An Audience with the Infernal (PM for Invite)

[Yasha Cadera]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] called for an audience with Mand’alor the Infernal. At first Yasha thought it was off he called for it at all. Couldn’t the man simply walk into the Sundari Palace and plead his case?

This was a youth’s thinking, and she rebuked herself thoroughly for it. Yasha was no Katlaydr, no Cuir Rekr or child. For some ongoing slip of knowledge the Mandalorian Empire and the Wue’gi Council considered Mand’alor the Infernal capable of maintaining leadership.

Even pregnant. ​

​

Even young. ​

Was it not the Queens of Naboo who ruled by democracy’s vote as barely teenagers? Could not a warrior race, which considered adulthood at 13 see a 20 year old as fit for leadership?

There was no throne in the throne room of the Sundari Palace. Talk Vizsla destroyed it, and Yasha was loathe to rebuild the device, as the machinations of some kind of feminine goddess, or dictator or tyrant. No.

If the Mandalorians wanted a throne, they would build one. In its place, a solid wood round table, built out of the wreckage of the Cataclysm, and wrought with Mandalorian Steel legs. Each chair was identical. No spot was more prestigious than the last.

"... although we could use interdictors outside the Mandalorian Planetary System, I would like to strengthen the defences at Dathomir and protect the borders of the Hydian Way."

"We could dominion Taris, and Bandomeer."

"If we search out diplomatic ties with Bandomeer, I will be calling Fiolette Yvarro. Primo Victorian is making a move out that way, and we could set up a mutually beneficial economic agreement. How are the factories of Contruum going?"

"Yes, Mand'alor... Contruum is... still in upset but it's equalizing. The slavers didn't enjoy the loss in profits, when we demanded they pay their employees and build appropriate dwellings. They demand recompense from Mandalore."

"They can shove their recompense out of their breathing backsides, Tuulu. Any who work within my Empire will be compensated appropriately for their work. And any who reside in my Empire will have appropriate accommodations. They will either join in our renovation of their laws, or they will be cast out from their System with maximum prejudice."

It was to this table in the former throne room of the Sundari Palace that Jaster was shown entry. [member="Ambrose Mantis"] and his Yalilyr stood in their places, guarding the pregnant woman and new bride. Dressed in her armour, with growth plates added like feather strokes across her distended belly, Yasha sat on one of the ubiquitous chairs and listened to yet another report on the defensive structure of the outer reaches of her Empire.

“See Alor Awaud in the moment he arrives. He is as ever, our welcome vod.”

 

[Jaster Awaud]

The doors opened before the Mandalorian Alor, he stood ready and waiting as the guards showed him in. As they allowed him to pass, he walked into the Palace room before Mand'alor the Infernal. He wore his Ancestral Clan Awaud Armor, he had asked that the armor smith reforge it to a new design and to fit him better. In the process something could not be updated and was forced to be left our. As such he walked into the room without his helmet. The armor was of a thicker variant of Mandalorian Armor, being as it was worn by Mand'alor the Uniter, Jaster was much taller then he was. The armor had to have Beskar added to fill in the gaps of armor and it was still yet to be finished with weapons upgrades and others. Still, the Red and Black details with gold outlining his families crest.

He was here to meet with [member="Yasha Mantis"], the one and only Mand'alor he agreed to serve since his Exile from his homeworld 25 years ago. Since then he could not look upon his Blood-brothers without being disgusted by their dishonorable acts and blood hungry raids on many worlds. All that changed after Ra left on another mystical crusade and Yasha took the title and became leader of his people. He chose to keep a distance, but after Kaine convinced him she was different, he was very impressed by how she inspired loyalty and rebuilt all that was destroyed during the Civil War. So much so, that he sent in a request to meet with her by the old traditions.

Once he reached to foot of the table across from where the Mand'alor sat, he placed his hand across his chest and on his heart in a fist and bowed. He was old school like that, believing that tradition must be kept in order. Recovering from his bow he looked to her. "Greeting Mand'alor, I thank you for accepting my request to meet with you."

 

[Yasha Cadera]

The armour styled after Mand’alor the Uniter was not lost on the young Infernal. As the Death Watch began to mosey back to their secure positions, and talk of outward defences died down for [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"], Yasha pushed back from the table.

“Absolutely, Alor Awaud. How could I miss the honour of having you in my Hall?” Yasha smiled warmly, threatening her lack of equilibrium if it dared mess up yet another attempt of getting out of a chair without help.

Dash it, but this baby could come tomorrow and Yasha would be thrilled. She mirrored his salute and bowed herself, taking what passed for a deep breath these days.

“What can Mand’alor do for Clan Awaud? Are the Mandalorians I sent to run defence against the slavers still working out?”

 

[Jaster Awaud]

He looked to [member="Yasha Mantis"] as he recovered form his stance to a position of attention. Being a traditionalist, he adhered to a strict procedure of standing before the Mand'alor. His eyes did take a look at the woman belly, she was coming along well, seemed to be a healthy youngling. It would seem his age was finally getting to him as he was interested in if it would be a boy or girl. Realizing he was out of line with his thoughts he focused on the reason he had asked for this audience.

Jaster realized she was probably better sit down, he spoke up, "Ma'am, there is no need to stand, please have a seat and spare an old man the worry should you hurt yourself."

He pulled off his backpack with the hawk of his clan in black, placing it on the table and looked to the women. "I have been very impressed with seeing you and this Empire grow in both size and spirit," He sighed, he could only hope that his ancestors would not find his next actions as dishonorable, "I never thought I would live to see the day when our people would fight one another, and in that time myself and my clan chose to choose neutrality instead of finding a way to end the conflict, and instead it was you who ended the bloodshed and brought the clans from another Civil War," he took a breath again and opened the pack to pull out an old Mandalorain Helmet that had rusted and part of the visor was cracked, "Since then I have only been more and more impressed with your actions as our peoples leader and spreading its boarders to what it was a millennia ago," he pushed the Helmet forward, "You have shown the values, honor, and will of our ancestor of old, and it would be a great honor for you to accept this gift," Placing his hand on the Ancient Helmet he continued to speak. "The Helmet that belonged to Mand'alor the Uniter, a sign of our clans loyalty and trust in your rule, consider it a baby shower gift."

He broke tradition and smiled at her with a creak in his stone like facial features. He had thought long and hard about this decision, and though his clan was still a nomadic bunch, and free to choose their own path, he still wished to show this new leader the reward of her actions in a path that was nothing but trouble. She could rely on the name Awaud as soldiers, advisors, merchants, politicians, and farmer, they had their roots in the idea of their ancestor and as the Mask of Mand'alor was claimed by another, it was a sign of one being blessed by the Mand'alor that wore it before.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

Yasha paused in her rise, and sat back down in her chair, taking her hand off the arm of the chair to rub at the armour-plated belly. “That would be news for the ages, eh Awaud? Mand’alor the Infernal wounded getting out of a chair while pregnant. Mandalore destroyed.”

If she couldn’t joke about her belly now, in another eight to six weeks she’d lose the chance completely. The joke passed for the news of the day, memories of neutrality in the Civil War. There was no neutrality for Yasha, not when her mother and baby brother died in the Cataclysm. Not when the war took so much from Clan Mantis, nearly rending it to naught. Yet, when Ra was gone and the Mandalorians were nearly destroyed by yet another predicament, the Empire itself rested on the shoulders of the young.

Choices were hard, and mistakes were made. Yet in the passage of time, Yasha could look back and feel relief. The Mandalorian Empire survived. Mandalorians survived.

Yasha’s breath caught as [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] laid the Buy’ce of Mand’alor the Uniter upon the table. “Jaster…”

The Yalilyr around the room snapped to attention, even [member="Ambrose Mantis"] stopped to look at the ancient helmet. Mand’alor the Uniter was not only one of the greatest Mand’alor in history, but his position reigniting the clans, and salvaging the Mandalorian culture during the New Sith Wars was an aspirational legend. Call it the hormones of pregnancy, but Yasha nearly teared up in the Sundari Palace.

“I am humbled and honoured by your gift… Alor Awaud, how can I accept this? Mand’alor the Uniter…” Yasha bit her lip, gauntlet-clad hand reaching for then pausing before touching the side of the rusted and cracked buy’ce. With the helm came the inner meaning, and that deeper meaning was not lost on Preliat’s daughter.

“My daughter will hug you properly, when she’s old enough… especially when she’s old enough to sit and listen to Alor Awaud tell the tales of his Clan, eh? I aspire to continue the good works started here, Alor Awaud. With the advice of my council and help of the Mando’ade, we will continue to rise… this gift… it’s… Alor Awaud…”

 

[Jaster Awaud]

He was happy to see that [member="Yasha Mantis"] would accept the Honored Relic of his people. It was a symbol of what the Clan would always hold in their hearts, or at least those that followed the old ways.

"This Buy’ce has been passed down for generations for over Eighteen Thousand Years, we have kept it safe guarded from all the Mand'alors who were not worthy to hold what it represented," He bowed his head in a slow nod as she attempted to touch the relic, "My ancestor was the one of the few Mand'alors that United the Clans not for war on the Galaxy, and was not a tool of the Republic or Sith Empires, he served Mandal'yaim and the Mandalorains, in order to survive and grow," He looked to her with a happy glint in his eyes, one that was not well shown within him often in his stern attitude, "So, for your heard work and doing something that our clan had sworn to do, and failed in keeping the Clans, we would pass on its responsability and power onto you, you have earned it, Mand'alor Yasha Mantis."

He only figured that being around her felt like being around his Ancestor, he felt the change of the winds when she was around. It was as if the elements of nature bent to the will of her needs. Listening about her sharing her daughters joys with his, "It would be a great pleasure to visit your daughter, and there are lots of stories to tell ma'am, as for where the Empire goes from here, I know it is in good hands."