Private A Second Attempt

[Corazona von Ascania]

The Taris skyline had made a remarkable improvement since she'd last laid eyes on it. There were still gaps and jagged edges, but the plumes of smoke that had curled into the horizon were gone.

Cora acknowledged this with a simple hum. She'd seen many things, but still could not imagine what it must've been like to have your planet change astrological coordinates so suddenly, and so severely. Fortunately, the Mandalorians appeared to be attentive to the worlds under their domain.

Though her gaze was fixed on the shuttle's viewport, her ears tuned into the comm chatter as best she could. Synthesized voices were a bit too garbled for her to make out entirely, but they were calm. Professional. Not a note of hostility.

"Clearance received. Initiating landing sequence, Master Jedi."

"Excellent."

They'd made sure to follow protocol this time around. Mandalore had been contacted, and permission had been given before she'd even chartered the flight. Mandalorians appreciated a candid approach, so she'd been forthcoming with the details. The Jedi outpost on Taris was small, but it contained a number of artifacts curated by her friend and fellow Jedi, Efret Farr . With the Master herself away on assignment, Cora sought to retrieve the relics in her stead. Nothing more, nothing less.

The boarding ramp lowered with a hiss. Tugging at her gloves to ensure a good fit – over both her organic and cybernetic hands – the Jedi knelt and retrieved a bottle of wine she'd stashed beneath the console.

The pilot leaned back in his chair and squinted. Cora met his look with a barely arched brow.

"It is rude to visit someone's home without a gift," she supplied.

With that, she descended the ramp.

Aether Verd

 

[Aether Verd]

Assets: Beskar'gam | Basilisk
Darksaber | Resolute Dawn​

TARIS

The Mandalorian did not send a delegation or a squad of watchful sentries. Rather, he came himself.

Aether Verd stood at the foot of the boarding ramp, clad in the iron that marked him as Mand'alor. The afternoon light caught the edges of his armor, painting the beskar in hues of copper and gold as he waited, hands resting calmly at his sides. Around them, the landing pad hummed with the distant traffic of Taris, a city still stitching itself back together with determination that he found familiar.

As the Jedi descended, Aether inclined his head, his visor tilting just enough to acknowledge the bottle of wine she carried without comment. His voice, when it came, was warm, carrying the low rumble of welcome shaped by sincerity rather than formality.

"Welcome to Taris, Master Jedi. I am Aether Verd, Mand'alor the Iron."

He gestured to the city beyond the landing pad, where scaffolding met newly restored towers and fresh banners fluttered in the breeze, the red and gold of Mandalore set against the pale sky.

"It is good to see our skies quiet again, and better still to see your people and mine working toward something other than conflict. I thought it proper to greet you myself, given the efforts our nations have made to strengthen these ties."

His gaze settled on her, measured yet open.

"How can Mandalore assist you during your time here?"​

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora had expected a retinue of heavily armored Mandalorian warriors to greet her with their stern helms and unyielding body language.

Instead, a lone figure waited for her at the foot of the ramp. Lone, but with a presence that held the weight of an army. Aether Verd had no need to posture.

She returned the drip of his head with a slow tilt of her own.

"Thank you for receiving me, Mand'alor the Iron. Knight Corazona von Ascania of the New Jedi Order."

The bottle of wine was extended towards him. Deep burgundy liquid shifted within the dark glass. "Forgive me as I'm not privy to your preferences; this wine is from my homeworld, Ukatis."

His people had struck Ukatis not that long ago. The Mandalorian Enclave had been savage, but she'd been told that this iteration was more diplomatic and less prone to wanton violence.

Cora shifted her head just slightly to the side, studying the impassive lines of Aether's visor. Her smile was a polite thing, practiced and prim.

"The Jedi have an enclave on Taris. I've come to collect the artifacts they've procured and return them to Tython."

Aether Verd

 

[Aether Verd]

Assets: Beskar'gam | Basilisk
Darksaber | Resolute Dawn​

TARIS

The name struck a chord.

Aether recalled the reports from the diplomatic summit, the chaos that had unfolded with the Alliance’s unannounced arrival, and the Jedi who had stepped forward to help navigate the tension. Corazona von Ascania had kept her head where others postured. He respected that.

“It is good to finally meet you, Knight von Ascania,” he said, warmth threading his voice as his visor dipped once more. “And thank you for your tact during your most recent visit to Taris. I heard from my men that your commitment to cooperation did not go unnoticed.”

As she extended the bottle, he reached out and accepted it with care, turning the glass in his gauntlet. The burgundy within shimmered under the light, and he read the label in silence before offering a quiet nod.

“A thoughtful gift,” he said with the barest hint of a smile beneath the helmet. “It is appreciated.”

Then she spoke again, and his visor lifted, settling directly on her. Though his expression was hidden, the slight tilt of his head and the angle of his shoulders made it clear she had caught his interest. A Jedi enclave. Here. On Taris.

His fingers drummed once along the base of the bottle. Once, then again. Deliberate. Thoughtful.

“I see.”

There was no accusation in the words, but the air between them seemed to quiet.

“The Empire will gladly give unto the Jedi what is theirs,” Aether said plainly. “If there are other enclaves across our territory, and those enclaves house Jedi artifacts, they may be retrieved and returned to Tython without resistance.”

He turned slightly, eyes still on her through the opaque steel.

“However, I will require any personnel stationed at these enclaves to accompany the artifacts as well.”

His tone remained civil, calm as ever, but there was something colder beneath it now. Not hostile. Certain.

“It would not do to have one of the three most infamous fighting forces in the galaxy maintaining footholds on Mandalorian worlds without oversight. I recognize the Jedi believe in many good things...but they are also empowered warriors capable of shattering legions. Whether they intend peace or not, their presence carries weight.”

The implication was clear.

He was not asking.​

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"And I you, Mand'alor," she returned with a similar measure of grace. "Despite its initial mishandling, Master Vanagor and your Jonah Verd managed to defuse the tension quite nicely."

Some of the Padawans had been upset by the rough reception, but they were now privy to an important lesson: not everyone in the galaxy welcomed the Jedi. Despite their good intentions, many would look at them with distrust, even hatred.

It wasn't pleasant, but the truth was often anything but.

As Aether made his point, Cora studied him quietly. The weight of his tone, the way gloved fingers tapped at the edge of the bottle - a face would have been easier to read, of course, but a lot could be said by the unspoken.

"I am inclined to agree. Your cooperation in evacuating Alliance operatives caught in Mandalorian territory does not go unappreciated."

The corners of her lips would lift into a faint, but genuine smile. She had not come to argue, but was prepared to negotiate if necessary. It seemed that they were on the same page for now.

Cora made a note to go over their assets that had been caught in the plane shift with a fine-toothed comb. For today, Taris.

"The enclave here is small, but it previously functioned as a museum open to the public. I don't suppose you've had the chance to visit in all this chaos?"

Her tone lifted a little, lighter but still grounded. Her heart went out to the people of Taris, caught in the crossfire of a great galactic shift.

Aether Verd

 

[Aether Verd]

The mention of his brother stirred something within him, quiet but unmistakable. Behind the helm, the Mand’alor allowed himself a small smile.

“My brother has always had a steady hand in moments like those.” he said, voice tempered with warmth that softened the edges of his usually firm tone. “I am grateful for Master Vanagor’s collaboration with him. Together, they made a difficult situation manageable, and that is not a gesture I overlook.”

He let her speak, and as she did, she had his full attention. Fortunately, she agreed to his polite demand without any issue.

The Jedi of the day carried themselves with poise and conviction, seemingly intent on doing what was right in every setting they entered. But Aether had read the records. He had seen the consequence of unchecked influence, of good intentions given free rein without regard for the soil they stepped upon. If the Jedi wished to reclaim what was theirs, they would find no resistance from him...but trust would take time. A lasting presence in Mandalorian space would take even longer.

“I am glad we see this matter similarly.” he said at last, the words low but sincere. “Being far from home is never an easy thing, especially when you are surrounded by unfamiliar customs and expectations. Rest assured, I will do all I can to hasten your people’s return to Tython.”

The bottle remained in his grasp, its dark contents catching the light. At her mention of the museum, his helm tilted slightly to one side.

“I have not had the opportunity.” he admitted, tone shifting ever so slightly toward something more conversational. “Civilian pursuits have not been in the cards for some time.”

The Mand'alor then looked to the Jedi once more.

“But if that was an offer, Knight von Ascania, I would not say no to a tour.”

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora's smile warmed only a fraction of a degree, but something softened in her eyes.

"Very good."

The walk to the enclave wasn't far. As they navigated through the city streets, Cora would witness Taris' healing up close. Gone were many of the hollowed-out buildings, their burnt husks having been torn down entirely and replaced with active construction.

She'd seen it hundreds of times; resilience rising from the ashes.

A comfortable silence had settled between Mandalorian and Jedi. Cora observed the partially finished structure of what she imagined to be a high-rise upon completion; there was something hopeful in the building's jagged silhouette.

A breeze rolled past, pulling her attention to the stalwart figure beside her.

"If I may," she began conversationally, but not casually, "how have your people fared since Taris?"

Aether Verd