Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Titles and Secrets

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Two months ago Graxin would have never dared to contact the Grandmaster. Not after his terrible blunder on Ossus, and certainly not after failing to retrieve the holocron he had lost with that blunder. For a time, he had withdrawn. Rarely would he ever be seen on Ossus, and his positivity had been replaced with a defeatist attitude. The knight had allowed himself to fall into a slump, and for a time, it seemed he would never crawl out of it.

That had changed too.

There was news to be shared. Darth Vulcanus was dead, and would never again return to the mortal plain. Graxin had taken extra precautions to insure that the Dark Lord would never return. The ritual had been costly, and the corruptive taint of its use still lingered on the former Emperor's Hand. To his own credit, he managed to resist it and return to the correct path; albeit with a considerable struggle in the process.

Few knew that Krag was no more, but news was spreading. The Graug were leaderless now, and Graxin held the claim to Lordship by right. He had nested the Warchief in single combat, and most of the Graug clans would respect that.

These two things were only part of why the Knight had requested an audience. The Graug would become staunch allies of the Jedi Order, if the right cards were played, but Graxin had a more personal meeting for asking of Master Grayson in person.

He swallowed heavily as he strode through the halls of the temple. Few paid him much attention anymore, he was becoming a rather familiar face. It was a stark contrast to a few days earlier when he had arrived with an infant in his arms and an errant Graug warrior at his side.

He shook his head to clear the thoughts from his mind. Focus.

He leveled his breathing as he darted around throngs of his brethren. Calm. He needed to be calm. Kiskla was not Krag, and he had conquered that obstacle. She was a young woman close to his age, perhaps younger than him, who had earned her position through dedication. Much in the way he had earned his own.

The thought set him at ease as he paused outside what he suspected to be her chambers. Admittedly, he was a bit confused as to where the Grandmaster spent most of her time.

He reached up and knocked on the doorway with a gloved hands. He stood up a bit straighter, and made a point to straighten out the leather coat he wore. It wouldn't do for him to look ragged in front of her, especially considering his usual discomfort with women around his own age.

He suspected that was part of why she intimidated him so much.

[member="Kiskla Grayson"]

 
“You’re looking for me?” Came the distinctly accented voice that belonged to the Grandmaster. The projection did not come from behind the door however, but rather over [member="Graxin Rade"]’s shoulder.

He was a Knight she had not seen since sending him to uncover the property he had been responsible for losing. She assumed no news, in this instance, was not good news and he had failed his mission. Maybe he was finally back to hand over the holocron Daella had skipped off with. That would be nice.

Toned arms folded across her chest as she stopped her walk a few feet away from the Jedi. She had been about to step into her office, but now he posed a convenient barrier to entry — with a purposeful peak of interest on her behalf.
 

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Graxin knew the Council had issued him a death sentence. Recovering the holocron was impossible, yet still, he had gone. He had marched into the Sith palace, and come quite close to retrieving his goal before being discovered. The result was the fight of Graxin's life, ending in his failure and what would have been his death, had he not been spirited away to Naboo by an odd stranger. There, he had been tended to by those he now knew were his family, and despite their encouragement for him to leave the Jedi Order, he had returned.

Returned with the shame of his failure, but also the pride of success--and questions. So very many questions. He whirled about on the Grandmaster, and whatever apprehension he might have had in his heart evaporated. "I did not recover the holocron. I was almost killed, and forced to flee." He stated plainly. His expression was that of a statue betraying absolutely nothing, and his tone mirrored it.

Quietly, he stepped forward, arms slack at his sides. "While I accept that failure, I've come to inform you that Darth Vulcanus is dead, and the Graug no longer a threat as a race. He will not be returning again."


He pursed his lips to say more, and thought better of it. Better not to flood her with information right now.

[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
 
“The graug are no longer a threat?” Kiskla repeated, singling out that tidbit of information instead of dwelling on the past. The constant struggle of artifacts and information was not about to cease with this individual, despite the arch in character it had provided.

“That’s quite a sweeping statement.” She continued, stepping past him and offering a small gesture to indicate he follow her into the doors that were now opening in response to her ethereal gesture. “There was an army of them on Zeltros associated with The One Sith and Panathan Empire.

I’m not completely informed on the Graug hierarchy, but I had an understanding that they were enslaved by Zambrano by some extension and responded to his commands. I welcome information that contradicts this -- please continue."

[member="Graxin Rade"]
 

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Graxin simply nodded. He didn't much care if anyone overheard, not now anyway. His arms folded over his chest, and he put all his weight on one of the adjacent walls. "Those not under his control will side with the Republic, not as prisoners, but eager allies. Their Glycons too, and eventually, Zambrano's army will join us."

He paused for a moment as she motioned for him to go inside. Without hesitation, he pushed off of the wall, and followed eagerly. It was true, Zambrano controlled a fourth or so of the population. The remainder had been under Darth Vulcanus's control, and had since hid on a world that Graxin would keep anonymous for now. They had sworn him their allegiance soon after Krag's death--as was their custom since the Horde-Mother's death.

"The majority of the Graug either followed Darth Vulcanus after he performed essence transfer, or remained on Gratos in some state of lethargy. Since the death of the Horde Mother at Vulcanus's hand, they have resumed the old ways. Whoever proves their power over the previous warlord gains his title." He lifted his shoulders in a slight shrug. "By right, I now hold that title, and with the right resources, I can bring the majority of the Graug race into the fold."

It was a bold statement, and one that she might see as a notion of grandeur, but he didn't much care. He would have liked to have the Grandmaster's approval, of course, but the force was telling him to do this. It was in his blood.

[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
 
"Sounds like the Mandalorian's way of functioning." Kiskla mused aloud, dropping her hands to her hips as she absorbed and evaluated the next round of information that was delivered to her. What he was saying of course inspired queries, and as a curious individual, such questions would not be withheld.

"So you overthrew Darth Vulcanus, that's why you're telling me he's dead. And now you're asking for resources to retrieve the Graug?" A brow quirked pointedly "-Resources and passageway, I suppose.

What type of supplies are necessary to shepherd a warrior civilization, pray tell."


[member="Graxin Rade"]​
 

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Progress was a wonderful thing. All he needed to do was formulate his words correctly, and refrain from saying anything ignorant. His intentions were entirely pure. Graxin had little desire to rule a nation, least of all the Graug. If he and his Padawan could uplift them to fight alongside the Republic and form a government of cooperation, then the opportunity was far too good to pass up.

"I fought him on Utapau. He was too dangerous to continue what he was doing." He cracked a grim smile. "A battle I'm still recovering from. He was a difficult opponent, but I'm not here to go on about an accidental victory."

There was a long pause after her final question. The Knight had taken the time necessary to learn what would be needed, and to his pleasant surprise, it was not much. "The Imperial Clan is already allied with myself. All I need are supplies, perhaps a Knight or two, and the Order's seal of approval. They have to know we're there to help them if we're to help reform them into a society that can function within the Republic. They cannot fear the Order."

He bit down on his lower lip as the questions came forth in his mind. He was dying to ask them, but now was not the time. Still, they are at his conscience. He would have to know before this little meeting ended. "Look, I know I made a bad call on Ossus. I was too eager to embrace the Order's old teachings...I've learned my lesson. Bringing the Graug into the war effort could benefit the Republic exponentially, and provide the Jedi Order with new initiates predisposed to the force."

He spoke to her as if they were peers of a sort, in a way that he would have never dared had he been in the right mind. His little ritual to keep himself from being intimidated by her had worked--though for the moment, he saw her as another member of the Order, rather than the Grandmaster. "My Padawan and I can bring the warlords in line with the help of my contacts, and whoever in the Order would want to help us."

[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
 
Kiskla listened with ears that were more mature than someone who was in her early twenties. The words were absorbed and dissected, broken down to the multiple meanings they could hold. The precautions that would need to be taken — all for precognitive protection of The Order.

The possible scenarios;

1.) She deny assistance. Rade believes this is his calling and leaves the Order.

2.) Scenario 1 + Rade returns with vengeful Graug.

3.) Everything works out.

4.) The Graug are accepted, but they are more susceptible to the dark side than perceived. Students are put in peril.

There were many more options to map out, but [member="Graxin Rade"]’s presence demanded an answer from the slight Grandmaster.

“Too eager to embrace The Order’s old teachings?” Kiskla repeated, concerning his apology for his Ossus behaviour. “Knight Rade, you must understand that the teachings of The Order are mostly neutral — there is always an equator to them. There isn’t necessarily a new versus an old, but a constant. A constant understanding of protecting and seeking knowledge to better understand ourselves, the galaxy at large, and those who position themselves as our enemies.

It’s also important to know how to perceive options. You closed yourself off from having separate paths — just like this decision, I don’t want you to be myopic and consider this is your only path. “ Technically, Kiskla too had an heir responsibility. That was something she had put on the back burner to advance The Order instead.

“It is never my intent to have anybody fear The Order — but it is my intent to protect The Order. We are an organization built on a foundation of assisting those in need — if this is a realm of creatures tossed about without a shepherd, and will be receptive to assistance, you can have approval.

I need to know that these creatures will not let their dark side taint them, and cause dangerous actions to those that are introduced to them.

Can you say anything to that? The Graug are naturally dark creatures, Knight Rade.”
 

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The Knight's brow furrowed in thought as he tried to wrap his mind around her words. When he had fought alongside the Sith, he had taken his teachings on philosophy from the ancients, rather than his current teachers. His way of learning was much the same with the Jedi Order. While he commonly employed the techniques the masters had taught him, his morality and way of doing things was often drawn from the tattered manuscripts of long dead Jedi Knights.

That was not to say that Graxin disapproved of the current Order, or its way of doing things. Kiskla was young, but she had proven effective in most aspects. Guiding what was left of the Jedi Order was a monumental task, and while Graxin might have disagreed with some of the recent decisions, he would defer to the Grandmaster's judgement on important matters.

As such, he remained silent as she spoke. His expression remained unchanged as she arrived at the final question. It was a worthy one. The Graug had proven to be monsters in the past--even he himself had trouble believing they could be redeemed. Still, something drove him toward that goal. The Knight liked to believe it was the force, rather than his own stubbornness.

"I understand that there are other paths open." He assured. "But what would I be if I shirked this now? The Graug might rise under a new warlord, or die out all together. If there's one thing I have taken away from my time with the Order, its mercy. It isn't in our way to just leave them the way they are."

Unlike Kiskla, Graxin had not considered the plan backfiring. He was so very sure that his plan would succeed, that he did not see the point in considering failure. It would only make him dread that fatalistic outcome, and that would make him falter in his words and future actions.

"Graug can be helped. I know of two who joined us against Vulcanus's tyranny in the past. They've both been loyal companions" For the moment, it seemed as if he would not budge. If there was anything he and his mother truly shared, it was their stubbornness and their lack of awareness of the trait.

"But..." He breathed a quiet sigh. "If you think it's unwise to move forward, then I'll drop the issue."


[member="Kiskla Grayson"]



 
"I'm going to be blunt with you, Graxin.

You've failed the last two assignments you were given -- this reformation of The Graug is no less difficult than either prior task. My faith in you isn't as bolstered as I would like it to be. That said, I think it's the drive that comes from you, and your desire to make an impact that will make or break this task.

Prove me wrong, please -- and give this nation the protection every sentient deserves."


[member="Graxin Rade"]
 

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It was true. Graxin had failed the order in many aspects, though part of him felt the Order had failed him. It was a flawed and arrogant part of his heart that always made itself known in situations such as this. The Knight swallowed heavily, and forced himself to ignore the uncomfortable sensation.

"I'll leave at once Master." He mumbled quietly. He dipped forward in a slight half bow, and cracked a small smile as he came back up to his full height. "Hold the fort while I'm away, eh?" The Knight lofted a brow, and turned about toward the door.

He went on his way, and hesitated for a moment at the door in case she had any words. If not, then he would simply continue onward.

[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
 

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