Or, Drex recognized, something newer. The familiar superstructure was there, the hallmarks of Imperial design, but the harsh angles were softened. This ship was no hulking dreadnaught of a dead Empire, this was of a leaner stock. Even from their vast distance Drex could make out the weapons blisters, the hangar bays, the- landing craft.
Drex was caught off guard, it had been years since anyone had seen the once-uhiquitous form of an Imperial capital ship. He took a few moments to overcome the shock of its' sighting without reacting badly.
"...you said they used one of Mandalore's passcodes?" He asked to Ace, not for a second taking his eyes off the craft. Drex took care to shift his attention between not colliding with some errant rock but also watching this scene unfold. He wasn't prepared for a fight today, and the notion of being caught off guard suddenly shot a bolt of terror down his spine
"That's what Rann said!" She said, confusion and fear apparent on her face. "I don't know why he would lie about that." Her eyes looked from the Star Destroyer to the blaster, then back to Drex. "We have to help!"
"I see three possibilities.. first, this is some sort of retaliation, and we need to go get as much firepower as we can muster. Two, the same, but we get there sooner and find what we can. Three, and I'm hoping against hope this is the case - Mandalore has discovered, or even built, a new flagship and has sent something home."
He eyes the ship carefully, "Grab your commlink - see if you can raise anyone in control down there"
Without hesitation, Ace moved to the task. "Rann! Rann are you there?" She spoke, nerves frayed. The landing craft descended rapidly, disappearing behind the walls of the spaceport a moment later. "Dank farrik!" She cursed. "Nothing." She said, slamming the commlink down.
"Not going back, then" he said, immediately tapping a few buttons on the console. With that, Drex abandons moderation in favor of speed.
The list of possibilities ran through his mind like a bad dream, what to do, who to contact, if it was even too late..
The walls loomed ahead, the distance closing rapidly. The outer gate was unguarded, but the doors had been closed. Even still, a few hundred interested citizens stood in small groups outside of the walls. An eerie silence hung over the place, punctuated by a few hushed conversations.
The speeder came to rest at the center of this throng. As Drex and Ace dismounted the craft, a few of the congregation broke toward them. "Aak'Fen!" A few of them called out, greeting Drex in his proper title, "Envoy." Though none approached closer than a few meters distance.
"They have closed the gates!", One shouted.
"We heard shouting from the walls!", another said.
"Warm greetings appreciated as always, my friends. Let's not spend time on pleasantries today, however." Drex points and nods, "I'll be off - we need to investigate these new arrivals." Drex closes his pointed finger into a fist and makes an assertive gesture, "We'll get to the root of this shortly, stay alert "
With that, he makes sure to reach into the cabin of the speeder and retrieve the blaster on the side wall holster. He nods to Ace and indicated they should be moving away.
Drex would take a few moments to acknowledge a few familiar faces with a quick greeting, or a handshake at the wrist as he moves out towards the source of the confusion
As Drex works his way to the front of the crowd, a low grinding keen would utter from the gates. With that, they would begin to slide open with agonizing slowness. On the other side, staring back through the opening ahead stood strange figures.
The assembled crowd erupted in shouts and gasps as the figures resolved. Soldiers, warriors wearing armor that, despite its alien strangeness was, unmistakably, Mandalorian armor. Drex would recognize the design, patented in the image of Mandalore's own Bulwark of the Taung. At the front strode a familiar face, helmet carried comfortably under her arm.
Kaesha Fulrau led the procession forward, her face serious, eyes scanning the surrounding crowd. They fell upon Drex and a slim, genuine smile appeared. With that, she moved forward, lifting her hand in a sign of greeting. "It has been too long, Drex."
The best of Drex's predictions became reality, and relief purged his mind of the tremendous concern clouding it. Not often are our best hopes and worst fears realized, but today, it may be the best of days.
"Kaesha Fulrau," he says proudly, a note of genuine relief and happiness on it. Drex steps forward to close some of the gap, extending his hand in a warm greeting, "..you and yours look more impressive than ever, it is wonderful to see you"
As she steps closer, a familiar weapon clatters against the side of her belt. There, hanging by a magnetic tether was Dami's lightsaber. She takes the hand, shaking it firmly. "I wish we had more time to speak, but I am here with a purpose from Lord Mandalore himself." She grimaces as she looks toward the crowd, then back to Drex. Her eyes narrowed at Drex, then she leaned in, speaking more quietly, "One that you may not agree with." She said, her look conveying the seriousness of the statement.
With that said, she looked toward Ace, smiling. "That can't be little Ace? Look how tall you've grown!" Kaesha's smile was genuine as she moved forward, hugging the younger woman. It was strange to Drex, the last time he had seen Kaesha, she herself had been only a few years older than Ace was presently. Now, the woman whom had returned from the Eclipse scarcely resembled the person he had known. There was an air of command around her, an assured and confident nature that came only from experience. (edited)
Drex would respond to the first comment only with a nod, knowing the discussion would be had fully in private.
He watches Kaesha and Ace with a bittersweet smile, "We'd thought today would play out very differently. Ace will be leaving Ruusaar to begin training with the new Academy. I have to admit we didn't know what to make of this arrival," Drex looks up to the craft hanging low over the town - a massive and new ship of war, imposing as it is impressive.
"Well, if I remember Kaesha Fulrau at all I know you will never be one to waste time or effort - we can speak here in the town hall, or we can meet at my home - it's short travel from here."
She nodded, “I have instructed the clan elders to assemble at the Bgess-Vryx stronghold in one hour.” She said calmly. She looked around at the crowd, then shrugged, “Anywhere around here you’d recommend for a drink?” Her smile turned sly.
"Very well then, in the meantime, I'd say the Cornerstone is the surefire place to be." He points off towards another part of the settlement. "Across the concourse from town hall, quite the clever title." He leans in and lowers his voice, "I've heard the clientele is somewhat.. rowdy, though. You hear all sorts of war stories about those Mandalorians." Drex nods his chin with a smile, "Follow us."
She nods, turning to the warriors behind her. Pointing to the hill she says, "That is the place, begin construction immediately, I will meet you in an hour's time."
One of the warriors salutes, then turns to the formation, giving an order silenced by the armor. The troops march away in neat order, a few throngs of the crowd following behind.
Kaesha turns, putting an arm around Ace's shoulder. "It's good to be home." she said, moving to follow Drex. The younger woman nodded, "It's grown so much since the war!" Ace's enthusiasm was infectious, she laughed as they strode the paved stones of the street, "We'll need to go hunting then, before you depart." Kaesha answered, then turned her attention to Drex, "What of you Drex, what is your role here?"
Drex looks up and down the street, stopping for a moment to observe the culmination of 8 years' effort. A far cry from the desperate times of rebellion and rebirth.
"They call me Aak'Fen, the Envoy. I have done my utmost to ensure the prosperity of these people while also allowing them their own cultural independence. I work primarily as a liason between the Iridonian government and the Mandalorian people here."
He nods and lowers his brow momentarily, "Since Mandalore's departure, it has been critically important to me that these people are represented faithfully. If I have been able to do anything, I hope the prosperity and continued independence of these people is something to show for it." Drex stands up straighter as he walks once again, "we are stewards - there are those in my government who would see these people subject to our law. I would not have it. These people live the way of Mandalore - their own way." Drex has clearly recited this mantra before, Kaesha would get a sense.
Kaesha grunted in agreement, “We owe you much then.” There was a hesitance in her voice, a hint of foreboding. “When he returns, he will be certain to reward you and yours for their aid.”
The cantina came into sight ahead. Drex, leading the way, led the small group to a booth in the corner. The other customers merely raised their glasses toward the envoy.
"By and large, our peoples have worked tremendously well here. A few rough spots would have always cropped up."
As Drex enters and is greeted by the population, he smiles and enjoys it for a moment. He holds a hand out and looks to Kaesha, "This has been my reward to date, and I am quite content in it."
With that, he motions them to an area where they can speak.
Kaesha sits across from Drex, then turns to Ace, "Could you get our drinks Ace? I'd like a Chandrillan Sunrise." She turned to Drex, tossing a small credit chip on the table. "Get whatever you want for yourself, on me."
"You think I'd let a guest pay on their first visit? You must be joking," he adds, sliding the chit back across the table. "Appreciated, but get it next time if you feel generous. I must insist."
He looks to Ace, "You don't have to get Fizzyglug, but don't go overboard, all right?" He nods to her, "Tell them I'll have a brandy. He should have a bottle hidden away back there." Drex motions politely, "Thank you, Ace - we just need a moment."
Ace turns somewhat frustrated by being pulled away from the conversation. As she moved out of earshot, Kaesha sighed and crossed her arms, leaning back into the booth. “I’m here to gather warriors, Drex.” She said coldly. “Mandalore will return, but there are-“ Her face twists into a snarl, “-complications.” She says, pulling Dami’s lightsaber from her belt and laying it on the table. She stares at the weapon for a long moment, then looks back to Drex. “What do you know of the Remnant?”
His eyes trail up to the familiar form of Dami's relic. His fingers drum the table in sequence as he processes his next words, "...I know Mandalore won't rest until they have been purged from the galaxy completely."
Drex's finger reaches out as if to touch it, but then he curls is back up, clicking his tongue between his teeth, "..we haven't been harassed nearly as much as I expect, so I had hoped for the best without word from Lord Mandalore, I'd hoped you were succeeding."
Kaesha took a long, deep steadying breath. “We are…” she began, trailing off as an unspoken though occurred to her. “This war we’ve been fighting out beyond the edge of the galaxy-“ she shakes her head, then meets Drex’s eye, “-we weren’t prepared for it.” She admits finally, a measure of trepidation in her words. “We need more warriors.” She pulled another item from her pack, laying it on the table. “More Mandalorians to gather this.” She laid the ingot of beskar beside the lightsaber. Her eyes narrowed on Drex, gauging his reaction.
Drex's fingers stop their thoughtful tapping, and his face fixes on the block of solid Beskar. His eyes become transfixed on the ingot, as if bewitched by its' presence.
".....what have you uncovered?" He asked, only that moment looking up to meet her eyes. "Who would dare withhold this from the Mandalorians? The Imperials?"
Her eyes betrayed an intense emotion that Drex could not entirely place; joy, exhilaration but beneath that, the same foreboding sadness he had sensed previously. "A new world, a hidden fortress far beyond the galaxy's rim." She said, "A new, secret Mandalore."
Her finger tapped the beskar, "I didn't think it possible until I saw it for myself." Her hand returned to her side, "What comes with that is-" she tilted her head, sighing as she looked to the table, then back to Drex, "-more unfortunate." The coldness had returned. Her words were matter-of-fact, stinging.
"I will be his representative here, while we rebuild our strength." She looks at Drex, eyes fixing him tightly, "Nobody can know, Drex." She added, more command than warning. "The best of our people will be moved there while the rest will remain behind." She picked up the beskar, placing it back in her pack. "In time, we will return for all of our people-" her eyes conveyed the depth of the next words, "-and for all that was taken from us."
Drex shakes his head slowly, closing his eyes, "Far be it from me to reveal anything you have planned, you will see for yourself I do not betray that confidence." His face neutralizes, and he watches her closely for a few moments. "...you're not uneducated, or foolish, but certainly you understand what will happen if you remove only the best from this place - the best of our peoples have ensured cooperation and prosperity thus far. Without strong leadership people falter, but this is also true without proper examples to follow. I know this must have occured to you thus far."
Drex does not seem angry or disconcerted by this announcement, merely concerned for the future of the people he'd come to live amongst and protect. "Your people admire Mandalore, and will certainly admire you once they come to know you. If you're anything like your old self, with the addition of years in direct service to Lord Mandalore, your judgement will be accepted immediately by the populace here."
She nods, looking over at Ace, who is busily talking to the bartender, "This is Mandalore's vision, I will see it carried out." Her face grows serious, scars now showing beneath the electrical lighting of the lamp above them. "My people are strong, we will rise to the challenges ahead and prosper again."
With Ace returning, Kaesha's demeanor shifts, becoming more welcoming. "Thank you kindly." She said with a warm smile, accepting the drink from Ace's extended hand. "So which academy accepted you? Coruscant? Chandrilla? I'd imagine Drex's voice carries a lot of weight core-side."
Ace crashed into the booth next to Drex. "I'm going to become a Jedi!" She said with exuberant glee. Her eyes fell upon the lightsaber a moment later, the exuberance lessening somewhat. "That's-" she began, stunned, "-that's Dami's lightsaber." Her eyes flitted toward Drex, then to Kaesha. "How'd you get-", the question died on her lips, the realization erasing the smile from her face.
"It's all right, Ace - you remember the final mission we all went on, you remember Dami was there." Drex nods towards the Mandalorian woman, "Dami didn't make it back, his lightsaber was on the ship we raided, and the Mandalorians retrieved it." He puts a hand out towards her and holds it on the table, "I'm glad to see it stayed amongst our friends. We never had time to retrieve personal affects from some who didn't make it home."
Drex may come across as cold, but his face betrays a mind delving deep into memory. His eyes lock into nothingness, almost as if staring into the surface of the table, or nothing at all. He breathes in and out slowly, giving a low hm as he thinks, nodding. He takes a few moments of silence and then looks back to Ace, "It's good to know his saber was shown proper respect"
Ace nodded, then looked to Kaesha, "Can I?", she asked, pointing to the weapon. Kaesha nodded, sipping her drink. The younger woman reached out, grabbing the weapon off the tabletop carefully. Her face twisted into a scowl, then she looked up at Kaesha. The older woman stared back at her, nodding.
Ace, now withdrawn, laid the weapon back on the table and grabbed her drink. She looked to Drex, "I'm gonna-" then she looked over at a nearby booth where some recognizable, youthful faces were staring back at the group in the booth, "-I'll be over with Navim and them. Don't leave without me, okay?" She said, standing and moving over to the table, some of the energy returning to her as she slid into the booth with her friends.
Kaesha retrieved the weapon, placing it on her belt. "You saw what happened to him?" she asked, her demeanor becoming deadly serious.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Drex commented to Ace, smiling in a reassuring way. He is blunt with his critique for a reason, Drex had never hid the realities of the risks their lives faced. If he came across as too direct, or too cold, Ace would have known a thousand times to that point that he was trying to give her the whole story. Still, it registered with him at a very basic level that he could stand to be kinder with his wording. But then, would he be giving her the real guidance she desperately needed? Drex struggled with that daily.
"And Ace," he continued, "..thank you for understanding. It isn't easy.". He nods, and gives her leave quietly.
Ace would hopefully find more energetic conversation with those her own age, not her aging caregiver. Once he saw her leave, he took a moment to watch - hoping her demeanor wasn't crushed by the encounter.
"She has conflicting emotions about those days, you understand," Drex says to Kaesha without looking yet. After he gives Ace time to leave earshot, he turns back to the Mandalorian Lieutenant. "... everything." He notes, tapping the table where the lightsaber once rested, "...I saw everything. I was one of the one people in that accursed reactor room who kept their senses to see."
"We put him down, finally." She said, crossing her arms and shuddering, "It was a long road getting there." Drex could sense from her expression that she had not fully processed that struggle. She sips her drink quietly for a few minutes before looking toward Ace, "You've done a good job, I think." Her eyes falling back on Drex, "Did the others help?"
Drex shakes his head and taps the rim of his glass with a finger, "She's resilient beyond her years, I don't know how much I've done or not, but I can hope she's learned how the galaxy truly works. Moreover, how it could work as well."
Drex nods, "she has benefitted greatly from the challenges of the foundlings, as well as young, born Mandalorians who kept her active and engaged." He takes a moment to appreciate the sensations of the room about them, the sense of culture and unity which surrounded Mandalore's creed was not lost in recreational activities. "She's had wonderful examples here, that's sure. I'm grateful for that every day."
Kaesha nodded, her face contorting, "You-" she began with momentary confusion, "-you haven't talked to them in a while, have you? Black Squadron I mean?" A thought occurred to her, "What remains of it." She added sadly.
He looks puzzled for a moment, as if asked about a piece of trivia not easily recalled. "Technically speaking, you're looking at what remains of it. At this point, you've spent more time with the only other surviving original member. True identity notwithstanding, Lord Mandalore and myself are the only ones"
He shrugs and lightens his brow momentarily, "Jervata and myself have kept more in contact, especially in recent months with Ace wanting to enter their tutelage. Captain Nem had her own internal housecleaning to take care of, it's been years. As for..." Drex pauses, recalling what Kaesha had alluded to. "...Dami Crik." He looks up with an investigative eye, "How much can you tell me" (edited)
"He's gone." She said simply, "The-" her face darkens, "-creature escaped us." Her eyes turn to the table, expression unreadable. "That was a few years ago, before we found New Mandalore."
"He's been gone for many years before you started searching. I don't know what that thing was either." Drex notes, trying to peer into Kaesha's face, as if coaxing her back into confidence. "..that isn't your fault."
"Maybe not." She said, her eyes growing cold and distant again, she took the last drink of the glass in her hand, "Didn't make driving a swordpoint through him any easier." She added glibly, "Knowing something doesn't change that." Her voice was firm, but her expression wavered slightly. "I felt him go, that day." She said, leaning forward, "It was distant, but I knew he had fallen." She shook her head, "Then the thing took control, made me see things-" she sighs, letting the panic dissipate, "I wasn't quite right for a while after that."
Drex's eyes narrowed as he processes the information, not in an accusatory fashion, but more akin to linking evidence as she speaks. "I recall that day very clearly." He begins, taking another swig at the snifter on the table.
"Dami was gone. Completely. Then his form stood on two feet and spoke once more, but not using his voice. At the same time, Captain Nem and Par Senesca lost control of themselves, and afterwards made very similar comments." He stops and lets it sit in his mind, laying a hand out flat on the table as he comes to a conclusion, "I didn't feel it, and our Medic - that Picwig fellow, he didn't either. We carried on and tried to bring our friends back. I saw it happen once before in that very same chamber where whatever Dami became rose back up out of its' own blood and gore. If I remember anything about the operation of that device..." Drex looks plainly towards Ace, "...it preys on those who feel the pill of the Force"
She nods her agreement, then looks to the clock, "I've got time for one more, I think." She waved to the bartender, who sent a serving droid their way a moment later. "I've learned a few things in my time out there, fighting that thing." She said, shuddering, "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to show Ace before she goes." She takes a swig of the drink, "It's not anything she's likely to learn at the Academy, I think."
"If I've emphasized one thing over and over to that girl, it's that experience should be gathered from wherever possible, please - by all means."
Drex cannot help but feel intruiged by the one thing they had not discussed, and without much hesitation, asks, "...tell me about this place. How is it possible there is another planet Mandalore?"
She nods at the agreement, then withdraws slightly, "A trick of nature." She says simply, "Beskar iron is incredibly rare, requiring very specific conditions for its formation." Her smile widens, "As it so happens, there is at least one other place in the galaxy where such conditions exist." She shrugs, "It isn't Mandalore, but it does carry the heart of our home."
"Quite literally," he quips, finishing his brandy. "And your people are happy there, I assume?" Drex almost takes on the tone of an interviewer, but seems genuinely interested to hear. His concern seems to come from an invested concern in this cause. "....and dare I ask, how our glorious friend is in all this.."
"He is busy." she said simply. "Most of those you saw with me are foundlings, drawn to the creed." She nods, "That is his work, binding these disparate threads."
Drex exhales audibly, his head hanging for a moment, before he picks himself back up. His lip curls into a lopsided smile, "I knew my worst assumptions could not possibly be correct. Without any word, the mind.. tends to jump to conclusions." Drex pats the edge of the table and nods, "I'm glad to hear his work continues, and that he is the one carrying it out." Drex looks off out the window, past the jostle of the crowd and the business of the street, "...he was our example. I was just proud to maintain abilities to keep up."
Kaesha nods, drinking deeply from the glass, "We cannot express our gratitude at what you have helped our people accomplish." She smiled sadly, "I just wish we had been able to watch this place grow." She drained the last of the drink, then moved to stand. "Now, I've got to break the news to them." She added.
Drex maintains his seat for a moment, and holds a hand up in caution, "..if you enter into it with that mindset, your voice will betray your intentions." He stands with her, "..you bring welcome news - news that will help the Mandalorian people. Do not deliver this message as a burden, but as an opportunity." Drex smiles, coaching her as best he can. "..but please make sure you weigh concessions towards the future growth of this humble moon.. your people have done remarkably well here and many will want to continue their work."
Kaesha, now standing, fixes Drex with a smile, "Thank you, Aak'fen." She said, offering a hand to help him up. Ace, seeing the pair preparing to depart, stands up and moves to join them. Kaesha nods to the girl, "Let's go." The Mandalorian says, moving for the door at a rapid pace.
Drex snorts out a "hmph" while smirking, he turns towards Ace. "I think you won't want to miss this - I'd follow her quickly." He says, tossing her a look of knowing mischief
She nods, moving to follow Kaesha, but hesitating at the doorway, "Are you coming too?"
Drex shows a few teeth as he chuckles, "oh, I wouldn't miss any of this for the world." Drex would retrieve a few chips from his pocket and leave them on the countertop for the staff. "Vor'e" he announces, tapping the surface with a knuckle, and a wave goodbye.
Drex tried to focus on the moment he still had with Ace, seeing Kaesha again, hearing Mandalore was still on the hunt. He couldn't help but feel trepedation at the thought of depleting the best and brightest from this world, but it certainly was not his decision to make. Both physically and spiritually, for now, he followed Kaesha Fulrau
It was difficult to keep pace with the woman as she climbed the long slope of the largest hill in Savin. Life on Ruusar had been, when compared to his earlier work with Rebellion, quite sedentary. Drex found himself panting heavily around halfway up, with Ace lagging behind to keep him company. A few groups of Mandalorians flew by on their jetpacks, while others less fortunate in beskar trudged around the pair. Kaesha, despite having a jetpack, seemed to favor the walk, leading the procession up the hill.
"She's amazing." Ace said, matching Drex's pace. "She was always nice to me back on the Adinor, I remember that." The young woman waved to a passing group of flying Mandalorians, clan Qodjat, as they zipped past. "I'm going to miss this place." She admitted, looking to Drex.
Drex takes a moment to slow down and breathe the firen out of his lungs. He then picks the pace back up, understanding the level of respect he's been afforded just to have been invited. "I hate... repeating myself, but... When I was about your age."
"Well, no holding back now.", he thought, his shoulders falling as he let himself relax.
"....I lost my home." He looks up at the the horizon back towards the obvious red dot in the sky, Iridonia. "You will not ever lose yours, not while you act with that good heart of yours. Your path is your own, but you will always be welcome here." He looks off to Kaesha, then back to Ace. He plants his feet a moment and locks his eyes with hers, nodding confidently. "I swear, always."
Drex snaps a quick nod and continues, looking back up the trail. Drex snorts and lightens his language "... to be fair I don't know what you expect to find on Yavin it's just a bunch of overgrown sculptures and boring monks," (edited)
She looks at Drex, thankfully her eyes watering. Upon the mention of boring monks, she straightens, “Hey! Are you calling Kred and Sazi boring?” She asked, punching Drex softly on the shoulder, “Take that as their vengeance.”
"Oh tremendously boring," Drex piles on, ignoring her reprisal "Kred Jervata could talk a spiced-up freighter pilot to sleep." Drex mockingly snaps his fingers, "hey maybe he could start a business after he retires from this professional meditation scheme he's got running" Drex laughs derisively, adding a "I'm full of great ideas" at the end
She shook her head, "You're not going to talk me out of it using that tactic, old man." Her smile widened as Drex spoke.
Ahead, the top of the hill loomed large, a crowd forming. The warriors Drex had seen before stood in small blocks directing the efforts. As they reached the top of the hill, a large landing craft descended from the Star Destroyer. Attached to the bottom was a large metal slab of roughly the same size of the ship carrying it. As the pair reached the top of the hill, the craft began to stabilize, the soldiers spreading the crowd away from the drop point.
Kaesha stood behind the line, watching the procedure unfold. The craft stabilized, then, on a signal from Kaesha, the slab dropped away. The entire hill shook as the slab crashed to the ground, burying nearly a meter into the hillside. A small cloud of smoke and dust rose from the site, obscuring the crowd. When that passed, Kaesha stood upon the slab, a vox-amplifier in hand. She waited for the crowd to quiet its murmuring.
After finishing his verbal spar with Ace, Drex would have settled in, possibly greeting a few known faces in the crowd gathered on the hilltop.
Drex waited quietly alongside as Kaesha took her position, folding his hands behind his back and squaring off his feet, his thumb tapping idly at the palm of his opposite hand.
Leave it to the Mandalorians to engineer that sort of an entrance he thought
"Mandalore sends his greetings, clan elders of Ruusar." Kaesha began in Mandalorian. "He has long desired to return to his people, but the crusade against our enemies burns on in his heart." She pulls the lightsaber from her belt, raising it, "Behold a trophy of that conquest! The weapon of a former Jedi revived by dark sorcery." She ignited the weapon, letting the light wash over her. A few of the crowd cheered, others began murmuring afresh.
She touched the tip of the saber to the metal below. A shower of sparks shot up from the floor below her- The crowd erupted in shouts as the realization set in- the metal had not been marred by the blade. Beskar, the slab, nearly twenty meters in width and forty long, was of pure beskar steel. "This first pavestone will serve as the foundation of a new palace for Lord Mandalore!" She says, deactivating the weapon and placing it back on her belt. "This is the bounty of our Crusade! Of your efforts!" She holds out her hands, placating the crowd, "This is only the beginning! A taste of what he has uncovered."
She pauses, looking out over the crowd, eyes falling on those countless foundlings whom were without beskar. She reached into her pack, pulling out the ingot. "For those that answer the call of the creed, a reward equal to their service." She points to the foundling clan members, "For every warrior that goes now to his side, we will provide a suit of beskar for they and two of their clan."
A flash of anxiety washes over Drex as he sees Dami's lightsaber displayed as the spoils of war. He manages to correct his bearing after a quick wince at the corner of his mouth and eyes. He knew the previous owner of that lightsaber wasn't Dami, even if it held his likeness, but somehow it didn't feel any more comfortable.
Drex shakes his head in amazement, And here, I thought an ingot was impressive enough.. he thought. What must these people think of a display such as this.. Drex formulated a few questions for later. Was this Kaesha trying to overplay her hand? Over-promise what had not been achieved yet? Or did the Mandalorians truly have a wellspring this deep, of something this rare..
The answer to the former question became evident immediately, as stunned silence erupted into elated, roaring cheers. Kaesha waited, smiling as her people devolved into their revels. She looked toward Drex, holding out a hand and gesturing for him to come forward.
Drex inhaled and exhaled deeply through his nose, a hint of trepedation on his face. What could I offer to this conversation. The offer seems sold and thensome..
He clears his throat and takes as vibrant a step onto the ad-hoc platform as he can, having had some good time to catch his breath from the climb. If it were Kaesha's intent, he would stride confidently to her and shake the hand, but if she would drop it, he would approach and give a respectful bow of his head
Kaesha took the offered hand, smiling as she did. “This is Mandalore’s envoy, my dear friend, Drex Nogru!” She said, raising the hand high and facing the crowd, “He has fought and bled beside our lord in war!” She said, then turned back to Drex, “More than that, he watched over and defended our people while Mandalore has made good on our Crusade!”
With that she withdrew a ornament from her pocket, placing it in Drex’s hand. “This is the signet of Mandalore!” She cried, as Drex looked down to see the small beskar circlet in his hand. Ruby-red lined the inner band, giving the thing a distinctive glow, amplified by the beskar. “He will always be welcomed among our people, as a friend and dear councilor.”
The crowd again erupted with cheers of, “Aak’Fen” and “Nogru”. Kaesha smiled, gesturing for Drex to put on the ring.
Drex's eyes seem to fill with wonder as he observes the gift offered to him. He shakes his head mildly as he observes the quality of the ceremonial offering. For a moment, he purses his lips, considering his own self worth all over again. So many conflicted feelings collide at once, but hearing the crowd approve of the gesture brings him back into the moment.
With a very careful, almost theatrical motion, Drex opens his fingers and puts the signet ring onto the appropriate ring finger on his right hand. He observes it for half a heartbeat, then nods and takes Kaesha's hand in his. He raises their hands together as Kaesha did, however this time, the signet is displayed prominently during the gesture. Drex wears a smile of great pride and thanks, holding up his left hand in a brief wave, as if saying, 'Thank you' to the people who he had helped guide. He would not speak - for one, it would have been futile to counter the sheer volume of the crowd, and for the other, he would not want to step on Kaesha Fulrau's moment.
"The coming days will be hard, but glorious!" Kaesha said after the cheers had quieted some. "These warriors will tell you of the glory that awaits, as well as the hardships." She said, gesturing to the soldiers that had accompanied her on the transports. "The transports will leave in the morning! It is your time to fulfill the creed!" She yelled, "For Mandalore!" Holding up an armored fist.
The crowd erupted a final time as the soldiers began dispersing among them. Kaesha turned to Drex, "I would like to see your home, if I'm not imposing." She pointed to the Star Destroyer hovering above the city, "If I am, I can return to the Conciliator."
Drex scoffed, "I doubt it'll measure up to whatever technological wonders you have on that impressive machine," he says, looking upwards at the imposing form looming over them.
"..but if you would be willing to suffer our rustic little home, I would be absolutely honored to play host." Drex gives a respectful nod. "Maybe Ace can show you the training room she brainstormed. We did the best with what we had - but I bet she'd be positively glowing to get to show it off to you"
Kaesha nods, smiling brightly, “Thank you Drex, Lord Mandalore’s stead should come along quickly enough, I’ll be out of your horns as soon as possible.” She pulled her comm, whispering a quick, direct order in Mandalorian. “I’ll have the transports retrieve your speeder.” She said, a distant light rapidly growing closer, “We’ll ride back in my shuttle.”
Ace had made her way forward with Drex, standing now at the foot of the pavestone. She smiled up at Drex as the shuttle approached. When they had boarded, she spoke with Kaesha on the short hop over to the Nogru stead. It passed all too quickly, the craft depositing the passengers outside the stead. Ace hurriedly dragged Kaesha up and toward the house, leaving Drex behind, outpaced.
Drex couldn't help but feel a greater sense of accomplishment than the preceding ceremony. Ace had been a challenge of many sorts. He had always been concerned that a young woman with near-feral upbringing would never take kindly to his assistance. That, combined with her innate abilities, could have resulted in a very dangerous personality. It is an immense sense of pride to see her treating her friends and guests this well.
Drex doesn't keep up on purpose, or at least that what he tells himself. He takes a moment and smiles quietly to himself as he watches.
The pair disappear into the house ahead, leaving Drex out in the growing darkness. Eventually, he makes his way inside, where Ace is busily showing Kaesha around. That complete, Kaesha thanks the pair a final time before retiring to one of the guest rooms for the night. Ace, following suit, returns to her own room shortly after. In the whirlwind of activity, Drex is left to his own devices and then, inevitably, alone in the proceeding silence of the night.
The day had finally arrived. Word from Mandalore - the news they had been yearning for stretching on 7 years now. The chasm of leadership created by Mandalore's absence had been filled merely by a steward, not a true member of their society. Drex, seated in a now-quiet front lounge, contemplated this. He took the ring off his finger and analyzed it with cold contemplation. Those same, sickeningly familiar assertions filled his mind - the same mantras of safeguard and protect repeated over and over at the same pacing he used to work the ring end over end between his fingers. He let air draw out through his nose in a somewhat exasperated tone as he placed it on the table he sat beside, leaning back in his chair as he watched it. The moon's dying light played beautifully with the dull brilliance of the metal.
His motivations ran through his mind repeatedly. How this had begun, how it proceeded, and how it is finishing. What once was a blinding quest for revenge had become something so sophisticated and unexpected that it caused him pause. In the years prior, Drex would have given trusted council to Kred Jervata, whose experience and character registered as the first Force user he truly felt could be trusted. With Kred now taking Ace on as a pupil, Drex knew that the next few years would truly be the test of his understanding. Should he have opted to let Ace lead a completely secular lifestyle, he believed there was no way she could be the person she is meant to become. Denying that large a part of her identity would have been cruel. Instead, let her destiny play out by her own hand.
Drex had recalled the visit he paid to the new "Academy" before it ever had a student. Kred had invited him, and even had tried to coax Drex into a permanent advisory roll, but his die was already cast. One key piece was left, which Drex was determined to follow through on - he had still not met Skywalker. Off-world at the time, Kred had bemoaned the missed opportunity. Drex would have had serious reservations about trusting anyone other than Jervata himself, and may have even found an excuse to avoid the new Master of the Academy, but with Ace leaving, that so-called Master would be taking into his care a young woman that Drex had fundemental ties to. He thought about many things these days, but with Mandalore creating this new demand for manpower, it seemed a new chapter was evolving.
Drex would watch the stars out a window, as his eyes shifted to the vanishing light. (edited)
Kaesha and Ace rose earlier than Drex. He found them in the training room, sat opposed to each other at a corner of the mat. Both, strangely enough to Drex, had their eyes closed. As he got closer, the scene became more clear. Both women’s faces showed strain, exertion from some unseen mental process. Ace, it seemed, had the worst of it. Her teeth clenched in a pained expression.
It was a sight all too familiar to Drex. A sensation he had been made very personally victim to. He’d seen that same look on Par’s face that day on the Eclipse. A desperate struggle to retain control of one’s self. A shiver ram up Drex’s spine as Ace grunted, the pain of her resistance evident.
Drex almost froze mid-step, having brought two cups of recap in pleasant black ceramics with no handles. What sort of predicament had Ace gotten into now, what had Kaesha challenged her into doing.
He looked between them - were they alright? Who could he snap out of it.. he pulled himself together and managed, meekly, "....Ace?"
The distraction broke Ace’s concentration and she began to writhe, grunting in pain. “Damn it!” She yelled, her head slumping forward. A moment later, Kaesha opened her eyes, looking toward Ace. “Don’t be discouraged, Ace.” The older woman said, “You’re picking up fast.”
Ace’s eyes shot towards Drex. “You broke my concentration!” She said, voice filled with sudden anger. Kaesha looked toward Drex apologetically, then turned her attention back to the girl. “The goal is to not let a distraction break your defenses.” She smiled, “Thank you for the opportunity, Drex.”
Drex's eyes shot open as he drew several sharp breaths, bottling up the mixture of anger and dread he experienced walking in. He took a moment to clear his throat as he set down the two cups of recaf, "You think that's difficult, try holding still while someone grazes your position with probing fire." He straightens up and puts a finger to his chin with the desired comedic effect, ".....actually, maybe Jervata could work that in for you.."
Ace shakes her head, frustration still apparent in her demeanor, "I want to try again." Kaesha, shook her head as she responded, "No, forcing this will only harm you." The Mandalorian was already beginning to stand. "We will try again in a few hours, you should relax for a while-" The last part of that sentence came with a glance toward Drex, "-cool your head." Ace remained on the floor a moment longer, then grunted in agreement. She looked up toward Drex, "Can I borrow the speeder?"
Drex clears his throat, another moment of pause as he quietly brings his senses back to normality. "Of course. What did you two already cook up for the day?"
Kaesha shook her head, "Nothing in particular." She said, dusting herself off and moving toward her armor, piled neatly at the corner of the mat. "Construction is only beginning on the palace and my only duty for the day is seeing off the new recruits." She began putting on the armor, a long and difficult process that she executed without wasted effort. Ace stood, moving toward, then past Drex toward the doorway. "I'm going to see Rann, he wanted to go hunting one more time before I ship out." She said, grabbing the jacket that had once belonged to Drex. "I'll be back by dark!" She yelled, sprinting out the door and clearing the distance between in what seemed to Drex a single leap.
Drex got half a syllable of inquiry out of his mouth before Ace was already gone. He folded his arms across his chest and simply watched. He looked to Kaesha, then back to the empty doorway. "If someone better than myself can temper that energy into something focused - I don't think any force in the galaxy could stop that girl."
Drex idly moved towards Kaesha and assisted by handing over a bracer and lining up her jetpack "You're a good judge of character. What do you think of who she's become?"
"I don't know about that. -thanks." She said, strapping on the bracer, "She's a quick learner, strong in the force-" she smiles, nodding, "More than that, she cares." Kaesha hesitates, thinking about her next words. "I hope you know how she views you, Drex." She says, "It's because of you that she turned out so well."
Kaesha looks down at the mat, a more concerned expression developing, "There is a darkness there Drex, from the old days. A part of it you just saw, but I glimpsed more of it than I would have cared to." She shakes her head, "I don't think anyone can help her with that, it's something she'll have to face down in her own time."
"I believe..." Drex begins, stopping himself for a moment. He eyes the training room floor, his eyebrows dropping low as he considers the correct words, "...that if given the choice, a good person will defeat that evil on their own. If she were in like company and told those powers should be used for selfish reasons, however.." Drex then looks back up, catching Kaesha's eyes again. "...I have no desire to see an organization as insular as the Jedi and pure dogma guiding anyone's life. The Mandalorian people embrace a code, but also accept anyone willing to live up to that code. Seeing people reach for their own excellence is a concept I believe the galaxy needs, not just some sounding board for the same ideas over and over."
Drex waves a hand, "I'm going to go off on one of those tangents she keeps scolding me about."
He looks back out the door, towards where Ace had run off to. "This new Jedi academy has some real promise, but.." he looks back to her, "I want to see where it's come in the last years and months. She does know it, but I'm going to see her off all the way there. I need to meet Master Skywalker, and assess what this place really is." Drex turns back and nods to Kaesha's belt. "...I have a favor to ask. That weapon you took from Dami's creature - I feel it should be put to rest there." He speaks very respectfully, but does not mince words, "Would you be opposed to me bringing it back to Jervata? And if you could share any of the story, he may be able to make some sense of what happened to Dami"
Kaesha nodded along with Drex as he spoke. When it came to the subject of the lightsaber, she looked to the floor. A long moment passed as she considered, then sighed shaking her head, "No, Drex. I took it from an enemy, regardless of whom wielded it before." Her face spells out her thoughts plainly enough, This subject is off-limits.
"As to what happened to Dami-" her eyes narrow, "-he made a deal with something he didn't understand and paid the price for it." (edited)
Drex stops her as she speaks, "-what happened to Dami was not your fault," he assured, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I do not place any blame on you or anyone else, other than the machinations of some unseen malignance in this galaxy."
He nods to her, "I respect your claim on the weapon, which is why I do not demand anything." He waits until a moment where she meets his eyes and taps her pauldron. "You did what you needed, I thank you for everything this far.". Drex gives a sharp nod of his chin, as if putting a period on his statement.
Kaesha nods, her expression softening, "The fault was his alone." she said simply. "My duties are here, Drex, my days of chasing ghosts are done." Her eyes turn toward the window. "I will be here when you return from your pilgrimage." She teased, then sighed as her mind turned to more serious matters. "I would like to continue teaching Ace the technique you observed, but you must understand that it will be taxing on her." She shrugs, "We are short on time, it took me nearly two years to learn what she has grasped in a single morning."
Drex brings his hand back to his chest, "Now that, I claim no credit for." He says, then folding his arms behind his back. ".. her intelligence and her aptitude are both staggering. It's as if everything she tries for the first time is something she's done for years." He looks back to the corner she was sitting in, "I'm not the one whose approval you need - if she is willing to take on the strain of this exercise then it's her decision."
Drex takes a moment to consider something else. "..and in regards to your duties-" he begins, leaning partially to one side as if making sure no one else is listening, "...why is Lord Mandalore incentivizing his request? His word is absolute, his order is law." Drex watches her reaction carefully, "..perhaps I'm too exposed to terrestrial politics, but the need to add a reward for following his command seems, at best, superfluous, and at worst," Drex speaks lowly, "a sign that he is concerned about its' validity"
"You misunderstand." She said simply, "We do not want all Mandalorians to abandon Ruusar for the Crusade." She held up her hands, encompassing the entire world in her open palms, "We need only those with the daring and dracyn to seek out the creed." She shakes her head, "The time will come when all will be needed, but for now, these warriors suit his purpose." Kaesha had invoked dracyn, the inner fire; the soul of all true Mandalorians.
"Mandalore cares not for validity, only quality." She assumes a resting stance, hands linked behind her back, "Those who go now will be rewarded commensurate to their labor, inspiring others." Her face was serious, eyes fixed upon Drex, "Do you now understand his designs?"
Drex closes his eyes and nods, "I do, in fact your earliest explanation made that clear - but I suppose I should ask a different question. Was it the concern of Mandalore that people would resent his command here? You and he could choose who goes and who stays without the gift."
Drex's hands wring around each other in thought. "I would have assumed direct service to Lord Mandalore tempting enough an offer."
"He is generous." She said, "To follow the tenants of the creed from afar is one thing, to live that creed is another." She looks toward the distant horizon, "As I said, the time will come when all will serve the crusade." She gestures toward the distant town of Savin, hidden behind the hills. "Until then, I will follow his command and lead the worthy to his side."
Drex clamps his lips together and nods, considering her words carefully. "That stands to reason, yes. I just say, however, from living here the past years, I don't feel it was required, and struck me as odd in that sense." Drex nods and reaffirms the feeling, "I absolutely understand the gesture, however."
Drex points to the air, as if remembering, "So you're planning on staying here until this job is finished? I was going to coordinate a few days for a leave of absence, as I discussed, but if you're here I feel much better knowing I won't need to leave the work to an adjunct"
"I am here until Lord Mandalore calls for me." She answered, "You should take this time, I'm sure your work has been difficult." Her smile returns, "Things may be very different when you return."
Drex is relieved to see her in better spirits and returns the look. "Allow me to help get your enterprise started before I would take any leave.". He motions out the door with welcoming guidance, "We can draw up plans in the office, and I can help coordinate with the appropriate people"
Kaesha gave an affirming nod, "Of course, your assistance would be most appreciated Drex." Her armor now fully equipped, she donned her helmet and jetpack, "It's been a long time since I've hunted anything on more than two legs." She said, her laughter amplified by the helmet's vox system. "I will return in a few hours, perhaps with dinner." she said, moving to the balcony and activating the thrusters. "After that, we can begin."
With that, she saluted and blasted free of the ground, moving eastward at maximum speed.
Drex would have returned the gesture, but would then be staring at a dust cloud, once occupied by Kaesha. He blinks the ashy ground out of his eyes before looking up to the rapidly-vanishing warrior. Drex stood at his ease a moment later, leaning forward with both arms on the balcony railing. He hung his head for a moment, rolling it back and forth as he thought to himself.
Critical times he began, I don't think there's any way to know what comes next Drex looked back up into the rising sun, tapping his index finger on the bannister before turning back inside.
Only one way to find out
Drex prepared to work.
