The Daughter Quotient (Adela & Isley)

[Ahani Najwa-Zambrano]

The travel from Sabarene was done once again in the bosom of the Isdihar-I-Timad. One of the few pieces of [member="Darth Metus"] Ahani had left, the woman stood in the small bridge of the luxury vessel and watched her Handmaidens bustle about. For the first time the Handmaidens were more anxious than their Matron: it wasn't every day a collection of loyal Traditionalist Echani paid Mandalore more than a wide berth and a hiss.

Today was worth the trouble of breaking cultural barriers and coming to the end of centuries of angst over the tawdry and vile Mando'ade and their Iron Carapaces. Ahani was meeting the daughter of [member="Isley Verd"]. [member="Adela Verd"] might be a clone, but clones were no oddity to the woman who cloned the very wife of her beloved son Manu. The Echani Master unfolded her arms from her chest and padded out of the Bridge with a nod of approval and a moment of poised comfort for her crew. Tables were odd things turned on their heads and faces.

For the event, Ahani had dressed in gunmetal grey trousers and sturdy black combat boots, which swept up to her knees. Tucked in to the utilitarian belt was a long sleeved red shirt, upon which she tugged her nearest grey hooded jacket and pulled the last bit of her silver hair behind her ear. Baiko had braided Ahani's hair up in a sweeping style on her head, tight and fashionable but out of the way. Ahani had brushed a soft pink tint on her lids and cheek bones, sliding a similar pink on her lips. Had she worn make up before? Back in those harrowed days? Not herself. Never herself.

Ahani clipped her sword Anandi's sheath to her belt and latched on her telescoping Echani staff. What was a girl to do without weapons? Besides, why would Ahani fear that which she was building? She would face this.

As the Isdihar came to a landing in the Spaceport outside Keldabe, Ahani pulled the hood atop her braided hair and trotted down the gang plank to seal her fate. 'Ugh. Keldabe smells funny. What is that? gun oil? WD-4000? Damn Mandos.' She covered the grimace on her face with a smile and waved her Handmaidens back. They were far more comfortable tending the ship. Besides, should she need them the Master would come running.

Stepping onto the earth beneath her feet, Ahani looked outward to Keldabe. She held a small gift bag in one hand, her other drifting toward the hilt of her sword as she walked toward [member="Isley Verd"] and [member="Adela Verd"]. "I'm here, you did it. You finally did it, Metus. Got me all the way to Mandalore. Feel proud. Feel proud and introduce us, please."

 

[Darth Metus]

The sensation of being whole was both foreign and familiar.

For so long, the Mandalorian had felt fragmented; for a war had waged perpetually within. It seemed that, with each and every passing moment, Isley was in danger of losing control over his mind and body...Yet no longer. A timely intervention by [member="Ahani Najwa"] had seen the two warring entities see a common necessity. Priorities were made and unification, something Isley never thought possible, occurred. Now, the lines were blurred between Mandalorian and Sith Lord. No longer was there a distinction between Darth Metus and Isley Verd, for the two were now one in the same.

With such a momentous union came changes, both interior as well as exterior. For the most part, identity was intact. Isley chose to continue to utilize the name of his birth; whilst his Dark-born title would be wielded when the time called for it. Furthermore, memories and feelings were relatively unchanged...with a few drastic differences. For one, the affections which characterized the Sith Lord persisted throughout the unification, coming to characterize the Mandalorian in the present. What's more, the filial bonds that Isley had held dear seemed to be all the more strong now; for Darth Metus did indeed care about their kin as much as he.

Motivations were a different monstrosity entirely, however. Originally, Isley was motived by a desire for redemption and a restoration of all that he had lost. Darth Metus was obsessed with amassing power for the purpose of challenging the Dark Lord himself. Together, their motivations now intermingled into a new beast: the drive to see one's Clan rebuilt from the ashes. Now, Isley desired nothing more than to see the name Verd regarded with respect and praise...and he would not rest until that goal came to fruition.

Aesthetically speaking, the Mandalorian looked exactly the same...save for his eyes. Liberation from Darth Metus the first time around had seen his irises return to their lovely shade of brown. However, the union stained his eyes gold: a tell-tale sign of the Dark Side. Furthermore, there was a change of voice...at least telepathically. Darth Metus often distinguished himself through the "demonic" tone he took during mental communication; and now that very voice became standard. It was a chilling turn of events, one that Isley would certainly need getting used to.

Yet, despite the time it would take to grow accustomed to being "whole", the Mandalorian was grateful. There was one who had ventured the stars in order to see some form of healing know his mind, and now she was coming to Mandalore. To say that a horde of butterflies assaulted his stomach was an understatement; for Isley was a mass of nerves in that moment. Never before had he questioned or fretted about his appearance...but today he went so far as to shave. The arrival of [member="Ahani Najwa"] was certainly a special event...especially since she was coming to meet his daughter.

Shortly after the landing of the craft, the disembarking Echani would be greeted with a familiar sight. Isley, with helmet in hand, waved with a wide smile. At his side was his youngest daughter...and in that moment, the Mandalorian couldn't have seemed more proud. This was his child: the feisty warrioress who would someday surpass him in all things. Here was the epitome of his happiness, his pride and joy, his Ad'ika. Upon hearing Ahani's words, a chuckle escaped his lips. Was this...nervousness he detected?

"For now, Isley will do." he whispered into her mind. He then parted his lips and greeted her verbally, with joy characterizing every word. "I've finally convinced you, and I'm so glad because of it. Welcome to Mandalore!" he began, gesturing at the wonderous city of Keldabe all around them. "Now then, Ahani, this is my Adela. She is my youngest daughter....and she happens to be a better shot with a blaster pistol than I currently." Was this the best time to brag about his child? Yes. "And Adela, this is Ahani Najwa. She came from, literally, the other side of the Galaxy to meet you. She is...someone very special to me."

[member="Ahani Najwa"], [member="Adela Verd"]

 

[Dorano1]

Adela Verd was an interesting person. On the day of her birth (which she remembered with perfect clarity, even though she didn't know it was the day of her birth) she had spoken perfect Basic, but following an interesting episode that had left the girl abandoned, her linguistic abilities had massively deteriorated. Now that she had her father back, however, all was well.

And now there was this new person that Adela would have to get to know. The woman clearly knew her buir, and Adela straightened at Isley's praise. And then came the introductions

Adela was young, but not ignorant, and when her father mentioned that Ahani was some 'very special', the girl burst into telepathic giggles, and her face was a study in the interesting kinds of expressions that occur when one tries very hard not to laugh.

'Special friend. Yes, buir, of course.'

Del managed to control herself long enough to smile at Ahani and talk a little. "Su'cuy. Nice to meet you." She managed, before she had to bite down on the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing aloud. She shot Isley a glance.

'You're sooooo busted, Is'buir.'

[member="Isley Verd"] [member="Ahani Najwa"]

 

[Ahani Najwa-Zambrano]

Helmet by his side, daughter on his arm [member="Isley Verd"] looked the paragon of Mando'ade ways. Ahani's breath caught, her silver eyes traced along his facial features and lingered on the testament to her skills as a creatrix. His eyes. 'You have Metus' eyes.' His eyes broke into the concerns of a woman who thought her times of happiness were draped in the gossamer of the past tense. She stepped forward and her voice whispered on the breeze. "Thank you, Isley." Ivory teeth pressed on her bottom lip, staving off the flush to her cheeks.

"Dost mine eyes detect the held in laughter of a little child?" Ahani herself tried not to break into nervous giggles. [member="Adela Verd"] 's face was far too adorable to leave the mother of three stoic in such a delicate situation. Kneeling down on one knee so as to be eye to eye with the slip of a girl, Ahani handed Adela the gift bag and smirked. "You remind me of my daughter when she was holding in a joke. 'Course Dahlia didn't usually hold them in for very long." First impressions?

Here's to potential awkward silences! Inside the gift bag were two slim silver cases. The larger one contained a pair of sunglasses which had frames milled from a single piece of Desh-Terenthium and contained slick, mirrored lenses. The smaller pair were similarly styled sunglasses sized and smoothed for a little girl's face. "My family on Sabarene made those for you and your Dad, Adela. I know it's not easy to see in the bright light and thought you two could use some continuity in fashion sense. The lenses are coated in nano-tech which shift polarity depending on what levels of light you're dealing with. The lenses also turn green. I like green lenses when I'm practicing sharp shooting. I hope you like them."

'Did I do okay? It's not a stupid gift, is it?' She thought to Isley.