Carrying Kelborn (EN4)

[Col. Hala Moraal]

Hala moved over from where she had been having an early morning with some troopers to the part of the cantina that the Kelborn tended to flock to.

"Where's Ky'rad?" she asked lightly, leaning with her left arm against a high table next to her.

[Nekoinu]

The old man could be found carousing with his clan mates. It was rather fascinating how much Mandalorians partied.

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"You're Kyr'ad?" Hala said, walking over to the table. She stood behind an empty chair and folded her cap within one hand while draping her gloved fingers over the chair back.

"Mind if I join you?"

[Nekoinu]

"One and only. Soon to have more than one meaning, according to my Clan," he remarked with a grin. He then nodded. "Pour the woman a drink and give her a chair."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"'One and only one'? What special meaning does that have for your Clan? Or what extra meaning, rather?" she asked, setting her cap on the table while she stiffly slid into the chair.

[Nekoinu]

The man smirked. "In Mando'a, my name means 'corpse.' It's not a common name, for obvious reasons." He looked to his clan mates, all smirking at what was to come next. "Some of my esteemed friends are suggesting that my age will take me soon."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Ah, that hadn't occurred to me. I tend to disassociate people's names as proper nouns from what it might actually mean if it has a translation. Besides, my Mando'a is quite rusty..... But no excuses, it's good to meet you Kyr'ad of clan Kelborn. I'm Hala Moraal," she said, nodding as she introduced herself.

[Nekoinu]

He nodded. "Good to meet you, Hala. But the name became mine for a specific reason. Back then, people believed I had no chance to make it." He shrugged. "I proved them wrong."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"I suppose you have indeed made it, clan leader, yes? For how long now?" Hala said, leaning across the table to refill Kyr'ad's glass from the bottle on the table.

[Nekoinu]

"Far too long," he jested. "But yes, Clan leader of, well, Kelborn. But alright, is there a reason you sought me out?"

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Wanted to get to know you. I've been trying to meet many of the clan leaders, and you were one I'd heard spoken of frequently. I was cautioned though, because I hear you weren't very friendly towards the Empire," she said with a shrug, leaning back against her chair as she talked.

[Nekoinu]

Kyr'ad took his cup and maintained his friendly demeanor. "I may not hold your government in high regards but that does not mean I cannot be courteous to you." He paused. "Do you know of Mandalore the Preserver?"

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Only that he was alleged to be involved with Revan presumably participated in the war which concluded with the Mandalorian contemporaries being put down by the Jedi," she said, shaking her head uncertainly.

"Why?"

[Nekoinu]

He shook his head. "His promise was to prepare the Mandalorians for war against whatever threat Revan found."

The Mandalorian drank from his cup and sighed afterwards. "Do you know what that threat is?"

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"What he found was the Empire, if I remember my history correctly, was it not?" she answered innocently.

[Nekoinu]

"Correct. And that is where my politics stand."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

Somewhere along the line, Hala had enabled the micro-emitters sewn into her clothing which helped slightly amplify her voice clearly above the din.

"Your politics are based on the beliefs and suspicions of a soon-to-convert Jedi from 300 years ago? Forgive me Kyr'ad, but that doesn't make an awful lot of sense. Especially as the modern reality of things shows that the Republic cares only for it's own stability, what it considers 'peace', and to negotiate trade and tariff within a set of laws that advantages their own interests, the Jedi who are called upon to enforce the will of the Senate whenever they need a hammer to batter down someone who bothers to stand up against them, and anyone else who simply wants your people to kill themselves and others for something as common as credits?

"Not that I blame people for taking kill contracts, you need to provide for your own, but you are used and disposed of without care or thought. You are a convenient tool, fed scraps from the table. Enough to keep you alive, not too much that you can get beyond the starving feeling that keeps you coming back for more scraps. I've asked Mandalorians for help before, and I've paid them for their efforts, skill, and time, but I don't consider them as lesser. The Republic would never stand for a united Mando'ade that does not kneel. The Jedi would never accept you as one of their own. And yet your politics place you in the camp of those who would never accept you for who you are or all you could become? Your politics are foolish, they lack vision. How can the pittance the Republic would offer you help to provide for your clan?"

[Vec Gunnar]

It seemed there was no rest for the OT-4XX squad. Vec thought he was done for the night and had gotten a few shots in before he received the call from the Colonel. He scrounged about and rallied his troopers together from whatever they were doing at this late hour to provide some security detail. At least, they weren't going to be walking into a fire-fight but it was dependant on how the talks would go. Vec and a few of his troopers stood behind Hala to watch over the officer, maintaining respectable distance for their conversation. At the very least, he had enough distance to get a clear shot if something went wrong...

[Nekoinu]

"Sometimes, Hala, we don't get to do things for glory or recognition. Or even credits. Sometimes it is a matter of honor and tradition." Kyr'ad straightened out his back and sighed. "An oath made hundreds of years ago is still an oath. Mandalore the Preserver had all the reason not to trust Revan or the Republic but still he found reason to. I believe he judged them and found them virtuous in character, enough so that he would dedicate his life to helping them rather than sacking a weakened Republic.

"In the meantime, I see a resurgent Sith Empire trying to finish a war they cannot stop. Your diplomats have sent envoys stating that they understand the Resol'nare and all else of what makes my people Mandalorians. But what I see is a weakened system begging for a new Crusade so they can recuperate their losses. How Corso Fett does not see that is beyond me."

He slammed his mug on the table and signaled for his men to rise. "It's time for us to leave. Ret'urcye mhi, aruetii."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Is it honor and tradition to declare your predecessor a traitor, like Mandalore the Preserver did to Mandalore the Ultimate? Would you even be Mando'a without the reforms brought by Mandalore the Ultimate? Before Mandalore the Ultimate, Mando'ade was limited only to a single species. One which the Ultimate belonged to. Because of his reforms, it remade Mando'ade to what it is today. I'm not advocating you seize glory or recognition. I suggest you stop simply reaching for credits because someone asks you to gamble your life on them. Reform a crusade or don't, that is your business, but the Republic will never stand for a resurgent Mandalorian culture. You will be crushed, either individually as clans fight and die in other people's wars with no benefit for yourselves or, in your future, once the Empire fades into obscurity and the Republic reigns supreme. What then of your future? What then of your clan, your family?"

Hala stood as well, raising her hand for them to stop.

"He's aptly named, you know... 'Kyr'ad Kelborn'? But it's not about him... He's your death, the death of Clan Kelborn. Your current future is standing right there, and it's a corpse that doesn't know any better and won't listen to reason.

"But no, you don't care for them. Nor do you really care for the words of someone long dead. No.... no, no, no. No, you don't care for them at all. You're soft, Kyr'ad Kelborn. You're weak. You hide behind platitudes and titles but you care for none of it. Would you like to know what I see? I see," she said, slipping into Mando'a and dripping with venom, "a hut'uun bal aruetii at his clan bal at his adate, afraid at troan te haat tion'tuur sense cuyir johayc bal te vencuyot extends bic's gaan o'r offering"

[Nekoinu]

"Do you recall what atrocities Mandalore the Ultimate committed? What atrocities your very own Sith Empire will commit if they are allowed to continue? I know of your government's policies on non-humans. The military is even worse. I'm sure there are many which would see the holocaust of the Cathar finished. And unlike your useless commanders, we see the value in all life, be it in combat or otherwise."

He fastened his helmet on and looked to Hala. "You're the one standing here spewing out your taunts in hopes that I will retaliate. You hide behind the diplomatic position in hopes of becoming a martyr. Face it: I'm a threat to your unified cause against the Galactic Republic. You're the one who is afraid of me. Afraid of those who would complicate your operations from going smoothly."

He stepped off around her. "Fire the first shot if you dare. Otherwise, get the fuck out of my sight."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"You overlook the atrocities of the Republic. Stretching back into the history of the Republic to the beginnings of the Jedi order when they exterminated Xendor's followers. When the Republic bombed Desevro and cleansed the planet of life despite offers of unconditional surrender. The Pius Dea Crusades, when the Republic had their own spat of xenophobia from which trillions of lives were possibly extinguished. And if you think that is too ancient, there was the genocide inflicted upon my homeland. A hundred and twenty planets, thrust to the edge of extinction. There are no clean hands or clean governments, only those working towards a better tomorrow and that you are indeed an obstacle on the path to a unified Mandalorian culture does not undermine the fact that it must happen for your people to survive but self-righteousness is a brittle armor that will not protect you when the Jedi and the Republic come to cull your people into submission once again as they have done to both of ours. Corso Fett realizes that, Vora Nodd realizes that, many others do too. I hope that you come to understand this as well before the doom comes once again."

Leadership vs Kyr'ad's group. destiny flip, mando psych profile, diplomatic authorization (+3 advantage) obvious goof, first 3 should have been yellow, not red.: 3eP+2eB+1eC+1eD 3 successes, 2 advantage

[Nekoinu]

Kyr'ad shook his helmeted head. "There will always be blood, Colonel. Take care of yourself; I'll want to put a blaster bolt into your skull once the actual fighting begins." The Clan leader bowed his head to the woman and signaled for the rest of his unit to depart. A multitude of Clan Kelborn warriors shifted out of the cantina as well to destinations unknown.

However, a few lingered behind in their seats and looked to Hala Moraal. "What do you have to offer us instead of the old man? And don't give me the bullshit of honor or glory. I want your offer now and if it's not worth it we'll keep with Clan Kelborn."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Did you not just hear me tell him that I'm not offering honor and glory? I've had enough of honor and glory for my life and it's left me with a ruined body and just a few scraps of metal to show for it. I'm talking about survival. Of your clan, of the Mandalorians, and of my people. If you unify, if you refuse to blindly submit like the Republic would have you, then you cannot be picked off in isolation one by one. Unify around a new Mandalore and survive. Become allies with or join the Empire if you like, you'd be welcomed, but thats not my point. Unite and thrive. Those who don't, like Kyr'ad, will die. It's people like him that the Republic uses their SIS to eliminate once they have what they want. Don't be Kyr'ad, don't become a corpse."

[Nekoinu]

"Sure, sure. We will unify, we will thrive. But that's not the question I'm asking." He leaned back and his seat and sighed. "Just tell me why we should care more about the Empire than the Republic."