Be My Friend, and I'll Be Yours

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The Reformation was about to begin expanding. Their shipyards were almost done being built, and with them, massive fleets. The Dreadguard had become prominent once more; putting down any threat to the Reformation's safety that might present itself. Jedi Knight flocked to the Reformation's banner and took holdings over certain worlds, donning the armor of the Jedi Lords and charging off to do battle with all those that would halt the progress of order. With order came peace, a goal that all Jedi should aspire to.

Graxin Rade had been unanimously voted the Archlord of the Reformation, naming him the political face of the movement and the head of the Jedi Grand Council. It wasn't something he would have chosen for himself, though the fact of the matter was that he had started the Reformation. It was a position that they had naturally put him in. The Knight had no intention of shirking his duties. The Reformation's neighbors, the Silvers, Levantines, Imperial Remnant, and the Mandalorians, all were threats. Two of which could be pacified with simple talks, hopefully. The other two would have to be assimilated into the Reformation--Jedi should not rule sectors of space unchecked, and Imperialism was a corrupt ideal.

The Knight had traveled to Mandalore along with his Padawan, [member="Kaigann Fossk"]. It was important the boy attend these little meeting while he was still a student. He could learn from whatever mistakes Graxin made here, rather than having to find them out the hard way on his own. The Oyu'baat was the place of meeting, a place Graxin had heard of, but never bothered to visit. In the past, he was an enemy of the Mandalorians; fighting alongside the New Order as it attempted to blaze across the outer rim.

Those days were done now.

The Jedi Knight strode into the entrance of the Oyu'baat looking very much like a bounty hunter rather than a warrior of the force. He wore a simple collared jacket with sleeves that cut off at the elbows. Underneath was a sleeveless black shirt. The only thing that marked him as a Jedi here were the two lightsabers hanging from his hip, one of Jedi design, the other distinctly the blade of Darth Vulcanus if one had actually seen the blade before.

"Our contact should be nearby. Try not to draw too much attention. Mandalorians are a rough bunch when they want to be." The Knight quipped to his Padawan as he scanned the room for this 'contact'.

[member="Strider Garon"]

 

[Strider Garon]

The old man had watched the two aruetiise enter the Oyu'baat and step down the shallow staired entrance and into the main hall of the cantina. Strider was the mandalorian they were looking for, he had nested himself in one of he private booths along the walls, with clear view of the entrance, that had sliding wooden privacy walls. Was not his favorite perch with in this establishment. The beverage side of the two long curved counters that made up the center piece of the Oyu'baat was his regular patronic seat. He only took up a private booth when there was business of state at hand or private dealings that needed to be done.

Today was a matter of state and Strider, oddly enough, had the most aptitude for diplomacy over most of his closest Vode. Or the one with the most patience, probably something that came with old age. His eyes were focused directly on the two, studying them from a distance. Master and student, the veteran warrior picked out as he was versed in the ways of force religions an their hierarchy. Strider would motion for them to join him, it wouldn't be that hard to spot as he was the only mandalorian in the room waving at the Jedii.

He wasn't going to get up and march over there to greet them. This place was not a place of formalities, just a comfortable atmosphere to get business done with and straight to the point. Once he caught their attention, the mando would take a long sip of his spiced caffa and then a long puff on his cigar to put himself at ease. He had been under a lot of stress of late, orchestrating a masterful campaign against the One Sith in a different style of waging war. But, war was war, the galaxy still moved on and did not stop to let its children finish their squabbles. So the old mando had to wear many hats and streamline the arts of war with the day to day of life. All of it was like moving peices on a Dejarik board and playing against the unknown in the dark. Just never know what will come next..........

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

[DARKCOM]

Kaigann had been busy lately, various diplomatic meetings, aid in the construction efforts of the Grand Temple, missions across Ession space and beyond, it was a fast paced life he lived now. The Dreadguard were in full swing with the Mark II Program, the Peacekeepers hard at work finishing the massive shipyards that would house the future of the Ession Fleet, and the New Jedi Order assembling forth ready to bring peace to an age of never ending war. With the rise of the Ession Reformation, many were scattering under the fledgling order in hopes of creating a better tomorrow, now.

It didn't come as a surprise when the notion of meeting with the Mandalorians came forward, it was a matter that needed handled by the Archlord of the Reformation himself. Tagging along to experience the Mandalorian culture first hand and it's way of dealing diplomatically was something he could not pass up, especially with all the missions he was being assigned lately. It was good experience, and it was something he could draw upon when dealing with the Mandalorians again in the future.

Entering the Oyu'baat he strode forth alongside his master, like Graxin he too was dressed unconventionally for a Jedi wearing a more casual attire for the meet. Wearing a white shirt and black pants, the Jedi sported a black smuggler's style jacket over his attire, strapped to his waist his beloved lightsaber which had been with him through thick and thin.

Kaigann studied his surroundings for a moment as he listened to the words coming from his master, "Understood master." His eyes shifted from person to person until he spotted the Mandalorian waving forth in the direction of the two Jedi Ambassadors, "That must be our contact."


[member="Graxin Rade"]
[member="Strider Garon"]

 

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Graxin only wasted a moment or so looking around the establishment. HE could have simply reached out with the force, but he knew the Mandalorians had their own host of force users running about. He didn't want to alert any of them--that might bring questions. The Knight was positive both he and Kaigann certainly looked like outside, but the Jedi connection might not have been made. News that a large number of Masters had broken away from the Order to bring peace to the outer rim likely wasn't something a Mandalorian wanted to hear anyway.

"Either that or he likes your shirt Kaigann. You draw in all the older men." Graxin snickered. He offered his Padawan a well meaning smile, and strode over to Strider. When he arrived at the table, he tilted his head forward in a slight nod. "Su cuy gar." He said simply. It didn't sound all that butchered either. Graxin had, at one point, been an Imperial spy. He knew the basics of the Mandalorian language--enough to open a few doors, but certainy nowhere near enough to host a full conversation.

The Knight helped himself to the seat opposite Strider, and held out his right hand. "Graxin Rade. A pleasure."

[member="Kaigann Fossk"] [member="Strider Garon"]

 

[DARKCOM]

Kaigann's eyes narrowed at the words spoken out of jest from Graxin, "I do really hate to disappoint but I do not 'roll' that way as the swoop gangs on Coruscant say." Even in times of potentially dangerous situations he could always count on Graxin's humor.

The two Jedi strode towards the table the Mandalorian contact was seated at and following his master's example the padawan bowed his head in a slight nod as Graxin began to introduce himself. Kaigann moved to seat himself near his master and introduce himself, "Kaigann Fossk of Epoch, nice place you got here."

The padawan studied his surroundings cautiously wondering if anyone aside from the contact had caught on to the fact they were Jedi, he made sure to act natural as he did so in order to not arouse any unnecessary attention.

[member="Graxin Rade"] / [member="Strider Garon"]​

 

[Strider Garon]

" I am Strider Garon " The old man introduced with his deep resonating voice. "Welcome to Mandalore, your tab is on me today". He was a barbaric warrior, a Marshal over one of the greatest and most feared forces in the galaxy but he still knew how to be diplomatic and accommodating. Strider also had been on many diplomatic missions of late, this was the first one where he was contacted so he was intrigued to its nature, especially on the pre set of his campaign against the One Sith.

"So How may I be of service?" He would inquire and straight to the point. Again, he was a soldier and rarely did he ever beat around the bush. Always a man that fired from the hip and point blank with his questions.

[member="Kaigann Fossk"] [member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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"You're quite gracious my friend." Graxin replied with a wide smile. It was a genuine grin, one of a man content with his ife. He was on the right path, doing as the force willed, living the way he wanted to live. The Knight was at ease with the world and all its subtle nuances, meeting with the Mandalorians was no different. "Balmoraan Bluesky." He quipped to the waitress as she passed by. He wasn't one to deny a host's good will.

Graxin set his elbow on the table and steeped his fingers. That was a good question. The Reformation had considered a number of different actions that could be taken concerning the Mandalorians, a semblance of peace had been the unanimously chosen path. It was far better than going to war in the future.

"I represent the Ession Reformation. You may have heard of us, or you may not have. We've taken the world of Ession and a few small territories around it. Our armies grow each day, swelling with droids, Jedi, soldiers, and even Mandalorians such as yourself." Graxin began. If Strider wanted things straight , then that was exactly how he would receive it. "We plan to scour across the Outer Rim, crush the Imperial Remnant, and establish a sort of peace where we can. We wish no quarrel with the Mandalorians, and so I wanted to establish an official agreement of non-hostilities."

[member="Strider Garon"] [member="Kaigann Fossk"]