you, Soniee. I'll try it on now." I said with a smile, taking the dress before making my way towards a back changing room.
In order to improve my mission's chance of success, I needed to be friends with Soniee. If both Soniee and Korkie were comfortable with me, then I would have more avenues to influence him.
Carefully, I slid into the dress, making sure it fit properly. Once I was sure I could move and breathe in it, I stepped out and saw Soniee exit her own booth in a similar style of dress.
"I really have to thank you for reaching out to us, Soniee." I said, pretending to check the back of the dress, keeping watch of her in the mirror.
"When I first volunteered to go with Korkie on this diplomatic mission, I was a bit hesitant. Since there would just be us and a few Royal Guards, but ever since you reached out to us, I felt a little bit better. Having someone we know, at least, is better than not having anyone we do."
I turned around to face her and adopted an understanding expression, "Yes, it's always best to have comrades nearby. I didn't know anyone when I arrived here, still don't really. So when I heard you were coming, I figured I should reach out to you, my good friends. We're both Mandalorian in our own way."
"New Mandalorian." Soniee corrected, brushing her hair back. "But yeah, we are probably the closest to each other here. Everyone here wants to go to war with the Republic or demand that we join their side. I've been to several meetings at this point. Korkie's just there, trying to figure out if the CIS are the good guys in all this or not."
"There are no good guys in this war." I didn't have to fake the somber and serious tone on this topic. "This is a galactic war between two factions that are rather corrupt. The Republic is no better than the CIS Executive Council. And the CIS Executive Council is mostly made up of corrupt corporations that are only interested in their bottom line and control the CIS by funding it with their money."
"And what's Anteevy's objective in all of this?" Soniee asked.
I smiled when I looked at Soniee and said, "We also want the independence that the CIS promises. When this war is over, the CIS will still be around, but there we will have so much more freedom than we would under the Republic. The right of autonomy over our own home regions without a bureaucratic monstrosity putting its noses in where it does not belong is something I believe every system should have. We will be able to choose for ourselves what we can do without the Republic's interference. Spreading communism to other planets near our homeworld is a moral imperative for us. We want our ideals to be our legacy to the galaxy."
"So you want to spread communism across the Mandalore sector?" Soniee asked as she looked in the mirror.
I nodded. "Of course. Will that be an issue? Making a state that is socially looking out for the common people sounds rather good to me. If we all come together, we can all make a better society, a better nation, a better sector. One that is beyond the squabbles of the Clans and the Great Houses that currently rule the cradle of our peoples."
Soniee shrugged before saying, "I'm not entirely sold on that idea yet. I've been doing a little research myself on the Gran, from the Kinyen system. Aren't they also kind of like your government, but they focus on making everyone into one big family?"
I looked at her, a bit surprised, raising an eyebrow before saying, "Yes, they are similar in mind, and they have been around much longer, I admit. But their people are different, alien. The governmental school says they developed from herd species, so their form of socialist welfare is more a continuation of that prey mentality."
"So, communism only works if we do it Liliya's way and with humans." Soniee concluded.
Was that what Liliya wanted? "I haven't considered that point of view before, mainly because there are only humans on Anteevy..." I trailed off, but it did seem a bit xenophobic. "Nothing I've come to understand suggests that Communism only applies to humanity." I clarified with a shrug.
Soniee nodded and thought for a few moments. "I have to wonder if there isn't something to the Communist ideals that I've read. But I just don't think the idea of removing every clan in Mandalore is the right solution. I think the Gran's version of expanding the family, creating a larger and larger family structure that looks after everyone, might be the way forward for Mandalore. I've been meaning to talk to Korkie about it, but I've just been having issues talking to him."
"Perhaps you're right about the family structure aspect. Anteevy has never had any studies done on the Gran specifically, and to be fair, the Clans that existed on Anteevy were nothing but gangs. Some of these gangs date back thousands of years, all criminals or children and grandchildren of criminals. In order to make a society that worked, we needed to break that up. But perhaps there's something to be said for a different point of view." Soniee smiled, seemed to take heart at my interest and her point of view. "Why are you having trouble talking to Korkie? I would assume that you two are rather comfortable with each other, considering how close you two are."
"He's just so passive with our relationship. I want to move forward, but he's just so slow to act. It took him four years to ask me out on a date, four years, and it's only been three or four dates since then. I think he lacks role models, Tanya's personal life is nearly as bad as Bo-Katan's was, and Duchess Satine hid her relationship from everyone. So yes, we've been on a few adventures together, but that's not really dating."
I nodded my head sagely, I said, "It seems that Korkie wants to be a prime example of a New Mandalorian, a pacifist. I think he does love you, from what I have seen of your interactions. Maybe you should make the moves, push, and push hard, and I'm sure he will appreciate everything you give him."
"You really think that'll work?" Soniee asked
"Trust me, if you go for it, he'll be yours." Did I say that out of misplaced guilt, or because it was the truth? I wasn't sure, myself.
She smiled and said, "Thanks for the advice, Natalya. Well, I better go and see about paying for this. After that, I'll demand that Korkie go out on a date with me, maybe something more afterward. Talk to you later."
With that, she stepped away, heading over to make her purchases. I smiled, knowing Liliya would disapprove of my actions, but that I was safe while following her expressed orders. The task to befriend Soniee required helping her relationship with Korkie, which created a bind for Liliya's and her efforts to undermine it. Those two did deserve a chance to be with each other, especially considering that, in my opinion, Korkie was quite the catch.
Perhaps I should find a few more books on the Gran to find out how their system works. Maybe I could send a few books back to some friends on Anteevy.
Raxus Secundus, Mandalore Diplomatic Residence
Korkie Kryze
My mind was deep in thought as I walked with Soniee back to her room. Most of the representatives and senators I have managed to meet were not interested in ending the war or de-escalation of the conflict. I'm starting to understand some of what my sister must have to deal with on Coruscant. As far as they were concerned, they had been attacked by the Republic, and the Republic had declared war. The delegates would consider a Republic cease-fire if one miraculously was offered, but until then they were justified in all actions taken in their defense.
The most concrete deal I've been able to have accepted was an establishment of a Separatist embassy at Mandalore. This would enable more high-level conversations with the CIS diplomats and the CNS, but it would take a long time to show any progress.
Which was something, but I would have liked something more tangible, something that was actually going to see an end to this conflict. Guess I was a little bit optimistic taking this job, but I would continue to try at it. I had at least codified that the blockade from the CIS end of the conflict would be lowered, since the CNS was a neutral party to be accepted by the CIS.
As far as the senators of the CIS were concerned, Mandalore was off the table for the conflict zone. What worried me was the Executive Separatist Council. I hadn't met them, and the way this system was functioning seemed rather confusing, to say the least. The Senate voted on what to do, they sent it to their Chancellor, Count Dooku, and he communicated with his Executive Separatist Council, who would actually put those policies into action.
That worried me because, for all intents and purposes, the military was under the command of corporations and not the people. Not that I had anything against private enterprises. I didn't fully believe everything the book that Natalya had given me was talking about. However, there just seemed to be something inherently wrong with this system.
Putting those thoughts away, though, I focused on Soniee as we made our way down the hallway. Tonight had been a rather nice night. She didn't invite me out on a date, but wore a rather nice dress, and we had enjoyed our time talking about non-political issues, reminiscing about our archaeology school adventures. I kind of wish we could go back to that now that I was here, but maybe that would be something I could do after my posting here was done.
Hopefully, that would be soon, and I could stop getting threatened by various Mandalorians who were not fans of the neutrality or pro-Republic stance of the Mandalore sector. From a representative of the Mandalorian Protectors calling me nothing but a puppet of the Jedi, to a Mandalorian giant in red armor named Chop'aa Notimo and his Gungan sidekick making disparaging remarks about all New Mandalorians, I had to deal with quite a bit of that over the last few days. And I wondered how many other Mandalorian groups besides Anteevy who sided with the CIS I would have to deal with, sending insults and threats my way.
Finally, we arrived at her room's door. Soniee opened the door, pushing it all the way open, before saying, "Here we are."
"Yep, here we are." I agreed, happy to have her safe and sound. Just as I was ready to go down the hall to my own room, Soniee bit her lip nervously. A second later, she lunged forward and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me down into a kiss, surprising me. I didn't even get a chance to try and determine what was going on before she pulled me into her room, shutting the door behind us.
Mandalore, Self-Defense Forces HQ
Jango Fett
Stay out of politics. That's what I've been told to do. That's what I planned to do. But I have never promised never aiding the Mandalorian government if they called me. And, well, the Mandalorian government is going to pay me a lot of credits to give them a little help. I was not going to turn that down.
That being said, what I had signed up for was best called a weekend gig. My plan to build farmland on Concord Dawn had been put on hold. I own the land, yes, but it looked like Concord Dawn was going to be invaded by the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force, so they could get the frak off Vorpa'ya. So, I'm not going to build anything there or move any of my people there to set up farmland until things calmed down.
Once whatever the hell the governor of Concord Dawn and his corrupt Journeyman Protectors were on was settled, maybe I'd do something with that land. For now, it was mostly just a loss held in trust until I had an opportunity to do something with it.
But that was a side story. Yes, I'm still a farmer. But today, I'm hired to be a military advisor. I had been called to Mandalore for a meeting in the upper district, the MSDF headquarters. Apparently, I would know it when I found it because it was stuffed between the CIS and Republic Embassy. The military general, the Self-Defense force Commander — I needed to look up the exact title when I got a chance — called me up to basically serve as a potential source of information. Being one of the few people who have fought a war in the last few decades, I guess I knew a little bit about fighting conflicts on a large scale.
I had to be getting closer to my destination, because I watched a group of clone troopers trading insults at a group of droids, separated by a couple of Mandalorian guards.
Apparently, someone thought it was a good idea to set up the Republic embassy and the CIS embassy one building away from each other and then stuff the building in between them full of Mandalorian guards just to keep an eye on it. I mean, it's not the worst idea, since any fight that breaks out would be contained in this portion of the city and the Guards are right there ready to stop the fight. But the insults they were trading said a lot about how well it was going to go.
Shaking my head, I kept on moving further away from the conflict of words until I found a very nondescript building with two Self-Defense Force Mandalorians standing in front of it.
Stepping up to them, I said, "Jango Fett. Is this the military headquarters of the Self-Defense Force? I was called to come here."
The two guards shared a look and probably spoke to someone over internal comms. A moment later, they stepped out of the way, one of them pressing a button to open the door.
I nodded and said, "Thanks." before stepping inside. I looked around, knowing that like many New Mandalorian buildings, there were a lot of windows. There were a few other military personnel wandering about, carrying paperwork, so most likely this was a pencil pusher location.
"Jango Fett?" came a voice, causing me to look and see something that surprised me. A white-skinned Twi'lek came forward, offering a hand. She was wearing a very distinct Mandalorian uniform which is a dull green long sleeved shirt with the New Mandalorians' tall hexagonal symbol sewn as a patch on the shirt's right sleeve at shoulder height, pants of the same dull green color, and a vest that has to be made of armorweave. The vest has what I assume are rank insignias on her left breast while a metal name tag is on her right breast and a large central pouch is empty, which I believe could be filled with a beskar plate if additional protection is necessary. I noted, probably something required by the pacifists from the upper echelons.
Taking her hand, I said, "You must be someone of importance, I would assume."
"Ikudtuvo Ordo. Supreme Commander of the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force, and somehow ended up with the job of being the overall military leader of the CNS after my showdown over Taris."
"Wrong place, right time?" I said, knowing how that goes.
She nodded and indicated to follow, saying, "I've been meaning to call you up ever since I heard you were on Mandalore. You're probably one of the few Mandalorians with a lot of battlefield experience, and if we're going to protect the CNS, we're going to need all the experience we can get, especially with what we're having to deal with."
I nodded, following behind her, before we entered what I assume to be her office. I noted there was a holo-projector on the wall showing the galactic situation zoomed up on the CNS's defense systems. Of course, the core of the region is the Mandalorian sector and its nearby sectors. But there were yellow dots scattered all over the place inside the fields of blue, which must represent the Republic. I quickly noted that the Mandalorian sector cut off the CIS from the Dentari Exclave, an area that was currently in rebellion against the Republic, which I could instantly see why there would be issues.
"Take a seat." She instructed as she sat down next to the board.
I did, before saying, "Not really sure how I can be much help. I mean, I fought quite a bit during the Civil War, but it's not really going to be of much use in a war this big."
Ikud nodded, her head tails bobbing as she did. "I would assume not either, though maybe you might know some nuggets of wisdom about some of the areas around here that can prove useful. But you also fought in actual combat before and we need military trainers, as many as we can get. The Republic and the CIS have managed to absorb a lot of mercenaries from the Mandalorian sectors before the CNS was officially declared, which means we are a little bit understaffed when it comes to experienced military personnel, especially with the situation on Vorpa'ya."
"Yeah, I heard about Vorpa'ya, is it a problem for you?" I acknowledged. I was glad I wasn't involved in that mess, I didn't much want to support the Journeyman Protectors, and the rest involved had too little to offer, not enough to make it profitable.
She shrugged her shoulders, saying, "Not sure. It could end up being a five-way war if things keep going the way they are. All we know is that it's one system in and out of Confederate Independent Systems into the CNS, with the Republic holding this area." She pointed to a northern campaign area and a southern campaign area marked on the map, separating the Republic from the CNS.
"The planet needs to stay under CNS control, so we can't let Anteevy get their hands on it because that'll just open us up to more unsecured transportation from CIS space into our own."
Looking at the map, I asked, "That is a lot of space to cover. How are you going to make sure that you can even monitor all that space?"
She shrugged before saying, "Currently we are issuing bounties on ships that bypass customs inspections in regions outside of our direct control, obviously this system is ripe for abuse. We are shifting away from that by purchasing ships from Gargon and Kalevala, while also reorganizing the Mandalorian Patrol as part of the Mandalorian Self-Defense Navy. With any luck, we will be able to string patrol ships along the border region and just prevent any ships from transiting it. Either that, or make it so hard that whatever makes it across can't be used to reinforce the CIS exclave. That could trigger the worst outcome — which would result in the Republic declaring us part of the CIS."
I nodded my head. "Well, if you're slowly bringing up your manpower and all that, I assume you just need me to take up training. So, where do you want to send me? Where are you getting your recruits?"
She let out a deep breath, "Arkania. They're supplying a large amount of what we can best guess are their lesser population groups into our military. They sent us fifty million recruits to help reinforce the various system garrisons. From what we can gather, these were what the Arkanians call Class Two Riot Response Conscripts. Apparently they were sent in after the Class One Riot Conscripts failed to quell a riot. Class Twos are trained to use lethal force only. From what I understand of the reports, they have never had a failed operation."
"Nasty work, policing riots on a city planet. Tunnel rats can get really vicious." The Arkanians must not be expecting any riots anytime soon if they were handing over so many of their problem solvers. Most ecumenopolis riots happened over food, water, or electricity rationing. Unless the Arkanians have some way of ensuring they had a stable food supply or some way of reducing the population, there would always be riots. Very strange, but ultimately not my problem. I doubted that Riot Response killers that were trained for a city planet would be able to adapt to fighting on all possible battlefields.
They would likely make good ship boarding forces, however. "Fifty million sounds like a lot." I chuckled. "Until you see just how many star systems need garrisons. What is that? A few hundred troopers per system?" Another issue, I am willing to bet that casualty rates for these Class Two Riot Response Conscripts would be high. That sort of thing was perfectly fine when there are a million bodies to replace the dead within spitting distance, but when the defenders of a star system numbered in the thousands, each life matters.
"Something like that." Ikud looked somewhat deflated. "A drop in the bucket. It's fine for Mandalorian systems, as local populations have the firepower and equipment to secure a star system by themselves."
"But our new allies are a military liability since they don't have any real military capacity." I concluded. "So you need to secure a navy first and foremost to protect the tiny amount of ground forces."
"Let me worry about that, you just have to deal with helping us as a trainer. Both Arkanian and otherwise. The Arkanians take orders well, but they don't have the Mandalorian fire, as it were. The other CNS member worlds are another matter entirely, most of them view being a soldier as some sort of jobs program, for the unemployed. We need some people to train that fire into them. We've already deployed several regiments of Arkanian clones to the fortress world of Krownest as well as here on Mandalore to be trained since we have the most facilities to house and train them. Some of the regiments were sent to my home world of Ordo and a few were sent to Jakalia and Harwee as they have the least amount of housing capacity. Thankfully all of those worlds have Mando trainers in abundance, so we don't have to supply those units with our own trainers. We just need to send trainers who're familiar with our training style to go to planets that don't have Mandalorians locals."
Looking at the map I noted several locations marked for larger military installations,"Well where are you sending me? Telereth is nice this time of year, apparently." I laughed. Getting the kid to roll her eyes and shake her head.
"No, we do plan to establish a garrison there soon, since they're building the main branch of the CNS Central Bank there. But that's not the planet we're going to be sending you." However, she pointed to an area I recognized, but nowhere near where I'd guessed..
"Taris. The Republic is deploying a garrison there to protect the Hydian Way, and we need to have our own garrison there. Some of them will be Mandalorians, some of them will be from Arkania, but most of the training units will be made up from local Tarisians. My understanding is that you have experience working with foreigners, which makes you the most useful asset for dealing with Taris."
I rubbed my chin, thinking. "I'm not exactly a fan of leaving the Mandalorian sector, I was told that I should not leave, even if the Council of Neutral Systems recognizes Taris as a member. There's a lot of space that's considered Republic between Mandalore and Taris." Not to mention that Taris itself was unique in terms of terrain. Only parts of it have been resettled in the thousands of years since its destruction, leaving most of the planet a ruin that extended higher than the tallest mountain on the planet and descended so far down that when the cooling systems failed, tunnels had melted. All of that was slowly covered over by voracious plant and animal life that had adapted to the ruined environment.
"It's still Republic space — for now." Ikud said with a soft smile. I blinked and looked at her. She continued, saying, "Denova and Vernqup have been in talks to possibly join the CNS. When that happens, we'll have a direct bridge that we can travel to Taris. If you're worried about your security, when that bridge is established, we expect a cascade effect, and small systems all along the Tarisian section of the Hydian Way will flip to the CNS, giving us de facto control of that section of the hyperlane route."
I huffed, that would no doubt drive the Republic mad, I grinned before saying, "I don't see why I should worry about my security. If I have to make one trip there, that's fine. I can do it. It's just that I would like to be able to come back once in a while, you know, be with my family. Which means I would have to come back every so often. Creating a system that someone could catch me in between Taris and Mandalore. As long as you're going to be able to work out some sort of deal to secure a direct route between Mandalore and Taris that will not be interfered with by the Republic, I'd be willing to take up this job."
She smiled and said, "Thank you. You have no idea how hard it has been trying to get these things set up."
"I imagine. I mean, I did fight a war against other Mandalorians in the past." Shaking my head, I said, "How are the plans for defense, anyways? Seems a bit scattered by this map. One large neighborhood of systems, with five distant surrounded enclaves, alone in an angry sea of blue and red."
"Currently, the plan is basic. Ord Mantell will cover Concord Dawn and Alzar. Mandalore's looking after the south and Vanqor. Gargon is basically protecting the route to Taris. Krownest watches the route to the Dentari CIS Exclave and Haruun Kal. We are deploying troops to protect the planets from their homeworld to Mandalore. Ithor can handle themselves. Taris, of course, you've got our plan. We're just going to put some garrisons there. Thespin, they pretty much defended themselves against an invasion from the Dentari Exclave and managed to free themselves of all droids. They've joined us mainly as a way of saying that they are not taking part in this war. Finally Arkania, well, we're deploying troops from some of our Mandalorian Self-Defense Forces to Arkania to train up their own armies to our standard. We're separated, yes, but we do not want war with the Republic. And if the CIS invades us, we can easily move troops to kick them out or at least stall them at Vorpa'ya, allowing us to be a third party in the war if necessary." Ikud cleared her throat as I considered her words. It was not a shock that Arkania was not too worried about a Republic invasion. City planets were near impossible to take if they could not be starved out and Arkania was a net exporter of reconstituted nutrient paste rations. It would not be pleasant, but the pale bastards could likely hold out indefinitely.
"A possible problem are the mercenaries hired by both sides possibly knowing routes in and out of Mandalorian space." Ikud continued.
"Yeah, I've heard. Null is proving to be a bit of an issue for the Republic, thanks to some Mandalorian Protectors, I think they're called." I mused.
She nodded, saying, "Yeah, your cousin is doing a good job. We think he's stationed out of the Dentari CIS exclave, but we also think he probably knows routes all across this region and can get to the CIS through the current defensive lines of the Republic."
"Almost makes me proud if he wasn't bringing a little bit too much attention to Mandalore."
She shrugged before saying, "It evens out. Silver Mandalorian mercs are apparently hot on their tail, trying to cause problems around Dentari space, possibly also taking part in the Belsmuth campaign. We know they're coming from Gargon, but what can we do about that? They're independent contractors, so they're not Mandalore's problem. From the reports we've got, they're acting with good honor, actually taking prisoners where they could, instead of just executions.
We also have a few Royal Guards who took a leave of absence to serve in the protection of Ryloth of all places. Apparently, they bought themselves their own little fleet of fighters from MandalMotors and have been causing hell for the CIS."
I chuckled before saying, "So as long as mercenaries serve for the Republic and the CIS, we could just say we're still neutral because it evens out." Shaking my head, I said, "True Mandalorian way, one way or another."
Surprisingly, the white-skinned Twi'lek laughed before saying, "You're not that far off. I know my homeworld is glad about that."
My raised eyebrow prompted her to continue, "Ordo was in favor of the True Mandalorian way over Death Watch's. Still is, even with Death Watch's recent propaganda victory with the Maelstrom. The True Mandalorians would have been able to work something out with the rising New Mandalorians if they had managed to win the war. Instead, you guys destroyed each other and, well, the past is past."
I nodded before saying, "I'd like to think you're right on that. I've been paying attention to what the New Mandalorians have been up to while I had my current work. From what I've seen, they've done a good job with Mandalore, even if I'm not a big fan of the disarmament. But it seems to be taking care of itself. Silver Mandalorians do a good job of putting some backbone in the New Mandalorians again."
"Ain't that the truth." Ikud said, shaking her head. "Just wish we knew who White Silver was. I have a suspicion that we're not being told the full story whenever I read her version of the Supercommando Codex."
"Oh, anything in particular you've noted? I've always kind of avoided it myself."
She looked up at me before saying, "Economy seems to be the focus of the manual, really. The culture, the ways of defense, they're in there, but the main focus is on the economy. Everything is built on making sure the economy hums along. I don't know, something about that just makes me wonder if White Silver is an economist or has a lot more stake in the economy of the Mandalore sector than we thought."
"Huh." I pondered in my head. "Not sure what it could be. Oh well, I always preferred to stay out of politics. After all, if people want to play Mand'alor, that's up to them. I've done that, and I'm onto something else. Training armies is what I can do. I trained the Clone Army. I can train some recruits on Taris, that's for sure. And who knows, maybe a little bit of Mandalorian would rub off on Taris and be good for it in the long term."
Raxus Secundus, Dooku's Palace
Sev'rance Tann
Carefully and slowly, I walked through my Master's Palace. Having to relearn how to walk with my new prosthetic legs was aggravating, but there was nothing else I could do. I would not submit to the maiming the Jedi had inflicted on me. I had to simply endure this humiliation that had been grafted onto my legs below the knees to replace what had been cut away until a better replacement can be created.
I just wished that I got something that actually looked humanoid. These claw-like things, that had been attached to me in the rush to save my life, looked very cheap and unintuitive to use. Yes, they would allow me to keep moving, but it was very inelegant, inadequate.
How far I had fallen. At the start of the war, I had been one of the most effective military commanders in the entire CIS army. I put the Republic on notice that this war would not be easy. And then some damn lucky Jedi decided to use the Dark side and cut my legs off.
He would have cut me down the middle and killed me if Dooku had not recently shown me some new tricks for directing myself while in midair. Some sort of Jedi technique that he had not been interested in teaching me until after Geonosis. Of course, he started teaching me new techniques after that. You would have to be blind not to notice that something changed after Geonosis.
I had suspected that Count Dooku had wanted this war, yet he may have had goals outside of actually winning it. Whatever that goal was, after Geonosis he started to take more care in his acolytes' training.
Even with that extra training, I nearly died fighting that damn Jedi. If it hadn't been for me getting in his head and making him realize he had used the Dark side to be able to pull that off, I would probably be dead. Instead, he assumed that I would bleed out on the ground and left with his mission accomplished and the Decimator already destroyed.
I managed to crawl into a hiding place so that the clones never found me and finished me off. The only one who found me was my love, Vandalor, and he helped me get off that Core world I was going to die on.
At that point, I had a choice. I could return to the war or I could not. After all, I was reported dead by the Jedi who took off my legs. It was a reasonable decision considering the planet we had been fighting on was rather volcanic, and if I didn't get aid sooner or later, I would have been rendered a smoldering husk or get found by a passing clone as there are not that many places to hide.
Ultimately, though, I decided to return. I required months of therapy before I could even function as a combat agent again. Until then, my role would be limited to commanding from the backline and formulating strategic plans.
Count Dooku hadn't explained to me what this meeting I had to attend would be about, but I would assume it would be for the next phase of the war. If he was actually taking it seriously, perhaps we would actually accomplish something instead of this back and forth stalemate.
Oh well, the destruction of the Jedi would come in due time, that I was sure of. I just needed to be in the proper place to make sure that I benefited from this in the long term.
I eventually reached my destination and waited for the two Magnaguards to open the door. I step in as soon as the door is opened where I am immediately assaulted by comments.
"Oh my, is that a Force ghost that just walked in?" came the voice of Dooku's number one assassin, Ventress. The Dathomiri gave me a look of contempt, I suspect it was because of my former title as Count Dooku's favored acolyte. From what I heard after my defeat, that title had been taken by a fallen Jedi who was leading a force of other fallen Jedi somewhere in the galaxy, but it probably did not matter to Ventress.
I had no interest in playing her cat game today. Normally, I might have indulged her, for after all, I enjoy a good contest of words as much as the next person, perhaps even more so. But this was my first return to military high command, so I could not afford to appear unstable.
"Rumors of my death have appeared to be exaggerated." I said dismissively as I took a seat . Looking around the room I try to determine exactly who had been called for this meeting. Whoever was here would probably hint on exactly what kind of meeting this was. For instance, if several of the notable military generals were here, then this was obviously a military coordination.If only Darksiders were here, obviously this was a meeting about the Dark Order that Count Dooku planned to create.
Unfortunately, this was an odd mix of individuals. Ventress, of course, was here, myself included, which could indicate Darksiders. But then there was the monster of a creature in one corner, a giant in armor that bore the symbol of Mandalorians on its chest. This must be that Durge fellow I've heard about. From what I knew, he was just a mercenary, so why was he here? And what secrets from an ancient era did he still possess?
The final individual was a cyborg, a machine man that barely qualified as a cyborg, considering he was almost entirely machine. I had heard of this new officer in the CIS military, one General Grievous, I believed the name would be.
He had capes hiding most of his form, but the helmet displayed a skull-like design, and his visible feet made it clear what he was.
"Quite a diverse lineup of individuals." I mused, looking around.
"Quite indeed." The giant of a man, Durge, followed it with a low grinding, laughing noise. "Must be some sort of major shake-up, or maybe we are just the most loyal officers he's got available."
"Loyal? How are you considered loyal?" Asked Ventress, who was looking at him amused. "You're nothing but a mercenary, not even an acolyte of the Dark side."
"Hahaha, anything that lets me kill Mandalorians earns my loyalty. The money is just a bonus. Not to mention, Count Dooku has helped me acquire my old fortune, so I have more than a few reasons to be loyal to him."
Ventress did not look pleased, but I nodded in his direction. "If your loyalty is secured, then good. And from the reports I received, your tactics were just as legendary as your reputation in the defense of Muunilinst from the Republic. That lancer formation and charge was quite inspiring."
The mercenary looked at me, his thoughts hidden by his helmet, but he nodded, silently saying that it's nothing too inspired; it's simply an old technique that's not used in modern days. "So much of war seems to have been forgotten over the last thousand years."
"Yes, I've heard you're quite old." I said with an odd smile. "Perhaps you should look into taking a teaching position at whatever military academy is founded after this conflict. Your years and centuries of experience could be quite beneficial for the next generation of military commanders."
That got a general laugh from the man as he said, "Me, a teacher? Never! That's a funny thought, and I'm sure I'd make a good penny." he said, rubbing his fingers together. "But I enjoy the hunt, the fight of bounty hunting, more than sitting behind a desk. Maybe when the last Mandalorian lies smoldering in his grave, I'll consider that if the CIS is still around in a thousand years."
I raised an eyebrow, saying, "That confident in your survival?"
The creature looked at me with a tone in his voice that said he had all the confidence in the world. He said, "I have taken precautions, maybe I'll even tell you about some of them when you're half my age."
I nodded my head, about to ask another question to fill the time, when the doors behind me opened. Count Dooku and another individual stepped in, the elder Sith looking rather splendid in his brown cloak, followed by a short female individual dressed in white cloak, her face hidden in the shadows.
"Ah, everyone is here. Perfect, we can get started right away." Count Dooku said. "General Sev'rance Tann, it's good to see you back on your feet."
Whoever said Count Dooku does not have a sense of humor never met the man. He always found a way to slip in just a little bit of amusement to some situation.
Smiling, I replied, "It is good to be back, Count, even if these," I lifted one of the claw-like appendages and clicked it before lowering it again, "are not exactly what I would have chosen."
Dooku nodded his head before saying, "I will put in a message with the Techno Union about maybe getting you a replacement that more closely matches your original limbs. Unfortunately, most prosthesis production lines are being repurposed for droid production at the moment. Thus you'll have to make do with what you have for now."
I nodded as Dooku and the other individual moved further into the room.
Ventress asked, "Are the Dark Acolytes going to join us, or is this meeting just for us five?"
Dooku sighed before saying, "Master Bulq will not be joining us. He is needed in his position and he does not know everything yet. This meeting is for those I have chosen, those who are loyal, those I trust enough to keep secrets as well as stay the course for the CIS and our goals."
As I thought, this was some high-level operation that he was working on, something that he wanted only the best and most loyal officers for.
"General Grievous is here, as he recently returned from operations at the Battle of Bothawui. We've learned much about the Republic's response time and how they handle our various probing attacks. Using this information, we are preparing for a general offensive at the end of the year, thanks to those actions."
"Didn't he get his ship blown up again?" Durge asked, which caused Grievous to growl at him somewhat menacingly.
"An unfortunate miscalculation, I assure you it will not happen a third time." Grievous replied. I highly doubt that. He is an army general and is more familiar with army tactics than naval strategy and his performance speaks for itself.
Dooku continued, "Back to the topic at hand, before we can launch this attack, we need to stack the odds in our favor. We recently engaged in a raid on Kamino, the cloner's homeworld. As far as we can tell, though we were unsuccessful in our objectives, the fleet around Kamino has not been greatly increased. Instead, they've tried putting warning systems around their planet to let them know if we're coming. Grievous believes that he can silence them and get a fleet over Kamino to destroy the planet's main city and their cloning facilities before they can bring a fleet to respond. As such, I believe it would be best to have some of my best operatives on this mission."
"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this." Came the menacing voice of Grievous as he leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him.
"I imagine you will, good sir. I imagine you will." Dooku said. "You will be leading the charge. Your objective, of course, will be to cause as much destruction and mayhem as possible, something I believe you are quite capable of doing."
The menacing laugh was the answer to that. Turning to Ventress, Dooku said, "As for you, my assassin, we are engaging in another project to perhaps acquire our own clone army in the future, or at least damage their production of clones. Your mission would be to acquire their source gene material."
"It will be done, my master." Ventress said with a nod of her head. But I had a question, so I asked it.
"Would it not be better just to locate Jango Fett and capture him? After all, if you eliminate his contract with the Kaminoans, they can simply get a new source of genetic material from him."
Dooku nodded his head before saying, "It would but it would also create additional problems as well. Jango Fett has tied his hands to Mandalore officially, taking a role in their military from some of the reports I have heard on the matter. Meaning, he's neutral. Kamino may reach out to him to obtain new samples, but we will put political pressure on Mandalore, demanding that they do not allow him to provide them with those resources. If they ignore our wishes, it will create justification for an invasion by the CIS, and they will lose their pretense of neutrality."
The laugh of Durge told us everything we needed to know about what he wanted to say. The number of times he had expressed his desire to kill Mandalorians made it clear that if the Republic did that, he would volunteer to lead the assault into Mandalorian territory, probably with the goal of killing Jango Fett himself.
I simply nodded, taking in the information, and said, "I assume that my role will be as the fleet's admiral, providing naval support to those conducting the operation on the ground."
Dooku nodded his head. "Yes, that will be your role. You show promise as a lightsaber combatant, but until you have mastered control of your new legs, I feel it's best not to push you too far."
"Thank you, my Lord." I said with an odd thought. Though I disliked being pulled back like this, I know better than to fight while injured when I don't have to.
"When will the attack be allowed to go forward? I'm feeling the urge to test myself against the Jedi." Grievous asked.
"Don't test yourself too hard, Grievous. The Jedi are not someone to fool around with." I said, already having learned that lesson after pushing one a little too far.
Dooku noticed my sniping, but didn't say much. Instead, turning to Grievous, he said, "I believe two to three months from now. It'll take time to gather our assets for the assault. Once everything's in place, we will launch an attack on Kamino."
"I assume this is off the books, that the Senate doesn't need to know about it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be keeping this so close to your chest." Grievous remarked.
Dooku nodded, saying, "You are correct. With a representative of the CNS now speaking for peace here in CIS space, I believe it is best to keep this between us. We do not want the Republic to be forewarned of our impending assault, especially with this representative's sister being a Republic senator."
I nodded in understanding as Dooku turned away from Grievous to face the rest of the group, "Now that everyone understands the situation, you are now dismissed."
Grievous, Ventress, and I all nodded our heads and turned to leave. I started as well, but I could feel something in the Force telling me that I would not be allowed to leave yet. And I was proven right as Dooku said, "Sev'rance, a moment of your time. I have another issue to discuss with you."
I nodded as the three left the room. Dooku sat down behind his personal desk, indicating that the robed individual who had remained quiet this entire time should take a stance at one side of his desk.
"As you're aware, I am building a new Sith order here in the Outer Rim. And we are more willing to experiment with the Force than the Jedi are." Dooku began. I nodded my head.
Raising his hand, he indicated the white figure, saying, "I have acquired an apprentice. Unfortunately I cannot maintain a full-time apprentice like I could before, due to the needs of the state. You require time to recover from your injuries. Thus, while you do, she will serve well as your apprentice, a temporary intern if you will."
The term "acquired" was interesting, avoiding how exactly he obtained her. Did he ask the parents for permission first or was she kidnapped? The fact that she was not locked up would suggest that she was too young to remember her parents or had willingly joined their service. Seeing that she appeared to be around five feet tall, I would say she would have to be at least a teenager, so it was more likely she had willingly come into their service.
I thought for a brief moment about saying no. After all, I had no need for a student taking up my valuable time. Perhaps I was relegated to a mere general until he decided I am better than the new one. Perhaps this was a way to ingratiate myself back into his line of control.
Finally, I nodded in my head, saying, "I will take up this student for you, my Lord, and train her in our ways. What is her name?"
"Her name is Tan'Nya Zotho." As he said that, the hooded figure pulled back their hood, revealing that she was not what I would have expected. I wasn't too shocked as her last name was a giveaway that she was of Arkanian origin. So is the white skin, white hair, and pointed ears. However, the blue eyes seemed off. They appeared very dull and cold, not in the sense that she has low intelligence, but in the sense that she considers life itself as something beneath her notice, as if she had seen more than she should. Perhaps she had been taken by force after all, and this was the effect of her training required to bring them to the Dark side.
She said nothing, so I gave no statements to her. I simply said, "Is there anything else you would wish me to do?"
Dooku pondered for a moment before saying, "I've been having another issue that you may be able to help me with. The Mandalorian Protectors have been doing a good job in their offensive, but I believe they should be brought into the operation on Kamino."
I raised an eyebrow at that and asked, "Do you think it's safe to deploy them next to Durge?"
"I think they will serve their purpose, and Grievous will be too busy in his section of the city causing mayhem to do what's necessary. The leader of the Mandalorian Protectors is a former clone. Apparently, he escaped Kamino long ago and wants to free his brothers.
I doubt he will be very successful, but his part in this operation would be kidnapping the young cadets that are already in training, the ones who appear to be children. The only issue I'm having is that they're currently indisposed in their own little skirmish with the Silver Mandalorians, a core of Mandalorian volunteers, hired by the Republic. I need you to track down Spar Fett and remind him of his obligations to the CIS and get him on the mission."
I nodded my head, saying, "It will be done."
Mandalore, Royal Palaces, Ducal Stateroom
Satine Kryze
"If every Jedi acted like you, the war would be lost!" Anakin Skywalker argued with the recently arrived former Jedi, Serifa Altunen, elected Lord Protector of Arkania. "Say what you like about following your conscience, but if we divide our forces, the Trade Federation will win." Serifa, Anakin, Padme, and I were settled in comfortable chairs in one of the many staterooms rooms that dotted my palace.
"I don't see the value in winning this war." Serifa said softly, her face impassive, perfectly imperious, and perhaps a bit condescending.
"Why not?!" Anakin asked with genuine bafflement. "Look, if you think that the Republic has strayed from the path of benevolence and wisdom, that is one thing, but governance via battle droids is quite another."
"Would you force us into this war? Drive Mandalorians to battle with Dooku?" I asked.
"Of course not." Anakin waved a hand. "Mandalorians and Jedi are different."
"I have left the Order, I thought I made that clear." Serifa said with the slightest hint of frustration coloring her tone.
"Left the Order to become a Jedi Lord. I get that, but still a Jedi. You still have responsibilities to fight against the illegal war Dooku is conducting." Anakin said, his words slow and careful.
"I am not a Jedi Lord." Serifa protested. "I am just a lord who happens to be a Jedi. I have no desire to institute an outdated system like the Jedi Lords in my homeworld."
"But everyone is calling you a Jedi Lord." Padme pointed out.
"I can't be held responsible for the insipid accusations of the willfully ignorant." Serifa replied testily.
"I agree, the Republic Senate and media have openly called me Mand'alor several times even after I said otherwise. It is deeply offensive how the Republic misrepresents the rightful leaders of Neutral System worlds on purpose." I pointed out before taking a sip of my drink.
"Exactly, not to mention the gall of the Republic to vote on the invasion of the Neutral Systems solely upon the actions of Death Watch and a rogue Jedi!" Serifa snapped.
"Technically, it was a vote to invade Mandalore. Your planet just wanted to join the party." Anakin said.
"Another pointless and immoral vote. Another reason why I have rejected both the Republic and the Senate." Serifa continued. "I follow the Force, not the Council, and not the petty laws of the Republic. I serve the people, not the Senate, and I will make peace, not war." The Arkanian said with a conviction that gave me goosebumps.
"Here here!" I agreed cheerfully, holding up a fine glass of Arkanian sweet milk, a type of creamy mead that was rich and strong enough to put a blush on my cheeks. I watched with amusement as Padme joined Serifa and I in the toast, much to the annoyance of Anakin.
"We can't all afford to be idealists." Anakin grumbled.
"We cannot lose our ideals either." Serifa said softly, showing a crack in her armor for the first time.
"We could always have a battle droid blast everything we care about to bits." Anakin said in what I assume to be sarcasm as he drummed a cybernetic hand across a rather expensive table.
"Do you really care about winning this war?" Serifa asked.
"Of course." Anakin replied instantly.
"Why?"
Anakin threw up his hands. "What do you mean, why?!"
"Perhaps you should examine your path, commune with the Force to come up with a better answer to that question." Serifa said, earning a bewildered grunt from Anakin as he shook his head.
"You won't reconsider?" Anakin asked, his expression one of sour defeat.
"No." Serifa said as she stood up from her seat. I looked at her with growing melancholy at how this conversation is progressing, helpless to change its course. "I have considered the matter for a long time with great care."
"You swore an oath." Anakin said bitterly.
"Then I am forsworn." Serifa shrugged. "But I must say, I don't feel it much." With a smooth motion, she unclasped her fine cloak from her shoulders and folded it before passing it gently to Anakin, who took it with a sigh.
"Your lightsaber." He pressed. Even sitting down, I felt a pressure of command with his order.
"No." Came the reply as Serifa sat back down.
"You are not a Jedi!" He protested, his eyes turning wet.
"So you say. And yet, my people might yet need a lightsaber to defend them, one wielded by someone who has not forsaken the Force." Serifa dismissed him, her face set in cool marble.
Anakin pushed his chair back as he stood, turning away from Serifa and holding the cloak close to him. "I will have to tell Master Yoda that you are a lost cause." He said bitterly. "You are not to speak to my Padawan." With that, he stormed out of the room. Padme gave us both a pained look before excusing herself and quickly rushing after the clearly upset Jedi.
The room fell into silence as Serifa seemed to stare into nothingness for a moment, looking at the door that Anakin just stormed out of.
"That must have been difficult." I offered my sympathies.
"It had to be done." Serifa sounded resolved.
"We have to stand as an example." I began. "So that the entire galaxy can see that there is still peace to be found, to be cherished." Serifa nodded and took a long drink from her cup.
"Our imperfect people?" She laughed to herself. "Why did it have to be us?"
"Mandalorians know war." I said. "I know it better than most."
"And my people are a twisted lot." Serifa said to her glass.
"But we love them anyway." Serifa seemed to nod softly, turning to me and then away again.
"By the Force, politics drives me mad." Serifa said, blinking as I leaned over to refill her glass with the lovely Arkanian mead.
"You don't have to go it alone." I pointed out.
"I still don't know if we will manage this, you know. The Republic, the CIS, the entire galaxy seems to be falling for the madness of war. Letting it twist them into something terrible. Can our sinful people truly be what the galaxy needs of them?"
"Yes." I said, and her milky white eyes turned to my own at my swift answer. "If we have faith in them, if we lead them with dignity and honesty, if we never surrender our principles no matter how difficult the road becomes, I believe we will succeed." She nodded, her cheeks rosy from the mead. I refilled both of our glasses again.
"I just wish anyone had followed me." Serifa admitted softly.
"Leaving the Order is such a difficult thing." I said with sympathy, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "But who knows who we will inspire tomorrow." I noted how close the two of us suddenly were, but after taking another sip of the creamy mead, I found I did not mind that so much.
Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Is there no way to talk Master Altunen into coming back into the Order? No way at all?" I asked, trying to clarify it for record purposes.
Anakin shook his head, his form shimmering as the light blue holo-projector buffered, before saying, "I'm afraid not, Master. I did everything I could, but she is stubbornly against returning to the Order, stubbornly against joining the war, and stubbornly denies that she has turned her back on the Order. She also refuses to hand over her lightsaber, even though that is tradition among those who leave the Order."
I sighed, shaking my head before saying, "Well, I'm sure you did the best you could, Anakin. That's all we can ask in this situation. How about the reason you're there in the first place, the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force? Have you found anything of interest among them that the Council needs to know about?"
Anakin shrugged before saying, "Nothing too interesting as far as I can see. Most of the training that the Mandalorians are imparting on their army here is defensive in nature. Without a meaningfully large fleet with a large transport capacity, they don't pose any threat to the Republic. I did not find anything that contradicted the reports given by Tanya and Satine. So I can safely say that they aren't preparing to launch campaigns to nearby planets to force them to join them, like what the CIS are doing. It really looks like they're just preparing to fight a war of mutual defense. As I have said to the Council, I sense great wisdom from the Mandalorians in this matter."
I nodded my head, holding back a smile, Anakin had become rather protective of the Mandalorians after the Council had questioned their intentions. He was clearly picking his words carefully, so they would appeal to the Council. I thought for a moment longer before saying, "In one way, this is good, and in another, this is bad. If we were all united, we could probably end this war quicker. However, perhaps this will be good for preventing planets from joining one side or the other in the war. We could convince the Council of the value of funneling systems considering secession into the CNS to prevent them from falling under Dooku's control."
"It's the best we can do." Anakin said with a nod, before adding, "I have noted, though, that we Jedi aren't exactly welcomed among the Mandalorian trainers. I think a good portion of them remember the conflicts in the past and aren't exactly happy to have us around." I sensed some trepidation from Anakin, like he was hiding something, perhaps wanting to say more but thinking better of it.
I raised an eyebrow before saying, "What about the concerns the Council has that the MSDF has been infiltrated by Death Watch?" I sensed that Anakin was suddenly off center, sheepish and faintly guilty.
But he shook his head. "I do not believe there is any meaningful Death Watch presence in the MSDF. But I assume whoever becomes the permanent military observer will probably have to keep an eye on such possibilities."
I nodded, debating what I would put in my report. Then I said, "The Council will be happy to hear your estimates but unhappy with the possibilities." Truthfully, the Council had been rather worried about Satine's growing military capabilities, and Anakin's open praise of Satine's government only fed into the Council's fears. The Mandalorians were not democratic, they did not even want to be democratic and the elections they held were merely pageantry for the Republic. Despite my... feelings for Satine, even I knew that.
"Right," Anakin said before souring my mood, "I hope they won't go too hard on how they've taken the information about Tanya."
I do my best to hide my grimace. "They were… contemplative. Master Windu was perhaps my greatest critic, not undeservedly so. However, Yoda seemed to be more sympathetic and even amused the entire time. He might have already suspected; he is the wisest of us all." Shaking my head, I said, "Ultimately, they have decided to table the discussion of this matter until after the war. Though their current conclusion is that the way I've handled the situation is well within the Code. I have a family, but I have not let it cloud my judgment. Nor have I cultivated any attachment to them. Granted, I did not know I had a family until recently, which is why they've tabled it until the end of the war. The council has resolved to meditate upon the situation."
"Well, at least they're not kicking you out right now, and they're giving you a chance to make it right." Anakin mused.
I raised an eyebrow as I looked at Anakin, "Implying that if you can get away with it long enough and prove that you can get away with it, they'll let it pass, is not exactly the best way to deal with your own situation, Anakin."
"Seems to be working out so far." Anakin conceded with a grin that dismissed any hope I had that he was truly listening to me. "Though I do wonder if you've had a chance to speak to Tanya since you found out that you're her father."
My left eye twitched as I smiled. "I am not avoiding her." I lied matter-of-factly, before adding, "I did try to get in contact with her recently. Unfortunately, she had already left for the Mandalorian sector, and I was unable to speak with her last month."
Anakin inquired, "Have you tried since then?" raising an eyebrow, which got an annoyed grumble from me.
"No." I admitted. "We've been busy, and I will be shipped out in the next few days for another front. It is a war, after all, and I do not have the luxury to look into my family situation. There are planets at stake."
Anakin nodded, seeming to understand the gravity of my situation, "Well, that may be true, but there are still a few days in that time period. You could give it a try. "
I sighed, shaking my head, before saying, "Anakin, I don't feel like having this discussion tonight."
He smiled, indicating he knew he had won this one, but he simply said, "Alright, Master. Just don't forget your duties, and I will get back to mine. My time on Mandalore is ending soon, and I'll be returning to the front with Ashoka. As much as I have enjoyed the vacation, I feel like I should be out there with the 501st fighting the good fight."
I nodded before saying, "You'll have your chance to get back out there, and your Padawan will have to learn what it means to fight this war again."
Anakin mused, "Yeah, I think Yoda might have had something to his mad scheme there." Before I could say my farewells, Anakin added, "By the way, have you considered taking on another Padawan? I mean, I turned out alright, and taking on a Padawan may be a way to show that you are able to do your duties still, even with a family."
I replied, "That's an interesting idea. Though I have not thought too deeply on taking on another apprentice And I don't think I will for tonight. I need to get some sleep."
"Goodnight, Master."
"Good night, Anakin."
Writer's note: And there we have what I called the CIS chapter. A chapter where we focused on the CIS and what is going on with Dooku. Learning what exactly he and his staff are up to. The Legends fans have probably already figured out what the big thing is there. Building forces up for sure, but I won't spoil what it is exactly. We also got some Obi-Wan time, some Korkie time, some commie time, some Satine time, and some Jango time. Really, this chapter is packed.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
Edited by: Aemon, Fallqm, Guardsman Pius, MeowATron9000, Afforess, Warmach1ne32, BatAzr
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Hexcalibur
Not So Ordinary Sword
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- It
I await what will happen when the communist pervert find out about Tanya's elven clone.
A case of Teeth Clenched Teamwork in a nutshell and it'd be a surprise if we see them work together against a common foe despite their differences.
N0Way
2.71 8281 8284 5904 5235 3602 8747 1352 6624 9775
And now I'm imagining communist Tanya
That wont end well for the communest
that is horrible
Chapter 57, 717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Chapter 57
717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Mandalore, Beneath Sundari, The Living Waters
Taylor Palatine
"Quiet on set!" A producer yelled, hushing the nervous chatter from nearby staff.
Never in my life did I think my acting career would be this successful. From small plays and indie holos on Coruscant. Sure, my first big production didn't exactly go how I hoped... my parents almost stopped talking to me.
Now, the Silver Mandalorian was my ticket to cast my name in holo media history, and it was so much fun to do! The Mandalorians have taught me a lot, from how to fight and how to speak their language. Once I learned how to read Mando'a, I started to read the Silver Codex, to get a better idea on who the character I am portraying is like. And I found the Silver Codex fascinating, I was reading up on all sorts of interesting Mandalorian history in my free time. The more I read, the deeper I wanted to go, fascinated by these stories that actually happened. I wish more people would read the Silver Codex and pick up a book or an audio-holo to learn more of this.
The stories contained many Mandalorian heroes and villains that influenced the galaxy in their day, but I was surprised at how hostile my family and the Coruscanti often could be regarding Mandalorian culture. Mandalorian barbarians and warlords certainly threatened the galaxy once, but they have passed into history and their tales were still a good source of history and entertainment.
Such entertainment was being made with another scene for the latest episode: The Red Menace.
White Silver herself was here to watch me. I surreptitiously checked on her again, she was standing near Director Khip, with another male Silver Mandalorian as her shadow. The scene was written to show White Silver visiting the religious cults of Concordia during their pilgrimage to the Living Waters on Mandalore who she needed to recruit to aid her against the Red Communists of Anteevy.
However, the Concordians were skeptical of White Silver. She was accused of not being a real Mandalorian — never having taken the Creed nor bathed in the waters of the Old Mines beneath Sundari. So with Concordian locals as witnesses, I played the part of White Silver as she descended into the Living Waters to perform the ceremony.
In person, the Living Waters were as majestic and magical as I heard it would be. Since traveling to the Mandalorian Sector, I had seen many wondrous things, but nothing as captivating or otherworldly as the Living Waters. A local actor had shown me just how magical it was by taking a cup of the water and pouring it back in... The way the water was excited by the reunion — that mystical pulse of energy. It just felt so alive!
Once I was done reminiscing, I stretched a little bit to get ready for my part . We were outside the entrance to the Living Waters. A band of local Mandalorian actors were posing as the Cult of Mandalore, with their leader who is titled as "The Armorer" standing at the head of the tribe in her predetermined place. Dressed in a stylized gold Mandalorian helmet with embedded ivory going down the jawline, it made the wearer seem as if they were empowered with the tusks of a Mythosaur. The Armorer was also wearing a real beskar torso and armored kilt. To complete the look there was a toolbelt, strapped holding all kinds of forging tools. And as I learned in many of my sparring fights, in the right hands even tools can be incredibly dangerous.
"Cameras rolling! Standby!" The producer announced.
Here we go.
Director Khip raised one of his four arms, "Aaand… Action!"
"White Silver," The Armorer began, "although you have requested the aid of the tribes of Concordia in the fight against the Red Devils of Anteevy, 'one does not speak unless one knows'. We shall not hear your words, for you are an Apostate. Your words are a foreign wind we will not understand, for you have never taken the Creed, thus do not walk The Way. For you to take command of the Children of Mandalore, you must be redeemed."
"So, to be heard, to be redeemed in the eyes of your tribe, I must take the Creed?" I asked.
The Armorer nodded, "This is The Way."
"This is The Way!" The tribe behind her chanted.
I tilted my head, "How do I proceed?"
The Armorer stepped forward, passing by me, instead gesturing to the entrance of the mines. "Here lies the Living Waters of Mandalore. The songs of eons past tell of its time as a lair for mighty Mythosaur. Our first leader, Mandalore the Great, battled with the beast and defeated it before taming it. It is from these legends that the skull signet was adopted and became the symbol of our planet."
She turned to look at me, "You are to descend into the waters and recite the Creed. Only then may you be redeemed. Are you ready?"
I nodded, "I am ready."
"Then we may begin." The Armorer replied.
Tribal drums began to beat a beastly tune, hammering into my soul. A procession began to form, actors dressed in the ceremonial garb of the Cult tribe, carrying war banners with many different clan signets, with the Mythosaur-skulled Armorer leading them all. As we started to make our way through the tunnel, with me at the head, camera-drones followed us ahead and behind the parade to cover multiple angles. Reaching the chamber, I was to continue onward; carefully, I moved down the stone steps into the water. The Armorer stopped at the top, staying behind while the tribe spread out around the edges of the stone staircase into the water.
I continued down the steps until I was waist deep. Turning around, the drums stopped as the Armorer began speaking in a low tone.
"I swear on my name and the names of the Ancestors…" She recited.
With a little improvisation on my side, I respond back in Mando'a for the audience to experience it, "I swear on my name and the names of the ancestors..."
"That I shall walk the Way of the Mand'alor..."
"That I shall walk the Way of the Mand'alor..."
"And the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart."
"And the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart."
Stepping forward, the Armorer produced a bowl, scooping up some of the Living Waters. In one quick motion, she poured the contents over my helmet.
"This is The Way…" The Armorer recited.
And I responded, "This is The Way."
"This is The Way!" The tribe echoed in the background, almost a cheer.
I moved to step out of the Living Waters, to address the crowd of Mandalorians.
"The faithless Red Horde of communism, and their Separatist masters are poised to strike at the heart of all Mandalorians! Their heresy-filled clanless ideology would purge our histories, their parasitical leader salivates over the conquest of the sector! Over conquest of what it means to be Mandalorian! They preach pretty lies, promising peace and prosperity, but their actions reveal themselves. This includes repeated attempts to assassinate Princess Tanya Kryze, and their many efforts to corrupt the Prince with their poisonous words! Turning our own people against our rightful leader. Turning New Mandalorians into hypocritical communist!
Now rebuffed in deeds and words, the Reds plot to evade justice behind legal protections, dragging in the beskar'ad loving CIS into invading our home, our culture. We shall sally forth to meet them, to show them that the warm winds they sow will be rebuffed by the whirlwind of FOUR THOUSAND YEARS worth of strength. The Heretical traitors will know what being Mandalorian really is!"
The tribal background actors began clanging their beskar vambraces together in cheer.
Raising my fist, "For Mandalore."
"For Mandalore!" The crowded tribe members echoed the cry back, the acoustics in the old mine were heartracing.
"For Mandalore!" I repeated the cry again, in awe of the majesty of the sound of our voices across the Living Waters.
"FOR MANDALORE!!!" The wall of sound was almost a physical blow. The response of the tribe was less an echo and more the roar, as if from a majestic beast.
There was a pause, before, "CUT!" was announced. Suddenly, I was surprised at the amount of sweat working my way through my armored costume.
There was another pause before the Producer, sounding unsure of his own voice, "O-okay… that's a wrap, everybody." When the call echoed down the tunnel, I relaxed, pulling off my silver helm I brushed my hair a little. The ends were slightly damp, but I was quickly distracted as the actress playing the Armorer approached me with her helmet off as well, Ms. Mara Talik, I think her name was. When Khip asked the Armorsmith Guild for anyone who wanted to play the part of the Armorsmith, Ms. Mara volunteered. According to her, she runs an armor shop in Keldabe, here on Mandalore.
She grinned, and a strange light seemed to dance in her eyes, "Well done, kid." She offered a hand, which I accepted. I paused and tried to find words to capture the moment, looking for words to describe the emotions — I almost expected to visibly discern them in the air around me for a moment.
Ms. Talik's excitement spilled over my thoughts. "Dank farrik! That was incredible to watch up close, if that was not fictional, it would've gone into the history books for sure." She playfully punched my shoulder, "Still, something else might be recorded into history, if accidentally. Either way, congratulations kid, and let me be the first to welcome you. You're one of us, now." She smirked in a knowing way.
I hesitated, "What do you mean?"
She was interrupted in her reply when a background actor called her over, so she waved at me with a disarming smile and walked away. That was strange, but I decided to let it go, I figured I'd go talk to White Silver some more. It was fascinating to listen to her talk, to get a gleam inside her head so that I might reproduce it on holo. As I moved to go see the set crew, and more importantly, White Silver, the other Mandalorian actors came up to me. Some congratulated me, some shook my hand, others patted my shoulder, and some did all three.
Okay, that was weird. I know the scene I just did was awesome, but did it really need that kind of response? Then White Silver came into view, along with her second and Khip, who were reviewing the footage with pleased expressions, before noticing me and waved me over. White Silver was wearing a heavy brown poncho with a hood up. Her characteristic silver helm was hidden beneath, apparently she was wanted on Mandalore by some New Mandalorians that were not a fan of her, so she came disguised.
Khip grinned, "You've done me and my career proud, Taylor. That was a most exciting piece of footage, one of the best I have ever filmed! The ratings and credits will go through the roof after we release this."
"Thanks." I agreed, still too giddy with that strange and exciting energy to answer more eloquently., "It was... a thrill to do it." I swallowed and got my nerves under control. "How about you, Ms. Silver? Was it to your liking?"
She nodded, "Impressive, most impressive."
"Great... Hey, can I ask you a private question?" She tilted her helmet in, I guessed, curious confusion then gestured to follow her away from the film crew.
Once we were a distance away, she spoke, "Ask away, Ms. Palatine."
My tongue felt heavy, "After the scene ended, Ms. Talik said something strange. 'You're one of us, now.' Afterward, the other Mandalorians started congratulating me. I thought it was because of the scene, but maybe you could explain this Mandalorian behavior for me."
She chuckled. "I think it has something to do with the fact that this scene has now changed your life and public image forever."
I raised an eyebrow, still confused, "I don't understand."
"Although it was stage-managed and manufactured for an action show, the requirements of the ceremony were met. From here on, you are no longer only Taylor Palatine the actor, you are now Taylor Palatine the Mandalorian, truly and genuinely one of us."
My eyes bulged out once I comprehended her words, "Wait, what?! I thought it was just that; acting..."
She shook her head, "You bathed in the Living Waters and recited the creed. You were acting, but you were also sincere in intent. By all rights, in the eyes of the Manda, and in the eyes of the people, you are one of us now. You are Mandalorian. Credibility to the title is also aided by the fact that you know how to fight as a Mandalorian, how to speak our true tongue, and study our history.
There's a reason the Children of Mandalore say we are not a race. We are a creed, a culture. And now, that culture and history rightfully belongs to you, as it does to me, should you continue to accept it."
I was lost for any meaningful words, "O-oh — Wow, just… wow."
White Silver tilted her head, "Do you not want the title of being called Mandalorian?"
"N-no, just… I didn't think too hard about the implications of doing this scene, that I woke today as just an actress and will go to bed tonight a Mandalorian. But somehow... somehow, it just feels fitting. Like it was meant to be."
White Silver laughed softly, and her next words were sarcastic, "A Jedi would say, 'This is the will of the Force at work.'"
I laughed too, "Wait until my family hears about this, my siblings will not believe their sister is now a Mandalorian!"
We both shared another laugh, then White Silver spoke again, "Well, you can tell them that you are welcomed to Mandalore as your homeland. But perhaps we can take this a step further, and charge at this full speed." I looked at her curiously, unsure at what she meant. "In adherence to my Codex, no Mandalorian should be without their Beskar." My eyes started to enlarge again as I put together what she was saying.
"If you are truly committed to becoming a Mandalorian, then as a thank you for your contributions to the sector through your work, I will sponsor the creation of your own personal set of quality beskar armor. For you to wear in your day-to-day life, if you so choose it."
Before I could stop myself, I was giving the White Silver a tight hug.
"STARS! That would be so wizard! Thank you!" I repeated the praise a few times while holding her.
She seemed to be thrown off guard, as she patted me awkwardly.
"There are some conditions, though." She stated.
"Like what?"
"Are you familiar with Mandalorian color theory?"
I shrugged, "A little, only skimmed it to understand a part of a previous episode we made."
"Study it more closely tonight, then look at yourself and what you want out of life, so that we may customize your armor as such. The color choices are not a fashion choice, but a statement of how you live your life. Afterward, submit your choices to my droid, S4, and we may begin." She paused in thought again, "Oh, and what signet would you like to wear?"
I went a little red, moving one arm sheepishly and rubbed the back of my head, "Is it alright if I choose your emblem?" Pointing to the four-winged symbol emblazoned on my costume armor.
After a pause, she nodded gently, "I don't see why not."
21 BBY Month 6
Coruscant, Mandalore Tower
Tanya Kryze
Peace really was an illusion — even more so when it comes to Coruscant. Every day, news about the war would regularly come in, but Coruscant seemed frozen in perpetual peacetime, desperately presenting this false image as if it demonstrated strength, just chugging along like it had for centuries. There were few visible changes or reforms, despite that six months ago there had been a minor intrusion or invasion, depending on the way you look at it. It could even be considered an insurrection, a portion of the underworld population that keeps the city running sided with the droids, attacking installations across the planet.
I noticed all these problems, but otherwise tried to suppress my anxiety concerning Coruscant's fragility, this was beyond my concern. No, my concern was maintaining Mandalorian dominance when it comes to peaceful negotiations. And what dominance it had become! I had never realized it, but I had been fighting the political battles of the era with one hand behind my back as a representative. Previously, I had to run every proposal through Merrik and hoped that he would follow my advice. Now I'm the senator — I had essentially cut out the middle-man; I now hold sway over what Mandalore could vote on.
It was not like I could end the war with a snap of my fingers, as I was just one senator amongst many. However, the control I now had was ten times the control I had before. Before as a mere Representative, signing my name to a bill meant nothing on its own. Now as a Senator, my name and actions carried political weight and authority. Authority that I was more than eager to use for Mandalore's and my own benefit.
I wasn't trying to be the most corrupt individual in the entire galaxy — my own self-interest was also in the mutual interest of Mandalore. I also wasn't going to blatantly abuse my authority. I would never be foolish enough to sign off on something that would immediately see dividends sent directly to companies that worked closely with Mandel Hypernautics, like Mandal Logistics or Vesti Engineering Corporation. That's how you get caught, after all. No, I would simply go through the proper channels, maybe mention a company as a recommendation, but stick to soft influence and a strong image.
A major concern that had to be addressed was that of foodstuff. From a purely utilitarian standpoint, the supply of food was adequate to sustainably support the many more urbanized areas within Mandalorian space, but that was only a surface level understanding of the logistical quagmire that the war had foisted upon Mandalore and other Neutral Systems.
Food supplies were a requirement for the stability of any state, not only must a steady supply of food be provided to the citizenry to prevent starvation, but the quality of the food must be acceptable in terms of variety. The old adage of bread and games only goes so far, salts, sugars, spices, meat and other exotic foodstuffs must be provided to meet the needs of a modern civilian population to prevent unrest and criminality. Carbs alone don't cut it for populations with private blasters.
Such a wide assortment is nominally provided for by the free hand of the market. Simply put, where there is a demand, supply will arise. However, mass state actions, such as war, disrupts supply chains and there are times when a free market cannot reassert itself rapidly enough or at all. As distasteful as it was, some amount of central planning had to be undertaken, preferably from private citizens with the capital to rapidly shift to meet demands or from state actors responding to critical shortfalls.
However, before new supply lines could be established, effort must be made to stabilize any that had survived the disruptive wartime environment. Effort must be made to prevent price shocks that could cause cascade failures of other market sectors. Food was a requirement for survival, and if a food price shock hit an economic unit such as a family or a poor clan that could cause massive shortfalls in other 'less necessary' sectors such as electronics, clothing, transportation and entertainment sectors. Failures that would lead to even more symbiotic market sectors collapsing.
Concord Dawn had been the main issue that had caused food prices to skyrocket within the Mandalorian sector over the last few months. Not only did they seize control of over half the planet of Vorpa'ya, which put them in control of most of the agricultural products coming in and out of the sector, but it also looks like they are exporting food products that should have been used to feed the sector to both the Republic and CIS.
There were, of course, ways to work around this problem ethically. Other planets outside the Council of Neutral Systems could provide foodstuffs on both sides of the border near Mandalorian space.
However, the Republic was putting a lot of taxes on anything that we bought from them to feed their war effort, basically forcing us to in-directly participate through a necessity needed to cross the galaxy. I would like to say that this was a very clever idea. It would force us and other starving worlds to choose a side, especially if they were inclined to choose a side nonetheless. Except it became less clever after the CIS had lifted their embargo on the CNS.
Some magic Prime Minister Almec had pulled had gotten the CIS to lift their embargo, and Korkie was working as a representative to their Senate. Suddenly, we had quite an influx of food to cover our rising food shortages. Well, almost cover it. The CIS have their own people to feed as well, in addition to fighting the galactic war, so they can only sell any excess food at slightly above market price.
Frustratingly, most of the food that they sold us were products exported from Concord Dawn, at a slightly inflated price so that the merchants could turn in a profit. While it is annoying, that is how the free market operates and only an idiot would not take advantage of this golden opportunity for arbitrage, minting a vast profit with little risk. Of course, being the one footing the bill is never pleasant. The only course of action is to break this deadlock so that Vorpa'ya can resume food production, and we don't need to pay Concord Dawn for our food back. But that is easier said than done.
If it was just Mandalorians we were feeding, we probably would have been able to feed ourselves without issue. But the CNS was made up of more than just the Mandalorians. Adding to our list of issues, we had signed on to the Alderaan Refugee Conference. I had not been able to attend myself, but it had been quite a staggering, terrible affair, with another assassination attempt on Padmé Amidala. Maybe I should be more forceful and broach the idea of hiring a Mandalorian trainer for her guards to improve her security.
Thankfully, that had failed, but now we were responsible for a small part of the refugees being displaced by the widening conflict. These new demands on our resources meant we had to find ever more sources of food.
Personally, I support resettlement for refugees — find some temperate and spacious unoccupied world before we start dropping people and construction supplies down on it. The problem, of course, being that most Mandalorian worlds, worlds within the mainline sector and its neighboring cultural border, were not exactly habitable anymore. And that was before the Excision made it worse with sprinkling radioactive dust on most of them.
There was a reason Mandalorians were drawn to barbaric, toxic, and outright dangerous worlds with monsters to fight. We were drawn to adversity like moths to a flame. It's our culture and I respected it to some degree, simply because I'd gotten used to it. On the other hand, it makes taking in people who have been displaced by war much harder.
But it's not impossible. There were planets like Zanbar, Velmoth, and Cheravh, which were prime candidates for colonization. They actually have functioning ecosystems that weren't under constant danger of large predators to a great degree. They were within the Mandalorian sector and were not under threat of a massive conflict. Which was the reason I removed the idea of using Vorpa'ya as a potential candidate, I wouldn't just dump refugees in a potential warzone.
There are also planets in neighboring sectors that had a small population that could theoretically support refugees, but they had not signed on to the Neutrality Council yet, nor to any additional refugee commitments that Mandalore had. Thus, they would not be taking part, at least not yet. When they joined the CNS, I was totally plotting to use their unoccupied, habitable spaces on those worlds to resettle some of the population that was obviously going to be sent our way as the conflict went on.
But that was getting too deep into the future. I yawned, and lightly distracted myself, tapping my face to keep active and aware.
I should be preparing for the official ceremony for Tabi and Vai's wedding tomorrow, before we kick off the Mandalorian Expo on Coruscant. More than ever, we need the Expo to maintain and improve Mandalore's image for people here in the Core.
Unfortunately, I was called away from last minute wedding planner details by my senatorial duties. No longer was I the representative of Mandalore, but the senator of Kalevala and the entire sector of Mandalore. That meant Aunt Satine could use the currently empty title and position as Representative as a gift to a political ally.
I wasn't quite aware of how the politics had gone, but the Duchess had decided to give it to one of the most far-flung loyalist planets in the Mandalorian sector, Jakelia. They had then selected their representative and sent them on their way to Coruscant. Now they were due to arrive in the next half hour or so, I think.
I had to meet them, get to know them, and instruct them in their duties. Much more than what Merrik had provided for me, and give them warnings about issues they should avoid.
Yawning out loud once more, I wished for a cup of caf, only to be greeted by Engiz holding out a thermos for me. I looked at him, and he said, "Thought you might be running yourself a little bit ragged, so I had Vai whip you up some caf before we left the apartment."
I smiled eagerly at the thermos of caf, finally looking up to say, "Thank you." Taking the thermos, I popped it open, drinking some of the warm awakening elixir down; I let it settle as I closed it and handed it back for safe keeping.
He returned to his guard stance again while we waited for the new representative to arrive. We were notified that the new Representative was entering Coruscant's atmosphere a few minutes ago, so they should be here any second. I hadn't brought everyone out, as I didn't see the need to. Only Engiz and Captain Struc were present. The captain ignored Engiz, as he was occupied watching the area for snipers. We were all standing out here in the open, waiting to see if someone would try their luck and take the bait. It was a boring, but necessary excursion.
If there was anyone going to try and take a shot at me, now would be the best opportunity. There are only a few skyscrapers high enough to get a clear view of me, and I am glancing between all of them for a hint of a scope. If anyone did try to take a potshot, X4 did install some low-level shield emitters along the walkway for us to take cover behind; hopefully they would stop blaster bolts and projectiles.
"So, any idea which of the two they sent?" Engiz asked innocently.
I looked over my shoulder at Engiz and smiled, saying, "Probably the Princess." My voice was impressively calm and collected.
I hoped it would not be the prince, I repressed a burst of emotions, turning away slowly. I strategically hid my face from Engiz and looked away. The prince of Jakelia had kept it to himself, but he had definitely been making moves to try and see if I was interested in him. Obviously, he was trying to get a royal marriage. He had probably been put up to do it by his father, I would assume.
While his attempt had been nothing but failure, it had been something that Engiz had noticed. Halfway through that hunting trip we had gone on, the two of them had been peacocking at each other over who could do the most for me. I had not realized it at the time, not fully, but I was distressed to realize it was definitely what they were doing, now that I reviewed my memories.
So, as a result, I was rather hoping that the prince would not show up, simply to keep that behavior from continuing.
"I am also sure that he'll be too busy with his duties on Jakelia to be sent here." I kept my voice confident and bored. "He is the heir, and it's very rare to send your heirs off to a world like Coruscant if you have any alternative."
It was then that I was drawn from my thoughts, as a shuttle of an elegant build, perhaps from Naboo by its lines, came in low. The graceful vehicle finally came to a stop across from where I was standing on the platform.
There was a pause from all of us on the platform as the ship released heat and cooled down. Finally, the door started to open and down came a sleek, athletic woman with green skin, pointed ears, and blonde hair. "Princess Kyr'vehtka'ar, welcome to Coruscant." I greeted, giving a curtsy as she made her way down the ramp.
She smiled and made her way towards me, saying, "Princess Tanya, it is good to see you again." She ended her greeting with her own curtsy.
"Good to see you too, Princess Kyr'vehtka'ar." I said. I remembered our brief encounter on our last trip. She had been introduced during part of that little camping trip all those months ago. Suddenly, she was in front of me, leaning forward and surprising me with a kiss on my lips.
I blushed, flustered, as she backed off and said, "You don't need to call me that, Tanya. Representative Kyri will serve nicely, I think." Two BD-3000 droids came down the ramp from her ship, carrying a large supply of what looked like clothes boxes and suitcases.
I wondered if that was some sort of tradition that I was unaware of. She hadn't done that the last time we met, so I was suspicious. But perhaps the opportunity had never presented itself. If it's only something that you do when you're off-world, culture was a funny thing and had many different outlets. But this was a bit beyond what I would consider normal, and the fact that she wasn't acting like it was abnormal just made it even more confusing to me.
Adopting a mask of confidence, I said, "Well, if you'll follow me, I'll lead you to the room you'll be staying in."
She nodded before saying, "So, this is the fabled Mando Tower — where the future of our sector is decided. For some reason, I thought it would be taller."
She started to walk with me but stopped as she saw Engiz. "I recognize you, Engiz Ordo." And immediately leaned in, kissing the side of his helmet. When she pulled away, I spotted it left a dark red lipstick mark; that annoyed me.
I would check to make sure I didn't have such a mark on myself when I got up to my room, and remind Engiz to remove the one on his helmet as well. It was unbecoming of a Royal Guard, even he could see that. His eyes were wide with shock at her brazen attitude.
When I got the chance, I was going to have to lay some ground rules with the woman. To make sure she didn't get herself into too much trouble while here, as well as to keep her far, far away from Vai.
I sighed and led the way to the tower. "You'll be staying in one of the representative suites. It was my old residence when I was the representative."
"Oh, wonderful." Kyri said with a smile as the doors opened in front of us. "I hope it's prepared for me already. I'm quite eager to move in and see more of this city for myself."
I chuckled before saying, "You'll get a chance. Everyone's kind of busy right now, though. We're getting ready to hold a wedding ceremony, one of two, actually."
"Oh? Has someone claimed your heart already?"
I looked at her with a raised eyebrow, finally shaking my head in disagreement. "No, it is not for me. We're holding Vai's marriage ceremony as a public demonstration of Mandalorian culture during the cultural expo tomorrow. There will be a separate private ceremony with family and relatives that will occur on Tabi's homeworld, Harswee, in a few months."
She looked understandably surprised to find out about the ceremonies.
"Cultural expo? That sounds fun. What exactly is being showcased?" She asked in an earnestly curious tone, it put me on guard; the elevator arrived, and we stepped inside.
Clearing my throat, I said, "Well, we don't want to get too violent. Mostly, it's just a concert with some talent I have brought in, some light shows, a poetry slam exhibit, as well as various stalls showcasing products that are usually sold in the Mandalore sector."
Kyri smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically. "Well, that sounds fun. I can't wait to be a part of it. How can I help?"
Looking at her, I shrugged. "Anyway you want. It's a cultural festival. If you have something from your culture you want to show off, feel free to find a booth and display it. I'm sure everyone will be more than happy to see whatever you have."
"Hmm, all right. Sounds fun~."
The elevator quickly came to a stop as we arrived at the floor beneath my personal quarters, a room meant for the representatives. My royal guard still had some quarters on this floor. The door opened, and I stepped in, pointing towards the furthest back room. "As I explained earlier, you'll be getting my room. It's much further back and has the most security on this floor."
Kyri nodded her head and was about to say something, but Vai interrupted when she entered the main dining area from her room.
"Oh hey, the new girl." Vai called, giving a wave. Coming forward, she said, "We haven't met yet, but you can call me Vai. I'm Tanya's handmaiden."
"It's nice to meet you, Vai." Kyri said, extending her hand. They shook hands as she said, "I heard you're getting married and at such a wonderful time of life, too."
Vai rubbed the back of her head. "Thanks. I'm still trying to get used to the whole idea, but I'm ready for it. New battles, new stuff I have to deal with. But at least I have good friends." Her words were already trailing off, she left part way through, but glanced towards me on the way back out.
I shot her a smile and nodded back, happy to be supportive of my, I guess, childhood friend. At this point, we'd known each other for a long time now. Has it been a decade already?
But before I could get too deep into my thoughts, Morson came out from her room, saying, "Kyri? You're the new Rep girl?" She waved enthusiastically as she walked over. "Howdy, girl." She said, extending her hand to the green-skinned woman. Only for said representative to lean forward and give her a kiss on the lips, just like she had done to me. Which was very annoying.
"Nice to meet you again, Khae. I hope your time on Coruscant didn't dull your edge."
Morson seemed shocked, and her cheeks burned a bright red. After a moment, she stammered her reply. "I-I hope so too, we still have that rematch to settle."
I simply blinked, shaking my head, hoping that I could figure out what was causing her to be so overly friendly with certain individuals. She hadn't done that with Vai, so why is that?
I had a feeling I would find out soon enough and would be rather annoyed by it. Sighing, I said, "Anyway, let me show you your room."
Coruscant, Mandalorian Expo Square
Princess Kyr'vehtka'ar
Yesterday, I had fun messing with Tanya. Establishing dominance through ancient cultural displays was an old trick, but I hadn't expected for her to respond in kind with her own cultural display so quickly. I kept having to school my face and hide my amazement at the procession and pyrotechnics of the Mandalorian "wedding." While there's nothing unusual about having a little bit of extra flair for such circumstances, most Mandalorian weddings could be described as rather tame compared to this.
Understandable, that this was merely a show for the Coruscanti public. Tanya apparently researched all records of every wedding ever held in Mandalorian culture, synthesized and upscaled many of the elements into one larger harmonious procession, culminating in a concluding ceremony laden with symbolism. At the same time, each step of the wedding held something interesting for the public, the crowd's attention swinging in surprise to each new entertainer, then back to the couple. Likely it was also the closest any here had been to combat — at certain points blasts of fire and smoke, loud simulated explosions, were deployed in mock battles deceptively near the crowds. Behind and above, multiple Mandalorian bands debuted as part of the events; their first shows happening as part of the ceremonies on Coruscant today.
To be frank, having a couple in Mandalorian battle armor standing in front of a crowd as they say the words and commit to marriage while engaging in combat would probably not have been as interesting as this.
Anyway, I was standing off to one side, not one of the members of the family, just a visiting dignitary, so I didn't get a seat. But there weren't many seats, just members of Clan Visla and Clan Kregg separated by an aisle where the father of the bride was currently escorting her in that relatively beautiful dress down the aisle to where the rather short but well-cared man was standing.
You can tell he was from Harswee from a mile away, if he wasn't so short you couldn't see him from a mile away. Some may call that a mean joke; I'd say that's just a standard joke of my home sector. My home world of Jakelia, and Harswee have a long history of sniping at each other. It's just what we do.
Neither side really meant anything too mean by it; it was just an old tradition that had built up over generations. Honor duels do happen from time to time, but no one wants to have to deal with a blood feud, so death is minimized as much as possible. The only duels that warranted the other's death over the duel is a matter of leadership, like the Manda'lor.
I turned my attention back to the ceremony when the music signified the arrival of the bride. Today Vai was wearing a blue, white, and cyan beaded lace dress. Her extravagant dress is beaded with tiny blue gemstones along with several engraved beskar plates sewn to the sides of the skirt and bodice, with shoulder pauldrons engraved and highlighted in blue with Clan Visla's symbol.
I was a bit jealous of her dress, I will say that — it's a perfect combination of armor and fancy dresswork. I heard from Morson that her dress was made by the Dressmaker Blacksmith's Division on Gargon. While my dress is nothing to scoff at, it is subtler than what Vai is wearing. My green and bronze dress with a magenta waist cape relied on intricate embroidery that mimicked the Evergreen forests of Jakelia. The bronze acted like branches, the thicker layers of green were shaped like leaves, while the waist cape is there to provide a splash of color.
Tabi was wearing almost a full suit of commando armor. For some reason, it felt obvious that the only thing that was missing was a few blasters. His coloration was a little interesting, though. It was the classic set of daring colors, he'd gone for cyan, bronze, and magenta, A rather romantic set of colors, proclaiming he was nobility and passionately in love. It seemed zealous, especially with the pink cape coming off his shoulders.
I wondered what the Coruscanti people thought of this colorful armor. Then again, as I looked out to the left, I wasn't sure they really understood color theory. Most of the people who were viewing this, dignitaries or just rich and famous, wanted to see a Mandalorian wedding for the novelty of it. Many seemed to be awestruck by the pageantry and procession, but just many focused on the armor and colors in general.
Well, this was a hell of a show, I'll give Tanya that; she knew how to make it interesting. I watched the bride's father walk her down the aisle, wearing his own commando armor, not wearing a helmet, which was odd. I would have expected someone from Concordia to have been one of those very extreme religious types who never take the helmet off.
Guess I need to learn more about the inter-political nature of Concordia when I get the chance. That's probably something I won't need to worry too much about. My goals here on Coruscant were to represent my sector as a delegate to Mandalore's senatorial delegation and to battle for the heart of Tanya, I'd even settle for only half of it.
Anyway, I did notice he had his helmet hanging loosely from his belt, which had something interesting to say. The helmet had its distinctive T-visor, more boldly protruding outward from the helmet. It's an older design, prominently used by members of Death Watch during the last Civil War, interestingly enough. It makes sense, as most Death Watch supporters were exiled to Concordia after the Civil War. My thoughts were interrupted as I watched the groom approach the bride.
I watched with a smile as the third Prince of Harswee took his bride's hand and helped her onto the stage. Although I noted some interest from a woman near the front, looking extremely perturbed, being actively shushed near the Visla side of the wedding party. Some near family relation, I wondered. Checking on the bride again, now I noted some similarities between the two; was that Vai's mother? She looked particularly angry. Perhaps she didn't agree with her daughter's choice in men.
Either way, the ceremony was going forward without her permission. And it would appear that Clan Kryze was quite in favor of this marriage. Their clan armorer had apparently flown all the way from Mandalore to officiate it, which said a lot when she thought about it diplomatically. It tied Clan Visla to Clan Kregg, it also tied House Visla to the House of Harswee, and most importantly, it tied Harswee to Mandalore and House Kryze, since it was being officiated by them.
Another bold power play by the ruling family. My father was quite taken with Clan Kryze, ever since Tanya came on the scene. Over the last few years, he'd been watching the political machinations of the clan and approved their decisions quite a bit. That's why, when Tanya had visited our planet not so long ago, he had told both me and my twin brother to attempt to ingratiate ourselves into Clan Kryze.
We both tried quite thoroughly. Unfortunately, it had somewhat failed, at least for my brother, as it appeared Kryze was already circling Ordo for her next conquest. And it is easy to see why, seeing as Clan Ordo was a very old, powerful, and prestigious clan.
So, my brother's avenues of attack were closed, and he moved on to other possible routes of attaining power in this new CNS by joining the SDF, ascending up the military ranks.
However, as far as I was concerned, there was still a possibility that I could achieve victory. It was well known that Tanya and the bride-to-be had kissed, which would imply that Tanya was more on the open side of some relationships, at least when it came to women. Even if she were to attain a marriage with Ordo, there was a chance that I could successfully integrate myself into that little niche of openness that was available, ensuring security and safety for my own world.
A small chance, but I would take it, especially in such troubled times.
I sort of stopped paying attention to the wedding but paid more attention as we came to the end. The bride and the groom kissed, celebration was going on — clapping, party poppers, and such. Then Vai threw a bouquet, which wasn't really a Mandalorian thing, at least not by any Mandalorian cultures I was aware of. It probably came from the Core. Either way, the bouquet went up and hit Tanya in the face, even though she wasn't among the gathered Mandalorian women trying to reach for it.
I had to hold back smug laughter, as that was rather funny, and perhaps a sign of good fortune; proof that my path was the righteous one after all.
Coruscant, Mandalorian Expo Square
Ahsoka Tano
Coruscant's weather was unusually warm today. I noted, as the sun beat down on the structures in and around this cultural expo.
I had never been to one of these before and probably wouldn't have come any other time. But I had just gotten back from Geonosis, which was a horrifying experience considering the brain worms and the disaster it would have caused if it got loose. So, Barriss and I had been given a week of mandatory leave by the Jedi Council to recover from that traumatic event.
We weren't really sure what to do with ourselves, so Master Windu suggested going to this Mandalorian cultural expo, as it is the only notable event that is happening on Coruscant at the moment. He even contacted the Senator from Mandalore to get us a couple of VIP tickets to the concert after they had sold out, in hopes of putting our minds in a better place. I don't know if that will work, especially after what we had just been through. But we didn't really have anything better to do, so we might as well try it.
Barriss seemed particularly affected, as she seemed to be staring off into the distance fairly frequently. She is unsteady in the Force, and I tried to involve her in conversation to keep her mind off of it. I imagined her experience must have been more strenuous than mine, considering she had actually had one of those brain worms in her head.
So to continue to distract her, I looked around, and I said, "Hey, there are some of those vambraces that Mandalorians always wear. Want to take a look at them?"
"Sure." She said, sounding lethargic, to say the least. I was worried that she wasn't healing from the experience at all. I hoped I could find something to distract her as we walked over to the vambraces.
There was quite a lot of gear, though most of them appeared to be just decorative. However, a few of them had interesting technology like communicators or maps in them. "I wonder if I should get one of these for Master Anakin." I mused aloud, looking at a black set of vambraces, knowing that he preferred darker colors.
Barriss nodded, saying, "Yeah, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a little bit of defense around our wrists when you're going up against people like Ventress every other month."
"That's a good point." I said, looking at the merchants, and asked, "Are any of these lightsaber resistant?"
The merchant, who had been busy talking to a young woman jerked, looked over at me, then looked at my lightsaber, and turned away to put away some tools. I browsed around while I waited, when she finally returned, she was clearly annoyed. "I'm afraid we don't have any lightsaber-resistant equipment here, honored Jedi." Odd, nearly every word of that sentence was a lie. It was unusual to be deceived so openly, knowing our identity.
"You are lying." I decided not to beat around the issue, especially as Barriss had been acting strangely all afternoon. She didn't even comment on the merchant until my accusation, finally seeming surprised, before slowly nodding at my assertion.
The woman appeared very nervous now, and hesitated. "I-it's not exactly like you can get beskar outside the Mandalorian sector easily."
"Who said anything about beskar?" Barriss picked up on the odd detail. I tried to recall what I knew of the Mandalorian-iron metal.
"Uhh, you are talking to a Mandalorian. The only material resistant to lightsabers that we use is beskar. I can sell you what I have, Jedi. It's very expensive though, as it has to be either mined or forged by one of their armorers who know the secret of forging Beskar. I can't order more either, which is also why the price is so high." She finished in a tumble of words.
Barriss sniffed loudly, clearly dismissing the merchant woman's explanation. I remained impassive, and polite; such hamfisted negotiation tactics were useless against us Jedi. "Unfortunate." I remarked simply, shaking my head, as Barriss looked at a green set of vambraces near a different merchant. Looking at her, I asked, "That's a nice color for you."
Still seeming distant, she said, "Yeah, I guess. I don't know. I've just been... I've been distracted; thinking about a lot."
"Thinking about what?" I said, trying to help as we stepped further away from the stall, giving us some privacy
"Lots of things, lots of things." She said vaguely, shaking her head. "Mostly it's the guilt of that clone I had to kill on the medical ship. I've never killed a person before."
"Well, to be fair, he wasn't exactly a person anymore or alive. He had probably already been taken over by the brain worm." I pointed out as I gave her my full attention. But she kind of shook her head in disagreement.
"Maybe he was beyond saving, but I was infected with one of those same brain worms and you managed to save me, could we not save him? What if I was too fast to resort to my lightsaber the way I did? I should have Force Pushed him away. He would have still been alive after you figured out a way to free them. This war is making us use our weapons too fast when we should be attempting to heal."
I nodded, understanding, but I didn't agree with her conclusions. "You weren't really given any other opportunity to do anything, Barriss. It was either use it or get infested with the worm. Then, with those choices, I think you made the best one. Otherwise, the situation would have gone a lot worse, a lot quicker."
"Yeah, does that not say something about the whole war? We keep getting put into situations where our choices are bad or worse, and we don't find a way out of it other than to take the bad. We are Jedi. We should be exploring for the path in between the bad and the worst that leads to a good outcome. And it feels like all we've managed to do is amplify the bad outcomes."
I nodded. "Well, it's a war. There's not much of a choice but to choose whatever we can do."
"So doing something is better than nothing? Our choices were correct because we had to do something? And deciding to join the war was us doing something? It definitely doesn't feel like that was the best option, having seen the consequences of the war so far."
"We're not that bad." I said. "I mean, the Separatists seem to be responsible for much more of the atrocities and conflict."
She nodded readily, in obvious agreement, "Yes. Most of them are, that's for sure. Usually." Barriss was doing and saying strange things again. My expression must have betrayed my confusion, because she replied. "I don't know. I'm just thinking back to that one particular Separatist I ran into on Null. He had a choice. He could have let his side commit war crimes, but he shot the people who were going to do it. We'd be dead if he hadn't stepped up."
"I've not heard that story before. But just because there's one good Separatist, it doesn't mean the majority are not making a massive mistake."
"But are we not making a massive mistake as well? Perhaps this whole war is just one massive mistake that both leaderships are making." She said, folding her arms across her chest as she shook her head.
"It is a massive mistake, either way you look at it, I guess. But it's not like anyone's going to stop it. The war has started, and the Separatists are invading systems that don't align with their goals. I guess if there could be some sort of peace conference, there might be something. But as far as I've seen, we're not at a stage where either side even wants to talk about a peace conference."
"That's probably a mistake of the Jedi." Barriss said with a shake of her head, saying, "We should be pushing for a ceasefire. Instead, we're out there fighting."
I wasn't really sure what to say to that. She made a good point, but well, there was nothing we could do. We were just Padawans. We couldn't exactly tell the Council to do something. Putting my hand on her shoulder, I said, "I'm sure the Council will try and bring peace sooner or later. We just have to stop Count Dooku and his machinations."
She let out a sigh and nodded. "I hope so. But perhaps we, as Jedi, should be taking more from Serifa Altunen and stepping away from conflict entirely, like the CNS we should step away too."
"I'm not sure if that's the best idea, the Separatists seemed likely to draw CNS in conflict eventually but-" I hesitated, remembering I was in public. I looked around for anything suspicious, while trying to distract Barriss. "Anyway, we've got a whole day to spend at this expo. Where do you want to go next?"
Barriss accepted the change in subject easily enough, looking around the expo with fresh interest. "I guess we could go look at that section over there for fashion. I don't know, what do people normally do at something like this?"
"Force if I know, but looking at dresses sounds nice at least." I said, walking in that direction and shaking my head at some of the outfits I could see from this distance. "I don't know how anyone can perform any acrobatics in something as restrictive as some of the dresses over there."
Barriss shrugged before saying, "Master Luminara says a dress doesn't really restrict you if you train to fight inside of it. It can even make you more acrobatic in the long term."
"Oh, so that's why you... You're just putting on an extra layer of clothing for more training. That makes much more sense." I was usually too busy to do research on entirely new techniques.
"Not exactly... There are some cultural reasons as well." Barriss said, "But, yes. You should try it sometime. You would probably be less commented on if you wore something less revealing."
"What are you talking about?" I asked confusedly, trying to eliminate any trace of annoyance.
"Oh, someone mentioned it to someone, and it's gone around the Temple about how that one Republic ship commander, Captain Pellaeon, made a point of forcing you to wear an official uniform while on his ship."
"Oh, that guy." I said in relief, rubbing my forehead. "Nothing wrong with him, I would admit, but he did seem to have a problem with how loose the Jedi Order was on uniform standards. Quite a bit of the military structure was that way. Now that I think about it, he had been particularly annoyed with my outfit."
Now Barriss was giving me another strange look again.
"Let's not think about that guy." I said, shaking my head as I led the way to the dresses.
Coruscant, Mandalorian Expo Concert
Mace Windu
This was an interesting waste of time. I learned about the Mandalorian Expo a week ago. Some sort of cultural transfer event that the senator, at the time representative of Mandalore, arranged to show that Mandalore's culture was just as vibrant as any core world.
A noble goal, and as a result, a few Jedi who were on the planet had chosen to make an appearance. Master Coleman Trebor was doing everything he could to try and improve the public image of the Jedi ever since the little scandal a few years back, where a child we mistakenly believed to be an orphan entered the Order.
That whole fiasco was still brought up from time to time to hurt our public image. Thankfully, the mother of said child had proven to be distractible and showed herself to not really care for the child. At least, we believed she was the mother. Most, at least I did, wondered about that sometimes. There had never been a proper DNA test, and the fact that she seemed to have forgotten about the child the moment the media came around and gave her the time of day made me suspect that perhaps she was not the mother as we had believed, but some fraudster involved in some scheme.
Granted, I could be a bit pessimistic, but it had happened before. In the thousands of years the Jedi Order had existed, there were stories of situations like this happening. Usually, it didn't get as bad as that one had, but it happened nonetheless.
Now, Master Trebor was doing his best to try and improve the political situation and the public appearance of the Jedi, and that meant helping with this cultural expo. My only role here today was to attend, demonstrate solidarity; a bit of Jedi funding went into the whole thing. The idea was that if we showed that we were willing to learn about Mandalorian culture, perhaps they would be drawn away from negative influences. Hopefully, it would discourage them to heed Death Watch's and the Protector's Siren's call to join the CIS.
I leaned back in the chair overlooking the concert hall that had been selected for the Expo. The large population of local citizens were everywhere. Some were taking pictures, some were pointing, looking, laughing, and generally enjoying the sights.
"Drawn quite a crowd, the Mandalorians have." Came the familiar voice of Grandmaster Yoda as he floated in on a chair.
"Grandmaster." I acknowledged with a nod. "I was not aware you were going to be attending today."
The older Jedi smiled and floated into position beside me. "Not expecting too, I was. But persuaded me to come, a young friend did." The old Grandmaster returned a genuine smile and held out a small yellow band resting on his lap. "VIP access, I have. Refuse, how could I?"
I indicated towards the yellow band and device attached. "Do you speak of Senator Kryze?"
"Hmm, the wrong name, perhaps 'Kryze' is."
I made a huff of annoyance, his cryptic remarks in the past regarding Mandalore, at least, had proven accurate. I had put that region out of my mind lately, leaving such matters to Yoda's guidance. But now, Senator Kryze's parentage had gone from minor importance to the daughter of the Duchess and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan Kenobi was quite the disappointment. He had failed the codes as much as Qui-Gon Jinn. More troublesome, Obi-Wan was now a popular role model to many youthful Jedi, which could potentially cause trouble in the future.
However, in a special hearing, the Grandmaster and several other Masters had spoken on the matter, and it had been decided that he should not be punished for the mistakes of his youth. Their reasoning was that Obi-Wan was a committed member of the Order for decades, and just because he had made a mistake when he was a Padawan, should not be held against him. My counterargument that his errors had accumulated and would only lead further Jedi astray was acknowledged, but the other Masters felt every willing Jedi was needed. And one could not deny that his mistake had been somewhat beneficial to the Order, for now.
His daughter had made great inroads with the Mandalorian population for the Jedi. There was now a Jedi Temple in the Mandalorian sector, something that was never dreamed to be possible.
Letting out a sigh, I looked at Yoda before saying, "Master Yoda, how would you resolve the situation between Obi-Wan and Senator Kryze?"
"Resolve? Know the conclusion, I do not. Trust in the Force, I do." He said, looking out over the auditorium. Following his gaze, I saw he was actually looking at a set of boxes across the way, where I could see the Senator in question speaking with her entourage. In a softer voice, he added, "Even the very wise cannot see all ends."
I shot Yoda a look of surprise at the admission. "Perhaps you're right on that. Are there any other clues you've had uncovered when it comes to Mandalorians over the last few years?"
Yoda chuckled good-naturedly, "A good question." He paused as if thinking over his words a bit more, "The darkness that is blocking the Jedi's foresight of the future also binds Mandalore just as tightly now. Yet this is a sign of hope, I believe. That their fate is now shared with the Republic. Whatever that fate may be."
"What occurred at Ilum with Master Unduli and her Padawan?" The Grandmaster had departed in a rush a few months ago and arrived back at Coruscant just as quickly. Now Padawan Barriss was here, but Yoda had yet to report despite the ample time.
"A glimpse beyond. Able, was I, then, to see. The darkness extends far, but not everywhere." Yoda nodded towards another group of Padawan's attending the Expo. "This conflict provides purpose. Keeps the Padawans focused, it does. Out there, in the uncharted space, temptations lurk. Barriss carries that now, a concern I have."
Letting out a deep breath, I looked out over the auditorium. "Well, Master Yoda, considering your last guidance has done so well, I hope it continues to do so. Something is clouding the Force the more this war goes on. The Dark Side hides from us the source of its emanation. "
The Grandmaster nodded and began his agreement before saying, "What the Dark Side clouds from the Light, the Light can cloud from the Dark Side. Served the Dark Side, the Mandalorians may have, in many wars across many generations. But served the Light, they have also, in many of those same generations. Neither wholly of the Dark nor wholly of the Light, they are. Of service in our efforts to find the Dark Side's source, they may be. Clouded like we are, they are not, nor held to the same measures as we. But the great purpose, we share."
"You believe that by working with Mandalorians, we might be able to uncover the Sith Lord behind this clouding of our sight?" I asked, trying to clarify. The more Yoda spoke, the less he was telling. It was a tactic I had observed enough times.
Yoda shook his head. "Not uncover on purpose, but perhaps stumbling about as they try to keep themselves out of the pitfalls that the war wants, will reveal something. Force their hand, I have no guarantees. That's what will happen, by throwing my support in with a person I consider a friend, I find them more likely to be of use to the Order than nothing at all."
I nodded, understanding the sentiments, before saying, "It's too bad we didn't have confirmation about her capabilities all those years ago. From what I've seen, she might have made a formidable Jedi."
Yoda shook his head and said, "Not certain, that is. Even if we had known, maybe. Perhaps it would have pushed them further away. Like repels like. From the way she thinks, not a good Jedi, she would have made. Too much of a politician, too much a warrior, she is. No, I sense the Force wanted her where she is. Trust in the Force, I do. But what plans the Force has for her, know not. But everything becomes more shrouded as the war goes on."
I nodded, saying, "Hopefully, we find some way to bring an end to this war and defeat the Dark Side." I shook my head, thinking back to Geonosis, feeling a pang of regret. It could have been much worse. If I had been able to see what was coming, I may have been able to better plan the operation. But I didn't, and as a result, so many good Jedi were dead. Friends, comrades, people I had known for decades. Their lives snuffed out. I did not mourn their passing, as that was not the Jedi way. They had returned to the living Force. But I regretted my mistake nonetheless. It is how one learns not to make them again.
Yoda seemed to sense the dark wanderings of my thoughts, but surprised me with his next words. "Have you heard the words of the Mandalorian Prince? 'Mutual peace only can be achieved through diplomacy?'"
"We cannot compromise with the Dark Side." I answered immediately.
"Strange." Yoda remarked. "Thought, did I, it was the Sith who dealt in absolutes."
I was tired of Yoda's endless tests of my patience, so did not rise to a response. After a few moments, he floated his chair slightly higher, in an obnoxious manner. One who did not know the Jedi Grandmaster might assume he was repositioning to get a better view.
"Wonder what song they're going to sing tonight, I do. Not listed anywhere, is it. A new single they've been working on." Grandmaster Yoda wondered aloud, tapping his cane against his chin.
"Well, I assume they will tell us as soon as they're on the stage. I would just assume it would be something very Mandalorian." I commented absentmindedly, thoughts elsewhere, and leaned back into my chair.
Yoda chuckled before saying, "The most Mandalorian thing I know for them to do is fighting Jedi. Perhaps it will be a song about fighting Jedi."
Looking out at the stage, I saw the lighting coming on as a door opened in the center, allowing an elevator to come up with three female Mandalorians, notable by their dress, though not fully traditional Mandalorian armor. It looked fancy, possibly dress armor.
The pink and green ones were to the left and right, respectively, of their leader in the center, who was wearing a black and silver dress. She had an odd hair color, pink, and was waving to the crowd as she said, "Good evening, Coruscant! I'm so happy that everyone came out tonight for our show. Hoping you're all ready to have a night full of fun, music, and whatever else you have planned after the concert. I know the expo has lots of shopping opportunities. I'll be out there later myself, enjoying them with you once I'm done here."
She seemed to be able to pull off a charismatic act, as that got a little bit of laughter from the crowd. I blinked twice as I realized I'd seen that woman before.
"Wait, isn't that the idol that killed an assassin on stage?"
"Legally, self-defense, I was told." Yoda mused. "Yes, though very wild, the Mandalorians are passionate even in their music or careers. Dangerous as well."
I nodded as the woman continued, "Well, when I was told I would be invited to this Expo six months back, I was stunned. Being a former bounty hunter, I never thought I'd be on Coruscant. People don't usually go to the Core when they want to disappear. But when I thought about it, I decided the best way to celebrate a Mandalorian idol conquering the Coruscanti stage is to celebrate the success of how the Jedi managed to prevent that the one time we almost pulled it off as an actual military."
I raised an eyebrow at that, skepticism showing on my face, and looked pointedly at Yoda.
"Wonderful, this will be." Yoda said with a nod of his head.
The girl on stage continued, saying, "So I thought we should celebrate the ancient story of how the Mandalorian Neo Crusaders conquered their Empire and made their way towards Coruscant, before they were defeated by the valiant heroes of the Republic led by a man whose name has been lost to history but has often been called Revan in many stories amongst us Mandalorians. A man who turned us from the path of the conquerors that the Neo Crusaders wanted and put us on a more gentle path that saw us become a more peaceful and upstanding civilization, in my opinion. By finding a man who is worthy to be the Mand'alor and to lead us into a better age."
"So, without further ado, I present to you the Last Crusade of the Neo Crusaders."
Their leader stepped back and pointed her finger up at the sky, and the monitors above turned on, displaying a graphic projection of an unknown planet that I could not place. It appeared above her, along with general diplomatic information about the state of the galaxy at the time of the Neo Crusades, shown via a map depicting the territory of the Mandalorian Conquest and the defensive lines built by the Republic. It slowly zoomed in on one particular name, which I assumed was the star system that the planet had come from, the one she was pointing at.
Then, she took a deep breath and began her song, which made me sit back to listen. Yoda seemed quite amused as he looked across the aisle. I followed his gaze and saw Obi-Wan's daughter, Tanya, in a panic at what could be considered, at a different time, a diplomatic faux pas. But as far as I was concerned, and as Yoda seemed to be concerned, this was nothing. As I listened to the song, it was interesting to hear someone else's take on what sounded like a massacre we should never have been involved in.
Concordia, Castle Vizsla
Pre Vizsla
I sipped my kombucha brew, and took a break at my desk from the latest set of crises. The fermented drink was a native brew and local favorite; a few tourists had made statements that it tasted similar to another blend, a Core favorite, batuubacha tea. Hopefully, they were being overly polite, I didn't need more Core tourists mucking all over the system. But I had no time to worry over small matters lately, my current worries were regarding the protection for the Maelstrom; keeping it functioning while on the move. Deploying and fielding troops in places where they'd cause problems for the Republic.
Our consolidation with my wife's smaller faction of veterans revealed exactly how much control I'd lost over other elements of Death Watch. In total, I had lost substantial control over the radical portions of Death Watch, I knew this now. However, I had managed to salvage our name. I already had plans in place to declare them rogue elements when they finally made their move; or any move that is counter-productive to my plans.
I don't know when that would happen, but what I did know was that I was living two lives, my public life as governor of Concordia and candidate for Prime Minister for Mandalore, and my private life as the leader of Death Watch. It was incredibly difficult to manage both roles and sets of responsibilities, even with my wife's help. It almost makes me wish I had revealed myself to Satine all those months ago, almost. Taking the government from under her control while she's still in power, though, might be one of the sweeter victories out there, especially with the corruption problem that had sprung up in the New Mandalorian government.
This was, after all, how I knew that I had lost control of the radicals to Lorka Gedyc. Lorka Gedyc was someone who thought Death Watch should conquer the galaxy, and if I wouldn't execute his vision, then the correct first step was for him to conquer Mandalore. Personally, I was not of the opinion that we even needed to conquer the sector, nevermind the entire galaxy. The concept of conquest was antiquated, having fought my way across the region around Mandalore that had become abundantly clear to me.
The Council of Neutral Systems was proof enough of that. People across the galaxy are already championing Mandalorian rule and clamoring for our protection. We provide Mandalorian protection and serve with honor, in return we share their resources without risking our lives fighting over control for it. This is not the era of the Neo-Crusaders, we do not have the population to populate the sector, let alone resettle and colonize the entire galaxy. After all of the wars we fought over the millennia, our peoples should be a treasure spent wisely, not to be thrown into the fire at the first chance.
What makes us Mandalorian in the first place isn't our origin or a special homeworld; what makes us Mandalorian is our way and culture, our honorable practices and drive. The Ithorians were the perfect example, they had even gone out of their way to offer Satine respect, through their tribute. They provided their wealth to Satine in return for our protection. Their vast tribute was more than enough to fund re-armament programs across the MSDF. Death Watch did not hesitate to protect Ithorian shipping from pirates in the region because it was the honorable thing to do. In time, some Ithorians would be inspired to seek out our ways, and I only saw benefits from Mandalorians adopting Ithorian practices; especially regarding the value of life.
Adaptation has always been the Mandalorian way, and now Mandalore must change into the protector of the weak, a power great enough to challenge any who would return to the age of war and conquest. The anti-militarist buffoonery of the New Mandalorians would doom their system to failure eventually with the entire galaxy at war, and so it would be better for the Death Watch Old Guard to retake control of Mandalore from them before a foreigner does that first. Foreign agents, like the Hutts or the Sith, would take advantage of our weakness as an opportunity to slip in and take over.
For the sake of Mandalore and our newfound dependents, the New Mandalorians had to be kept from controlling the military completely. Instead, the Old Guard, the few remaining True Mandalorians remnants, stars, even the Silver Mandalorians offer a better alternative. Bo-Katan privately shared that she was quite proud that her niece, Tanya, had broken with the New Mandalorians; she was right to be proud in my estimation.
As the leader of Death Watch, I had to wage a campaign against the Republic, and so far, the campaign was going well. Maelstrom, my ace in the hole, I kept far away from any fronts and out of the way of Republic fleet movements. They were still searching for her, but I had enough assets out there that I was able to track any major search parties trying to locate her.
And with that knowledge, I can maneuver her to where she can cause the most damage.
Posing as the fabled hero of Mandalorians fighting against the evil Republic meant I had to find assets that the Republic was not proud of — systems where they had imposed installations against the wishes of the locals.
Almost every other planet out here in the Galactic North had a situation where the Republic put forces on the ground to deal with local problems. They tended not to be clones, but supposedly local defense units from another ally, operating in the name and good of the Republic.
Of course, all that was doing was allowing local warlords to gobble up their weaker neighbors. Warlords eagerly took the Republic's bad example as de facto permission to deploy private militaries and invade neighboring systems. The events of Vorpa'ya seemed to be no accident, reports detailed the same level of crisis repeated with variations across hundreds of systems in the Republic.
And since the invading local warlords were there for conquest, they tended to do things like cause religious divisions, blow up something important, or just be complete corruptible morons, looting local economies for short-term gains. That's where the Death Watch could crash in on a problem, shoot up the invading oppressors, be hailed as heroes, recruit a few new members, and scavenge any equipment that could be useful from our defeated foes.
Now, I know that my document, the Ba'jurne Kyr'tsad Mando'ad, says that we should focus only on the Mandalorian sector, but I've been moving away from that for years. The "Mandalorian sector" are just lines drawn on a map by Republican bureaucrats, Mandalore is wherever a Mandalorian is. Sectors as a concept are a Republic invention.
Ancient Mandos, my ancestors, didn't have that rigid belief in boundaries. Ironically enough, it was Satine who remembered and embodied this most clearly. Satine did not care where the Republic placed the borders of Mandalore, in her vision for the CNS, and her reminder was meant for us all; she had the right of that. Mandalore was wherever Mandalorians tread, we were a people of many homes who had become perhaps a bit too settled. Keeping Death Watch under control meant bringing new blood into Mandalore, new life, new energy, new possibilities. Our place was not to isolate ourselves.
Granted, I was having a bit of an issue equipping weapons and armor for these new recruits. I often had to rely on lighter gear stolen from the enemies we just killed to fill in for the new recruits, but it was working for now. The weapons get inspected and repaired if needed before being distributed, while the armor gets reforged into Mandalorian style armor.
I found several places within the Mandalorian sector that would be ideal to build a training base that no one would find. After some deliberation, Zanbar, having always been loyal, was picked. It had a very small population, very rural, with lots of trees and mountains to provide both cover and a diverse training environment.
If I could, I would train them here on Concordia, but it was obvious now that having a Death Watch base anywhere near Mandalore would be discovered by the Republic. The Maelstrom was working well as a mobile base, keeping troops out of Republic retaliation. And so far, my elites have not blabbed its location and where it camped out.
Instead, I relied on places where they weren't expecting it to be. Areas near the borders of the Council of Neutral Systems, in systems that were Mandalorian-favoring but had not yet signed on to the Neutral Systems, nor favored the Republic's war efforts.
But those were my problems as Death Watch's Kyr'tsad alor. I have other issues to deal with in addition to that, issues as the governor of Concordia. My break was interrupted by the beeping on my terminal. Letting out a sigh, I finished my drink before I stood up to look out the window at the native forests beyond. I straightened my clothing, then stepped out of my office into a meeting room.
Sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room was Gar Saxon, looking annoyed as he glared at the other occupant across the table from him. I had him look over reports from our local Death Watch assets in the sector while I focused on our overall strategy. I had brought him on as an official member of my election campaign. His clan was moderately powerful, and I needed all the power I could get if I was going to pull this off. He was also wearing a suit and would probably be taking my place as Governor of Concordia if my efforts for Prime Minister succeeded. I had enough influence to guarantee his position, so having a little bit of sway here and there could help me succeed in my efforts for Prime Minister.
The other individual, who would likely be the most useful in my election campaign, was my wife, Bo-Katan. She was looking rather pleased with herself, with her feet up on the table, wearing her armor. Her red hair swaying in a way I found incredibly attractive, as she listened to the Prey Wings' music through her vambrace, air guitaring and mimicking the lyrics of the song.
"There you are." She said, looking at me with a smile before shutting down her music player. Her helmet lay in her lap as she leaned back in a chair that was not meant for leaning. Once Bo stopped her antics, Gar breathed a sigh of relief before he returned his attention to his work.
"Here I am." I said with a nod, taking a few steps and pulling out my seat at the head of the table before sitting down.
Looking at her armor, I finally noticed that it was in Death Watch blue. She had officially joined the program on Death Watch's coloration, recalling the request I had made during our last united Death Watch meeting. In fact, she was not exactly considered Death Watch as far as everyone else knew. As of yesterday, she had declared her intentions to create an organization known as the Night Owls as the main reason for her change in color. Officially, the Night Owls are a mercenary organization registered on Gargon. Unofficially, she was recruiting some of the best Death Watch members into an elite organization that would be fighting for Mandalorian interests and those willing to support Mandalorian efforts.
She had brought in at least three dozen individuals from Death Watch so far, as well as another large batch of her friends. She was recruiting from a pool of veterans and elites of other units, people she had met and heard exploits of over the years, along with supporters of her attempt to become the Secret Mandalore. She probably could raise more, but she needed them to be an elite unit, so I encouraged the high barrier to entry.
Not to mention, having a public and legal organization that served as a gateway to Death Watch could be a useful tool down the line. If someone got really pissed at the Republic and couldn't work for them anymore, she would simply move them along into Death Watch proper, and I would put them to good use against the Republic.
"Where's Zenlav?" I asked, looking around. The mayor of Keldabe was supposed to have arrived by now. He was going to throw his lot in behind me as the new Prime Minister, from what I understood. He was also a secret supporter of Death Watch, which is a blessing as his family owned and operated Mandel Motors. They were usually the ones supplying us with a large stockpile of new equipment they had been producing in secret. Primarily the Kom'rk-class heavy fighter and transport, the same vehicle we had used to overtake and capture the Maelstrom. They were trying to provide us with more now that we had successfully punched the Republic in the throat.
Tavanx Zenlav, the patriarch, CEO of Mandel Motors, and father of Mayor Warthanx Zenlav of Keldabe, carried a grudge against the Republic for blowing up several of their family's factories during the Excision, resulting in many casualties. So he was secretly developing new generations of the Kom'rk-class heavy fighter. Some of them were the older, larger ones that we had already acquired, but there were also smaller variants in production. These smaller variants had less troop capacity, but were more maneuverable while still carrying the same armaments. Frankly, I think he should have added an addition to the name of the smaller variants like Kom'rk A1 or A2 designation or something of that nature, but they serve the same purpose and work well enough.
"No show." Saxon said, looking annoyed. "Apparently, there's been some sort of riot in Keldabe. I've been trying to learn more, but it looks like a New Mando agitator set a factory on fire."
"That doesn't sound like something that would need his attention." I stated.
"You are right. It shouldn't require his attention, except this particular factory that was set on fire was a Fang Fighter factory, which raises questions about why it was up and running since no one knew they were in production." Saxon explained.
"Oh Sithspit." I said, putting my hand to my face, as another one of Satine's efforts to modernize Mandalorian Self-Defense Forces must have been revealed.
I had been aware of this one, at least. The Fang Fighter was a damn good fighter, very well-made, and I was interested in acquiring some for the Maelstrom's fighter wing if I could get my hands on them. Unfortunately, someone was buying up all the stockpiles and had reserved the production capacity for the next year. I was curious who had done it at the time, but I didn't have to wait long. At the next bi-monthly meeting, Ms. Ordo, the Supreme Commander of the Self-Defense Force, had shown off how she had purchased a large number of Fang Fighters for the Royal Guard, as well as the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force Navy.
Most likely, this would be a scandal in its own way. The New Mandalorians would not be happy to hear that the SDF capabilities have increased. But they would have to learn to deal with it.
The Fang Fighter was not even the only vehicle that the MSDF ordered. Ms. Ordo had also discovered the surprising amount of armored vehicles produced by Mandel Hypernatics. She was still in the process of negotiating their purchase for the SDF. Every army needed armored vehicles the same way they needed infantry or snub fighters, there are roles that only they could accomplish cost effectively and replacing them is usually more trouble than it is worth. Especially on Vorpa'ya, where the heavily dug in Journeymen Protectors' lines needed to be broken through.
Saxon nodded before saying, "Thankfully, it's not as bad as it could have been. The Fang Fighter isn't as reviled by the New Mandalorians after what the Royal Guard retirees have been doing on Ryloth, using them to help save civilians. The damages to the factory were minor at least and should be up and running in a day or two."
I nodded. "I've heard stories of what the Skull Squadron was up to. They managed to do a lot of good for the Republic side of the war. I may not agree with them siding with the Republic, but from what I knew of what Ryloth had to deal with, I couldn't begrudge them for doing what they could for those people."
Letting out a deep breath, I continued, "Well, at least we have a start. So, Saxon, how are the efforts to improve my image in the press going?"
He shrugged before saying, "I'd say they're going well currently. I've looked at what resonates with the public. Fortunately, Republic skepticism seems to be in the air. It's not exactly what we wanted, openly denouncing the Republic — we aren't fully prepared for the heat that tactic might bring, but it's clear that the public doesn't trust them and that sentiment is running strong. So, that's what I've been using as your platform. We want to stay out of the war, and we don't trust them not to drag us into it."
Bo nodded her head in agreement, adding "Also aligns well with the Silver ideology, so they'll likely support you too. I know I do, since they probably have similar concerns. While most of the Silver I've seen seemed to favor the Republic in general. I imagine some of them have had second thoughts after what the Maelstrom did."
"How's Almec responding? What is he doing?" I asked.
Saxon shrugged and replied, "To be honest, I have no idea what Almec is up to. I've tried to use my resources to get contacts within the Mandalorian Secret Service, but the problem is that most of my sources were part of the segments of the Mandalorian Secret Service that he's purged over the last month. I got nothing. All I know is that there was a meeting held between him and some of his major department heads — they have always been considered trustworthy by the government. "
"Hmm, maybe I can ask Satine what's going on with his efforts. She should have some idea, though she may not be interested in sharing if Satine no longer trusts me." I said, looking at Bo-Katan.
"As far as I can tell, my sister still thinks you're one of the most loyal New Mandalorians out there, a fault of her own that I probably should have dissuaded her from. Familial loyalty and all that." Bo-Katan said with a guilty shake of her head. "By the way, have you found out who the guy who took a shot at her? I need to have a personal conversation with him — no one takes shots at the families of Death Watch."
I shook my head and replied, "I've made inquiries, but no one knows for sure yet. It was obviously someone on Merrik's payroll, since they are the only Death Watch assets on Coruscant. The ones loyal to us were half way back to Mandalore when Satine was attacked, so it wasn't them. Some think it might be one of the members of the Death Watch working for Lorka, while others believe the guy regrets his actions since he hasn't come forward."
"He'll regret it when I find him." She threatened, crossing her arms while likely imagining the various ways she is going to torture the unfortunate assassin.
I nodded in agreement. "Well, we don't know what the future may hold. If he comes forward, I will let you know."
"You better," she said, "especially with all the work I've done this month to help you with this campaign."
"Ah, yes, the Prey Wing concert." I said with a sigh. "I still can't believe I signed off on that."
Somehow, the funding had been acquired. The band was ready, and they hosted several concerts. They had been quite successful, and because of their modest success, they generated a bit of political influence. Tonight, I had to attend one of their concerts where they would come out in support of my campaign.
It's about getting the youth voting and all that, it won't matter that I basically created this band with Bo's help. Some people may figure it out, but most won't, and that will help with our efforts to grow a large base strong enough to depose the current Prime Minister.
Saxon nodded before saying, "Oh, right, we also have some wacko artist who lives in Sundari by the name of Veraslayn Kast. She's independently supporting your campaign, but I don't think we should make too many moves to incorporate them into our efforts."
"Why is that?" I asked, curious as to why they wouldn't want me to have any contact with her.
"Well, her art seems to indicate that she supports Death Watch. It's just rumors and hearsay, and that's enough. As much as Death Watch appears to be on the rise, I don't think we want you, as the Governor of Concordia, to be mistaken for a member of the Death Watch, at least not yet."
Nodding my head in agreement, I said, "I am well aware of that." Then I continued, "While we won't do anything about her yet, maybe we should see if we can get her in contact with the actual Death Watch. Perhaps a little bit of propaganda for our efforts would help increase support here on Mandalore."
"Maybe," Saxon passed me an encrypted datapad, used for high security communication between cells in the Death Watch. "Other than that, Countess Wren sent us a message. There's been an issue with food prices rising again. They're wondering if they could work out a deal with you to supply them with more food at a cheaper rate."
I briefly skimmed the details on the datapad. "I can look into that matter. I'll tell her that I'll gladly see what I can do for our fellow Mandalorian. I will need guarantees, though, that she'll support my run for Prime Minister, of course."
Saxon nodded his head. "Of course, of course. I'll make sure she knows."
With that handled, I checked the time on my vambrace display and said, "Well, I have three hours before I have to get on a transport to Mandalore for the Prey Wing concert. So, unless there's anything major, I'm going to go spend time with my son for a couple of hours. Haven't spent enough time with Paz as of late." With the meeting finished, I make my way out of the room.
"Sounds good, let's go." Bo said as she got up from her seat, "By the way, how old is your son again?"
I stopped and said, "Paz's six years old this year." A brief flash of Oori appeared before me, and I shook my head, trying not to think about my lost wife. "He's almost old enough to start the trials. I'm going to have to introduce him to the clan armor soon so we can start learning more about our history, where we came from, where we're going, and how he's going to best defend himself when he's doing it." As I exited the meeting into the hallway, I heard Bo walk next to me.
"I started taking Tanya out to the gun range back when she was ten. Would have a lot sooner, but Satine was in her early New Mandalorian days, you know." Bo commented, distracting me from further thoughts of Oori.
"I still can't figure out how you managed to convince Satine to allow for Tanya's training. She was still very against Mandalorian tradition back then. So how did you do it?" I asked.
"Well, it started when I left my empty blaster out where Tanya could find it when she was five. Once she found it, she inspected it to see if it was loaded, even held it in a two-handed grip. before getting ready to field strip it if I hadn't come in." Seeing my raised eyebrow, Bo smirked and continued, "It's true, I wouldn't believe it too if I didn't see her do it with my own eyes."
"And I am guessing that is when Satine saw the error of her ways and allowed you to train her once she is ten years old?" Already seeing where this is going.
"Nope, that is when she kicked me out of the house." Seeing my incredulous expression, Bo laughed before she continued, "Yep, it wasn't until Satine found Tanya reading books about our history that she called me back to prepare her for her job as a Representative on Coruscant. After that, during her first visit to a shooting range. She hit twenty shots out of twenty, with twelve of those shots hitting inside the ring."
"Now I know you are exaggerating." I said in jest as I made my disbelief clear. But I also know that she gained nothing from embellishing Tanya's skills.
"I'm not. Here — I still have a picture to celebrate her first time shooting a blaster." Sure enough, Bo projected a holopic from her vambrace. The holopic showed a much younger Tanya and Bo in front of a firing range. The score counter shows a proud twenty with Bo having her hand on top of a frowning Tanya's head while the other hand is holding what I assume to be her vambrace.
"After that, we started to go on camping trips. Here is when Tanya threw her first grenade." She scrolled the holopic to show a new holopic where Tanya is standing in a trench with her hand on her hips as Bo took a picture of her with a smoking crater in the background. "This is her eating her first kill." This next holopic had Tanya eating a small critter in a campsite next to a fire while looking annoyed at the camera. "This is after her first spar." She showed a picture of Tanya lying face down on the floor with Bo putting herself in frame, with a smile on her face doing a hand sign the younger generation like to use in pictures they take of themselves. "And this is when she wore her first armor and started jetpack training." Now it showed a taller Tanya wearing her family armor hovering in the air with a wide smile on her face.
It didn't take long for me to notice the melancholic expression on Bo's face as she scrolled through her gallery of holopics. "This is very important to you." I commented.
"It is. The time I spent being trained by my parents was the happiest part of my childhood. Since dad was busy being Patriarch of House Kryze, governor of Kalevala, and having to train my little brother too, he rarely had time for us. Mom did most of the work training Satine and I but we usually have a yearly camping trip where the entire family goes camping for a week for some family bonding." Now she is showing an older set of pics, of a family enjoying their time together in a group photo.
While Bo stares at the holopics, I can't help but compare her childhood with mine. Being raised under Tor's Death Watch is not what I would call a pleasant childhood. I was too young to remember what they were like before they were killed in an attack against Jaster's True Mandalorians. Tor was too busy leading Death Watch against everyone in the sector to raise me, so he left me to the more moderate members of Death Watch. Once news of Tor's death by the hands of Jango reached the rest of Death Watch, since I was the eldest surviving Vizsla, I was put in charge of Death Watch.
In a way, I both envied and sympathized with her. I wished I could have more time with my parents, and I do wonder what my life would have been like if Tor's poisonous ideals never existed. Yet, if that were the case I never would have met Oori whose parents were also killed in the war. When Oori was pregnant with Paz, I swore I would be there for him the same way I wanted my parents to be there for me. Returning my focus to the outside world, I noticed that we are almost to Paz's room.
Not wanting to leave this moment on this melancholic note, I said, "I am sure Tanya remembers her time with you fondly. You should be proud."
Bo turned her focus on me and said, "Satine should have been the one to do that, so that she could experience Tanya's firsts with her. It should have been a moment reserved for mother and child, and I feel bad that she'll never feel the joy and pride I felt when Tanya succeeded in her training. All I could do is report her progress every month, and since she is a New Mando she didn't see Tanya's training as anything more than a necessity. It's only after Tanya left for Coruscant and I reconnected with Satine that I think she started to regret missing that part of Tanya's life."
"What passed is past and nothing can change that. All we can do now is make new memories and experiences to make up for lost time. I am also sure Satine is proud of what Tanya has achieved in her own way." I squeezed her hand.
Bo seemed to regain her composure, "Thanks for the pep talk, Pre."
"Anytime." We stopped in front of Paz's door as Bo closed her vambrace. "Well, this is it. Are you ready to meet your step-son?"
Bo took a deep breath, "Yeah — okay, let's do this."
Writer's note: To start, the chapter was more focused on the Mando Expo, but we got some Jedi mixed in and some surprise Death Watch figuring things out! But that is not all Ghost-339 contributed a one-shot to me that I was able to fit into the beginning of the chapter here. The power of the fan Discord.
https://discord.gg/53txBfp3MH
Also on the matter of weird stuff that happens on fan Discord… apparently someone is reading this story in Spanish on youtube, like an audiobook… some authors might be pissed… me… I see opportunities… I will be looking into this concept and who knows, maybe in a month or so there might be a YouTube video of the first chapter read by me… we'll see.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
Edited by: Anonymous, Lich, Warmach1ne32, Ghost-339, Afforess, Fallqm
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717 FNM (21 BBY) Month 5
Mandalore, Beneath Sundari, The Living Waters
Taylor Palatine
"Quiet on set!" A producer yelled, hushing the nervous chatter from nearby staff.
Never in my life did I think my acting career would be this successful. From small plays and indie holos on Coruscant. Sure, my first big production didn't exactly go how I hoped... my parents almost stopped talking to me.
Now, the Silver Mandalorian was my ticket to cast my name in holo media history, and it was so much fun to do! The Mandalorians have taught me a lot, from how to fight and how to speak their language. Once I learned how to read Mando'a, I started to read the Silver Codex, to get a better idea on who the character I am portraying is like. And I found the Silver Codex fascinating, I was reading up on all sorts of interesting Mandalorian history in my free time. The more I read, the deeper I wanted to go, fascinated by these stories that actually happened. I wish more people would read the Silver Codex and pick up a book or an audio-holo to learn more of this.
The stories contained many Mandalorian heroes and villains that influenced the galaxy in their day, but I was surprised at how hostile my family and the Coruscanti often could be regarding Mandalorian culture. Mandalorian barbarians and warlords certainly threatened the galaxy once, but they have passed into history and their tales were still a good source of history and entertainment.
Such entertainment was being made with another scene for the latest episode: The Red Menace.
White Silver herself was here to watch me. I surreptitiously checked on her again, she was standing near Director Khip, with another male Silver Mandalorian as her shadow. The scene was written to show White Silver visiting the religious cults of Concordia during their pilgrimage to the Living Waters on Mandalore who she needed to recruit to aid her against the Red Communists of Anteevy.
However, the Concordians were skeptical of White Silver. She was accused of not being a real Mandalorian — never having taken the Creed nor bathed in the waters of the Old Mines beneath Sundari. So with Concordian locals as witnesses, I played the part of White Silver as she descended into the Living Waters to perform the ceremony.
In person, the Living Waters were as majestic and magical as I heard it would be. Since traveling to the Mandalorian Sector, I had seen many wondrous things, but nothing as captivating or otherworldly as the Living Waters. A local actor had shown me just how magical it was by taking a cup of the water and pouring it back in... The way the water was excited by the reunion — that mystical pulse of energy. It just felt so alive!
Once I was done reminiscing, I stretched a little bit to get ready for my part . We were outside the entrance to the Living Waters. A band of local Mandalorian actors were posing as the Cult of Mandalore, with their leader who is titled as "The Armorer" standing at the head of the tribe in her predetermined place. Dressed in a stylized gold Mandalorian helmet with embedded ivory going down the jawline, it made the wearer seem as if they were empowered with the tusks of a Mythosaur. The Armorer was also wearing a real beskar torso and armored kilt. To complete the look there was a toolbelt, strapped holding all kinds of forging tools. And as I learned in many of my sparring fights, in the right hands even tools can be incredibly dangerous.
"Cameras rolling! Standby!" The producer announced.
Here we go.
Director Khip raised one of his four arms, "Aaand… Action!"
"White Silver," The Armorer began, "although you have requested the aid of the tribes of Concordia in the fight against the Red Devils of Anteevy, 'one does not speak unless one knows'. We shall not hear your words, for you are an Apostate. Your words are a foreign wind we will not understand, for you have never taken the Creed, thus do not walk The Way. For you to take command of the Children of Mandalore, you must be redeemed."
"So, to be heard, to be redeemed in the eyes of your tribe, I must take the Creed?" I asked.
The Armorer nodded, "This is The Way."
"This is The Way!" The tribe behind her chanted.
I tilted my head, "How do I proceed?"
The Armorer stepped forward, passing by me, instead gesturing to the entrance of the mines. "Here lies the Living Waters of Mandalore. The songs of eons past tell of its time as a lair for mighty Mythosaur. Our first leader, Mandalore the Great, battled with the beast and defeated it before taming it. It is from these legends that the skull signet was adopted and became the symbol of our planet."
She turned to look at me, "You are to descend into the waters and recite the Creed. Only then may you be redeemed. Are you ready?"
I nodded, "I am ready."
"Then we may begin." The Armorer replied.
Tribal drums began to beat a beastly tune, hammering into my soul. A procession began to form, actors dressed in the ceremonial garb of the Cult tribe, carrying war banners with many different clan signets, with the Mythosaur-skulled Armorer leading them all. As we started to make our way through the tunnel, with me at the head, camera-drones followed us ahead and behind the parade to cover multiple angles. Reaching the chamber, I was to continue onward; carefully, I moved down the stone steps into the water. The Armorer stopped at the top, staying behind while the tribe spread out around the edges of the stone staircase into the water.
I continued down the steps until I was waist deep. Turning around, the drums stopped as the Armorer began speaking in a low tone.
"I swear on my name and the names of the Ancestors…" She recited.
With a little improvisation on my side, I respond back in Mando'a for the audience to experience it, "I swear on my name and the names of the ancestors..."
"That I shall walk the Way of the Mand'alor..."
"That I shall walk the Way of the Mand'alor..."
"And the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart."
"And the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart."
Stepping forward, the Armorer produced a bowl, scooping up some of the Living Waters. In one quick motion, she poured the contents over my helmet.
"This is The Way…" The Armorer recited.
And I responded, "This is The Way."
"This is The Way!" The tribe echoed in the background, almost a cheer.
I moved to step out of the Living Waters, to address the crowd of Mandalorians.
"The faithless Red Horde of communism, and their Separatist masters are poised to strike at the heart of all Mandalorians! Their heresy-filled clanless ideology would purge our histories, their parasitical leader salivates over the conquest of the sector! Over conquest of what it means to be Mandalorian! They preach pretty lies, promising peace and prosperity, but their actions reveal themselves. This includes repeated attempts to assassinate Princess Tanya Kryze, and their many efforts to corrupt the Prince with their poisonous words! Turning our own people against our rightful leader. Turning New Mandalorians into hypocritical communist!
Now rebuffed in deeds and words, the Reds plot to evade justice behind legal protections, dragging in the beskar'ad loving CIS into invading our home, our culture. We shall sally forth to meet them, to show them that the warm winds they sow will be rebuffed by the whirlwind of FOUR THOUSAND YEARS worth of strength. The Heretical traitors will know what being Mandalorian really is!"
The tribal background actors began clanging their beskar vambraces together in cheer.
Raising my fist, "For Mandalore."
"For Mandalore!" The crowded tribe members echoed the cry back, the acoustics in the old mine were heartracing.
"For Mandalore!" I repeated the cry again, in awe of the majesty of the sound of our voices across the Living Waters.
"FOR MANDALORE!!!" The wall of sound was almost a physical blow. The response of the tribe was less an echo and more the roar, as if from a majestic beast.
There was a pause, before, "CUT!" was announced. Suddenly, I was surprised at the amount of sweat working my way through my armored costume.
There was another pause before the Producer, sounding unsure of his own voice, "O-okay… that's a wrap, everybody." When the call echoed down the tunnel, I relaxed, pulling off my silver helm I brushed my hair a little. The ends were slightly damp, but I was quickly distracted as the actress playing the Armorer approached me with her helmet off as well, Ms. Mara Talik, I think her name was. When Khip asked the Armorsmith Guild for anyone who wanted to play the part of the Armorsmith, Ms. Mara volunteered. According to her, she runs an armor shop in Keldabe, here on Mandalore.
She grinned, and a strange light seemed to dance in her eyes, "Well done, kid." She offered a hand, which I accepted. I paused and tried to find words to capture the moment, looking for words to describe the emotions — I almost expected to visibly discern them in the air around me for a moment.
Ms. Talik's excitement spilled over my thoughts. "Dank farrik! That was incredible to watch up close, if that was not fictional, it would've gone into the history books for sure." She playfully punched my shoulder, "Still, something else might be recorded into history, if accidentally. Either way, congratulations kid, and let me be the first to welcome you. You're one of us, now." She smirked in a knowing way.
I hesitated, "What do you mean?"
She was interrupted in her reply when a background actor called her over, so she waved at me with a disarming smile and walked away. That was strange, but I decided to let it go, I figured I'd go talk to White Silver some more. It was fascinating to listen to her talk, to get a gleam inside her head so that I might reproduce it on holo. As I moved to go see the set crew, and more importantly, White Silver, the other Mandalorian actors came up to me. Some congratulated me, some shook my hand, others patted my shoulder, and some did all three.
Okay, that was weird. I know the scene I just did was awesome, but did it really need that kind of response? Then White Silver came into view, along with her second and Khip, who were reviewing the footage with pleased expressions, before noticing me and waved me over. White Silver was wearing a heavy brown poncho with a hood up. Her characteristic silver helm was hidden beneath, apparently she was wanted on Mandalore by some New Mandalorians that were not a fan of her, so she came disguised.
Khip grinned, "You've done me and my career proud, Taylor. That was a most exciting piece of footage, one of the best I have ever filmed! The ratings and credits will go through the roof after we release this."
"Thanks." I agreed, still too giddy with that strange and exciting energy to answer more eloquently., "It was... a thrill to do it." I swallowed and got my nerves under control. "How about you, Ms. Silver? Was it to your liking?"
She nodded, "Impressive, most impressive."
"Great... Hey, can I ask you a private question?" She tilted her helmet in, I guessed, curious confusion then gestured to follow her away from the film crew.
Once we were a distance away, she spoke, "Ask away, Ms. Palatine."
My tongue felt heavy, "After the scene ended, Ms. Talik said something strange. 'You're one of us, now.' Afterward, the other Mandalorians started congratulating me. I thought it was because of the scene, but maybe you could explain this Mandalorian behavior for me."
She chuckled. "I think it has something to do with the fact that this scene has now changed your life and public image forever."
I raised an eyebrow, still confused, "I don't understand."
"Although it was stage-managed and manufactured for an action show, the requirements of the ceremony were met. From here on, you are no longer only Taylor Palatine the actor, you are now Taylor Palatine the Mandalorian, truly and genuinely one of us."
My eyes bulged out once I comprehended her words, "Wait, what?! I thought it was just that; acting..."
She shook her head, "You bathed in the Living Waters and recited the creed. You were acting, but you were also sincere in intent. By all rights, in the eyes of the Manda, and in the eyes of the people, you are one of us now. You are Mandalorian. Credibility to the title is also aided by the fact that you know how to fight as a Mandalorian, how to speak our true tongue, and study our history.
There's a reason the Children of Mandalore say we are not a race. We are a creed, a culture. And now, that culture and history rightfully belongs to you, as it does to me, should you continue to accept it."
I was lost for any meaningful words, "O-oh — Wow, just… wow."
White Silver tilted her head, "Do you not want the title of being called Mandalorian?"
"N-no, just… I didn't think too hard about the implications of doing this scene, that I woke today as just an actress and will go to bed tonight a Mandalorian. But somehow... somehow, it just feels fitting. Like it was meant to be."
White Silver laughed softly, and her next words were sarcastic, "A Jedi would say, 'This is the will of the Force at work.'"
I laughed too, "Wait until my family hears about this, my siblings will not believe their sister is now a Mandalorian!"
We both shared another laugh, then White Silver spoke again, "Well, you can tell them that you are welcomed to Mandalore as your homeland. But perhaps we can take this a step further, and charge at this full speed." I looked at her curiously, unsure at what she meant. "In adherence to my Codex, no Mandalorian should be without their Beskar." My eyes started to enlarge again as I put together what she was saying.
"If you are truly committed to becoming a Mandalorian, then as a thank you for your contributions to the sector through your work, I will sponsor the creation of your own personal set of quality beskar armor. For you to wear in your day-to-day life, if you so choose it."
Before I could stop myself, I was giving the White Silver a tight hug.
"STARS! That would be so wizard! Thank you!" I repeated the praise a few times while holding her.
She seemed to be thrown off guard, as she patted me awkwardly.
"There are some conditions, though." She stated.
"Like what?"
"Are you familiar with Mandalorian color theory?"
I shrugged, "A little, only skimmed it to understand a part of a previous episode we made."
"Study it more closely tonight, then look at yourself and what you want out of life, so that we may customize your armor as such. The color choices are not a fashion choice, but a statement of how you live your life. Afterward, submit your choices to my droid, S4, and we may begin." She paused in thought again, "Oh, and what signet would you like to wear?"
I went a little red, moving one arm sheepishly and rubbed the back of my head, "Is it alright if I choose your emblem?" Pointing to the four-winged symbol emblazoned on my costume armor.
After a pause, she nodded gently, "I don't see why not."
21 BBY Month 6
Coruscant, Mandalore Tower
Tanya Kryze
Peace really was an illusion — even more so when it comes to Coruscant. Every day, news about the war would regularly come in, but Coruscant seemed frozen in perpetual peacetime, desperately presenting this false image as if it demonstrated strength, just chugging along like it had for centuries. There were few visible changes or reforms, despite that six months ago there had been a minor intrusion or invasion, depending on the way you look at it. It could even be considered an insurrection, a portion of the underworld population that keeps the city running sided with the droids, attacking installations across the planet.
I noticed all these problems, but otherwise tried to suppress my anxiety concerning Coruscant's fragility, this was beyond my concern. No, my concern was maintaining Mandalorian dominance when it comes to peaceful negotiations. And what dominance it had become! I had never realized it, but I had been fighting the political battles of the era with one hand behind my back as a representative. Previously, I had to run every proposal through Merrik and hoped that he would follow my advice. Now I'm the senator — I had essentially cut out the middle-man; I now hold sway over what Mandalore could vote on.
It was not like I could end the war with a snap of my fingers, as I was just one senator amongst many. However, the control I now had was ten times the control I had before. Before as a mere Representative, signing my name to a bill meant nothing on its own. Now as a Senator, my name and actions carried political weight and authority. Authority that I was more than eager to use for Mandalore's and my own benefit.
I wasn't trying to be the most corrupt individual in the entire galaxy — my own self-interest was also in the mutual interest of Mandalore. I also wasn't going to blatantly abuse my authority. I would never be foolish enough to sign off on something that would immediately see dividends sent directly to companies that worked closely with Mandel Hypernautics, like Mandal Logistics or Vesti Engineering Corporation. That's how you get caught, after all. No, I would simply go through the proper channels, maybe mention a company as a recommendation, but stick to soft influence and a strong image.
A major concern that had to be addressed was that of foodstuff. From a purely utilitarian standpoint, the supply of food was adequate to sustainably support the many more urbanized areas within Mandalorian space, but that was only a surface level understanding of the logistical quagmire that the war had foisted upon Mandalore and other Neutral Systems.
Food supplies were a requirement for the stability of any state, not only must a steady supply of food be provided to the citizenry to prevent starvation, but the quality of the food must be acceptable in terms of variety. The old adage of bread and games only goes so far, salts, sugars, spices, meat and other exotic foodstuffs must be provided to meet the needs of a modern civilian population to prevent unrest and criminality. Carbs alone don't cut it for populations with private blasters.
Such a wide assortment is nominally provided for by the free hand of the market. Simply put, where there is a demand, supply will arise. However, mass state actions, such as war, disrupts supply chains and there are times when a free market cannot reassert itself rapidly enough or at all. As distasteful as it was, some amount of central planning had to be undertaken, preferably from private citizens with the capital to rapidly shift to meet demands or from state actors responding to critical shortfalls.
However, before new supply lines could be established, effort must be made to stabilize any that had survived the disruptive wartime environment. Effort must be made to prevent price shocks that could cause cascade failures of other market sectors. Food was a requirement for survival, and if a food price shock hit an economic unit such as a family or a poor clan that could cause massive shortfalls in other 'less necessary' sectors such as electronics, clothing, transportation and entertainment sectors. Failures that would lead to even more symbiotic market sectors collapsing.
Concord Dawn had been the main issue that had caused food prices to skyrocket within the Mandalorian sector over the last few months. Not only did they seize control of over half the planet of Vorpa'ya, which put them in control of most of the agricultural products coming in and out of the sector, but it also looks like they are exporting food products that should have been used to feed the sector to both the Republic and CIS.
There were, of course, ways to work around this problem ethically. Other planets outside the Council of Neutral Systems could provide foodstuffs on both sides of the border near Mandalorian space.
However, the Republic was putting a lot of taxes on anything that we bought from them to feed their war effort, basically forcing us to in-directly participate through a necessity needed to cross the galaxy. I would like to say that this was a very clever idea. It would force us and other starving worlds to choose a side, especially if they were inclined to choose a side nonetheless. Except it became less clever after the CIS had lifted their embargo on the CNS.
Some magic Prime Minister Almec had pulled had gotten the CIS to lift their embargo, and Korkie was working as a representative to their Senate. Suddenly, we had quite an influx of food to cover our rising food shortages. Well, almost cover it. The CIS have their own people to feed as well, in addition to fighting the galactic war, so they can only sell any excess food at slightly above market price.
Frustratingly, most of the food that they sold us were products exported from Concord Dawn, at a slightly inflated price so that the merchants could turn in a profit. While it is annoying, that is how the free market operates and only an idiot would not take advantage of this golden opportunity for arbitrage, minting a vast profit with little risk. Of course, being the one footing the bill is never pleasant. The only course of action is to break this deadlock so that Vorpa'ya can resume food production, and we don't need to pay Concord Dawn for our food back. But that is easier said than done.
If it was just Mandalorians we were feeding, we probably would have been able to feed ourselves without issue. But the CNS was made up of more than just the Mandalorians. Adding to our list of issues, we had signed on to the Alderaan Refugee Conference. I had not been able to attend myself, but it had been quite a staggering, terrible affair, with another assassination attempt on Padmé Amidala. Maybe I should be more forceful and broach the idea of hiring a Mandalorian trainer for her guards to improve her security.
Thankfully, that had failed, but now we were responsible for a small part of the refugees being displaced by the widening conflict. These new demands on our resources meant we had to find ever more sources of food.
Personally, I support resettlement for refugees — find some temperate and spacious unoccupied world before we start dropping people and construction supplies down on it. The problem, of course, being that most Mandalorian worlds, worlds within the mainline sector and its neighboring cultural border, were not exactly habitable anymore. And that was before the Excision made it worse with sprinkling radioactive dust on most of them.
There was a reason Mandalorians were drawn to barbaric, toxic, and outright dangerous worlds with monsters to fight. We were drawn to adversity like moths to a flame. It's our culture and I respected it to some degree, simply because I'd gotten used to it. On the other hand, it makes taking in people who have been displaced by war much harder.
But it's not impossible. There were planets like Zanbar, Velmoth, and Cheravh, which were prime candidates for colonization. They actually have functioning ecosystems that weren't under constant danger of large predators to a great degree. They were within the Mandalorian sector and were not under threat of a massive conflict. Which was the reason I removed the idea of using Vorpa'ya as a potential candidate, I wouldn't just dump refugees in a potential warzone.
There are also planets in neighboring sectors that had a small population that could theoretically support refugees, but they had not signed on to the Neutrality Council yet, nor to any additional refugee commitments that Mandalore had. Thus, they would not be taking part, at least not yet. When they joined the CNS, I was totally plotting to use their unoccupied, habitable spaces on those worlds to resettle some of the population that was obviously going to be sent our way as the conflict went on.
But that was getting too deep into the future. I yawned, and lightly distracted myself, tapping my face to keep active and aware.
I should be preparing for the official ceremony for Tabi and Vai's wedding tomorrow, before we kick off the Mandalorian Expo on Coruscant. More than ever, we need the Expo to maintain and improve Mandalore's image for people here in the Core.
Unfortunately, I was called away from last minute wedding planner details by my senatorial duties. No longer was I the representative of Mandalore, but the senator of Kalevala and the entire sector of Mandalore. That meant Aunt Satine could use the currently empty title and position as Representative as a gift to a political ally.
I wasn't quite aware of how the politics had gone, but the Duchess had decided to give it to one of the most far-flung loyalist planets in the Mandalorian sector, Jakelia. They had then selected their representative and sent them on their way to Coruscant. Now they were due to arrive in the next half hour or so, I think.
I had to meet them, get to know them, and instruct them in their duties. Much more than what Merrik had provided for me, and give them warnings about issues they should avoid.
Yawning out loud once more, I wished for a cup of caf, only to be greeted by Engiz holding out a thermos for me. I looked at him, and he said, "Thought you might be running yourself a little bit ragged, so I had Vai whip you up some caf before we left the apartment."
I smiled eagerly at the thermos of caf, finally looking up to say, "Thank you." Taking the thermos, I popped it open, drinking some of the warm awakening elixir down; I let it settle as I closed it and handed it back for safe keeping.
He returned to his guard stance again while we waited for the new representative to arrive. We were notified that the new Representative was entering Coruscant's atmosphere a few minutes ago, so they should be here any second. I hadn't brought everyone out, as I didn't see the need to. Only Engiz and Captain Struc were present. The captain ignored Engiz, as he was occupied watching the area for snipers. We were all standing out here in the open, waiting to see if someone would try their luck and take the bait. It was a boring, but necessary excursion.
If there was anyone going to try and take a shot at me, now would be the best opportunity. There are only a few skyscrapers high enough to get a clear view of me, and I am glancing between all of them for a hint of a scope. If anyone did try to take a potshot, X4 did install some low-level shield emitters along the walkway for us to take cover behind; hopefully they would stop blaster bolts and projectiles.
"So, any idea which of the two they sent?" Engiz asked innocently.
I looked over my shoulder at Engiz and smiled, saying, "Probably the Princess." My voice was impressively calm and collected.
I hoped it would not be the prince, I repressed a burst of emotions, turning away slowly. I strategically hid my face from Engiz and looked away. The prince of Jakelia had kept it to himself, but he had definitely been making moves to try and see if I was interested in him. Obviously, he was trying to get a royal marriage. He had probably been put up to do it by his father, I would assume.
While his attempt had been nothing but failure, it had been something that Engiz had noticed. Halfway through that hunting trip we had gone on, the two of them had been peacocking at each other over who could do the most for me. I had not realized it at the time, not fully, but I was distressed to realize it was definitely what they were doing, now that I reviewed my memories.
So, as a result, I was rather hoping that the prince would not show up, simply to keep that behavior from continuing.
"I am also sure that he'll be too busy with his duties on Jakelia to be sent here." I kept my voice confident and bored. "He is the heir, and it's very rare to send your heirs off to a world like Coruscant if you have any alternative."
It was then that I was drawn from my thoughts, as a shuttle of an elegant build, perhaps from Naboo by its lines, came in low. The graceful vehicle finally came to a stop across from where I was standing on the platform.
There was a pause from all of us on the platform as the ship released heat and cooled down. Finally, the door started to open and down came a sleek, athletic woman with green skin, pointed ears, and blonde hair. "Princess Kyr'vehtka'ar, welcome to Coruscant." I greeted, giving a curtsy as she made her way down the ramp.
She smiled and made her way towards me, saying, "Princess Tanya, it is good to see you again." She ended her greeting with her own curtsy.
"Good to see you too, Princess Kyr'vehtka'ar." I said. I remembered our brief encounter on our last trip. She had been introduced during part of that little camping trip all those months ago. Suddenly, she was in front of me, leaning forward and surprising me with a kiss on my lips.
I blushed, flustered, as she backed off and said, "You don't need to call me that, Tanya. Representative Kyri will serve nicely, I think." Two BD-3000 droids came down the ramp from her ship, carrying a large supply of what looked like clothes boxes and suitcases.
I wondered if that was some sort of tradition that I was unaware of. She hadn't done that the last time we met, so I was suspicious. But perhaps the opportunity had never presented itself. If it's only something that you do when you're off-world, culture was a funny thing and had many different outlets. But this was a bit beyond what I would consider normal, and the fact that she wasn't acting like it was abnormal just made it even more confusing to me.
Adopting a mask of confidence, I said, "Well, if you'll follow me, I'll lead you to the room you'll be staying in."
She nodded before saying, "So, this is the fabled Mando Tower — where the future of our sector is decided. For some reason, I thought it would be taller."
She started to walk with me but stopped as she saw Engiz. "I recognize you, Engiz Ordo." And immediately leaned in, kissing the side of his helmet. When she pulled away, I spotted it left a dark red lipstick mark; that annoyed me.
I would check to make sure I didn't have such a mark on myself when I got up to my room, and remind Engiz to remove the one on his helmet as well. It was unbecoming of a Royal Guard, even he could see that. His eyes were wide with shock at her brazen attitude.
When I got the chance, I was going to have to lay some ground rules with the woman. To make sure she didn't get herself into too much trouble while here, as well as to keep her far, far away from Vai.
I sighed and led the way to the tower. "You'll be staying in one of the representative suites. It was my old residence when I was the representative."
"Oh, wonderful." Kyri said with a smile as the doors opened in front of us. "I hope it's prepared for me already. I'm quite eager to move in and see more of this city for myself."
I chuckled before saying, "You'll get a chance. Everyone's kind of busy right now, though. We're getting ready to hold a wedding ceremony, one of two, actually."
"Oh? Has someone claimed your heart already?"
I looked at her with a raised eyebrow, finally shaking my head in disagreement. "No, it is not for me. We're holding Vai's marriage ceremony as a public demonstration of Mandalorian culture during the cultural expo tomorrow. There will be a separate private ceremony with family and relatives that will occur on Tabi's homeworld, Harswee, in a few months."
She looked understandably surprised to find out about the ceremonies.
"Cultural expo? That sounds fun. What exactly is being showcased?" She asked in an earnestly curious tone, it put me on guard; the elevator arrived, and we stepped inside.
Clearing my throat, I said, "Well, we don't want to get too violent. Mostly, it's just a concert with some talent I have brought in, some light shows, a poetry slam exhibit, as well as various stalls showcasing products that are usually sold in the Mandalore sector."
Kyri smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically. "Well, that sounds fun. I can't wait to be a part of it. How can I help?"
Looking at her, I shrugged. "Anyway you want. It's a cultural festival. If you have something from your culture you want to show off, feel free to find a booth and display it. I'm sure everyone will be more than happy to see whatever you have."
"Hmm, all right. Sounds fun~."
The elevator quickly came to a stop as we arrived at the floor beneath my personal quarters, a room meant for the representatives. My royal guard still had some quarters on this floor. The door opened, and I stepped in, pointing towards the furthest back room. "As I explained earlier, you'll be getting my room. It's much further back and has the most security on this floor."
Kyri nodded her head and was about to say something, but Vai interrupted when she entered the main dining area from her room.
"Oh hey, the new girl." Vai called, giving a wave. Coming forward, she said, "We haven't met yet, but you can call me Vai. I'm Tanya's handmaiden."
"It's nice to meet you, Vai." Kyri said, extending her hand. They shook hands as she said, "I heard you're getting married and at such a wonderful time of life, too."
Vai rubbed the back of her head. "Thanks. I'm still trying to get used to the whole idea, but I'm ready for it. New battles, new stuff I have to deal with. But at least I have good friends." Her words were already trailing off, she left part way through, but glanced towards me on the way back out.
I shot her a smile and nodded back, happy to be supportive of my, I guess, childhood friend. At this point, we'd known each other for a long time now. Has it been a decade already?
But before I could get too deep into my thoughts, Morson came out from her room, saying, "Kyri? You're the new Rep girl?" She waved enthusiastically as she walked over. "Howdy, girl." She said, extending her hand to the green-skinned woman. Only for said representative to lean forward and give her a kiss on the lips, just like she had done to me. Which was very annoying.
"Nice to meet you again, Khae. I hope your time on Coruscant didn't dull your edge."
Morson seemed shocked, and her cheeks burned a bright red. After a moment, she stammered her reply. "I-I hope so too, we still have that rematch to settle."
I simply blinked, shaking my head, hoping that I could figure out what was causing her to be so overly friendly with certain individuals. She hadn't done that with Vai, so why is that?
I had a feeling I would find out soon enough and would be rather annoyed by it. Sighing, I said, "Anyway, let me show you your room."
Coruscant, Mandalorian Expo Square
Princess Kyr'vehtka'ar
Yesterday, I had fun messing with Tanya. Establishing dominance through ancient cultural displays was an old trick, but I hadn't expected for her to respond in kind with her own cultural display so quickly. I kept having to school my face and hide my amazement at the procession and pyrotechnics of the Mandalorian "wedding." While there's nothing unusual about having a little bit of extra flair for such circumstances, most Mandalorian weddings could be described as rather tame compared to this.
Understandable, that this was merely a show for the Coruscanti public. Tanya apparently researched all records of every wedding ever held in Mandalorian culture, synthesized and upscaled many of the elements into one larger harmonious procession, culminating in a concluding ceremony laden with symbolism. At the same time, each step of the wedding held something interesting for the public, the crowd's attention swinging in surprise to each new entertainer, then back to the couple. Likely it was also the closest any here had been to combat — at certain points blasts of fire and smoke, loud simulated explosions, were deployed in mock battles deceptively near the crowds. Behind and above, multiple Mandalorian bands debuted as part of the events; their first shows happening as part of the ceremonies on Coruscant today.
To be frank, having a couple in Mandalorian battle armor standing in front of a crowd as they say the words and commit to marriage while engaging in combat would probably not have been as interesting as this.
Anyway, I was standing off to one side, not one of the members of the family, just a visiting dignitary, so I didn't get a seat. But there weren't many seats, just members of Clan Visla and Clan Kregg separated by an aisle where the father of the bride was currently escorting her in that relatively beautiful dress down the aisle to where the rather short but well-cared man was standing.
You can tell he was from Harswee from a mile away, if he wasn't so short you couldn't see him from a mile away. Some may call that a mean joke; I'd say that's just a standard joke of my home sector. My home world of Jakelia, and Harswee have a long history of sniping at each other. It's just what we do.
Neither side really meant anything too mean by it; it was just an old tradition that had built up over generations. Honor duels do happen from time to time, but no one wants to have to deal with a blood feud, so death is minimized as much as possible. The only duels that warranted the other's death over the duel is a matter of leadership, like the Manda'lor.
I turned my attention back to the ceremony when the music signified the arrival of the bride. Today Vai was wearing a blue, white, and cyan beaded lace dress. Her extravagant dress is beaded with tiny blue gemstones along with several engraved beskar plates sewn to the sides of the skirt and bodice, with shoulder pauldrons engraved and highlighted in blue with Clan Visla's symbol.
I was a bit jealous of her dress, I will say that — it's a perfect combination of armor and fancy dresswork. I heard from Morson that her dress was made by the Dressmaker Blacksmith's Division on Gargon. While my dress is nothing to scoff at, it is subtler than what Vai is wearing. My green and bronze dress with a magenta waist cape relied on intricate embroidery that mimicked the Evergreen forests of Jakelia. The bronze acted like branches, the thicker layers of green were shaped like leaves, while the waist cape is there to provide a splash of color.
Tabi was wearing almost a full suit of commando armor. For some reason, it felt obvious that the only thing that was missing was a few blasters. His coloration was a little interesting, though. It was the classic set of daring colors, he'd gone for cyan, bronze, and magenta, A rather romantic set of colors, proclaiming he was nobility and passionately in love. It seemed zealous, especially with the pink cape coming off his shoulders.
I wondered what the Coruscanti people thought of this colorful armor. Then again, as I looked out to the left, I wasn't sure they really understood color theory. Most of the people who were viewing this, dignitaries or just rich and famous, wanted to see a Mandalorian wedding for the novelty of it. Many seemed to be awestruck by the pageantry and procession, but just many focused on the armor and colors in general.
Well, this was a hell of a show, I'll give Tanya that; she knew how to make it interesting. I watched the bride's father walk her down the aisle, wearing his own commando armor, not wearing a helmet, which was odd. I would have expected someone from Concordia to have been one of those very extreme religious types who never take the helmet off.
Guess I need to learn more about the inter-political nature of Concordia when I get the chance. That's probably something I won't need to worry too much about. My goals here on Coruscant were to represent my sector as a delegate to Mandalore's senatorial delegation and to battle for the heart of Tanya, I'd even settle for only half of it.
Anyway, I did notice he had his helmet hanging loosely from his belt, which had something interesting to say. The helmet had its distinctive T-visor, more boldly protruding outward from the helmet. It's an older design, prominently used by members of Death Watch during the last Civil War, interestingly enough. It makes sense, as most Death Watch supporters were exiled to Concordia after the Civil War. My thoughts were interrupted as I watched the groom approach the bride.
I watched with a smile as the third Prince of Harswee took his bride's hand and helped her onto the stage. Although I noted some interest from a woman near the front, looking extremely perturbed, being actively shushed near the Visla side of the wedding party. Some near family relation, I wondered. Checking on the bride again, now I noted some similarities between the two; was that Vai's mother? She looked particularly angry. Perhaps she didn't agree with her daughter's choice in men.
Either way, the ceremony was going forward without her permission. And it would appear that Clan Kryze was quite in favor of this marriage. Their clan armorer had apparently flown all the way from Mandalore to officiate it, which said a lot when she thought about it diplomatically. It tied Clan Visla to Clan Kregg, it also tied House Visla to the House of Harswee, and most importantly, it tied Harswee to Mandalore and House Kryze, since it was being officiated by them.
Another bold power play by the ruling family. My father was quite taken with Clan Kryze, ever since Tanya came on the scene. Over the last few years, he'd been watching the political machinations of the clan and approved their decisions quite a bit. That's why, when Tanya had visited our planet not so long ago, he had told both me and my twin brother to attempt to ingratiate ourselves into Clan Kryze.
We both tried quite thoroughly. Unfortunately, it had somewhat failed, at least for my brother, as it appeared Kryze was already circling Ordo for her next conquest. And it is easy to see why, seeing as Clan Ordo was a very old, powerful, and prestigious clan.
So, my brother's avenues of attack were closed, and he moved on to other possible routes of attaining power in this new CNS by joining the SDF, ascending up the military ranks.
However, as far as I was concerned, there was still a possibility that I could achieve victory. It was well known that Tanya and the bride-to-be had kissed, which would imply that Tanya was more on the open side of some relationships, at least when it came to women. Even if she were to attain a marriage with Ordo, there was a chance that I could successfully integrate myself into that little niche of openness that was available, ensuring security and safety for my own world.
A small chance, but I would take it, especially in such troubled times.
I sort of stopped paying attention to the wedding but paid more attention as we came to the end. The bride and the groom kissed, celebration was going on — clapping, party poppers, and such. Then Vai threw a bouquet, which wasn't really a Mandalorian thing, at least not by any Mandalorian cultures I was aware of. It probably came from the Core. Either way, the bouquet went up and hit Tanya in the face, even though she wasn't among the gathered Mandalorian women trying to reach for it.
I had to hold back smug laughter, as that was rather funny, and perhaps a sign of good fortune; proof that my path was the righteous one after all.
Coruscant, Mandalorian Expo Square
Ahsoka Tano
Coruscant's weather was unusually warm today. I noted, as the sun beat down on the structures in and around this cultural expo.
I had never been to one of these before and probably wouldn't have come any other time. But I had just gotten back from Geonosis, which was a horrifying experience considering the brain worms and the disaster it would have caused if it got loose. So, Barriss and I had been given a week of mandatory leave by the Jedi Council to recover from that traumatic event.
We weren't really sure what to do with ourselves, so Master Windu suggested going to this Mandalorian cultural expo, as it is the only notable event that is happening on Coruscant at the moment. He even contacted the Senator from Mandalore to get us a couple of VIP tickets to the concert after they had sold out, in hopes of putting our minds in a better place. I don't know if that will work, especially after what we had just been through. But we didn't really have anything better to do, so we might as well try it.
Barriss seemed particularly affected, as she seemed to be staring off into the distance fairly frequently. She is unsteady in the Force, and I tried to involve her in conversation to keep her mind off of it. I imagined her experience must have been more strenuous than mine, considering she had actually had one of those brain worms in her head.
So to continue to distract her, I looked around, and I said, "Hey, there are some of those vambraces that Mandalorians always wear. Want to take a look at them?"
"Sure." She said, sounding lethargic, to say the least. I was worried that she wasn't healing from the experience at all. I hoped I could find something to distract her as we walked over to the vambraces.
There was quite a lot of gear, though most of them appeared to be just decorative. However, a few of them had interesting technology like communicators or maps in them. "I wonder if I should get one of these for Master Anakin." I mused aloud, looking at a black set of vambraces, knowing that he preferred darker colors.
Barriss nodded, saying, "Yeah, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a little bit of defense around our wrists when you're going up against people like Ventress every other month."
"That's a good point." I said, looking at the merchants, and asked, "Are any of these lightsaber resistant?"
The merchant, who had been busy talking to a young woman jerked, looked over at me, then looked at my lightsaber, and turned away to put away some tools. I browsed around while I waited, when she finally returned, she was clearly annoyed. "I'm afraid we don't have any lightsaber-resistant equipment here, honored Jedi." Odd, nearly every word of that sentence was a lie. It was unusual to be deceived so openly, knowing our identity.
"You are lying." I decided not to beat around the issue, especially as Barriss had been acting strangely all afternoon. She didn't even comment on the merchant until my accusation, finally seeming surprised, before slowly nodding at my assertion.
The woman appeared very nervous now, and hesitated. "I-it's not exactly like you can get beskar outside the Mandalorian sector easily."
"Who said anything about beskar?" Barriss picked up on the odd detail. I tried to recall what I knew of the Mandalorian-iron metal.
"Uhh, you are talking to a Mandalorian. The only material resistant to lightsabers that we use is beskar. I can sell you what I have, Jedi. It's very expensive though, as it has to be either mined or forged by one of their armorers who know the secret of forging Beskar. I can't order more either, which is also why the price is so high." She finished in a tumble of words.
Barriss sniffed loudly, clearly dismissing the merchant woman's explanation. I remained impassive, and polite; such hamfisted negotiation tactics were useless against us Jedi. "Unfortunate." I remarked simply, shaking my head, as Barriss looked at a green set of vambraces near a different merchant. Looking at her, I asked, "That's a nice color for you."
Still seeming distant, she said, "Yeah, I guess. I don't know. I've just been... I've been distracted; thinking about a lot."
"Thinking about what?" I said, trying to help as we stepped further away from the stall, giving us some privacy
"Lots of things, lots of things." She said vaguely, shaking her head. "Mostly it's the guilt of that clone I had to kill on the medical ship. I've never killed a person before."
"Well, to be fair, he wasn't exactly a person anymore or alive. He had probably already been taken over by the brain worm." I pointed out as I gave her my full attention. But she kind of shook her head in disagreement.
"Maybe he was beyond saving, but I was infected with one of those same brain worms and you managed to save me, could we not save him? What if I was too fast to resort to my lightsaber the way I did? I should have Force Pushed him away. He would have still been alive after you figured out a way to free them. This war is making us use our weapons too fast when we should be attempting to heal."
I nodded, understanding, but I didn't agree with her conclusions. "You weren't really given any other opportunity to do anything, Barriss. It was either use it or get infested with the worm. Then, with those choices, I think you made the best one. Otherwise, the situation would have gone a lot worse, a lot quicker."
"Yeah, does that not say something about the whole war? We keep getting put into situations where our choices are bad or worse, and we don't find a way out of it other than to take the bad. We are Jedi. We should be exploring for the path in between the bad and the worst that leads to a good outcome. And it feels like all we've managed to do is amplify the bad outcomes."
I nodded. "Well, it's a war. There's not much of a choice but to choose whatever we can do."
"So doing something is better than nothing? Our choices were correct because we had to do something? And deciding to join the war was us doing something? It definitely doesn't feel like that was the best option, having seen the consequences of the war so far."
"We're not that bad." I said. "I mean, the Separatists seem to be responsible for much more of the atrocities and conflict."
She nodded readily, in obvious agreement, "Yes. Most of them are, that's for sure. Usually." Barriss was doing and saying strange things again. My expression must have betrayed my confusion, because she replied. "I don't know. I'm just thinking back to that one particular Separatist I ran into on Null. He had a choice. He could have let his side commit war crimes, but he shot the people who were going to do it. We'd be dead if he hadn't stepped up."
"I've not heard that story before. But just because there's one good Separatist, it doesn't mean the majority are not making a massive mistake."
"But are we not making a massive mistake as well? Perhaps this whole war is just one massive mistake that both leaderships are making." She said, folding her arms across her chest as she shook her head.
"It is a massive mistake, either way you look at it, I guess. But it's not like anyone's going to stop it. The war has started, and the Separatists are invading systems that don't align with their goals. I guess if there could be some sort of peace conference, there might be something. But as far as I've seen, we're not at a stage where either side even wants to talk about a peace conference."
"That's probably a mistake of the Jedi." Barriss said with a shake of her head, saying, "We should be pushing for a ceasefire. Instead, we're out there fighting."
I wasn't really sure what to say to that. She made a good point, but well, there was nothing we could do. We were just Padawans. We couldn't exactly tell the Council to do something. Putting my hand on her shoulder, I said, "I'm sure the Council will try and bring peace sooner or later. We just have to stop Count Dooku and his machinations."
She let out a sigh and nodded. "I hope so. But perhaps we, as Jedi, should be taking more from Serifa Altunen and stepping away from conflict entirely, like the CNS we should step away too."
"I'm not sure if that's the best idea, the Separatists seemed likely to draw CNS in conflict eventually but-" I hesitated, remembering I was in public. I looked around for anything suspicious, while trying to distract Barriss. "Anyway, we've got a whole day to spend at this expo. Where do you want to go next?"
Barriss accepted the change in subject easily enough, looking around the expo with fresh interest. "I guess we could go look at that section over there for fashion. I don't know, what do people normally do at something like this?"
"Force if I know, but looking at dresses sounds nice at least." I said, walking in that direction and shaking my head at some of the outfits I could see from this distance. "I don't know how anyone can perform any acrobatics in something as restrictive as some of the dresses over there."
Barriss shrugged before saying, "Master Luminara says a dress doesn't really restrict you if you train to fight inside of it. It can even make you more acrobatic in the long term."
"Oh, so that's why you... You're just putting on an extra layer of clothing for more training. That makes much more sense." I was usually too busy to do research on entirely new techniques.
"Not exactly... There are some cultural reasons as well." Barriss said, "But, yes. You should try it sometime. You would probably be less commented on if you wore something less revealing."
"What are you talking about?" I asked confusedly, trying to eliminate any trace of annoyance.
"Oh, someone mentioned it to someone, and it's gone around the Temple about how that one Republic ship commander, Captain Pellaeon, made a point of forcing you to wear an official uniform while on his ship."
"Oh, that guy." I said in relief, rubbing my forehead. "Nothing wrong with him, I would admit, but he did seem to have a problem with how loose the Jedi Order was on uniform standards. Quite a bit of the military structure was that way. Now that I think about it, he had been particularly annoyed with my outfit."
Now Barriss was giving me another strange look again.
"Let's not think about that guy." I said, shaking my head as I led the way to the dresses.
Coruscant, Mandalorian Expo Concert
Mace Windu
This was an interesting waste of time. I learned about the Mandalorian Expo a week ago. Some sort of cultural transfer event that the senator, at the time representative of Mandalore, arranged to show that Mandalore's culture was just as vibrant as any core world.
A noble goal, and as a result, a few Jedi who were on the planet had chosen to make an appearance. Master Coleman Trebor was doing everything he could to try and improve the public image of the Jedi ever since the little scandal a few years back, where a child we mistakenly believed to be an orphan entered the Order.
That whole fiasco was still brought up from time to time to hurt our public image. Thankfully, the mother of said child had proven to be distractible and showed herself to not really care for the child. At least, we believed she was the mother. Most, at least I did, wondered about that sometimes. There had never been a proper DNA test, and the fact that she seemed to have forgotten about the child the moment the media came around and gave her the time of day made me suspect that perhaps she was not the mother as we had believed, but some fraudster involved in some scheme.
Granted, I could be a bit pessimistic, but it had happened before. In the thousands of years the Jedi Order had existed, there were stories of situations like this happening. Usually, it didn't get as bad as that one had, but it happened nonetheless.
Now, Master Trebor was doing his best to try and improve the political situation and the public appearance of the Jedi, and that meant helping with this cultural expo. My only role here today was to attend, demonstrate solidarity; a bit of Jedi funding went into the whole thing. The idea was that if we showed that we were willing to learn about Mandalorian culture, perhaps they would be drawn away from negative influences. Hopefully, it would discourage them to heed Death Watch's and the Protector's Siren's call to join the CIS.
I leaned back in the chair overlooking the concert hall that had been selected for the Expo. The large population of local citizens were everywhere. Some were taking pictures, some were pointing, looking, laughing, and generally enjoying the sights.
"Drawn quite a crowd, the Mandalorians have." Came the familiar voice of Grandmaster Yoda as he floated in on a chair.
"Grandmaster." I acknowledged with a nod. "I was not aware you were going to be attending today."
The older Jedi smiled and floated into position beside me. "Not expecting too, I was. But persuaded me to come, a young friend did." The old Grandmaster returned a genuine smile and held out a small yellow band resting on his lap. "VIP access, I have. Refuse, how could I?"
I indicated towards the yellow band and device attached. "Do you speak of Senator Kryze?"
"Hmm, the wrong name, perhaps 'Kryze' is."
I made a huff of annoyance, his cryptic remarks in the past regarding Mandalore, at least, had proven accurate. I had put that region out of my mind lately, leaving such matters to Yoda's guidance. But now, Senator Kryze's parentage had gone from minor importance to the daughter of the Duchess and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan Kenobi was quite the disappointment. He had failed the codes as much as Qui-Gon Jinn. More troublesome, Obi-Wan was now a popular role model to many youthful Jedi, which could potentially cause trouble in the future.
However, in a special hearing, the Grandmaster and several other Masters had spoken on the matter, and it had been decided that he should not be punished for the mistakes of his youth. Their reasoning was that Obi-Wan was a committed member of the Order for decades, and just because he had made a mistake when he was a Padawan, should not be held against him. My counterargument that his errors had accumulated and would only lead further Jedi astray was acknowledged, but the other Masters felt every willing Jedi was needed. And one could not deny that his mistake had been somewhat beneficial to the Order, for now.
His daughter had made great inroads with the Mandalorian population for the Jedi. There was now a Jedi Temple in the Mandalorian sector, something that was never dreamed to be possible.
Letting out a sigh, I looked at Yoda before saying, "Master Yoda, how would you resolve the situation between Obi-Wan and Senator Kryze?"
"Resolve? Know the conclusion, I do not. Trust in the Force, I do." He said, looking out over the auditorium. Following his gaze, I saw he was actually looking at a set of boxes across the way, where I could see the Senator in question speaking with her entourage. In a softer voice, he added, "Even the very wise cannot see all ends."
I shot Yoda a look of surprise at the admission. "Perhaps you're right on that. Are there any other clues you've had uncovered when it comes to Mandalorians over the last few years?"
Yoda chuckled good-naturedly, "A good question." He paused as if thinking over his words a bit more, "The darkness that is blocking the Jedi's foresight of the future also binds Mandalore just as tightly now. Yet this is a sign of hope, I believe. That their fate is now shared with the Republic. Whatever that fate may be."
"What occurred at Ilum with Master Unduli and her Padawan?" The Grandmaster had departed in a rush a few months ago and arrived back at Coruscant just as quickly. Now Padawan Barriss was here, but Yoda had yet to report despite the ample time.
"A glimpse beyond. Able, was I, then, to see. The darkness extends far, but not everywhere." Yoda nodded towards another group of Padawan's attending the Expo. "This conflict provides purpose. Keeps the Padawans focused, it does. Out there, in the uncharted space, temptations lurk. Barriss carries that now, a concern I have."
Letting out a deep breath, I looked out over the auditorium. "Well, Master Yoda, considering your last guidance has done so well, I hope it continues to do so. Something is clouding the Force the more this war goes on. The Dark Side hides from us the source of its emanation. "
The Grandmaster nodded and began his agreement before saying, "What the Dark Side clouds from the Light, the Light can cloud from the Dark Side. Served the Dark Side, the Mandalorians may have, in many wars across many generations. But served the Light, they have also, in many of those same generations. Neither wholly of the Dark nor wholly of the Light, they are. Of service in our efforts to find the Dark Side's source, they may be. Clouded like we are, they are not, nor held to the same measures as we. But the great purpose, we share."
"You believe that by working with Mandalorians, we might be able to uncover the Sith Lord behind this clouding of our sight?" I asked, trying to clarify. The more Yoda spoke, the less he was telling. It was a tactic I had observed enough times.
Yoda shook his head. "Not uncover on purpose, but perhaps stumbling about as they try to keep themselves out of the pitfalls that the war wants, will reveal something. Force their hand, I have no guarantees. That's what will happen, by throwing my support in with a person I consider a friend, I find them more likely to be of use to the Order than nothing at all."
I nodded, understanding the sentiments, before saying, "It's too bad we didn't have confirmation about her capabilities all those years ago. From what I've seen, she might have made a formidable Jedi."
Yoda shook his head and said, "Not certain, that is. Even if we had known, maybe. Perhaps it would have pushed them further away. Like repels like. From the way she thinks, not a good Jedi, she would have made. Too much of a politician, too much a warrior, she is. No, I sense the Force wanted her where she is. Trust in the Force, I do. But what plans the Force has for her, know not. But everything becomes more shrouded as the war goes on."
I nodded, saying, "Hopefully, we find some way to bring an end to this war and defeat the Dark Side." I shook my head, thinking back to Geonosis, feeling a pang of regret. It could have been much worse. If I had been able to see what was coming, I may have been able to better plan the operation. But I didn't, and as a result, so many good Jedi were dead. Friends, comrades, people I had known for decades. Their lives snuffed out. I did not mourn their passing, as that was not the Jedi way. They had returned to the living Force. But I regretted my mistake nonetheless. It is how one learns not to make them again.
Yoda seemed to sense the dark wanderings of my thoughts, but surprised me with his next words. "Have you heard the words of the Mandalorian Prince? 'Mutual peace only can be achieved through diplomacy?'"
"We cannot compromise with the Dark Side." I answered immediately.
"Strange." Yoda remarked. "Thought, did I, it was the Sith who dealt in absolutes."
I was tired of Yoda's endless tests of my patience, so did not rise to a response. After a few moments, he floated his chair slightly higher, in an obnoxious manner. One who did not know the Jedi Grandmaster might assume he was repositioning to get a better view.
"Wonder what song they're going to sing tonight, I do. Not listed anywhere, is it. A new single they've been working on." Grandmaster Yoda wondered aloud, tapping his cane against his chin.
"Well, I assume they will tell us as soon as they're on the stage. I would just assume it would be something very Mandalorian." I commented absentmindedly, thoughts elsewhere, and leaned back into my chair.
Yoda chuckled before saying, "The most Mandalorian thing I know for them to do is fighting Jedi. Perhaps it will be a song about fighting Jedi."
Looking out at the stage, I saw the lighting coming on as a door opened in the center, allowing an elevator to come up with three female Mandalorians, notable by their dress, though not fully traditional Mandalorian armor. It looked fancy, possibly dress armor.
The pink and green ones were to the left and right, respectively, of their leader in the center, who was wearing a black and silver dress. She had an odd hair color, pink, and was waving to the crowd as she said, "Good evening, Coruscant! I'm so happy that everyone came out tonight for our show. Hoping you're all ready to have a night full of fun, music, and whatever else you have planned after the concert. I know the expo has lots of shopping opportunities. I'll be out there later myself, enjoying them with you once I'm done here."
She seemed to be able to pull off a charismatic act, as that got a little bit of laughter from the crowd. I blinked twice as I realized I'd seen that woman before.
"Wait, isn't that the idol that killed an assassin on stage?"
"Legally, self-defense, I was told." Yoda mused. "Yes, though very wild, the Mandalorians are passionate even in their music or careers. Dangerous as well."
I nodded as the woman continued, "Well, when I was told I would be invited to this Expo six months back, I was stunned. Being a former bounty hunter, I never thought I'd be on Coruscant. People don't usually go to the Core when they want to disappear. But when I thought about it, I decided the best way to celebrate a Mandalorian idol conquering the Coruscanti stage is to celebrate the success of how the Jedi managed to prevent that the one time we almost pulled it off as an actual military."
I raised an eyebrow at that, skepticism showing on my face, and looked pointedly at Yoda.
"Wonderful, this will be." Yoda said with a nod of his head.
The girl on stage continued, saying, "So I thought we should celebrate the ancient story of how the Mandalorian Neo Crusaders conquered their Empire and made their way towards Coruscant, before they were defeated by the valiant heroes of the Republic led by a man whose name has been lost to history but has often been called Revan in many stories amongst us Mandalorians. A man who turned us from the path of the conquerors that the Neo Crusaders wanted and put us on a more gentle path that saw us become a more peaceful and upstanding civilization, in my opinion. By finding a man who is worthy to be the Mand'alor and to lead us into a better age."
"So, without further ado, I present to you the Last Crusade of the Neo Crusaders."
Their leader stepped back and pointed her finger up at the sky, and the monitors above turned on, displaying a graphic projection of an unknown planet that I could not place. It appeared above her, along with general diplomatic information about the state of the galaxy at the time of the Neo Crusades, shown via a map depicting the territory of the Mandalorian Conquest and the defensive lines built by the Republic. It slowly zoomed in on one particular name, which I assumed was the star system that the planet had come from, the one she was pointing at.
Then, she took a deep breath and began her song, which made me sit back to listen. Yoda seemed quite amused as he looked across the aisle. I followed his gaze and saw Obi-Wan's daughter, Tanya, in a panic at what could be considered, at a different time, a diplomatic faux pas. But as far as I was concerned, and as Yoda seemed to be concerned, this was nothing. As I listened to the song, it was interesting to hear someone else's take on what sounded like a massacre we should never have been involved in.
Concordia, Castle Vizsla
Pre Vizsla
I sipped my kombucha brew, and took a break at my desk from the latest set of crises. The fermented drink was a native brew and local favorite; a few tourists had made statements that it tasted similar to another blend, a Core favorite, batuubacha tea. Hopefully, they were being overly polite, I didn't need more Core tourists mucking all over the system. But I had no time to worry over small matters lately, my current worries were regarding the protection for the Maelstrom; keeping it functioning while on the move. Deploying and fielding troops in places where they'd cause problems for the Republic.
Our consolidation with my wife's smaller faction of veterans revealed exactly how much control I'd lost over other elements of Death Watch. In total, I had lost substantial control over the radical portions of Death Watch, I knew this now. However, I had managed to salvage our name. I already had plans in place to declare them rogue elements when they finally made their move; or any move that is counter-productive to my plans.
I don't know when that would happen, but what I did know was that I was living two lives, my public life as governor of Concordia and candidate for Prime Minister for Mandalore, and my private life as the leader of Death Watch. It was incredibly difficult to manage both roles and sets of responsibilities, even with my wife's help. It almost makes me wish I had revealed myself to Satine all those months ago, almost. Taking the government from under her control while she's still in power, though, might be one of the sweeter victories out there, especially with the corruption problem that had sprung up in the New Mandalorian government.
This was, after all, how I knew that I had lost control of the radicals to Lorka Gedyc. Lorka Gedyc was someone who thought Death Watch should conquer the galaxy, and if I wouldn't execute his vision, then the correct first step was for him to conquer Mandalore. Personally, I was not of the opinion that we even needed to conquer the sector, nevermind the entire galaxy. The concept of conquest was antiquated, having fought my way across the region around Mandalore that had become abundantly clear to me.
The Council of Neutral Systems was proof enough of that. People across the galaxy are already championing Mandalorian rule and clamoring for our protection. We provide Mandalorian protection and serve with honor, in return we share their resources without risking our lives fighting over control for it. This is not the era of the Neo-Crusaders, we do not have the population to populate the sector, let alone resettle and colonize the entire galaxy. After all of the wars we fought over the millennia, our peoples should be a treasure spent wisely, not to be thrown into the fire at the first chance.
What makes us Mandalorian in the first place isn't our origin or a special homeworld; what makes us Mandalorian is our way and culture, our honorable practices and drive. The Ithorians were the perfect example, they had even gone out of their way to offer Satine respect, through their tribute. They provided their wealth to Satine in return for our protection. Their vast tribute was more than enough to fund re-armament programs across the MSDF. Death Watch did not hesitate to protect Ithorian shipping from pirates in the region because it was the honorable thing to do. In time, some Ithorians would be inspired to seek out our ways, and I only saw benefits from Mandalorians adopting Ithorian practices; especially regarding the value of life.
Adaptation has always been the Mandalorian way, and now Mandalore must change into the protector of the weak, a power great enough to challenge any who would return to the age of war and conquest. The anti-militarist buffoonery of the New Mandalorians would doom their system to failure eventually with the entire galaxy at war, and so it would be better for the Death Watch Old Guard to retake control of Mandalore from them before a foreigner does that first. Foreign agents, like the Hutts or the Sith, would take advantage of our weakness as an opportunity to slip in and take over.
For the sake of Mandalore and our newfound dependents, the New Mandalorians had to be kept from controlling the military completely. Instead, the Old Guard, the few remaining True Mandalorians remnants, stars, even the Silver Mandalorians offer a better alternative. Bo-Katan privately shared that she was quite proud that her niece, Tanya, had broken with the New Mandalorians; she was right to be proud in my estimation.
As the leader of Death Watch, I had to wage a campaign against the Republic, and so far, the campaign was going well. Maelstrom, my ace in the hole, I kept far away from any fronts and out of the way of Republic fleet movements. They were still searching for her, but I had enough assets out there that I was able to track any major search parties trying to locate her.
And with that knowledge, I can maneuver her to where she can cause the most damage.
Posing as the fabled hero of Mandalorians fighting against the evil Republic meant I had to find assets that the Republic was not proud of — systems where they had imposed installations against the wishes of the locals.
Almost every other planet out here in the Galactic North had a situation where the Republic put forces on the ground to deal with local problems. They tended not to be clones, but supposedly local defense units from another ally, operating in the name and good of the Republic.
Of course, all that was doing was allowing local warlords to gobble up their weaker neighbors. Warlords eagerly took the Republic's bad example as de facto permission to deploy private militaries and invade neighboring systems. The events of Vorpa'ya seemed to be no accident, reports detailed the same level of crisis repeated with variations across hundreds of systems in the Republic.
And since the invading local warlords were there for conquest, they tended to do things like cause religious divisions, blow up something important, or just be complete corruptible morons, looting local economies for short-term gains. That's where the Death Watch could crash in on a problem, shoot up the invading oppressors, be hailed as heroes, recruit a few new members, and scavenge any equipment that could be useful from our defeated foes.
Now, I know that my document, the Ba'jurne Kyr'tsad Mando'ad, says that we should focus only on the Mandalorian sector, but I've been moving away from that for years. The "Mandalorian sector" are just lines drawn on a map by Republican bureaucrats, Mandalore is wherever a Mandalorian is. Sectors as a concept are a Republic invention.
Ancient Mandos, my ancestors, didn't have that rigid belief in boundaries. Ironically enough, it was Satine who remembered and embodied this most clearly. Satine did not care where the Republic placed the borders of Mandalore, in her vision for the CNS, and her reminder was meant for us all; she had the right of that. Mandalore was wherever Mandalorians tread, we were a people of many homes who had become perhaps a bit too settled. Keeping Death Watch under control meant bringing new blood into Mandalore, new life, new energy, new possibilities. Our place was not to isolate ourselves.
Granted, I was having a bit of an issue equipping weapons and armor for these new recruits. I often had to rely on lighter gear stolen from the enemies we just killed to fill in for the new recruits, but it was working for now. The weapons get inspected and repaired if needed before being distributed, while the armor gets reforged into Mandalorian style armor.
I found several places within the Mandalorian sector that would be ideal to build a training base that no one would find. After some deliberation, Zanbar, having always been loyal, was picked. It had a very small population, very rural, with lots of trees and mountains to provide both cover and a diverse training environment.
If I could, I would train them here on Concordia, but it was obvious now that having a Death Watch base anywhere near Mandalore would be discovered by the Republic. The Maelstrom was working well as a mobile base, keeping troops out of Republic retaliation. And so far, my elites have not blabbed its location and where it camped out.
Instead, I relied on places where they weren't expecting it to be. Areas near the borders of the Council of Neutral Systems, in systems that were Mandalorian-favoring but had not yet signed on to the Neutral Systems, nor favored the Republic's war efforts.
But those were my problems as Death Watch's Kyr'tsad alor. I have other issues to deal with in addition to that, issues as the governor of Concordia. My break was interrupted by the beeping on my terminal. Letting out a sigh, I finished my drink before I stood up to look out the window at the native forests beyond. I straightened my clothing, then stepped out of my office into a meeting room.
Sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room was Gar Saxon, looking annoyed as he glared at the other occupant across the table from him. I had him look over reports from our local Death Watch assets in the sector while I focused on our overall strategy. I had brought him on as an official member of my election campaign. His clan was moderately powerful, and I needed all the power I could get if I was going to pull this off. He was also wearing a suit and would probably be taking my place as Governor of Concordia if my efforts for Prime Minister succeeded. I had enough influence to guarantee his position, so having a little bit of sway here and there could help me succeed in my efforts for Prime Minister.
The other individual, who would likely be the most useful in my election campaign, was my wife, Bo-Katan. She was looking rather pleased with herself, with her feet up on the table, wearing her armor. Her red hair swaying in a way I found incredibly attractive, as she listened to the Prey Wings' music through her vambrace, air guitaring and mimicking the lyrics of the song.
"There you are." She said, looking at me with a smile before shutting down her music player. Her helmet lay in her lap as she leaned back in a chair that was not meant for leaning. Once Bo stopped her antics, Gar breathed a sigh of relief before he returned his attention to his work.
"Here I am." I said with a nod, taking a few steps and pulling out my seat at the head of the table before sitting down.
Looking at her armor, I finally noticed that it was in Death Watch blue. She had officially joined the program on Death Watch's coloration, recalling the request I had made during our last united Death Watch meeting. In fact, she was not exactly considered Death Watch as far as everyone else knew. As of yesterday, she had declared her intentions to create an organization known as the Night Owls as the main reason for her change in color. Officially, the Night Owls are a mercenary organization registered on Gargon. Unofficially, she was recruiting some of the best Death Watch members into an elite organization that would be fighting for Mandalorian interests and those willing to support Mandalorian efforts.
She had brought in at least three dozen individuals from Death Watch so far, as well as another large batch of her friends. She was recruiting from a pool of veterans and elites of other units, people she had met and heard exploits of over the years, along with supporters of her attempt to become the Secret Mandalore. She probably could raise more, but she needed them to be an elite unit, so I encouraged the high barrier to entry.
Not to mention, having a public and legal organization that served as a gateway to Death Watch could be a useful tool down the line. If someone got really pissed at the Republic and couldn't work for them anymore, she would simply move them along into Death Watch proper, and I would put them to good use against the Republic.
"Where's Zenlav?" I asked, looking around. The mayor of Keldabe was supposed to have arrived by now. He was going to throw his lot in behind me as the new Prime Minister, from what I understood. He was also a secret supporter of Death Watch, which is a blessing as his family owned and operated Mandel Motors. They were usually the ones supplying us with a large stockpile of new equipment they had been producing in secret. Primarily the Kom'rk-class heavy fighter and transport, the same vehicle we had used to overtake and capture the Maelstrom. They were trying to provide us with more now that we had successfully punched the Republic in the throat.
Tavanx Zenlav, the patriarch, CEO of Mandel Motors, and father of Mayor Warthanx Zenlav of Keldabe, carried a grudge against the Republic for blowing up several of their family's factories during the Excision, resulting in many casualties. So he was secretly developing new generations of the Kom'rk-class heavy fighter. Some of them were the older, larger ones that we had already acquired, but there were also smaller variants in production. These smaller variants had less troop capacity, but were more maneuverable while still carrying the same armaments. Frankly, I think he should have added an addition to the name of the smaller variants like Kom'rk A1 or A2 designation or something of that nature, but they serve the same purpose and work well enough.
"No show." Saxon said, looking annoyed. "Apparently, there's been some sort of riot in Keldabe. I've been trying to learn more, but it looks like a New Mando agitator set a factory on fire."
"That doesn't sound like something that would need his attention." I stated.
"You are right. It shouldn't require his attention, except this particular factory that was set on fire was a Fang Fighter factory, which raises questions about why it was up and running since no one knew they were in production." Saxon explained.
"Oh Sithspit." I said, putting my hand to my face, as another one of Satine's efforts to modernize Mandalorian Self-Defense Forces must have been revealed.
I had been aware of this one, at least. The Fang Fighter was a damn good fighter, very well-made, and I was interested in acquiring some for the Maelstrom's fighter wing if I could get my hands on them. Unfortunately, someone was buying up all the stockpiles and had reserved the production capacity for the next year. I was curious who had done it at the time, but I didn't have to wait long. At the next bi-monthly meeting, Ms. Ordo, the Supreme Commander of the Self-Defense Force, had shown off how she had purchased a large number of Fang Fighters for the Royal Guard, as well as the Mandalorian Self-Defense Force Navy.
Most likely, this would be a scandal in its own way. The New Mandalorians would not be happy to hear that the SDF capabilities have increased. But they would have to learn to deal with it.
The Fang Fighter was not even the only vehicle that the MSDF ordered. Ms. Ordo had also discovered the surprising amount of armored vehicles produced by Mandel Hypernatics. She was still in the process of negotiating their purchase for the SDF. Every army needed armored vehicles the same way they needed infantry or snub fighters, there are roles that only they could accomplish cost effectively and replacing them is usually more trouble than it is worth. Especially on Vorpa'ya, where the heavily dug in Journeymen Protectors' lines needed to be broken through.
Saxon nodded before saying, "Thankfully, it's not as bad as it could have been. The Fang Fighter isn't as reviled by the New Mandalorians after what the Royal Guard retirees have been doing on Ryloth, using them to help save civilians. The damages to the factory were minor at least and should be up and running in a day or two."
I nodded. "I've heard stories of what the Skull Squadron was up to. They managed to do a lot of good for the Republic side of the war. I may not agree with them siding with the Republic, but from what I knew of what Ryloth had to deal with, I couldn't begrudge them for doing what they could for those people."
Letting out a deep breath, I continued, "Well, at least we have a start. So, Saxon, how are the efforts to improve my image in the press going?"
He shrugged before saying, "I'd say they're going well currently. I've looked at what resonates with the public. Fortunately, Republic skepticism seems to be in the air. It's not exactly what we wanted, openly denouncing the Republic — we aren't fully prepared for the heat that tactic might bring, but it's clear that the public doesn't trust them and that sentiment is running strong. So, that's what I've been using as your platform. We want to stay out of the war, and we don't trust them not to drag us into it."
Bo nodded her head in agreement, adding "Also aligns well with the Silver ideology, so they'll likely support you too. I know I do, since they probably have similar concerns. While most of the Silver I've seen seemed to favor the Republic in general. I imagine some of them have had second thoughts after what the Maelstrom did."
"How's Almec responding? What is he doing?" I asked.
Saxon shrugged and replied, "To be honest, I have no idea what Almec is up to. I've tried to use my resources to get contacts within the Mandalorian Secret Service, but the problem is that most of my sources were part of the segments of the Mandalorian Secret Service that he's purged over the last month. I got nothing. All I know is that there was a meeting held between him and some of his major department heads — they have always been considered trustworthy by the government. "
"Hmm, maybe I can ask Satine what's going on with his efforts. She should have some idea, though she may not be interested in sharing if Satine no longer trusts me." I said, looking at Bo-Katan.
"As far as I can tell, my sister still thinks you're one of the most loyal New Mandalorians out there, a fault of her own that I probably should have dissuaded her from. Familial loyalty and all that." Bo-Katan said with a guilty shake of her head. "By the way, have you found out who the guy who took a shot at her? I need to have a personal conversation with him — no one takes shots at the families of Death Watch."
I shook my head and replied, "I've made inquiries, but no one knows for sure yet. It was obviously someone on Merrik's payroll, since they are the only Death Watch assets on Coruscant. The ones loyal to us were half way back to Mandalore when Satine was attacked, so it wasn't them. Some think it might be one of the members of the Death Watch working for Lorka, while others believe the guy regrets his actions since he hasn't come forward."
"He'll regret it when I find him." She threatened, crossing her arms while likely imagining the various ways she is going to torture the unfortunate assassin.
I nodded in agreement. "Well, we don't know what the future may hold. If he comes forward, I will let you know."
"You better," she said, "especially with all the work I've done this month to help you with this campaign."
"Ah, yes, the Prey Wing concert." I said with a sigh. "I still can't believe I signed off on that."
Somehow, the funding had been acquired. The band was ready, and they hosted several concerts. They had been quite successful, and because of their modest success, they generated a bit of political influence. Tonight, I had to attend one of their concerts where they would come out in support of my campaign.
It's about getting the youth voting and all that, it won't matter that I basically created this band with Bo's help. Some people may figure it out, but most won't, and that will help with our efforts to grow a large base strong enough to depose the current Prime Minister.
Saxon nodded before saying, "Oh, right, we also have some wacko artist who lives in Sundari by the name of Veraslayn Kast. She's independently supporting your campaign, but I don't think we should make too many moves to incorporate them into our efforts."
"Why is that?" I asked, curious as to why they wouldn't want me to have any contact with her.
"Well, her art seems to indicate that she supports Death Watch. It's just rumors and hearsay, and that's enough. As much as Death Watch appears to be on the rise, I don't think we want you, as the Governor of Concordia, to be mistaken for a member of the Death Watch, at least not yet."
Nodding my head in agreement, I said, "I am well aware of that." Then I continued, "While we won't do anything about her yet, maybe we should see if we can get her in contact with the actual Death Watch. Perhaps a little bit of propaganda for our efforts would help increase support here on Mandalore."
"Maybe," Saxon passed me an encrypted datapad, used for high security communication between cells in the Death Watch. "Other than that, Countess Wren sent us a message. There's been an issue with food prices rising again. They're wondering if they could work out a deal with you to supply them with more food at a cheaper rate."
I briefly skimmed the details on the datapad. "I can look into that matter. I'll tell her that I'll gladly see what I can do for our fellow Mandalorian. I will need guarantees, though, that she'll support my run for Prime Minister, of course."
Saxon nodded his head. "Of course, of course. I'll make sure she knows."
With that handled, I checked the time on my vambrace display and said, "Well, I have three hours before I have to get on a transport to Mandalore for the Prey Wing concert. So, unless there's anything major, I'm going to go spend time with my son for a couple of hours. Haven't spent enough time with Paz as of late." With the meeting finished, I make my way out of the room.
"Sounds good, let's go." Bo said as she got up from her seat, "By the way, how old is your son again?"
I stopped and said, "Paz's six years old this year." A brief flash of Oori appeared before me, and I shook my head, trying not to think about my lost wife. "He's almost old enough to start the trials. I'm going to have to introduce him to the clan armor soon so we can start learning more about our history, where we came from, where we're going, and how he's going to best defend himself when he's doing it." As I exited the meeting into the hallway, I heard Bo walk next to me.
"I started taking Tanya out to the gun range back when she was ten. Would have a lot sooner, but Satine was in her early New Mandalorian days, you know." Bo commented, distracting me from further thoughts of Oori.
"I still can't figure out how you managed to convince Satine to allow for Tanya's training. She was still very against Mandalorian tradition back then. So how did you do it?" I asked.
"Well, it started when I left my empty blaster out where Tanya could find it when she was five. Once she found it, she inspected it to see if it was loaded, even held it in a two-handed grip. before getting ready to field strip it if I hadn't come in." Seeing my raised eyebrow, Bo smirked and continued, "It's true, I wouldn't believe it too if I didn't see her do it with my own eyes."
"And I am guessing that is when Satine saw the error of her ways and allowed you to train her once she is ten years old?" Already seeing where this is going.
"Nope, that is when she kicked me out of the house." Seeing my incredulous expression, Bo laughed before she continued, "Yep, it wasn't until Satine found Tanya reading books about our history that she called me back to prepare her for her job as a Representative on Coruscant. After that, during her first visit to a shooting range. She hit twenty shots out of twenty, with twelve of those shots hitting inside the ring."
"Now I know you are exaggerating." I said in jest as I made my disbelief clear. But I also know that she gained nothing from embellishing Tanya's skills.
"I'm not. Here — I still have a picture to celebrate her first time shooting a blaster." Sure enough, Bo projected a holopic from her vambrace. The holopic showed a much younger Tanya and Bo in front of a firing range. The score counter shows a proud twenty with Bo having her hand on top of a frowning Tanya's head while the other hand is holding what I assume to be her vambrace.
"After that, we started to go on camping trips. Here is when Tanya threw her first grenade." She scrolled the holopic to show a new holopic where Tanya is standing in a trench with her hand on her hips as Bo took a picture of her with a smoking crater in the background. "This is her eating her first kill." This next holopic had Tanya eating a small critter in a campsite next to a fire while looking annoyed at the camera. "This is after her first spar." She showed a picture of Tanya lying face down on the floor with Bo putting herself in frame, with a smile on her face doing a hand sign the younger generation like to use in pictures they take of themselves. "And this is when she wore her first armor and started jetpack training." Now it showed a taller Tanya wearing her family armor hovering in the air with a wide smile on her face.
It didn't take long for me to notice the melancholic expression on Bo's face as she scrolled through her gallery of holopics. "This is very important to you." I commented.
"It is. The time I spent being trained by my parents was the happiest part of my childhood. Since dad was busy being Patriarch of House Kryze, governor of Kalevala, and having to train my little brother too, he rarely had time for us. Mom did most of the work training Satine and I but we usually have a yearly camping trip where the entire family goes camping for a week for some family bonding." Now she is showing an older set of pics, of a family enjoying their time together in a group photo.
While Bo stares at the holopics, I can't help but compare her childhood with mine. Being raised under Tor's Death Watch is not what I would call a pleasant childhood. I was too young to remember what they were like before they were killed in an attack against Jaster's True Mandalorians. Tor was too busy leading Death Watch against everyone in the sector to raise me, so he left me to the more moderate members of Death Watch. Once news of Tor's death by the hands of Jango reached the rest of Death Watch, since I was the eldest surviving Vizsla, I was put in charge of Death Watch.
In a way, I both envied and sympathized with her. I wished I could have more time with my parents, and I do wonder what my life would have been like if Tor's poisonous ideals never existed. Yet, if that were the case I never would have met Oori whose parents were also killed in the war. When Oori was pregnant with Paz, I swore I would be there for him the same way I wanted my parents to be there for me. Returning my focus to the outside world, I noticed that we are almost to Paz's room.
Not wanting to leave this moment on this melancholic note, I said, "I am sure Tanya remembers her time with you fondly. You should be proud."
Bo turned her focus on me and said, "Satine should have been the one to do that, so that she could experience Tanya's firsts with her. It should have been a moment reserved for mother and child, and I feel bad that she'll never feel the joy and pride I felt when Tanya succeeded in her training. All I could do is report her progress every month, and since she is a New Mando she didn't see Tanya's training as anything more than a necessity. It's only after Tanya left for Coruscant and I reconnected with Satine that I think she started to regret missing that part of Tanya's life."
"What passed is past and nothing can change that. All we can do now is make new memories and experiences to make up for lost time. I am also sure Satine is proud of what Tanya has achieved in her own way." I squeezed her hand.
Bo seemed to regain her composure, "Thanks for the pep talk, Pre."
"Anytime." We stopped in front of Paz's door as Bo closed her vambrace. "Well, this is it. Are you ready to meet your step-son?"
Bo took a deep breath, "Yeah — okay, let's do this."
Writer's note: To start, the chapter was more focused on the Mando Expo, but we got some Jedi mixed in and some surprise Death Watch figuring things out! But that is not all Ghost-339 contributed a one-shot to me that I was able to fit into the beginning of the chapter here. The power of the fan Discord.
https://discord.gg/53txBfp3MH
Also on the matter of weird stuff that happens on fan Discord… apparently someone is reading this story in Spanish on youtube, like an audiobook… some authors might be pissed… me… I see opportunities… I will be looking into this concept and who knows, maybe in a month or so there might be a YouTube video of the first chapter read by me… we'll see.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
Edited by: Anonymous, Lich, Warmach1ne32, Ghost-339, Afforess, Fallqm
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Hexcalibur
Not So Ordinary Sword
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- It
Taylor Palatine so into her act that she became a Mandalorian. Not the first time that happened to actors. Especially those that studied their character extensively.
i'm sure there one be anything that comes from that
Family reunions can be scary in a nutshell.
Only just read chapter 23, but I must mention the sheer amazing amount of "sasuga Tanya sama" X-4 has for her as it casually does its best to dominate the market has been quite enjoyable. I can't wait to see if this pans out with an entirely sentient droid army with their own unique culture that fights for Mandalore once war breaks out. That sounds halarious.
Separatists when they see pro-Mandalorian Droids fighting against them:
View: https://youtu.be/Jiupj4PyL4U?si=6LJKrNMwLaYOQ1fX
- Location
- New York
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor Palatine method acted so hard she unknowingly became the third White Silver.
Waiting for her to get into a huge fight and Tanya tells the her crew to go along with her and improvise.
Waiting for her to get into a huge fight and Tanya tells the her crew to go along with her and improvise.
"Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave." - Tanya probably
hmm could happen though don;t forget mandalore doses have the ablity to make driods
true though thing this more of a first meating
that how thing worked out usally smile and wave