The Badger and the Lioness

[Arda Breaux]

Bothawui

To say she was surprised was an understatement as Leandros accepted her offer to meet face to face. Their two factions had parted their ways years ago and if Arda was honest with herself, she did not think they would ever need to cross paths as the Empire seemed to grasp for what power they could hang on to while the rest of the galaxy seemed ready to move onward. Her Order was still in its youth as she pushed for the prestige they had hundreds of years ago, but the reality of that dream was far from her own path; she could only hope that her Jedi would continue the fight against the dark side long after she was gone from this galaxy.

They were to meet in a inconspicuous location, Arda wasn't about impressing with grand displays, she reserved that for the Sith Empire, and instead allowed the mandalorian meet with her on their temporary base outside the capital city. For a ragtag team, they certainly looked the part and she, well, she certainly looked like a Jedi leading them. Arda was not as concerned about how they looked as more as how they got the job done and continued to provide resistance, but it would be difficult path without some friends to help along the way.

She waited patiently in the meeting room, the Force whispered quietly in her ear, the waves of the Force pushing and pulling against the Jedi Grandmaster while she quietly meditated until the Mandalorian arrived.

@Painus

 

[Leandros Solus]

Bothawui.

The planet’s name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. To him, it was some no-name, backwater world full of goat-people known for their spies. Leandros had never paid any mind to this world, and he supposed that was why it became the meeting ground between the Jedi Grandmaster and the Mand’alor. Skulking around in the shadows and pretending he didn’t exist was not his modus operandi, but it was the way of the Jedi and their little rebellion, so he decided that he would entertain the idea.

Frankly, he did not expect the summons of the Grandmaster, and for several days he thought it a joke. He read and re-read the message, wondering what form of Sith trickery it could be, but failed to find any hint of deception. For a while, he thought it wasn’t worth his time; he had a Great Crusade to spearhead. They were beginning their coreward push and could not falter in their conquest. A righteous flame burned deep within him, angered over the loss of the one thing he truly cared for – Raz. He’d spent hours questioning his faith in gods so callous that they would tear her away from him, but often found himself angry at his doubt. He was fighting a battle within and could not tell which side was winning. Every night was restless, and each day was filled with anger, regret, and guilt. He blamed himself for her death and nothing he could rationalize as his defense seemed to help him.

His honor guard traveled with him – twelve Mandalorians who had fought and bled beside him for years; they were some of the most trustworthy and loyal individuals he had ever met, and they rarely traveled separately. His hands were up by his shoulders, holding onto the tiny legs of the little girl riding him like a Basilisk. Lily went with him everywhere too, and he rarely – if ever – let the girl out of his sight. She was the last memory he had of Raz other than their family photo; he would let no harm come to her.

The meeting grounds were just outside the capital in a temporary base. As far as displays of grandeur went, this hardly met the mark, though Leandros was a decidedly simple man. He was glad she did not try to flaunt some kind of power; it would have completely missed its mark. He approached the base, fully armed and armored, his retinue following close behind. Four lightsabers dangled loosely from his belt, trophies of his conquests. He practically rattled as his weapons swayed with his movements, announcing his presence before one could lay eyes on him. Several guards stood in his way; a moment of concern visible on their faces. He continued forward and ignored them, offering only a curt ”Move,” in response as he passed by. They stood by, confused, but apparently aware of the meeting taking place. His retinue walked past them as well, bumping into them as they continued, refusing to step aside as they walked.

Leandros stopped outside the meeting room and signaled for his retinue to remain outside, for this was a private meeting. They obliged and stood by, leaning against or sitting on whatever was nearby, eyeing the rebels and Jedi warily. Leandros entered and closed the door behind him, his eyes panning over the Grandmaster.

This was the second Jedi he had ever seen, the first one being the rat Castor, who left a bad taste in his mouth. She was… normal looking, for the most part, though he was immensely wary of her preternatural abilities. Decades of fighting Sith made you suspicious of Force-users in general. He stared in silence for several seconds before stepping forward, reaching up to set his daughter down on her feet beside him. She stood beside him in defiance, watching the Jedi warily.

”Jedi.”

His voice was rough, not unlike gravel, and carried a certain weight to it. He’d been shouting over the din of battle and to his rallied people for the past few days and it was beginning to take its toll on his body. He was weary, but he would not rest until Raz was avenged. He remained standing, awaiting her response.

@GABAdactyl

 

[Arda Breaux]

It was not the confidence that alerted her to the Mandalorian's arrival, but the wave of unease and awe that swept through the base that directed her attention. They had arrived, and Arda rose to her feet as she came out of her meditative state, pulling her mind back to the present and not to the uncertainty that laid on the horizon of the future. The Manda'lor entered the meeting room, the door opened and shut behind him, but she made sure to take a swift glance of the guard who waited outside for their leader. The man would not be alone though, with him was a child and her eyes gently moved from him to his daughter as he set her down beside him. It was a warming feeling to see, as many knew from only what they saw from the holonet, he was just as mortal as anyone else in this galaxy.

She never-minded the child's looks as the Manda'lor addressed her, his voice seemed to match the wears of war.

"Manda'lor." she returned his title, "Thank you for coming, I know time is precious for you and your warriors. I cannot describe in words the anguish I and the Alliance have felt since the Sith Empire genocide your people." this was in fact she felt it more through the Force, the pain that tore through the fabric of existence that had yet to heal. It made many of her younger pupils uncomfortable and it was a hard lesson, but necessary to teach them. "More so for the loss of your former leader, she was an amazing woman, I wish I could have fought by her side one day." the corner of her lip curled into a small smile as her memories teased of her early years in the Rebellion and seeing her and Valentine on the holonet.

"The Empire has shown their hand though, no longer can they hold any control without a show of force." she told him, her brow narrowed and her voice took on a stern tone, sentimental formalities quickly dissipated. "I wish to see this galaxy no longer oppressed by the dark side and its corruption. The GA is not equipped to handle a full scale battle with the Empire, we will continue to operate as a resistance. Strike swiftly, make them bleed, make them waste resources on stopping dissent until the people had enough. That is the GA, but I want to make sure we can come to some common ground Manda'lor. I speak for all of the GA that I do not wish to stop you in your campaigns, continue them, but we wish to provide aide in any way we can." Arda explained and paused, gauging the Manda'lor's reaction, her senses trying to decipher her instincts on how to speak to the seasoned warrior.

@Painus

 

[Leandros Solus]

Leandros watched the Grandmaster with cold impassivity as she spoke, his expression unreadable beneath his helmet. Not ignorant to the wiles of the Jedi, he began to throw up mental blocks to shield his thoughts. Very quickly his mind turned to strategy and war, always planning out the next step in his crusade. He thought of the Sith and how quickly their worlds would burn, of how many Imperials that would need to die for Mandalore to be avenged. It would never be enough, but every Imperial corpse filled the massive hole in his heart where he had been wounded in the genocide.

His eye twitched at the mention of Raz and he inhaled slowly, choosing instead to listen to the rest of what she had to say. He’d always been an accomplished diplomat back in his younger years, but now the constant weight of leadership and the losses his people have suffered began to shorten his temper. Arda finished speaking and he stood there silently for a moment, deciding what he would say. After a few thoughts, he shook his head, and decided to correct her.

”We never lost her,” he asserted, raising his hand to tap his breastplate, ”She lives within every Mandalorian who still draws breath. To suggest otherwise is an insult.” He lowered his hand and returned it to his side; his daughter reached up and grabbed hold of a few of his fingers, the gesture bringing a gentle grin to his face. As long as he had her, Raz was never gone. He’d never allow for her memory to fade away. ”I’m glad you see the necessity for the complete and total destruction of the Empire,” he continued, nodding in acknowledgment, ”But your little ‘resistance’ will do no good for our crusade. What planets have your 'freedom fighters' liberated? How many Sith have paid the price for their atrocities by your hand? A single Mandalorian warrior is worth twenty of your little 'resistance' fighters. My people were eradicated just as yours were, yet we do not weep and whine in the dark corners of the galaxy while true saviors fight back.”

He shook his head, his smile fading, ”No, Jedi, you will not hide in the shadows while their evil spreads. Your order will fight alongside the Mandalorians as they did on Corellia before we took it for ourselves while you stood idly by. You will stand with us on the battlefield or you will stand aside as cowards and be lost to history. The gods do not favor the weak, they favor those bold enough to stand in the face of darkness and fight back.” His tone was bitter, the immense desire for vengeance laced throughout his words. Having suffered the annihilation of his home had a profound effect on his interaction with outsiders, especially those who proclaimed to fight the darkness in the galaxy. He wanted dearly to persecute all Force users, finding them all equally res

“You want to help? Quit hiding like rats driven to extinction and fight like the fabled warriors I keep hearing you people are.”

@GABAdactyl

 

[Leandros Solus]

Leandros waited through several tense minutes of silence after he said his piece. The Grandmaster did nothing in response and simply stared back, perhaps dumbfounded, perhaps insulted, perhaps in awe. He did not know, nor did he particularly care how the witch felt. He had shown up here as a courtesy to her summons, and now it seems she had little interest in what it was he had to say. The Mand’alor inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, his chest heaving with the motion. His eyes scanned the Jedi carefully, wary for any movement she would make, but there was little to watch for.

After those several minutes of silence, he finally spoke back up. ”Very well,” he said, his voice rolling like distant thunder to break the quiet in the room, ”I am excusing this waste of my time because it seems to be the way of the Jedi.” He shook his head and began to turn, continuing to speak as he did so, ”But my patience isn’t limitless…” He moved towards the door, beckoning Lily to come along. The girl grabbed onto his hand and looked back at Arda as they began to leave. A quick yank ushered the girl ahead of him, never to look back again.

”…Unlike my power.”

His tone was venomous and malevolent, five centuries’ worth of hatred roiling behind it. The door swung open with a hiss and he let Lily run out ahead into the watchful gaze of his honor guard. For a split second he remained there, turning his helmeted head only slightly to regard the Jedi Grandmaster. ”Rats can be driven from their holes,” he remarked before swiftly walking out, his face frozen in a rictus of distaste. His retinue fell into step around him, weapons raised and ready to defend their Mand’alor. They could feel the anger and hate emanating from him, such was his disdain for the Jedi. This was their sole opportunity to prove their worth to him, and it was deemed a failure. They would head for their ship and leave this wretched camp immediately.

This resistance would do nothing but get in the way of his Great Crusade. These Jedi would do nothing but continue to fall to darkness and spawn more of the Sith’s vile teachings. Leandros had a divine mission, given to him by his gods directly. There was no room for Force users in this galaxy, there never was. He would command his people to kill and kill and kill until the only recognition either side – Sith or Jedi – got was that of an exterminated people driven to ash and dust by the great Mandalorian war machine. There would be no grand speech, no rallying cry to fight their enemy. He would only give the command to begin wiping them out, to drive them from their holes into the light they cherish so much so that they can die with the galaxy watching. They were not protectors, they were cowards, vermin meant to be exterminated. Where the Sith failed, where his ancestors failed, he would succeed.

This, he promised to his gods.

//exit thread

 

[Arda Breaux]

Arda had been pulled from her present reality, the Force slipping her consciousness into a spiral of events that had yet to reveal themselves to the Jedi woman and her followers of the Light. The vindictiveness that dripped from the leader of the Mandalorians spoke much more powerful than the words and insults he threw at the Grandmaster. She couldn't even feel the beats of her own heart as she seemed to be thrown elsewhere, into darkness, ash, and smoldering corpses that she instinctively knew were once young Knights and padawans who have devoted to serving the galaxy. Served to stop the darkness, and now that the Empire had crumbled, the darkness found its new servant. He stood in front of her, she could hear him, but at the same time she could not.

She could see all the pain he was about to cause, the suffering he would put himself through and for his daughter, all in the name of justice...or was it revenge? The future revealed more to her, it would destroy everything she had worked for, but she could stop it now, now would be perfect, the death of one to save the lives of trillions. The Force whispered, it told her exactly what she needed to do, how to do it. To call her saber to her hand, and one swift swing would end it all, it would prevent the chaos that was erupting from the warrior that stood before.

However, it would not feel right, and with slow inhale, the fleeting moment dissipated and the Light warmed her core. The Mandalor finished speaking, she opened her mouth to apologize, but he had noticed her silence, but if only what she felt in the Force would have fully understand what had just transpired. He described their brief meeting a waste and as he considered his patience was limited, but the dark side was patient, and now it mocked her and if Mandalor Solus knew, it was mocking him and he would never know or understand. One did not have to be a witch (as put by the Mandalorians) to understand the invisible, but powerful entities that shaped the galaxy, it had its influence on all of the living. It was here, the darkness, it was with him, and it was only going to grant him misery, no matter how far he would go, it will never satisfy his thirst for vengeance for all those who had perished on Mandalore.

Arda watched as he left, she could feel the chill of the dark side slither with him and again she opened her mouth, to warn him, but instead pursed her lips together in thought. Words could only do so much as were her impression with him, but there would have to be other ways to save him from the darkness, she knew the true enemy she would have to face and she had already had conquered its temptation.

She turned slightly to grab her comm, sending an encrypted message to her rebel commanders and generals.

The war against the Empire of darkness never had fallen, it instead found itself a new king, the Manda'lor.

/END THREAD